The Bridesmaid’s Survival Guide

If you’ve just become a bridesmaid for the first time, you’re in for a rollercoaster ride. While it’s often a dream come true to be asked to stand next to a dear friend or relative in a bridal party, the emotional nature of weddings means that even the most chilled-out bride is likely to have a few meltdowns. Meltdowns, incidentally, that you need to deal with! Hooray! Before your life becomes an endless list of party hire places and swatches of identical-looking fabric that you have to make a decision about, take some time out to read this tips for a smooth ride through bridesmaidsville.

Whether you’re headed down the aisle with a good friend or a sister, one thing is for sure: you’ll experience another side entirely to the whole wedding experience. With a little bit of luck, the care and kindness you treat your friend with will be returned threefold when the time comes for them to stand next to you, but for now, there’s one thing and one thing only that you have to come to grips with: this is all about them.

Emotional Ups And Downs

The stress of planning a wedding takes its toll on even the toughest of brides, and the sense that they’re undertaking something momentous can add to the emotion of the experience. As such, you may find that your friend becomes highly strung or overly emotional during this time.

In addition to this some brides can become unreasonable or demanding. From wedding registries that include big ticket items like rare fine china and Westinghouse fridges to tantrums and insistence that her bridesmaids lose weight to fit into a certain style of bridesmaid dress, we’ve seen it all when it comes to the ‘bridezilla complex’.

While it can be difficult to deal with, it’s important to remember that the craziness is fleeting. Having said that, don’t put up with poor treatment or demeaning behaviour—you have a right to let her know if she is being unreasonable, just give her a bit of leeway when it comes to her ups and downs!

Easing the Burden

As a bridesmaid, one of the most valuable things you can contribute to the wedding is helping your friend organise the details. Whether it’s ringing around to get quotes from photographers or taking control of the table decorations, easing the burden of organising everything will be a better wedding gift than any other she gets, we guarantee!

Make sure you let your friend know that you’re there for her to delegate to, and that she doesn’t have to take on all the work on her own. Planning a wedding can be stressful, but it can also be a lot of fun if you approach it in the right way. Letting your friend see that by helping to make it so is a great gift.

Being a bridesmaid can be both incredibly hard work and incredibly rewarding. It’s an opportunity to be there for your friend on one of the most important days of her life and as such, a huge honour. Be prepared, be flexible, and most of all, have fun!

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