There is nothing more exiting than hearing that your closest friend is getting married. All of the years of bad dates and broken hearts are through and those special three words —"I’m getting married" — are some of the greatest you will ever hear.
But it gets better — you’ve been selected to be a part of the bridal party and of course you say yes.
But what are you actually getting into?
The bridal party is traditionally made up of close friends and family of the bride and groom. Both bridesmaids and groomsmen are the ones a bride and groom want to stand with them on the big day. But being a part of the bridal party is not just about showing up and looking nice. There is a lot that goes into the duties of the bridal party.
Maid of Honor and Bridesmaids
Bridesmaids are members of the bride’s wedding party and the maid of honor is a principal bridesmaid. Traditionally, bridesmaids were chosen from unwed young women of the marrying age.
These days, the duties of the maid of honor and the bridesmaid is much more elaborate than simply assisting the bride.
The bridesmaid is called upon for various duties including helping with the planning of the wedding, addressing invitations, planning both a bridal shower and a bachelorette party and entertaining and engaging guests at the wedding. The maid of honor is involved in many of the same duties, but is generally looked at as the "lead" bridesmaid. In fact, it is generally the maid of honor who acts as a witness for the marriage license.
Typically, a bridesmaid is asked to pay for her own dress, including shoes, jewelry and sometimes hair and makeup. The primary duty of the bridesmaid, however, is emotional support for the bride. Even the most organized and put together bride needs a helping hand from time to time, and that’s where bridesmaids come in handy.
In addition to duties the day of the wedding, the maid of honor and the bridesmaids traditionally plan and host both a bridal shower and a bachelorette party.
Often times, due to the amount of money that a bridesmaid will shell out to be a part of the wedding, a bride will present a gift to her bridal party as a sign of her gratitude.
Always remember that you are there to help your friend and its an honor to have been asked, but plan ahead as the honor can be costly.
Best Man and Groomsmen.
In the same way that a bridesmaid attends to a bride, a groomsman attends to the groom. The best man is generally a close friend or family member. The primary duties of a groomsman are to help guests find their place before the ceremony and participate in the wedding.
Groomsmen are there to help the groom get through all the pre wedding stress. They help plan and execute the bachelor party, provide assistance with the gifts, decorate the getaway car and talk with people at the reception who are alone or dance with unpartnered guests.
As with bridesmaids, it is an honor to be asked but can be an expensive proposition. Groomsmen are responsible for their clothing for the wedding, travel arrangements, the cost of planned parties like the bachelor party and should provide both a shower gift and a wedding gift.
Being a part of your friends wedding is fantastic, for bridesmaids or for groomsmen. The best advice for how to make it through is to plan — be aware of your expected duties and take things step by step and your role in the wedding will go off without a hitch.
