Why You Should Plan Your Wedding Without a Bridal Party, a Best Man, or a Maid of Honor in 2026

Getting married is about as traditional as it gets. And because of this, you should not include or incorporate something (or someone) in your wedding for the sake of tradition or obligation. So regardless of who's paying for the wedding, it is you who's getting married. It's your wedding, not everyone else's. But yet, the wedding industry has conditioned women to include the entire neighborhood in their bridal party. While simultaneously never stoping to ask what does the bridal party actually do. Waste time is what they do, more on that later. But more importantly, who started these traditions, and why?

Now, when it comes to the bridal party, I'm not saying you should not involve your friends in your wedding — far from it. What I am saying is that you don't need to slap outdated titles on them or make them spend hundreds of dollars on matching outfits to be part of your wedding. You might even lose friends trying to decide who makes the cut. And cramming 20 people at the altar looks goofy AF. You're marrying your fiancé, not the entire apartment complex.

But you're here, so I'm guessing you kinda already get it. Or maybe you're thinking about skipping the bridal party but need someone in the wedding industry to tell you it's the right choice. Well, hate to break it to ya, but not sure if the opinion of a drunk will mean much — but as they say, kids and drunks never lie. Either way, you're in the right place. I'll start with the dark ass history on the origin of the bridesmaid, then follow with practical reasons why you should ditch the bridal party in 2026.

Wedding Party vs Bridal Party

But first, let's clear up the difference between what a wedding party is versus what a bridal party is. Everyone uses both terms interchangeably — and I do too, not gonna lie. Just know that throughout this opinion piece, I'm specifically referring to the bridesmaids, groomsmen, maid of honor, and best man.

Bridal Party consists only of bridesmaids and the maid of honor.
Wedding Party is everyone from the maid of honor, the best man, bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girl, ring bearer, etc.

The Ugly Truth About Bridesmaids and The Forgotten Ties to Slavery

Historically, the wedding party (bridesmaids and groomsmen) dressed exactly like the bride and groom to ward off and confuse demons, curses, Bigfoot, Chupacabra, ghosts, etc. Which is funny, because half of y'all don't even believe in Bigfoot. And it gets worse. As we "civilized," the bridal party's role shifted from protecting against evil spirits to confusing jealous suitors who might try to harm the newlyweds. That's right — if you were unlucky enough to be a groomsman or bridesmaid back in the day, you also had to worry about getting r*ped, kidnapped, and/or shot. And not necessarily in that order.

If you go further back, one of the earliest mentions of bridesmaids comes from the biblical story of Jacob and his two wives, Leah and Rachel. Back then, bridesmaids weren't picking out dresses or helping with bachelorette parties — they were there to serve the bride's every need. And since no one wanted the job, it was forced on enslaved women. It gets darker. After Jacob married Leah, he finally got to marry Rachel — the one he actually wanted to marry. But when Rachel couldn't get pregnant, she told Jacob to have a child with her maidservant (aka bridesmaid, aka slave girl). And Jacob, being the stand-up guy he was, said, "Sure, why not?" Then Leah, not to be outdone, ordered Jacob to do the same with her maidservant — aka slave, aka bridesmaid.

Three Practical Reasons to Ditch the Bridal Party (From a Photographer’s Point of View)

There are several practical reasons why you should skip the bridal party in fact, many on Reddit regret having a bridal party more than regret not having one. Even wedding publications are seeing more and more couples ditch the bridal party as well. And after photographing weddings of all sizes—from simple backyard ceremonies to luxurious ballroom affairs—I have yet to hear a single logical reason why a bridal party should be mandatory. But you can bet your ass I have plenty of reasons why you should ditch it. But I’ll keep it simple and break it down into the top three.

The Maid of Honor and Best Man are Useless

While not written in stone, traditionally, the job of the maid of honor and best man is to assist the main characters—you and your fiancé—with whatever you need. From corralling family for group photos to helping the photographer and videographer figure out who’s who, even making sure vendors arrive on time. Essentially, they’re supposed to be faux wedding coordinators. But fuck me gently with a chainsaw—every damn time I’ve asked either of them for an ounce of help, I get hit with a "not my job.”

So in my head, I’m like, what the hell are you even here for then? And guess who’s stuck handling these remedial tasks? That’s right—us. I roll my eyes every time I hear a photographer brag about going above and beyond—whether it’s sewing the bride’s dress, driving in the opposite direction to pick someone up, or handling some other ridiculous task that should fall on the maid of honor, best man, or, hell, even family. I don’t know, man. It makes zero sense when I see a bridal party with 20 fucking people, and not a single one of them is worth one. Meaning, everything lags behind schedule because your 30-person bridal crew refuses to help.

Babysitting Grown-Ass Adults

Not having a bridal party means you only have to worry about getting yourself to your wedding—not wrangling twenty other people in matching outfits. No stressing over bridesmaids running late because of hair and makeup, groomsmen nursing hangovers, or someone’s car breaking down on the way over. Now, imagine coordinating these ten couples, their families, and their plus-ones—all while trying to organize your own family for traditional photos, which can easily take 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size. Now throw a bridal party into the mix. Some weddings have as many as 15 couples standing at the altar, which looks goofy AF if you ask me.

And let’s be real—it’s a logistical nightmare. Not just for you, but also for your media team, especially if you didn’t spring for the higher-tier package that includes multiple photographers and videographers. You’d be shocked how fast the day flies by and how little time you actually have for formal photos. And if you don’t have a wedding coordinator—plus a maid of honor who refuses to help corral the bridal party—then what’s the point? If they’re just there to look pretty, they’re not helping. They’re just stealing the spotlight from you.

Where’s Waldo? Blending Into Your Own Wedding Photos

The biggest reason I recommend skipping the bridal party? Because in your own wedding photos, you either blend in completely or get outshined. If the groomsmen slap on identical suits (which happens way more often than it should), finding the groom in photos turns into a game of Where’s Waldo? And while bridesmaids don’t usually wear white, their bright, coordinated dresses often pop more than the bride herself, making her an afterthought in the photos.

So I have to ask—why let yourself be upstaged at your own wedding? You’re spending thousands of dollars on these photos—shouldn’t you be the main character? As a photographer, I can tell you firsthand: it’s a challenge to make the couple stand out when they’re visually lost in a sea of matching outfits. Don’t believe me? Do a quick search of bridal party photos. Can you instantly pick out the bride and groom in every shot at first glance?

The Bridal Party Tradition Isn’t Set in Stone

There’s no rule—written or unwritten—saying you need to line up your siblings, best friends, cousins, or coworkers to play starring roles in your wedding. Because guess what? They’ll still be your people the day after the wedding, with or without a fancy title. And if someone gets butt hurt about not being a bridesmaid or groomsman, doesn’t that just prove my point? They care more about stealing the spotlight than supporting you on your wedding day.

Weddings are about celebrating your love, not handing out titles. The people who truly care about you don’t need a special role to validate their place in your life. By skipping the bridal party, you’re not excluding anyone—you’re actually freeing your friends from obligations they might secretly be relieved to avoid. They will still be there, celebrating with you, just without the added pressure.

And yes, you can still throw the bridal shower, bachelorette, and bachelor parties—but without the stress of roles and responsibilities, everyone’s involvement will feel more natural. Plus, life happens. People’s schedules change, things come up, and the more you rely on others for pivotal roles, the higher the chance of last-minute dropouts. Keeping it simple means avoiding unnecessary stress and keeping the focus where it belongs—on you. At the end of the day, the people who truly matter will still be there. The most memorable moments aren’t about tradition or who stood where—they’re about the marriage, not the wedding.