| Image by Helen Russell | Full wedding feature here |

For the next instalment of the bridesmaid mini series I wanted to find out just how couples chose their bridesmaids. So of course I had to ask the WWW real bride s how they chose their bridesmaids. It's lovely to hear how different each bride's experience was in choosing their maids, asking them and choosing their roles in the wedding day.

There really are no hard and fast rules, you can have as many bridesmaids (or guys) as you fancy, including little ones or having no fixed roles. Budget needn't be a constraint, just asking to be bridesmaids without official outfits can work too.

Making choices between loved ones is never easy, but asking those you haven't chosen to help with something else is a lovely way to make them feel involved and important. The main thing is making sure you are happy as a couple with your wedding party.

| Kelly's Bridesmaids | Image by S6 Photography | Full wedding feature here |

I had five adult bridesmaids and 2 flowergirls - if I could do it again I wouldn't have as many to be honest. Family made me do it - it felt a bit like there was gun to my head. I had stamped my feet on a few things so lived with this one.

We just asked then one on one and bought their outfits for them as gifts - who wouldn't want a Vivien of Holloway dress to keep!

I didn't ask much of them to be honest, my 2 sisters were joint Maid of Honour and organised my hen and got me some lovely make up treats as a little gift on the day.

My littlest ladies were my daughter and her little friend - too cute.

| Emily and her Bridesmaids |Image by Emma Lucy | Full wedding feature here |

I had three - I really only wanted two if I am honest, but it became too hard to choose! So three of my best friends from various stages of my life, I asked two in person and one via Facebook as she lived in South America at the time! We bought their dresses and jewellery, and I also paid for hair and make-up for everyone as a thank you treat. To be honest, they didn't do very much, but it was lovely to feel their general support - I didn't give them any special tasks at all (apart from one was meant to take my bouquet, but I forgot and the registrar ended up taking it off me!). We then had one little flower girl - Mr H's oldest niece - because I knew she really wanted to do it, and also as I liked the idea of having someone from 'his' side in 'my' team.

| Sam with her Bridesmaids | Image by Andrea Ellison | Full wedding feature here |

I had 5 bridesmaids. I didn't want to leave anyone out. To be honest I could of had more but the cost was getting too high. It was a tough decision but had to keep it fair. My 'definates' were my two best friends, we've been friends since primary school, I asked them in person straight away. However I couldn't stop thinking that I had left one of my good friends from university out, so I asked my best Uni friend also (who was fab and arranged my hen do!) I then wanted to have some of My hubby's family involved in the day as they are all very close. I chose his sister and his teenage cousin. That makes 5 bridesmaids. My flower girls were my best friends two little girls as I wanted them to be involved and have a fab day, and also my hubby's younger cousin. I dressed them in tutus and they looked so cute! In hindsight I guess my bridal party was on the large side but I really wanted everyone to feel special and involved. We only had 50 guests to the daytime so it created a lovely atmosphere.

I didn't really give them any roles! They got off quite easy. They just had to listen to me stress and moan about dresses and table plans haha. My sister in law did a reading on the day and my uni friend arranged the hen do. The only drama we had was that one of my best friends got pregnant and was 7 months on the big day, we had to get the dress altered a lot, but on the day it still looked lovely. I think sometimes things seem more dramatic than they are on the run up to a wedding haha.

I'm only having two bridesmaids - my daughter and my sister. Originally I was going keep it extremely simple and just have my little girl Rose, but after a bit of thought it made sense for my sister to do it too, to hold Rose's hand and to give her the opportunity to get really excited about the wedding too. My sister's role so far has been to put up with constantly being emailed ideas for her dress. The thought of choosing between friends to get a group of bridesmaids together felt too stressful so I'm really happy with my choice to stick with just having two. I suppose the only drawback is that in the lead up to the big day my friends might have to be bullied a bit more into helping out without the sense of bridesmaid's obligation!

| Kim with her Bridesmaids | Image by Georgi Mabee | |Full wedding feature here |

I had 5 bridesmaids, which wasn't always easy! I had 2 childhood friends and my close friend from uni, they were the grown ups and couldn't have been more different from each other. I also had two little bridesmaids, my niece (on my husband's side) and my friend's daughter (who I used to teach)- she even did a reading in the church.

As for roles, I didn't really assign them. One asked to organise my hen do, another was getting married a few weeks before me (and I was her bridesmaid, too) so we decided to take a hands off approach to each other's big day. I didn't sent to give them jobs to do, as I could foresee that it cause problems and arguments. I opted to do it myself until the day before when they helped me dress the barn. I chose all the dresses, shoes, jewellery and made the hair accessories. I knew the things I chose were fairly universal, they had to be because of the diversity of my girls, but I made the decision alone. I think it over complicates when you have to ask a bunch of different girls their opinions!

I have 4 bridesmaids, 2 are my twin cousins (like sisters to me) who are my chief bridesmaids and Steve's sisters are my other two. I always knew I would have my cousins as joint chef bridesmaids and Steve's sisters as bridesmaids but I had always assumed my group of 5 friends would be too. In reality when you discuss it you realise 9 would have been silly and they didn't mind when I told them so we thought we'd keep it in the family. I hope everyone close around me knows how important they are to me without labelling them a bridesmaid. In all honesty I think they thought it would be better as they can choose what they wear! I would have liked to have flower girls/ pageboys but there are no young children in either of our families.

|Laura and her Bridesmaids | Image by Amy Lewin Photography | Full wedding feature here |

I chose to have three; both of my daughters, and my sister. My sister was brilliant - I don't think I ever really officially asked her, but remember sending her a 'bridesmaid' alphabet bag in the post when she'd had a bit of a rubbish day which seemed to go down well. She was completely invaluable in the few days prior to the wedding - she came to stay and helped us finish making the decorations, stamping tags and that kind of thing, as well as making the cake and helping transporting everything to the venue. On the day itself she was absolutely amazing - especially with my children which really took such a weight off, and allowed Rich and I to enjoy the day without having to worry about changing nappies, naps, or putting the children to bed on the wedding day! As a little thank you I bought her a personalised bracelet stamped with 'the best crappy bridesmaid' which was something we'd joked about the whole way through planning

My daughters were always going to have a special role, and both of them asked to do readings which they did, brilliantly. It was fun - but challenging! - asking them to help pick their own dresses and hairstyles and shoes, and we had a special child-friendly hen for them to come along to as well which they loved. I'm really happy they were so big a part of the day. As gifts, we bought some lego advent calenders since we got married on the 1st December, which they both loved

While I'd have loved to have had my friends too - there are a tight group of 5 of us who have all been bridesmaids for one another - we had such a small wedding that I think it would have been a little odd to have such a huge wedding party. We all got together the evening before the wedding, and got ready together in the morning anyway which I really enjoyed, so there was still that lovely sense of excitement being surrounded by all my favourite girls, and I asked two of my friends to arrange my hen which they did amazingly. Not having them as 'official' bridesmaids caused absolutely no hard feelings and I'm really glad that they were able to be as big a part of the day as they were. It was definitely a happy compromise and worked really well for us.

I'm having 6 bridesmaids and 1 flower girl. It might seem a lot but we're having 140 people to the wedding so I'm not worried about it feeling like too many - plus I decided it's our day so we can do what we like

I have 4 friends from different stages of my life who I would class as my best friends, and I wanted all of them, as well as Tim's 2 sisters who I really wanted to have as they are like my sisters now (Tim and I have been together a very long time!). The only issue would have been the cost of the dresses - I said I would rather have them all as bridesmaids than have fewer people in fancy dresses - but I've managed to find a dress within budget that I'm really pleased with so fingers crossed it will all be fine. One of my bridesmaids' daughter is also going to be flower girl, she'll be 2 and a half so she might be a bit small but we'll get her an amazing little dress and sit her Dad at the front of the church and hope for the best! They are all going to look fantastic, I can't wait!

I haven't given anyone specific roles and I didn't choose a Maid of Honour, but everyone has been great so far coming dress shopping and collecting jars etc - I'll definitely have more jobs for everyone nearer the day and they will definitely all be roped into helping make things in some way or another! Plus Tim's sisters have done a great job organising my hen do (well, it's a surprise so I don't actually know, but I'll assume it's going to be great!).

I just feel really lucky to have such amazing friends and I'm so glad they can all be part of our day.

| Mel with her Bridesmaids |Image by Campbell Photography | Full wedding feature here |

My bridesmaids are best friends of mine, each representing a different stage in my life, so for me it was a really easy decision, it was always going to be those four. I made them little concertina cards to ask them and went to see them in person, so it took a few months to get round to them all. I remember feeling pretty nervous asking actually! They didn't really know each other beforehand, so I was really impressed with the way they took it upon themselves to chat over Facebook and emails and plan the hen party together, it was a fantastic joint effort. I think their most important role was simply being there for me during the planning process, if I needed a chat or help, it was great to know I could rely on them for advice and a laugh!

On the day I had a few jobs for them to do, like delivering the buttonholes to the groomsmen, and fetching me breakfast haha, but really by that point I was past the point of delegating and anything I overlooked, they were on it. I didn't have any flower girls simply because we don't really know any young girls or have any in the family at the moment! However, I have wondered since whether I should have included my brothers in my bridal party. I have three who I'm very close to, and it just never really occurred to me beforehand that I could make them 'bridesmaids'. They probably would have hated it, and I know for a fact they wouldn't have been as organised as my girls were, but symbolically it would have been nice to put them up there. As it is, we included them in other ways. They escorted my mum down the aisle and one of them did a reading, they may not have been bridesmaids but they were still a huge part of the day, even if one of them had to go for a nap after dinner!

Thanks so much girls!

We'd love to hear from you too, how have you chosen your bridesmaids and broken the news? Are you assigning roles for your wedding party or are you quite relaxed about it all? XOXO Lou