The bridal party, also called a wedding party or attendants, usually consists of the bride, the groom, the bridesmaids, the maid of honor or matron of honor, the groomsmen, the best man, the flowergirls, the pageboys and the ringbearers.  These are the people who participate directly in the wedding ceremony.

The Wedding Couple

• Bride - refers to the woman who is about to be married.  This term also applies to the newlywed woman.
• Groom (also called a bridegroom) – refers to the man about to be married.  This term also applies to the newlywed man.

The Bridal Party

The bridal party usually consists of your closest friends and family.  Their main duty is to participate in the wedding ceremony and to pose for the wedding pictures.  

• The Bridesmaids
  The bridesmaids are the female attendants of the bride.  They are usually unmarried young women who are the bride’s close friends, sisters or relatives that are of marriageable age.  Their job on the wedding day is to attend to the bride and provide emotional support, as well as help in getting dressed.  Some are also asked to assist the bride in planning the wedding.  Some brides also opt to have a bridesmaid’s luncheon with the bridal attendants.
• The Maid of Honor / The Matron of Honor
  The maid of honor is the principal bridesmaid, usually the best friend or sister.  She is called the matron of honor instead if she is married.  As the principal bridesmaid, she usually helps out with the planning of the wedding and is usually responsible for arranging the bridal shower and the bachelorette party.  She helps the bride get dressed and helps fix the train of the wedding dress during the wedding.  In a double ring ceremony, the maid of honor is responsible for keeping the groom’s wedding ring during the ceremony.  During the reception, the maid of honor usually gives a toast to the bride and groom.
• The Man of Honor
  You can also have a man as your head attendant, like a brother or a male friend.
• The Junior Bridesmaid
  A junior bridesmaid is a girl who is not yet of marriageable age but is included as an honorary bridesmaid.
• The Groomsmen or Ushers
  The groomsmen are the male attendants of the groom.  They are usually unmarried young men who are the groom’s close friends, brothers or relatives that are of marriageable age.  Their main job during the wedding is to help the guests find their seats before the wedding ceremony as well as to participate in the wedding ceremony.  They also assist in entertaining guests by talking to people or dancing with guests, provide assistance with luggage and gifts, as well as providing general support to the groom.  Some weddings have separate ushers who are not necessarily the groomsmen and do not participate in the wedding ceremony at all except for assisting the guests to their seats.  In a military wedding, the groomsmen are replaced by swordsmen of the sword honor guard who are usually the groom’s close friends who have served with him.  They usually form an arch with their swords for the bride and groom to walk through.
• The Best Man
  The best man is the principal groomsman, usually the best friend or brother.  The best man is usually responsible for planning the bachelor party and decorating the wedding couple’s car.  He is also entrusted with the wedding ring during the wedding ceremony.  The best man also gives a toast to the bride and groom during the reception.
• The Best Woman
  The “best man” could also be a woman (such as a sister or a close female friend) and is called the best woman.
• The Flower Girls
  The flower girls are usually members of the wedding couple’s extended family, usually between 4 and 8 years old.  They can also be friends of the wedding couple.  The flower girl usually walks ahead of the bride during the wedding processional and throws petals of flowers on the ground or carries a bouquet.  The flower girl can sit with their parents afterwards or if they are older, may opt to stand at the altar with the rest of the bridal party.
• The Ringbearer or Page Boy
  The ringbearer or page boy is usually a relative of the wedding couple or a friend, usually around 5 – 10 years old.  The ringbearer usually carries the wedding rings on a pillow during the processional.  These rings are usually imitation rings since the real rings are usually entrusted to the best man.
• The Coinbearer
  The coinbearer is similar to the ringbearer, but instead of bringing the rings, he brings the wedding coins.  The coins are traditionally 13 gold and silver coins.