It’s natural to want your nearest and dearest to play a big part in your big day, but there’s a limit to the number of bridesmaids and ushers you can both have.
The problem is, you don’t want to upset anybody by not inviting them to play a special role – but how can you get round it? Well, the trick is to delegate. Here are several small but very important jobs and roles you can ask your friends and family to do, without asking them to be a bridesmaid or usher.
Money-saving transportation
Firstly, if you have a friend or relative with a fabulous vehicle, maybe a sports car or a camper van, why not ask them to be your wedding day chauffeur?
It’ll save you money on your transportation and your guest can feel special knowing they’re playing a big part in your day. Just make sure they’ll get you to the church on time!
Do a reading
Know somebody who’s a professional actor or actress, or someone who’s used to public speaking? Why not ask them to do a reading at your ceremony? They will play a major part in what is really the most important and solemn part of the day, so it’s a really special role.
Just make sure you choose somebody who’s really comfortable with speaking out loud and that will do the job well. You don’t want your carefully chosen poem to be mumbled or read through at top speed.
Handing out orders of service
At the entrance to your ceremony, have a friend handing out the orders of service or programmes for the day’s events.
It’s a little more personal than just putting leaflets by their places and it doesn’t have to be the job of an usher. It’s also a good way for somebody to meet just about everybody coming to the wedding and introduce themselves, so an ideal role for a close relative.
Backstage roles
Certain friends would rather play more of a backstage role than be the centre of attention at any one time and there’s room for them, too.
You may well be up-cycling your wedding flowers by decorating your wedding reception with your ceremony blooms. In that case, ask a shy yet responsible friend to discreetly take the flowers from the ceremony venue to the wedding reception. Just make sure they know where the flowers need to be placed when they get there.
Confetti duties
If there’s somebody you would have liked to have invited to be a bridesmaid but couldn’t, then you could ask them to hand out parcels of confetti to guests after the ceremony. Fill a large basket with confetti envelopes that they can give to guests as they exit. Guests can then throw these over you at the appropriate moment, and your guest will have contributed their part to one of the best pictures on the day.
