How to Be a Great Bridesmaid
How to be a Great Bridesmaid
When your friend asks you to be their bridesmaid it is such an honor. It comes with lots of fun, but also some responsibilities. Once you’ve said, “yes” to becoming a bridesmaid your job begins! What does that job entail, you ask? Here is exactly how to be a great bridesmaid.
Be the calm in the storm and a listening ear.
Wedding planning can cause heightened emotions. When brides are overwhelmed, things that may seem small to others may seem tragic to the bride. Sometimes we all just need a listening ear without advice or judgment. Because of that, don’t forget to ask if they need advice or just a listening ear. It’s important to be both supportive and level-headed for your friend. Whether her dream photographer is unavailable, her wedding dress is delayed in shipping, or her veil came in at the wrong length she will be grateful to have an empathetic and problem-solving friend like you. Remember, the key is to be supportive AND level-headed.
Put all important dates and deadlines in your calendar.
Wedding costs can add up quickly and you will be surprised how quickly the year of wedding planning will go! Make sure you mark any deposits needed for dresses, hair/beauty services, or accommodations in your calendar so you are prepared. Don’t make the bride have uncomfortable conversations about overdue deposits. Keep in mind there are many celebratory events throughout the wedding planning process. Engagement parties, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, rehearsal dinners, and after-wedding brunches are all important events you’ll want to mark in your calendar.
Communicate Early
Take stock of your allotted PTO days at work. We all only have a certain number of days off available each year. Look at how many you have, pronto, and let the bride know if you cannot attend any events. While the bride may be disappointed that you can’t attend every event, she will likely appreciate you telling her far in advance.
Another important thing to communicate is your abilities based on whether you have children or are pregnant. If you’re due around your friend’s wedding date, be clear with her about that. If you have children, it’s also important to communicate what you can/cannot do based on your children’s needs or schedules. Again, the bride may feel disappointed, but it’s best to be clear up-front to prevent any last-minute surprises. Moms & women are known to be excellent multi-taskers, but it is okay if you cannot do everything as long as you communicate early!
Be excited with/for the bride!
Every bride has likely looked forward to their wedding day for a long time. It always feels good to be supported by your friends, so show your friend your mutual excitement for her wedding day. While you may have opinions about how you’d plan your own wedding, allow the bride her turn to choose whatever wedding colors and details she loves. Then, be complimentary and supportive of her choices. Likely, the bride will not make terrible choices, like in the movie 27 Dresses, but be supportive regardless. Don’t forget, no matter the bridesmaid dress, you can likely shorten it and wear it again ;).
On the wedding day, be ready to jump in!
Be on the lookout for any hiccups on the wedding day. One often missed detail is fixing the bride’s train during the ceremony and pictures! Be on the lookout during the ceremony to ensure her train is fluffed and positioned beautifully so her photos turn out well. There’s nothing worse than beautiful ceremony photos, but the train is bunched up, fluff that train!
If anyone tries to begin conflict with the bride (Let’s be real, every family has that one family member.) gently whisk her away with an “important matter.” If her hair doesn’t look like she’d hoped, advocate for her, help her fix it, or talk her off the ledge by putting it in perspective. Be ready to make her wedding day as stress-free as possible.
Being a great bridesmaid is essentially just being a supportive friend. By following our tips on how to be a great bridesmaid, your friends will be so glad they had you by their side on their wedding day! Now you are ready to be a great bridesmaid! For more wedding planning tips and inspiration, check out more Chicago Wedding Blog posts below. And don’t forget to share this with any bridesmaids you know!