Oh, hey there, Bridesmaids! This one’s for you!
You must mean a heck of a lot to her, for her to have chosen you as a member of her bridal party, so fist pump to yah, and let’s get down to business!
Gone are the days where bridesmaids acted as decoys for jealous suiters and ‘evil spirits’ (yes, that was a thing); had shoes thrown at them during the reception (true story); and were sworn witnesses at the marriage bed (uhhh…awkward)…thank goodness, right!
By today’s standards, you were chosen for one reason, and one reason alone: she loves you. Being a bridesmaid is – truthfully – not an easy task. You’re probably going to be up at the crack of dawn on the big day, spend a ton of money on your dress and hair, and be totally busy supporting your bride along the way, but, if you’re this kinda bridesmaid, then you’re my kinda girl!
In today’s Friday Five series, we’re chatting about 5 things bridesmaids should know on the wedding day and some tips and tricks for creating an awesome wedding experience!
1. KEEP TRACK OF THE DETAILS.
When the wedding photographer shows up on the wedding day, they’ll likely introduce themselves, take a quick walk around the room, and then get straight to work! The first 30-60 minutes of bride prep are usually dedicated to ‘the details’! This includes things like the dress, the rings, the florals, the jewellery, the invitations etc., and it’s great to have these things set aside in advance! I always recommend having ‘point person’ who knows where all of these details are kept, so that when the photographer arrives, they can get straight to work! This time in the morning is guaranteed to be busy, and the faster we can collect these details, the more time we’ll have to shoot.
And on that note, you can save us another 5-10 minutes by having all the bridesmaids dresses and the wedding gown safely unwrapped from their plastic bags and on attractive hangers by the time your vendors arrive! That’s 5-10 minutes we’d rather spend shooting, and more photos for the final gallery!
2. HELP KEEP THINGS TIDY.
Clutter can be seen in the background of photos, so let’s keep things tucked away or stored out of sight! That includes suitcases, food, rubbish, and piles of clothes.
If you’ll be getting ready at a hotel and are planning on sleeping in the hotel room the night before the wedding, consider asking if housekeeping could arrive a little earlier to help make the bed and clear any room service trays early.
3. HOW TO BUSTLE, PIN AND DROP IT LOW.
Often – if the bride allows – someone in her entourage will go with her to her final fitting to learn how the dress should be fastened. At this point, you can also learn the tricks on how to bustle her dress, which will help pin up the extra material under her gown for the reception.
Pinning the veil is the easiest of all, but you will want to get an idea of where the bride wants this piece pinned in her hair. Sometimes, your hair stylist will pin the veil in place while doing her hair, but this isn’t always the case: sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of the morning, it’s forgotten; but other times a bride will wait to pin her veil until after the first look as veils can get pulled out in the excitement, or she may want it as something new to have as she walks down the aisle. It’s not a bad idea to know how she wants it in advance, in case she needs your help perfecting the look.
And finally, if your girl wants a bumpin’ dance floor, you’re gonna have to work it! A happy dance floor is a crowded dance floor. Chance are, you’ll be the ones tasked with keeping it busy long into the reception! A surefire way to do that is to strap on those dancing shoes and get ready for some awesome party photos; let’s do this!!
4. BE READY BEFORE SHE IS.
Depending on what the bride is envisioning, when she’s getting in to her dress you’ll either be tucked away in a side room for a ‘big reveal’ once she’s fully in her gown…or, standing off to the side within view, and be part of this exciting moment! Either way, it’s great if you can be fully ready before she is, so you’re ready for this big moment to happen!
5. WALK S-L-O-W-L-Y DOWN THE AISLE!
Enjoy this moment! As the music cues and you realize all eyes will soon be on you, the nerves will set in, hard! Try to relax, and walk s-l-o-w-l-y!! Truth be told, part of this suggestion is to benefit the ceremony photography: taking photos of moving subjects is a challenge in itself; but taking photos of subjects moving quickly in a dark church is a whole different story. Do us this favour of walking at a normal pace, and we’ll totally high-five you later! x
And last, but certainly not least, if you’re a bridesmaid in an upcoming wedding, consider connecting with vendors in advance through social media! I can’t tell you how awesome it is to show up on a wedding day and already know some of the bridesmaids I’ll be working with!! If you’re in this boat, hit me up on Instagram and Facebook! I can’t wait to finally meet you!! x