When did you pick your bridesmaids?

Hey everyone! Wedding newbie here. I have my engagement party next month and am hoping to have my wedding in December of 2016. I already have a good idea of who I want in my bridal party, but I just wanted to know when is the right time to ask the girls? I know I'm thinking super in advance, but part of me can't wait to start getting all the details ironed out.

Also, how many girls did you(or will you) have in your bridal party?

THANKS

When did you pick your bridesmaids?

Welcome! Yay for another 2016 bride!

I'm getting married May of 2016. I think my bridesmaids pretty much know they'll be in my wedding but i'm offically asking in September at my engagement party. I bought them cards that say will you be my bridesmaid & also some gifts to give them that day. I'm having 2 maids of honors (my 2 sisters) and 3 bridesmaids. So 5 total

When did you pick your bridesmaids?

Another 2016 bride yay! I'm getting married Oct 2016 and I think I'm going to ask at my engagement party which is in October :) I will be having 1 maid of honor and 5 bridesmaids

When did you pick your bridesmaids?

Welcome! Love seeing all these 2016 brides coming onto the boards! I'm getting married May 2016 and I asked everyone to be in my bridal party at different times between May and July. I'm having 5 girls (1 MOH, 4 bridesmaids).

When did you pick your bridesmaids?

Hoping for November 2016 (yay 2016!) and will be asking my MOH in 2.5 weeks at my engagement party! The rest of my future bridal party, though, I plan to ask once we have an exact date set -- many of them are from across the country and I don't want to ask them to commit when I don't even have a date for them to commit to yet!

When did you pick your bridesmaids?

We asked our entire bridal party (besides 3 people who couldn't attend) at our Engagement Party. FH asked the guys with a handshake (i wanted to do something more fun but he said no) we asked our Ring Bearer and FG there too. I gave all my girls a bottle of wine with a custom label

I am having a Maid and Matron of Honor and 5 BM's (still waiting to ask one of them - when she comes to down in Sept)

Re: When did you pick your bridesmaids?

Yay 2016!!

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the ladies I'm going to ask already know. I love the idea of two maids of honors though... I may do that with my sister and cousin! It will solve an internal debate I've been having for quite some time.

Re: When did you pick your bridesmaids?

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Posted by Jsabbatino

We asked our entire bridal party (besides 3 people who couldn't attend) at our Engagement Party. FH asked the guys with a handshake (i wanted to do something more fun but he said no) we asked our Ring Bearer and FG there too. I gave all my girls a bottle of wine with a custom label

I am having a Maid and Matron of Honor and 5 BM's (still waiting to ask one of them - when she comes to down in Sept)

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Yeah FH is just flat out asking, but I'd like to do something similar. Maybe with a little trinket or necklace, nothing too crazy. I do like the idea of wine though!

Re: When did you pick your bridesmaids?

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Posted by Rorelai

Hoping for November 2016 (yay 2016!) and will be asking my MOH in 2.5 weeks at my engagement party! The rest of my future bridal party, though, I plan to ask once we have an exact date set -- many of them are from across the country and I don't want to ask them to commit when I don't even have a date for them to commit to yet!

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Woohoo 2016! I love that so many ladies are in the same timeframe as me. We can all plan and learn together

A bridal party spread out through the country... that's both awesome and challenging (or so I would imagine). Luckily all the ladies I have in mind live within close proximity. The only challenge I'm going to have is getting my sister (MOH) to get along with one of the bridesmaids (Long story lol).

But yes... waiting for a settled date is most likely the smartest thing to do!

Re: When did you pick your bridesmaids?

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Posted by BrideToBe13

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Posted by Rorelai

Hoping for November 2016 (yay 2016!) and will be asking my MOH in 2.5 weeks at my engagement party! The rest of my future bridal party, though, I plan to ask once we have an exact date set -- many of them are from across the country and I don't want to ask them to commit when I don't even have a date for them to commit to yet!

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Woohoo 2016! I love that so many ladies are in the same timeframe as me. We can all plan and learn together

A bridal party spread out through the country... that's both awesome and challenging (or so I would imagine). Luckily all the ladies I have in mind live within close proximity. The only challenge I'm going to have is getting my sister (MOH) to get along with one of the bridesmaids (Long story lol).

But yes... waiting for a settled date is most likely the smartest thing to do!

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I did a lot of my schooling internationally so any of my friends who don't live on Long Island are spread out both across the country and world -- makes it very hard to arrange girls' night out! lol It sounds like every bridal party has their challenges! Hopefully everyone will get along well for your sake and your special day :D

We are asking our MOH and BM at our engagement party with personalized mason jars. The favors for our engagement party are mason jars and paper straws that everyone can use at their glasses at the party and then take home. For me, my FH, and our MOH/BM we ordered personalized ones from Etsy that have our names/titles on them. We plan to give them and ask them just before the party so they can proudly use their glasses all night and we can introduce them as such :)

When did you pick your bridesmaids?

I asked my bridal party at my engagement party Feb 2013 and my wedding is this October =)

Re: When did you pick your bridesmaids?

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Posted by Rorelai

I did a lot of my schooling internationally so any of my friends who don't live on Long Island are spread out both across the country and world -- makes it very hard to arrange girls' night out! lol It sounds like every bridal party has their challenges! Hopefully everyone will get along well for your sake and your special day :D

We are asking our MOH and BM at our engagement party with personalized mason jars. The favors for our engagement party are mason jars and paper straws that everyone can use at their glasses at the party and then take home. For me, my FH, and our MOH/BM we ordered personalized ones from Etsy that have our names/titles on them. We plan to give them and ask them just before the party so they can proudly use their glasses all night and we can introduce them as such :)

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That mason jar idea is ADORABLE! Love it! On the topic of engagement parties (and etiquette I guess), is it true you have to invite everyone who came to the engagement party to the wedding? My future MIL has clogged my engagement guest list with her friends (but to be fair she paid for it all). I'm just wondering if I have to include them in the actual wedding invites.

Re: When did you pick your bridesmaids?

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Posted by BrideToBe13

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Posted by Rorelai

I did a lot of my schooling internationally so any of my friends who don't live on Long Island are spread out both across the country and world -- makes it very hard to arrange girls' night out! lol It sounds like every bridal party has their challenges! Hopefully everyone will get along well for your sake and your special day :D

We are asking our MOH and BM at our engagement party with personalized mason jars. The favors for our engagement party are mason jars and paper straws that everyone can use at their glasses at the party and then take home. For me, my FH, and our MOH/BM we ordered personalized ones from Etsy that have our names/titles on them. We plan to give them and ask them just before the party so they can proudly use their glasses all night and we can introduce them as such :)

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That mason jar idea is ADORABLE! Love it! On the topic of engagement parties (and etiquette I guess), is it true you have to invite everyone who came to the engagement party to the wedding? My future MIL has clogged my engagement guest list with her friends (but to be fair she paid for it all). I'm just wondering if I have to include them in the actual wedding invites.

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Yes, ettiqute wise you have to invite everyone at the EP to the wedding. My parents threw the party and clogged the list with their friends too -- we ended up inviting 116 people because just 30 of them were my parents' friends!!! To be fair, they paid for it also, lol. But yeah, I expect that these same people will end up on my wedding invite list. On the plus side, they're the ones who give the big checks ;D Since they're not your friends/family/etc. I would certainly double check with your FMIL just to make sure she wants them invited to the wedding

(Edited for grammar)

When did you pick your bridesmaids?

I'm actually in the process of asking all of my bridesmaids. Originally I was planning on asking them during my engagement party but since it was a surprise party, I'm taking a day with each girl to ask them. I have cards for each and a little gift. I have one MOH,one matron, and two bridesmaids I hope.

Re: When did you pick your bridesmaids?

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Posted by BrideToBe13

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Posted by Jsabbatino

We asked our entire bridal party (besides 3 people who couldn't attend) at our Engagement Party. FH asked the guys with a handshake (i wanted to do something more fun but he said no) we asked our Ring Bearer and FG there too. I gave all my girls a bottle of wine with a custom label

I am having a Maid and Matron of Honor and 5 BM's (still waiting to ask one of them - when she comes to down in Sept)

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Yeah FH is just flat out asking, but I'd like to do something similar. Maybe with a little trinket or necklace, nothing too crazy. I do like the idea of wine though!

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The vendor I used was great from etsy! Ill put a pic of the wine bottle in my album. They were relatively inexpensive and she was even able to create a card which matched the label for my friend who lives out of state (you cant ship wine through the mail)

When did you pick your bridesmaids?

just added a pic to my album

When did you pick your bridesmaids?

Congrats! 2016 brides yay!!! I asked my girls a few months after getting engaged. Were having an almost 3 year engagement so it was definitely early. Mine was easy and I know it won't change.. My sisters my FSIL and my BFF since birth lol. FH on the other hand jumped the gun and now is regretting one of the choices he made (I told you so!). Just make sure you KNOW for sure you'll want them standing up there because it's hard to take back.

Re: When did you pick your bridesmaids?

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Posted by Jsabbatino

just added a pic to my album

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Omigosh, I love it! Really elegant and cute!

Re: When did you pick your bridesmaids?

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Posted by rcotter90

Congrats! 2016 brides yay!!! I asked my girls a few months after getting engaged. Were having an almost 3 year engagement so it was definitely early. Mine was easy and I know it won't change.. My sisters my FSIL and my BFF since birth lol. FH on the other hand jumped the gun and now is regretting one of the choices he made (I told you so!). Just make sure you KNOW for sure you'll want them standing up there because it's hard to take back.

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Oh definitely! I'm a little nervous because of a bit of drama between my MOH and a potential bridesmaid... but I don't want to leave a friend out because of something so dumb. I'm hoping they are adult enough to set it all aside for my special day (and bachelorette party lol )

I'm most likely going to ask on my engagement party.

Re: When did you pick your bridesmaids?

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Posted by Rorelai

Yes, ettiqute wise you have to invite everyone at the EP to the wedding. My parents threw the party and clogged the list with their friends too -- we ended up inviting 116 people because just 30 of them were my parents' friends!!! To be fair, they paid for it also, lol. But yeah, I expect that these same people will end up on my wedding invite list. On the plus side, they're the ones who give the big checks ;D Since they're not your friends/family/etc. I would certainly double check with your FMIL just to make sure she wants them invited to the wedding

(Edited for grammar)

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I didn't even think about the big checks *****! But double checking is a good idea. Thanks for all the advice, I'm so bad at all this. I typically don't plan parties in general so this has been an experience.