Top 10 tips to be the perfect bridesmaid or groomsman

It’s finally here! The big day has arrived, no doubt alongside a boatload of stress for the bride and groom in question.

Planning and running a wedding is anything but a simple task for soon-to-be-married couples.

In fact, they probably need help with just about everything to make sure the day goes smoothly.

So it’s invaluable to have a competent bridesmaid and groomsman.

If you’ve been gifted the honoured privilege of either of these two important wedding roles, then congratulations; it’s now your job to make sure everything stays on track, gets properly organised, and ensure the prospective bride and groom make it to the altar.

No pressure…

All jokes aside, the role of the bridesmaid and groomsman is crucial for any wedding, and it’s no easy job.

So, to help you be the best bridesmaid or groomsman you can possibly be, we’ve provided ten top tips for each position to help you nail your role...

How to be the perfect bridesmaid

Ready to help your best friend look absolutely flawless on their wedding day?

Being selected as the bridesmaid for any wedding shows an incredible level of trust, especially since you know exactly what she does and doesn’t like.

To help you navigate the potentially tricky tasks presented by this role, here are some detailed tips to ensure it’s a day the bride will remember for all the right reasons.

1. Be flexible

All of us want our wedding day to be perfect, which is why you shouldn’t be surprised if the bride decides they want to change their mind about certain wedding elements at a moment’s notice.

Whether it’s a different choice of napkins or an entirely new wedding style, at the end of the day, it’s the bride and groom’s choice how they want their wedding to look.

Be willing to adapt at any moment and go with the flow to make things as stress-free as possible.

2. Be a sounding board

This tip blends seamlessly with our first.

Once all the preparation gets underway, the bride is going to start selecting and choosing various things needed for the wedding, and she’s going to ask for your opinion on them.

It’s very important that you’re honest with your opinions, as well as tactful.

If you feel something doesn’t look right or work with the wedding vibe, the bride needs to know.

But remember, it’s not your wedding. You just need to help the bride find her own perfect style.

3. Be available when possible

In our switched-on modern world, most of our lives are pretty busy.

But as a bridesmaid, you need to make time to see to your bride’s needs, especially when it comes to important decisions such as helping her pick a dress.

Be ready to pick up your phone at moment’s notice and respond to any messages in a timely manner to ensure everything gets confirmed well before the big day.

4. Be ready to run small errands

There are many elements that need to come together to bring any wedding to life, many of which might seem like small, mundane tasks that anyone could do.

But if your bride asks you to do them, it probably means she thinks they’re important.

On the wedding day in particular, take the time to liaise with staff to make sure all the necessary arrangements are met, and that the bride remains out of view of guests and the groom until the appointed hour.

5. Help your bride look her best

When the day finally arrives, your role isn’t done yet.

Above all else, it’s your job to ensure the bride looks perfect at all times. If her make-up needs touching up, tell her.

Help her fix her hair, her dress, and anything else that looks remotely out of place.

6. Know the wedding plan

As a bridesmaid, you need to help ensure the wedding day goes off without a hitch, and that means having a thorough knowledge of the day’s plan.

You need to know where people are supposed to be, that everything is set up correctly, and that the bride makes it to the wedding to begin with.

7. Assist with photos

Photos are a big part of anyone’s wedding day.

To help make this stress-free, take time to help the bride adjust her veil and dress while the photographer sets up.

This saves time, especially if the photographer lacks an assistant, and ensures the bride will look perfect in all her photos.

8. Know where you need to stand

It’s not always the case, but if you’ve been honoured with the role of Maid of Honour on top of your bridesmaid duties, be sure to make yourself visible and available when standing at the altar.

It’s your job to take the bouquet of flowers from the bride once she reaches the altar, so being in the optimal place will make this a simple and smooth transition that won’t interrupt the ceremony.

9. Be ready to put out fires

No one wants to admit it, but there’s probably going to be at least one thing that goes wrong on anyone’s wedding day.

It’s already stressful enough for the bride and groom, so if you can, tackle any problems yourself before telling them.

This way, if anything does go wrong but you can fix it, the bride and groom will be none the wiser and can enjoy their big day without any excess stress.

10. Don’t complain

Above all else, whatever you do, do not complain about anything that you have to do.

By being given this critical role, the bride has indicated just how much she trusts and values your friendship.

By all means, voice your opinion in a constructive manner, but don’t complain about being asked to do the things required of you or the bride may very well replace you with someone else.

How to be a top groomsman

Think it’s hard for a bridesmaid?

Well, as the groomsman, you’re not going to have it any easier.

You’re the groom's first point of contact, and that means you need to have his back as and when he needs it.

But don’t worry, we’ve got ten nifty tips to help your land on your feet and get your friend to the wedding on time.

1. Be on time

Without a doubt, your number one priority on the day should be to arrive on time.

If you’re late, all you’re going to do is put everything else on hold while they wait around for you.

It’s not a good look, and if it ruins the wedding, everyone will know it was your fault.

Turn up early if you can, or at least be close enough to the venue that you aren’t rushing to be there on the day.

2. Keep the groom sober

This is a big one. Everyone gets wedding nerves, it’s perfectly natural.

So, if the groom feels he needs a bit of Dutch courage before heading to the altar, that’s fine. Just make sure that courage doesn’t go past a drink or two.

The last thing you want is for the groom to be steaming drunk at the altar and embarrassing himself.

Keep an eye on their drink intake, and if worst comes to worst, try to sober them up before they go to the altar.

3. Greet the guests

One of the common jobs of any groomsman is to greet the guests as they enter the ceremony room.

Be sure to look excited and welcoming to help set the right mood and direct them to their seats.

For elderly guests, you might even have to help them to their spots, so be prepared.

4. Keep the groom company

As we’ve pointed out, there’s a good chance your groom is going to get nervous or have cold feet right before the ceremony. It happens to the best of us.

So, by keeping him company, you’ll be able to take his mind off things and calm those pre-wedding nerves before they can get the better of him.

5. Triple check you have the wedding rings

It goes without saying that the wedding rings make up a vital part of any wedding ceremony, and it’s your job to keep hold of them.

So, you need to double and triple check on the wedding day that you’ve brought the rings with you.

In some cases, the rings may be carried by a flower girl or pageboy down the aisle, or you might be the one to hand them over.

Either way, you need to know what’s happening with the rings at any given moment.

6. Keep the speech clean

If you’re the groomsman, you might very well have been tasked with making a speech.

While this speech is expected to be funny, perhaps even a bit risqué, under no circumstance should it be offensive to anyone.

By all means, tell some funny anecdotes and stories from the couples’ past, but keep it tasteful.

The last thing you want to do is insult the bride or her family.

7. You’ll also need to put out fires

Did you think it was just the bridesmaid’s job to put out fires? Think again.

It’s your job to work with the bridesmaid to deal with any issues that arrive on the big day, by yourselves if you can manage it.

Again, handling any issues without having to stress the bride and groom any further will make the day run much more smoothly.

8. Know the wedding plan

Like the bridesmaid, you should also be fully aware of exactly what the wedding plan is.

As the groomsman, you’ll be clearly identifiable by your suits, meaning guests are likely to come to you with questions.

These questions could be about anything, including the seating plan, food, or even where the toilets are, so be sure to know the venue layout, guest list, and wedding plan in its entirety.

9. Get your dancing shoes on

The bride and groom will obviously be leading the first dance, but once the music starts playing, one of your last remaining jobs is to encourage people to get their groove on.

Dance with the bridesmaid, the bride, even the groom.

With the ceremony done and the reception underway, everyone can turn their attention to partying into the night.

10. Help plan the stag do

Ok, while not strictly part of the wedding plan, it’s still a vital role.

Naturally, any bridesmaids will be helping the bride plan her hen do, so you should get stuck in and help the groom with his stag party.

Get down to researching great bars and restaurants, ideal destinations, and any activities you might want to do.

Do your part to make the celebrations memorable and enjoyable for everyone.

Feeling ready to take on your bridesmaid or groomsman responsibilities?

It’s fine if you’re still nervous, but with these tips you’ll have no trouble handling any problems that might arise on your friend’s big day.

And when the reception is underway, you can let your hair down with everyone else and enjoy the celebrations.

Of course, even the best-laid plans can come unravelled, which is why it’s always good to have a backup plan in the form of insurance.

Here at Reassured, we provide expert family life insurance, including joint life insurance, for those just-in-case scenarios.

Nobody wants to think about how things could go wrong at any point in their life, but with a life insurance policy you can have peace of mind knowing you’ve a plan in place to provide for your loved ones financially should the worst happen.

Get in touch today to see how the Reassured team can help you.

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