How To Put Your Bridesmaids To Work
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It’s easy to forget that your bidesmaids really are there to help. The word “maid” isn’t in the name for nothing! Bridesmaids’ duties go beyond planning the bachelorette party and the bridal shower. They go beyond agreeing to wear a dress they don’t necessarily love and showing up early for wedding party photos. When your bridesmaid says yes to being your bridesmaid, she’s signing up to be available to you for any wedding-related task, every day, leading up to the wedding. Of course, she has her own life, too. But she is agreeing to do what she can to help out, when she can. If you’re the stubborn type who doesn’t like to ask for help, cut that out—you can’t afford to be like that when you’re planning a wedding. Here are ways you can put your bridesmaids to work.
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Taking save the date photos
Why hire a photographer who is going to charge you $300 for two hours when you have a perfectly able-bodied friend? Even the lower-cost cameras on the market capture high quality images these days. Ask your bridesmaid to put aside a few hours to come with you to the beach, park or wherever you’d like to take your save the date pictures and be your photographer.
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Sending save the dates
Stuffing, licking, stamping and addressing several hundred save the date cards is no small task. To give you some idea of how long it will take, doing about 200 of these on your own could take you three hours. So have your bridesmaids over for some wine and cheese and put them to work. Between a few of them, they can have your save the date cards ready in an hour.
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Findings bridesmaids dress options
If you’re willing to give your maid of honor a little control in this area, you could save yourself a lot of trouble. Give her some notes on what you have in mind for bridesmaids’ dresses, as well as a budget, and send her on her way. Between the Internet and brick and mortar stores, she should be able to come back to you with plenty of options.
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Getting everyone’s measurements
If you’re going to have the bridesmaids’ dresses tailor-made, put one of your bridesmaids in charge of getting everyone’s measurements. Hey, if your groomsmen are lagging on having their suits made, your maid of honor could also get their measurements to the tailor. Give her the job of hounding people for this information and making them stick to a deadline.
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Getting quotes from vendors
If you’re trying to do most of this wedding yourself, your bridesmaids are crucial. Give your bridesmaids a list of florists, venues, DJs and caterers you’re interested in. You can split these tasks up by category, giving each bridesmaid a different one. Have them make the calls, sit on hold and be transferred from one desk to the next to get the appropriate quotes.
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Letting you vent
Your bridesmaids must absolutely be on call to let you vent when you need to! You’ll have family drama leading up to the big day. You’ll get bad news about the DJ you wanted. You’ll argue with your fiancé over decisions. You’ll need someone to vent to at least a few times a week. Have some hashtag you can text your bridesmaids that lets them know you need someone to talk to ASAP.
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Being on your hubby’s butt about his tasks
Planning a wedding can be very stressful on a couple. You don’t want to be on your partner’s *ss every day, asking him if he told his groomsmen about this yet or called that cousin about that yet. So have your maid of honor do it. Let her be the pain in his butt, so you can just get along with him. Give her a list of dates by which your fiancé must do certain tasks, and have her hold him accountable to them.
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Reminding guests of events
Engagement parties, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, bachelor parties, rehearsal dinners…there are a lot of events leading up to the actual wedding. Make each bridesmaid a point person for these events. It’s their job to remind people of these events, and answer any questions people have about how to find the venue, where to park, dress code and so on.
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Finding good/affordable hair/makeup
You want your bridesmaids to look on point for your big day but you also don’t want to ask them to spend a lot of money. Ask one of your bridesmaids to research an affordable salon for everyone to get their hair and makeup done. Ask another to pick up some champagne for hair and makeup time.
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Have them deflect drama on the big day
You have a few troublemaker family members. You know if someone isn’t watching them, they’ll find a way to ruin your big day. Put each bridesmaid in charge of these guests. Tell them what type of drama they like to stir, and to stay on top of preventing it.
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A welcome package for your getting-ready room
You may need a little protein snack, flask, book of mantras, Advil and slippers in your getting ready room. Just ask your bridesmaids to put together a basket of last minute, emergency items you may need on the big day.
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Putting together the goodie bags
You’re likely sending your guests off with gift bags and assembling these isn’t easy. Or, perhaps you’re putting welcome bags in the hotel rooms of traveling guests. Ask your bridesmaids to run around town, picking up the Gatorade, mini bags of popcorn, condoms and whatever else you plan on putting in there.
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Helping you with the registry
If your fiancé doesn’t want to go with you to the department store to choose items for your registry, have your bridesmaid with impeccable taste come with you. Or, have the one who is the best homemaker come along. It’s just more fun with a buddy.
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Get you drinks/food on your big day
If your bridesmaids don’t make sure you have enough water, alcohol and food on your big day, nobody will. You’ll forget to eat until all the food is gone and you’ll dance until you’re sweating through your dress. Ask your bridesmaids to attend to your hunger and thirst needs.
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Thank you notes
Thank you notes, like save the date cards, take a lot of time to send out. First off, have a bridesmaid sit with you while you open gifts and write down who gave you what. Later, have all your bridesmaids get together to stuff, address and stamp the thank you notes.
