Choosing your bridesmaids is one of the first decisions about your wedding that you make, sometimes before you even know who you’re going to marry! Your bridesmaids are your support system, your front line, your squad and your hype men. Being a bridesmaid is exactly like having a job- responsibilities, sacrifices and expenses- with no reimbursement except your happiness and gratitude.
This is why it only makes sense to choose your girls who are willing to go the distance for you, not the prettiest girls you can convince. Let us say it louder for the people in the back; You Do Not Choose Your Bridal Party Based On Their Beauty!
Now that’s cleared up, how do you choose your bridesmaids?
Maid/Matron of Honour: She’s a maid if she has never been married and a matron if she is married or once was. This person has a big job: she coordinates the other bridesmaids, heads the planning of the bridal shower if there will be one, helps you pick a dress, calms you and takes the reigns when you need a break. On your wedding day she holds your bag, bouquet, anything else you need; makes sure you don’t have a hair out of place; keeps your train on course, and takes care of any matter arising at the wedding when you’re busy getting married.
Of course she has to be a friend or a sister you trust to do all this.
• You can have more than one maid of honour. You can have both your sister and your friend playing this role. You can also have a maid of honour and a matron of honour.
• Blood wins out if you do feel that you have to pick one. Your sister gets the honour. She however, should not be the one to plan your shower. Your friends will, and she can support them.
Bridesmaids: They usually have to pay for dresses and perhaps shoes, makeup and hairstyling, travel and accommodations. They have to help plan the bridal shower, buy gifts if they can, show up at every stage of your wedding, dance with you, take pictures, pack the money you get sprayed with, and share souvenirs at the wedding.
Choosing your real friends means they will do all this if they are financially capable, without it feeling like a huge inconvenience. Being that close means they probably knew years ago that they will be in your train. So please don’t feel like you have to add or subtract to match the groomsmen. There can be an uneven number and it does not matter.
At the end of the day, what matters is that you have the real love and loyalty of your best girls around you as you take this life-changing step. Now that’s Squad Goals.