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and compare. By HallieBy Goodman guide theultimate Tear this out and give it to your VIPs. wedding your to it give and out this Tear Congrats! You’re a bridesmaid! So now what? First thingsfirst— First what? now So bridesmaid! a You’re Congrats! panic. don’t Sure, got you’ve a lot on your plate—but trust us, all, it make of sense help To funmostly). of stuff lot (well, a it’s we went ahead and created a complete lineup of your duties, bouts guys’ the straightening to parties roof-raising hosting from willguysthe what Wondering aisle. the hit they before seconds Flip to pagebe doing? TK the ultimate bridesmaid guide cont. the ultimate bridesmaid guide cont. the ultimate bridesmaid guide cont. the ultimate bridesmaid guide cont. the party the shower the the wedding duty #1 Send out a mass email to get all the duty #1 Help ensure that the and groom duty #1 Go back and forth for months with the duty #1 Try on the you had fitted (twice) and the groomsmen on the same have a full registry (kitchen, bedroom and bath other bridesmaids deciding on the locale for for the eleventh time. Yup, it still doesn’t look page. Then be prepared to spend just about all swag in various price ranges). If they have a the bride-to-be’s last single bash. Settle on a like anything you’d “wear again” (the bride’s weekend preparing a slideshow of the happy but-the-economy-sucks guilt complex, remind five-day Caribbean cruise. Crunch the numbers words, not yours), but you’re stuck in it for the couple to present at the surprise party in their them that registering isn’t about greed—it’s again and realize you’ve already spent most of day. C’mon, taffeta is totally cool, right? honor. Resist the urge to put up photos that about not winding up with 12 blenders or a what was left of your meager savings on the fall under the categories “spring break,” “21st Jell-O mold in the shape of a poodle. previous two parties. Start thinking local. birthday” or “Vegas New Year.” Some moments are better kept in the past. duty #2 Book the location. On a budget? Start duty #2 Order all bachelorette items. We’re cleaning your apartment. Got some cash flow? talking pink T-shirts with “(insert bride’s duty #2 Happily go back and forth with the Spring for the bride’s fave restaurant. If you’re name)’s bachelorette party” spelled out in other bridesmaids about doing something planning on a girls-only shower, then your “pay rhinestones, or something equally gaudy and extra-special for the couple at the party. Receive up” pool is limited to the bridal party. But if commemorative (except for any penis-themed a total of zero replies from the groomsmen, you’re going co-ed, get back on that email items—nobody’s saying to wear plastic testicles who, you’re pretty sure, have already blocked train and tell the groomsmen A) what the hell around your necks). Part of your “maidly” duty your email address. Just for effort’s sake, send a shower is, and B) how much they owe. is to cheese out a little bit—so drop the too- a follow-up message to the guys explaining that cool-for-school routine (cough, wearing all engagement parties are, like, “off the hook, black, cough), tap into your inner girlie-girl and dude,” and they better get their acts together. buy something sparkly and matchy-matchy.

duty #3 If the couple’s parents are throwing duty #3 Choose an affordable location/activity, duty #2 Head to the salon (or the hotel suite) the party, offer to get the addresses of the bride keeping in mind what the bride (not you) loves for hair and makeup. Doing your own? The and groom’s friends so they don’t have to spend to do. If she avoids the sun, forget about those bride has the right to request guidelines (as hours on the phone (when, let’s be honest, it’ll group surfing lessons. She’s not one for a wild in, no glitter). What to do if you step out of the take you about 10 minutes on Facebook). night out? Opt for a relaxing spa day, where salon looking like a 1960s girl group? Simple— K you can all loosen up together while talking whatever it takes to keep up morale, even if that duty #4 Make nice with the groomsmen. This trash about the groomsmen (although one of means singing “Stop! In the Name of Love.”

K will probably be your first official meeting, and them looked cute at the shower—even if he had 3 2 for the sake of the couple, you want it to go well cocktail sauce on his pants). Oh, and if she says, duty #3 Check the groomsmen’s boutonnieres. (blood smears on tux lapels is such a bad look). “No strippers, please,” that’s not code for “Hire After spotting duct tape, help them out by using Putting on your best thanks-for-not-helping- a man in a G-string to gyrate in my face.” sturdy pins to secure bouts to their lapels so the with-the-gift smile is key here, so treat them duty #3 Spend no less than five hours of your blooms lay at a slight angle. With the pin head like you all sat around for hours picking out the Saturday baking, frosting and boxing up a duty #4 Book the venue. This part’s not brain under the lapel, weave the pin in and out of the lavender champagne flutes and perfect bottle of mountain of red velvet cupcakes for partygoers surgery—just reserve the hotel rooms/spa backside of the stem wrap so it’s hidden. bubbly. Because, really, is it the absolute end of to take home. Not exactly Betty Crocker? Swap appointments/table at the club (and we don’t the world that they didn’t contribute? They’re cupcakes for candy and boxes for bags (just be mean country club). Drop the fact that you’ll duty #4 Carry your blooms. The maid of honor practically colorblind anyway. sure to hide them from the groomsmen). have 12 celebratory ladies in tow, and you’ll up will hold the bridal bouquet, too, during the your chances of scoring a nice, juicy discount ring exchange, but that’s the only exception. duty #5 Give up on being nice two hours into duty #4 Scroll through the bride and groom’s without even trying. Trust us: It works. the party and shoot dirty looks to the tipsy registry. Select something super-original (sense duty #5 Give a good toast. This requires two who keeps staring at your boobs the sarcasm?), like cookware or, wait for it, bed duty #5 If you do go for the whole wild night things: humor and brevity. Otherwise, you and saying, for some reason, “Dibs!” It might linens. Sure, it’s not the sexy. But it’s safe. (or weekend) thing, be sure to have the bride’s might as well slip Ambien into the champagne. be a party foul to stick him with your plastic back no matter what. This means, no getting her Skim over the best man’s speech just in case cake fork, but a severe stare will give him the duty #5 As soon as the bride opens a gift, hand crazy-sloppy drunk, no letting her wander off censorship is necessary, and you’re golden! clue that you couldn’t be less interested, even her another—or be ready to stay ’til midnight. unattended and no letting her pose suggestively if he were dipped in dark chocolate and came It’s also your job to keep track of (read: write with an icky phallic cake. Matter of fact, power click See bridesmaid under $150 at with a lifetime supply of Chanel. >> down) which gifts came from whom. >> down all the camera phones. >> >> TheKnot.com/bridesmaiddresses 4 K Here’s what not what Here’s bridesmaids sound off A engraved on it on engraved Homemade coupons Homemade A Two words: thread. itin glittery on embroidered name their oflots girls want a hot-pink satin withpurse and that’s your Nana. 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