So you’ve been chosen as a bridesmaid or a groomsman.
First of all, congratulations!
Second of all, get ready for a wild ride – from this moment onwards, keeping the bride/groom happy and ensuring things run smoothly is your one and only priority.
Every wedding is different, but usually most bridesmaids’ and groomsmen’s responsibilities are fairly similar, and they start much earlier than the big day.
Fittings
No bridesmaid wants to wear an ugly dress, so it’s common sense that they be there for bridesmaid dress fittings. Whether the bride wants one color scheme or the same style or something completely different for all the bridesmaids, it’s your responsibility to be there. And if the bride asks you to be at a wedding dress fitting too, you’re to be there.
Same goes for the groomsmen. While it might be a bit easier to pick a suit or a tax for them (they have the option to rent!), you need to keep the groom from making any mad style choices. A blue velvet tuxedo isn’t the best way to impress a bride who likes the conventional. Groomsmen are there to prevent that kind of thing from happening.
Bachelor and bachelorette parties
Usually the best man and the maid of honor are in charge of these parties. Nonetheless, the bridesmaids and the groomsmen should contribute. Setting the budget, creating WhatsApp groups to iron out the details, sorting out the strippers – all of the above requires teamwork to make sure the parties go smoothly. Make sure to listen to the bride and groom – if they don’t want the strippers, it’s your responsibility to calm down the more “enthusiastic” bridesmaids and groomsmen! And it goes without saying that your presence at the parties is a must.
Wedding day support
The maid of honor and the best man are usually on lead with ensuring that certain aspects of the wedding go smoothly, and the rest of the wedding party needs to be there to help.
The groomsmen – or the ushers – would be busy with ushering (pun intended) the guests to their seats while the bridesmaids look after the flower girl and the ring bearer. The ladies are also there to make sure the bride’s glamour game is always up. That involves, amongst other things, carrying her dress train, having a tub of lip gloss in the purse, holding the bouquet between the photos, etc. The groomsmen have it easier in this case (or do they?) – making sure that the groom actually shows up on time and stays sharp!
Be in the party mode and in the support mode
Most important of all – the bridesmaids and the groomsmen need to dance! Making sure that everyone has a good time at the reception is their responsibility just as much as the newlyweds’, so they’re to mingle and be available as partners.
At the end of the day, you’re there to support your friends who’ve found happiness with each other. So the main thing to remember is that you’re responsible for being there for them – whether they’d need a tissue to wipe away a stray tear, an extra vodka shot at the bachelor’s party or just an ear willing to listen.
