Congrats! You’ve been asked to be a bridesmaid, and it’s not something you should take lightly, in fact, it’s a huge honor. It means the bride can’t imagine tying the knot without you by her side. So yes, major deal. Not sure what you’re supposed to be doing? Here’s how to be the best bridesmaid ever:
Offer to help
While the maid of honor is officially the bride’s right-hand woman, she’ll have her own to-do list, such as organizing the bachelorette party and bridal shower. This is a good time for you to swoop in and ask if the bride needs anything. Does she need your help researching vendors? Are you good at crunching numbers? Maybe she needs your help dividing up her budget. If you’ve got an eye for fashion you can put together a Pinterest board of bridesmaid dress ideas. Even if you don’t end up helping her with any wedding tasks, she’ll still feel your support.
Share ideas
If you come across a cool cake on Instagram or an eye-catching tablescape, send it over to the bride! She may not be on that step of planning yet, but she’ll appreciate having inspo handy when it’s time to get to work on those tasks. Start following some wedding planners on Instagram and keep an eye out for anything that you think the bride will totally swoon over. If she doesn’t use any of your suggestions, at least she knows you’re excited about the big day.
Be supportive
It’s pretty much a guarantee that the bride is going to get pretty stressed out at a certain point (or points). To-do lists will be a mile long and the stress of dealing with family can start to boil up. This is one of the most important times for you to be there for her. Calm her down and put things in perspective for her by reminding her that no matter what, at the end of the day, she’ll get to marry the love of her life. This may seem obvious, but once you’re knee-deep in logistics, sometimes you need a friend to remind you of what’s important.
Stay positive
Remember, this wedding isn’t about you. You and the other bridesmaids were chosen to support and celebrate the bride during this time, not critique her choices. If there are certain aspects of the wedding or bachelorette party you don’t necessarily like, keep it to yourself. Nothing good will come of you saying “when I get married I’ll do this instead.” Complaining and creating unnecessary drama will not only take the attention away from the bride, but create tension within the bridal party. Enjoy yourself, have fun, and save the drama for the Housewives.
Get to know the other bridesmaids
Chances are you won’t know every single person in the bridal party, so make the effort to get to know the bride’s other friends. The bride is obviously very important in all of your lives so it shouldn’t be too hard to get along with them. Make an effort to meet up before the bachelorette party, if possible, so by the time you head out of town to celebrate, you’re familiar with the girls you’ll be spending the weekend with. If that’s not possible, at least initiate a text group so you can learn names before you go. Who knows, maybe you’ll come out of the wedding with new lifelong friends!
Communicate
If an issue arises within the bridal party or you’re facing another problem related to the wedding (ex. budget), talk to the bride. She’s clearly one of your closest confidants and you should feel comfortable discussing things with her. Be sure to focus on how the issue affects you and avoid using phrases such as “this wedding is” or “so and so is rude”. Instead, focus on your feelings and try to convey them to the bride gently without creating too much commotion. The bride already has a lot on her plate so try to work it out before going to her with any kind of issue.
Following these six rules will undoubtedly earn you “Bridesmaid of the Year”, and your bride will be so happy she asked you to be a part of her big day.
Style Me Pretty Contributor – Sarah Title is a travel & wedding writer and editor living in Washington D.C. She also works part-time at a bridal salon in Georgetown helping women find the perfect dress. When she isn’t working, you can find her at the closest oyster bar enjoying a glass of rose or catching up on the latest celebrity gossip.