Bridesmaid DOs and DON’Ts

Happy Monday! Your first Honeymoon Week guest post comes from Nora at Walking through the Rain. Nora is an incredibly sweet and entertaining blogger, and one of my favorite things about her blog is the creativeness with which she manages to compose lists or bullet-point entries. I’m not even kidding. I usually do bullet-posts when I just feel obligated to write something but have nothing of any value to say. She can make a list sound like poetry! Anyway, this is guest post week, so I’m going to stop talking now and hand over the reins to Nora. (Oh, and don’t forget to check out her blog — like I said, she’s great!)

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(While Tabitha is off getting hitched to the man of her dreams, dancing the night away and honeymooning in gorgeous Nevada, I get to entertain you with, well, whatever I want to talk about.)

If you’ve ever read my blog, you’ve probably caught wind of the fact that I’ve been a bridesmaid six times. Or is it eight? I’ve lost count. All I know is that I’ve boogied with my shoes off, had my hair in uncomfortable hairdos, been grabbed by drunken groomsmen, consumed an entire bottle of wine myself and of course, being the big ‘ole sap that I am, cried at every single wedding.

So eight weddings + eight dresses + crying eight times clearly makes me an expert on what to Do and Not Do as a Bridesmaid:

DO come prepared to help the bride with a “kit” full of Tide pens, shout wipes, q-tips, safety pins, double-sided tape, breath mints and kleenex. You’ll be amazed at how handy these goodies will be for you.

DON’T be surprised if you wind up with your hand up the bride’s dress at some point, in search of a stray alteration pin that was left in the dress and is now poking your friend in the butt when she tries to sit down. No, seriously. It happens. I was the bridesmaid with my hand (and part of my head) up the back of my friend’s dress in search of the painful pin. It was an inch long!

DO try to find a creative way to stick some tissues in your bouquet in case you need them when you’re standing at the altar.

DON’T forget to wear waterproof mascara or you’ll risk looking like Alice Cooper on your way back down the aisle.

DO check in with the bride (quietly) to see if she needs ANYTHING. And I do mean anything.

DON’T let her get too stressed out. Take her cell phone away from her, giving someone else the task of handling the last minute details.*

DO find comortable shoes that match your dress.

DON’T get stripper/hooker shoes that light up when you walk. I have seen this (not a wedding I was in, but one I attended. It looked…wrong).

DO prepare a speech if you’re the Maid of Honor so that you aren’t stuttering around like Elmer Fudd.

DON’T boo the best man if his speech is better (or worse) than yours.**

DO be one of the first people out on the dance floor. Brides are always worried about people having a good time so get the dance party started and more people will follow.

DON’T re-enact a scene from Dirty Dancing on the dance floor with the hot groomsman (or groomsmen).***

DO be prepared for the single groomsmen to hit on every single bridesmaid, whether she’s single or not.

DO take as many pictures you can possibly stand to be in.

DO consider burning the photos to a CD and sending them to the bride. Brides can’t get enough photos of their wedding!

DON’T picture bomb every single photo (intentionally).

DON’T plan on meeting your future husband at the wedding.

DO plan on being there for your good friend, laughing and smiling like it’s your job, dancing until your feet feel like stumps and going home full of joy and pleasant exhaustion.

* It may be tough to persuade the bride to give up her phone, but trust me, she’ll be so appreciative. Brides have enough to think about rather than dealing with Great Uncle Gary’s incessant questions about how to get to the reception or the fact that a flower wilted.

** Yes, I have been at a wedding where speeches were (plafyully, I hope) booed.

*** I have seen this, too. There are times where Baby should stay in the corner.

Any other DOs/DON’Ts for bridesmaids or groomsmen?

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Thanks again, Nora! I’ll let you know how my bridesmaids did on these tips when I get back! (Or, if any of them are reading this, they can feel free to comment!)