Being chosen to be someone’s bridesmaid is the ultimate honour, but what’s not hot is messing up the gig. You’ve been asked to play a crucial role on the big day, and there are rules that need to be followed! After all, you want to ensure you get through the experience with your friendship still well and truly intact. Here’s our bridesmaid handbook with all the guidelines and rules that every member of the bride tribe needs to know.
Support System…
Being a bride is no easy feat so when your gal pal is preparing to tie the knot, she’s going to need all of your support through thick and thin. Whether the bride-to-be needs someone to bounce wedding ideas off or just an ear to listen as the big day approaches and she needs to vent, try your best to be there for her in her time of need. While the bride will understand that you have your own life to live that doesn’t revolve around her wedding, if you have a free Friday night and you know she’s on the verge of a meltdown, head over to her house with some chocolates and wine. Trust us, she’ll be forever grateful!
Bride Tribe…
Chances are there will be more than one bridesmaid in the bridal party so remember to play nice with all of the other ‘maids! The last thing the bride needs is her closest gal pals not getting along. Ultimately, you’re all there for the same reason which is to help ensure that the wedding goes off without a hitch so that the bride and groom can have the perfect day. So, even if you don’t always see eye to eye with the other ladies, put on a united front and remember that this is the bride’s big day and there is no room for petty drama.
Keep Your Commitments…
Being a bridesmaid means that you’re going to be involved in a lot of the wedding milestones. You’ll be there when the bride says yes to the perfect wedding dress. You might also need to help her pick out flowers and decorations. This means that you’ll be attending a lot of appointments with the bride-to-be! While she’ll understand if you can’t make it to every single booking, if you’ve agreed to accompany her for a specific task, it’s crucial that you keep that commitment. There’s no faster way to lose your bridesmaid status than by being the flaky friend who cancels at the last minute.
DIY Extraordinaire…
If the bride is opting to undertake DIY projects for the wedding, it’s time to dust off your arty abilities and get crafting! Having a DIY wedding can be really cost effective but doing so much by yourself can be super stressful. The bride is definitely going to need your help, so try your best to be around when she hosts a DIY evening so you can offer your artistic assistance!
Yes, Mrs Bride…
Being the best bridesmaid you can be means trying to keep the bride happy at all costs. This is her day, so if she wants you to wear a bridesmaids dress that you absolutely can’t stand, it’s time to grin and bear it. Chances are, everything the bride asks you to do is part of achieving the wedding vision she’s had since she was a little girl so don’t crush her dreams by not co-operating.
Big Spender…
Being a bridesmaid is not a cheap commitment and agreeing to be part of someone’s bridal party is agreeing to spend more money than the average wedding guest. If you don’t think you can afford to be someone’s bridesmaid, it’s definitely best to be honest about it from the very beginning. You’re going to be faced by quite an angry bride-to-be if you reveal you can’t afford to pay for your bridesmaids dress after she has already bought them. So, make sure you know what costs you’re signing up for when you say yes to being someone’s bridesmaid!
Take our quiz to find out what type of bridesmaid you really are here.
