The Bridesmaid's Survival Guide

Before you get caught up in the excitement of being a bridesmaid, you should first consider whether you will be able to fulfill the duties of a bridesmaid. It is better to decline the honor than to be unable to fulfill your role. So, what are the duties a bridesmaid usually takes on?

Generally speaking, bridesmaids are expected to -
- attend all wedding related events, including engagement parties, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, rehearsals, wedding ceremony and reception, and any other events (for example, a post-wedding afterparty or brunch the next day)
- assist in planning of the bridal shower and bachelorette party, and contribute some share of money towards them
- purchase and wear an outfit of the bride's choosing, and have the bridesmaid dress measured, fitted, altered as necessary. The outfit may also include accessories such as matching shoes, gloves or jewelry. You may also be requested to get your hair, nails or makeup done with the bridal party, and pay for that.
- assist the bride with wedding planning duties as necessary and requested, for example helping address invitations or make favors
- provide emotional support by keeping in close contact with the bride during her engagement
- arrange for and pay for your own travel to the wedding, including flights, hotel and car rental
- be available to the bride on the day of the wedding by arriving early to assist her with dressing, deliver messages to family members that day, make sure she has something to eat or drink, carry gifts to the car at the end of the reception
- buy the bride a bridal shower gift, and buy the couple a wedding gift

This list can vary greatly depending on your friend's wants and needs. The best way to determine what is expected of you is to be upfront and ask the bride. As you can see, the bridesmaid duties may take up a considerable amount of time and money. If you are unable to commit yourself to fulfilling the duties, it is best to thank the bride for the honor but explain that you are unable to be a bridesmaid, although you would of course like to be a guest at the wedding.

If you are ready to accept, read on for Bridesmaid Survival guidance!

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Congratulations! Despite the work and cost involved, being a bridesmaid is at the heart of the matter, an honor. The bride must value your friendship and advice, and so your next step is to continue to be a great friend. Go through the bridesmaid duties above. Be there for your friend. And most importantly, have fun!

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One of the most obvious burdens on a bridesmaid is the financial burden of participating in the bridal party. As you can see from the list of bridesmaid duties above, you will be expected to pay for or contribute towards many things throughout the couple's engagement. The best way to lessen this burden on you is to start saving up your money immediately! You do NOT want to go into debt for someone else's wedding, so start saving your money now so that you can pay in cash for things like the bridesmaid dress and wedding gift when the time comes. The easiest way to start saving is to open a separate dedicated high interest savings account at an online bank like ING, and have a portion of your paycheck transferred to that account every pay period. Before you know it, you'll already have saved enough money to cover your bridesmaid dress!

Photo by Peter Ciresa - Buy at Allposters.com