Whether you’re a bride wanting to let the bridesmaids know how they can help, or a helpful bridesmaid yourself, you’ll want to check out these…
Say yes to the dress
What would wedding dress shopping be without a bride’s group of bridesmaids? The answer is: really, really boring. Actually, it wouldn’t just be boring, it would be unhelpful for them to be missing from the experience. You wouldn’t get the opinions or comments about the things you try on, you wouldn’t get beautiful dresses handed to you that you never even thought about trying on, and you wouldn’t get the smiles and tears (happy ones) when you find the perfect gown.
Take responsibility
Wedding planning is not something that a bride should take on alone – no matter how much she wants to be in total control. What the bride has to do is DELEGATE. You should write down a list of responsibilities for the bridesmaids, and do you know what? The bridesmaids should do them. As long as you set realistic tasks that don’t take up too much of their personal times, the bridesmaids will be happy to help. This will save you a lot of time and effort, as well get them involved with more than just the wedding day itself.
Hen party planners
Brides, leave the hen party up to your bridesmaids – you already have enough on your plate. If you trust them enough, let them keep it a huge secret from you – it would be a lot of fun, that’s for sure. If you’re not sure you trust what they’d have planned without your overlooking eyes, arrange a meet up, talk about what kind of thing you’d like, but leave the rest up to them. And if you’re really not one for surprises, let them know a stripper is most definitely out of the question.
Let’s get DIYing
With wedding budgets being a huge thing in this day and age, it’s no wonder that DIYing for weddings has become more and more popular. Bunting, table decorations, mason jars and candles, signs… the lot! A really great idea is to arrange DIY evenings for you and your bridesmaids where you can all put your arts and crafts skills on show. Get some wine in the fridge, some snacks out of the cupboard, and get making! It’s the perfect excuse for a girly evening, as well as a bonding session for you and your bridesmaids before the big day.
Stress relief
When planning your wedding gets a little too much, your bridesmaids will, no doubt, be there to help with a bar of your favourite chocolate and a bottle of wine. (Oops, did we just mention wine again?) There are lots of ways to keep sane during wedding planning, and your bridesmaids can be right there with you! A little gossip and a little moan with a good friend can work an absolute treat for all bad moods, or stressed out brides.
Pre-wedding jitters
So, it’s the night before your wedding and you’re bound to be feeling a bit nervous (as well as excited, of course!). What better idea than for your bridesmaids to arrange a film night for you and girls! Either head to the cinema, or make your own wherever you’re staying the night before the big day. Pillows, duvets and snacks at the ready, ladies! Or have a proper pamper evening. But remember, it’s probably best to keep it to an early night – it is your wedding day you’re waking up to after all…
In case of emergency…
The wedding morning is here! After all the prepping and preening on the morning of the big day, you’re off to the ceremony venue to get married. How exciting! What’s not exciting is the thought of your foundation and mascara melting down your face on a hot summer’s day, or your hair falling out of place before the wedding photos. On the night before your wedding or in the morning, pack up a mini ‘emergency kit‘ for one of your bridesmaids to carry around to avoid these bridal nightmares!
Top it up
Being a bride on her wedding day is a pretty busy job, you know – unsurprisingly! You’ll be struggling for time to eat and drink with all the guests you’ve got to catch up with. Bridesmaids – do her a favour and make sure her drink is always topped up the top, and get her a plate of food when it gets served up. We don’t want the bride to go hungry on her big day, do we now!? Fainting is most definitely not on the to-do list.
Dress checkers
If you’re wearing a dress with a few tricky features – from lace up backs to a plunging V-neck, – get your bridesmaids to keep their eye on it throughout the day. You’re bound to want to look pristine all day long, and that includes keeping your dress looking pristine too. Get your best girls on the case!
Dancefloor divas
It’s that moment after the wedding breakfast where you and everyone else at your wedding are desperately looking at the lit-up dancefloor with its flashing lights, thinking ‘Well, I’m not getting on there first’. This is where your bridesmaids can swoop in to the rescue, like superheroes in dresses and heels. As a group, the bridesmaids taking to the dancefloor would look a lot less awkward than your drunk Uncle deciding to accept the empty-floor challenge. Plus, the matching outfits almost make them like your very own girlband – no matter how bad the dance moves are.
Clean up job
Okay, so maybe this isn’t the most fun job of them all, but helping you and the groom tidy up after the wedding shenanigans would be so lovely of the bridesmaids, right? Whether you pick up the paper cups and plates strewn over the floor after the big event (if you can manage half an hour longer!), or head back to the venue on the morning after. You’re probably not going to want to chuck away all the decorations you bought to make your wedding look so pretty, so get your maids to round up the bunting and table decor!
Bridesmaids – hopefully you’ve got these written down! And you might want to take a look at these 6 things that you do that really, really, really annoy the bride.
