Bridesmaids?

Question

How many should I have? Should I ask his sister to be one of my bridesmaids? I really don't even know her... And who is supposed to pay for the bridemaids dresses? Me or them? I get so many different answers from people. Do I choose their dresses? Do they choose their own?

Answer 1

YOU choose the dresses, they buy them unless you want to. And if it's a larger wedding party then it might be a good idea to ask his sister to be a bridesmaid but you don;t have to, just make the number you have match the number of groomsmen he has.

Answer 2

The number of bridesmaids you have depends on how big of a wedding you want.

It would be appropriate to ask his sister, but if you don't want her to be a bridesmaid or don't have room in the wedding party for her, ask her to be the guest book attendant.

The bridesmaids pay for their own dresses.

You should choose the bridesmaid dresses, it's your wedding. I would suggest you take them with you though, to make sure that the style of dress you pick out will look okay on everyone's body type.

Answer 3

Don't have anyone in your wedding paty who isn't close to you. Your best friends and sisters make up the wedding party. Most of the time the bridesmaids will assume they are paying for the dresses because that is usually how it is. But if can afford it, it would be more than appreciated I am sure, but like I said, it is not expected. You pick out bridesmaid dresses, the color, the style, everything. Sometimes if you are not sure or not picky, you all can just go out and they can try on lots of styles and you can see what looks best on them.

Answer 4

honey that is all up to you, everyone does it differently. It considered respectful to ask the sister to be the bridesmaid and most people do it, you are showing careness, consideration, respect, and love for the family. I bought the bridesmaid dresses and i had 5 and i let them choose the dress but not the color and it had to be the same dress so they all came to the agreement of which one they liked best, but like i said that's up to u, if they choose the dress u can have them buy it, if u choose the dress than u should buy it cause u know most likely they will never wear it again, its up to u and how much u love and care for your friends, and what your budget is.

Answer 5

Yes, of course you should have his sister as a bridesmaid - it would just be the right thing to do.
Bridesmaids pay for their own dresses, if the price is reasonable, say under 100. However, if a bride is really adamant on having something else, something really pricey, then she should foot the bill.
Usually, the bride goes out with the bridesmaids looking, and trying on. I think it's best to have their input, since they are wearing them, but really the bride has the final say.

Answer 6

Usually the rule for amounts of attendants is 1 per 50 people, but its not a steadfast rule. I would say though to make it as balanced as possible, if you have 50 guests, dont have 6 bridesmaids, thats too much. But if you have 50 guests and want two or three girls, go right ahead.
As for who, pick the girls (or guys) who are the most important to you. I also have sisters, but they are much older than I am and I never felt very close to them until we were all married and had kids, now we are very close, but at the time I was married I was like an only child. I chose my two best friends. My sisters did not mind at all, nor should yours, especially if you arent close. A tip though, for your honor attendant, choose someone that you KNOW is level headed and "together" it is very easy to choose a flake and thusly become very frustrated when they wont follow through with things you ask them to. Your MOH should be a second set of legs, hands, and brains, you will need to be able to depend on her.
The bridesmaids always pay for their own dresses. It is your job to pick a color of dress (but be considerate of their looks, like you wouldnt put a pale girl in yellow or a heavy girl in Ivory) but it is very nice to let them pick out their own dresses. You just have to make the ground rules clear, like if you want them in the same dress or if you would rather a strapless gown etc. If they cant come to a unanimous decision then it is your job to be the "tie Breaker". Ultimately no matter what, you have to approve the choice of dress and its totally ok for you to say "Keep on looking" if you arent happy with their choice. Remember this is your day and your friends will want you to have exactly what you want, that will trump any ill feelings they have about their dresses. Believe me I would have worn a potato sack gladly for my BF's wedding if it would have made her happy and she would have done the same for me.

ETA:I didnt realize this was his sister. No you are under no obligation to have her as a bridesmaid, I didnt have my SIL either, but we did ask her to do a reading, which she did happily.

Answer 7

1. a good rule i've heard is one bridesmaid for every 50 people attending the wedding and reception. although 3 is usually a good number for a guest list of only 50 people.
2. ask her to be a bridesmaid if you want but you don't have to, it is a nice gesture though.
3. the bridesmaids are supposed to buy their dresses- although if they're really expensive you can offer to help.
4. you choose their dresses but the latest trend is the bride picking a color and style and the bridesmaids choose their own. if you let them choose their own make sure they get your fianl approval - you want some uniformaity!
5. don't stress too much and God bless!!

Answer 8

You choose your own dresses. It's your wedding and your vision. Pick 2 or 3 dresses and let them choose between them. More than 4 bridesmaids becomes a disaster. Too many woman personalities gets to be overwhelming. Let him choose the male attendants and you pick yours. Let his sister say a prayer or sing a song. You can contribute $50 for each girls dress or pay for their shoes, accessories, jewelry. Being in your wedding is their gift to you.

Answer 9

You should ask his sister, out of courtesy and respect. You can have as many or as little bridesmaids as you want.

Pay for the dresses----hmmm, that depends. If you have a gajillion dollars, then you pay. But if you're just a normal person, the bridesmaid pays for her own damn dress, shoes, etc. You provide the flowers, tho.
You choose the color and you can even choose the dress style, too!

So there.
That's how it's done "traditionally".

Answer 10

you are the one who gets to make the final decision in all of this. you're hubby-to-be might want to have his sister be a bridesmaid, but it's up to you. she also doesn't have to be a bridesmaid. there are other responsibilities that you could assign her.

i have paid for the dress in every wedding i have been in. but it is up to you. it might also depend on how many girls you have; the cost of the dresses; the girls' financial situations; etc. in my experience, most brides choose the dresses; i've been in one wedding where we each chose our own dress and while it was fun, it would have been easier to been told what i was going to wear.