If you think finding the perfect venue or the ultimate destination for your wedding was the hardest decision you had to make, think again. As crazy as it seems, picking your bridal party is often pegged as one of the most challenging tasks a bride has to execute. Unless you’ve already got that sorted out since the tender age of eight (lucky you), the fact is, you’re going to have to go through hell and back to please everyone and most importantly, to avoid making enemies come your big day.
So how should you pick a bridal party that best compliments you and ultimately, that will honor your day oh-so-perfectly?
- Kick off “Operation Bridesmaid” by starting out with the blood ties. If you have a sister or a cousin that is very close to you, then give your first spot to one of them. Odds are, she will probably be your maid of honor as well. If you have more than one sister, keep the peace by agreeing on a certain cycle you can all benefit from.
- Carry on the procedure by moving to your closest friends. But here’s the tricky part, since we’re assuming you have a lot of those, then make sure you pick the ones who will play the part perfectly. And by perfectly, we mean showing up on time to rehearsal, dealing well with your hissy fits , calming you when you have cold feet and knowing you well enough to organize your bridal shower and so on. And please, don’t try to avoid disappointing everyone by asking them all to participate!
- Make sure the potential bridesmaids are well prepared to take on such a – we’re sorry to say it – daunting endeavor. Ergo, make sure they have the time, the means and the patience to do it. If you feel that one of your friends is pressured with work, it’s perfectly okay to spare her the trouble.
- Finally, once you “propose” to said bridesmaid, make sure you let her know that you completely understand if she has other commitments. But most of all, never be offended if your potential bridesmaid says no. It’s never personal!
Cindy Menassa
