How to make sure everyone in your bridal party gets along for your wedding.

He’s gathered his guys, you’ve asked your gals, your bridal party is set! Now it’s time for bridal party bonding to ensure the most important people in your lives will be comfortable together on your big day!

Chances are your bridal party is a mixed group of actual siblings, sorority sisters, maybe a roommate or a childhood friend or two. While all your girls may get along great, it would be uncomfortable for there to be awkwardness between them and your fiancé’s groomsmen.

You have the months before your wedding to spend quality time with everyone in your bridal party. This list of bonding activities can fit for groups who have specific interests, or you can take a few ideas from each category to really put your party to the ultimate bonding test. Let’s get started…

for the adventurous group:

• Paintball: Okay, disclaimer, make sure this activity is done WELL before the wedding because bruises and welts do NOT look cute. Switch up the teams, maybe by bridesmaids and groomsmen first to get the competition going! Then change up the teams to see your guys and girls work together to take down the other team. Fun, messy fun.
• The Amazing Race: One person chooses to coordinate the event, who will not participate. Again, divide up your party, preferably a mix of groomsmen and bridesmaids, so the bonding happens, hello! Each team picks a color (we suggest using your wedding colors)! The groups will start in a central location and be given a notecard with their team color on it. This card will tell them to complete a certain task. The next note card leads them to a new task and so forth until the winners are declared.
• Rock climbing: Whether it’s indoor or outdoor, rock climbing is a great way to have the members of your bridal party bond and get to know each other. This can be turned into a competition for sure, each team has to help their selected climber get to the top the fastest.

for the food and drink lovers:

• Wine and paint night: Once the wine and the creative juices get flowing, this is a super relaxing way to chat with the members of your wedding party and get to know one another. If painting isn’t your thing, pottery is another challenging activity to take on as a group, and the best piece could even be used as a wedding decoration!
• Brewery/Distillery tour: Take your group on a brewery tour! It will be interesting to hear the facts of the brewery while hanging out and tasting all the different brews with your crew!
• Cooking class: Meeting for dinner at a restaurant is overrated. Learn to make a dish as a group! The best memories happen while in the kitchen, so have everyone join in together to prepare a meal. Bon appétit!

for the giving group:

• Ronald McDonald House: Right here in Chicago, this organization helps families with children battling cancer. Volunteers sign up to make dinner for the families staying at the house. Have your bridal party come together with a meal plan, go shopping for all the ingredients together, then actually prepare the meal! Getting together and cooking is a great bonding activity as is, but when it’s for a good cause, you’ll all leave feeling warm and fuzzy.

for the eclectic group:

• Throw a Potluck: Keep it simple and tell your friends you’ll supply the main entrée and the beverages. Set up a DIY coffee bar so your guests can enjoy their favorites. Give your friends a creative task: bring a dish that reminds them of you and your partner. Their choices will definitely help get the conversation going!
• Host an Old-School Movie Night: Invite everyone over for movie night and fire up a favorite childhood flick. Order pizza and utilize a make-your-own-sundae bar. While gathered around the TV, your friends are bound to swap stories about what you and your fiancé were like way back when.

for the Sporty Group:

• Go Bowling: Make a reservation at your local alley and split up your friends so members of your party are mingling with someone new to them. The friendly competition will encourage positive group spirit and make your attendants feel like closer than ever. (Hint: spring for matching T-shirts, it will increase that feeling of unity)
• Plan a Tailgating Party: Everyone loves tailgating grub—from burgers and chips to chili and pulled pork. If you all start talking (about teams and old memories) you may miss the game, if that’s what it takes for your group to get along, who cares?

After these bridal party bonding activities, your friends will be ready to have the best time at your wedding! While your wedding party will be ready for the day, Visions can make sure everything else is set for the day of your wedding! Give us a call today!