How and when did you ask your bridesmaids?

Hi everyone, I'm new here and have been engaged since 23rd December. We're going to look at some venues for the first time on Sunday, ideally we'd like to get married this coming September but I don't know how possible that's going to be.

I'm really not sure when and how to ask the girls I want as my bridesmaids though. Had you already set a date before you asked them? Or did you do it as soon as you got engaged? We don't know a date yet, that'll depend on the venue we want and their availability.

And also, how did you ask them?

I am lucky three of my bridesmaids are my sister in law and my maid of honor is my cousin. None of them live locally so I rang and asked them.

i only had a date when i asked them. i asked them all in person separately over a period of a month. it was lovely seeing there faces and having a nice moment together over dinner / glass of wine! my sis i asked within 24hr of being engaged with no date set to my chief bridesmaid but we're really close so it's been a given forever that she would be. unless you are totally certain, dont feel the need to rush into it. i asked my sis and the first 2 early on but waited another 2 months to ask the other two as i kept debating about whether 5 was just too excessive but in the end decided i really wanted them. i've seen a lot of posts on here from people who wished they hadnt asked certain people but rushed into it so def make sure you're sure. But enjoy it - you only do it once (hopefully!!) so i think its nice to make it feel a special moment.

I asked all my bridesmaids as soon as I got engaged, before even setting a date!! I got very giddy with myself and asked 6 people which has proved to be a bit excessive now!! I am good friends with them all and I have managed to get everything on a budget but it could quite easily have ended up very costly! My advise is just to take a step back and think whether you really want how you are going to ask and how much it will cost you...

I have three bridesmaids, two are very good friends who knew that one day if I got married they'd be there with me, so it was kind of expected when we announced the engagement.

The other is H2B's sister and I asked her in person a few weeks after the engagement. It's lovely to see how much it means to them when you ask.

With regards to costs I think it depends on who's paying. Our bridesmaids are paying for their own outfits, so our only costs really is gifts for them (probably going to be their jewellery), but even this does add up, so definitely worth a consideration before you ask!

I don't think the date needs to be set before you ask them either, ours wasn't when we asked ours. But definitely make sure they're the right people first, 'cause you can't really take back asking them!

We did not have a date when we asked our bridesmaids. All we knew was Summer 2012 (it was Autumn 2010 when we asked them). For my sister, I didnt really ask her - its been a known between us for a long time she'd be Maid of Honour. My cousins are also bridesmaids. I asked them whilst visiting them at my Aunties house, announcing our engagement.

Congrats firstly!
I was so giddy I fbooked them like 3 days later
perhaps too soon
I dunno I think you know when its right.

I asked my bridesmaids as soon as i got engaged. I rang my MOH the day after my OH proposed as we always said that we would be each others MOHs and also asked her sister to be my bridesmaid (cousins). I then asked my sister face to face if she would be my maid of honour. My OH asked his Best Mans Sister to be our bridesmaid over text. I then emailed my best friends daugther to ask her. The others i asked face to face as they are younger BMs. They were all over the moon. I have 10 in total

I asked my friends really quickly. probably should have waited a bit but it has all worked out perfectly.. I was so excited I had to ask them and get them involved. I knew dress shopping would be hard so I bought my bridesmaids dresses with them pretty much before anything else! x

I asked mine a month after getting engaged we'd all just got back from a Tinie Tempah concert and I just couldn't wait any longer. we'd not set a date so said it could be a year or it could be 18 months. me, h2b and mil2b went to look at venues in dec 11 (got engaged oct 11) then went for a second viewing with our best woman (bridesmaids mum), bridesmaids and my son 2 weeks ago and set the date with them there with us which was really exciting. we too wanted sept this year but the venue had nothing and i didnt want a winter wedding so we decided together on a spring one so its April 5th 2013.