BRIDESMAID BURNOUT
It is always a great honor to be asked to be bridesmaid at a friend’s or family’s wedding. It is a gesture that shows just how valuable you and your friendship are to the bride-to-be. However, there are bridesmaids who are given daunting tasks and responsibilities around the wedding that the role can start to feel almost like a second, stressful but unpaid “job”.
Right now, destinating wedding parties are becoming a “thing”. Give it a long, hard thought… having a lavish, extravagant, and complicated bridal shower or actual wedding may be taking a toll on your bridesmaids’ finances, not to mention their personal time-off’s. Assess if your entire wedding event is asking too much from your bridesmaids, time and cost-wise. Consider that some, most, or even all of them might be feeling the strain, yet love you too much to say no. There is nothing wrong with just having a fun night out with your ladies for a bridal shower.
Aside from the financial costs involved, the responsibility of organizing a bridal send-off affair for a random mix of ladies who are not all acquainted with one another can be incredibly stressful, as well. Your bridesmaids need to cover all fronts: from budgets to personal tastes to dietary restrictions or requirements, it can be quite overwhelming. Having to consider what everyone wants and needs, not just of the bride but of the “hens” as well, can be stressful and may be throwing your bridesmaids for a spin. Again, a simple yet classy hens’ night or bridal shower can be just as meaningful and memorable. Think: bohemian-themed spa party or a “create-your-own-Cosmopolitan” open bar.
And then there’s the touchy subject of the bridesmaid’s dresses. Prescribing one dress to suit the likely vastly different body shapes of your bridesmaids, not to mention the question of who foots the bill for the dresses, adds another dimension of bridesmaid anxiety and tension. Your bridesmaids will never tell you that they do not like the dress for fear of hurting your feelings, yet being made to wear something unflattering and/or uncomfortable can be torturous, too. Consider just prescribing the fabric and color and giving your gals the liberty to come up with their own designs. Also, ask yourself if you’ve been toeing the Bridezilla line by coming up with silly little rules such as strictly requiring matching shoes or even prohibiting any bridesmaid to be taller than you. Unhappy bridesmaids are not going to make happy photographs, remember. You’ll want a bright-eyed, blushing bunch of ladies surrounding you right from your PreWedding Videography Package up to the final cut of your wedding cinematography video.
It is natural for even the most tightly-knit wedding parties to go through moments of tension as the big day draws nearer and nearer. Your bridesmaids are supposed to be your primary support staff throughout your journey to the altar. It’s essential to never overlook the simple fact that they, too, are only human. Be considerate of their personal commitments, budget anxiety, the scramble to meet your possibly high expectations, and the like. Be an approachable and delightful bride. Allow your Singapore wedding photographer to capture the best sides to all of you.