Claire AndradeHappy Friday!
Today I am sharing post number two in my wedding details series and today is all about the bridal party! So everything you need to know about what to do for your bridesmaids and groomsmen is below!
Attire:
Bridesmaids:
As I mentioned in a previous post, I was on the hunt for affordable bridesmaids dresses that didn’t look cheap and were floor length. I found the perfect dresses at Lulu’s and I highly recommend them for affordable bridesmaid’s dresses. We ordered about 7.5 months ahead of time and that was plenty! I also just asked my girls to wear nude shoes of their choice, since the dresses were long shoes didn’t show up in pics so I didn’t mind. I also requested no Jewelry and I provided matching earrings.
Groomsmen:
Groomsmen are much easier. We picked out tuxes for groomsmen about 5 months out. We went to Men’s Wearhouse to pick them out. They will take care of everything your guys need, even the black socks! Plus because we had at least 5 tux rentals, Miguel got a $400 shopping spree so that was pretty cool. Just make sure your guys go in ASAP. If they haven’t gone in by two months our start texting them, everyone should be measured no later than 1 month out. Men’s Wearhouse has an app so you can see who in your group has ordered their tux yet.
Schedules:
I made sure I typed up schedules for both groups. I emailed the schedules out to the bridal party about a week before. These detailed a timeline of the whole day so everyone new where they were supposed to be and when. Also include everything you expect them to bring with them the day of or anything you have asked them to do. Be specific, the bridal party doesn’t need every detail of the whole day but they need every detail about things they are involved in!
Gifts:
Bridesmaids:
For my bridesmaids, I put together a personalized tote bag for all of them. I loved this because they all used the bags to come to my room to get ready which was exactly my intention! The totes included robes for us to get ready in, the matching earrings, personalized makeup bags and personalized champagne flutes (which I made!). Everything else was purchased on Etsy, so that means I had to plan ahead so everything was here in time.
Groomsmen:
We did something similar for the groomsmen. We had personalized toiletry bags made and in them we put a personalized shot glass (that I made), personalized wallet bottle opener and a small liquor bottle.
We gave these gifts during the rehearsal dinner so that they had them for the wedding day. Don’t forget to include a thank you note!
Day of:
Have a plan for food for your bridal party! I ordered Panera pastries and sandwiches for my hotel room while getting ready and had water and mimosas as well. Miguel went out for lunch while we were getting ready with some of his guys and then we also had snacks at the wedding site in the dressing room incase anyone got hungry. It’s a long day and people get hungry!
And lastly, don’t forget to ask for help. These are your friends and they are there to support you on your big day. If there is anything you need someone to do for you while you and your new hubby are busy enjoying the day, reach out and I promise everyone will be willing to help!
My biggest tip – be considerate. Your bridal party will appreciate it greatly if you keep the things they have to buy to a minimum and affordable. Just be considerate of their budget and time.
Thanks for catching up!
