It’s always an honour being asked to be in someone’s bridal party. Some of us are thrilled and others a little wary of the responsibility and etiquette that is to come.
The actual significance of a bridesmaid is just to help the bride on her wedding day (i.e holding her bouquet/train). Most men have absolutely no idea what a bridesmaid does or why women might complain about being one.
The biggest issue associated with being a bridesmaid is the cost. More often than not, you are put in the position of paying for a dress that you are not so keen on wearing.Along with hair, makeup, shoes and accessories, other costs are gifts for the bride. If you’re close with the bride you might not only be required to give her a wedding gift, but also a bridal shower gift. There is also the bachelorette party which could set you back even more. When all is said and done, the average bridesmaid spends about $1000 dollars on everything. You are not obligated to spend anything on the bride, but most do out of respect for the bride and their relationship to her.
As a bridesmaid, you may be included in the planning/organization wedding. This includes helping with invitations,wrapping favors or any other errands the bride may need help with. If you are dealing with a Bridezilla, these tasks may be tedious. Your choices are to either grin and bear it or be honest. Tell her nicely that you can only help with so much due to work or other obligations.
The biggest part of being a bridesmaid is the dress. Every woman has had at least one story to share about a horrible bridesmaid dress. The worst part is these dresses can be both unflattering and expensive. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that saying something won’t hurt the brides feelings. You could try and drop a hint or two about another style or colour you may like. Hopefully, the bride will ask her maids opinion on a dress first before forcing you to pay for them.
Despite all the politics, it is import that you don’t forget that you must, first and foremost, lend her your support and encouragement. After all, this is the most important day of this woman’s life, and chances are she is very important to you. When all is said and done, you won’t care about the colour you’re wearing or the fact that you had to address 200 envelopes.
