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Here are 5 reasons you should run as fast as you can when you’re asked to be someone’s bridesmaid.
Ok, you don’t have to run, but you should at least be prepared for dealing with the following issues that come with being the bride-to-be’s helper.
1. Dealing with your friend’s bridezilla ways.
It pretty much goes without saying that every bride wants her day to be nothing less than perfect. Unfortunately what this means for you is that you’re going to have to swallow your pride, bite your tongue and deal with plenty of drama.
We’re obviously not implying that this is the case all the time, but given the amount of “how not to be a bridezilla” articles are all over the interwebz, chances are that you’ll encounter some mini meltdowns along the way.
In fact, you may just find that for this period, you’d like nothing better than to strangle your best friend.
2. Having little to no say in your choice of style and colour regarding your bridesmaid’s dress.
This is unfortunately one of the biggest drawbacks of being a bridesmaid.
What the bride-to-be wants in terms of style, is usually what the bride gets. That means that what she thinks will fit in with her overall idea of her impending nuptials, is something you’re just going to have to deal with.
And if that dress happens to be a lime-green and shapeless monstrosity, chin up, keep quiet and on the wedding day, avoid eye-contact with everyone.
3. Bachelorette/Kitchen tea organisation nightmares
Nothing sucks more than arranging an event. It’s even worse when that event is a bridal shower. And judging by the amount of letters we get from our readers, the problem often occurs amongst the bridesmaids who are responsible for getting things together (sometimes, meddlesome family members also happen).
Events like these cost money, which means that disagreements arise regarding place (no, not everyone can afford to go to that upmarket spa), time, theme and gifts.
4. Rearranging your schedule to fit around that of the bride’s.
Being a bridesmaid requires some major sacrifice; the biggest of which is the fact that most of your time will be spent on wedding-related things.
From material or dress shopping, to getting accessories, helping with the planning around invitations, and going for fittings – it all requires you being able to be available whenever the bride-to-be needs you.
5. All the expenses involved
Planning a wedding costs money. And so does being part of the entourage. From the dress (traditionally a bridesmaid always pays for her own frock), to hair, accessories, shoes and the wedding gift, these are only a few of the monetary expenses that are involved.
Also something to consider is the fact that you may need back up funds just in case something goes wrong .
All in all, being a bridesmaid is hard work. While it’s no doubt an exercise in bonding, you should always be prepared for the fact that things may not always run smoothly.
With a little bit of patience (ok, a lot depending on the kind of relationship you have with the bride-to-be), a lot of compromising and a healthy dose of enthusiasm (fake it if you must), you can help to make your friend’s day one of the best days she’ll ever experience.
And when someone asks you after the wedding to be a bridesmaid again, run for the hills.
Follow Women24 on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Ok, you don’t have to run, but you should at least be prepared for dealing with the following issues that come with being the bride-to-be’s helper.
1. Dealing with your friend’s bridezilla ways.
It pretty much goes without saying that every bride wants her day to be nothing less than perfect. Unfortunately what this means for you is that you’re going to have to swallow your pride, bite your tongue and deal with plenty of drama.
We’re obviously not implying that this is the case all the time, but given the amount of “how not to be a bridezilla” articles are all over the interwebz, chances are that you’ll encounter some mini meltdowns along the way.
In fact, you may just find that for this period, you’d like nothing better than to strangle your best friend.
2. Having little to no say in your choice of style and colour regarding your bridesmaid’s dress.
This is unfortunately one of the biggest drawbacks of being a bridesmaid.
What the bride-to-be wants in terms of style, is usually what the bride gets. That means that what she thinks will fit in with her overall idea of her impending nuptials, is something you’re just going to have to deal with.
And if that dress happens to be a lime-green and shapeless monstrosity, chin up, keep quiet and on the wedding day, avoid eye-contact with everyone.
3. Bachelorette/Kitchen tea organisation nightmares
Nothing sucks more than arranging an event. It’s even worse when that event is a bridal shower. And judging by the amount of letters we get from our readers, the problem often occurs amongst the bridesmaids who are responsible for getting things together (sometimes, meddlesome family members also happen).
Events like these cost money, which means that disagreements arise regarding place (no, not everyone can afford to go to that upmarket spa), time, theme and gifts.
4. Rearranging your schedule to fit around that of the bride’s.
Being a bridesmaid requires some major sacrifice; the biggest of which is the fact that most of your time will be spent on wedding-related things.
From material or dress shopping, to getting accessories, helping with the planning around invitations, and going for fittings – it all requires you being able to be available whenever the bride-to-be needs you.
5. All the expenses involved
Planning a wedding costs money. And so does being part of the entourage. From the dress (traditionally a bridesmaid always pays for her own frock), to hair, accessories, shoes and the wedding gift, these are only a few of the monetary expenses that are involved.
Also something to consider is the fact that you may need back up funds just in case something goes wrong .
All in all, being a bridesmaid is hard work. While it’s no doubt an exercise in bonding, you should always be prepared for the fact that things may not always run smoothly.
With a little bit of patience (ok, a lot depending on the kind of relationship you have with the bride-to-be), a lot of compromising and a healthy dose of enthusiasm (fake it if you must), you can help to make your friend’s day one of the best days she’ll ever experience.
And when someone asks you after the wedding to be a bridesmaid again, run for the hills.
Follow Women24 on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
