Being in a wedding is so much fun -- uh, as long as it's yours. For the rest of us -- the bridesmaids, pals and stuck-at-the-single-tables -- it's not always as fun.A few things we've learned in our spins as the bridesmaid?
1) We will not wear the dress again, no matter what you say or whether you let us pick out our own style.
2) When the bride says our escorting groomsman is "totally adorable," she's generally omitting that he's 5'3" and engaged.
3) It is never a good idea to schedule the bachelorette party the night before the wedding.
We teamed up with Brides.com to create a poll that lifts the veil on the very, very special relationship between brides and bridesmaids. This is your chance to tell us -- and the brides in your life -- how you really feel about everything from the gowns to showers to reality TV. Take our poll below, then see how the brides and their maids voted.
And don't forget to share your own cherished memories or festering resentments in the comments!
(If you're having trouble viewing the poll, try using Explorer.)
Award Poll
Are you worried that your friendship will become better or worse after the wedding?
- Worse.
- The same.
- Better!
Is it appropriate to give the bride-to-be lingerie at her wedding shower?
- Of course!
- No!
- It depends.
Should the bride consider cost when choosing the bridesmaid's dress?
- Yes.
- No.
- It depends.
Should a bridesmaid speak up if the dress is too expensive?
- Yes.
- No.
- Only if she really can't afford it.
What is the best U.S. city to have the bachelorette party?
- New York
- New Orleans
- Chicago
- Los Angeles
- Las Vegas
- Wherever the bride lives!
Would you consider participating in a wedding reality show?
- Yes!
- No!
- It depends.
Who is your ideal celebrity bridesmaid?
- Jennifer Aniston
- Tina Fey
- Katherine Heigl
- Kate Hudson
- Angelina Jolie
- Reese Witherspoon
In whose wedding party would you like to be a bridesmaid?
- Jennifer Aniston
- Tina Fey
- Katherine Heigl
- Kate Hudson
- Angelina Jolie
- Reese Witherspoon
Whose wedding would you most like to replicate as a bridesmaid or bride?
- J. Lo & Marc
- Katie & Tom
- Beyonce & Jay-Z
- Eva & Tony
- Jen & Ben
10 Outrageous Theme Weddings
Football Wedding This couple was married at the Cincinnati Bengals' Paul Brown Stadium. No word on whether the bride wore a sports bra.
Hello Kitty Wedding Never moved past your Hello Kitty pencil case? You can pay to have two giant creatures escort you down the aisle, like this couple.
jennfc.com
Star Wars Wedding We hope Yoda presided over this wedding ("Take the bride, do you?"). The London Telegraph reports on one such union where a Princess Leia was the ring bearer, clad in the infamous gold bikini.
klobtime, Flickr
Biker Wedding Why leave your Harley at home for the big day when you can ride down the aisle in style? This couple takes leather to the altar and shows their guests exactly how to ride off in to the sunset, without chafing.
Mad Man Dan / FaithRiders
WWII Wedding Time to party like it's 1942? All 100 guests at this wedding got into theme, donning fur wraps, berets and caps adorned with feathers. For authenticity they piped in the sound of sirens and Lancaster bombers flying overhead.
Hartlepool Mail
Zombie Wedding If the undead get married, then it really is a union that will last forever. To make it authentic you could even get carried in a coffin to the altar. Consider eating beforehand if you don't like brains.
wedlog.com
Disney Princess Wedding For your Cinderella day, you can buy a gown from the official Disney fashion line, or have your wedding at the actual theme park for 10 grand and up. Next up: "Lion King" groomsmen!?
bridezilla.com
Gangster Wedding Bonnie and Clyde made being a gangster romantic and now you can too with some vintage duds and smart pinstripes.
thebreadline, Flickr
Renaissance Wedding Grab your lute and mount your trusty steed! If you're donning a garter, run swiftly. One rather aggressive medieval tradition called for guests to grab a piece of the garment by any means necessary.
youandyourwedding.com
Lord of the Rings Wedding "One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them." Take your "precious" to the altar and recite lines straight from Tolkien's classic as the vows. These LOTR superfans earn bonus points for their Minas Tirith cake.
Sarah and Patrick Needham
Comments:
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Tuesday 10 March
By amyshannoncook
Most of the time weddings are fun and joyful occasions, unless you have a bridezilla in charge or a delusional bride in need of a reality check!
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Tuesday 10 March
By Nikii
I'm a Bride and it's not fun because getting the Bridesmaids to participate in anything..even answering an email is nearly impossible..and then you wonder where Bridezilla comes from!
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Wednesday 11 March
By Jo
Most bride's maids dont take their duty seriously. They think its time to show up in a pretty dress and walk down the isle with a (hopefully) handsome and possibly single groom's men. I have been maid of honor twice and a bride's maid twice...(yes thats 4 times total) And I think without the help of good bride's maids, your job (as the bride) gets doubled in size and in anxiety... now you have to track down flakey bride's maids that have a large roll in the ceremony! Its better to be picky about who you ask to accompany you as a brides maid and keep the number small. From my many observations... If you add to your bridesmaid list ONLY because so-in-so is your sister, cousin, or your husband-to-be's family, you are in for a big disapointment. The maid (or matron) of honor is a pretty big decision, they have to be ready for anything. (at one point I was making desicions for my friend that refused to make another desicion about anything, anymore!). My experience as a BM has changed my mind quite a bit when it comes to picking bride's maids when its my turn to be the bride.
Tuesday 17 March
By Cathy
I am getting married too. And I completely understand what yours saying. My maid of honor and on of my bridesmaids are great but the other too, not so much. One is getting married a month before me and acts like my wedding stuff is less important and the other is just so iffy.
Tuesday 10 March
By ronald
those brides maids are beautiful i love there shiny clothes the best
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Thursday 12 March
By Math Dork
I have a new favorite comic strip called "the meaning of Lila". The funniest thing about it is that it is not the exception, but it is the rule. I see a comment by Nikii and have to laugh. I'll bet you are a solid 9 with friends that range between 8 and 10. Every woman that I have dated is either pretty or smart or both. But the one I regret most not marrying was not that pretty but she was the smartest. Like a man smacking a woman there is no excuse for Bridezilla's. A Bridezilla is a shallow woman that wants to have a wedding (she does not even necessarily want to be married, or at least understand the commitment - that's the shallow part). If I ever felt the anger towards a woman that would have weak minded men smack them, I would just dump her instead. Women are generally creatures of their culture, so they generally become as shallow as their friends. -I would be happy do debate anybody on this claim, I live in the middle east and study the culture. I have a degree in math and understand how regressions work on behavior. So if you disagree then you're wrong. Anyhoo getting back to this diatribe. I was saying that women generally become as shallow as their friends, because like the women in the picture they are highly social. And the better they are at the social (like the women in the picture and Paris Hilton) that social rule goes a long way. It can guarantee reproduction, and really never having to work or think to survive. There is a saying that you can judge a man by the company he keeps, but this is even more so with women. So Nikii this is what I am saying. You are a pretty girl. It took a lot of work to be that pretty. You could have split your effort from a just be pretty to one where you developed some substance. You would at this point in your life be bored with the idiots that you call friends and really depend on yourself even more. The Bridezilla thought would not even cross your mind, because you would know who you can count on for what. You likely would have some semi-attractive girl friends (not as pretty as the ones you have now) but they would rarely if ever stab you in the back. Maybe take this advice for your daughters. And develop yourself while you are married.
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Friday 13 March
By Mary
I've been a bridesmaid 17 times. Yes that's right 17 times. And I have 2 more weddings coming up in 2010. I have never encountered a problem with any of the brides. But it could also be that all the weddings I've stood up in have been Polish weddings. The brides to be are never "bridezillas". I am not stereotyping at all, I just think that its a funny coincidence.
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Thursday 26 March
By Simone
I'm to be a bridesmaid , along with a matron of honor, who is a psychopath! (she actually hits people) I love the bride, but I'm afraid of the matron of honor, who is acting competitive with me. I can't understand why the bride wants her to be in the wedding. The other bridesmaids are sweet.
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Thursday 19 March
By nocherie
As Maid of Honor to both of my best friends, I took my duty seriously. I traveled with one who was planning a larger wedding. I was basically her secretary! It became a joke but I was there helping her plan everything, throwing her shower, listening to her vent. My other friend didn't have a very big wedding and her family was very involved so I did whatever she needed me to. Both weddings cost a bit of money but it was worth it. I plan on getting married at some point in a few years and I'm already sure I'll be a bridezilla. lol But I don't think my friends would be surprised if I was. I know they'll tolerate me, tell me to shut up, and get frustrated with my whining. In the end we'll have some laughs and be glad it's over. But we've been friends for 15-20 yrs. It may make the difference. We know each other like sisters.
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Saturday 21 March
By Leah
I have been a bridesmaid once, a bride once, and am about to be matron-of-honour.
I have not worn my bridesmaid dress again, simply because it's too formal. For the wedding I'm matron of honour in, I *will* wear the dress again- I love it. All four of my bridesmaids adored the dress I chose for them and they've all worn it again.
I did not want my bachelorette party the night before my wedding, and would never schedule a friend's bachelorette party the night before her wedding.
I've also never been to a wedding (and I've been to a lot) with a "singles" table.
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Thursday 26 March
By Molly Steinberg
First of all, I have been a bridesmaid 2 times and I have only had 4 friends get married. I have worn one of my dresses again already, so I completely do not agree with your number 1. As for #2, if the bride is nice, she will tell you everything about the groomsmen as I have. I also am seating my bridesmaids with their friends, not with each other, so there will be no "singles" table. I don't know where you came up with these three, but I don't agree with any of them
I also agree with many of the other posts that the nicesness of the bride definitely depends on the willingness & helpfulness of the bridesmaids. My maid of honor & 3 of my bridesmaids are great, but the other three never respond to any e-mails from me or the other members of the bridal party. I have also had the invitations out for a month and I have yet to get an RSVP card back from the other three. They know they are coming! It just gets frustrating and it adds to the pressure because when I am trying to figure out make-up and hair schedules, I can't get an answer from them!
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Thursday 26 March
By LADY A1
ELEGANT BRIDE
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