Guest post: How to be a good bridesmaid

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Your bestie finally asked — you’re going to be a bridesmaid! The next few months (or even years) are going to be a whirlwind of planning, preparation and parties. If you’re going to go down in history as the best bridesmaid ever, you’ll need to up your game. While I’m away for the last of the school holidays (and I’ll report back on what we got up to next week!) House of Fraser has been kind enough to write a guest post for me, sharing their tips on being a good bridesmaid:

1.     Wear the dress

The most important part of your role in the wedding is the bridesmaid dress, so you’re naturally going to have some opinions and preferences around what you would like. By all means tell the bride what style suits you and which colours you like but when your comments start to turn into diva demands, it’s time to stop. Remember, it’s not your wedding, so if the bride has settled on a bridesmaid dress that may not be to your taste, bite your tongue and wear it.

2.     Make sure you’re 100% invested

As we’ve already mentioned, there’s more to being a bridesmaid than following the bride down the aisle. Rather, you’ll dedicate months — maybe even years — of your life to wedding planning, dress fittings, hair trials and hen parties. If you can’t commit to all events, you should consider whether you should be a bridesmaid in the first place.

3.     Start saving in advance

It’s no secret that weddings are expensive. If the bride and groom need to reign in their spending, you may be asked to buy your own dress or shoes, or pay for your own hair and makeup. Throw in a wedding present and hen party spends and the costs can quickly mount up. Start saving as soon as you’re asked to be a bridesmaid, so you won’t be strapped for cash in the long run.

4.     Get to know the other bridesmaids

On the run-up to the big day, you’ll spend a lot of time with your fellow bridesmaids. From the bride’s family members to work colleagues and school friends, bridesmaids can be a mixed bag and you may not always know everyone. To make the bride’s life easier, get to know the other bridesmaids. You’ll enjoy it more and could make a friend for life.

5.     Plan a considerate hen party

The pressure is on to plan a hen party she will love. Forget mediocre nights out, this is her final send off into marital life — so it has to be good! However, it doesn’t have to be difficult. Tailor her hen party around her likes. If she enjoys pampering herself, a spa day will be perfect. Prefers something more action-packed? What about quad biking or a treetop adventure? Remember, you don’t always have to stick to the rules!

6.     Create emergency kits for the wedding day

Hopefully, the months of planning will lead to a stress-free wedding, but this isn’t always the case. From snapped dress snaps to rubbing shoes, there’s bound to be a few mini emergencies on the day but you’ll be on hand with all the essentials. Your clutch bag will be full to the brim with all the essentials, including tissues, plasters, safety pins, makeup, chewing gum — literally everything you could possibly need.

I’ve certainly learnt a few things while reading through this expert article from House of Fraser and I hope it’s helped you too, especially if you’re due to be a bridesmaid any time soon! What do you think is the most important thing you can do as a bridesmaid to help out the bride? Leave me a comment below and let me know your best advice!

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