What do Bridesmaids Need to do After the Wedding Reception?

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What do Bridesmaids Need to do After the Wedding Reception? Is it starting to feel as though there’s always something else that needs to get done? While it’s true that being a bridesmaid isn’t just shopping for the wedding dress, buying a gift for the couple, then leading the bride down the aisle. We promise, you are almost at the finish line! The wedding day itself involves a lot of coordination and plenty of hands on deck to make sure it runs smoothly. Part of that means that as a bridesmaid, you’ll have specific responsibilities.

What do Bridesmaids Need to do After the Wedding Reception? There are many tasks to complete after the wedding reception, but only three fall to the bridesmaid. If you can handle these three tasks, you’re doing your part in the grander scheme of things.

Clean, Clean, Clean

After the reception wraps up, the bride may ask you to help clean up the venue. It’s never the fun part, but it’s one of the most necessary. You can discuss with the bride before the big day whether the venue has people on site to handle the cleanup. However, if not, it’s time to gather the bride tribe and get to work.

One of the best reasons to help with the cleanup (even if there is a crew to do so) is to gather memorabilia and decorations. The bride and groom may want to have those as keepsakes from their wedding. You’ll want to collect the toasting flutes, cake serving set, personal wedding signage, and photos of the couple. These are all items that they may want to keep for themselves or use for post-wedding events.

Pay the Vendors

In the hustle and bustle of everything, you may be responsible for paying the vendors and entertainers. Typically, this responsibility will be for the maid of honor. However, if there are many companies in the wedding, this task may be divided among the bridesmaids.

The best way to handle this as accurately and seamlessly as possible is to create a list of all vendors, the price, and the recipient’s name. The bride and groom should also assemble labeled envelopes with cash or check. Thus, the bridesmaids just have to find the correct recipient and make the payment. Everything goes as planned when you take the time to prepare beforehand.

End the Night Off

One of the bridesmaid’s most significant responsibilities is to end the night with a creative and memorable send-off after the reception. Try to plan something sentimental for when the couple exits the venue. Moreover, do remember to decorate their getaway car. Other things that will help the couple feel at ease during their send-off are knowing that you took care of their guests and belongings. If there was a change of clothes at some point during the reception, collect the wedding outfits (the gown, tuxedo, and shoes). Make sure to collect any items the couple may have used to get ready. Moreover, have their belongings sent to their honeymoon suite or take them to someone’s home.

Lastly, you’ll want to ensure everyone can get home safely. Help to arrange rides, book Ubers, and make sure everyone leaves with their belongings.

These post-reception tasks are super important to ensure the wedding day runs smoothly. Having the responsibilities split between the wedding party members makes things a lot less stressful for the bride and groom on their big day. You’ll be a great help if you know your role and you need to do (before the wedding day). For more tips on what it takes to help plan a wedding check out The Ultimate Guide for Choosing the Perfect Bridesmaid.

 

 

Header Image Credit: @thelostandwild