The idea of having bridesmaids on one side and groomsmen on the other may be perfect for some couples. For others, it’s not the right fit. This is where a mixed gender wedding party comes in! It’s the ultimate choice for brides who want their best guy friend at their bachelorette or grooms who want their sister up there with them during the ceremony.
Whether you are including a Best Woman, a Man of Honour, a Groomsmaid, or a Bridesman, then this is for you! Break tradition and include your besties in your wedding party, even if it’s unconventional.
Mixed Gender Wedding Party Attire
So, what do they wear? Here are some options:
- Women match each other and men match each other, no matter which side they are standing on.
- Colour code the outfits so they reflect each side of the couple.
- Bridesmen could wear an outfit that matches the look and style of the bridesmaids dresses, while a groomsmaid could wear a dress to match the groomsmen’s suits or even a suit!
- Mix and match outfits on both sides, with no dress code. Let them choose what to wear.
Their Roles
As with most of our wedding advice: you do you. Find out what’s most comfortable for everybody involved and be willing to adjust your expectations based on what they’d like to do.
Your bridesman may be totally happy walking down the aisle with you and the ladies. The groomsmaid may be happy welcoming guests upon arrival or she may want to get ready with the ladies.
Whatever you do, don’t force anybody to do anything they aren’t comfortable with. Be prepared to have open and honest conversations with the members of your mixed gender wedding party.
Hen and Stag Party
How do you plan the hen and stag parties knowing you’re having a mixed gender wedding party? And what do you do about shared friends who you’d want to invite to both? The most simple solution: host your parties on different nights or weekends so that anybody who you’d want to have at both can be there (it may be expensive for them, but at least they’ll know they are valued by both members of the couple).
Or how about moving away from tradition altogether? Host one big party for the couple, wedding party and your guests!
The Processional
How your mixed gender wedding party walks into the ceremony venue will be determined by how comfortable everybody is with subverting gender roles. A groomsmaid could walk in with a bridesmaid, a groomsman and bridesman can walk in together. Alternatively, each couple’s side of the wedding party can walk in together, paired up. And finally, having each person walk in and out of the ceremony individually is a good solution, which happens at many traditional weddings anyway.
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Featured image credit: PMA Photography
