12 Valuable Lessons I Learned From Being a Bridesmaid

April of last year I received a package in the mail. It was from one of my best friends. When I opened the package I saw a blushing pink box filled with goodies and the note on the top said: “Will you be my bridesmaid?”

Ecstatic, I immediately called my friend and said yes to this honor without hesitation. I could not wait to be by her side with the other bridesmaids in our beautiful dresses.

Her wedding was last week and I am happy for her union and also relieved that my responsibilities of being a bridesmaid are over.

This article will help you throughout this experience. I will go over what happened to me from start to finish. By the end, I hope you are better informed and know what to expect from this roller coaster of love, duties, and drama.

Before we begin, let’s go over the basics of bridesmaids and why they are essential to the wedding party.

What is a bridesmaid?

A bridesmaid is hand picked by the bride to stand by her side on her wedding day. The bridesmaids are expected to support and help the bride during the pre wedding process.

What does a bridesmaid do?

Brides work closely with the bride and maid of honor to ensure that all events and details run smoothly. The bridesmaids also ensures that he bride stays sane through this important time of her life.

Is being a bridesmaid stressful?

At times it can be. There is a lot of responsibility. Some of them can effect the bridesmaids emotionally and financially.

Being a bridesmaid….the truth

What I Learned From Being A Bridesmaid

1. You must accept or deny the responsibility ASAP.
2. You must communicate with the bride, maid of honor and other bridesmaids.
3. Start paying for expenses early.
4. Do NOT let the bride know about your struggles.
5. Try to connect with the other people in the wedding party.
6. If a destination wedding, learn as much as you can about the location and the resort.
7. Let the bride have some alone time.
8. Make sure bachelorette party and bridal shower arrangements are budget friendly.
9. Get a clear understanding of hair and make-up arrangements.
10. Keep the mother of the bride busy.
11. If there are children involved, you might have to take one for the team.
12. Drink and be merry when its all over.

1. Accept or deny responsibility ASAP.

This is the very first step in the process. You must decide if being a bridesmaid is right for. you. I learned that if you are not in a good place mentally or financially, maybe it is not a good idea to accept. Generally these cases would have to be severe. But open honesty is important.

2. Communicate with bride, maid of honor, and other bridesmaids.

Communication is key. Make sure to connect with these people so that you are aware of what is expected of you. You will be planning and implementing thins with them. Just like starting a new job, It is good to know your team’s goals.

3. Pay for expenses early.

I learned that the wedding date creeps up on you and before you know it, you are dishing out all of this money for gifts, events and bridesmaids t-shirts. Make sure you set aside money for being a bridesmaid.

4. Do NOT let the bride know about your struggles.

This is Not the time to tell the bride about all of your problems. I was more of a listener during this time. Although I was going through a lot, I did not want to dull the bride’s mood.

5. Try to connect with the other people in the wedding party.

These are going to be the people that you will spend a lot of time with these people so it will be best if you get along. Or at least tolerate each other.

6. If a destination wedding, learn as much as you can about the location and the resort.

If you are traveling, learn as much as you can about your destination. I did do this thorough enough. When I went to Jamaica for my friend’s wedding, I tried to use my bank card at an ATM. I found that my account was frozen. Come to find out I was not allowed to take money out of ATMs in specifically Jamaica. When I called my bank, they told me that there were some recent frauds going on in Jamaica with my specific bank.

7. Let the bride have some alone time.

Let the bride have some time for herself. Besides being with the bride all the time could lead to some Bridezilla moments.

8. Make sure bachelorette party and bridal shower arrangements are budget friendly.

Being a bridesmaid means that you play a big part in planning the bridal shower and bachelorette party. Before you go all out, make sure that you all set a budget and stick to it.

9. Get a clear understanding of hair and make-up arrangements.

This was a big problem the day of the wedding. While at the resort, we all made separate arrangements for our make up leading to late appointments. Instead of the entire group going to get our make up done, we booked separately. Some never got an appointment because they waited too late.

This ended to me having one of the bridesmaids to do my make up her own make up last minute.

10. Keep the mother of the bride busy.

The mother of the bride could be both a gift and a curse for the wedding. The MOB could be a pain point or a reliever of the bride leading up to the wedding. If she is a pain, it is important to keep the MOB busy and distracted so she doesn’t bother the bride too much.

11. If there are children involved, you might have to take one for the team.

Yes, I said it… You might end up babysitting if there are children involved. Luckily for me, the MOB was around most of the time and she got stuck with Junior.

12. Drink and be merry when its all over.

This is a no brainer. Celebrate when it is finally over!! Be sure to take a shot for me!

Conclusion

In conclusion, I was very happy with my experience of being a bridesmaid. There were a lot of things I learned about this role. It takes a lot of time and dedication. There are expectations that will have to fulfill. Be sure to refer back to these lessons and learn from my experience. Remember a happy bridesmaid makes beautiful wedding.