Bridal Attendants

Why Being a Bridesmaid is the Best Gig

(BNN) You've just received the call. Your college "sister" is getting married, and she wants you to be a bridesmaid. Quick--are you flabbergasted or flattered?

Let's hope it's the latter. Though it can be a daunting experience to serve such an important role, your friend must really consider you one of her best gal pals, right? So if you think of your duties as a BEST GAL rather than as a servant to the bride, things will go much more smoothly in carrying out your commitment. Here are some surefire tips for being the best "best gal".

Be enthusiastic and supportive. As the bride plans her big day, she'll need plenty of backup, both material and emotional, from those she has honored with bridesmaid status. Don't wait to be asked. Volunteer your assistance with some of the more tedious and time-consuming tasks, such as selecting a venue for the ceremony (especially if it is a logistically challenging "destination wedding" far from home); planning bridal showers and bachelorette parties; and, if need be, even addressing invitations. Since many of today's couples create wedding websites to inform invited guests of the details, you can help gather information to keep communications up to date.

Expect the unexpected and "come to the rescue". No matter how thorough the nuptial planning, there will always be glitches. That's when a bride's best gals can step in and show their true colors. Maybe the fresh peonies the bride wants aren't in season; so . . . suggest a beautiful silk-alternative flower. Has her future mother-in-law requested that non-alcoholic libations also be served at the wedding reception? Maybe you could recommend fresh and fun alcohol-free cocktails that are tasty, colorful, and perhaps even evoke a romantic theme.

Shop for bridesmaids' dresses! Here's where the real fun of being a best gal begins. Although the bride-to-be will have the last word on how the wedding party will look, she will of course want them to play a major role in selecting their dresses, and to be delighted with the choice as well. Thankfully, dress options today are vast and flexible for all personalities and body types. Doing some fashion research on the Internet can help you, as a best gal, with style preferences. At Dessy.com and AfterSixDresses.com, for instance, designer Vivian Diamond's bridesmaid’s dresses are all about soft, feminine, simple silhouettes with draping, layering, or jewel-pin accents. These popular designs, meant to be “wear-again” glamorous evening looks, come in a variety of colors with favorites ranging from claret and shades of pink to aubergine and kiwi.  For those who want versatility and flexibility of mixing sizes, colors and patterns, an exciting range of bridesmaids separates and two-piece dresses may be seen on AlfredSung.com.   Show the bride your taste expertise by recommending a few flattering styles. Once the choice has been made, best gals should help make sure their dresses are ordered far enough in advance to allow time for choosing the perfect shoes and jewelry to wear on the big day.

Take time to share the memories. One of the most satisfying fringe benefits of being a best gal is sharing with your best-gal pals--the friendships, stories, important events involved in the wedding.  A personal keepsake for the bride and the wedding party will be treasured for a lifetime.  One perfect memento, for instance, might be a photo diary documenting everything from dress-shopping and bridal showers to festive bachelorette parties and the rehearsal dinner. You can assemble the pictures in a lovely, small album or--utilizing today's digital technology--make, or have made, a CD of the images. Then, with the latter, you can host an informal "welcome back" party when the newlyweds return from their honeymoon, and play a "slide-show" of the images on your TV set.

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