3 Bridesmaids and no Groomsmen?? HELP
Hey, My HB does not want groomsmen but I want my 3 bridesmaids. How am I going to make this work without it looking weird with seating plans and photos?
Question Asked: 10/07/2023
Wedding Date: 9/08/2018
Most Helpful Response
(12) · Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, servicing all of South East Queensland.
Posted: 26/06/2026
Answered by: 6 Experts
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I love this! I think this could be gorgeous for photos. I've actually photographed something very similar before, here is the link incase you wanted to save any images for inspo: https://www.antibride.com.au/post/a-springtime-garden-wedding
I think if its captured in a really candid fun way, anything can work.
In regards to seating plans, it is becoming more common for couple's to sit on long tables with their guests, perhaps you could do this and just have the grooms friends or close family members on the other side of him.
Don't stress, its your day!
Lots of love,
Stacey
Narrative Wedding Studio has hit the nail on the head. Photos are so very powerful. That power and value only grows with time. Years down the track they still pull you right back to the feelings and experince of that moment. To force details for the sake of tradition, or in this case symmetry, will not only influence your experience of the day but how you continue to relive this incredible moment in your love story for years to come. The details of your day should honour who you are, as a couple. Unapologetically.
A lack of symmetry can be a beautiful thing. Celebrate the difference in your friends and don't force him to pick extras because in the long run as those friendships change it won't be worth it. As far as photos go, it's a bridal party regardless of the numbers. They will just be group photos that express the friendships. Round head tables where the bridal party can include their partners will solve this.
Ditto with everything Alexander has said already. Stick to what you want your day to be 100% and let your vendors navigate the challenges, they will have fun with it and it will make your images both true to who you are and how your day was as well as unique and different. Win win
(18) · Geelong/Great Ocean Rd, Daylesford, Macedon Ranges, Melbourne
Posted: 12/07/2023
Hello! Great question, I've seen this pop up a few times. In my opinion, your wedding day should be as you want it. If you want 3 bridesmaids, and your partner doesn't want any groomsmen, then don't even think about losing any of the girls - you'll regret it. A good photographer will come up with great ideas for any photo shoots, so don't even worry about that. A bloke surrounded by girls can make for some fun photos!
With regards to seating plan and speech photos, have you considered not necessarily having a bridal party table? So the two of you could either sit separately, or on a larger group table with bridesmaids and close friends / family. The latter is sometimes nice, as you get to spend time with your loved ones, and 'titles' don't matter so much. If you want to have a more traditional bridal table, just ask the photographer to get wide shots of you all, and also tight shots of just you and your partner. Speakers always get a solo shot too. It all comes together in the photo album :)
Hope this helps!
Alexander Shore
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Honestly, uneven numbers are so common now that we barely blink at it on the day, and it photographs beautifully. Have your three girls. The asymmetry actually looks intentional and modern in pictures, and it tells the truth about who matters to each of you, which is the whole point.
For the photos, here is what we actually do: we shoot your three bridesmaids as their own little group with you, then bring everyone in for the full group, then pull tighter for just you and your husband. With one side having a bridal party and the other not, we tend to balance the frame by clustering rather than lining everyone up in a symmetrical row, so no awkward gap where groomsmen would have stood. If your partner has a couple of close mates or his brother there, we can easily fold them into a relaxed mixed group shot too, no titles required.
On seating, the easiest fix is to skip the traditional bridal table altogether. A round or long sweetheart-style setup where the two of you sit together, or a bigger family-and-friends table, removes the lopsided look completely and reads warmer in the reception coverage. Long shared tables are very popular at the moment and they photograph wonderfully in that golden late-afternoon light, especially at the garden and acreage venues we shoot around South East Queensland.
One small tip from experience: just let your photographer and videographer know the setup beforehand so we plan the formals around it. We edit everything in-house ourselves, so when we frame these group shots we already know how they will sit together in your final gallery and film. Have the day you actually want. It always looks better than the version chosen to keep things even.