Wedding Planning

Wedding Planning
9 Common Mistakes
Bridesmaids Make
Whether you're doing this for the first or the
14th time, here's a list of common bridesmaid
mistakes to avoid.
You can read up like you're trying to cram for an
exam or read a bridesmaid survival guide, but
the best—and really the only—way to figure out
how to be a bridesmaid is to do it over and over
again—and make some mistakes along the way.
Whether you're doing this for the first or the 14th
time, here's a list of common bridesmaid
mistakes to avoid.
1. Prematurely accepting to be a bridesmaid:
Just because you're asked to be a
bridesmaid doesn't mean you have to say
yes. Do it only because: that person truly
means a lot to you, you have the time and
extra cash to do it right, and because you
want to.
2. Bringing the wrong gift to the wrong place:
When the wedding adventure first begins,
map out each event that you plan on bringing
a gift to—that way, you won't make the
rookie mistake of bringing lingerie to the
bridal shower.
3. Not listening to the bride: When the bride
says she wants a quiet and simple
bachelorette party, somewhere with bottles of
wine and cucumbers over her eyes—don't go
off and plan a night out at the hottest club in
Las Vegas. Listen to her, even if it's not what
you want to do—or what you "think" she
really wants.
4. Not saving the drama for the maid of
honour: Planning a wedding is stressful. So if
you're not happy with the dress she picked
out or the time the bridal shower starts or
how another one of the bridesmaids is
treating you, chat about it with the maid of
honour or another member of the bridal
party.
5. Spending too much money: Yes, being a
bridesmaid is expensive. Sometimes more
money than you'd like to actually spend. Set
budget expectations early on with the entire
wedding party.
6. Leaving the essentials behind: Clean out the
travel-size toiletries section at CVS. Throw
all those items into a tote bag or a fanny
pack. They will come in handy. They will save
your feet, your mind, and your stress sweat
from leaking out all over the place when the
bride desperately needs eyelash glue.
7. Speak now or hold your peace: If you're
speaking during her reception or at her
rehearsal dinner, leave out the part about
how on your spring break cruise to Cozumel
she spent 60 percent of the trip with her head
nearby the toilet and the other 40 percent
with her lips on a shot glass. Save that for
the bachelorette party.
8. Shots, shots, shots, shots: Speaking of
shots, leave them off your drink menu the
night before the wedding. Waking up
hungover won't feel or look so great.
9. Wedding is done—so am I! Just because the
couple said "I do" and you danced the Hora
and the Macarena with them until 2 A.M.
doesn't mean your job as a bridesmaid has
come to a complete stop and you can exit
your role. The days after the wedding, the
bride may turn to you for help with picking
out photos for her album, helping her sort
through gifts, and even just calling you to
chat.