Is Being a Bridesmaid an Honor or a Burden? From Bridesmaids Dresses to Nuptial Duties
You are asked to attend your friend's wedding as a bridal attendant.
Is this reason to be proud or to be concerned? There are varying opinions about it which - usually - depend on past experiences, financial situation and the exact expectations of the wedding organizers.
They generally fall into two categories, an honor or a burden, with some variations between them possible.
If you read Internet forums or run a survey among ex-bridesmaids, you are likely to get something that cuts straight through this division, leaving probably as many aisle girls on the pro side as on the contra side.
What often determines the attitude to being a bridal attendant is an extent to which somebody is willing to accept responsibilities connected with their role.
Needless to say, they can vary considerably, but tend to include assisting the bride-to-be with the organization of the wedding, standing by her side throughout the preparation process, being her confidante and accompanying the bride during the big day as past of the wedding ensemble.
Even for close friends, this might be quite a lot to ask, especially that the period around getting married tends to be tense and hectic.
It might mean having to deal with a number of emergency situations and putting in plenty of time and effort.
Not everyone is ready for that, which does not necessarily mean they are not honored to be asked to be bridesmaids.
Another issue has to do with expenses that nearly inevitably go together with the nuptial festivities.
In some cases, especially when the wedding organizer has very tightly defined expectations when it comes to a maid's role, in terms of fashion, style and behavior, the bride may accept to pay some or all expenditures.
More often, though, every member of the wedding party is asked to cover the cost themselves.
Contrary to what many people want to believe, it is not only bridesmaids dresses that gobble up financial resources - it is also getting your hair done, having matching make-up, shoes, bags and a range of gifts, from engagement to shower to wedding itself, all of which can add to quite a steep bill.
This can be a problem particularly for young maids, fresh out of college, lacking balanced budgets, or for attendants who are asked to take up this role again and again, mounting expenses.
But there is something that can easily overcome tension and inconvenience of buying bridesmaid dresses.
It is the power of the relationship between the bride and her assistants.
When it is life-long friends who have a history of being together that goes back deep and is bound to extend well into the future, the role of a bridesmaid assumes a more powerful meaning.
It represents a major milestone for friends, a duty that is something of a culmination for years of intense friendship.
Even though it might be a mixture of honor and burden, in such cases it is deeply meaningful.
Is this reason to be proud or to be concerned? There are varying opinions about it which - usually - depend on past experiences, financial situation and the exact expectations of the wedding organizers.
They generally fall into two categories, an honor or a burden, with some variations between them possible.
If you read Internet forums or run a survey among ex-bridesmaids, you are likely to get something that cuts straight through this division, leaving probably as many aisle girls on the pro side as on the contra side.
What often determines the attitude to being a bridal attendant is an extent to which somebody is willing to accept responsibilities connected with their role.
Needless to say, they can vary considerably, but tend to include assisting the bride-to-be with the organization of the wedding, standing by her side throughout the preparation process, being her confidante and accompanying the bride during the big day as past of the wedding ensemble.
Even for close friends, this might be quite a lot to ask, especially that the period around getting married tends to be tense and hectic.
It might mean having to deal with a number of emergency situations and putting in plenty of time and effort.
Not everyone is ready for that, which does not necessarily mean they are not honored to be asked to be bridesmaids.
Another issue has to do with expenses that nearly inevitably go together with the nuptial festivities.
In some cases, especially when the wedding organizer has very tightly defined expectations when it comes to a maid's role, in terms of fashion, style and behavior, the bride may accept to pay some or all expenditures.
More often, though, every member of the wedding party is asked to cover the cost themselves.
Contrary to what many people want to believe, it is not only bridesmaids dresses that gobble up financial resources - it is also getting your hair done, having matching make-up, shoes, bags and a range of gifts, from engagement to shower to wedding itself, all of which can add to quite a steep bill.
This can be a problem particularly for young maids, fresh out of college, lacking balanced budgets, or for attendants who are asked to take up this role again and again, mounting expenses.
But there is something that can easily overcome tension and inconvenience of buying bridesmaid dresses.
It is the power of the relationship between the bride and her assistants.
When it is life-long friends who have a history of being together that goes back deep and is bound to extend well into the future, the role of a bridesmaid assumes a more powerful meaning.
It represents a major milestone for friends, a duty that is something of a culmination for years of intense friendship.
Even though it might be a mixture of honor and burden, in such cases it is deeply meaningful.
