The Best Bridesmaid

How To Be The Best Bridesmaid!

There are so many potential Bridesmaids’ duties, that sometimes it can be a daunting responsibility.  Essentially and most importantly, of course, you’re there as one of the bride’s closest buddies to share the joy of her big day.

Your main duties are to provide emotional and practical support, to look great in your dress (but not upstage the bride), to help compose the bride on the way to the ceremony and on her entrance to the venue and to ensure she is attended to all day long. She is the queen and you, her ladies in waiting!

* Dress fittings: They’re often a pain, but be available – change plans if necessary.

* Hen’s Celebrations: Listen to and follow the bride’s brief. This is not about humiliation but about her having the best day/night/weekend with the girls.

* NB Often Bridesmaids will organize a separate quiet hen’s event for just them and the bride to enjoy peacefully, like a spa session.

* Wedding List Assistance: Grooms are often particularly disinterested in the Wedding List, so be available to help with the wedding list. It can be fun.

* The fabulous Wedding List  Company (www.weddinglistcompany.com.au) offers complimentary champagne so bridesmaids get to sip bubbly while helping the bride decide on gifts. Karaline Loiterton, director of the Wedding List Company says: “Having been dragged around trying on dresses, it’s only fair there should be a maid’s duty where free drinks are involved!”

* Gift from the Bridesmaids – Karaline’s tips:

* Generally bridesmaids get together to buy one more substantial gift.

* Don’t make the gift too much about the bride - the wedding is about the couple, although you can put your own girly stamp on it.

* The amount you should spend depends on your how much you are contributing to the cost of your dresses, plus your own financial situations. Make sure everyone is in agreement so no-one feels stretched at the expense.

* Know the order/proceedings of the day in case you need to step in and help with a disaster (although groomsmen and ushers are usually the ones to sort out any disasters.

* Organize champagne and nibbles while getting ready (very important for soaking up champagne and avoiding early drunkenness on the part of the bride and bridesmaids).

* Be honest with the bride and make up artist/hair stylist – if she looks completely unlike herself or more like hooker than a bride, for God’s sake SAY SOMETHING. She must look her best and like herself! Or the bride will never forgive you when she sees the photos of the big day.

* Carry with you (or know where you have stowed) a bride’s emergency kit consisting: make up/cleanser wipes, tissues, key pieces of make up, safety pins, needle and thread (matching the colour of the dress), deodorant, heel glue! Any of these things might make the difference between disaster and a great wedding.

* Carry a similar kit for yourself and the other bridesmaids.

* Don’t forget the guest book! Ensure it’s passed around all tables and collected safely afterwards.

*  Don’t let the bride get too merry before dinner and speeches/meet and greet. Offer her regular glasses of water!

*  Remember to have water yourself!

* Once the official proceedings are done and pictures taken and you’ve handed her over to her husband on the dance floor – YOU CAN PARTY!

By: Sophie Cross @ PR Chicks