Bridesmaids- How/when to chose

Hi Ladies!
I know you can help. It seems that most of you have already decided on your Maid/Matron of Honor and possibly even your bridesmaids. I have a good idea of who I want to ask but I'm a little hesitant to ask seeing that my wedding is 676 days away ( )
How do you know you're still going to be close with these people?
I mean, I love my closest girlfriends to death, but you never know what can happen.
For example. One of my best friends is getting married in Aug 06 down in Maryland and our other friend and I are both bridesmaids in her wedding (she's just having 2 bridesmaids--we were like the 3 musketeers in high school).
So I was super excited about the wedding and planning and definitely know that I want my friend who's getting married to be my matron of honor. I was going to wait to ask her for a little bit so that she doesn't feel like she needs to do too much for my wedding even though my wedding is a year after hers. But that's not my problem. ha ha. Ok, so I thought that I'd definitely ask our other friend to be one of my bridesmaids, too, and we'd get closer in our planning for our other friend's wedding, but it seems like we're growing apart. She's had to deal with a sudden death in her family and our other friend has even noticed a change in her, so I don't think it's me, but I really don't know if I should depend on asking her to be one of my bridesmaids. Then I also feel like if I ask our other friend to be my matron of honor, and not ask her to be in my party at all, that she'll be insulted.
Everyone keeps telling me to do what I want to and that I don't 'have' to do anything that I don't want to. I really want to ask my girls (so i can brag about the end product on the diy board --just kidding) but then I don't want to ask the 3 I want and then leave the 4th one out.
Any thoughts?! Added the poll so no one has to write as much as I did.
TIA

bit of advice - WAIT!!!! don't ask right away...wait unitl at least a year/10 months before. make sure you are 100% confident that the person you are asking can handle the responsibilities, shower, dress, hair/make up.

i know you are excited about your wedding and want to ask right away, but just hold on. and dont feel obligated to ask anyone, its your wedding, you don't have to have your cousins husband or your best friends bf....keep in small if you can.

good luck

i have only asked my MOH bc it is my sister. i havent asked my BMs yet...and i really want to, but i think im going to wait until after xmas. I cant decide if i want to put one of my friends in the BP....and its been driving me up the wall...so im using the next 2 months to test it out.haha

i am def going to ask around 12-15 months before, bc being in a wedding is soo expensive..so i would ask them with enough time for them to save up for the dress and all the other things that will come up.

dont stress too much about it, it wont get you anywhere....trust me i know...im a crazy girl right now bc of it.. haha

I was going to ask right away, but when I told my mom she said I would wait if I were you. I thought she was insulting my girlfriends at first, but then she said 'how many friends have you had tht you were close to that you don't speak to anymore for one reason or another.' She was right, sad to say, there are quite a few. You are going to remember these girls being there for the rest of your life, so I recommend to you what my mom recommended to me. WAIT, you never know who you'll be close to even 1 year from now, let alone 2! I'm waiting.
As for your friend you're growing farther apart from, if that's happening now, imagine what your friendship will be by the time your wedding is here. You have to only think about what you want, as hard as that may be!!

Definately 100% wait and ask!!! My only sister obviously knows she will be the maid of honor but as for friends and things I made the mistake of telling some girls that they would be when now we really dont talk to so just be absolutely 100% sure and wait as long as you can (i agree about a year to 15 months the most ask!)

good luck!

I asked my sister...or actually she told me she was my MOH which she was of course.
One of my BMs I have asked but we have been friends for a VERY long time

I would wait, if you have the slightest idea in your head that you are afraid that for some reason things could change I would wait

Thanks gals, I knew I could count on you! I'll definitely wait to ask all of them. I already know I want my FSIL to be one of my bridesmaids, and I've dropped hints to my FMIL that I'd like her to be one of my bm's, so I think she knows. As of my other friends, I'm going to wait to ask one until I can ask everyone. I think that's the best bet, especially so there's no hurt feelings. Thanks again!

I have no sisters or close cousins but I have been best friends with two girls my entire life.. since we were in kindergarten. So instead of choosing one maid of honor I am having two just so as not to hurt any feelings. Although it is way in advance I already asked them both but like I said it was expected. My bridesmaid and junior bridesmaid are my FH sister and her daughter so I knew that they would also be around. But for other friends I would wait... I made the mistake of asking a girl I thought I was close with to also be a bridesmaid and I haven't talked to her in almost 6 months, we did clear the air though last month and she told me that she would rather not be in the party since we have grown apart and I completely understand. Just be careful, you'll know when the time is right.. happy planning and asking them which is the best feeling well one of them anyways