Confessions of a First-time Bridesmaid: We Get Stressed at Weddings, Too

When a friend asked me to be one of her bridesmaids, I was super psyched! I haven’t been a bridesmaid before, and I was so excited to help her out. Little did I know that I was about to take one of the greatest rides of my life.

Normally, it was the maid of honor’s responsibility to help the bride with planning, but in this case, it became mine. The maid of honor was busy with other personal matters and barely had enough time to meet the bride and check how things were going. As a friend, I needed to step up.

Needless to say, the challenge was so overwhelming. I had to make sure everything went according to plan, from the planning to the reception. On top of making sure I was in good shape, here are few other things I had keep up with throughout the entire length of the wedding:

Party planning. Along with the other bridesmaids, I planned the bridal shower and bachelorette party. We divided duties amongst ourselves: who thinks of the theme and games, who prepares the guest list, and who makes sure the event goes off without a hitch.

Record keeping. During the bridal shower, I stayed by the bride and made a record of the bride’s gifts. The record contained who gave it, what it was, and what the bride said when she opened the gift. It would be used for the Thank-you notes later on.

Coordinating. With the bride’s approval, I scheduled the fitting of the bridesmaids’ gowns, and bought a “bridesmaid” gift for the bride. I also served as the wedding planner’s deputy. I checked if the venue and vendors were properly booked and if anything else was needed.

Encouraging. Since the bride was under a lot of pressure, I helped her get through it. It was a good thing my friend wasn’t a Bridezilla. Although she cried a few times, because of a few bumps in the way, she didn’t give me a hard time keeping her happy.

Damage controlling. While the bride makes the major decisions, I get to handle minor skirmishes and minimal crises. It’s my job to keep the bride smiling, after all. 

It wasn’t a walk in the park, I tell you, but to my surprise, the whole experience was really rewarding! I learned a lot of things about weddings, about people, and about myself. So here’s to more exciting rides, from one bridesmaid to another.

About the author: Melissa Page loves everything about weddings. She also blogs for Music for Scotland, a premier live music agency who presents regular wedding band showcases in Glasgow.