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Bridesmaid Bible: Knowing the Essentials of the Bridesmaid Role and Bridesmaid Dresses

The role of the bridesmaid has evolved through the years. In the olden times, their responsibilities could go to the extremes, of fending off evil spirits that are present during the wedding. These ill-mannered spirits are said to be administering hexes on the couple. Today, bridesmaid roles no longer have to turn into such a life-threatening twist. They simply have to don on their bridesmaid dresses and bear witness to the ceremony.

Bridesmaid dress

Know what’s expected of you

To become the best bridesmaid, you must know the nitty-gritty of your role. The couple did not spend money on bridesmaid dresses just so you can stand there and do nothing. If nobody has oriented you of your exact role yet, then ask around. Ask your friends or research the Internet perhaps.

Your usual roles include witnessing the ceremony, helping the bride on some minor errands and providing her with whatever support that she needs. While the maid of honor normally does all these stuff, it doesn’t hurt to give out a hand. After all, these are what your bridesmaid dresses are for.

Maid of honor dress

Dress for the Occasion

There are times when the couple is really out of budget. When you happen to be chosen as one of their bridesmaids, have the heart to spend a little. You can even take it upon yourself to personally spend for your bridesmaid dress. There are a number of inexpensive bridesmaid dresses that you can choose from.

So that your pocket would not feel the pressure, why don’t you choose a dress that can be used for other dressy occasions? This way, you are hitting two birds with one stone. Of course, being a bridesmaid, you have an excuse to buy a new dress! Just remember to keep it simple though. Go with the wedding motif and try not to be out of place.

Accessorize

Simple bridesmaid dresses can be made more appealing and more fabulous if you take on your creative hat and use accessories. If the couple can provide you with the said accessories, the better. Otherwise, you can always shop for inexpensive bridesmaid jewelry. There are also various online bridal shops that cater to this kind of product.

Do your part

There’s nothing more responsible — and more gratifying to the couple — than by keeping your end of the bargain. As they have provided the bridesmaid dresses, then it’s on you to carry out the role. Usher the guests, provide customer service and take care of the tiny little tasks that need immediate attention. While these responsibilities would be very minute, still, you are taking some weight off the bride’s shoulders.

Being a bridesmaid is no ordinary role. Some people get anxious walking down the aisle with a lot of watchful eyes on them. The pressure becomes more pronounced because they are wearing bridesmaid dresses and wearing high heels.

Therefore, to appease yourself, it’s important that you know what’s expected of you when you take on that role. This is perhaps the best way that you can repay the couple for spending on those fabulous bridesmaid dresses.

Our online bridal shop has a wide selection of wedding dresses, including bridesmaid dresses and mother of the bride dresses. Visit Best For Bride.com for some fabulous finds!

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Bridesmaid Duties From Past To Present: It’s More Than Just Bridesmaid Dresses

Did you know that the whole wedding ceremony has a long and rich history? Yes, from the groomsmen to the bridesmaids, a lot has been written about the how they entire wedding entourage came to be.

Today, it is but proper for the bridesmaids to wear the best and the most interesting bridesmaid dresses. In the past, bridesmaid dresses are limited to mimicking the bridal gown? Let’s see why.

The Early Roman World

During this period, bridesmaids formed some kind of a protective shield or an infantry in order to protect the bride as she travels from her place to the village of the groom. Protection was needed as there’s always a possibility of thugs hurting the bride or suitors stealing her away. You can see here that even at such an early civilization, violence has always been one of the by-products of unrequited love.

In the Western World

The tradition begins with complying with the wedding ceremony requirement of having ten witnesses. The aim of this requisite is to outsmart evil souls and spirits who are believed to be in attendance during the ceremony. Thus, it is but proper that bridesmaid dresses are identical to that of the bride (the attire of men ushers must also be identical of the groom’s) so the so-called evil spirits would have a hard time identifying which of the ladies and gentlemen present are being wed.

If you take a look at wedding photographs of Victorian marriages, you’d really have a hard time identifying which of the couples got married simply because of the sameness of the clothes that the entourage is wearing.

In Today’s World

These days, the need for a female troop to protect a bride is no longer imminent. This clearly eliminates the fact that bridesmaid dresses need to be identical with the bride’s. However, bridesmaid dresses should still be in harmony with the theme of the wedding ceremony.

Wedding decor

And although bridesmaids are no longer required to help fend off curses and hexes and evil spirits altogether, they still maintain a vital role in the entire wedding ceremony.

For example, they need to provide key support to the bride. This may be in terms of shopping for the perfect wedding gown or scouting for the most reasonably-priced hotel for the couple’s out-of-town guests. In addition, bridesmaids would also prove to be such a great help in looking for least costly but memorable wedding favors.

Wedding favor

Of course, their responsibility to the couple — especially to the bride — is not only confined in the wedding ceremony itself. There is still bridal a shower to host and organize.

Being a bridesmaid is truly demanding — in a positive way. If you are one, make sure you prepare yourself to get busy months or even years before the special date. You need to spare some time in taking care of wedding preparations. And the payoff for all of these hardwork and sweat? A gorgeous gown that you can wear down the aisle!

You see, the function of bridesmaids hasn’t really changed that much over the years. It has never really made a 360-degree turn, it simply has modernized and has adapted to modern times. Because the fact is, wearing those bridesmaid dresses (identical to the bride’s or otherwise) gives bridesmaids one role: supporting the bride.

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Bridesmaid Dresses Basics: Finding The Design For Your Bridesmaids

Deciding on the best design of bridesmaid dresses is challenging, next to finding your perfect wedding gown. Ideally, as the bride, you don’t want to be stressing over this matter. However, unless you want your wedding to be dubbed as the “wedding with the worst design of bridesmaid dresses,” you definitely would want to have a hand in finding the best bridesmaid dress.

bridesmaid dress

The dresses of your bridesmaids need not be overly sophisticated. After all, your wedding gown still remains central to the whole perfect wedding scenery. What matters is that each bridesmaid dress complements your gown. This results to a fluid and coordinated picture of merriment, style and tradition.

Uniformity

The gowns of your bridesmaids need not look identical. In fact, one bridesmaid dress can differ from another in terms of style. What’s more important is that all these bridesmaid dresses conform to the theme and motif of the wedding.

Consider your Wearers

Rarely will you ever assemble a wedding entourage where bridesmaids are identical in size, color and height. Therefore, it is also your lookout — or your wedding planner’s — to ensure that the design of the bridesmaid dress will look good on every size, color and height.

For instance, an empress cut gown – contrary to popular belief – would neither be ideal nor suitable for heavy-busted ladies. It would make them look pregnant. If one of your bridesmaids falls under “this category,” then you might to consider another design of bridesmaid dress for her. Perhaps, a low-neckline frock would do the job of flaunting this asset.

Maternity bridesmaid dress

On another note, short ladies would look shorter when made to wear a floor-length bridesmaid dress. Dresses of this length are ideal for tall and skinny bridesmaids. Therefore, if you have someone who’s not that gifted in the height department, you may want her to wear a knee-length, or an above-the-knee bridesmaid dress. Just make sure that it’s not super-short that she’ll end up looking out-of-place.

Ruffled sleeves are also great for those with firm shoulders and arms. Therefore, you must ascertain that the appropriate design of the bridesmaid dress goes to the appropriate person, or body type, so to speak.

Go for Long Life

If you want your bridesmaid dresses to be used not just solely for your wedding, then look for designs that are sophisticated but safe enough to be worn on other dressy occasions. Otherwise, such dresses would only end up in the closet — waiting for them to rot and go out of style.

Evening wear

Going for a bridesmaid dress design that remains relevant outside of a wedding party also spells practicality and significance. You are practical enough to think of your wearers, that they will have an extra fashionable gown that they can wear on special occasions besides your wedding day. You also remain significant as you have thought of a design that can be flaunted to the world anytime, anywhere.

Remember, however, that your bridal gown should remain as the best-looking dress and the star of the most important day of your life. But, thinking wisely of how your bridesmaids would look on their respective gowns would also speak highly of you and your wedding. Together, a perfect wedding gown and well-thought-of bridesmaid dresses could send your day to the top of the Perfect Wedding List.