Weddings have an entire world of etiquette rules that you may not be accustomed to, until in the position of planning your own wedding, or being a bridesmaid in a wedding. Here are some tips, to help your wedding day run smoothly. It also helps to not hurt any one's feelings along the way!
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1. How much should you spend on gifts for your bridesmaids? I always recommend staying within a $30-$100 budget on each person. It is typical to host a luncheon the morning of the wedding and pay for the girls to eat.
2. Does my Maid of Honor have to be a relative? Absolutely not! Your M.O.H can be your closest friend, sister or cousin. Your mother may tell you otherwise, just to prepare you! ;)
3. Do I have to have someone from his family in my bridal party & vice versa? There are no rules in selecting your bridal party. If you come from a family of all women & have no male suitable to be his groomsmen, it's no big deal. If you & his sister have hit it off, it might be a nice gesture to ask her if she'd like to be a part of the big day.
4. My Maid of Honor is a bridesmaidzilla! How do I kindly tell her to back off? Honesty is the best policy, tactfully of course. There's something about weddings and babies that hit an emotion with most people. Either they've been married before, so they are a know-it-all or they can't wait to be, so they're living vicariously through you. Kindly remind your M.O.H that this is an important time in your life that you can never relive. Tell her you want it to go as smoothly as possible & although you love her input, this is something you've been dreaming about your whole life. It might help to give her a job. Put her in charge of favors, or something that isn't a huge deal to you.
5. All my wedding plans are in motion, but unexpectedly, a bridesmaid dropped out. Do I have to ask a groomsmen to step down or is it okay to have an uneven amount of bridesmaids & groomsmen? You do not have to ask anyone to step down. It is perfectly acceptable to have an uneven amount of attendants. You would be shocked to know how common of a problem this is!
6. My bridesmaids are fighting & getting me involved. What should I do? You are more than likely these womens' common bond. There are a million reasons why bridesmaids bicker. Try to understand the problem & nip it in the bud as quickly as possible. Just explain each other to one another. If the problem persists, ask them kindly to not include you.
7. Am I responsible for my bridemaids' attire? Each bridesmaid is responsible for their own dress and shoes. As a gift, you can get their jewelery.
8. Some of my bridesmaids are from out of town. Do I have to pay for their travel expenses? You definitely do not have to pay for their travel and stay. If you want, you can offer to contribute or set up a room block at a hotel at a discount for out of town guests.
9. My bridesmaids do not have the funding to throw me a bridal shower. Can I throw my own? I do not recommend hosting your own bridal shower. It doesn't sit well with people; it's like asking for people to bring you gifts. A bridal shower isn't a necessity. Try to remember why you asked these ladies to be a part of your wedding day. They hold a special place in your heart & it shouldn't matter what they can afford. I do recommend outlining the responsibilities of being a bridesmaid when asking your attendants. Knowledge is power & a lot of people don't know wedding etiquette until they are planning their own wedding.
10. How many months out should I ask my friends/family to be in my wedding? You want to give them an appropriate amount of time to save money & take off work for special events. I recommend asking 12-9 months before the big day.
Good luck!
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