Photographer: Cottonbro
When the pandemic hit, many couples who had planned to wed had to alter their plans to adjust to the pandemic conditions, prioritizing safety and health. Instead of that wedding with over 200 guests, many couples had their guests attend online. Some toned it down to only immediate family and a handful of friends. The bridesmaids, too, were affected, and many couples opted for a lesser number of them than before. If you happen to be planning your own wedding this 2021, you are probably wondering how many bridesmaids you should have for your wedding.
According to western bridesmaid tradition, there must be ten witnesses to chase away evil spirits during the wedding day. But modern times have changed things, and today, bridesmaids are the support group for the bride on her big day. They dress to reflect the wedding theme and also help the bride with shopping, looking for a honeymoon location, and general moral support. But with COVID19 in a bid to tone down things and prevent the spread of infections, people are questioning the number of bridesmaids, but still, there is no real answer as to how many bridesmaids one should have during these times.
How Many Bridesmaids?
Photographer: Milan
The number of bridesmaids will depend on the altar; if your altar is small, the limited number of bridesmaids will be convenient. An overcrowded altar will not only enhance the spread of COVID19, but it will also look so overcrowded, and the wedding photos will not be impressive. As a wedding couple, you must decide how many guests you will have, the size of your wedding party, and the number of guests attending. As you decide these other things, you will easily come up with the ideal number of bridesmaids.
One problem might arise though; if your circle of best friends is big, you will have a situation. You will have to choose those who will be bridesmaids, and this might cause some feelings to be hurt. You can decide to pick only 4 and one maid of honor. You don’t need more than that, and your other friends will have to understand. You can go ahead and blame it on COVID19 protocols and the need to keep a limited number.
More Is Not Merry
If your wedding is an intimate affair, your number of bridesmaids should not exceed 5. Remember that even during pre-covid19 times, the unwritten rule was that formal weddings only need a half dozen bridesmaids and anything more than that is just too much. If your wedding is semiformal, then 3 to 5 bridesmaids will do.
Keeping your number of bridesmaids small is wise because it will be easier for them to coordinate themselves during the wedding. They can work together easily with minimal or zero conflicts, unlike when the number of bridesmaids is large.
Photographer: Gift Habeshaw
Choosing Your Bridesmaids
As you consider choosing your bridesmaids, consider only the closest friends who you go way back from childhood. But, if you have made solid friendships from college or from your workplace, you can still consider those friends. There is really no set rule on who to choose. Still, make sure your bridesmaids are friendly with great personalities because they have to mingle with the crowd, dance during the ceremony, and contribute to making your day joyous and memorable.
It is very simple though, the average number of bridesmaids you should have should 3 to 5. You can still choose to have only 2 and a maid of honor. It is really up to you, but as we have seen, during these COVID19 times, more is not merry, and the less number, the better.