One of your closest friends just got engaged and asked you to be in her wedding! Being a bridesmaid is so exciting and fun, but what does it mean exactly? It means you will get a lot closer to the bride by sharing this experience with her and you will have memories to last a lifetime. It also means there are some responsibilities to remember when standing by the bride on her special day.
Keep reading to get our tips for being the best bridesmaid possible, and check out our handy infograpic, as well!
Start Budgeting!
This is probably the most important part of being in a wedding! The bride will ask you to be a bridesmaid pretty early on in the planning process, which should give you plenty of time to start budgeting. Being a bridesmaid starts to add up quickly, so planning ahead for all of the things you will need is essential! The first thing that comes to mind in this situation is buying the bridesmaid dress, but that is far from the only thing to take into consideration. Here are some of the other expenses to start thinking about:
- Dress + Alterations
- Shoes
- Hair + Makeup
- Gifts
- Bachelorette Party
- Overnight Stay (if the wedding is out of town)
Host a Party
Get together with your fellow bridesmaids and host a party for the bride! Doing this alone is not expected and way too much work but going in on an event with other people is a lot of fun! This is especially important if you happen to be the maid of honor. Whether it’s a bridal shower, engagement party, or the bachelorette party, it’s important to at least offer your help in planning a celebration for the bride-to-be!
Help the Bride
The bride might get overwhelmed with all the details of her big day, so being there for her when she gets stressed is a must! Helping her out could be as simple as letting her vent about her frustrations on an hour-long phone call or staying up late to help her with a wedding DIY project that is not as simple as Pinterest made it seem (they never are). Maybe the maid of honor can’t make it to a food taste testing and she really needs your trusted opinion, offer to go with her and be help her make decisions if she needs it!
Attend Most Pre-Wedding Events
Even though you might be hosting one of these parties, it’s important to attend other celebrations involving the bride. As a member of the wedding party, you might get an invite to most or all of the bridal showers being thrown for your friend. It’s not necessary to attend every single one—but if you aren’t busy and can be by the bride’s side for a few hours while she opens wedding gifts, go and show your support! Then there are the other events, such as engagement parties and the bachelorette party, which you should also try your hardest to attend. The bride will understand if you can’t make it to everything, but going to as much as possible is part of your responsibility as a bridesmaid!
Go Bridesmaid Dress Shopping
This might seem like an obvious tip, but make sure you’re clearing your schedule for special days like dress shopping! The bride will love getting a sneak peek of what her best gal pals are going to look like on her wedding day, and you will too! Even if your favorite dress doesn’t get picked, but be supportive and excited. However, be honest about what you can afford and if something really makes you uncomfortable. Ultimately, wear what the bride likes best. Of course, if you go with her to help, there might be a better chance of a dress you like getting picked!
Be Informative
Stay as up-to-date as possible with information about the wedding. This will help you be on top of the details you need for yourself and will help the bride with all of the things she has to remember. Let’s be honest, the groomsmen (and possibly the groom) will most likely know a lot less about the specifics of the wedding, and the fewer questions directed at the bride, the better. This will even be a great help at bridal showers or parties, to inform guests about wedding questions they might have.
Most Importantly… Be a Good Friend
At the end of the day, you’re standing next to one of your closest friends or family members on their wedding day. This person obviously means a lot to you and you mean a lot to them, so just be a good friend! The rest will fall into place if you’re the best friend you can be. As long as the bride knows you’re available if she needs you, you’re doing a great job. Now, all you have to do is show up, look great… and show off your dance moves at the reception!
What to Avoid
Of course, there are some “don’ts” when it comes to being a bridesmaid. Remember the wedding is not about you, it’s about the bride. Don’t take the attention off of her in important moments. Making a situation about yourself when it should be about her is a big no-no! The next thing you should avoid when you’re a bridesmaid is complaining, especially to the bride! So you might not love your bridesmaid dress, that’s okay—but don’t make it obvious and talk about it, she doesn’t need that extra stress. Finally, don’t create drama! No one wants to deal with a drama queen, so just support the bride and have as much fun as possible!
Happy Planning!
