About Wedding Parties
The bride and the groom are the main participants in a wedding party, or in some cases where a gay marriage is involved, the partners may consist of two grooms or two brides. Each couple decides who they will have stand up for them or represent them at the wedding ceremony. Wedding ceremonies can be either traditional and nontraditional, depending on the focus of the couple.
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Significance
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Each member of the wedding party plays a significant role in the presentation and performance of the overall wedding and theme. Wedding parties vary by religions--such as Muslim, Catholic and Jewish--ceremonial attributions and traditions within families as well as location. All members of the wedding party are required to attend the rehearsal dinner as well as the wedding rehearsal.
Considerations
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The bride's side of the family and the groom's side are usually paired up and analyzed so a formal decision can be made. Ultimately, in most cases, the bride decides the matron of honor, bridesmaids and flower girl, and the groom decides the best man, groomsmen and ring bearer. Consideration must also be given to unconventional family styles, where more than one parent is present at the wedding to give the bride away or to be a participant in the wedding party.
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Function
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The wedding party symbolizes the support team of the bride and groom in physical ways, like helping with certain wedding preparations, and by loyalty and dependability. The wedding party--in particular the maid of honor--assists the bride before and after the wedding by sending out invitations, planning the bachelorette parties and the bridal shower as well as assisting the bride in picking out a gown and preparing for the ceremony. The best man fulfills similar duties for the groom, also renting the limo and giving a toast at the wedding reception.
Types
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The traditional wedding party attendants are bridesmaids, who stand up for the bride and wear matching gowns, and the maid of honor, who follows the bridesmaids in the procession. The best man assists the groom and holds onto the wedding band for the groom during the ceremony. The groomsmen pair up with the bridesmaids in the ceremony procession, the ring bearer carries the rings down the aisle and the flower girl scatters flowers petals behind the bride. The father of the bride attends the wedding and gives the bride away. The father of the groom, the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom are also present at the ceremony and usually sit in the front row. There is an officiant who performs the ceremony depending on the denomination of the couple and the vows. Train bearers or pages carry the train of the bridal gown and assist the bride with walking down the aisle. Ushers are selected by the groom to assist guests with seating arrangements.
In Jewish weddings, huppah carriers hold up huppah poles during the ceremony for the bride and groom to get married under. The shushavim is also a Jewish term describing the Jewish wedding party and those who have helped with preparing as well as participating in the wedding ceremony.
Hattabin are male members of the Muslim wedding party. Typically the hattabin are often sent to propose to the wife in place of the groom before the ceremony takes place.
Size
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The size of the wedding party depends greatly on the bride and groom's preferred ceremony size, the location of the wedding and physical items passed down from generations. Religions or styles of weddings also reflect on how big the wedding and wedding party will be. Many traditional Catholic weddings have a full processional--meaning up to five bridesmaids escorted by five groomsman as well as a maid of honor and best man. If held inside of a church, family friends and congregation members are typically invited, making for a large ceremony as well. A reception typically follows a wedding ceremony, and the ushers, bridesmaids and groomsmen are responsible for setting up and performing last-minute details. The usher usually welcomes the bridal party into the reception once all of the guests have arrived.
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Resources
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