Introducing Your Bridal Party

Knottie56296520

Is anyone out there doing some sort of short speech or introduction about their bridal party at their wedding? I was thinking it might be a nice thing to "introduce" who these men and women are to the guests since not everyone knows them, what their relationship is to us, and why we're thankful they could be part of our wedding party. They do so much for the wedding that they deserve some time in the spotlight too, you know?

It seems to me this might be more appropriate at a rehearsal dinner, but then not everyone at the wedding would get to know them, and I think it might add an element of closeness that will help people have fun with those they haven't met before.

bablingbrooke

No, since guests really don't care who the WP is unless they already know someone in it.  People don't typically meet-and-greet the WP.  It's a nice thought, but I think people would just be sitting through it waiting for dinner or dancing to start.

notyetavet

You can put short bios of each person at the end of you wedding program or announce them at the rehearsal dinner.  I agree with PP, there is so much going on at the reception that I feel like adding another thing that people have to sit through may get to be too much.

mbcdefg

I've never seen this at a wedding, and quite honestly I wouldn't want to sit through it.

If I don't already know who your attendants are because I'm already friends with them, then I don't really care what your relationship to them is because I'll never see them again. I'm not going to go strike up a conversation with your sorority sister just because you announced her name, or ask your FI's cousin/groomsman to dance with me.

Most weddings in my area introduce the bridal party to an upbeat song, usually in guy-girl pairs ... "Now introducing, groomsman George and bridesmaid Brenna! Best Man, Bill and Maid of Honor, Margo!" Once in a while I've heard a short description ("The Maid of Honor, the bride's sister Cheryl!"). Then the newlyweds are announced. At my wedding we did no announcements whatsoever (not even me and MH) because we didn't find them necessary, and once the bridal party and MH and I were seated the DJ welcomed everyone and had us start the First Dance. Nobody said anything about skipping the intros.

I think it's nice to want to publically recognize your friends, but I agree with you that the rehearsal dinner is probably the best place for it. Or write something in your ceremony programs. If you and your FI give a welcome/thank you speech to your guests at the wedding reception, I think it's fine to say, "Thank you to everyone in the bridal party for your love and support," but anything more than that is overkill IMO.

Your heart's in the right place, but I just think you're overestimating how much your guests would care about this.

Licia&Wayne

I'm going to vote no on this, too. Not to be a jerk, but seriously, no one cares who your wedding party is, what their relationship to you is, and how much you love what they've done for you. And if they do care, they'll walk up to your WP members and say, "Hi I'm Susie, what's your name? How do you know the bride/groom?"

It's a nice thought, but I think it's much nicer to express your thanks personally and not through extended speeches at your reception.

Knottie56296520

Ha, ok, point taken. I guess people will introduce themselves if they care.

tldh

Gotta go with the PPs on this one.  Think about awards shows.  Do you like listening to the winner of best technical use of lighting going on and on and on.  That's immediately what I thought of when reading this post.  Your guests are there for you and the most they are going to want to listen to will be toasts about you.  I do like the idea of putting little descriptions in the program.

slubkin

I think most people stick with something in the program.

I'm not sure if we are going to do a program or not, but our wedding website is set up to include pics and short bios/info for our wedding party, so I feel like they are pretty well covered there, since our STDs and invitations will have our wedding website listed on them.

loop0406

I've never seen it done at weddings.

In Quinceañeras, they do announce the 14 people who are in the party. (usually 7 couples) 14 + 1 (the quinceañera) = 15 (Number of years she's turning)

bablingbrooke

Good plan, OP.  Bear in mind that your wedding is, for most people, a 5 hour event and most people are going to be visiting with the people they already know.  Which isn't a bad thing!

HisCB

i think its a great gesture to want to publicly thank them for what they have done, i would toast them at the rd, when you give a gift and/or write a blurb in the program.

i agree it would be boring to sit through and i wouldnt care about what you said.