As you get closer to the wedding, you will start to figure out the logistics of the ceremony, including how to line up your bridesmaids. Aside from your Maid of Honour who stands beside you, it can be tricky figuring out a way to arrange them that makes sense. Whether you have three bridesmaids or ten, you don’t want any of your friends to feel snubbed if they are the one on the end. You may ask yourself if there is a way to arrange them that is aesthetically pleasing but doesn’t make anyone feel left out. The answer, of course, is yes!


The good news is, we have five fairly foolproof ways to line up your bridesmaids so that they won’t have their feelings hurt:

1. Arrange by: Family First (or last)

This works well especially if you have a larger bridal party. Aside from your Maid of Honour – who may or may not be a family member – group your maids by relationship to you. Start with sisters, then sister-in-law(s), cousins, besties etc. Or, if you’re not super close with your sisters/SILs, have them round out the end and keep your besties close.

Line Up Your Bridesmaids

Photo Courtesy of Purple Tree Wedding Photography

2. Arrange by: Length of Relationship

More likely than not, you met your bridesmaids at different stages of life. Some you will have known since birth while others came to you in university or even from work. Arrange your maids based on the length of the friendship from longest to shortest. Since this number is arbitrary, you won’t end up with hurt feelings.

3. Arrange by: Dress colour

If your bridesmaids dresses are all different colours or prints, arrange your maids in a way that makes sense based on dress colour. Maybe create an ombré look moving from darkest to lightest, or create a pattern that makes sense with your aesthetic.

4. Arrange by: Role in Ceremony

If you have one or two of your bridesmaids delivering readings during your ceremony, have them stand on the end so it is easier for them to make their way to the microphone and deliver their reading.

5. Arrange by: Height

In our opinion, the most foolproof way and the best option if you are a stickler for optics is to arrange your party by height. Work off the height of your Maid of Honour and go from there. If she is teeny, go shortest to tallest, if she is taller do the opposite. This works the same with your partner’s side as well.


At the end of the day, make it clear to your bridal party that they all mean the world to you and that the order in which they walk down the aisle has no meaning. If they weren’t your nearest and dearest, they wouldn’t be your bridesmaids right?