Wedding Happy Good Special Times - Rules for Brides (From Me, Because I Said So)
Rule #2: Your Bridesmaids Are Probably Broke
It's easy to lose tracks of costs, because more than likely, your parents are paying for your part of expenses. But your bridesmaids? Aren't so lucky.
You will make everyone very, very happy if you start off with the assumption that your bridesmaids are destitute, possibly even homeless and living in a cardboard box, and budget accordingly.
This means:
- the cheapest dresses that you like
- the cheapest shoes you like
- inexpensive place to get hair/make-up done
Dresses that can actually be worn again (not the standard type of dress that conceivably might be worn again, but not likely, but actual normal dress-type dresses), allowing the 'maids to pick out their own individual dresses so long as they match in color, and paying for the hairdos and/or makeup jobs - get you bonus points and a special place in Bridal Heaven.
Requiring your bridesmaids to go to a spa with you the day before, or to get manicures and/or pedicures, or to wear specific jewelry (unless you yourself provide said jewelry as a wedding gift) - earn you a special place in Bridal Hell.
Having a destination wedding in Jamaica and expecting everyone to pay their own way in addition to the normal bridesmaids expenses - oh, and to get there a few days early for the festivities - is justifiable only if you have a reason to be there, and you simply can't get married in the same country as all of your bridal party or it will break your heart, and you are Satan.
(Disclaimer: I didn't do all of the good things listed above. But then, I didn't do any of the bad, either. So I guess I was in Bridal Purgatory. I'm OK with that.)
It's easy to lose tracks of costs, because more than likely, your parents are paying for your part of expenses. But your bridesmaids? Aren't so lucky.
You will make everyone very, very happy if you start off with the assumption that your bridesmaids are destitute, possibly even homeless and living in a cardboard box, and budget accordingly.
This means:
- the cheapest dresses that you like
- the cheapest shoes you like
- inexpensive place to get hair/make-up done
Dresses that can actually be worn again (not the standard type of dress that conceivably might be worn again, but not likely, but actual normal dress-type dresses), allowing the 'maids to pick out their own individual dresses so long as they match in color, and paying for the hairdos and/or makeup jobs - get you bonus points and a special place in Bridal Heaven.
Requiring your bridesmaids to go to a spa with you the day before, or to get manicures and/or pedicures, or to wear specific jewelry (unless you yourself provide said jewelry as a wedding gift) - earn you a special place in Bridal Hell.
Having a destination wedding in Jamaica and expecting everyone to pay their own way in addition to the normal bridesmaids expenses - oh, and to get there a few days early for the festivities - is justifiable only if you have a reason to be there, and you simply can't get married in the same country as all of your bridal party or it will break your heart, and you are Satan.
(Disclaimer: I didn't do all of the good things listed above. But then, I didn't do any of the bad, either. So I guess I was in Bridal Purgatory. I'm OK with that.)