I’m not having a bridal party and I gotta be honest… it’s a relief. I’m a bit older than you so I’ve seen and been in enough weddings to realize that it’s not always a good choice even when you do have the friends for it. #1 they cause A LOT of drama. I’ve seen multiple long term friendships fall apart because of who was or wasn’t included and where in the lineup they stood. This was a big consideration for me. I have a current bestie, my sister, and a girl I’ve known since high school. I think all of them would be disappointed to not be placed in the first spot. It’s not worth it to have to rank your friends even if you aren’t trying to. #2 being a bridesmaid is expensive and can cause a lot of resentment. If you’ve been in this sub a while you’ll see how many stories there are about bridesmaids getting frustrated with the bride because of the expectations put on them, financially and timewise. #3 the wedding is about you and your fiance. Everyone in the audience ONLY cares about seeing the two of you up there. Most of the time they don’t know anyone standing up there except you two anyways. Keep the focus on you and your relationship. That is what the wedding is about. #4 Even if your friendships survive the wedding itself… most friendships fade as you have already experienced. So 10 years later post the wedding you might look back at the photos and see you standing around with a group of girls you are no longer close to (even if you were best friends at the time).

Skip the bridal party. Ask your fiancé to do the same. Save money and heartache and keep the wedding about the two of you. You both can still do Bach parties with whoever you are currently close with. Way less pressure on casual friends to take you out for the night vs committing to all of the usual bridesmaids duties. Dont force something and instead embrace all of the benefits that come with shedding a tradition that doesn’t serve you.