Do LGBTQ+ Weddings Have Groomsmen and Bridesmaids?

In June 2015, Obergefell v. Hodges officially legalized same-sex marriage in the United States, forever changing how weddings would look for LGBTQ+ couples. Now, if you are reading this, you are probably curious about wedding traditions in LGBTQ weddings, what should stay the same, what should be different, and what actually matters the most during your wedding.

We started Stag Pack to be the easy button for people getting married who want custom groomsmen gifts for their wedding party. Today on our blog, we will answer the question of what LGBTQ+ wedding parties look like, and give you valuable ideas for your wedding!

What are LGBTQ+ Wedding Parties Called?

You might be wondering what to call your wedding party for your LGBTQ+ wedding; the lucky thing is, if you are getting married, you decide! There's not one right way to do things; there are many, and in the end it's up to the married couple to choose what they will call the people besides them.

Some common ideas for terms are:

• The Wedding Party 

• Attendants

• Groomsmen

• Bridesmaids

• Groomsmaids

• Bridesmen

• Groomswoman

• Best Man / Best Woman / Best Person

• Maid of Honor / Man of Honor  / Person of Honor

Can you Have a Mixed-Gender Wedding Party?

At LGBTQ+ weddings (and in fact at all weddings), you are more than welcome to have mixed-gender wedding parties. What the wedding parties will look like can be pretty universal; you could have two men with bridesmaids, two women with groomsmen, both men and women on both sides of a wedding party, or you could even have one wedding party for both sides of the wedding.

Who Should Be in Your LGBTQ+ Wedding Party?

For all wedding parties, the choice of who to bring is always up to the person getting married, along with input from their spouse. We understand by saying that you might be overwhelmed with possibilities, but the choices truly are up to you. Still, some ideas for people in your wedding party are

• Best friends of any gender

• Siblings

• Close family members

• People who have supported your relationship

It’s important to ask your fiancé’s opinion on the matter, as they will certainly have opinions on who they want to bring.

How Many People Should be in my Wedding Party?

If you have two dedicated wedding parties for each spouse, then a general rule of thumb is to make them roughly the same size. If your partner is bringing 4 people, then you should bring 3-5. This isn’t necessary but a good practice that also makes for great photos! 

The exact size of your party is usually determined by the size of your wedding; typically, the more guests you have, the larger of a wedding party you will have. We often see 1 attendant per 50 guests as a rule, but it's really not strict at all.

People in your wedding party usually contribute a lot of time and effort to making sure the wedding operates smoothly, and guests will turn to them for questions, while you will rely on them to make sure the wedding is fun and the ceremony is amazing. 

The Couple Decides What Their Wedding Looks Like

Now it’s important to remember that the exact term for each side of the wedding party is going to be decided by the couple getting married, but regardless of what they are called, each fiancé is going to want some of the most important people in their life to stand by them at the most important moment in their life.

In traditional weddings, it’s been customary for the groom to offer a gift to members of their wedding party (the groomsmen), and it's been customary for the bride to offer a gift to members of their wedding party (the bridesmaids). 

For most LGBTQ+ weddings, this tradition remains in place. When you ask someone to stand by you on your wedding day, giving them their own custom gift shows them how much they mean to you and thanks them for the time they will spend helping with your wedding.

So no matter who you are getting a gift for, we at Stag Pack offer high-quality custom gifts that they will love. Check out our collection of gifts here to find the perfect presentable gift for the person who will stand beside you on your wedding day.