I am thinking of starting a new recurring post on Capitol Romance called “Capitol Nontradition“, wherein I take some traditional wedding element, discuss it, give my opinion on it, and then share some other weddings and couples that bucked the tradition as well.

I am claiming to beDC’s creative cure to its traditional wedding bore” after all

Today’s first “Capitol Nontradition” post ~ An Uneven Wedding Party

[via Live It Out Photo]

A couple days ago I did my best to Google the history behind the even numbers in a wedding party tradition. Other than some fairly corny wedding etiquette sites that look like they were created in 1990, I couldn’t find anything that really explained where this notion came from … that you and your partner had to magically have the same number of close friends/family to be on your respective sides of the wedding party.

I couldn’t fathom not asking one of my best friends to be in our wedding party, just to keep the number of bridesmaids and groomsmen even. I also couldn’t hold back my look of shock when a good friend told me that her friend had asked a cousin to be a “back-up” bridesmaid in her wedding in case one of her fiance’s groomsmen dropped out …

Some people are concerned with how it looks when you walk down the aisle without even numbers. Again – no one wrote a rule that you have to walk down the aisle in boy-girl pairs. My brother walked both my sisters down the aisle ~ and it looked fabulous.

Some people are also concerned about how the wedding party picture will look – my advice to you on that is to scratch the prom-style portrait and get a little bit unique or creative with your wedding party pose.

Need more help being convinced that your wedding party selection shouldn’t be a numbers game? Check out the following wedding parties that went uneven and survived …

this might be my favoritest uneven wedding party picture. ever.

[via Green Wedding Shoes]

[via Danielle Cover Photography]

Prom-style with uneven numbers and it still looks good!

[via Sweet Tea Photography]

There’s more than the just the number of wedding party members that is mismatched as this wedding ~ and it still looks phenomenal!

[via Bridal Buds]

This “uneven” wedding party also features some groomsgirls – totally awesome!

[via Glamour & Grace blog]

Now THIS is an alternative wedding party picture !

[via The Loveliest Day blog]

[via Ruffled Blog]

[via the Bride’s Cafe]

Uneven numbers ain’t got nothin’ on this TOTALLY uneven wedding party!

[via The Loveliest Day]

Quite possibly the best. unique. wedding party picture. ever.

[via Bridal Musings]

 

9 comments

  1. I once heard someone refer to their “back-up” bridesmaid as well and I nearly fainted. Bridesmaids and groomsmen are not characters in your wedding play- there are no understudies, these aren’t people playing roles. I wish more brides understood this- thanks for the blog post, Bree! this is awesome!

  2. Bree! I should have sent you a photo of our “uneven” wedding party. I’m pretty sure it was mostly because I wanted everyone and their mom up there with me :) Buuuut I don’t think the guys minded escorting multiple lovely ladies down the aisle!

  3. Great comment from Abby Grace. It works the other way, too. Sometimes attendants dally with the honor of being asked and back out last minute. Another blogging point – number of attendants are growing and growing – how does this affect things like cost, commitment, etc?

  4. We are not having a bridal party at all. I don’t see the need for them to be honest, only 2 people sign the paperwork…

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