Q&A: Hurting Feelings

Q: My fiancee and I are on a tight budget, but we have several close friends plus siblings.  I have 4 best friends from high school (all in a tight knit group) and 2 close friends from college, as well as a sister and future sister-in-law.  I can't imagine not including them all, but I imagine that's going to get very expensive. Any suggestions?

A: Having 8 bridesmaids and groomsmen will definitely cost you- from the size of the limo, to the time needed from the photographer, to the bouquets, bridesmaid luncheon, and wedding party gifts.  One way to handle this without hurting anyone's feelings is to only include your sister and sister in law as the bridesmaids and find other ways for your friends to have a small part.

In your situation, I wouldn't be able to choose between any of those friends, but as long as none of them were individually left out, they should understand.  You can ask them to do a reading, share some of their talents (if any of them sing, enjoy photography or videography, etc), help with giving out programs, bringing up the gifts if it's in a church, etc.  You could even ask these girls to wear a certain color/style dress and sit in the front row to make them feel included and know that they're special to you.

Photo Credit: http://www.lusterstudios.com/images/stephaniemike/sister-reading-wedding-ceremony-church.jpg

If you only have 2 bridesmaids who are family, you are covering your bases of anyone's feelings being hurt.  It's obviously something you had to do to keep the wedding smaller and not an issue of them being a good enough or close enough friend.  I would only worry if you started splitting hairs over including some of these friends and not others.  Making the wedding party significantly smaller is a much safer- and cheaper- bet.