SuperBridesmaid

SuperBridesmaid becomes....SUPERBRIDE!

2012-01-07T23:09:00.030-05:00

This post is a little bit delayed, but I figured that's it never too late to share good news! On Friday, November 25th- my boyfriend J popped question, and asked me to marry to him!

After a long day of shopping on Black Friday with my mom and sister, I walked in to my apartment ready to crash. J told me he got me a present, and to take a look at the coffee table. I saw a big unwrapped box, sat on the couch and began to open it. It was a snow globe! I collect them, so he knows I love receiving them. This one had a picture frame inside the globe, and while one side had a picture of us, the other side said, "Michelle, Will You Marry Me?" I was completely surprised, just the way he wanted it to be. I started crying, looked up and he was down on one knee, with the most beautiful ring that he picked out himself. He turned on the TV and there were pictures of us, our song was playing, and once again it said "Michelle, Will You Marry Me?" It may sound a bit cheesy to you, but everything was perfect and so "us".

Later that night we celebrated with our families with a champagne toast and dinner. The next night my sister organized a celebration with all of our friends for engagement drinks.

I hope you don't mind that if for the next year, some posts actually pertain to my own wedding planning. But I'll make sure to also include some of the great ideas that I know my superbridesmaids are sure to have. They started off my engagement year exceeding my expectations with fabulous OMG! You Just Got Engaged Gifts, and I wanted to share them with all of my readers here.

A magazine, ring dish & wedding cake notepad- all wrapped up in a gift that looked like a wedding cake!A scrapbook page to kickoff our wedding scrapbook

A 2012 calendar filled with pictures of us to document all of the momentous occasions in our wedding year. I personally love the picture on my birthday!

Quintessential planning magazines & personalized wedding organizers. Everything a girl needs to start planning!

Magazines & "Say Yes to The Dress" book from Mom & Dad, including a poem inside!

A customized LOVEOPOLY board with our pictures. All of the "properties" pertain to us and our relationship...so cute! Can't decide if we want to play it or frame it!

Personalized M&Ms in our wedding colors with our names and picture!

Personalized Notebooks to keep all of my planning notes in. So handy to keep with me!

By the way, just wanted to share that as I approach double digits (this will be my tenth wedding that I'm in!), it's only appropriate that the wedding is my own!

Happy New Year, Happy Bridesmaiding, and Happy Brideing! (my new verb for wedding planning)

Make-Up Comes To You!

2011-11-07T21:37:00.015-05:00

A few weeks ago, I was on my own to get primped for Wedding #9. I used Lifebooker to schedule a cheap and easy blowout, as my hair is relatively easy to style. I'm a little more particular about my make-up, and have had a few bad experiences at department store counters. Lucky for me, a colleague of mine is a freelance make-up artist and so I had her "put my face on." She even came directly to my apartment, so I was able to get ready in the comfort of my own home. As usual, I was running late, booking my appointments too close together, so this was an added bonus that I didn’t need to run all over the city to get ready.

Clara Isabella showed up at my apartment on time and was immediately ready to go. She had already asked the color of my dress and came prepared with a color palette designed just for me. Not only was she extremely knowledgeable about make-up applications, but we had fun talking about her experiences on fashion shoots. She has a variety of different products- finding the right shade and fit for all of her different clients. She was extremely meticulous, making sure every last detail (including my fun false lashes) was applied perfectly.
What makes her a little different from other make-up artists? Well, we all know that when you get your makeup done at noon for a 7:00 wedding, you’ll need a few touch ups. Clara actually helped me look through my own stash of lipsticks, and together we picked out the right shade (and a small enough container) to fit in my bag for the evening. I must admit, that for once it was nice not to be pressured to buy anything, and I loved that she used my own supplies to do my lips! It was a color I knew that I already liked, and looked good on me.

Clara’s eye and artistic talents were spot on, as I got compliments all night long. And as you can see, at the end of the night- my make-up was still looking great!

In addition to day of wedding make-up, Clara Isabella is available for all of your wedding related festivities and special events. (She even does hair too!). For more information, contact clara@claraisabella.com or 908.868.0612.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Nailed It!

2011-05-16T18:07:00.009-04:00

As many of you know, I’m a huge fan of bachelorette party games. Very often I ask the girls attending the bachelorette party to bring a little honeymoon gift for the bride and she has to guess who it’s from. It can be anything – from G rated sunscreen or an underwater camera to X rated condoms, edible underwear or something else fun from the back room at Ricky’s. Similarly, many of you have played the game where each attendee brings a pair of undies for the bride, and she has to guess who each one is from.

However, two of my friends recently went to a bachelorette party in Miami where they played a similar game- yet it was something I had never heard of before. The bride is obsessed with manicures and getting her nails done- so they all had to bring her a nail polish color, and she had to guess who it was from based on the name of the polish. I thought this was so creative and clever, especially for this bride. When I asked what happened if the color was something ugly and out there, they said, “No big deal- she loves different and unique colors!” Plus, nail polishes are only about $8, so not too much skin off anyone’s back. And lucky for us NYers, Essie and OPI are sold in many of our local drug stores.

Keep in mind that the colors to purchase for this activity are not a wedding related. If so, everyone would be buying BLUSHING BRIDE, BACHELORETTE BASH, HAPPILY EVER AFTER, MIMOSAS FOR MR. AND MRS. and you might even get one smart alec who buys STARTER WIFE or TROPHY WIFE.

Here are some examples of the types of BMs who may be in your wedding party, and the coordinating colors they may buy.

Pollyanna BM. ETERNAL OPTOMIST
Party Girl BM: FIESTA
Class Clown BM: IN STITCHES
Jersey (or Texas) BM: BIG HAIR…BIG NAILS
Shopaholic BM: BIG SPENDER
Center of Attention BM: LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU
Opinionated BM: MY WAY
Dancing BM: FOOT LOOSE
Desperate-to-be-the-next-Bride BM: SHOW ME THE RING
Sun Worshipping BM: BEACH BUM BLU
Overachiever BM: BROWNIE POINTS
Argumentative BM: DEVIL'S ADVOCATE
Sexy Not Slutty BM: LACY NOT RACY
Flower Girl: CUTE AS A BUTTON

And if you want to throw her off, and have her fiancé send in a color as well? Well, then there’s no question in my mind, it’s obviously SOLEMATE.

What do you think? Would your bride like this activity? What color would you get?
Happy Bridesmaiding!

Language Art Custom Wall Art

2011-02-23T16:57:00.009-05:00

This past weekend, I took a road trip to Cleveland to visit Bride #1, her husband and 18 month old son. She recently redid her kitchen, and hanging up over the wall to her deck was an anniversary gift from her in-laws that I fell in love with. They ordered custom wall art that spelled out their last name from a company in Indiana (our old stomping grounds!) called Language Art.

Each letter of their last name was a black and white 4x6 photograph, all mounted together and easy to hang. According to the website, “Finding art and beauty in objects that are otherwise ignored, Greg and Dilynn Puckett, the team behind Language Art, travel the country photographing letters in signs, shapes and architectural elements. The letters are professionally printed in a 4" x 6" format, framed and using their artistic ability are arranged to create a singular word or custom name. In black and white, the pieces are bold, yet the combinations evoke comforting feelings.”

I played around a bit on the site, and was facilitated about the puzzle you can create. Not only can you create custom words, but you get to choose the actual photographs used for each letter. Plus, the website tells you where each photograph was taken. So for a New York City couple, you can use all city pictures, for a couple that's a little more outdoorsy, you can use pictures that are a little more natural, etc. You also get to see what types of pictures/letters look good next to each other.

I am obsessed with this gift, and thinks it makes a fantastic wedding gift by using the couples married name. That said, I always say, “know your bride” and encourage you to really think if your bride will like this, as it really has to be her taste, because she can’t exactly return it to Bloomingdale’s. I’m thinking Bride & Groom #9 will love it, esp. since Bride #9 is a bit of an amateur photographer. I’ll keep you posted if I end up giving it to them and what their thoughts are. What do you think?

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Valentine's Day Sale

2011-02-15T12:39:00.017-05:00

Valentine's Day has come and gone. Wheather you spent the day/night with your signigificant others, or your BFFs, one thing is for certain today. All of the heart shaped goodies in your local grocery stores, drug stores and card stores will go on sale. And while it's a good time to stock your office candy drawer with some on sale sweets- don't forget you should ABB, Always Be Bridesmaiding. This is also the perfect time to stock up on heart-shaped shower & bachelorette supplies. Oriental Trading is one of my favorite (and inexpsinve) places to get my materials. I perused their site for Valentine's Day goodies that could easily translate to Bachelorette parties.

Heart shaped rings that make great favors for the gals to wear out at night.)
Rose shaped soap set can be a prize for a winner of a shower game

Heart shaped cake mold is a great G-rated alternative for the bachelorette pary

Feather boas make excellent props for Karaoke Bachelorette parties

Lip decoration cake toppers add a little pizzaz to your cupcakes

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Response Card Poems

2011-02-10T16:46:00.005-05:00

Growing up, my mother was always writing poems. My sister and I got poems in our birthday cards, we got poems with clues as to where our Chanukah gifts were hidden (and then it was a race to find them) and most importantly- she would write a poem when responding to a good friend’s bar or bat-mitvah on the response card. She was well-known for them and everyone couldn’t wait to get a Linda Glastein poem.

Naturally, I am mother’s daughter, and I equate response card poems with special/close friends. So when I started bridesmaiding and had to RSVP to their weddings, what else did I do, but write a poem? I’ve written many poem rehearsal dinner speeches as well, but those are usually longer and more detailed. I like to keep the response cards short and sweet, but they still stand out when being opened, and bring a smile to everyone’s faces. Below is what I wrote for Bride #2.

Stef & Adam started dating back at IU,
And now it's time for them to say "I do."

On 7-7-07 these two will tie the knot,
It means so much to me to stand nearby in a special spot.

So of course I will be there on this special day,
Can't wait to celebrate and dance the night away!

How do you like to respond to the weddings you go to? Do you do anything different that stands out? Happy Bridesmaiding!

P.S. When I’m in a bind, I rely on rhymezone.com to solve my rhyming needs!

A Picture (Frame) is Worth A Thousand Words

2011-02-03T19:50:00.002-05:00

When I had to get a wedding gift for Bride #1, I was really torn. Many of my friends were giving money or a gift from the registry, but I felt like I wanted to do something a little more special. I love Bride #1 to death, but she can be quite particular and I didn’t want to get anything she didn’t pick out herself.

I then came up with the perfect combination of the two. I picked out an expensive 8x10 picture frame that she registered for. It wasn’t quite as much as I wanted to spend, so I also ordered a smaller version in the same pattern. While at the wedding, I made sure to take a great vertical picture of the bride & groom. (As you can guess, I am quite the amateur photographer at the weddings I go to, and feel the need to capture every minute.) As soon as I returned to New York after the wedding, I ordered an 8x10 of the newlyweds in black and white and a 4x6 of the bridesmaids to put in the smaller frame.

I’ve given and iteration of this gift to many of my brides since, but nothing beats the way Bride #1 received her gift. You see, the couple lived together in New York, but their wedding was in Cleveland. They left for Ohio about a week before the big day, so they gave me a spare key to their apartment, just in case they forgot anything they needed (which they did- Groom #1 forgot his iPod and seriously needed it for the honeymoon!). So, while they were baking in the sun in Hawaii, I had the pictures printed, I put them in the frames, wrapped them, and delivered them right on to their coffee table.

As soon as they walked in to their apartment for the first time as husband and wife, they were so surprised to see a gift waiting for them. They were even more shocked to see their own wedding pictures in the frames. They were absolutely thrilled! I told them that they could be placeholders for the professional prints; I just wanted them to have some wedding pictures up until they were able to order the real ones. But Bride #1 loved the gift so much, she left the picture I put in, and last summer when I was at her house in Cleveland (they’ve since moved back to the Midwest) almost 3 years after her wedding, the picture I took still resided in the frame. She said she likes it that way, because it was more meaningful, since I took the picture. Awww….

That set the bar pretty high for my future brides. And while I wasn't able to get in to anyone else's apartments, I did always make sure that the frame was waiting either in their mailbox or with their doorman when they got home from their honeymoons. They all loved coming home to such a special gift.

If you like this idea, but can’t find a frame on their registry, just pick out something classic they might like, and if you can get it engraved with their wedding date on it, even better!

Do you have a favorite “go-to” wedding gift you like to give?
Happy Bridesmaiding!

BRIDESMAIDS - the movie!

2011-02-01T18:06:00.004-05:00

The trailer for this movie was just released today, and I can not wait for it to come out this Spring! I love Kristen Wiig on SNL (and just about everything else she's in), so can't wait to see her take the leading role here with tons of other comediennes- even though from the looks of it, she could use plenty of help from SuperBridesmaid!

Watch the trailer here and Happy Bridesmaiding!

Personal Wedding Planners

2011-01-30T22:32:00.004-05:00

As I mentioned early on, before I buy my brides official engagement gifts off their registry, I love to present them with an "OMG! You just got engaged!!!!" gift. My go to standard is a Martha Stewart wedding planner customized with the bride & groom's name. I like this planner because it's actually a binder so you can take things in and out, and add more folders or pages to the binder. Plus, it's one of the few out there that has a blank cover for me to be able to personalize.

It all started when Bride #2 got engaged, because in college, she never used notebooks, she always loved binders. So this gift was part useful but also a little bit of an inside joke. However, she found it so helpful that I've given it many times since.

Pictured here is what I gave to Work Bride #2 when she got engaged. Nope, I'm not a BM, but both Work Bride #1 and I are so close with her that we wanted to get her a little something. You'll notice we also included a Moleskine pocket journal. Work Bride #1 suggested this, as she found it so useful in her planning. It's small enough for any bride to keep with her at all times, so whenever she thinks of something for her to do list, or a great song to play at the reception, etc, she can jot it down in her special wedding notebook. Purple is Work Bride #2's favorite color and the color of her wedding, but since it was unavailable, we got pink to keep it bridal.

What do you think? Have you ever given or received any favorite "OMG! You just got engaged!!!!" gifts? Happy Bridesmaiding!

100 Day Wedding Countdown

2011-01-26T20:55:00.005-05:00

When I realized that we have less than 100 days to go to The Wedding of The Century, it made me think of all of the options BMs can give their brides to countdown to their wedding.

As many of my friends know, the wedding day countdown clock that people get that counts down the days, hours and even minutes to your big day totally freaks me out. Many brides love it, but it gives me major anxiety.

I did recently discover a different countdown that does not create that kind of stress. My friend, Work Bride #2, recently got this 100 Day Wedding Countdown Calendar from her future sister-in-law. What I love even more though, is that the gift came personalized. Her fiance's sister opened the calendar, and put pictures of the bride and groom sporadically throughout the calendar. She marked off the bridal shower and put pictures of planes and palm trees on the day they jet off to sunny south Florida for the bachelorette party. The calendar was completely customized just for them. SuperBridesmaid approves and loves this idea. I guess now I'll have something to add to my list of things to do in addition to OMG! You Just Got Engaged Gifts!

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Super "Royal" Bridesmaid?

2011-01-25T18:13:00.003-05:00

With less than 100 days to go to the big Royal Wedding, I bet you didn't know what else is special that day? Well other than everything listed here in People Magazine, it's also my birthday!

What better day for wedding of the century to happen, than on SuperBridesmaid's birthday! Maybe Kate's BMs should consult me for advice! I'm seriously considering throwing a "Watch The Wedding" birthday party this year.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Say What? Karaoke!

2011-01-14T17:49:00.006-05:00

When I met Bride #8 a little over five years ago, I learned about her love of karaoke. After my 26th karaoke birthday party a few months later, she told me she wanted karaoke for her bachelorette party. Considering she just got married last month – you can see how far in advance she was planning, and how serious her love was.

So when another friend and I were planning her big night out, we knew that karaoke was a definite- but what type of place? For Bride #5, we did karaoke in a dive bar in Chicago and had an amazing night blasting out 80’s tunes, but only got to get up and sing two songs on stage. (Plus, we definitely had a few cocktails first to give us the courage to do so). In this case though, we opted for one of the great private rooms available in the many karaoke bars in Manhattan. I like this option, as you get to sing All Night Long (pun intended), without any boos or having to share the spotlight. Many places offer all you can drink packages or have small minimum spending requirements- so that gives you plenty of opportunity for liquid courage.

Whenever I go out and do karaoke, it's a no brainer for me. I always singing Livin' on A Prayer. Bon Jovi is my all-time favorite band, it's my all-time favorite song, and it's always guaranteed to get the crowd fist pumping and singing along. But sometimes when I get in a private karaoke room- I can't think of any other songs to program in the queue. So before Bride #8's Big Karaoke Bachelorette Party, I googled the best karaoke songs, consulted a few karaoke experts and devised my own list. Everyone that night was impressed with how prepared I was, and it made it so easy to get the night started.

I've also been to my fair share of karaoke birthday parties in private rooms and picked up a few tricks there that work great for bachelorette parties. I went to Party City and picked up some inflatable instruments and microphones that make for great props. (If your budget is a little larger, you can get wigs, sunglasses, etc- think of fun bar mitzvah give-aways). At one other party, we ended the night in a big circle swaying from side to side singing That's What Friends are For. If that doesn't float your boat, you can use the other bat-mitzvah ending song and rock out to Last Dance.

I thought I would share the list here, so all of my readers could use it as a starting point to come prepared for any bachelorette parties they have coming up. Warning though- my taste is cheesey but honestly, I've tried before and singing songs like Poker Face are not that easy- but it might be worth a shot and quite apropos to give Single Ladies a try.

Livin’ on A Prayer by Bon Jovi
Oops I Did It Again by Britney Spears

Start Me Up by The Rolling Stones
Man, I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cindy Lauper
I Love Rock'n'Roll! by Joan Jett
Like A Prayer by Madonna

It's In His Kiss by Cher
What's Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner
If I could Turn Back Time by Cher
That Don't Impress Me Much by Shania Twain
YMCA by The Village People
Here Without You by 3 Doors Down
Hungry Like a Wolf by Duran Duran
I Wanna Know What Love Is by Foreigner
All Out of Love by Air Supply
Yellow Submarine by The Beatles

Mamma Mia by Abba
Shoop by Salt N Pepa
Thriller by Michael Jackson
Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams
Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leopard
More Than Words by Extreme
Keep On Loving You by REO Speedwagon
You Were Always On My Mind by Willie Nelson
Open Arms by Journey
Build me up Buttercup by The Foundations
(I can't get no) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones
Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
Cecilia by Simon & Garfunkel
Don't Stop Believing by Journey
We Didn’t Start The Fire by Billy Joel
Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf
Shook me all Night Long by ACDC
I’m Too Sexy by Right Said Fred
American Pie by Don MacLean
Vogue by Madonna
She’s a Lady by Tom Jones
Rhythm of the Night by Debarge
I Want it That Way by The Backstreet Boys
Gloria
867-5309 (Jenny)
Jessie’s Girl

It's Raining Men

I Will Survive
I Think We’re Alone Now by Tiffany
All Night Long by Lionel Ritchie
Summer Lovin' from Grease

Seasons of Love from RENT
Light My Candle from RENT
I’ve Had the Time of My Life Bill Medley/ Jennifer Warner
Proud Mary by Ike and Tina Turner
I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor
I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston
Baby One More Time by Britney Spears
Like a Virgin by Madonna

What's your favorite karaoke song to sing? Am I missing anything obvious?

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Destination Bachelorette Party- Where To Go?

2011-01-11T21:27:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year! SuperBridesmaid is officially back, apologizes for her hiatus and ready to kick off 2011. How else to I plan to start the year, well- with at least 5 weddings this year and most likely, my 9th time being a bridesmaid. One of my best friend sinces I am six years old (she sat behind me in first grade and likes to tell people how she cleaned out my desk) got engaged a few months ago and is now planning a fall NYC wedding.

We were chatting the other day, and of course being the super planner that I am, started asking about her bachelorette party (even before I’ve been asked to stand up on her big day). She told me she’d love a girls’ getaway weekend. Her parents have a house in the Hamptons, our other best friend’s parents have a house in the Berkshires, and we used to do a share in Fire Island, so all of those places have been eliminated because she rather do something new and exciting. So it’s time to put my thinking cap on! I’ve definitely done a few destination bachelorette parties in my time—we went back to our college alma mater (Indiana University in Bloomington, IN) for Bride #3; Long Branch, NJ for Bride #4, Chicago, IL for Bride #5 (destination for me, most of the wedding party lived there), and Newport, RI for Bride #6 so this is not a new concept.

Once my friend asks her bridesmaids, we’ll be able to get together and start brainstorming. I know we’ll find the right type of place, that’s not too sceney, doesn’t rely on a beach as the sole form of entertainment, and is easy enough to get to. Wherever we decide, I know that when it comes time to go, I’ll have a hard time taking a small suitcase! Packing the penis straws and bachelorette balloons is the easy part, but deciding what outfits to chose may be a harder feat (I love having options!). I’ll absolutely turn to my friend Rachel’s amazing new blog- Suitcase Secrets, which gives fantastic fashion and travel advice, she’ll help you pack the best outfits for any destination. Rachel beats me out as she’s been a BM 14 times, has been on numerous destination bachelorette parties (and even gives great advice on them here) and we’ve “served” together 3 times (more than any of my other co-BMs) so we make an awesome team. I’ll keep you posted on what we decide, but please let me know your favorite bachelorette destination spots. Happy Bridesmaiding!

Fun Photos on Animoto

2010-08-19T20:49:00.005-04:00

You've had an amazing time at the bachelorette party, shower or even the wedding, but what do you do next? Well, if you are anything like me- you were basically the photographer of the event (or paid photographer's shadow at the wedding) and now you have about a zillion pictures to share with everyone. Sure you could upload them to the the plethera of sites out there like Kodak Gallery, Picassa, Snapfish, etc. and they'll obviously go up on Facebook, but have you ever thought of doing something a little different? Taking it one step further?

If the answer is yes- then you should definitely check out Animoto. Animoto takes your pictures (and video clips if you have them) and produces amazing quality videos set to music that look extremely professional, yet it's not difficult to use. To quote their website, it's "Fast, free, and shockingly easy." All you need to get started is your own pictures and an mp3 of the song you want to use. I made an Animoto video last year for Bride #8's bachelorette party, and set it to Lady Gaga's "Just Dance"- one of the songs we rocked out to all night long. (They have stock songs on the site, but you can also provide your own.) I would share that video, but Bride #8 would probably defriend me for life, so instead, I'm going to share the samples from Animoto's website. It's just a fun, different way to share your pictures with everyone, one that your bride is sure to love.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

P.S. Thanks to H in Atlanta, one of my mom's best friends from growing up (and bridesmaid circa 1973) who introduced me to this site. H was always taking pictures of our family vacations growing up and made them into VHS videos accompanies by music. Now that we've entered the digital age, she's taught me about great sites like this!

Cooking Class Bachelorette Parties

2010-08-15T20:17:00.013-04:00

For those of you who read the Styles section today, you may have come across this interesting article-- Bachelorette Cooking Parties (Girls Gone Mild!). The article talks about the surge of more mild bachelorette parties that entail cooking classes instead of strip clubs. We did this three years ago for Bride #3, and it was such a hit. I highly reccomend this activity for your more tame brides, who may not be in to taking shots and staying out all night.

We went to Miette's Culinary Studio in the West Village. It was an adorable little kitchen and dining room. We split up in to groups and were all responsible for different courses. It's BYOB, so we were able to keep costs down by picking up a few bottles of Two Buck Chuck, and of course brought some festive bachelorette decorations (i.e. mardi gras beads, penis straws, etc). After we cooked, we were able to relax and enjoy our delicious meal and great company as we were served by Miette's staff, and then they took care of cleaning up. We all got copies of the menu and recipe to take home with us.

You can make this even more fun by making custom aprons for the group. Bride #3's father is in the premiums business, so he made all of us aprons that say "Not milk?" because Groom #3 has a severe lactose allergy. The bride had a special apron that said "Groom #3's Chef". We all had a great time at our custom dinner, enjoy some of the pictures from the night below!

In addition to the places listed in the article, I have also heard really great things about the DJ Chef who comes to you and plays awesome party music while cooking up a storm.

Have you ever done a cooking bachelorette party? Would you? What do you think?

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Charmed, I'm Sure

2010-08-08T19:46:00.004-04:00

In 2006, my roommate at the time (aka Bride #7) was in a wedding and the bride’s sisters decided they were going to buy a charm bracelet for the bride and all of the BMs were to buy a charm indicative of their relationship or friendship, or something that reminded them of the bride. I fell in love with this idea instantly.

When the MOH for Bride #2 suggested we do this at her shower, I was totally on board. This time it was a little different, as we all ordered the charms from the same company. The pro? They were all consistent and would fit on the bracelet perfectly. The con? We were limited to the charms at one website. We used the website http://www.mycharmedlife.com/ and were all really happy with the results.

At Bride #2’s shower, instead of doing a poem, or a top ten list, etc as our bridesmaid "presentation"- we got up in front of everyone and presented her with the charm bracelet and why we chose each individual charm. Bride #2 and I were roommates in New York City in our first apartment after college graduation. We lived on 34th Street , so to remember our time living together (and before she moved in with her now husband), I got a charm of the Empire State Building (an iconic New York building, also on 34th Street ). Other charms friends got were our sorority’s mascot, a phone from a long-distance friend, a shopping bag from one of her shopping buddies, an elementary school from her friend from growing up, etc. We even got the moms involved, and her mother-in-law got her both her and her husband’s first initials to include. Other great ideas I know that Bride #7 and her friends did were their college mascot and Big Ben (because they studied abroad in London together.

I think this is such a special gift because it is so one of a kind. No one else will have the same bracelet, and all of the individual charms are so personal and meaningful. This is a gift your bride will cherish for ever. And for SuperBridesmaid’s future bridesmaids (no, I am not engaged-- this is just for the future!), this may be a test to see if you read my posts, as I definitely would love to have one of these. :)

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Bridal Gowns on A Buck

2010-08-05T21:31:00.004-04:00

Ok, I know I've blogged about bridal sample sales before, so you are probably scoffing at another one, but this time it's different. I live near the Housing Works Thrift Shop on 23rd Street, and sometimes pop in to take a look. Recently I went in and noticed they have a roped off area in the back filled with gorgeous bridal gowns (and even a few BM dresses!)

So, I did a little research, and sure enough, this is now a permanent fixture and not a seasonal sample sale. They now offer by appointment only service for help with designer gowns. Retail prices range from $100 to $1,000. This is definitely worth checking out for any brides on a budget (or who don't believe in spending oodles on a gown). Check out the press release for details.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Forever And Ever Platter is Great for Showers!

2010-08-01T20:44:00.005-04:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I have always loved arts & crafts. There used to be a paint your own pottery place by my old apartment that I loved going to called Our Name is Mud. Now they don't really do paint your own, but rather you can purchase customized pieces (and trust me, they look way better).
While searching for an engagement gift for Bride #8, I recently stumbled across the Forever and Ever Do-It-Yourself platter. I thought this was a great thing to have at showers. All of the guests could sign it and write well wishes to the bride & groom, then they have a great serving platter to use "forever and ever". And for only $42, this won't break the bank either.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Marriage Advice for...

2010-07-29T12:36:00.011-04:00

When I was interviewed by WeTV.com’s Dubious bride, I talked about some really fun ways to customize a bachelorette party at a low cost. One of my favorite “free” activities is to give marriage advice in the form of an acrostic poem. You know the kind, you did it as a kid, where you write the letters of a word vertically and then come up with sentences or phrases for each letter.

This can get a little tricky with the name of the bride and groom, so you may have to be a little creative. The goal is for you to have the exact number of letters that you have people attending the bachelorette party (minus the bride of course). What do I mean by that? Well, if you have a lot of people attending you can add their last name? If their first names are really short, you can use the word “and” but if their names are long you can use “&” or “N”. See my example below for Elizabeth and Jeffrey Smith:

7 people: “Liz & Jeff”
10 people: “Liz and Jeff”
13 people: “Liz ‘n Jeff Smith”
16 people: “Elizabeth & Jeffrey”

You pass the piece of paper around a circle (this is great to do while at a restaurant or hanging out pre-gaming) and then end it with the bride and she has to read it out loud. By passing in a circle, everyone goes in order so you don’t have people “calling” letters.

If you are at an elegant brunch, you may want to keep the advice tasteful and write things like “Never go to bed angry” or “Happy Wife, Happy Life”...but when alcohol gets involved, it’s pretty fun to make it a little more X related.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Bridal Gowns-- on SALE?!!!

2010-07-27T11:46:00.004-04:00

As I've said before, one of the most important aspects of being a BM is to help your bride plan her big day. Since not every bride wants to appear on "Say Yes to The Dress", help her get a dress the old fashioned way...on SALE!
Starting tomorrow, Saks Fifth Avenue in New York (50th & Fifth), will have 50% off brand new gorgeous wedding gowns. Ladies- this is not your run of the mill sample sale! So from Wednesday, July 28 through Saturday, July 31- RUN (don't walk) to Saks with your bride and help her get a fabulous dress. And hey, all that help may pay off and she won't make you walk down the aisle in a peach frouffy frock.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Bridesmaid Dress Shopping

2010-06-23T22:37:00.003-04:00

It's official. I have now been asked to be in my 8th wedding. SuperBridesmaid almost didn't have a wedding to stand up in for 2010, but thank goodness Bride #8 got in under the wire and will be celebrating her nuptials December 12. (Congrats S&G). She took three of us out to dinner tonight and asked us to stand by her side on her special day, and we also went BM dress shopping at The Wedding Library.

This got me thinking about the fact that I have yet to blog on a such an important part of the BM process-- the dress! I wanted to share some information with everyone on the dresses of my bridesmaid past, and offer some advice on dress shopping.

Wedding #1: We all chose our own long black dresses
Wedding #2: Champagne long Vera Wang, all the same dress
Wedding #3: Chocolate Brown long Amsale, all the same dress
Wedding #4: Navy t-length Jenny Yoo, all the same dress
Wedding #5: Black long Bill Levcoff, all the same dress
Wedding #6: Royal Blue short Lela Rose, got to pick one of three styles
Wedding #7: Navy short Vera Wang, all the same dress

To see pictures of all my dresses, visit Pictures of My Bridesmaid Past, or visit my Facebook page.

I've gone shopping for the dress a few times to help the bride decide and have learned a few lessons- for both the bride and the bridesmaid. In honor of my 8th wedding, here are 8 tips for BM dress shopping:

1. Chances are this dress will never be worn again. Don't pretend it will. Brides- don't try to look for a dress that your BFFs will wear again, because everyone has different taste. Just look for something you'll like in your pictures and you think your friends will not hate you for wearing.
2. BMs- be honest with your opinion, but be open minded. Remember, the decision really comes down to the bride and she has a lot of cooks in the kitchen. Don't make this difficult for her.

3. Brides- consider having your girls all wear dresses of the same fabric, but letting them chose their own style. This way, all BMs can chose the style that best flatters their body type.
4. When ordering, IGNORE the size. BM dress sizes are so different than normal dresses, so don't freak out if all of a sudden you are in double digits. Bigger is ALWAYS Better! (For bride #3, they accidentally ordered me a dress way too small, and it wouldn't zip! I freaked out, took it to the store and since it was their mistake, they had to alter it for me. It took some major reconstruction and a month full of fittings-- yes, fittings for a BM. Everything ended up ok in the end, but it's an easily avoidable situation.)
5. Remember it's only one night of your life, and the night is not about you-- it's about the bride.
6. If you don't love the dress, you can always make yourself feel better by going spray tanning (SuperB has fair sking and doesn't recommend ruining your skin with sun damage!), getting your hair & make up done, fabulous shoes, or gorgeous jewelry. (And if it's really really bad, check out http://www.uglydress.com/ to remind yourself it could be worse).
7. Make sure your dress fits correctly and it's properly altered. The only thing that's worse than an ugly dress is an ugly dress that doesn't fit right. Trust me, it will help you look your best that night.
8. After the wedding, if you know you'll never wear it again, avoid developing a closet like Jane in 27 Dresses. No one has space like that for dresses they'll never wear, especially not in New York City. Instead, consider donating your dress to a charity, there are many that collect prom dresses for girls who can't afford them. Check out local opportunities at inner-city high schools or donatemydress.org, the first national network to bring together local dress drive organizations across the U.S. They'll help you find one in your area. "One man's trash is another man's treasure."

What's your favorite dress that you've worn?

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Bridesmaid Record Broken!

2010-06-18T14:04:00.003-04:00

Since I have been a BM so many times, everyone always asks me how many bridesmaids I am going to have. In fact, Bride #5 has mentioned that she's going to be part of my "parade" down the aisle. Well, for those of you who haven't heard, the bridesmaid record was recently just beat in Ohio, and that is one I won't be looking to take over. This woman had 110 bridesmaids! Check it out...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/15/most-bridesmaids-record-b_n_613051.html

Happy Bridesmaiding!

WeTV.com's Dubious Bride gives Customized Bachelorette Party Ideas

2010-04-23T17:39:00.004-04:00

SuperBridemaid was recently interviewed by WeTV.'s Dubious Bride on how to customize a Bachelorette party. Click here for the complete article and to read other great posts by The Dubious Bride and The Savvy Mrs.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Me A Match!

2010-03-16T11:26:00.003-04:00

Well, it’s official! SuperBridesmaid has broadened her scope of skills and can now add “matchmaking” to my resume of wedding-related talents. I have my first official successful match, as a couple I set up almost 2 ½ years ago got engaged Sunday night!

In October of 2007, I went to my friend (we’ll call him “D”)’s birthday party. I had known D for about 5 years, but never met his sister, I, until that night. We were in the minority that night, as the party was primarily male-dominated (not that I was complaining), so ended up spending a lot of time chatting. We totally hit it off. The next day, I happened to be talking to one of my best friends, S, and she was telling me a story about one of her closest guy friends, G. I knew G through S, and we both had share houses in Fire Island over the past summer, so we would sometimes hang out there together. Since I had spent some time with G at the bars in Fire Island, he had told me what he was looking for in a girl, and had described his type to me.

As S told me the story about G- an idea popped into my head. I asked her if G would trust me to set him up, because I had met a girl the night before I thought he would like. She asked me about her, and I told her everything I knew about I. S said it sounded like a good idea, and she would talk to G for me. In the mean time, I called D nd said “Is your sister dating anyone?” When he responded that she wasn’t- I said “Even though I only met her briefly, do you think she’d be interested in a a guy I want to set her up with?" D asked me a few questions about the guy in mind, and asked if he had my “seal of approval”. I assured him that he did. So even though I only met I briefly, she was open-minded and trusted her brother, who trusted me.

I gave I’s contact information to G and they immediately hit it off. I can’t explain what made me get the feeling that they would be a good pair. They were the same age, they had gone to the same business school, they were the same religion (important to both), and I just thought that their personalities would mesh. Apparently I was right! Some people even think they look alike, so maybe that was it too.

Whatever my “feeling” was, it worked, and now they are as happy as can be. So, congrats to I and G- and I hope you (and your BMs) will be reading SuperBridesmaid during the wedding planning process!

Happy Bridesmaiding!

PS- D and S deserve some of the credit too! If I hadn’t been friends with both of them, and if they didn’t serve as my “messengers”, this wouldn’t have happened!

Wedding Deals This Weekend!

2010-03-10T11:30:00.002-05:00

If you're like me, you have become a recent fan of many of the shopping websites that offer designer discounts for limited periods of time. I know that our inboxes get flooded with these emails every day, but there is a sale this weekend that my BMs (and their brides) can not miss. Gilt Groupe will be partnering with Martha Stewart Weddings this weekend (Friday, March 12 through Sunday, March 14) and featuring everything you need for your big day at a discount! They'll also be wedding tips from Darcy Miller, wedding expert. The email (that I rescued from my trash bin after I accidentally deleted it) said: "Get gowns for you, dresses for your bridesmaids, tuxes for your groom, detoxes leading up to the big day, gifts you’ll love to give (and receive) plus exotic honeymoon packages for any couple. Look forward to sales by Temperley London, Thread, Judith Leiber, Vanessa Noel, Lauren Merkin, Prive Salon, Blueprint Cleanse, Tara Pearls, Heather Moore, Sergio Rossi, Stuart Weitzman and so many more to make your wedding day an affair to remember."

So, ladies, mark your calendar! This is your opportunity to find a really cute BM dress that won't cost you an arm and a leg. While it's good to let your bride know that she only has limited hours to make the decision and purchase, please remember though not to pressure her. But, this does give you a chance to be your own "SuperBridesmaid" and help your bride get oodles of good deals. Plus, you may even be able to hint at any bridesmaid gifts you like there. The sale starts Friday, March 12 at 12 noon (EST), but you can preview before to scope out the goods. Here's Gilt's sneak peak!

Not a member of Gilt yet? No worries! There's still time to become a member before the "big day" on Friday. A special bonus for SuperBridesmaid fans! Below is a special preview of some of the great deals you can get this weekend.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Carolina Herrera
Sale Starts 3/12
Original Retail: $5790, Gilt: $1999

Thread Made to Order

Sale Starts 3/12

Silk Faille Strapless Notched Bust Liddy Bridesmaid Dress

Original Retail: $305, Gilt: $228.75

Amsale

Sale Starts 3/12

Satin Strapless Ruched Bust Bridesmaid Gown

Original Retail: $330, Gilt: $165

(FYI-SuperBridesmaid wore this dress in brown for Wedding #3)

Amsale
Sale Starts 3/12
Taffeta Strapless Bridesmaid dress

Original Retail: $290, Gilt: $145

Sergio Rossi

Sale Starts 3/17

Original Retail: $770, Gilt: $128

Shower Ribbon Bouquets

2010-02-19T15:30:00.002-05:00

A few people have been wondering what I am doing in my “profile picture” listed in the “About Me” section and on my Facebook fan page. In the picture taken by Beth Robyn Photography (by the way, I highly recommend Beth, who is available for weddings, engagement pictures, showers, and other events, etc.) I am constructing a ribbon bouquet for Bride #7.

What’s a ribbon bouquet? Well it’s an old shower tradition to take all of the ribbons used to wrap the bride’s gifts and compile them into either a hat or a bouquet. Personally, I prefer the bouquet because A) it can be used by the bride at her rehearsal to walk down the aisle, B) it’s more wedding appropriate! and C) the hat can look a little silly (but some people like embarrassing the bride).

At the second shower I ever attended (I wasn’t a BM) - the MOH asked for my help because the rest of the BMs were helping unwrap and repack the gifts- and she knew I was artistic and creative. Little did I know back then that this would become my job at almost every shower I attended! Personally, I love having the responsibility. As a BM you usually have to help with the gifts anyway, and I find assembling the ribbon bouquet a lot more fun than unwrapping, re-packing or being on trash patrol!

So how does one create such a masterpiece? Well here are SuperBridesmaid’s tips to make a ribbon bouquet your bride will love!

What to bring from home:

1. Paper Plate
2. Scotch Tape
3. Pair of scissors (it may be helpful to bring an extra pair so that the unwrapping team doesn’t keep stealing yours!)
4. Stapler

Directions

1. Top of plate is back of bouquet, facing you
2. Poke holes in the paper plate
3. Tie ribbon in bows and bring strings through the back
4. If there is ribbon already curled or in a premade bow, you can staple on the plate or just find one string to pull through
5. Try to evenly distribute ribbon you have lots of colors of
6. Fake flowers are great to use- so try to make them prominent
7. Use extra (boring color) ribbon to tie the strings in the back together to make it easy for the bride to hold
8. If you have a lot of ribbons, you can have it trail from the bottom (and even tie together)

Helpful Hints

1. Since you want to finish the bouquet as the bride finishes opening the gifts, you need to work quickly- don’t get distracted by pretty gifts!
2. Grab two chairs- one for you to sit on (a little painful to do standing in stilettos!) and one to hold the pile of the ribbons and bows to use
3. Ask the BMs who are unwrapping the gifts to take the ribbons off first, so you have a big pile and your choice of ribbons
4. If you decide to make the hat, I like to use the tool on Bed, Bath & Beyond wrapping to make a little veil

Below are some pictures of hats and bouquets I have made. Which is your favorite? Do you prefer hats or bouquets?

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Custom Cocktails

2010-02-16T14:57:00.001-05:00

What's one of the most important aspects of a bachelorette party? If you answered drinking- you are correct. And what's more fun and festive than having a custom cocktail for your bride-to-be? Here's a chance for you to be creative and use her personality and name to make the drink apropos.

I got this idea from my friend Katie's sister. Katie always signs her name "KT" in e-mails, and her MOH used it at her bachelorete party by serving everyone "K-Tinis." The first time I made a custom cocktail was this past summer at Bride #6's bachelorette prty. Her name is Stephanie, so I served "Stepha-tinis." We bought her a plastic martini glass with a veil, and plain ones for the rest of us. I got a recipe from Work Bride #2 and made a delicious beverage that consisted of Nuvo and champagne. The drink was festively pink and bubbly and got us all off to a good start for the night!

For Bride #7's Bachelorette Party- we did something a little different. Bride #7 used to have an alter-ego in college when she had a few drinks in her. Her friends called her "Lucy" when she got like this, which was short for "Lucifer." For this custom cocktail, we filled a punch bowl with Skip-N-Go-Naked (pink lemonade, cheap beer, and cheap gin) and called it "The Lucy Inducer." After all- it was only appropriate that Lucy reappear on Bride #7's last night out as a single lady. (And no, she did not skip, nor did she go naked that night, but Lucy did come out!)

So my advice is to use your friend's name, personality traits or even future name to come up with a fun drink name. Use her favorite color or just use pink to go with the bachelorette party decorations. And if all else fails, you can always just call it a COCKtail and drink it with fun straws.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Where To Get Supplies

2010-01-31T18:01:00.015-05:00

As I prepare for bachelorette parties, I'm always running around the city picking up supplies at different stores, or perusing the Internet looking for the best buys. People at the parties are always asking "where did you find this?" so I figured I would share the wealth.

All New Yorkers know that the back room of Ricky's NYC is a bachelorette party gold mine. As long as you can muster up the courage to venture past the door beads and the "Adults Only" sign- you can find all the ingredients you need to make a successful bachelorette party including name tags, goody bags, penis straws, veils, bachelorette t-shirts and napkins, etc. Ricky's is great, because almost every neighborhood has one, and it's a quick and easy stop. The only con is that Ricky's can be pretty pricey.

Enter Party City. There's only one in the city (14th street between 5th & 6th), but I used to live two blocks away, so that was quite convenient for me. Party City has a lot of the same things; they are just not as "X" rated as some of the things found at Ricky's. You can still find your name tags, veils, bachelorette napkins etc, as well as other necessary party supplies including glow sticks, boas, and Mardi Gras beads. If you need to set a table - Party City is great to pick up utensils, plates, napkins, balloons, crepe paper, table cloths etc in fun colors (which can also be a lot cheaper than the bachelorette napkins, or you can use them as accents). If you have time, you can even order from their website. If you sign up for their e-mail list, you can get coupons to help save you some extra dough. Here's a link to their bachelorette party merchandise, and below are a few of my favorites.

Bachelorette Party Balloons: An easy way to make the event space look festive!

Bachelorette Sash: So everyone knows who the bride to be is (perfect for your BFF who refuses to wear a veil)!

Scratch A Dare Cards: This way everyone can get in on the fun and the crazy activities!

Bride Martini Glass: Give her a special glass and make her a signature drink!

Another great resource for supplies (especially those not in NYC) is an oldie but goodie. Remember how growing up your mom ordered gifts for your birthday party goody bags from the Oriental Trading catalog? Well who knew it's now a great website to order your bachelorette party accessories from? SuperBridesmaid did! Just like Party Cirty, Oriental Trading is a great stop for items like plates, napkins, balloons etc- and is even cheaper. If you sign up for their e-mail list, they always have great offers going on including free shipping and other coupons. They always have great sales going on, and don't just look at the bachelorette items. Check out all areas on the site, I have ordered heart shaped lollypop rings before that were a big hit. Depending on the size of your party, this is a great place to order any candy for your girls' night out, as they have great deals on bulk quantities (since I know many of us don't want to schlep up to the new Costco at 116th st). Here are some of my favorites from Oriental Trading:

Bachelorette Party Pack: An easy set that has everything you need to make the party festive!

Shot glass rings: She’s got the bling, now give her a ring to hold her alcohol!

Mardi Gras beads: Make sure everyone knows you are part of the bachelorette party by giving everyone beads to wear!

What supplies and decorations are your favorites? Any good hiding spots in the city that you've found?
Happy Bridesmaiding!

(Comfortable) Dancing Shoes

2010-01-27T20:50:00.007-05:00

Anyone who has been a BM before knows there's a 99% chance that you won't last all night in your heels throughout the wedding reception. I've had this conversation with my mom numerous times. (My mother thinks spending hours in four inch heels is a cinch). I remind her that as a BM- you spend a lot more time in the shoes than your typical wedding guest. First of all, you start way earlier and are in your shoes for pictures and running around doing errands for the bride (fetching water, finding the photographer, keeping early arriving guests far away, etc). Second, while all the other guests are comfortably sitting through the ceremony- you are literally standing up the entire time at the bride's side, rightfully performing your duty as a BM.

So if you were not blessed with my mother's ease in stilettos, like me- you always bring a change of shoes for the party. However, I am always plagued with what to do with my cumbersome flip flops? I've hidden them in the bridal suite, then gotten locked out. I've made mad dashes to the party room to hide them under the table before the ceremony even starts, or made my date carry them in a shopping bag. Not exactly the classiest of moves.

But that will all change for my next wedding, now that I've discovered Rolleez. Rolleez are the answer to a BM's achy feet prayers. They are adorable ballet flats, available in 7 different colors that you can roll up and easily stash in your clutch, since they don't take up a lot of room. No one even knows that you are "packin" an extra pair of shoes. They are absolutely adorable, comfortable and most of all - easy on your wallet! (Plus if it's winter- you don't necessarily want to wear flip flops. No pedicure is required!)

If you are a bride reading this, Rolleez also make an excellent bridesmaid's gift. They come packaged as a gift in a little box with a tote bag. This way you can make sure that all of your BFFs are comfortable and literally have their dancing shoes on. I highly recommend checking them out.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

New York Weddings Event

2010-01-21T15:52:00.001-05:00

Any NY bride knows that one of her best resources for wedding planning is New York magazine's New York Weddings, so imagine what a great BM you will be when you give her scoop that they are hosting "the year's biggest bridal shower."

The Spring issue comes out on March 23 (hint, hint--this will make a great thing to pick up as an "OMG! You just got engaged gift!" and their annual New York Weddings Event is taking place Wednesday, April 7 at the Metropolitan Pavilion from 5 PM - 8 PM. This is your chance to help your bride with so much of her wedding planning all in a one-stop-shop. They'll have tons of vendors on hand including photographers, florists, jewelers, bridal gown designers, etc.

Hurry up and buy your tickets ASAP! (There is an incentive for a bride to bring her BMs, as the ticket price is $35 for one, but $50 for two. Plus, they are including a one year subscrption to New York mag!) Have fun and let me know what you thought of the event...

Happy Bridesmaiding!

It's Cookie Time

2010-01-03T13:28:00.002-05:00

At the first bridal shower I ever attended, I was not a bridesmaid. I was 23 years old and new to the wedding circuit, but it was where my creativity started to flourish. It was a childhood friend getting married, and I was chipping in for the gift with three other childhood friends. We didn't really understand why someone would want tons of pots, pans and other kitchen goodies- so we wanted to do something a little more special and personal so that she would look at it and think of us.

This was a perfect opportunity to buy her some gifts off the registry- but then add some fun items as well. So we bought her everything she needed to bake off her registry, including cookie sheets, measuring cups, rolling pins, etc. She really appreciated that because it was a lot of little things that people tend to neglect (it's much easier to buy a $40 serving piece then 8 $5 items). Then, we added in some fun cookie cutters (not something you typically buy yourself) and a cookbook dedicated purely to making cookies. Our main gift was a really fun taxi cab cookie jar to keep on her counter.

Why a taxi cab, you ask? Well, the five of us had always taken dance classes together- and always had these crazy outlandish recital costumes. One of our most famous was when the recital's theme was "New York City" and our costume was taxi cab drivers. This way, we knew the bride would always think of her dance class friends when she saw the cookie jar. Having trouble finding a cookie jar in the shape of something that reminds the bride of you? Just try these personalized cookie jars that you can customize with the bride's new name. They make the perfect gift for the bride who loves to bake!

Just click on the pictures above to order the cookie jars.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Stand By Me

2009-12-31T10:25:00.002-05:00

In this day and age, it's not only the groom's responsibility to ask his betrothed to marry him in a creative and clever way. No, once that question is asked, it's now up to the bride to ask her favorite friends, sisters, cousins, etc to stand by her on her big day. Without fail, every time I tell someone that I was asked to be a bridesmaid, the follow up question is always "How did she ask?"
Since I have many brides as well as BMs reading, I thought I would share my readers the way in which I was asked to play a special part in each of my brides' days.

Bride #1 invited us all over for dinner. Right before we ate, she said she had a special announcement. One of her (now) sister-in-laws didn't live in NY, so she called her and put her on speaker. She then read us a beautiful and hysterical poem (I may or may not have shed a tear), where we all had our own special stanzas (the groom video taped the entire thing!). Of course we all said yes, ate a delicious home-cooked meal, and got copies of our poem to take home. I still have mine in my memory box today.

Bride #2 asked those who lived in NY individually, but sent the out of towners' their requests in the mail. Bride #2 got married on 7/7/07 and coincidentally had 7 bridesmaids. She made us this beautiful card with a poem asking us to be part of her "Lucky 7". In the card was a folder with seven "Lucky 7" lottery tickets- very creative and so apropos! I may not have made big bucks off the lottery, but was very "lucky" to have been chosen.

Bride #3 works in catering sales, and one of her colleagues was a semi-professional baker. She enlisted her help, and dropped off at all of our apartments a cookie basket. In it there were decorated cookies of a bride (with the bride's name on it), a bridesmaid (with our names on it) and a wedding cake. Included in the basket was the cutest "Will you be my bridesmaid card" asking us to be a part of the big day. You can order similar cookies here.

Bride #4 also dropped off a package at our buildings. This time I got a bottle of champagne with a clever note that said "Groom #4 popped a question to me, now I am popping one to you. Will you be my bridesmaid?" I'll toast to that!

Bride #5 doesn't live in the same city as me- and she wanted to make sure to send her BMs something practical they would use. She sent us all deliciously-smelling dress sachets with a gorgeous handmade "Will you be my bridesmaid?" card- with the most sentimental poem inside.

Bride #6 really impressed me. She is not known for being the planner or organizer in my group of friends- but one Sunday night she organized a group of gals to go for (what else?) Chinese food. We went to a restaurant that does not serve fortune cookies, but at the end of the meal- the owner came over to check on us. She said that as we know, they typically do not serve fortune cookies- but tonight was a special occasion. She handed us all gigantic fortune cookies- and sure enough, the fortune inside said "Will you be my bridesmaid? Love, Bride #6 and her wedding date" How do you say "yes" in Chinese? Like this idea? You can order yours at customfortunecookies.com.

Bride #7 asked all of her BMs in different meaningful ways. I have a group of friends from high school who do "group" dinners every now and then. She happen to organize one shortly after she got engaged so we could all catch up and dish some gossip from our recent 10 year reunion (which some of the girls had to miss). At dinner- she gave us all these really heartfelt sentimental cards and included a friendship poem inside. Her grandfather had recently passed away and while cleaning out his desk- they came across this anonymous poem. It really resonated with Bride #7 and reminded her of all of her wonderful friends, so she included it while asking us to stand up in her wedding.

I was at dinner with another friend last night who is recently engaged and is currently brainstorming about how to ask her BMs. I loved her idea so much, I just had to write about it. She is ordering custom M&Ms. One one, she'll print her and the groom's monogram and wedding date. On the next she'll print "will you be my..." and on the third "bridesmaid". So cute!

Some other ideas I have seen, are build-a-bears with customized printed t-shirts that said "BM Name, Will you be my bridesmaid? Love, Bride", picture frames with a picture of the bride & BM, cookie cakes that say "Will you be my bridesmaid?" and even a Hanky Panky bridesmaid thong.

Any way you do it- the most important part is definitely the card. This is the bride's opportunity to be sincere and speak from the heart. This is where she can tell her BM why she is so important, and special, and why she wants her by her side on her special day. Of course, you can use any card you want- but why not be festive and get one made specially for the occasion, like this "Will you be my bridesmaid" card. (FYI, also available in flower girl, Maid of Honor, etc).

Looking for some easy gift sets? Here are a few of my favorite from yourbestfriendswedding.com.

These are all great ways for your BM to proudly display her title of honor!

Hot Shorts Gift Box Set

Will You Be My Bridesmaid? Tank Gift Box Set

Been a BM before? What's your favorite way you have been asked? Already a bride? How did you ask your BFFs? Superbridesmaid wants to know!

BTW- I am dedicating this posting to Work Bride #2 who recently got engaged, and had asked SuperBridesmaid for advice on how to ask her BMs. I hope she finds this helpful!

Happy Bridesmaiding and Happy New Year!

Jersey Girl Gets a Jersey

2009-12-11T11:47:00.001-05:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I love giving personalized gifts at a bridal shower, and rarely buy anything off the registry. Leave that to the groom's mom's friends who barely know your BFF. If you don’t get her something special and personal, who will? Bride #3 recently went to a shower, and told me about such a cute and original gift, that I had to write about it!
The bride is a Jersey girl (what up Garden State?!) who moved to Long Island when she moved in with her fiancé. Apparently, he’s also a big hockey fan, and like any good Nassau county resident- a diehard Islanders fan with season tickets. His loyalty for his favorite team rubbed off on his soon-to-be-bride throughout the course of their relationship, and one of her BMs took notice. Instead of buying her bride another vase, serving piece or place setting, this creative BM ordered the bride a personalized NY Islanders jersey- the back had her first initial and new last name on it. (Props to the BM for putting the first initial so the groom didn’t try to steal it!).
According to my sources, the bride was ecstatic and could not stop gushing over this extra special and clever gift. She can’t wait to wear it to a game and proudly display her new name. I thought this would be helpful to all of my followers because I think we all know a girl whose fiancé is a little sports addicted. And if you can’t beat ‘em, you might as well join ‘em (and look good doing it!).

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Bridal Gown Bargain

2009-11-30T11:27:00.001-05:00

Wanna know how to be the best BM ever? Help your bride save oodles of money on her wedding gown! You heard it here first (unless you were perusing the Styles section yesterday, and saw it there)...Saks Fifth Avenue is having their bi-annual bridal sample sale Wednesday, December 2 through Sunday, December 6 in their New York flagship store. So hurry up, grab your bride and run to the 9th floor where she can save up to 70% off original retail prices on hundreds of designers like Vera Wang, Reem Acra, Amsale, Kenneth Pool, Monique Lhuillier, Anna Maier~Ulla-Maija and many more. Who knows? Maybe she'll repay you by picking out a dress you'll actually wear again.
Happy Bridesmaiding!

Bridal Underwear Makes A Great Gift!

2009-11-21T20:48:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite gifts to give a bride is underwear. It could be for her "OMG! You just got engaged!" gift, part of her shower gift, or part of the lingerie shower/honeymoon gift game at her bachelorette party. It's always a great gift, because not only do they make a festive commerative of the big day, but they can still be used after that. Everyone can always use an extra pair of undies as it helps push off doing laundy for one extra day.

When your bride gets engaged, you can rush on over with a cute white lacy pair that says "bride" or a blue "I Do" (check that "something" off the list!) for her to wear on the big day. Everyone's favorite thongs, Hanky Panky, has a whole bridal offering and are even offering free shipping on their new website through 12/31/09. I highly recommend checking out their bridal selection. They are so comfortable, and all of our lingerie drawers are stocked with them anyway- so why not get her favorites for her big day? Anyone who attended Bride #6's wedding, got a little show of her bridal Hanky Pankys all weekend long!

As you know from previous posts, I am a big fan of "the honeymoon gift bag" gift for the shower, and love adding in personalized undies, that say "Mrs. Groom's Last Name." All of my brides' husbands have loved seeing their name in rhinestones across their new bride's tush. I prefer to do this on boy shorts (gives you more room!), and this pair from advantagebridal.com is my go to. If you don't have time to get it personalized (don't worry, SuperBridesmaid sometimes procrastinates too!), then I recommend this pair of "Just Married" boyshorts from exclusivelyweddings.com.

Is your bride a little racier? She might prefer something with a bit of a joke like the options from customizedgirl.com- but note to self, keep this pair for the bachelorette party. Your bride might die of embarrassment (or never forgive you) if she opens up a pair of thongs that say "Groom's playground" in front of her boss, grandmother, and future mother-in-law. Pairs like this are like penis straws, and meant for our generation's eyes only.

Do you have any favorite pairs to give your brides?
Happy Bridesmaiding!

Do the Funky Chicken Dance...er...Bus

2009-08-26T22:06:00.001-04:00

Typically a big wedding no-no is the Chicken Dance. It reminds us of elementary school gym class. After planning Bride #7's Bachelorette Party though, a big yes is the "Chicken Bus" in NYC. Officially known as La Rumba Express- this bus made our evening.

Let me back up for one second though. Bride #7 wanted her big night out to be in NYC (where she and almost all of her friends and BMs live) so that a) people didn't have to travel, b) to keep costs down and c) so that as many people as possible could come. We invited 30 people, and 22 ended up attending. Not surprising from a bride who has thirteen bridesmaids! So, even though our night was local- the MOH and her planning committee were charged with making this night special and different.

We started off with your typical cocktails, apps and games at someone's apartment. Next, we were off to a delicious prix-fixed dinner...but we traveled to dinner in style. Waiting for us at the street corner was the infamous Chicken Bus. Bride #7 had never seen or heard of it, so it was quite a shock to her. It was a ratty old school bus big enough to safely transport us all that blasted music (with the iPod we provided), with flashing lights, rubber chickens, a saddle, stripper pole, stuffed parrots, nets, and of course coolers to hold the beer we brought along. We danced all the way to dinner "wahooing" and screaming the entire time.
After dinner, we got back on the party bus and headed out for our bar crawl. The first bar we went to was so crowded, that some girls left to go back and hang out on the bus. We decided the bus was so amazing that we actually skipped the second bar to have our driver, Jose, drive us around. We had our friends, good music, bongo drums, beer, and of course an inflatable penis- so what more did we need? We drove around, and everyone on the streets would look at us. We even threw one guy Mardi Gras beads and he lifted his shirt for us. We had a mounted police officer come so close to the bus that the horse stuck his face in the open window area, and one of the BMs pet him.

Warning though, La Rumba Express is not cheap-- but if you have a lot of friends attending your bachelorette party, and you want to make this night stand out- I highly recommend it. Thanks to the Chicken Bus, Bride #7 told us she had the most unbelievable night, and that she couldn't have planned it better herself...and trust me, she tried to!

Happy Bridesmaiding and enjoy the pictures!

Don't Let Mother Nature Rain on Your Parade

2009-08-26T13:46:00.002-04:00

Last weekend was wedding #7, and unfortunately the weather did not cooperate with us. The wedding was in the Berkshires, in Lennox, Mass- and there was a huge storm that passed through over the weekend. They were forced to go to every Plan B possible, but everything was beautiful, and to quote the bride "the florist made it all seem like Plan A's."

The one unfortunate part was that the reception was held in a tent. So the grass around the dance floor was sopping wet, and unfortunately part of the dance floor was flooded and there were cones where you couldn't dance. We all thought that Bride #7 was going to freak out when she saw the cones that would limit the dance space, and were not visually appealing. She did, but only for a second. She then realized- what was she going to do? There was nothing she could do, but throw up her hands and say "It is what it is." It also helped, that when her wedding coordinator told her about it, she also mentioned that her bridesmaids were alerady all on the floor dancing. The wedding coordinator told her that the band wasn't even playing dance music, but her friends were already cutting a rug. The bride knew at this point that the rain wouldn't stand in her way of having a great party.

All night people were coming up to her telling her that she had the most amazing friends. Her guests told her that her friends and especially BMs were what made the party. We were on the dance floor all night long, and no one cared about the damp grass that your shoe may have gotten stuck in, or the dirt at the bottom of the gown's dress- we did what we came to do- have an amazing time. Another BM told Bride #7, that the bride sets the tone for the wedding. Someone there told me that the "kids" (I love how we are in our late 20's or early 30's but are still referred to as "kids") set the tone. Either way, all of us set the party tone in a big way. Morral of the story is- don't let the weather affect you (or your bride). We think in this case, it gave us more incentive to party even harder to show Mother Nature she couldn't rain on our parade.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

What A Way To Make An Entrance

2009-07-27T18:03:00.001-04:00

Hey BMs! So sorry it's been ages since my last post....I've actually been quite busy with weddings and bachelorette parties! However, I couldn't NOT write about the recent Wedding-Related YouTube sensation that's been passed around since last week. Without giving away too much, let's just say it's a very clever (and totally fresh and new) wedding march. In case you haven't seen it (or want to watch again), click here to view the video as well as an interesting take on it from Paul Smalera of TrueSlant.
I have to agree with him- what a way to differenciate your wedding! I have sit through many a wedding processionals (I'm not always in the wedding party) and sometimes they can be a little long. This is the perfect way to spice it up a little and really "get the party going." And from what I hear...this is a big trend and not just an internet gag. A friend of a friend was recently in a wedding, and each bridesmaid came out dancing to her own song! The song was reflective of your personality. How fun is that? Now that's a bride who really celebrates the individuality of her BMs. If you got to chose your own song to walk (or dance) down the aile to- what would it be? SuperBridesmaid wants to know!

As always- Happy Bridesmaiding!

Lend A Helping Hand

2009-06-29T21:35:00.001-04:00

Last night, I was at Bride #6's apartment super late helping her and her fiance fold and prepare their programs. The wedding is this Saturday! Our backs hurt from hunching over the table (we're getting old), our fingers were numb from hole punching, folding and using a bone folder to make a sharp crease...however we got it all done! It wasn't the most luxurious of bridesmaid duties, but it needed to get done. Bride #6 has been a little stressed before she leaves for her wedding weekend, so I wanted to do what I could to help her out.

This morning I got the nicest, sweetest most sincere e-mail from Groom #6 thanking me for helping them out last night. I hope he doesn't mind that I quote him here. He wrote "It is really easy to help someone when they want to go shopping but it isn't always easy to help someone when they need to do something as tedious, time-consuming, and torturous as program building." While I wouldn't say it was torture last night, because I did get to spend some quality time with the happy couple, I am sharing this story to remind all of you that you should always offer your help to the bride. It's true- we all volunteer to look at wedding gowns or go shoe shopping, but it's rare that we want to give up a beautiful sunny day to do something laborious. Just keep this in mind the next time your bride is stressing out about everything she needs to do. Trust me, she'll be so thankful!

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Towel Wedding Cakes

2009-06-15T21:26:00.001-04:00

When the other bridesmaids and I were coming up with gift ideas for Bride #1, we wanted to get her the towels off her registry and roll them up and decorate them like a wedding cake. Unfortunately, her future (but now) mother-in-law beat us to the punch and bought the towels. She had them professionally made into a cake format, and it was amazing.

It really inspired me to be able to do it in the future. Bride #3 loves her monogram, and I knew she would love it. So the other bridesmaids and I chipped in for all the towels on her registry, had them monogrammed and I made them into a wedding cake. It took hours but it came out looking amazing. I got rave reviews at the shower, and no one could believe I made it myself. It took a while for Bride #3 to disassemble the cake and actually use the towels because she didn't want to take it apart, but hey- you can't dry yourself off after the shower with a tier of a cake! So it had to be done...

Bride #7 was my roommate at the time I made my first towel cake, and saw me slaving over it for hours. As soon as she got engaged, she put in her "request" for one at her shower. We just had the shower this past weekend, and Bride #7 loved her cake just as much as Bride #3. Once again, only positive remarks and some people were in total awe.

I have to admit that I'm quite proud of the results and wanted to share them with all of you. I love giving this gift because it's something practical the couple needs, but is presented in a beautiful and special way. If you are interested in having SuperBridesmaid make a wedding towel cake for your next shower, please email me directly at superbridesmaid@gmail.com for pricing.

Happy Bridesmaiding and enjoy the towel cake photos!

Bride #3's Towel Wedding Cake

Bride #7's Towel Wedding Cake

Bachelorette Party Tips

2009-06-03T13:57:00.002-04:00

One of my friends and co-bridesmaids in two weddings writes a weekly blog for We TV about planning her own wedding. This week she talks about Bride #6's Bachelorette Party in Newport (mentioned below) and gives some great Bachelorette Party tips!

You should definitely check it out!

Happy Bridesmaiding!

"OMG You Just Got Engaged!!!!" Gifts

2009-06-03T09:41:00.001-04:00

In addition to an engagement gift (typically something off the registry purchased a few weeks after the actual engagement), I like to buy my brides an "OMG! You just got engaged!! (insert girlie squeal)" Gift. This is a little something special for just the bride (not the couple) to get her excited about her year ahead. I will try to have the gift ready in my apartment if I know the engagement is coming soon, but sometimes if you are caught off guard, you need to just haul a** to the nearest store and pick one up! Some of my favorite gifts to give include:

Bedazzled "Bride" tank top
A ring dish (I made a personalized one at one of those paint your own pottery places)
White "bride" or "I Do" underwear/thong
Bridal magazines
Ring/jewelry cleaner so she can keep that rock sparkling!
A gift certificate for a manicure or better yet- take her to get one so you can spend some QT together
Wedding planning book (I usually go with this Martha Stewart book, because I personalize the cover with the bride and groom's names. I also like that it's a binder, so you can put things in or take them out)

If you are good friends with the groom, he shouldn't feel left out! There are some gifts you can get him too! Some examples are:

Let me know if you have any other great ideas to share.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Not going to the Bachelorette Party? No problem!

2009-06-02T22:15:00.001-04:00

We all have busy years when we get in to Wedding Season, and sometimes we can't always go to the bachelorette party. Or, especially in this environment, some people may not be able to afford to go. Just because you can't be there, it doesn't mean you can't let the bride know that you are thinking about her. I always recommend you send a little gift to the bride to show her you are sorry you can't be there but she's special to you. Some ideas are as simple as sending a bottle of wine, champagne or dessert to the table if they go out to dinner. Other elaborate ideas include sending gift baskets to a hotel room, a gift if there's a lingerie shower, or any other special treat that you know the bride loves (i.e. if Magnolia cupcakes make her salivate, send a few her way!). Your bride will understand if you can't make it, but but getting a little gift from you will definitely make her smile. Buying a round of shots at the bar won't replace you, but it sure will help her enjoy her night!

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Bachelorette Party in Newport

2009-06-02T21:36:00.001-04:00

I just got back from an AMAZING weekend in Newport for Bride #6's bachelorette party. There were thirteen of us (including) the bride, and it went so smoothly! Bride #6 is probably the biggest partier of all of my brides, and we always thought we would definitely be going to Vegas for her. (Or New Orleans, because this bride would definitely get lots of beads, if you know what I mean). However- this isn't the economic environment where we can all drop a grand on a bachelorette party, when many of us are getting laid off, or taking pay cuts. So, we promised Bride #6 that we would go out of town, and we did. We did it in a really fun yet economical way.

Instead of doing the usual NYC summer escape like Fire Island, the Hamptons, or Jersey Shore- we went up to Newport, RI. Newport was just a 3 1/2 hour drive away, and a really cute little town. We found a gorgeous house to rent, that fit all 13 of us (very) comfortably. The house had everything we needed, including a fantastic outdoor pool and hot tub. We were only a few blocks from town, so were able to walk to our delicious and reasonable seafood dinner. There was a club in the basement of the restaurant, so we knew exactly where to go after eating, and the restaurant even reserved a table for us. The restaurant had been recommended, and we chose the club not only because of its proximity to dinner, but because it was called The Boom Boom Room, and how do you not go to a club with that name for a party animal bride? We had so much fun there, that we stayed until the bar closed (which isn't too hard in Newport, since the bars all close at 1 AM!)

The rest of the weekend was spent hanging out at the house. We brought in bagels Saturday morning, and hung out by the pool eating chips and dip and drinking bloody marys and margaritas all day. The MOH and I collected money from everyone in advance and stocked the house with all of the food and necessities for the weekend. We bar-b-qued hot dogs and hamburgers for dinner and hung out in the house all night. We took advantage of the different rooms and had different activities and games all night long celebrating the bride.

I was nervous that we weren't going out enough for the bride, but she was so appreciative of 12 of her friends all coming out for her and celebrating her all weekend. She was so excited to just spend such quality time with her closest friends- and it was so nice to hear that. You could really tell she was so warmed and ecstatic all weekend, it makes all of your planning and hard work feel rewarded. She told us it was the best weekend of her life, but we told her, we're glad to hear that now, but hope the wedding is even better!

Happy Bridesmaiding!

LL Bean Bags

2009-05-21T08:50:00.002-04:00

As many of you know, I am a big fan of giving LL Bean Boat & Tote bags with the bride's new initials as part of the shower gift. I recently did this for Bride #6. When I got an e-mail after I placed the order that the color I chose was now out of stock- I wasn't happy. I called LL Bean, and they were so great and accommodating! I had originally ordered the medium bag with long handles, and they were totally out of purple mediums- so they gave me the large purple bag and didn't charge me for shipping. It ended up being cheaper than the medium with shipping! Then, since I was a novice at ordering the large bag (the medium with long handles is my usual standard)- I ordered the large bag with the long handles rather than the standard handles. Bride #6 is about 5'1", so the long handles on the large bag were WAY too big. The bag started at her waist! No problem though, I called LL Bean and even though the bag was monogrammed, I can exchange it for a new one! Plus, they're shipping the new one out with free shipping and all I have to pay for is the shipping to send the old one back. Fabulous! Lessons learned from this experience? A) When ordered Boat & Tote bags go with either the medium bag and long handles or large bag and standard handles and B) Always go with a reputable established company. Don't cheap out and order an imitation Boat & Tote bag on a cheapie website...go for the real thing. Their customer service was impeccable and they have super fast shipping!!!

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Shower Gifts

2009-05-04T17:58:00.002-04:00

One question I am always asked about is a shower gift. There are many different opinions on shower gifts, and whether or not to get a gift off the registry or not. The fact of the matter is- you are never wrong if you stay within the registry. I mean, the bride chose that gift- obviously she wants it!
However, as one of her bridesmaids, you are obviously one of her closest friends (or family members). Who knows her better than you do? If anyone is at liberty to get a gift off the registry and know that she'll like it, it's you! Just use your judgement!
One of my favorite things to do is have all of the bridesmaids chip in together and get a sort of combination gift. Half from the registry, and half using our creative imagination! One of my most common gifts is the travel/honeymoon gift and it's a great compromise of on and off the registry. This gift can include any or all of the following items, depending on your budget.

Luggage that the bride registered for
Luggage tags (possibly even personalized with the couple's monogram or last initial)
LL Bean Boat & Tote bag with the bride's new initials
"Mrs. _____" tank top for her honeymoon or morning after brunch
Just Married Underwear
"I Love [Groom's Name]" underwear
Travel cosmetics bag (possibly personalized with name or bride's new initials)
Travel lingerie and/or shoe bags
Sunscreen
Bathing Suit Cover Up
Travel slippers
Robe (possibly personalized with name or bride's new initials)
Honeymoon Journal
Honeymoon disposable camera

I have given this to numerous brides, even for weddings that I am not in, and have always gotten the most positive reaction. They all love it!

If it's just you and you are limited, but want to go off the registry, the following are some great generic gifts that I heard are always appreciated!

Lingerie (use your discretion how risky you want to get here)
Picture frames
Serving Pieces
Gift Certificates (restaurants, spas, etc)

If you want to be really special and go off the registry, here are some other ideas.

Create a scrapbook of the bride and groom's pre-married life together and give her a blank album to start when they get married
Buy the bride a personalized recipe box with her new married name. Secretly e-mail the other bridesmaids and important family members (sisters, both moms, grandmas, aunts, etc) and fill the box with the recipes. I did this for Bride #5 and she said it was the best gift she received at her shower. She was so touched to have in her possession the recipes her friends and family members are best known for. She even gave herself the deadline of her one year anniversary to make each recipe at least once. Her husband is loving every minute of it!
Personalized stationary with the bride's new name

As I always say though, keep your bride in mind. If you know she really wants her registry completed- buy her something off the registry and use your creativity somewhere else. We did this for Bride #2 and Bride #4. We bought them their pots and pans and then their luggage and they were both thrilled to get the high ticket items they didn't think they would otherwise receive.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Know Your Bride!

2009-05-04T17:52:00.001-04:00

The most important thing I tell everyone who asks, is KNOW YOUR BRIDE! Seriously...this is her day, her year! Yes, yes- everyone likes to have fun, but if you know that your bride is the type of girl who gets mortified when she gets up in front of a large crowd, don't make her sing karaoke at her bachelorette party. If your bride can't stand getting dressed up, don't over do it on the bachelorette accessories. If she's a bit tame and modest- don't make her party all night at a club.

The same goes for a rehearsal dinner speech or a bridal shower gift. If you love to give lingerie at a shower, but have a modest bride- keep her in mind and don't embarass her. If she can't take a joke- be kind when you roast her at the rehearsal dinner.

Just remember, that even though you may have a bridezilla who demands the exact nail polish color you wear and calls you at all hours of the day with questions and demands, she IS still your friend. So try not to embarass her and tailor your gifts, activities, etc around her. Trust me, you'll want her to do the same for you when it's your turn.

Happy Bridesmaiding!

Bridesmaid Pictures

2008-12-26T21:19:00.012-05:00

Enjoy some of the pictures of my Bridesmaid past...

Wedding #7 8.22.09

Wedding #6 7.0.4.09
Wedding #5 11.08.08

Wedding #4 7.26.08

Wedding #3 9.08.07

Wedding #2 7.07.07

Wedding #1 7.08.06

About SuperBridesmaid

2008-12-26T19:34:00.002-05:00

Hi! I'm Michelle, and I am a 28 year-old female living in New York City. I have a ton of fabulous friends and like most girls my age, am in what we like to call "the wedding circuit". Over the past few years, I have gone to at least four weddings a year and have a been a bridesmaid five times (plus, will be in two more weddings next summer). When I was in my first wedding only 2 1/2 years ago, we did not have a MOH (Maid of Honor) to take charge. There was no one to organize the bachelorette party, the group gift for the shower, etc...so I stepped up to the plate and the other bridesmaids (all my friends) lovingly nicknamed me "Super Bridesmaid." After that, my reputation proceeded me for the rest of the weddings I was in. I've been the one who has come up with the creative, different and meaningful gift ideas and the clever games to play. I spent so much time preparing for all of the festivities that I have turned "bridesmaiding" into a verb, and have joked around that I have become a professional bridesmaid. At my most recent bachelorette party (for Bride #5), we were playing a game I made up and the MOB (Mother of the Bride) turned to me and said "I mean, Michelle- you are in the wrong business. You are too creative. You should do something with this." Well, I wasn't about to abandon my steady paycheck in the world of corporate marketing, as I don't think the business of being a bridesmaid consultant would be able to pay the bills. Let's be honest ladies, we all know that having the honor of standing up next to your girlfriend on her big day is absolutely wonderful, but it does have its costs, and who wants to add another expense to the list? So, I decided to start this blog to help the young bridesmaids out there who are not sure what to do come up with cute, clever, and creative ideas to make the bride's big day (and let's face it- entire year) extra special. However- there may be some young BMs out there who are totally clueless- for those of you who need extra special help, SUPERBRIDESMAID does offer specific consulting services. Email me directly at superbridesmaid@gmail.com for costs. When you are stuck without a clue- it's SUPERBRIDESMAID to the rescue!
Happy Bridesmaiding!
xoxo
Michelle