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Who are the people who’ll be part of your wedding entourage? If you have a lot of people in mind now, here are tips on how to choose from that list.
Primary Sponsors – In Filipino weddings, these are the couple’s godparents. And usually, they are influential, well-known, or wealthy. But there’s a reason why ninongs and ninangs chosen are like the VIPs. They serve as the role models for the couple. More often, married couples (aged 50-up) are tapped as primary sponsors.
Who to choose: Remember that primary sponsors will be your advisers when it comes to managing your married life. They should be able to impart ways on how to keep your marriage strong because they’ve been married for decades. Choose couples that you are comfortable talking to and are really successful in raising a family. The most important is that you know they can be trusted and really show love to their spouse. There’s really no rule on how many primary sponsors you should get. But make sure you know them and they know you personally. Three pairs of primary sponsors can be enough for an intimate wedding.
Secondary Sponsors – These people are a combination of friends and family members of the bride and groom. They are there to help you organize your wedding. The bridesmaids and maid of honor are the bride’s helpers while the groomsmen and the best man should have the groom’s back. Long-time friends, some relatives, and siblings are usually the candidates.
Who to choose as Bridesmaids and Groomsmen– The bride and groom should choose secondary sponsors that will help them before, during, and after the wedding. This is especially important for weddings with no wedding coordinator. Choose those who are available physically and emotionally for the bride and groom. Choose bridesmaids and groomsmen whom the couple can assign tasks to (like checking with the suppliers, ushering,etc.) and have skills and talents that will come in handy for the occasion (like hosting, singing,etc.). In a church wedding, the groomsmen and bridesmaids are also those who’ll perform the rituals like lighting the candles and putting the veil and cord around the couple. Make sure they are prepared and well-informed about their responsibilities.
Who to choose as Maid of Honor -The maid of honor is like the right hand of the bride and the leader of the bridesmaids. This is usually reserved to the person whom the bride trusts the most and has witnessed the highs and lows of her relationship with the groom. And that’s one important role of the maid of honor. She signs as a witness of the marriage. The maid of honor is busy assisting the bride in making preparations and decisions (like what style of dress to choose). She organizes parties for the bride and even becomes her representative for wedding prep appointments she could not attend.
Who to choose as Best Man -From the title itself, it should be the guy the groom thinks is the best person to help him prepare for the wedding. Like the maid of honor, the best man is the groom’s most trusted when it comes to his relationship with the bride. The best man also signs as a witness on the marriage contract. But more than that, he is the busiest guy organizing events for the groom together with the groomsmen and running errands to help the groom get ready.
The Entourage Children– We may have witnessed children walking down the aisle as flower girls, a ring and coin bearer, or Bible bearer. Sometimes, they successfully do their jobs but there are times, adults have to step in.
Who to choose as Entourage Children – Picking toddlers as part of your entourage can be tricky. This is especially a problem if your relatives and friends all have children and they want their children to be part of your wedding. First, limit your choice to those who are at least 4 years old. Temperament is also a consideration. You may prefer children who can already be taught and can obey simple tasks. Lastly, it’s much better if the children know the couple and the wedding crowd.
Last piece of advice: Make sure you choose people you are comfortable with. Take into consideration that wedding preparations can be stressful and can make you short-tempered. Are they the people who’ll understand this? Think of all the things you may need help with and what these people can contribute. From there, you can already decide how many members of the entourage you really need.
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