Suddenly, visions of hideous coloured taffeta flash through your head and you think: "What have I gotten myself into?" Here are some tips and tricks for keeping both your sanity and your friendship.
Do get involved
Wedding planning can seem daunting. As a bridesmaid, being supportive and upbeat can be one of the best gifts you can give your friend.
Do act as a referee
Run interference against an outspoken mother, mother-in-law or family member. There will be at least one who will try to bully the bride and push her to her breaking point. Calmly stepping in with some choice phrases like "We'll be sure to look into that for you," or "Thank you so much, that's a great tip!" will save the arraignment hearing from infringing on the honeymoon.
Do be the voice of reason
Anyone who's seen Bridezilla knows wedding planning can go awry. Pick a code word you and the bride can use to indicate when things are getting out of hand. Using the code word can be fun and it'll save temper tantrums later.
Remember Steel Magnolias? Julia Robert's colours for the wedding were "blush & bashful", which Sally Field quickly pointed out were actually pink & pink. When your friend is looking at hiring a 12-piece Mariachi band to play next to the hors d'oeuvre table, it's time to gently say "blush & bashful." She'll giggle and take a second look at her decisions.
Do set limits right off the bat
This is a great pre-emptive measure. It can be simple things like you will hold her dress, but you're not wiping anything. Or trickier things like you will go to the fittings, check out the flowers and the Mariachi band, but you will not dance with pervy cousin Ken at the rehearsal dinner.
Page 1 of 2 - read on for tips on what you shouldn't do!
