My fiance and I are planning a small, intimate, destination wedding. I'm not one of those brides who wants 10 bridesmaids, I view my wedding day as being about my fiance and I instead of our friends. I am looking forward to celebrating our marriage with close family and friends but I am only planning on having three bridesmaids (best friend, sister in law and future sister in law) because I want the wedding to be small and simple. The problem is - my fiance has two other sisters and I don't want to hurt their feelings by excluding them. I think it's important to make family feel included.
These sisters are younger, but not young enough to be junior bridesmaids. We aren't super close and I don't feel like they need to be bridesmaids (especially because I don't want half my wedding guests standing up in the ceremony). However, I want them to feel included in the preparations, getting ready together/hair/makeup done, bridal party photos, etc. My thought was to have them each pick out a coordinating dress to my bridesmaids (either the same dress in a different color or different dress in the same color) and then they can still get ready with everyone, be in the bridal party photos, etc, they just wouldn't stand up during the ceremony. I would also have each do a reading during the ceremony.
But what do I call them in the program? I do not want personal attendants as I don't want them to feel like they are my slave, I just want them to feel included. Can ushers be female? Could they be our ushers? Or is there a female version of an usher?