Prairie HiveThe wedding is the most memorable and important event in the life of every bride and groom. It is the special day when all their family, friends, and relatives gather together to witness your union with the person you love. This is also the day when they share their happiness and joy with their guests.
A bridal entourage is like the supporting actors and actresses in your big day. But, what is a bridal entourage in the first place and what are their roles and responsibilities during a wedding?
What is Bridal Entourage?
The bridal entourage or also called the wedding entourage is made up of people who have close relationships to the groom and the bride. Members of the family and honored friends are picked to sponsor, help, wear fancy dresses and suits, and walk down the aisle in celebration of the glorious event.
Behind all great and successful weddings is a dedicated group of people who work hard behind the scenes just to make everything happen exactly as how you want it to be. These people don’t receive any payment for their hard work nor is it their regular day job. These people just do it out of excitement, support, and love for the bride and groom. Yes, this is what the bridal entourage does.
The entourage, the bride tribe, and the wedding squad are just some of the common names used to refer to the bridal entourage. Every member of the entourage has a significant role to play in the days prior to your big day as well as during your wedding itself. This is why it is a must to acknowledge the various roles they need to play throughout your special day.
Choosing the Members of Wedding Entourage
Being a soon to be bride, it is only normal for you to feel a bit overwhelmed and even confused with how you can turn your dream wedding into reality. Aside from months or even years of preparation and pre-planning, you also need to consider how you can be sure that things will go as planned once your big day comes. This is where your bridal entourage enters the picture.
For most couples, they find it hard to choose the members of the bridal entourage. It is important to pick all the right people for the different roles and you will have to include their names in your wedding invites.
The responsibilities and roles of your bridal entourage don’t just start the moment they walk down the aisle with you during your wedding ceremony itself. Just like you, your tribe members may also feel the same level of excitement as you do on your special day and they truly want to lend a hand throughout the process.
Having said that, how will you know exactly what the different members of your bridal entourage are in charge of? What tasks do they have to do?
There are a few generally accepted and followed guidelines as far as the responsibilities and roles of your bridal entourage members are concerned. Here is a quick overview of their respective jobs.
Maid or Matron of Honor
Your maid or matron of honor is a woman who is very special or close to you, the bride. More often than not, a sister, close relative or best friend is given this most important title. Simply put, the maid or matron of honor is someone the bride is comfortable with or knows to keep up with such a crucial task. Some of the duties of the maid or matron of honor are the following:
- Accompanying the bride during shopping trips such as picking the veil, wedding gown, and clothes of the entourage
- Arranging the train and veil of the bride prior to the processional and recessional
- Coordinating dress fittings and the like for the bridesmaids
- Coordinating the bridal gift registry
- Helping the bride in writing and addressing place cards, wedding invitations, as well as other required handwritten correspondence
- Keeping the bride right on schedule
- Going with the bride to the manicurist or hairdresser prior to the wedding
- Assisting the bride with dressing before her wedding
- Taking part in the wedding processional
- Making sure that the dress of the bride is positioned properly during the ceremony
- Holding the bouquet of the bride during the exchange of vows
- Joining the receiving line
- Gathering the gift envelopes during the reception
- Guiding the bride as she changes to her going away outfit
Best Man
The best man is ideally the best friend or brother of the groom who will act as the valet or personal advisor or aide of the groom during every stage of the wedding planning. Best men can also be the masters of ceremonies, fashion consultants, and commanders-in-chief of groomsmen brigade. Their duties include but not limited to the following:
- Helping the groom in picking his tuxedo
- Assisting the groom in dressing up prior to the wedding
- Getting the groom dress up and arrive at the ceremony right on time
- Delivering any payment to the sexton, ceremony musicians, and officiant as arranged beforehand
- Holding the wedding ring of the bride
- Joining the receiving line
- Offering a toast to the groom and bride during the reception
- Acting as the wedding program’s Master of Ceremonies
Bridesmaids
The bridesmaids are the female family members and trusted girl friends who make up the entourage of the bride and work hand in hand before and during the wedding. They serve as the maid of honor’s support team who help with the tasks prior to the wedding when requested to do so. Bridesmaids are also usually expected to act as substitute hostesses to the wedding guests.
Groomsmen
The groomsmen are a group of male friends and family members who help the groom as he plans and prepares for his special day. It is their main role to assist the best man during planning and offer support to the groom. Groomsmen also commonly act as ushers who leave their posts right in time to walk down the aisle with the other members of the bridal entourage.
Tips in Choosing Wedding Entourage Line Up
Choosing who to include in your wedding party is a fun but important task. Here are some tips for putting together your wedding entourage line up.
First, think about who you want by your side on your big day. This might include close family and friends, or maybe people who have been instrumental in your relationship.
Then, start assembling your list of potential attendants. This can be a great way to get people excited about being part of your wedding and also gives them something to do in the months leading up to the big day!
Be sure to keep in mind things like budget and logistics when putting together your list. For example, if you have a lot of small children in your entourage, you’ll need someone to help wrangle them on the big day.
How to Send Wedding Entourage Invitation
Inviting your wedding entourage is a very personal process. You want to make sure that you invite the people who are most important to you and who will be there to support you on your big day. Here are a few tips on how to send wedding entourage invitations:
- Make a list of everyone you would like to invite. This includes your family, friends, and anyone else who is important to you.
- Decide what type of invitation you would like to send. There are many different options available, such as paper invitations, e-cards, or even text messages.
- Send the invitations out as soon as possible. The sooner they receive them, the better chance they have of being able to attend your wedding.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a bridal entourage is a group of people who help the bride prepare for her wedding day. They can be family members or friends, and they can provide emotional support, help with logistics, or just be there to celebrate with the bride. If you’re looking for ideas on who to include in your bridal entourage, think about who has been there for you through thick and thin, and who you know will be happy to help you on your big day.
