How To Be The Best Bridesmaid

This seems like it should be a relatively easy thing to do, as being a good bridesmaid goes along with being a good friend.  However, sometimes your friends don’t really think about what their role in your bridal party means and can fall down on duty (figuratively and literally).  I’ve put together some simple guidelines to make sure your bridesmaids have all the info they need to be the best bridesmaids ever!

#1 Be Early

Whenever the bride asks you to be somewhere, especially the wedding day, plan to arrive early.  Planning to arrive early means that if anything comes up/goes wrong you will at least be on time.  Late bridal party members have often been the cause of entire wedding days running behind.  You do not want to be the person that causes stress on your bestie on her big day!

#2 Remember who/what this day is about

This day is about one of your best friends in the world, not  you.  You are the backup singer and the bride is Whitney Houston.   You want to look and feel your best and give a great performance, but at the end of the day everyone is focusing on her.  That means always put her needs before yours, if only for today.

#3 Make sure all the bride’s needs are met

One of the primary roles of a bridesmaid is to make sure the bride has the most stress free day possible.  Someone needs to be making sure is fed, caffeinated, hydrated, clean and fresh faced.  Hydration is KEY to looking and feeling your best.  Especially if there have been several mimosas consumed during hair/make-up.  Think of yourself as her personal assistant.  If she asks for something, offer to get it for her.  Also, please assign someone to keep up with her phone.  Most bride’s will want their phone off/on throughout the day so it’s helpful to have someone keeping up with it for her.

#4  Shield her from unnecessary stress

This is most likely going to be one of the best and most stressful days of your friend’s life.  She has spent months and sometimes years planning this day.  She has hired alot of people and likely spent alot of money to make this day everything she has dreamed of.   There is alot of pressure to make sure everything goes according to plan.  This is another reason it’s a good idea for her closest friend to be “in charge” of her phone.  If the caterer texts her that they are running late, try to deal with it if you can before telling her (if you ever do).  If her groom can’t find his socks, try to help him.  Obviously, if you can’t solve the problem we need to clue the bride in, but I’m just saying try to shield from as much as possible on her wedding day.  She is feeling the stress, whether she is showing it or not.

#5 Celebrate this happy day with her! (But don’t drink too much pre-reception)

Be cheerful, positive, and in party-mode!  This a fun event!  However, you are “on-duty” until after the I dos, so don’t get wasted.  Not only will it be stressful to the bride if you need a drunk-sitter but you will look sloppy in the photos, no one wants that!  However, after the pictures are taken and the ceremony is over feel free to party the night away with your bestie bride!

These things may sound a little crazy or sound like I’m encouraging you to enable the dreaded bridezilla.  However, the bottom line is to just recognize that this is a once in a lifetime event for your friend and doing everything you can to support her and make her day just a little bit better.  If you are/have been married you know what she is feeling and if you haven’t then do your best so one day she will return the favor.  Basically, show her you love and care about her with your actions on her special day.