Not Having Maids, Ideas to Honor Best Gals?

mkreid318

My fiance and I are planning a destination wedding (well, San Diego is "destination" for most of our guests). Because people are already shelling out a lot of $ to travel for our wedding and to keep things simple, we decided not to have a bridesmaids and groomsmen.  I have 7 girlfriends who are more like sisters to me. I've been a bridesmaid in a couple of their weddings. I do not want them to feel left out in any way, and still want them to feel honored at our wedding so they know how special they are to me...especially since they are traveling all that way to be there. Would love to know if anyone has encountered a similar situation and/or has any ideas!  Thanks. 

AutumnFair

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_moms-maids_not-having-maids-ideas-honor-gals?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:357Discussion:b7a7d1e4-c7b2-4525-b9bb-08933d4fea71Post:f416df5a-79ad-4fe9-a753-ef1a23724069">Not Having Maids, Ideas to Honor Best Gals?</a>:
[QUOTE]My fiance and I are planning a destination wedding (well, San Diego is "destination" for most of our guests). Because people are already shelling out a lot of $ to travel for our wedding and to keep things simple, we decided not to have a bridesmaids and groomsmen.  I have 7 girlfriends who are more like sisters to me. I've been a bridesmaid in a couple of their weddings. I do not want them to feel left out in any way, and still want them to feel honored at our wedding so they know how special they are to me...especially since they are traveling all that way to be there. Would love to know if anyone has encountered a similar situation and/or has any ideas!  Thanks. 
Posted by mkreid318[/QUOTE]

<div>Guests. Why? Because since there are 7 of them there is no real other honors out there that will fit that many girls (besides being BMs). So just let them enjoy themselves, they know they are special to you. Not many people get invited to a DW so I'm sure they feel special that you chose to invite them. </div>

Beachy730

You could still have them as BMs.  All they would have to do is buy a dress, which if you just tell them to pick any dress in a certain color.  They could make it as cheap as they wanted, or even wear a dress they already owned.  If they didn't think they could afford it they could decline. 

Other than that, there is no way to honor them.  I suppose you could get them a corsage to wear, but I think that would seem rude to the other guests that you are honoring just these friends.

TheKnittingJedi

Maybe make a toast to them at the reception?

aerinpegadrak

I suppose you could invite them to get ready with you.  But if your only issue is the cost to them, then don't make it cost them any additional money.  Give them very basic guidelines for the dress and let them accessorize it however they choose, don't require pro hair and make up, and turn down offers of a shower and/or bachelorette party, and voila, they're bridesmaids at no cost to them.

calindi

I never really saw the point of having someone buy a dress as an honor.  If you want to include them, make plans with them!  Invite them to join you for mani/pedi the day before, and invite them to come help you get ready and calm your nerves beforehand.  You can have champagne and fruit for everyone while you're waiting for it all to start, and it gives you some quality time with your girls.  They'll be honored that you wanted them to wait with you, and then they get to be comfortable, seated on a chair in an outfit that they picked out themselves.  It's the best of both worlds!

lynnmfrank

Hi,

San Diego Bride,

I've been researching wedding traditions iths for our ceremony and ran across a neat type of ritual that we are considering using to honor the small group of friends and family that will be at our ceremony.  It can be done in a few ways or can be combined:

-Ask the group to repeat a promise, as members of your spiritual and related family, that they will support you both in your married life.
-Give each person a flower when they enter and ask them to come forward and place it in a vase as a symbolic committment to supporting you in your marriage.
-Give each friend a small gift during the ceremony, like a crystal heart, to signify what they have meant, and continue to mean to you.

Hope this helps!  More ideas are available on: Interfaithofficiant.com

Good luck.