Being asked to join one of your best friends on her wedding day as a bridesmaid is a great honor—one that can quickly turn into a burden for some women, as the responsibilities for the role can quickly pile up.
There’s wedding dress shopping with the bride-to-be, bridesmaid dress-fitting stress, planning and chipping in for the bachelorette party, helping to organize the bridal shower, buying a wedding gift, keeping the bride relatively calm, addressing any last minute wardrobe malfunctions, and remembering your cues at the ceremony. The ultimate goal, besides ensuring the bride’s wedding dreams come to fruition, is to meet all those requirements and more while coming out on the other side with your friendship still in tack.
Sure, it’s a lot. But chances are the bride wouldn’t have asked you to join the wedding party if she didn’t think you could handle it. So, after she asks you to be in the bridal party, and you dry the tears from you eyes, sit down with a glass of wine and contemplate everything you can do to ensure your BFF’s wedding is indeed the most special day of her life.
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Be Dress Supportive
- Chances are, the bride has a vision for how her bridal party is going to look walking down the aisle. She knows what colors she wants, the cut of the dress, and what type of shoe will go perfectly with it. When the bride summons her bridesmaids for dress shopping, it is important to let her guide the fashion. If she asks you for advice, feel free to share, but ultimately the decision is hers—respect her vision and make the best of the dress. You should also expect to go wedding dress shopping with the bride-to-be. Discovering the perfect dress is a truly unique experience for all brides and she could very well want her bridesmaids there with her during the search. You can take this a step further and bone up on the latest wedding dress trends so you can offer some actual help.
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Show Up For Pre-Wedding Events
- Bachelorette Party? Check. Bridal Shower? Check. Rehearsal Dinner? Check. There’s a lot of pre-wedding events to remember, and showing up to as many of them as possible is imperative for bridesmaids. Of course, any out-of-town bridesmaids can be excused from this requirement, but everyone else should make a concerted effort to join the bride during all of the pre-wedding madness. And besides, it’s fun! Whether a night out in the city or a day at the winery, the bachelorette party is a great way to bond with the group and give your girl one last sendoff before she joins the ranks of the married.
Sure, it’s a lot. But chances are the bride wouldn’t have asked you to join the wedding party if she didn’t think you could handle it.
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Help The Maid Of Honor
- Speaking of the bachelorette party, that event can he a massive undertaking to plan. There’s making sure everyone agrees on a destination and understands the cost they will incur; finding activities to keep everyone fun and engaged; helping the bride to take a break from wedding-planning stress; and much more. The responsibility for that falls on the maid of honor, so other members of the bridal party should offer their services in as many ways as possible. If the maid of honor crumbles under the pressure, the bride will definitely hear about it and if the bride hears about any troubles, it’s already too late. Checking in on the bride’s wellbeing goes without saying—checking in on the maid of honor’s wellbeing shows that you are willing to go the extra mile.
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Don’t Forget A Wedding Gift
- Unfortunately, your presence is not present-enough. Don’t get us wrong, the bride and groom are thrilled you’re attending and love you dearly. But not giving a wedding gift is a major faux pas. Remember that old saying, “it’s the thought that counts”? Forgetting a wedding gift shows that your thoughts were mostly about your stress during the planning stages, and not very much with the wedding itself. As for what (or how much) to give the couple, follow proper wedding gift etiquette and you can’t go wrong.
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Know Your Cues
- For all bridesmaids, it’s important to become familiar with the wedding day timeline down to every last detail. You want to be there and know your role during all the big moments—getting ready with the bride, taking photos, the walk down the aisle, everything. According to the Wedding Wire newlywed report, 55 percent of bridesmaids get their hair and makeup done by a professional with the bride, this means that being punctual long before the ceremony begins should be your top priority. It also ensures all the pre-ceremony photos will happen with little-to-no stress.
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Pack The Snacks And The Drinks
- Even though she’s rushing around getting ready, the bride still needs to eat. Having some of her favorite snacks on hand not only guarantees she gets the proper sustenance, but some comforting treats can also help to ease her wedding nerves. And speaking of easing her nerves, pour her a cocktail or two while she’s getting ready. An adult beverage can lighten the mood and also assist in getting the party started early—responsibly, of course.
