My sister is a given as my matron of honor - and will do a great job - even if she is out of town- she is already trying to plan my shower and told me a million time that she will be paying for it - so anyone else I ask to be in the wedding will not need to chip in ( it's normal in my family and in my circle that anyone in the wedding party covers the cost of the shower and bachelorette party as well as help out with weddign related projects- mostly addressin things or even stuffing envelopes )
Money is an issue for a lot of my friends - so this really is a great thing that my sister is being so gung ho and willing to take on the expense - the shower will take place OOT - where most of my family will be - and honestly any other girls I ask to be in the wedding would not be expected to travel 7 hours away for the shower - the bach party would be local...
My problem though is this - I have 2 friends that I have known for 20+ years that live near my sister - i would love to ask them - but traveling for the wedding would be an expense - and I am not 100% they would / could make it .. with the wedding being over a year away i know a lot can change...
My bestfriend from high school - i was the maid of honor for her wedding - we still talk - but she is consumed with making babies and i know she is not great with money - AND her personality and my sister's kind of clash a little... just with life the past few years we haven't been super close - but still talk a lot and she is very interested in anything wedding going on
then there is my cousin - she is a sweetheart - will turn 21 this year and would be thrilled genuinely if i asked her to be in the wedding - she also lives up north near my sister - she is super excited about the wedding - problem with her is this --- her mother - she is very comptetitive and will try to weasel her way into everything - and frankly drives the rest of the family crazy
My FI's brother will be the best man , and my brother will also be standing on his side - FI and my brother are pretty good friends at this point - so I need at least 1 more girl - (i know they don't have to be even but i want them to be - and FI has at least 5 more guys he would ask because they have all been very close if I can come up with the girls -- FI has girls I would be willing to have too on my side - but I am not all that close to them so approaching them is a little strange to me ...
any advice ?