A Brief History

Different cultures and religions have varying history of bridesmaid. In early Roman times, bridesmaids formed a kind of bridal infantry as they accompanied the bride to the groom's village. This "protective shield" of similarly outfitted bridesmaids was supposed to intervene if any wayward thugs or vengeful suitors tried to hurt the bride or steal her dowry.

However, tradition from the western bridesmaid may have taking its origin from the Roman law, which required ten witnesses at a wedding in order to outsmart evil spirits believed to attend marriage ceremonies. The ushers and bridesmaid are dressed similarly to the bride and groom, so that the evil spirits wouldn't know who was getting married. Even as late as 19th century England, the belief that ill-wishers could administer curses and taint the wedding still existed.

The Modern Day Bridesmaid

These early customs continue to have an influence today. The expression "thrice a bridesmaid, never a bride" arose from the bridesmaid's interception of, and gradual infection by the evil spirits trying to disrupt the ceremony! Although the bridal party no longer functions as a troop of foot soldiers, bridesmaid dresses are still commonly chosen in harmony with the look and feel of the wedding. The bridal party continues to serve a vital role in the wedding process, not by fending off hexes and robbers, but by providing key support staff and an advisory board. Besides being an honored member of the wedding party and special guest at the reception, today's bridesmaid is also designated as the bride's special assistant.

From shopping for dresses to scouting hotels for out-of-town guests to writing place cards to hosting a bridal shower, her first duty is to be helpful. The payoff is that walk down the aisle, looking absolutely beautiful in a gown that is stylish, sophisticated, colorful and absolutely wearable. In the 21st century, bridesmaids are chosen to be caring helpers, thoughtful organizers and skillful liaisons.

Bridesmaid tally

The first rule in determining how many bridesmaids is right for you is to coordinate the size of your wedding party with the size of the venue where your wedding is to take place. Although it may be difficult to choose five bridesmaids from among fifty of your best friends, you must if you're having an intimate wedding. And there are plenty of other great honors that you can hand out to close friends who want to participate in the wedding.

Another rule is to consider the formality of the wedding. In general, formal weddings have a half dozen or more bridesmaids in addition to the maid of honor. Semiformal and casual weddings can have just one bridesmaid, that is, the maid of honor, but typically have about three to five. It is not a problem if the groom has more ushers than the bridesmaids. Ushers can always double up in the recession. However, the final decision rests with the bride, but remember that the larger the number, the more difficult it may be for you to manage them. Remember that the bridesmaids will all have to work together on many aspects of planning, so addressing any conflicts up front will avoid problems down the line.

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