Two women, 61 weddings and two collection of ugly dresses.
First Coast residents Alicia Mottl and Megan Spiewak know something about being a bridesmaid.
"Each of us have a time when we will get married and my time just has not come yet," said Mottl. "It never bothers me to be there for my friends when they need it the most."
Mottl said she enjoys making new friends with other members of the bridal party and being there to support the bride on what is arguably the most important day of her life, but admitted there is one major downside to always being the bridesmaid.
"Paying for the dresses," she said. "They get really expensive after a while."
"I hate having to wear the ugly dresses," said Spiewak, who otherwise tries to take a more humorous approach to her bridesmaid duties.
"I love watching the brides turn into Bridezilla," she said, adding that one thing most of the weddings she’s been involved with have in common, besides ugly bridesmaids’ dresses, is the thought that runs through her head as she stands beside the altar.
"I’m usually thinking, Thank God I don’t have to be tied down to him."
For Mottl, participating in so many weddings has given her ideas for her own wedding, whenever it happens.
"I know generally what I want to have for my wedding, but there are so many different ideas that it changes a lot," she said.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, Mottl will have at least one more wedding to draw ideas from — and one more bridesmaid dress to add to her collection. She is currently preparing to serve in another wedding, which will take place in a few months.
