How to Be a Better Bridesmaid

Being a bridesmaid can seriously be the role of a lifetime, if you do it right. If you do it wrong, you’ll find yourself with lingering headaches, dwindling funds in your savings account, and zero free time to do what you want on the weekends. It can start to feel like that internship you had in college, where you worked your butt off and didn’t get paid a cent.

 

There’s a lot of pressure surrounding you when you’re a member of the bride’s wedding squad, so if you’re finding yourself starting to stress before you’ve stepped into your bridesmaid dress, here are 5 simple things you can do to be a legendary bridesmaid for your best friend.

 

1. Say No

I’ll get right to the point. Start saying no. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself and for the bride. If you can’t make it to something or can’t afford something, give the bride a heads up early. Think she’ll be upset with you? Not if you’re honest and you do it with plenty of time to spare.

 

2. Skip Asking to Help

The most stressful thing you can say to a person who is already stressed out is, “What can I do to help?” Instead of asking, plan nights or weekends where you can sit down with the bride and help her tackle her to-do list.

 

3. Order Your Dress ASAP

The one phone call you don’t want to have to make as a bridesmaid is to the bride the week of her wedding, letting her know your bridesmaid dress won’t be ready in time. These dresses take time to ship to you, so order it the minute you know which dress you have to wear.

 

4. Leave Your Drama at Home

Even if you’re having your own problems in the love department or have a boss that’s constantly making you roll your eyes, leave your drama at home during the wedding or you might risk bringing everyone in the bridal party down.

 

5. Bring the F Word

Weddings should be fun and as a bridesmaid, it’s part of your responsibilities to make sure that the days before the wedding and the big celebration is a time to dance, laugh and snap as many photos as you possibly can with your iPhone camera.

 

 

 

Jen Glantz is the author of the new book Always a Bridesmaid (For Hire) and the founder of the head-turning business, Bridesmaid for Hire. She can often be spotted wearing old bridesmaid dresses to the grocery store or on first dates. You can follow her adventure here.