How to get your bridesmaids excited about your wedding
Getting your bridesmaid “excited” about your wedding may seem counterintuitive. Who wouldn’t be excited about a huge party celebrating their best friend/sister/cousin/etc? Of course your bestie is excited, but being a bridesmaid isn’t always easy. She has to buy a new dress, shoes and more. She’ll likely help organize parties, you and in some cases, act as a therapist when you just need to vent, all while keeping a smile on her face. You’re the bride, you have a lot to do before the big day. Checking in with your bridesmaid may seem like just another thing to on your To Do List. That being said, if you take intentional steps to show your girlfriend how much you appreciate her and do a few small things to fill her tank, it will pay off big time. Here’s five easy ways to get (and keep) your bridesmaid excited about your wedding.
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1.) If you haven’t already, now is the time to ask your bestie to be a bridesmaid in your wedding. If you’ve spent any time at all on Pinterest you know there are a ton of cute ways to “pop the question” to your friend. We can help you brainstorm on this post where we’ve curated 8 awesome ways to ask your bridesmaid or maid of honor to stand up with you. If you’re still struggling with who to include in your bridal party read this post by my friend Amanda. Her tips around choosing wisely are spot on.
2.) Relax. You have a lot on your plate and want everything leading up to the wedding and the wedding itself to go smoothly. It’s easy to take your besties for granted and start barking orders but try not to take the "maid" in bridesmaid too seriously. If you’ve gotten all bridezilla already just apologize; it'll go a long way. I'd also recommend tuning in to the Save the Date podcast by Aleisha McCormack. She coined the term #BrideChilla (you want to be one) and offers simple and sophisticated wedding planning advice & stories that will help take the pressure off. She’s also a comedian so you'll have a few belly laughs while listening which all brides-to-be need. (Fair warning, Aleisha is from Australia and has a bit of a saucy mouth.)
3.) Bridesmaids dresses. The mantra, "You can totally wear this again" is like a unicorn. You want it to be true, but it just isn’t. With this in mind, try to pick dresses that don’t make your bridesmaid feel or look like a trash bag. If your bridesmaid looks good, so will you. Explore Jenny Yoo Bridal if you haven’t picked out bridesmaids dresses yet. Jenny Yoo’s style is romantic, beautiful and the dresses come a huge variety of colors.
4.) Treat your bridesmaid to a special gift from your heart. Traditionally, the bride gives her bridesmaid a gift at the rehearsal dinner such as jewelry that she can wear with her dress at the wedding. I say break from tradition! This is the time to really show your bridesmaid how much you value her friendship by getting her something meaningful and personal.
5.) Finally, say thank you. Don’t underestimate how far genuine appreciation can go. Being a bridesmaid is an incredible experience but playing an integral role is the biggest day of your best friend’s (that’s you, the bride) life is bound to cause a stressful moment here or there. Take a minute to give your girl a big hug and let her know how much her commitment means to you.
Taking these five action steps, or at least a few of them, will help keep your bridesmaid excited about your wedding. Tell me more about your bridesmaids in the comments. How many do you have? How did you ask them to take part in your big day?