I have only been asked to be a bridesmaid once and I’ll be honest I had NO idea what I was getting into when I said yes. I was just excited that one of my friends was getting married and honored that they wanted me to be a part of their special day! Being a bridesmaid isn’t just about champagne, a bachlorette party, and standing at the alter with your best friend. Those parts are important to celebrate your friend but it’s more than that.
It’s about being there for the bride throughout the entire wedding planning process and so much more! As a bridesmaid you are not only agreeing to be a part of the couples wedding but encourage, listen, and provide guidance in the upcoming years of their marriage. Here are a few other myths of being a bridesmaid:
I’m only needed on the wedding day.
This is 100% false. As a bridesmaid you are a part of the entire wedding planning process. You will be needed for the engagement party, bridal shower, and bachelorette party. Along with shopping for the wedding and bridesmaids dresses, alteration appointments, the rehearsal dinner, and other bridesmaids duties such as mailing invitations and being there for the bride through the planning process to listen.
The maid of honor is the one that has to do the work
The maid of honor is the leader of the group but the entire group has the same responsibilities. It is not only the maid of honor’s role to do all the things. The maid of honor may facilitate the planning of the bridal shower and bachlorette party but will need help in executing it. Not to mention the maid of honor can’t do it all alone. You can bring the bride a survival kit the day of the wedding to ensure plenty of bobby pins and hair spray.
It won’t be that expensive to be a bridesmaid.
The cost of being a bridesmaid will vary depending on the bride and wedding. You can easily spend over $1,000 being a bridesmaid but you don’t have to. You will spend money on the dress, different events and gifts. However, how expensive or not everything gets is up to you. If the expense is a concern for you simply have a discussion with the bride and attempt to compromise. There is no need to have a $1,000 bridesmaid dress or stay in the most lavish hotel room for the bachelorette party. The best method here is to be open, honest, and communicate with the bride.
I will be able to wear my bridesmaid dress again.
Everyone goes into bridesmaid dress shopping hoping that it will be a dress that they can wear again however it rarely happens. Since you’re likely not to wear the dress again, opt to rent the dress. It is significantly cheaper to rent the dress than to buy. Or there are reputable websites that offer elegant dresses, not labeled as bridesmaids dresses for a more reasonable price. Plus, you might be able to select a style that you can actually see yourself wearing again. It may need alterations to accommodate future events but it can be useful. You did just spend the money on the dress!
I can order a dress two sizes too small and won’t need alterations.
This is a huge NO-NO! It is never a good idea to take the risk of thinking that you will lose weight before the wedding. Crash wedding diets hardly ever work in a short period of time, plus they aren’t healthy. Purchase a dress based on your measurements and true size. If you happen to lose weight and get it altered which you more than likely would need to do anyways. It is rare that a dress comes in and doesn’t need any alterations in one area of another for one of the bridesmaids. Be honest with your seamstress and take deep breaths in the dress before making the final call. You want to be comfortable all day long!
The bride should have to pay for everything.
As a bridesmaid you can not assume that the bride will pay for everything. The bride is paying for many things. She may gift you the jewelry, shoes, or hair, she isn’t able to afford everything that is included in being a bridesmaid. As previously mentioned you could talk to her about not going crazy on the expense and being more budget friendly but be prepared to cover your over expenses.
Being a bridesmaid is an honor, however it does come with responsibility. It isn’t a role for everyone therefore brides should select their group carefully. However when a bride asks you to be a bridesmaid, considering everything that was mentioned above to determine if you are physically and mentally available to the bride in the capacity that she will need.
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