Being a Bridesmaid in the Wedding Planning Process

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Accepting the bridesmaid’s role isn’t just about fixing the bride’s wedding dress and looking pretty for pictures; before that bit of fun, you have to put in the work and plan. Where it is true that it’s not your wedding, and the maid of honor will probably hold most of the responsibility, the rest of the bridesmaids still have important jobs. Let’s get you ready by taking you through what it’s like to be a bridesmaid in the wedding planning process.

First things First

Every bridesmaid will understand quickly is that the role requires a lot of your time. Many planning group chats, meetings, and appointments will ask you to be attentive or in attendance. The bridesmaid will need to be there to listen to the bride and help make decisions. But also be physically available to put together many elements of the wedding. Since planning the wedding is a team effort (and although it may seem daunting and become tedious over time), the rest of the group will always be there to keep everything organized and thriving. Do your best to be a hands-on bridesmaid that offers help, rather than waiting for a bride to ask.

Keep in Check

A bridesmaid’s behavior should always be kept in check. There can be decisions that you won’t prefer for yourself. However, to make the bride’s experience more comfortable, you should refrain from complaining (at least not to her). Be gracious for being a part of such a beautiful moment in the bride’s life, understand that ultimately it is her wedding, so she should get her way. Accepting the bride’s wishes may become the most uncomfortable when it comes to the bridesmaids’ dresses and looks for the wedding day, but it’s all part of her perfect day, and for her (almost) anything is okay.

What are you responsible for?

Two events that can solely be under the bridesmaid’s responsibility are the bridal shower and the bachelorette party. These two events require a lot of cohesiveness and organization from the entire bridal party. Try thinking of each event’s timing in the months leading up to the wedding; you’ll want to ensure you have enough space around them to plan each one and make them both a hit.

There are quite a few details that go into planning a wedding, which can get overwhelming for the bride and groom. You can assist the couple by looking at their interests and personalities and gathering inspiration and ideas to help them plan every little element of their wedding. You can show your interest in helping them by displaying your concepts through mood boards and Pinterest pins or introducing them to magazines and websites you feel they might appreciate. Even if they don’t ask, at least they’ll know you’re interested and that they have options.

Once there are bookings for vendors, coordinators, and entertainers, it might be a good idea to introduce yourself. Familiarizing yourself with those who you hire can allow you to build relationships. These relationships can often deepen their understanding of what’s expected of them. It will help to make the difference between an okay wedding and the best wedding ever. They will also have a point of contact besides the bride and groom to deal with any mishaps along the way (as to not cause extra stress for the couple).

Wedding Day Organization

If you thought you perfected organization for the pre-wedding events, the actual wedding day is on an entirely different level. Scheduling the arrival of everything from transportation to hair and makeup to entertainment needs documentation and precise timing. Ensure everyone is aware of the day’s schedule, so there are limited hiccups throughout the event. It’ll also be a whirlwind of emotions, so do your best to keep the bride calm and collected.

As a bridesmaid, you will be attending to the bride throughout the entire day; everything she needs and everything she never thought she’d need should be on-hand. Prepare a wedding day emergency kit filled with every problem fixer possible to be ready for any obstacle. Being a bridesmaid may turn into being the bride’s maid that day, especially when it comes to any of her bathroom visits, where she may call you to assist her.

Final Duty

The very final duty as a bridesmaid on the big day is to keep the party going. Luckily, if there’s more than one bridesmaid, you won’t feel silly keeping guests happy and the dancefloor busy. And if you ever get tired and need a break, there will be another one of you to step up to the plate.

If you ever had any doubts about what to expect when planning a wedding, you now have a better idea! For all the things you’ll need to know about this role, check out The Ultimate Guide for Choosing the Perfect Bridesmaid.

 

 

Header Image Credit: @kirstensmithphotos