Choosing who stands by your side on your wedding day is a big decision. (We’re talking wedding parties here; hopefully you’re confident in your choice of a soon-to-be spouse.) Do you pick the people you’re closest with around engagement time, or opt to include friends who were influential in your life at various stages? Do you just stick to family or skip the decision-making altogether?
Couples stress over the seemingly monumental pick, but, according to a majority of TODAY readers, those friendships often don't last anyway.
According to a TODAY.com survey, 47% of you are still close friends with fewer than half of your wedding party members. 23% of you keep in touch with more than half of the people in your wedding, and 30% are buds with all your bridesmaids and groomsmen.
On Facebook, many fans said that they've nurtured great relationships since tying the knot:
Thomas Andrew After 30 years we are best friends still.
Janet D. Carty-Seebald Yes! Of course my maid of honor is my best friend and the best man was my hubby's brother. The benefit of a small wedding.
Sarah Allan Kept the bridesmaid. Ditched the husband!
Karissa Clairmont Our wedding actually brought us closer to our friends! I asked my now sister-in-law to be a bridesmaid and we used this time as a way to get to know each other and it helped develop a strong sisterly relationship. My husband asked a friend he hadn't seen in years to be an usher and they, too, made their friendship stronger!
Holly Pozsik Barber Yep every one of them… may not talk as much as we should but I would pick them all again 23 years later.
Others had a tougher time retaining their friendships:
Amber Rivera Hell No. My best friend who was the best man & his sister who was my maid of honor completely screwed us as friends & it's been over a year since we've spoken. Oh well!! Just sucks going through all the photos & seeing them in nearly every one...
Eva Nicholas Osvay I don't talk to two of the girls that were in my wedding party and if I had to do it all over again I def would have not chosen them.
Alison Schwab Kondel I'm friends with all but my matron of honor. We'd been friends since we were 3 years old but during the planning of my wedding and afterwards, she made me feel like our friendship was an inconvenience.
Darcie Lewis Hood Nope, they turned out to be complete jerks....we still are not speaking to them because of what they said to me...my husband is pretty upset that they treated me the way they did after they stood up there next to us.
Some even elaborated on the breakdown: "One of my husband’s groomsmen had an affair with another groomsmen's wife!" wrote another fan. "So, sadly a group that had once been the best of friends is no more!"
How about you? Are you still close with your wedding party? Let us know!