Plan Your Wedding Without a Bridal Party, Best Man, or Maid of Honor in 2025

If there’s one thing I can say about my hometown of Oaxaca, Mexico, it’s that tradition runs deep. So deep, you’ve got people still venerating and offering blood to "mountain spirits" on random mountaintops. And when you ask why? The answer is always, "Oh, it’s tradition." Naturally, I started questioning every single tradition I saw in weddings and quinceañeras once I started booking clients many years ago.

And one said tradition I’ll always question is the bridal party (aka bridesmaids and groomsmen). Aside from looking pretty, why are they even in the wedding? Who started this tradition, and why do people cling to it without even knowing its origins? And it’s a practice often seen as mandatory, yet few can explain why it even exists in the first place. Well, gather around, Girl Scouts, because this drunk is about to spit some facts on the bridal party tradition.

Wedding Party vs Bridal Party

But first, let's break down what I mean by bridal party versus wedding party to clear up any confusion since people often use these two terms interchangeably:

Wedding Party — This is the entire squad that stands with the couple during the ceremony—maid of honor, best man, bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girl, ring bearer, etc.
Bridal Party — Technically, this refers to the team the bride picks to back her up—typically the bridesmaids and maid of honor.

However, for the sake of SEO (how you probably found this post), I’ll be using both terms interchangeably. Just know that I’m specifically referring to the bridesmaids, groomsmen, maid of honor, and best man—not so much the ring bearer, flower girl, etc.

The Outdated Wedding Party Roles

Historically, the bridal party—made up of groomsmen and bridesmaids—dressed exactly like the bride and groom to ward off and confuse demons, curses, evil spirits, Nephilim, Bigfoot, aliens, Chupacabra, ghosts, whatever the hell you want to call them. Ironic because half of you don't even believe in this crap. And it gets worse.

As we "civilized," the role of the bridal party evolved from protecting against vengeful spirits to confusing jealous suitors who might try to harm the newlyweds. You heard that right! In the olden days, if you were unfortunate enough to be selected as a groomsman or bridesmaid, you then had to worry about being kidnapped, shot—or both! And not in that order.

And if you want to go even further back to biblical times, one of the most well-known origin stories of bridesmaids involves Jacob and his two wives—keyword two wives—Leah and Rachel. They didn’t just show up with a bridal party; their "bridesmaids" were actually slaves. Back then, bridesmaids weren’t picking out dresses or helping with bachelorette parties—they were there to serve the bride's needs on the wedding day. And since no one really wanted to do that job, it fell to the slaves.

After Jacob married Leah, he finally got to marry Rachel (the one he actually wanted). But Rachel couldn't get pregnant, so she told Jacob, "Here, take my maidservant (you know, one of the bridesmaids from the wedding) and have a kid with her." And Jacob, being the stand-up guy he was, said, "Okay, if you insist." So, they started having kids that Rachel claimed as her own. Then Leah, who had stopped having children, followed suit and told Jacob to do the same with her maidservant.

Two Practical Reasons for a Non-Traditional Wedding Without a Bridal Party

There are several practical reasons why you should not have a bridal party for your wedding in fact, many on Reddit regret having a bridal party more than regret not having one. Wedding publications are also seeing more and more couples ditch the bridal party as well. And after photographing weddings of all scales for a few years—from simple backyard ceremonies to luxurious ballroom affairs—I can honestly say these two practical reasons are why I advocate for anyone planning their wedding in 2025 to ditch the bridal party.

Not Having to Babysit Grown Ass Adults for Bridal Party Photos

Not having a bridal party means you only have to worry about getting yourself to the wedding—not wrangling twenty other people in matching outfits. No stressing about bridesmaids running late with hair and makeup, groomsmen nursing hangovers, or someone’s car breaking down on the way.
Now imagine coordinating ten couples, their families, and their plus ones, on top of organizing your own family for traditional photos, which can easily take 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size. Then add a bridal party to the mix—some weddings have as many as 15 couples, which is just crazy to me! It’s insane when you think about it because it becomes a logistical nightmare not only for you but also for your photographer and videographer, especially if you didn’t opt for the higher-tier package that often includes two or three photographers. And you will be surprised how quickly the day flies by and how little time you’ll have for formal shots.
And if you don’t have a wedding coordinator or your maid of honor refuses to help corral the bridal party, then what’s the point? If they’re just there to look pretty, they’re stealing the spotlight from you.

Where’s Waldo and Blending in Your Own Wedding Photos

If the groomsmen slap on identical suits (which happens far more often than it should), distinguishing the groom becomes a game of "Where’s Waldo?" And even though bridesmaids don’t usually wear white, the bright colors they do wear can make them pop in the photos more than the bride, overshadowing her. So, I ask, why let yourself be upstaged at your own wedding?
You’re spending thousands of dollars on these photos—shouldn’t they highlight you as the main character? As a photographer, I can tell you it’s challenging to make the couple stand out when everyone is dressed to match. Don’t believe me? Just look at a random search of bridal party photos. Can you instantly pick out the bride or groom in every photo below?

The Bridal Party Idea with Friends is Not Written in Stone

No written law saying need to line up your siblings, best friends, or cousins to play a starring role in your wedding. Because guess what? They will still be your people the day after the wedding, with or without a fancy title. And if someone is upset about not being a bridesmaid or groomsman, doesn’t that just prove my point of them wanting to steal the spotlight than supporting you?

Weddings are about celebrating your love, not handing out titles. The people who truly care 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.

You can still throw the bridal shower, bachelorette, and bachelor parties. But without the stress of roles and responsibilities, everyone’s involvement feels more authentic. Plus, life happens—people’s availability shifts, things come up, and the more you rely on others for pivotal roles, the higher the chance of last-minute dropouts. By keeping things simple, you avoid the stress of scrambling for replacements and keep the focus on you, where it belongs.

In the end, the people who matter will still be there, the most memorable moments are not about tradition or who stood where. It’s about the marriage, not the wedding.