Figuring out how many bridesmaids you should, could, or WANT to have can be a tricky decision. If you have a giant group of friends or several sisters and sister in laws or other close relatives that had you in their bridal party, the number can feel overwhelming.
While you can always opt NOT to have bridesmaids and groomsmen or choose to just have a Maid of Honor instead (both of which are great decisions if you and your future spouse can’t decide who to include) it might help to know that there is no RIGHT number. Whether you want 2, 6, or 10 bridesmaids is completely up to you. And just because a friend or relative has included you as a bridesmaid at their wedding doesn’t mean that you need to feel compelled to do the same. In fact, if you choose to keep the number on the smaller side, a great option is to explain to good friends who won’t be bridesmaids that while you had to limit your number, you’d love for them to be included in other ways (IE: a ceremony reader or chuppah holder). You should also keep in mind that some friends might prefer to NOT participate as a bridesmaid because of money, time, or other personal reasons. So before you make your final bridesmaid list, be sure to get a sense from each of your friends or relatives whether or not they might be willing and able. 🙂
With that said it’s always interesting to know just how many bridesmaids other brides had at their wedding, a number that can either comfort OR scare you. This study from Weddington Way shows, on average, how many bridesmaids are included at a typical wedding, according to their state.
It looks like Charleston, South Carolina is the leader of the pack when it comes to how many bridesmaids the average wedding has. I thought I had a large group of bridesmaids (6), but it turns out if you really want to be in the Top 1% for your wedding party, you’ll need 11.
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