I keep hearing about ‘House Parties’ but I have no idea what they are — what’s up with them?
A:
Originally a Southern wedding tradition, house parties came about as a way for brides to include those friends in their wedding who didn’t quite make the bridesmaids cut. Though they don’t stand at the altar, members of the house party participate in most of the pre-wedding bridal activities, like the bachelorette party and, if you choose, the rehearsal dinner. During the wedding, the ladies in the house party carry out small duties, like manning the guest book, handing out favors and giving a reading during the ceremony. If you can’t bear to exclude someone from your bridal party, or have a ton of family and friends that expect to be included in your wedding, you might want to consider organizing a house party.
Members of the house party typically wear dresses that correspond to the bridesmaids dresses (but aren’t exactly the same silhouette or color). Some brides choose to have all HPs wear little black dresses to keep things cost effective. A final tip? Give the women in your house party a little gift as gratitude for participating in your wedding. Though it doesn’t have to be the same as your bridesmaids gifts, the house party will definitely appreciate your token of gratitude.
