by Stephanie Haefner

Created on: January 04, 2009

Keeping your friends even after the wedding is over

Have you ever stood up in a wedding where the bride went completely psycho? Have you ever had to endure the pain and aggravation of smiling and nodding when your sister or cousin goes on and on about every wedding injustice imaginable? If not, then just maybe you are the Bridezilla, the Bride from the Black Lagoon, the one making everyone else's life miserable!

All joking aside, planning a wedding is one of the most stressful events you will ever go through in your life. You want the day to be perfect, the most romantic it can be and guests expect a flawless and fabulous event. You do not want to disappoint anyone regardless of how crazy it makes you! But, no matter how badly you need to vent at someone or how insane you feel, you still want your friends to remain your friends even after the madness is over, right?

Tip #1 for making sure your bridesmaids still want to talk to you after the wedding is to remember they are your friends, first and foremost. They're not your whipping posts, punching bags or random inanimate objects that can be yelled at or thrown at the wall. They agreed to be in your wedding because they love you and want to be by your side, sharing in the excitement of the most special day of your life, not be the person you scream at when you can't scream at anyone else. When yoga, meditation and other relaxation methods fail to work, release all that pent up anger into a pillow or bang it out on a set of drums.

Tip #2 refers to dress shopping. I've been a witness to numerous brides as they've barked out which dress they like and that it is THE
dress, no discussion, no compromise, regardless if it is best suited for a five-foot-ten stick with zero curves or bumps. The number one concern of most bridesmaids is finding a dress they will look okay in. Many don't even care if they look great, they just want to be comfortable. Forcing a dress on your bridesmaids that makes them feel uneasy tells them you do not care how they feel. Yes, you should have final say in the dress selection, but let them have some say. Have them try on several dresses and find one that suits their body styles. Hey, you could even be really daring and let them wear different styles of the same color and fabric!

Tip #3 is about money. This may be a once in a lifetime event for you, no expense spared, but not everyone has that luxury. Being a bridesmaid has many monetary obligations from the dress, alterations, and accessories

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