There are a lot of responsibilities of being a bridesmaid, but you will stand out from the group if you just follow these 8 simple rules. Remember that the bride has chosen you because you are special to her and she can’t imagine her big day without you standing by her side. 
1. Budget for Tomorrow
There are a lot of expenses involved in being a bridesmaid, and the best thing you can do for yourself is plan for them in advance. The first thing you should do is create a budget for yourself, and stick to it. An easy way to do this is to buy your travel, accommodations, and presents as early as you can. The sooner you look at the registry, the more control you will have on how much you spend because it won’t be picked over yet.
2. Make A Schedule
There is going to be a lot going on in the months leading up to the wedding, and the only way to stay on top of everything is to schedule it out. This is especially important when you are planning the dates for showers and bachelorette trips. The bridal party consists of a lot of different schedules, and finding a time that works for everyone is not an easy task.
3. Get to Know the Other Girls
You are going to be spending a lot of time with this group of girls, so do the bride a favor and get to know one another. This will help the bride relax because she won’t have to worry about how everyone is getting along.
4. Bring the Bride Back to Reality
This wedding will take over the bride’s life, and the best thing you can do for her is make sure that she comes back to reality every once in awhile. She can only think about the wedding for so long, and whether she admits it or not will need a night off from the planning. The bride will appreciate you planning a night out with the girls or surprising her and her fiancé with a date night.
5. Pick Your Battles
In order to keep the bride happy, I would carefully choose what you decide to fight back about. You agreed to stand by the bride during this special time, and that means supporting all of her decisions. She will probably ask you opinion about certain things, like the dress, but remember to put the bride first and only demand something if it is truly important.
6. Shower the Bride
The shower is a time to surround the bride with the people who love her. Think about the things that are important to the bride and incorporating them into the shower will make the event exceed all of her expectations. If you are concerned about the budget of the shower, plan ahead and make some of the decorations yourself as a way to save money.
7. Remember it’s her Bachelorette Party
This is the one of the responsibilities that can really make a good bridesmaid stand out. There are many different feelings you might be going through. The golden rule for planning a bachelorette party is to keep the bride in mind for all decisions. This is not your ideal party weekend, but rather a weekend to do nothing but celebrate the bride-to-be. This doesn’t mean you can’t play games, but just make sure that it stays all fun and games and doesn’t make the bride feel uncomfortable.
8. Make a Schedule for the Big Day
The big day will not only be here before you know it, but it will go by extremely fast. As a bridesmaid you should help keep the bride calm by working with her to create a schedule and packing list for the morning of. This will keep everyone relaxed while getting ready, and ensure that nothing gets left behind when you head to the venue.
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Photography credit: Bella Wang Photography, Hailey Tash Photograpy
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