Day 2 - Being a Bridesmaid

Today's writing prompt is to impart knowledge about something I know a lot about or am good at.  There were several topics I could have written about from a non-serious standpoint (avoiding laundry, etc.), but then I thought about what I've done enough in my life to feel comfortable enough to write a little about.  I chose to write about being a bridesmaid.

I've been blessed to have many good friends from my hometown, college, and my career.  One of the perks of having such close friends is the opportunity to be with them on the most important days of their lives.  I've had the privilege of being a bridesmaid in 9 of my closest friends' weddings, and each experience was unique and memorable.  Here are some things that I found helpful in my experiences:

1.  If you've never been part of a wedding party before, do some research! With Pinterest and the gazillion wedding websites, you can find so many good ideas in a short time.  You'll get more comfortable with some of the duties of a bridesmaid/MOH (maid of honor) and find some helpful ideas for the other ladies that you'll be standing with on your friend's big day.

2.  Pack an emergency kit for the day of the wedding.  I had stuff like hairspray, pen & paper, mouthwash, a mirror, safety pins, bobby pins, tissues, lotion, etc.  A lot of it came in handy :)

3. Support the bride in everything!  Whether it's assembling the wedding favors into the wee hours of the morning on the day of the wedding or watching her try on wedding dresses, just be there for her and ready to act at a moment's notice.

4. Play with flowers - you never know when you might get the chance to help the bride pick out and assemble her bouquet :)

5.  Learn to pin boutonnieres.  Guys generally don't know how to do that and it's one less thing for the bride to worry about.

6. Guard the door to the dressing room to prevent a multitude of people from coming to overwhelm the bride with last minute requests or questions.  Field those yourself if you can.

7.  Dance at the reception.  When you're in the dress - it's your responsibility to get the party started! :)

8. If the caterer isn't already instructed to do so, grab a plate of food for the bride and groom.  They're usually too busy to worry about food.

9. Have fun!!!  It's one of the best days of your friend's life and she picked you to be there with her to enjoy it!! :)

(Did you like that I had 9 things - one for each wedding?? :) )

P.S. I've got a lot more fun wedding pictures on my computer at home - these were the ones I found through a quick search on my phone and Facebook.  I might add more later :)