[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":2243},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$ftIEU77gxmG7oFo0LZT45yMWloEbquGkJkVV4tJ5PCNE":3,"$fRPgg2xVnttuQpDEg_4PZ9no1solULoS5AaZrI4wSSSM":57,"blog-groomsmen-gift-ideas-beyond-the-hip-flask":83,"blog-related-groomsmen-gift-ideas-beyond-the-hip-flask":289},{"nav":4,"footer":23},{"showLogo":5,"logo":6,"links":7,"ctaLabel":20,"ctaUrl":21,"loginLabel":22,"loginUrl":21},true,"Build The Day",[8,11,14,17],{"label":9,"url":10},"Features","/features",{"label":12,"url":13},"Pricing","/pricing",{"label":15,"url":16},"Blog","/blog",{"label":18,"url":19},"Learn","https://learn.buildtheday.com","Get Started Free","https://app.buildtheday.com/admin","Log in",{"brand":6,"tagline":24,"columns":25,"copyright":6},"Beautiful wedding websites that make planning effortless.",[26,33,48],{"title":27,"links":28},"Product",[29,30,31,32],{"label":9,"url":10},{"label":12,"url":13},{"label":15,"url":16},{"label":18,"url":19},{"title":34,"links":35},"Popular Features",[36,39,42,45],{"label":37,"url":38},"RSVP Management","/features/rsvp-management",{"label":40,"url":41},"Seating Chart","/features/seating-chart",{"label":43,"url":44},"Photo Gallery","/features/photo-gallery",{"label":46,"url":47},"Budget Planner","/features/budget-planner",{"title":49,"links":50},"Get Started",[51,53,54],{"label":52,"url":21},"Create your website",{"label":22,"url":21},{"label":55,"url":56},"Privacy Policy","/privacy-policy",{"nav":58,"footer":64},{"showLogo":5,"logo":6,"links":59,"ctaLabel":20,"ctaUrl":21,"loginLabel":22,"loginUrl":21},[60,61,62,63],{"label":9,"url":10},{"label":12,"url":13},{"label":15,"url":16},{"label":18,"url":19},{"brand":6,"tagline":24,"columns":65,"copyright":6},[66,72,78],{"title":27,"links":67},[68,69,70,71],{"label":9,"url":10},{"label":12,"url":13},{"label":15,"url":16},{"label":18,"url":19},{"title":34,"links":73},[74,75,76,77],{"label":37,"url":38},{"label":40,"url":41},{"label":43,"url":44},{"label":46,"url":47},{"title":49,"links":79},[80,81,82],{"label":52,"url":21},{"label":22,"url":21},{"label":55,"url":56},{"id":84,"title":85,"author":86,"body":87,"category":270,"date":271,"description":272,"draft":273,"extension":274,"image":275,"imageAlt":276,"imageCredit":277,"imageCreditUrl":278,"meta":279,"navigation":5,"path":280,"readTime":281,"seo":282,"stem":283,"tags":284,"__hash__":288},"blog/blog/groomsmen-gift-ideas-beyond-the-hip-flask.md","Groomsmen Gift Ideas Beyond the Hip Flask","Editorial Team",{"type":88,"value":89,"toc":261},"minimark",[90,94,99,102,105,108,112,115,144,147,151,154,221,224,228,231,234,245,248,252,255,258],[91,92,93],"p",{},"The engraved hip flask has had a good run. So have the cufflinks nobody wears and the personalised socks that end up at the back of a drawer. If you want to thank the mates who've hauled you through suit fittings, stag-do chaos and a morning of nervous pacing, it's worth a bit more thought than the default. Here are ideas that actually get used.",[95,96,98],"h2",{"id":97},"why-the-hip-flask-falls-flat","Why the hip flask falls flat",[91,100,101],{},"There's nothing wrong with a hip flask in theory. The problem is everyone gives one, so it stops feeling personal. Your groomsman opens it, says \"ah, cheers mate,\" and you both quietly know it'll live in a cupboard.",[91,103,104],{},"A good groomsman gift does one of two things. It's either genuinely useful, the kind of thing he'd have bought himself eventually, or it's specific to him in a way that shows you actually thought about it. The best ones manage both. You don't need to spend a fortune. You need to pay attention.",[91,106,107],{},"So before you buy anything, picture the person. The mate who's always brewing fancy coffee, the one who lives in his walking boots, the friend who reads on the train every day. Each of those points at a different gift, and none of them is a flask.",[95,109,111],{"id":110},"ideas-worth-giving","Ideas worth giving",[91,113,114],{},"Here's a spread of things that tend to land well, grouped loosely by the kind of person they suit.",[116,117,118,126,132,138],"ul",{},[119,120,121,125],"li",{},[122,123,124],"strong",{},"For the practical one:"," a proper multi-tool, a quality leather card holder, a decent everyday wallet, or a good knife if he cooks.",[119,127,128,131],{},[122,129,130],{},"For the one who's always out:"," a Gore-Tex cap, a sturdy flask for actual hiking, a national park or castle membership, or merino socks that cost more than you'd admit.",[119,133,134,137],{},[122,135,136],{},"For the experience-seeker:"," tickets to see his team, a brewery or distillery tour, a go-karting voucher, or a gig you know he'll love.",[119,139,140,143],{},[122,141,142],{},"For the sentimental mate:"," a framed photo of the two of you, a watch he can keep, or a nice bottle of something tied to a shared memory.",[91,145,146],{},"The tickets-and-experiences route is underrated. A day out together a few weeks after the wedding gives you both something to look forward to once the dust settles, and it doesn't gather dust on a shelf.",[95,148,150],{"id":149},"a-quick-price-guide","A quick price guide",[91,152,153],{},"You don't have to spend the same on everyone, but it helps to set yourself a rough band so it stays fair across the group. Here's a sensible spread.",[155,156,157,173],"table",{},[158,159,160],"thead",{},[161,162,163,167,170],"tr",{},[164,165,166],"th",{},"Budget",[164,168,169],{},"What it buys",[164,171,172],{},"Examples",[174,175,176,188,199,210],"tbody",{},[161,177,178,182,185],{},[179,180,181],"td",{},"Under £25",[179,183,184],{},"A nice small thing, well chosen",[179,186,187],{},"Good socks, a leather card holder, a craft-beer mix",[161,189,190,193,196],{},[179,191,192],{},"£25 to £60",[179,194,195],{},"The sweet spot for most groomsmen",[179,197,198],{},"Quality wallet, decent multi-tool, a gig ticket",[161,200,201,204,207],{},[179,202,203],{},"£60 to £120",[179,205,206],{},"A proper gift, often for the best man",[179,208,209],{},"A watch, a brewery-tour day, a cap-and-jacket combo",[161,211,212,215,218],{},[179,213,214],{},"£120 plus",[179,216,217],{},"The big thank-you",[179,219,220],{},"Weekend experience, premium leather goods",[91,222,223],{},"Most people land in the £25 to £60 band for groomsmen and bump the best man up a notch. That's a fair rule of thumb, not a law. Spend what feels right and what you can comfortably afford.",[95,225,227],{"id":226},"making-it-personal-without-the-gimmicks","Making it personal without the gimmicks",[91,229,230],{},"Personalising a gift is good. Slapping initials on something that didn't need them is not. The difference is whether the personalisation adds meaning or just adds a monogram.",[91,232,233],{},"A few that work:",[116,235,236,239,242],{},[119,237,238],{},"A handwritten note. Cheap, quick, and the thing he's most likely to keep. Say something specific about why you're glad he was there.",[119,240,241],{},"A photo that means something, printed properly, not just sent to his phone.",[119,243,244],{},"An inside joke done tastefully. A bottle labelled with the name you all called him at uni beats his initials in a serif font.",[91,246,247],{},"Skip the engraving if you can't think of anything better than his name and the date. He knows his name. He'll remember the date. The note does more.",[95,249,251],{"id":250},"timing-and-the-handover","Timing and the handover",[91,253,254],{},"Give the gifts at a moment that isn't rushed. The morning of the wedding works if you've got a calm half hour while getting ready, and it sets a nice tone before the chaos. The night before, at the rehearsal dinner or a quiet pint, works just as well and means you're not juggling gift bags at the venue.",[91,256,257],{},"However you do it, say a few words. A gift handed over in silence loses half its point. You don't need a speech, just \"thanks for everything, genuinely, it's meant a lot.\" A small toast to the group does the job.",[91,259,260],{},"And keep a note of who got what. If you're handing thank-yous to several people across the wedding party, the same place you track guests and the day's details can hold a simple list so nothing's forgotten. The aim is for every one of your mates to walk away feeling properly thanked, holding something they'll actually reach for again.",{"title":262,"searchDepth":263,"depth":263,"links":264},"",2,[265,266,267,268,269],{"id":97,"depth":263,"text":98},{"id":110,"depth":263,"text":111},{"id":149,"depth":263,"text":150},{"id":226,"depth":263,"text":227},{"id":250,"depth":263,"text":251},"Bridesmaids & Groomsmen","2025-09-21","Thoughtful groomsmen gift ideas that beat the engraved hip flask, with a price-band guide and tips on personalising thank-yous your mates will actually use.",false,"md","https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1679599441469-61dbeca22aa8?ixid=M3w4NzI0OTN8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxncm9vbXNtZW4lMjBnaWZ0fGVufDF8MHx8fDE3ODE1OTQ5NDh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop","A group of men in suits running across a field","Lori DeJong","https://unsplash.com/@ld05?utm_source=buildtheday&utm_medium=referral",{},"/blog/groomsmen-gift-ideas-beyond-the-hip-flask",6,{"title":85,"description":272},"blog/groomsmen-gift-ideas-beyond-the-hip-flask",[285,286,287],"groomsmen gifts","wedding party","thank-you","LTaE8gtvlIeoPok5XMrHk9NOFSv__BYStyhYggmtyOU",[290,488,680,868,1046,1232,1355,1550,1728,1882,2062],{"id":291,"title":292,"author":86,"body":293,"category":270,"date":473,"description":474,"draft":273,"extension":274,"image":475,"imageAlt":476,"imageCredit":477,"imageCreditUrl":478,"meta":479,"navigation":5,"path":480,"readTime":281,"seo":481,"stem":482,"tags":483,"__hash__":487},"blog/blog/how-to-be-a-great-best-man.md","How to Be a Great Best Man",{"type":88,"value":294,"toc":466},[295,298,301,305,308,311,314,318,321,324,344,348,351,354,357,372,375,378,382,385,388,450,453,456,460,463],[91,296,297],{},"Getting asked to be best man is a proper honour, and also a slightly terrifying one. Somewhere between the rings, the stag and the speech, it's easy to convince yourself there's a long list of ways to mess it up. There isn't. The job comes down to being reliable, being there, and not dropping the ring. Everything else is detail.",[91,299,300],{},"Here's how to do it well without losing sleep over it.",[95,302,304],{"id":303},"what-the-best-man-is-actually-for","What the best man is actually for",[91,306,307],{},"The role has changed. It used to be all about a risqué speech and getting the groom to the church. Now it's more rounded, and frankly more useful.",[91,309,310],{},"You're the groom's right hand through the planning and on the day. You organise the stag do (or co-organise it with the ushers). You hold the rings and any paperwork the registrar needs. You give a speech. And you keep the day ticking along, so the couple can stop watching the clock and actually enjoy themselves.",[91,312,313],{},"If there are groomsmen or ushers, you're loosely in charge of them: making sure they know where to be, what they're wearing, and what they're doing when guests arrive.",[95,315,317],{"id":316},"the-stag-do-done-right","The stag do, done right",[91,319,320],{},"The stag should suit the groom, not your idea of a good weekend. Some lads want a wild trip abroad. Plenty would rather have a brewery tour, a curry and a few pints with the people they actually like. Ask him, properly, before you book anything.",[91,322,323],{},"A few rules that save grief:",[116,325,326,332,338],{},[119,327,328,331],{},[122,329,330],{},"Agree a budget early."," Not everyone can drop £400 on a weekend away. Be honest about the numbers up front so nobody bows out at the last minute or quietly resents it.",[119,333,334,337],{},[122,335,336],{},"Don't schedule it the week before the wedding."," Give it a fortnight's clearance at least. Nobody wants the groom nursing a comedown down the aisle.",[119,339,340,343],{},[122,341,342],{},"Keep him safe and keep it kind."," The old-school humiliation stuff has had its day. A great stag is one he remembers fondly, not one he's relieved survived.",[95,345,347],{"id":346},"writing-the-speech","Writing the speech",[91,349,350],{},"This is the part that keeps best men up at night, and it's genuinely the bit that matters most to the room. Get it right and people talk about it for years.",[91,352,353],{},"The secret isn't jokes. It's affection with a bit of humour layered on top. A speech that's all gags and no heart leaves everyone a little cold. Aim for the room laughing three or four times and going quiet once.",[91,355,356],{},"A reliable structure:",[358,359,360,363,366,369],"ol",{},[119,361,362],{},"Open with a quick, genuine line about the groom, then one warm joke at his expense (nothing cruel, nothing that needs an apology after).",[119,364,365],{},"Tell one good story that shows who he is, the kind only a close mate would know.",[119,367,368],{},"Talk about how he changed for the better when he met his partner. This is the line that lands.",[119,370,371],{},"Welcome the couple, raise a glass, sit down.",[91,373,374],{},"Keep it to five minutes, tops. Three good stories beat ten flimsy ones. Test the jokes on someone honest beforehand, and cut anything that needs explaining. Print it large on paper, because your phone will betray you. And read it aloud a dozen times so you're looking up at the room, not reading from the page.",[91,376,377],{},"Two hard rules: nothing about exes, and nothing you wouldn't say in front of the groom's gran. If you have to ask whether a line is too far, it's too far.",[95,379,381],{"id":380},"on-the-wedding-day","On the wedding day",[91,383,384],{},"Get the groom there on time, calm, and with everything he needs. That's the headline. The rest is being one step ahead.",[91,386,387],{},"A few things to have sorted before you arrive:",[155,389,390,400],{},[158,391,392],{},[161,393,394,397],{},[164,395,396],{},"Task",[164,398,399],{},"When",[174,401,402,410,418,426,434,442],{},[161,403,404,407],{},[179,405,406],{},"Rings on you, double-checked",[179,408,409],{},"Before you leave the house",[161,411,412,415],{},[179,413,414],{},"Groom's timeline confirmed",[179,416,417],{},"The night before",[161,419,420,423],{},[179,421,422],{},"Ushers briefed on greeting and seating guests",[179,424,425],{},"First thing on arrival",[161,427,428,431],{},[179,429,430],{},"Order of the day in your pocket",[179,432,433],{},"All day",[161,435,436,439],{},[179,437,438],{},"Speech, printed",[179,440,441],{},"Don't rely on your phone",[161,443,444,447],{},[179,445,446],{},"Taxis or transport for the evening",[179,448,449],{},"Booked in advance",[91,451,452],{},"On the day itself, you're the calm one. Greet guests with the ushers. Make sure the groom eats and drinks some water. Keep an eye on the running order and gently nudge things along if they drift. If a problem crops up, the missing buttonhole, the late car, the uncle who's had one too many, you sort it quietly so the couple never hear about it.",[91,454,455],{},"It helps to know the schedule cold. Many couples now share the day's timeline on their wedding website, so if there's one, get the link and save yourself a flurry of texts.",[95,457,459],{"id":458},"the-quiet-stuff-that-makes-you-great","The quiet stuff that makes you great",[91,461,462],{},"Beyond the duties, the best best men do the small things. They check the groom's nerves the morning of, with a calm word rather than a shot at 10am. They make sure the parents feel included. They keep the dance floor going and the groom off the bar until after the speeches.",[91,464,465],{},"You don't need to be the loudest or the funniest. You need to be the one he trusts to handle it, so on the biggest day of his life he can stop managing and just be the groom. Do that, and you've done the job brilliantly.",{"title":262,"searchDepth":263,"depth":263,"links":467},[468,469,470,471,472],{"id":303,"depth":263,"text":304},{"id":316,"depth":263,"text":317},{"id":346,"depth":263,"text":347},{"id":380,"depth":263,"text":381},{"id":458,"depth":263,"text":459},"2026-04-06","A practical guide to being best man: the real duties, the stag do, writing and delivering the speech, and keeping the wedding day running smoothly.","https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1653936663217-f0a1ac722c96?ixid=M3w4NzI0OTN8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxiZXN0JTIwbWFuJTIwZ3Jvb20lMjBzdWl0fGVufDF8MHx8fDE3ODE2MDAzOTJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop","A man in a tuxedo with a boutonniere on his lap","Emily Studer","https://unsplash.com/@studerphotography?utm_source=buildtheday&utm_medium=referral",{},"/blog/how-to-be-a-great-best-man",{"title":292,"description":474},"blog/how-to-be-a-great-best-man",[484,485,486,286],"best man","groomsmen","speeches","sm-9XM2H50qJQeF4kn3Z_M0oulCx76qWT9AoGv-Bmq4",{"id":489,"title":490,"author":491,"body":492,"category":270,"date":666,"description":667,"draft":273,"extension":274,"image":668,"imageAlt":669,"imageCredit":670,"imageCreditUrl":671,"meta":672,"navigation":5,"path":673,"readTime":281,"seo":674,"stem":675,"tags":676,"__hash__":679},"blog/blog/how-to-be-a-brilliant-maid-of-honour.md","How to Be a Brilliant Maid of Honour","The Build The Day Team",{"type":88,"value":493,"toc":659},[494,497,500,504,507,510,513,517,520,540,543,545,548,551,554,565,568,570,573,576,646,649,653,656],[91,495,496],{},"Being asked to be someone's maid of honour is one of the loveliest things a friend can do for you. It also comes with a vague job description and a quiet worry that you'll somehow get it wrong. You won't. The role is really just being the person your friend can lean on, organised enough to take a few things off her plate and calm enough to be a steady presence on the day.",[91,498,499],{},"Here's what the job actually involves, minus the Pinterest pressure.",[95,501,503],{"id":502},"what-a-maid-of-honour-really-does","What a maid of honour really does",[91,505,506],{},"Forget the long lists that make it sound like a part-time job. Strip it back and the role comes down to a handful of things that genuinely help.",[91,508,509],{},"You're the point person for the bridesmaids: the one who answers the \"what are we wearing again?\" messages and keeps everyone roughly on the same page. You help organise the hen do, usually with the rest of the group. You're there for dress shopping, the odd venue visit and the late-night phone call when the seating plan has caused a small family crisis. On the day, you hold the bouquet, sort the dress, and keep an eye on your friend so she actually eats something.",[91,511,512],{},"And the bit people forget: you're the emotional support. When the planning gets heavy, you're the one who reminds her why she's doing all this.",[95,514,516],{"id":515},"the-months-before","The months before",[91,518,519],{},"Most of the real work happens in the lead-up, not on the day. A few things worth getting ahead of:",[116,521,522,528,534],{},[119,523,524,527],{},[122,525,526],{},"The hen do."," Start early. Find out her budget tolerance and who she actually wants there before you book anything. A quick group chat with the other bridesmaids saves a lot of crossed wires.",[119,529,530,533],{},[122,531,532],{},"Outfits."," If there are bridesmaid dresses to coordinate, you're often the one chasing sizes and orders. Keep a simple note of everyone's details.",[119,535,536,539],{},[122,537,538],{},"Check in on her, not just the wedding."," Ask how she's feeling, not only what's left on the list. Planning a wedding can be surprisingly lonely even with a hundred people involved.",[91,541,542],{},"If she's using a wedding website to manage everything, ask her to add you as a collaborator. Build The Day lets the couple invite helpers with editor or viewer access, so you can see the guest list, RSVPs and timeline without firing off a dozen \"what time is...?\" texts.",[95,544,347],{"id":346},[91,546,547],{},"More maids of honour are giving speeches now, and it's a genuine highlight when it's done well. You don't need to be funny. You need to be warm and specific.",[91,549,550],{},"Skip the generic \"she's always been my best friend\" opening. Start with a small, true story instead. The time she drove two hours to sit with you after a breakup. The terrible holiday you both still laugh about. Specifics are what make a room go quiet in the good way.",[91,552,553],{},"A simple shape that works:",[358,555,556,559,562],{},[119,557,558],{},"A short, genuine story that shows who she is.",[119,560,561],{},"How you saw her change, or soften, or light up, when she met her partner.",[119,563,564],{},"A warm, sincere line to the couple, and a toast.",[91,566,567],{},"Keep it to three or four minutes. Read it aloud beforehand and time it. Print it big, on paper, because phones die and nerves make screens hard to read. If you're worried about crying, that's fine, a pause and a breath is far better than rushing.",[95,569,381],{"id":380},[91,571,572],{},"Your job on the day is to be useful and unflustered. Arrive with everything you might need and let her not think about logistics for a few hours.",[91,574,575],{},"A small kit goes a long way. Here's a practical starter:",[155,577,578,588],{},[158,579,580],{},[161,581,582,585],{},[164,583,584],{},"Item",[164,586,587],{},"Why it earns its place",[174,589,590,598,606,614,622,630,638],{},[161,591,592,595],{},[179,593,594],{},"Safety pins and a small sewing kit",[179,596,597],{},"Hems, straps and buttons fail at the worst moment",[161,599,600,603],{},[179,601,602],{},"Tissues and blotting papers",[179,604,605],{},"Tears and shine, sorted discreetly",[161,607,608,611],{},[179,609,610],{},"Plasters",[179,612,613],{},"New shoes, every single time",[161,615,616,619],{},[179,617,618],{},"Mints or gum",[179,620,621],{},"Before the kiss and the close-up photos",[161,623,624,627],{},[179,625,626],{},"A phone charger",[179,628,629],{},"Yours and hers",[161,631,632,635],{},[179,633,634],{},"Snacks and a water bottle",[179,636,637],{},"She'll forget to eat; you'll remind her",[161,639,640,643],{},[179,641,642],{},"Painkillers",[179,644,645],{},"For the headache that hits around the speeches",[91,647,648],{},"Beyond the kit, your real value is presence. Know the running order so you can gently steer her toward the next thing. Spot the elderly aunt who needs a chair. Notice when she's been cornered by a chatty guest and rescue her. And at some point, pull her aside for thirty seconds so she can take a breath and actually look at the day she built.",[95,650,652],{"id":651},"looking-after-yourself-too","Looking after yourself too",[91,654,655],{},"It's easy to pour everything in and forget you're also a guest at a wedding you care about. Eat properly. Pace yourself at the bar, at least until after the speeches. Accept help from the other bridesmaids rather than carrying it all.",[91,657,658],{},"The best maids of honour aren't the ones who run themselves ragged. They're the ones still smiling at midnight, on the dance floor, next to the person they showed up for. That's the whole job, really. Show up, stay calm, and love her loudly on the day she needs it most.",{"title":262,"searchDepth":263,"depth":263,"links":660},[661,662,663,664,665],{"id":502,"depth":263,"text":503},{"id":515,"depth":263,"text":516},{"id":346,"depth":263,"text":347},{"id":380,"depth":263,"text":381},{"id":651,"depth":263,"text":652},"2026-03-30","A warm, practical guide to being maid of honour: the real duties, the speech, the hen do and how to support your person from the yes to the I do.","https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1660285884808-227a74e6e12a?ixid=M3w4NzI0OTN8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHxicmlkZXNtYWlkc3xlbnwxfDB8fHwxNzgxNTk0NTAxfDA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop","A group of people posing for a photo","Asdrubal luna","https://unsplash.com/@infectedluna?utm_source=buildtheday&utm_medium=referral",{},"/blog/how-to-be-a-brilliant-maid-of-honour",{"title":490,"description":667},"blog/how-to-be-a-brilliant-maid-of-honour",[677,678,286],"maid of honour","bridesmaids","RLWc0FMxTKOyqa5VcOwBO6hkKqTk70-E3ztGGOt3gJk",{"id":681,"title":682,"author":86,"body":683,"category":270,"date":852,"description":853,"draft":273,"extension":274,"image":854,"imageAlt":855,"imageCredit":856,"imageCreditUrl":857,"meta":858,"navigation":5,"path":859,"readTime":281,"seo":860,"stem":861,"tags":862,"__hash__":867},"blog/blog/hen-and-stag-do-ideas-that-suit-you.md","Hen and Stag Do Ideas That Suit You",{"type":88,"value":684,"toc":846},[685,688,691,695,698,701,704,724,728,731,742,814,817,821,824,827,830,833,837,840,843],[91,686,687],{},"The best hen and stag dos have one thing in common, and it is not the destination. It is that they feel like the person at the centre of them. A quiet potter who gets dragged to a Magaluf strip of clubs is going to spend the weekend wishing they were at home. So before you book anything, start with them, not with the idea of what these weekends are supposed to be.",[91,689,690],{},"That sounds obvious. But the default playbook (cocktail-making, fancy dress, a club, a hungover full English) gets booked over and over because it is easy, not because it fits. You can do better with the same effort and often less money.",[95,692,694],{"id":693},"start-with-the-person-not-the-activity","Start with the person, not the activity",[91,696,697],{},"Ask yourself a few honest questions before the group chat spirals. Is your friend an introvert or someone who comes alive in a crowd? Do they love being the centre of attention or quietly dread it? Would they rather be up a mountain or in a spa? Is a big night out their idea of heaven, or a polite ordeal they will smile through?",[91,699,700],{},"Then think about the group. A weekend that works for six close mates is very different from one with sixteen people who barely know each other. The bigger the group, the simpler and more structured the plan needs to be, or someone always gets lost, left out, or left behind in a bar.",[91,702,703],{},"A quick way to frame it:",[116,705,706,712,718],{},[119,707,708,711],{},[122,709,710],{},"The big group, big energy crowd:"," a city weekend with a clear schedule works. Book activities in advance so nobody is herding people around at 2pm with a hangover.",[119,713,714,717],{},[122,715,716],{},"The small, close-knit group:"," a cottage in the Lakes or the Peak District, good food, a hot tub, board games, a long walk. Cheaper, calmer, often more memorable.",[119,719,720,723],{},[122,721,722],{},"The mixed group with mixed budgets:"," keep it to one or two nights, somewhere accessible by train, with optional add-ons so people can opt out without feeling tight.",[95,725,727],{"id":726},"budget-honestly-and-early","Budget honestly and early",[91,729,730],{},"Money is where these weekends go wrong. Someone books a £400 weekend on behalf of a group that includes a friend on a tight wage, a new parent, and a mate saving for their own wedding. Resentment quietly builds, and nobody says anything until it is too late.",[91,732,733,734,741],{},"Set the budget before you set the plan. Ask everyone privately what they can comfortably spend, then plan to the lower end. The numbers add up faster than people expect: ",[735,736,740],"a",{"href":737,"rel":738},"https://www.aviva.com/newsroom/news-releases/2023/06/guests-face-four-figure-bills-for-stag-and-hen-dos/",[739],"nofollow","research from Aviva"," put the average UK hen or stag do at around £779 per person, rising to more than £1,200 if it is abroad, once travel, accommodation and activities are counted. A weekend that costs less is not a lesser weekend.",[155,743,744,757],{},[158,745,746],{},[161,747,748,751,754],{},[164,749,750],{},"Style",[164,752,753],{},"Rough cost per person",[164,755,756],{},"Best for",[174,758,759,770,781,792,803],{},[161,760,761,764,767],{},[179,762,763],{},"Night out at home",[179,765,766],{},"£30 to £60",[179,768,769],{},"Easy, inclusive, no travel",[161,771,772,775,778],{},[179,773,774],{},"UK city break, one night",[179,776,777],{},"£120 to £220",[179,779,780],{},"Bigger groups who want a proper do",[161,782,783,786,789],{},[179,784,785],{},"Cottage weekend",[179,787,788],{},"£100 to £180",[179,790,791],{},"Close-knit groups, slower pace",[161,793,794,797,800],{},[179,795,796],{},"Spa or activity day",[179,798,799],{},"£80 to £150",[179,801,802],{},"A treat without an overnight stay",[161,804,805,808,811],{},[179,806,807],{},"Abroad, long weekend",[179,809,810],{},"£350 plus",[179,812,813],{},"Only if everyone genuinely can afford it",[91,815,816],{},"Be the person who says the quiet thing out loud. If someone cannot make the full weekend, build in a day-only option so they can join the bits they can manage.",[95,818,820],{"id":819},"ideas-that-fit-not-formulas","Ideas that fit, not formulas",[91,822,823],{},"Here is the fun part. Match the activity to the person.",[91,825,826],{},"For someone creative, try a pottery throwdown, a life-drawing class, a perfume-blending workshop, or a day at a vineyard. For the outdoorsy type, go for paddleboarding, a coastal walk and a pub lunch, wild swimming, or gorge scrambling in Wales. For the foodie, a supper club, a brewery tour, or a cookery class beats a club every time.",[91,828,829],{},"And the homebodies deserve a proper do too. A cottage, a private chef for one night, a quiz written by the maid of honour or best man about the couple, and a fire pit can be the best weekend of the lot. Nobody has to shout over music or queue for a taxi at 1am.",[91,831,832],{},"A small touch that always lands: build in one moment that is just about the person being celebrated. A toast where everyone shares a favourite memory, a scrapbook passed around, a photo from each chapter of their life. It costs nothing and it is what they remember.",[95,834,836],{"id":835},"sort-the-logistics-so-the-day-of-runs-itself","Sort the logistics so the day-of runs itself",[91,838,839],{},"The organiser's real job is the boring stuff: a clear address, who is sharing rooms, when and where to meet, and a kitty for shared costs so nobody is chasing payments for weeks. Put it all in one place everyone can see. A simple shared document, pinned in the group chat, saves a hundred \"what time again?\" messages.",[91,841,842],{},"Timing matters too. Aim for a few weeks to a couple of months before the wedding, not the night before, and never the same weekend as a big work deadline or a family event you already know about. Check in with the couple about dates that are off-limits before you lock anything in.",[91,844,845],{},"One last thing worth keeping in mind. This weekend is a gift to a friend, not a competition to throw the wildest party. Plan it for them, keep it kind on everyone's wallet, and it will do exactly what it is meant to: send them into the wedding feeling loved.",{"title":262,"searchDepth":263,"depth":263,"links":847},[848,849,850,851],{"id":693,"depth":263,"text":694},{"id":726,"depth":263,"text":727},{"id":819,"depth":263,"text":820},{"id":835,"depth":263,"text":836},"2025-10-12","Hen and stag do ideas that fit the person, not a template. How to plan a celebration around the bride or groom, with budgets, formats and timing tips.","https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1699730148440-22fc68a96752?ixid=M3w4NzI0OTN8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxoZW4lMjBwYXJ0eSUyMGNlbGVicmF0aW9ufGVufDF8MHx8fDE3ODE1OTQ5NDh8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop","A group of people sitting around a table with food and drinks","OurWhisky Foundation","https://unsplash.com/@ourwhiskyfoundation?utm_source=buildtheday&utm_medium=referral",{},"/blog/hen-and-stag-do-ideas-that-suit-you",{"title":682,"description":853},"blog/hen-and-stag-do-ideas-that-suit-you",[863,864,865,866],"hen do","stag do","celebrations","planning","TcurOCnGZnU9M1bDdQPviEWbewFs7vARk_PmuoZaoxU",{"id":869,"title":870,"author":86,"body":871,"category":270,"date":1034,"description":1035,"draft":273,"extension":274,"image":1036,"imageAlt":1037,"imageCredit":1038,"imageCreditUrl":1039,"meta":1040,"navigation":5,"path":1041,"readTime":281,"seo":1042,"stem":1043,"tags":1044,"__hash__":1045},"blog/blog/how-many-bridesmaids-and-groomsmen-should-you-have.md","How Many Bridesmaids and Groomsmen Should You Have?",{"type":88,"value":872,"toc":1026},[873,876,879,883,886,889,892,896,899,960,963,967,976,979,983,986,1000,1003,1007,1010,1013,1017,1020,1023],[91,874,875],{},"There's no rule that says you need a matching set of five on each side, or any wedding party at all. The right number is the one that means the right people are standing beside you, without anyone there just to even up the photo.",[91,877,878],{},"So before you start counting, work out what you actually want the role to do. That tells you the number far more reliably than tradition does.",[95,880,882],{"id":881},"start-with-who-not-how-many","Start with who, not how many",[91,884,885],{},"The most common mistake is deciding on a number first (\"I'd like four bridesmaids\") and then casting people to fill it. That's how you end up asking a friend you see twice a year, then quietly resenting that she's not pulling her weight.",[91,887,888],{},"Flip it round. Make a list of the people you genuinely can't imagine getting ready without. The ones who'll calm your nerves, lace you in, chase your mum off the dance floor, and not mind being asked. That list is your wedding party. If it's two people, brilliant. If it's six, also fine.",[91,890,891],{},"You also don't have to match sides. One partner can have five attendants and the other two, and nobody at the wedding will be doing maths about it. Lopsided wedding parties are completely normal now.",[95,893,895],{"id":894},"what-the-size-actually-changes","What the size actually changes",[91,897,898],{},"Numbers aren't just symbolic. Each person you add has knock-on effects, some lovely, some logistical.",[155,900,901,914],{},[158,902,903],{},[161,904,905,908,911],{},[164,906,907],{},"Party size",[164,909,910],{},"Feel",[164,912,913],{},"Watch out for",[174,915,916,927,938,949],{},[161,917,918,921,924],{},[179,919,920],{},"1 to 2 each",[179,922,923],{},"Intimate, easy to organise",[179,925,926],{},"One person carries a lot, so brief them well",[161,928,929,932,935],{},[179,930,931],{},"3 to 4 each",[179,933,934],{},"Balanced, sociable",[179,936,937],{},"Outfit coordination starts to take effort",[161,939,940,943,946],{},[179,941,942],{},"5 to 6 each",[179,944,945],{},"Big, energetic, great photos",[179,947,948],{},"Costs and group chats multiply fast",[161,950,951,954,957],{},[179,952,953],{},"7+ each",[179,955,956],{},"A proper crew",[179,958,959],{},"Herding everyone becomes a job in itself",[91,961,962],{},"More attendants means more outfits to coordinate, more people in the getting-ready room, a longer procession, and a wider spread of opinions to manage. It also means more hands on the day, which can be genuinely useful if you give them real jobs.",[95,964,966],{"id":965},"the-cost-question-honestly","The cost question, honestly",[91,968,969,970,975],{},"A larger wedding party isn't only your expense, it's theirs too. Bridesmaids and groomsmen often pay for their own outfits, hair, travel and a share of the hen or stag do. According to ",[735,971,974],{"href":972,"rel":973},"https://www.hitched.co.uk",[739],"Hitched's research on wedding party costs",", being a bridesmaid in the UK can run to several hundred pounds once you add it all up.",[91,977,978],{},"That matters when you're deciding numbers. Asking eight people to spend that much, some of whom might be stretched, is a kindness question as well as a budget one. If you want a big party, consider covering more of the costs yourself, or keeping the asks (dress, do, gifts) deliberately modest.",[95,980,982],{"id":981},"giving-the-role-meaning","Giving the role meaning",[91,984,985],{},"A wedding party with nothing to do is just a row of people in matching clothes. The number works best when each person has a part to play.",[116,987,988,991,994,997],{},[119,989,990],{},"Someone to be your point of contact on the morning, fielding questions so you don't have to.",[119,992,993],{},"Someone holding the rings, the speech cards, the emergency kit.",[119,995,996],{},"Someone keeping an eye on elderly relatives or wandering children.",[119,998,999],{},"Someone whose only job is to make sure you eat something and have a drink in your hand.",[91,1001,1002],{},"You don't need a person for every task, and you don't need to invent jobs to justify a big group. But matching people to roles is a good gut-check: if you can't think of a single thing you'd want a particular person to do, that's a clue.",[95,1004,1006],{"id":1005},"when-the-answer-is-none","When the answer is \"none\"",[91,1008,1009],{},"Plenty of couples skip the wedding party entirely and feel relieved. No outfit politics, no group chat, no working out who's slighted by not being asked. You can still have your closest friends do a reading, give a speech, or simply be there as guests with no title attached.",[91,1011,1012],{},"This is especially worth considering for smaller or more relaxed weddings, where a formal procession can feel out of step with the day. A friend signing the register as a witness can carry just as much meaning as a bridesmaid in a coordinated dress.",[95,1014,1016],{"id":1015},"a-simple-way-to-decide","A simple way to decide",[91,1018,1019],{},"If you're stuck, try this. Write down everyone you'd want by your side. Cross off anyone you added out of obligation rather than love. Look at what's left, and ask whether you'd give each of them a real role. The names that survive both passes are your wedding party, however many that turns out to be.",[91,1021,1022],{},"Then, once it's settled, keep their details somewhere sensible. A wedding website with your guest list and groups built in (Build The Day does this) means you can tag your wedding party, track their RSVPs and meal choices alongside everyone else, and not lose track of who's confirmed for the rehearsal.",[91,1024,1025],{},"The best wedding party is the one that makes the day feel more like you, not the one that fills the frame.",{"title":262,"searchDepth":263,"depth":263,"links":1027},[1028,1029,1030,1031,1032,1033],{"id":881,"depth":263,"text":882},{"id":894,"depth":263,"text":895},{"id":965,"depth":263,"text":966},{"id":981,"depth":263,"text":982},{"id":1005,"depth":263,"text":1006},{"id":1015,"depth":263,"text":1016},"2025-10-05","How to decide how many bridesmaids and groomsmen to have, what the numbers cost, and how to keep the wedding party a help rather than a headache.","https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1752159985395-ee98f2574448?ixid=M3w4NzI0OTN8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHx3ZWRkaW5nJTIwcGFydHklMjBsaW5ldXB8ZW58MXwwfHx8MTc4MTU5NDk0OXww&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop","Wedding party walking together through a garden.","Dickson Ngeno","https://unsplash.com/@dicksoness?utm_source=buildtheday&utm_medium=referral",{},"/blog/how-many-bridesmaids-and-groomsmen-should-you-have",{"title":870,"description":1035},"blog/how-many-bridesmaids-and-groomsmen-should-you-have",[678,485,286],"iDaDhYxwVTxj3nQ4jmbIHBXPgGiHDOwXFc26gb2ZIe8",{"id":1047,"title":1048,"author":491,"body":1049,"category":270,"date":1221,"description":1222,"draft":273,"extension":274,"image":1223,"imageAlt":1224,"imageCredit":670,"imageCreditUrl":671,"meta":1225,"navigation":5,"path":1226,"readTime":1227,"seo":1228,"stem":1229,"tags":1230,"__hash__":1231},"blog/blog/mixed-wedding-parties-and-modern-roles.md","Mixed Wedding Parties and Modern Roles",{"type":88,"value":1050,"toc":1215},[1051,1054,1057,1061,1064,1067,1070,1101,1104,1108,1111,1117,1122,1128,1189,1193,1196,1199,1202,1206,1209,1212],[91,1052,1053],{},"Your closest people are not always neatly divided into \"the bride's side\" and \"the groom's side\". Your best friend might be a man, your brother might be standing with you instead of across the aisle, and the person you most want next to you on the day might not fit the role the tradition assumes. So pick the people, then sort the labels.",[91,1055,1056],{},"Mixed wedding parties have gone from slightly novel to completely normal. Nobody blinks at a \"best woman\" or a groom with his sister beside him anymore, and that frees you up to build a line-up that actually reflects your life.",[95,1058,1060],{"id":1059},"pick-people-first-sort-titles-later","Pick people first, sort titles later",[91,1062,1063],{},"The mistake is starting with the roles. \"We need three bridesmaids and three groomsmen, so who fills the slots?\" That's backwards and it leads to inviting people out of obligation.",[91,1065,1066],{},"Start instead with a simple question: who do you want standing with you? Write the names down. Then work out where each person stands and what they're called. You'll often find the numbers don't balance, and that's fine. There's no rule that says each side needs to match.",[91,1068,1069],{},"Once you've got your people, the titles tend to sort themselves:",[116,1071,1072,1082,1091],{},[119,1073,1074,1075,1078,1079],{},"A man supporting the bride: ",[122,1076,1077],{},"bridesman"," or ",[122,1080,1081],{},"man of honour",[119,1083,1084,1085,1078,1088],{},"A woman supporting the groom: ",[122,1086,1087],{},"groomswoman",[122,1089,1090],{},"best woman",[119,1092,1093,1094,1096,1097,1100],{},"Anyone, either side: ",[122,1095,286],{},", ",[122,1098,1099],{},"honour attendant",", or just their name in the order of service",[91,1102,1103],{},"You can also drop the gendered language entirely and go with \"the wedding party\" or \"our people\". Plenty of couples now list everyone together rather than splitting them into two teams.",[95,1105,1107],{"id":1106},"handle-the-practical-stuff-openly","Handle the practical stuff openly",[91,1109,1110],{},"Mixed parties throw up a few logistics that single-gender groups don't, but none of them are hard if you talk early.",[91,1112,1113,1116],{},[122,1114,1115],{},"Getting ready."," A bridesman probably won't want to be in the room for three hours of hair and makeup, and that's grand. Let people join for the parts that suit them. He might rock up an hour before the ceremony with the buttonholes rather than sitting through the full morning.",[91,1118,1119,1121],{},[122,1120,532],{}," This is where couples overthink. You don't need everyone matching. Pick a palette and a level of formality, then let people wear what works: a suit in the same tone as the dresses, or a dress in a shade that sits with the suits. The goal is a group that looks like it belongs together, not a uniform.",[91,1123,1124,1127],{},[122,1125,1126],{},"Walking down the aisle."," Pair people however feels right. Some couples pair by height, some by friendship, some send everyone down solo. The traditional one-of-each pairing is optional.",[155,1129,1130,1143],{},[158,1131,1132],{},[161,1133,1134,1137,1140],{},[164,1135,1136],{},"Detail",[164,1138,1139],{},"Old default",[164,1141,1142],{},"What works now",[174,1144,1145,1156,1167,1178],{},[161,1146,1147,1150,1153],{},[179,1148,1149],{},"Sides",[179,1151,1152],{},"Bride's left, groom's right",[179,1154,1155],{},"Mix freely, or skip sides",[161,1157,1158,1161,1164],{},[179,1159,1160],{},"Outfits",[179,1162,1163],{},"Identical per gender",[179,1165,1166],{},"Shared palette, individual cuts",[161,1168,1169,1172,1175],{},[179,1170,1171],{},"Getting-ready",[179,1173,1174],{},"Everyone all morning",[179,1176,1177],{},"Join for the bits that fit",[161,1179,1180,1183,1186],{},[179,1181,1182],{},"Duties",[179,1184,1185],{},"Fixed by role",[179,1187,1188],{},"Matched to each person's strengths",[95,1190,1192],{"id":1191},"divvy-up-the-jobs-by-strength-not-gender","Divvy up the jobs by strength, not gender",[91,1194,1195],{},"The duties that come with the role, organising the hen or stag do, holding the rings, giving a speech, calming nerves on the morning, don't belong to a particular gender. Hand them out based on who's actually good at each thing.",[91,1197,1198],{},"Your most organised friend should run the planning regardless of whether they're a bridesmaid or a groomsman. The funny one gets the speech. The calm one stays with you in the morning. Once you stop assigning jobs by which \"team\" someone is on, the day runs better, because the right person is doing each thing.",[91,1200,1201],{},"It helps to write the jobs down and share them, so nobody assumes someone else has it covered. A shared wedding website is handy here: you can keep a private page or note for the wedding party with the schedule, who's responsible for what, and the practical details like timings and dress code in one spot everyone can check. Build The Day lets you share that kind of detail with your people without endless group-chat scrolling.",[95,1203,1205],{"id":1204},"speeches-and-order-of-service","Speeches and order of service",[91,1207,1208],{},"Two small things trip couples up. First, speeches: there's no requirement that the \"best man\" speaks. A best woman, a groomswoman, two people together, whoever has something to say can say it. Decide on a running order and rough timings so it doesn't sprawl.",[91,1210,1211],{},"Second, the printed order of service. List your wedding party by name and a short description rather than forcing everyone into \"bridesmaids\" and \"groomsmen\" columns. \"Standing with us today\" followed by the names reads warmly and sidesteps the whole labelling question.",[91,1213,1214],{},"A wedding party should look like the two of you and the people you love, not a diagram from an etiquette book. Choose your people, give them roles that fit, and let the titles follow.",{"title":262,"searchDepth":263,"depth":263,"links":1216},[1217,1218,1219,1220],{"id":1059,"depth":263,"text":1060},{"id":1106,"depth":263,"text":1107},{"id":1191,"depth":263,"text":1192},{"id":1204,"depth":263,"text":1205},"2025-09-28","How to build a mixed-gender wedding party with bridesmen, groomswomen and flexible roles, plus what to call everyone and how to handle the practical bits.","https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1636665393783-3c38262cb9e4?ixid=M3w4NzI0OTN8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwyfHx3ZWRkaW5nJTIwcGFydHklMjBncm91cHxlbnwxfDB8fHwxNzgxNjAwNDg2fDA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop","A group of people standing next to each other on a beach",{},"/blog/mixed-wedding-parties-and-modern-roles",5,{"title":1048,"description":1222},"blog/mixed-wedding-parties-and-modern-roles",[286,678,485],"vvfsv2in83aUUDwEXMj26sNdBu2u9hihDIaK5uD8oas",{"id":84,"title":85,"author":86,"body":1233,"category":270,"date":271,"description":272,"draft":273,"extension":274,"image":275,"imageAlt":276,"imageCredit":277,"imageCreditUrl":278,"meta":1352,"navigation":5,"path":280,"readTime":281,"seo":1353,"stem":283,"tags":1354,"__hash__":288},{"type":88,"value":1234,"toc":1345},[1235,1237,1239,1241,1243,1245,1247,1249,1267,1269,1271,1273,1319,1321,1323,1325,1327,1335,1337,1339,1341,1343],[91,1236,93],{},[95,1238,98],{"id":97},[91,1240,101],{},[91,1242,104],{},[91,1244,107],{},[95,1246,111],{"id":110},[91,1248,114],{},[116,1250,1251,1255,1259,1263],{},[119,1252,1253,125],{},[122,1254,124],{},[119,1256,1257,131],{},[122,1258,130],{},[119,1260,1261,137],{},[122,1262,136],{},[119,1264,1265,143],{},[122,1266,142],{},[91,1268,146],{},[95,1270,150],{"id":149},[91,1272,153],{},[155,1274,1275,1285],{},[158,1276,1277],{},[161,1278,1279,1281,1283],{},[164,1280,166],{},[164,1282,169],{},[164,1284,172],{},[174,1286,1287,1295,1303,1311],{},[161,1288,1289,1291,1293],{},[179,1290,181],{},[179,1292,184],{},[179,1294,187],{},[161,1296,1297,1299,1301],{},[179,1298,192],{},[179,1300,195],{},[179,1302,198],{},[161,1304,1305,1307,1309],{},[179,1306,203],{},[179,1308,206],{},[179,1310,209],{},[161,1312,1313,1315,1317],{},[179,1314,214],{},[179,1316,217],{},[179,1318,220],{},[91,1320,223],{},[95,1322,227],{"id":226},[91,1324,230],{},[91,1326,233],{},[116,1328,1329,1331,1333],{},[119,1330,238],{},[119,1332,241],{},[119,1334,244],{},[91,1336,247],{},[95,1338,251],{"id":250},[91,1340,254],{},[91,1342,257],{},[91,1344,260],{},{"title":262,"searchDepth":263,"depth":263,"links":1346},[1347,1348,1349,1350,1351],{"id":97,"depth":263,"text":98},{"id":110,"depth":263,"text":111},{"id":149,"depth":263,"text":150},{"id":226,"depth":263,"text":227},{"id":250,"depth":263,"text":251},{},{"title":85,"description":272},[285,286,287],{"id":1356,"title":1357,"author":491,"body":1358,"category":270,"date":1538,"description":1539,"draft":273,"extension":274,"image":1540,"imageAlt":1541,"imageCredit":1542,"imageCreditUrl":1543,"meta":1544,"navigation":5,"path":1545,"readTime":281,"seo":1546,"stem":1547,"tags":1548,"__hash__":1549},"blog/blog/groomsmen-duties-from-stag-do-to-speeches.md","Groomsmen Duties from Stag Do to Speeches",{"type":88,"value":1359,"toc":1530},[1360,1363,1367,1370,1373,1390,1393,1397,1400,1403,1406,1410,1413,1433,1436,1440,1443,1504,1507,1511,1514,1517,1520,1524,1527],[91,1361,1362],{},"Being asked to be a groomsman is a lovely thing, and most people say yes before they've thought about what it actually involves. The honest answer: a few hours of organising spread over several months, one big day of being useful, and a willingness to wear a suit that isn't yours. Here's the real list, so nobody turns up on the morning wondering what they're meant to be doing.",[95,1364,1366],{"id":1365},"what-groomsmen-are-actually-for","What groomsmen are actually for",[91,1368,1369],{},"The job is part logistics, part moral support. Groomsmen are the people who keep the groom calm, get guests sitting in roughly the right places, and step in when something small goes sideways. That's most of it.",[91,1371,1372],{},"A few core duties show up at almost every wedding:",[116,1374,1375,1378,1381,1384,1387],{},[119,1376,1377],{},"Turn up to suit fittings and pay for or hire the outfit on time",[119,1379,1380],{},"Help plan and pay your share of the stag do",[119,1382,1383],{},"Get guests seated and pointed in the right direction on the day",[119,1385,1386],{},"Look after a few practical jobs: rings, buttonholes, the odd lift",[119,1388,1389],{},"Stick around for photos, even the ones that take ages",[91,1391,1392],{},"Notice what's not on there. Groomsmen don't have to give a speech, plan the whole wedding, or solve every problem. That's the best man and the couple. A groomsman who does the basics well is worth more than one who tries to run the show.",[95,1394,1396],{"id":1395},"the-best-mans-heavier-load","The best man's heavier load",[91,1398,1399],{},"If you're best man, you're a groomsman with a few extra responsibilities bolted on. You're usually the one organising the stag, holding the rings during the ceremony, giving a speech, and being the groom's first point of contact when nerves kick in.",[91,1401,1402],{},"The ring job sounds trivial until you imagine the alternative. Keep them in a zipped pocket, not a loose one, and check they're there before you leave the house. The speech is the part most people dread, so start it early. A good best man's speech is short, warm, has one or two genuine laughs, and finishes with a toast. Five minutes is plenty. Ten is pushing it.",[91,1404,1405],{},"You're also the unofficial timekeeper for the lads. If the group needs to be somewhere at 11, you're the one chasing the slow ones at half ten.",[95,1407,1409],{"id":1408},"sorting-the-stag-do","Sorting the stag do",[91,1411,1412],{},"The stag do is the big organising job, and it's where most of the stress lives. The trick is settling a few things early so nobody's left guessing.",[116,1414,1415,1421,1427],{},[119,1416,1417,1420],{},[122,1418,1419],{},"Budget first."," Agree a rough per-head figure before you book anything. A weekend in another city costs very differently to an afternoon of go-karting and pints, and not everyone has the same money to spend.",[119,1422,1423,1426],{},[122,1424,1425],{},"Ask the groom."," Some want a quiet meal with close mates, others want the works. Find out before you book paintballing for a man who hates being shot at.",[119,1428,1429,1432],{},[122,1430,1431],{},"Pick the date carefully."," A fortnight or so before the wedding is a sweet spot. Too close and people are knackered for the main event; the night before is asking for trouble.",[91,1434,1435],{},"Collect money up front rather than chasing it after. Nobody enjoys being the friend sending \"any chance you could settle up?\" texts three weeks later.",[95,1437,1439],{"id":1438},"on-the-day-a-simple-running-order","On the day: a simple running order",[91,1441,1442],{},"The wedding day itself has a natural rhythm. Knowing roughly when you're needed means you can relax in the gaps instead of hovering.",[155,1444,1445,1454],{},[158,1446,1447],{},[161,1448,1449,1451],{},[164,1450,399],{},[164,1452,1453],{},"What groomsmen do",[174,1455,1456,1464,1472,1480,1488,1496],{},[161,1457,1458,1461],{},[179,1459,1460],{},"Morning",[179,1462,1463],{},"Get dressed, eat something, keep the groom calm",[161,1465,1466,1469],{},[179,1467,1468],{},"45 mins before ceremony",[179,1470,1471],{},"Arrive at the venue, collect buttonholes and order of service sheets",[161,1473,1474,1477],{},[179,1475,1476],{},"30 mins before",[179,1478,1479],{},"Start ushering guests to their seats, bride's side and groom's side if that's the plan",[161,1481,1482,1485],{},[179,1483,1484],{},"During ceremony",[179,1486,1487],{},"Sit, switch phones off, hand over rings if you're best man",[161,1489,1490,1493],{},[179,1491,1492],{},"After ceremony",[179,1494,1495],{},"Help direct guests to drinks, round people up for photos",[161,1497,1498,1501],{},[179,1499,1500],{},"Reception",[179,1502,1503],{},"Speeches (best man), then off duty, mostly",[91,1505,1506],{},"The ushering bit is where groomsmen earn their keep. Greet people, hand over the order of service, and gently steer the lost-looking ones towards a seat. A friendly face at the door sets the tone for the whole day.",[95,1508,1510],{"id":1509},"speeches-and-the-bit-after","Speeches and the bit after",[91,1512,1513],{},"Traditionally the best man speaks, often after the father of the bride and the groom. Other groomsmen rarely speak, and that's fine. If you're not the best man, your speech duty is to laugh in the right places and lead the cheering.",[91,1515,1516],{},"If you are speaking, run it past someone sober beforehand. Cut anything that only makes sense to three people in the room, and anything the groom's nan would rather not hear. Warm beats wild every time.",[91,1518,1519],{},"Once the speeches are done, the formal duties are basically over. Your last job is to be good company: get people dancing, look after anyone who's had a few too many, and make sure the groom actually enjoys his own wedding.",[95,1521,1523],{"id":1522},"keeping-it-all-straight","Keeping it all straight",[91,1525,1526],{},"The thing that trips groomsmen up isn't the work, it's the communication. Half the problems on the day come from people not knowing where to be or who's bringing what. A shared group chat sorts most of it, and a couple who share the day's timeline and key details with the wedding party means nobody's relying on hazy memory. If the couple use a wedding website with the schedule on it, point the lads at it so everyone's working from the same plan.",[91,1528,1529],{},"Do the suit fitting, sort the stag without drama, turn up on time, usher with a smile, and keep the groom in good spirits. Get those right and you've done the job properly.",{"title":262,"searchDepth":263,"depth":263,"links":1531},[1532,1533,1534,1535,1536,1537],{"id":1365,"depth":263,"text":1366},{"id":1395,"depth":263,"text":1396},{"id":1408,"depth":263,"text":1409},{"id":1438,"depth":263,"text":1439},{"id":1509,"depth":263,"text":1510},{"id":1522,"depth":263,"text":1523},"2025-09-15","A clear guide to groomsmen duties, from the stag do and morning-of jobs to ushering and the best man's speech, with a timeline of who does what and when.","https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1694394181749-50dcca5463d7?ixid=M3w4NzI0OTN8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxncm9vbXNtZW4lMjBzdWl0c3xlbnwxfDB8fHwxNzgxNTk0OTQ3fDA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop","A group of men standing next to each other","Jennifer Kalenberg","https://unsplash.com/@jkalen71?utm_source=buildtheday&utm_medium=referral",{},"/blog/groomsmen-duties-from-stag-do-to-speeches",{"title":1357,"description":1539},"blog/groomsmen-duties-from-stag-do-to-speeches",[485,484,286],"ZI3fORDoFy2MlOxb7jvBVJewuo0znUFCrcN5soYUT28",{"id":1551,"title":1552,"author":491,"body":1553,"category":270,"date":1716,"description":1717,"draft":273,"extension":274,"image":1718,"imageAlt":1719,"imageCredit":1720,"imageCreditUrl":1721,"meta":1722,"navigation":5,"path":1723,"readTime":1227,"seo":1724,"stem":1725,"tags":1726,"__hash__":1727},"blog/blog/how-to-choose-your-groomsmen.md","How to Choose Your Groomsmen",{"type":88,"value":1554,"toc":1708},[1555,1558,1562,1565,1568,1571,1575,1578,1598,1601,1605,1608,1611,1615,1618,1621,1625,1628,1634,1640,1646,1649,1695,1699,1702,1705],[91,1556,1557],{},"Choosing your groomsmen sounds like the easy part of planning. Then you sit down with a pen, write five names, and realise you've got six brothers, three best mates and a cousin who'd be gutted to be left out. So before you ask anyone, it helps to be clear in your own head about what the role actually is and who you genuinely want standing next to you.",[95,1559,1561],{"id":1560},"start-with-what-the-role-means-to-you","Start with what the role means to you",[91,1563,1564],{},"A groomsman isn't a job title. It's a person you want close on the day, someone whose presence makes the whole thing feel right. That's the only test that matters. Forget the unwritten rules about needing an even number to match the bridesmaids, or that your brother has to be best man because he's your brother.",[91,1566,1567],{},"Picture the morning of the wedding. Who do you want in the room while you're getting ready, doing up your buttons and telling you to calm down? Picture the speeches. Who would you trust with a microphone and the truth? The names that come up there are your real answer.",[91,1569,1570],{},"Some couples want a big, lively line-up. Others want one steady best man and nobody else. Both are completely fine. A wedding party of two can be every bit as warm as a wedding party of eight.",[95,1572,1574],{"id":1573},"how-many-is-the-right-number","How many is the right number",[91,1576,1577],{},"There's no correct figure, but a few practical things shape it.",[116,1579,1580,1586,1592],{},[119,1581,1582,1585],{},[122,1583,1584],{},"Photos."," Bigger groups take longer to wrangle and eat into your portrait time.",[119,1587,1588,1591],{},[122,1589,1590],{},"Budget."," If you're buying gifts, suits or hire, every extra person adds up.",[119,1593,1594,1597],{},[122,1595,1596],{},"Balance."," If your partner has two bridesmaids and you want seven groomsmen, that's allowed, but think about how the aisle and top table will look.",[91,1599,1600],{},"A common range in the UK is two to four, with a single best man among them. But I've been to a brilliant wedding with one best man and a wedding with eight groomsmen, and the day was lovely both times. Match the number to your friendships, not to a symmetry chart.",[95,1602,1604],{"id":1603},"best-man-or-best-people","Best man, or best people",[91,1606,1607],{},"The best man traditionally handles the stag, holds the rings, gives a speech and keeps you on schedule. None of that has to land on one person. Plenty of grooms now split it: one mate organises the stag, another looks after the rings and timings, and someone steadier gives the speech.",[91,1609,1610],{},"You can also pick a best woman, a best person, or two best men who share the load. If your closest friend is your sister, ask your sister. The role bends to fit your life, not the other way round.",[95,1612,1614],{"id":1613},"picking-people-wholl-actually-turn-up","Picking people who'll actually turn up",[91,1616,1617],{},"Loyalty on the day beats job titles every time. The friend who replies to messages, shows up when it matters and won't vanish three weeks before the stag is worth more than someone with an impressive history but a patchy track record.",[91,1619,1620],{},"Be honest about reliability. If a mate is lovely but chronically disorganised, you can still include him, just don't hand him the rings. Play to what people are good at. The organiser plans the stag, the calm one keeps you grounded, the funny one writes the speech. A good line-up is a small team with roles that suit them.",[95,1622,1624],{"id":1623},"handling-the-tricky-bits","Handling the tricky bits",[91,1626,1627],{},"This is where most of the stress hides. A few situations come up again and again.",[91,1629,1630,1633],{},[122,1631,1632],{},"The friend who assumes."," Someone's already calling himself your best man and you had other ideas. Have the conversation early and kindly. \"You're one of my closest mates and I want you right there with me\" can soften a different role enormously.",[91,1635,1636,1639],{},[122,1637,1638],{},"The brother you're not close to."," Family expectation is real. You can include him without making him best man, or give him a clear job like a reading or an usher role so he feels part of it.",[91,1641,1642,1645],{},[122,1643,1644],{},"Leaving someone out."," Not everyone can be a groomsman, and that's normal. Give the people just outside the line-up a proper role: ushering, a reading, helping with transport. Most folk are happy to be useful and trusted.",[91,1647,1648],{},"If you're stuck, weigh the friendships honestly rather than counting heads:",[155,1650,1651,1661],{},[158,1652,1653],{},[161,1654,1655,1658],{},[164,1656,1657],{},"Question to ask yourself",[164,1659,1660],{},"Why it helps",[174,1662,1663,1671,1679,1687],{},[161,1664,1665,1668],{},[179,1666,1667],{},"Would I still be close to them in five years?",[179,1669,1670],{},"Filters out fading friendships",[161,1672,1673,1676],{},[179,1674,1675],{},"Can I rely on them when it matters?",[179,1677,1678],{},"Reliability beats history",[161,1680,1681,1684],{},[179,1682,1683],{},"Will they make the day better or more stressful?",[179,1685,1686],{},"Protects your peace",[161,1688,1689,1692],{},[179,1690,1691],{},"Do they need a title, or just a meaningful role?",[179,1693,1694],{},"Opens up ushers and readings",[95,1696,1698],{"id":1697},"ask-them-properly","Ask them properly",[91,1700,1701],{},"Once you've decided, ask in a way that feels like you. A pint and a straight \"Will you be my groomsman?\" is plenty. A small gift or a note works too if that's more your style. Tell each person roughly what you're hoping they'll do, so nobody's surprised by a speech three weeks out.",[91,1703,1704],{},"When the line-up is set, get everyone's contact details and key dates in one place so suit measurements, the stag and the schedule don't get lost in a group chat. If you're using a wedding website, you can keep your wedding party's details and the day's running order there, ready to share when you need to.",[91,1706,1707],{},"Choose the people who'll make you feel calm and well-backed on the day. Get that right and the rest of it, the suits, the stag, the speeches, sorts itself out.",{"title":262,"searchDepth":263,"depth":263,"links":1709},[1710,1711,1712,1713,1714,1715],{"id":1560,"depth":263,"text":1561},{"id":1573,"depth":263,"text":1574},{"id":1603,"depth":263,"text":1604},{"id":1613,"depth":263,"text":1614},{"id":1623,"depth":263,"text":1624},{"id":1697,"depth":263,"text":1698},"2025-09-08","A calm, honest guide to picking your groomsmen without the politics: how many to ask, who really belongs in the line-up, and how to handle the awkward bits.","https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1761115256802-d77ea8a3e0ec?ixid=M3w4NzI0OTN8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxncm9vbXNtZW4lMjBncm91cHxlbnwxfDB8fHwxNzgxNTk0OTUwfDA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop","Group of men in grey suits and patterned socks","Lucas T Photography","https://unsplash.com/@lucastphotography?utm_source=buildtheday&utm_medium=referral",{},"/blog/how-to-choose-your-groomsmen",{"title":1552,"description":1717},"blog/how-to-choose-your-groomsmen",[485,286,866],"1pqHSXKmXWeuPOAXsWzDgIdP7jOoaW7i2iiuWJHrDgA",{"id":1729,"title":1730,"author":86,"body":1731,"category":270,"date":1869,"description":1870,"draft":273,"extension":274,"image":1871,"imageAlt":1872,"imageCredit":1873,"imageCreditUrl":1874,"meta":1875,"navigation":5,"path":1876,"readTime":281,"seo":1877,"stem":1878,"tags":1879,"__hash__":1881},"blog/blog/bridesmaid-duties-explained.md","Bridesmaid Duties, Explained",{"type":88,"value":1732,"toc":1862},[1733,1736,1740,1743,1746,1750,1753,1770,1773,1777,1780,1783,1786,1790,1793,1846,1849,1853,1856,1859],[91,1734,1735],{},"Somewhere along the way, \"bridesmaid\" picked up a reputation. People imagine spreadsheets, splashy hen weekends abroad and a year of unpaid event management. The real role is warmer and simpler than that, but it does come with a handful of genuine jobs. Here's what they actually are, minus the drama.",[95,1737,1739],{"id":1738},"what-the-role-is-really-about","What the role is really about",[91,1741,1742],{},"Strip it back and being a bridesmaid means one thing: you're there to make the day easier and lighter for the person getting married. Everything else is detail. You're a calm voice when the seating plan won't behave, a hand to hold during the vows, and the person who notices the bride hasn't eaten since breakfast and quietly sorts out a sandwich.",[91,1744,1745],{},"You do not have to be a wedding planner, a bank or a personal assistant. If anyone tells you the role requires you to fund a fortnight in Marbella, that's a conversation, not an obligation. Good couples want their people there happy, not stretched and resentful.",[95,1747,1749],{"id":1748},"the-lead-up-where-most-of-the-work-sits","The lead-up: where most of the work sits",[91,1751,1752],{},"Most bridesmaid duties happen in the months before, not on the day itself.",[116,1754,1755,1758,1761,1764,1767],{},[119,1756,1757],{},"Going dress shopping and being honest, kindly, about what suits",[119,1759,1760],{},"Helping choose or order bridesmaid outfits and getting fitted on time",[119,1762,1763],{},"Lending an ear when planning gets stressful, which it will",[119,1765,1766],{},"Pitching in on DIY bits if you've offered, like favours or table names",[119,1768,1769],{},"Keeping any surprises actually secret",[91,1771,1772],{},"The big one is usually the hen do. Traditionally the chief bridesmaid or maid of honour takes the lead, often with the others helping. The golden rule here is to plan the party the bride would love, at a cost the group can genuinely afford. Ask everyone's budget privately before you book anything. A brilliant day at home with good food and a daft game beats a guilt-trip weekend that someone's quietly putting on a credit card.",[95,1774,1776],{"id":1775},"on-the-morning-and-during-the-day","On the morning and during the day",[91,1778,1779],{},"This is the part people picture, and it's mostly about presence rather than tasks.",[91,1781,1782],{},"You'll likely be getting ready together, which means making sure the room stays calm and the schedule doesn't slip. Help with the dress, the veil, the buttons that always take three people. Carry the emergency kit: plasters, safety pins, tissues, painkillers, a snack, a stain wipe, a phone charger. You will use at least three of those.",[91,1784,1785],{},"During the ceremony you might hold the bouquet, sort the train and generally keep things tidy without anyone noticing. At the reception, you're a friendly face who introduces nervous guests, keeps an eye on elderly relatives, and gently herds people towards the dance floor when the music starts. If you're the maid of honour, you may give a speech or a toast, which is having a real moment now and is lovely when it's heartfelt rather than long.",[95,1787,1789],{"id":1788},"whats-fair-and-what-isnt","What's fair, and what isn't",[91,1791,1792],{},"There's an old idea that bridesmaids should pay for everything: their dress, shoes, hair, makeup, hen do, travel. In practice, who pays for what varies hugely and the kindest approach is to be upfront.",[155,1794,1795,1804],{},[158,1796,1797],{},[161,1798,1799,1801],{},[164,1800,584],{},[164,1802,1803],{},"Who usually covers it",[174,1805,1806,1814,1822,1830,1838],{},[161,1807,1808,1811],{},[179,1809,1810],{},"Bridesmaid dress",[179,1812,1813],{},"Often the couple, sometimes split or chosen to be re-wearable",[161,1815,1816,1819],{},[179,1817,1818],{},"Shoes and accessories",[179,1820,1821],{},"Commonly the bridesmaid, ideally things they'll use again",[161,1823,1824,1827],{},[179,1825,1826],{},"Hair and makeup",[179,1828,1829],{},"Frequently the couple if they want a set look",[161,1831,1832,1835],{},[179,1833,1834],{},"Hen do costs",[179,1836,1837],{},"Each attendee pays their own way; the bride's share is split",[161,1839,1840,1843],{},[179,1841,1842],{},"Travel and overnight stays",[179,1844,1845],{},"Usually the bridesmaid, but flag it early if it's a stretch",[91,1847,1848],{},"None of this is fixed in stone. The only real rule is that nobody should be surprised by a bill. If money is tight, say so early and kindly. A good bride would far rather adjust the plan than have you worrying.",[95,1850,1852],{"id":1851},"being-a-great-bridesmaid-without-burning-out","Being a great bridesmaid without burning out",[91,1854,1855],{},"The secret isn't doing the most. It's being reliable about the few things you've taken on, and honest about the rest. Reply to the group chat. Show up to the fittings. Don't over-promise in a flush of excitement and then go quiet for three months.",[91,1857,1858],{},"If you're juggling several jobs, ask the couple to write down who's doing what. Many couples now share a simple task list or planning page with their wedding party, so it's clear who's collecting the cake, who's chasing the florist, and who's on bouquet duty. It saves a dozen \"wait, was that me?\" messages.",[91,1860,1861],{},"And give yourself permission to enjoy it. You were asked because you matter to this person, not because you're the best at logistics. Be present, be kind, keep a tissue handy, and you'll have done the role beautifully.",{"title":262,"searchDepth":263,"depth":263,"links":1863},[1864,1865,1866,1867,1868],{"id":1738,"depth":263,"text":1739},{"id":1748,"depth":263,"text":1749},{"id":1775,"depth":263,"text":1776},{"id":1788,"depth":263,"text":1789},{"id":1851,"depth":263,"text":1852},"2025-08-25","What being a bridesmaid actually involves, from hen do to the morning of, plus what's fair to expect and what no one should have to pay for or organise.","https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1640654454653-8df61889f49c?ixid=M3w4NzI0OTN8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxicmlkZXNtYWlkcyUyMGNlbGVicmF0aW9ufGVufDF8MHx8fDE3ODE1OTQ5NDZ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop","A group of women standing next to each other","Joeyy Lee","https://unsplash.com/@joeyy_anne?utm_source=buildtheday&utm_medium=referral",{},"/blog/bridesmaid-duties-explained",{"title":1730,"description":1870},"blog/bridesmaid-duties-explained",[678,286,1880],"etiquette","5JuQbL5Nb7nqLU7ddMLMyevlpaPP39NAx7IwznbBrw8",{"id":1883,"title":1884,"author":491,"body":1885,"category":270,"date":2049,"description":2050,"draft":273,"extension":274,"image":2051,"imageAlt":2052,"imageCredit":2053,"imageCreditUrl":2054,"meta":2055,"navigation":5,"path":2056,"readTime":1227,"seo":2057,"stem":2058,"tags":2059,"__hash__":2061},"blog/blog/choosing-bridesmaid-dresses-everyone-will-love.md","Choosing Bridesmaid Dresses Everyone Will Love",{"type":88,"value":1886,"toc":2042},[1887,1890,1893,1897,1900,1903,1906,1909,1913,1916,1919,1922,1983,1987,1990,1993,1996,2000,2003,2029,2033,2036,2039],[91,1888,1889],{},"The phrase \"bridesmaid dress\" still carries a faint whiff of taffeta and dread, mostly because of decades of matchy-matchy disasters. It doesn't have to be that way. The happiest bridesmaid line-ups I've seen all share one thing: the bride decided what she actually cared about, and let go of everything else.",[91,1891,1892],{},"So before you open a single shop tab, get clear on your non-negotiable. Is it the colour? The length? That nobody is in heels they'll regret by 8pm? Pick one or two things to hold firm on. The rest is where you give people room.",[95,1894,1896],{"id":1895},"decide-how-much-to-standardise","Decide how much to standardise",[91,1898,1899],{},"There's a spectrum here, and you can land anywhere on it.",[91,1901,1902],{},"At one end, everyone in the identical dress. Clean, photogenic, and genuinely easier to organise. The catch is that one cut almost never suits five different bodies equally, so somebody usually ends up tugging at it all day.",[91,1904,1905],{},"In the middle, the \"same colour, choose your own style\" approach. You pick a shade and a fabric, and each bridesmaid picks a neckline and shape from a range. This is the option I'd nudge most couples towards. A tall friend, a pregnant sister and a self-conscious cousin can all feel good, and the photos still read as a set.",[91,1907,1908],{},"At the other end, mismatched dresses in a loose palette: a few tones of dusky pink, or \"anything dark green, knee-length or longer\". Relaxed, modern, and forgiving on budget because people can shop their own wardrobes or the high street.",[95,1910,1912],{"id":1911},"get-the-colour-right","Get the colour right",[91,1914,1915],{},"Colour is where most of the worry lives, so a couple of practical notes.",[91,1917,1918],{},"Skin tones vary across your group, and a shade that glows on one person can wash out another. Jewel tones (emerald, navy, burgundy, plum) tend to flatter a wide range and photograph beautifully. Very pale pastels and bright white-adjacent shades are the trickiest to pull off across a mixed group.",[91,1920,1921],{},"Think about your season and venue too. Sage and terracotta sing in a sunny garden; deep berry and forest green suit a candlelit winter barn. Hold a fabric swatch against your flowers and your own dress before you commit. What looks lovely on a screen can clash in person.",[155,1923,1924,1937],{},[158,1925,1926],{},[161,1927,1928,1931,1934],{},[164,1929,1930],{},"Season",[164,1932,1933],{},"Colours that tend to work",[164,1935,1936],{},"Worth a second look",[174,1938,1939,1950,1961,1972],{},[161,1940,1941,1944,1947],{},[179,1942,1943],{},"Spring",[179,1945,1946],{},"Dusky pink, sage, lavender, soft blue",[179,1948,1949],{},"Anything too neon",[161,1951,1952,1955,1958],{},[179,1953,1954],{},"Summer",[179,1956,1957],{},"Coral, sky blue, buttery yellow, sage",[179,1959,1960],{},"Very pale beige (can wash out)",[161,1962,1963,1966,1969],{},[179,1964,1965],{},"Autumn",[179,1967,1968],{},"Rust, mustard, deep green, plum",[179,1970,1971],{},"Cool greys",[161,1973,1974,1977,1980],{},[179,1975,1976],{},"Winter",[179,1978,1979],{},"Burgundy, navy, emerald, charcoal",[179,1981,1982],{},"Pastels (can look flat indoors)",[95,1984,1986],{"id":1985},"be-honest-about-budget","Be honest about budget",[91,1988,1989],{},"This is the kindest thing you can do. In most of the UK, bridesmaids buy their own dresses, and a £180 gown is a real strain for someone who's also paying for the hen do, a hotel and a gift.",[91,1991,1992],{},"Set a ceiling and say it out loud early: \"I'd love to keep these under £90, and I'm happy for you to find that wherever suits you.\" If you want a specific dress that costs more, consider covering the difference yourself, or treating it as their gift. Nobody should go into their overdraft to stand next to you.",[91,1994,1995],{},"High-street ranges, rental services and \"choose your own in this colour\" all help here. A rented dress for £40 to £60 is often a smarter use of money than a £150 one worn once and shoved to the back of a wardrobe.",[95,1997,1999],{"id":1998},"mind-comfort-and-the-practical-bits","Mind comfort and the practical bits",[91,2001,2002],{},"A few things that get forgotten until the day:",[116,2004,2005,2011,2017,2023],{},[119,2006,2007,2010],{},[122,2008,2009],{},"Pockets"," are a small joy and your bridesmaids will thank you.",[119,2012,2013,2016],{},[122,2014,2015],{},"Movement."," They'll be carrying things, sitting through a long ceremony, dancing. A dress they can't sit down in comfortably is a long day.",[119,2018,2019,2022],{},[122,2020,2021],{},"Pregnancy and feeding."," If anyone's expecting or breastfeeding, \"choose your own style\" saves a lot of last-minute alteration panic. Wrap dresses and stretchier fabrics are forgiving.",[119,2024,2025,2028],{},[122,2026,2027],{},"Shoes."," Let people wear what they can stand in. Mismatched shoes barely show in photos, and grateful feet are worth it.",[95,2030,2032],{"id":2031},"make-the-group-part-of-it","Make the group part of it",[91,2034,2035],{},"When opinions matter, ask for them early rather than presenting a finished decision. A quick group chat with two or three options, or a shared mood board, lets people flag concerns before money changes hands. You're still the one deciding; you're just deciding with a bit more information.",[91,2037,2038],{},"One genuinely useful trick: gather everyone's dress sizes, length preferences and colour worries in one place rather than across a tangle of texts. If you're already running your guest list and details on Build The Day, the same custom-question approach works nicely for collecting bridesmaid sizes and preferences without losing track.",[91,2040,2041],{},"The goal isn't a perfectly uniform line-up. It's five people who feel like themselves, standing beside you, glad to be there. Get that bit right and the photos look after themselves.",{"title":262,"searchDepth":263,"depth":263,"links":2043},[2044,2045,2046,2047,2048],{"id":1895,"depth":263,"text":1896},{"id":1911,"depth":263,"text":1912},{"id":1985,"depth":263,"text":1986},{"id":1998,"depth":263,"text":1999},{"id":2031,"depth":263,"text":2032},"2025-08-18","How to pick bridesmaid dresses that flatter different shapes and budgets, in a palette that works, without anyone feeling left out or out of pocket.","https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1562616293-1a11a7816903?ixid=M3w4NzI0OTN8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxicmlkZXNtYWlkcyUyMGRyZXNzZXN8ZW58MXwwfHx8MTc4MTU5NDk0N3ww&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop","Group of person standing outdoors","Katelyn MacMillan","https://unsplash.com/@kmac3398?utm_source=buildtheday&utm_medium=referral",{},"/blog/choosing-bridesmaid-dresses-everyone-will-love",{"title":1884,"description":2050},"blog/choosing-bridesmaid-dresses-everyone-will-love",[678,2060,866],"wedding fashion","EkMNgepwpXEOEq-OO_BSwaDSQnQ_DESbKN1K1XBDDUU",{"id":2063,"title":2064,"author":86,"body":2065,"category":270,"date":2230,"description":2231,"draft":273,"extension":274,"image":2232,"imageAlt":2233,"imageCredit":2234,"imageCreditUrl":2235,"meta":2236,"navigation":5,"path":2237,"readTime":1227,"seo":2238,"stem":2239,"tags":2240,"__hash__":2242},"blog/blog/how-to-ask-someone-to-be-your-bridesmaid.md","How to Ask Someone to Be Your Bridesmaid",{"type":88,"value":2066,"toc":2222},[2067,2070,2073,2077,2080,2083,2097,2100,2104,2107,2144,2147,2151,2154,2157,2183,2186,2190,2193,2196,2199,2203,2206,2209,2213,2216,2219],[91,2068,2069],{},"Asking someone to stand beside you on your wedding day is its own little proposal. It says you want this person in the room, in the photos, and in the slightly chaotic group chat for the next year or so. It deserves a moment, even a small one.",[91,2071,2072],{},"You don't need balloons or a custom hamper to make it special. A genuine ask, given some thought, lands far better than something expensive and generic. Here's how to do it in a way that feels like you, plus a few practical notes most guides skip.",[95,2074,2076],{"id":2075},"decide-who-before-you-decide-how","Decide who, before you decide how",[91,2078,2079],{},"Start with the people, not the props. Make a quiet list of who you actually want there: the friend who's known you since school, your sister, the mate who'd drop everything to help. Don't pad it out to match anyone else's wedding. A wedding party of two close people beats a party of eight you felt obliged to ask.",[91,2081,2082],{},"A couple of things worth thinking through before you commit:",[116,2084,2085,2091],{},[119,2086,2087,2090],{},[122,2088,2089],{},"Obligation isn't a reason."," You don't have to ask someone just because you were in their party. Returning the favour is kind, but it's not a rule, and they likely won't expect it.",[119,2092,2093,2096],{},[122,2094,2095],{},"Distance and life stage matter."," Someone in another country, or in the thick of new parenthood, might love being asked but quietly dread the cost and travel. Pick people you genuinely want, then make it easy for them to say yes or no.",[91,2098,2099],{},"Decide together with your partner roughly how big each side's party will be. Lopsided numbers are fine, but it helps to have a shared sense of scale before you start asking.",[95,2101,2103],{"id":2102},"time-it-right","Time it right",[91,2105,2106],{},"There's a sweet spot. Ask too early and you're committing people before you've even booked a venue. Ask too late and the people you want feel like an afterthought.",[155,2108,2109,2118],{},[158,2110,2111],{},[161,2112,2113,2115],{},[164,2114,399],{},[164,2116,2117],{},"Why it works",[174,2119,2120,2128,2136],{},[161,2121,2122,2125],{},[179,2123,2124],{},"After the date and venue are set",[179,2126,2127],{},"People can check their diaries properly",[161,2129,2130,2133],{},[179,2131,2132],{},"Around 10 to 14 months before",[179,2134,2135],{},"Plenty of time for dresses, plans and any hen do",[161,2137,2138,2141],{},[179,2139,2140],{},"Before you share the wider news",[179,2142,2143],{},"Your party hears it from you first, not the grapevine",[91,2145,2146],{},"Asking once the big logistics are pinned down also means you can answer the obvious questions: when it is, roughly where, and what you're hoping they'll be involved in.",[95,2148,2150],{"id":2149},"ways-to-ask-that-feel-personal","Ways to ask that feel personal",[91,2152,2153],{},"The best asks are specific to the friendship. Lean into what you two actually do together rather than a script off the internet.",[91,2155,2156],{},"A few that work well:",[116,2158,2159,2165,2171,2177],{},[119,2160,2161,2164],{},[122,2162,2163],{},"In person, properly."," Take them for a coffee or a walk, and just say it. \"I'm getting married, and I can't picture the day without you next to me. Will you be my bridesmaid?\" Simple beats clever.",[119,2166,2167,2170],{},[122,2168,2169],{},"A handwritten card."," Lovely for someone who lives far away. Write why you want them there specifically, not a generic line.",[119,2172,2173,2176],{},[122,2174,2175],{},"A small, meaningful gift."," A bottle of their favourite something, a photo of the two of you framed, or a card that references an old in-joke. Keep it personal, not pricey.",[119,2178,2179,2182],{},[122,2180,2181],{},"A group reveal."," If your party already knows each other, getting them together and asking all at once makes a sweet memory. Just make sure nobody finds out secondhand first.",[91,2184,2185],{},"Skip the elaborate \"proposal box\" if it's not your style. A box of matching trinkets can feel a bit performative, and the person saying yes cares about being chosen, not about the packaging.",[95,2187,2189],{"id":2188},"be-honest-about-what-youre-asking","Be honest about what you're asking",[91,2191,2192],{},"This is the part most people gloss over, and it causes the most awkwardness later. Being a bridesmaid can cost real money and time: the outfit, the hen do, travel, maybe a hotel. According to Hitched, the average cost of being a bridesmaid in the UK runs to several hundred pounds once you add it all up, and not everyone can stretch to that comfortably.",[91,2194,2195],{},"So when you ask, be upfront and generous. Tell them what you're imagining, and make clear you'll work around their budget. Say outright that you'd rather have them there in a high-street dress than not at all. Offering to cover the outfit, if you can, takes a lot of quiet stress off the table.",[91,2197,2198],{},"Being clear early means nobody says yes out of love and then panics about the bill. It's a kindness, and it protects the friendship.",[95,2200,2202],{"id":2201},"handling-a-no-with-grace","Handling a no with grace",[91,2204,2205],{},"Sometimes someone says no, or asks to help in a smaller way. It can sting, but try to take it at face value. People have reasons you might not see: money, health, a complicated patch, or simply not being a wedding-party sort of person.",[91,2207,2208],{},"Thank them, mean it, and offer another role if there's one going. Reading at the ceremony, helping on the morning, or just being a guest you can lean on are all real ways to involve someone. The friendship matters more than the title.",[95,2210,2212],{"id":2211},"keeping-everyone-in-the-loop-afterwards","Keeping everyone in the loop afterwards",[91,2214,2215],{},"Once your party is set, they'll need the basics: the date, the rough plan, and a way to reach each other. A shared group chat handles the chatter, but for the actual details it helps to have one reliable place.",[91,2217,2218],{},"A wedding website does this neatly. With Build The Day you can share dates, dress notes and travel details on a private page, so your bridesmaids aren't scrolling back through months of messages to find the venue postcode. Set it up once and it saves a hundred small questions later.",[91,2220,2221],{},"For now, the only job is the ask itself. Make it warm, make it honest, and make it about them. The rest you'll sort together.",{"title":262,"searchDepth":263,"depth":263,"links":2223},[2224,2225,2226,2227,2228,2229],{"id":2075,"depth":263,"text":2076},{"id":2102,"depth":263,"text":2103},{"id":2149,"depth":263,"text":2150},{"id":2188,"depth":263,"text":2189},{"id":2201,"depth":263,"text":2202},{"id":2211,"depth":263,"text":2212},"2024-08-07","Sweet, simple ways to ask your nearest friends and family to be bridesmaids, with ideas for proposals, timing, wording and handling a polite no with grace.","https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1609151162377-794faf68b02f?ixid=M3w4NzI0OTN8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHwxfHxicmlkZXNtYWlkcyUyMHByb3Bvc2FsfGVufDF8MHx8fDE3ODE2MDAzOTJ8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop","Person holding white flower bouquet","Sofia Hernandez","https://unsplash.com/@digitalsofia?utm_source=buildtheday&utm_medium=referral",{},"/blog/how-to-ask-someone-to-be-your-bridesmaid",{"title":2064,"description":2231},"blog/how-to-ask-someone-to-be-your-bridesmaid",[678,286,2241],"proposals","KXI_OVvqkqYrBMapXs63Slv_mp6Jl6aEXQWUjTyw808",1781624707983]