When is it a good time to ask your bridesmaids to be in your wedding?

Re: When is it a good time to ask your bridesmaids to be in your wedding?

• JCbride2015 member

  

  March 2015

  Knottie61045299 said:

  I just got engaged and I'm not getting married until September 2016. But I know all the girls I want in my bridal party. When is a good time for to ask them? I don't want to ask too soon but don't want to wait so long either.

  You should generally wait until 9 months ahead of time, so that would be around December or January next year.  This can seem so far away when you are planning a wedding and excited, but here are a few reasons we see around these boards all the time:

  
  

  -- Friendships change.  New people may come into your life or your existing friendships may cool off.  You want to leave yourself some flexibility.

  -- Your wedding plans and/or budget might change.  I have seen a few posters come on the boards worried because they asked a very large bridal party too soon, then realized they wanted to cut back on the size of their wedding.  There is no good way to un-ask someone.

  -- Asking your bridal party very early is kind of a symptom of this wedding industry, artificially high expectation syndrome for bridal party members.  All they have to do is buy the appropriate attire (after you ask their budget privately and stick to the lower budget in the group) and show up to stand next to you.  You really don't need more than 9 months to get a bridesmaid dress.

  
  

  I asked my bridal party slightly too early (about a year out) and sure enough, I have regretted it.  No enormous regrets, but I would have done a few things differently.  That's not a great way to feel.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  "I'm not a rude bitch.  I'm ten rude bitches in a large coat."

  
  

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• amt6 member

  

  March 2015

  We asked a month after we got engaged (over a year out). My bridesmaids are my 3 sister-in-laws, best friend from college, and 2 best friends from law school that I know are not going anywhere. If you are confident that your dynamic with the girls will not change, then ask whenever you feel comfortable. We did wait until we had everyone in the same room to ask - the bridesmaids and groomsmen - and it was really fun!

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• Knottie40545503 member

  

  March 2015

  i'm getting married Oct 2016 and will probably wait till Oct/Nov of this year

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• Jenn7778 member

  

  March 2015

  I am getting married 11/2015 and I asked my bridesmaids right after we got engaged 12/2013.  I am only having my 2 sisters and my sister in law so I knew nothing would change.  It took FI a bit longer to ask his groomsman.  I say just ask when you feel comfortable doing so.
  

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• futuremrssaleh member

  

  March 2015

  I'm getting married May 2016 and we asked our bridesmaids/groomsmen a few months after we got engaged (August 2015).  I think it was October or November.  I know its considered too early, but we discussed it with each other and we were comfortable with our decision.  Just make sure you think it through and feel comfortable enough with the decision to ask them.

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