The wedding entourage or the bridal party significantly enlivens the ceremony and adds a splash or color into the event. However, brides need to carefully handpick every attendant as they do not only play a major role in the wedding day itself, but are also expected to work assiduously behind the scene as well. Bridesmaids are considered to be an integral part of any type of wedding to provide comfort and multi-task in almost many aspects in the preparations. So whether you have experienced playing the bridesmaid role to the hilt for the nth time or this is your very first time to fill in the shoes, here’s a cheat sheet on your list of to-dos:

It is part of the bridesmaid duties and responsibilities to offer help in certain stages of the pre-wedding preparations. While you may feel a little hesitant to wade into the frenzied activities here and there, feel free to volunteer your help and use your innate skills at your advantage. It is basically important to be more specific on telling them what you can and willing to do rather than simply asking what you can do to help, which can be construed as ambiguous and halfhearted. Bridesmaid responsibilities would also include scouting for your dresses, jewelry, shoes and other accessories. Experts advise that the prudent way is to pay for you own attire for the wedding, unless of course if the couple have strictly insistent to foot the bill. You can also help plan or even co-host the bridal shower as well as the other pre-wedding parties along with the other bridesmaids.

Just in case, the matron or the maid of honor is all to body in handling various tasks, the duties of the bridesmaid would also include filling in or provide supplementary help such as keeping track with the gifts received in various pre-wedding events and maintain the RSVP list. This will prove to be an invaluable help for the couples when they get down to write all those thank you notes. As part of the entourage, it is also part of the bridesmaid duties to attend the ceremony rehearsals if there are any as well as the rehearsal dinner that would follow mainly to be able effectively keep abreast with the preparations and well as spend quality time with everyone else who are active participants for the grand event. You should also volunteer to run some last minute errands for the bride such as overseeing the delivery of the flowers, greet the officiant and any other seemingly mundane things that could greatly make a difference and certainly ensure a less stress free time for the bride.

Your bridesmaid duties do not simply end at the ceremony but should also extend in the reception or the post wedding party. You can take on the role of an auxiliary host and help introduce guests and guide them around. The bridesmaid along with the groomsmen also takes part in the wedding dance right after the couple is done with their traditional dance or halfway through it if the entourage is invited to join right in. If the bridal gown features a heavy train then you can also help in carrying it around as the couple make their rounds to greet the guests. Also, be ready to accompany the bride and assist her in visits to the restroom.

As you may have already noticed, the bridesmaid duties are not all glitz and glamour of sharing the limelight with the bride but more importantly in lending a helping hand to make sure the event will unfold smoothly. There will be times when it becomes more of an ordeal than a privilege but embrace the challenge and take on the responsibility. Who knows? You might just be the next one to walk down the aisle as a bride!