Bridesmaid for Hire on Craigslist: How It All Began
Craigslist is one of the most popular platforms for buying and selling local items, finding job listings, and advertising jobs. The website has also had its fair share of strange sales and listings. Like full-size wax Amish figures, toilet paper seeds, and an avocado car.
In addition to the bizarre items, people advertise outlandish services, including Uber alternatives, replacement friends, and bridesmaids! In 2014, professional bridesmaid Jen Glentz advertised her services as a stand-in bridesmaid and unknowingly launched a new market that is taking the wedding world by storm.
Keep reading to learn how finding and advertising as a bridesmaid for hire on Craigslist works, how it all began, and tips for success.
What is Craigslist and How Does It Work?
Before we dive into exactly how advertising or finding a bridesmaid for hire on Craigslist works, let’s go over the basics. Craigslist is a classified advertisements website with various sections dedicated to different categories like jobs, for sale items, items wanted, housing options, services, community service opportunities, resumes and more. The website also has a discussion forum where users can chat, make suggestions, and strike deals.
Craigslist is free to use. You can search by visiting the website, choosing your location, and finding the category that interests you. The website’s search feature lets you browse by price, location, category, and keyword. You can filter results, make offers, and chat with sellers. You can also click on each post for a more detailed description, additional photographs, and more information.
The steps are similar if you want to advertise on Craigslist or promote yourself as a bridesmaid for hire. Visit the site, select your location and the types of items or services you want to promote, and then click the “Create a Posting” tab. You have to choose a category for your listing and add details, including a title, price, and description. Interested users can contact you via email. This is also where you finalize the sale details and make any future arrangements.
Can You Advertise as a Bridesmaid for Hire on Craigslist?
Yes! You can list and sell various services on Craigslist, from cleaning and computer work to driving, tutoring, and being a bridesmaid. While this practice may sound unconventional, it’s more popular than you think. People hire bridesmaids for countless different reasons. Some of the most popular include:
- To have a pseudo-wedding planner disguised as a member of the bridal party
- To lend professional help and support to other first-time bridesmaids
- To help with all the pre-wedding plans and details
- To even out the bridal party
- To reduce hurt feelings and wedding day drama
- All of the bride’s family and friends live far away
For some brides, paying a professional bridesmaid is well worth the investment, as it offers peace of mind and a behind-the-scenes expert to reduces stress both before and during the wedding.
Where It All Began
So, who was the genius who came up with the idea of being a bridesmaid for hire on Craigslist? This title goes to Jen Glentz, a Brooklyn, NY native who became an overnight sensation when she decided to turn her long history of being the bridesmaid and never the bride into a very lucrative living. After complaining to a roommate about being a bridesmaid far too many times, Glantz got the idea of a lifetime. Why not become a professional stand-in for stressed-out brides around the world?
At a traditional wedding, bridesmaids are usually the closest friends and family of the couple. Bridal parties are made up of sisters, cousins, college besties, and childhood friends. And while these loved ones should stand beside the bride on her special day, they don’t always know how much work goes into the position.
Bridesmaids are responsible for much more than just looking pretty in the selected dress, posing for pictures, and dancing the night away. They have to help plan and attend numerous events before the ceremony, including the bridal shower, bachelorette party, and rehearsal dinner. Most bridesmaids follow along for dress fittings, make-up and hair consultations, and food tastings. They must also foot the bill for their dresses, shoes, accessories, and much more. Although being a bridesmaid is an honor, it can also be a burden.
From the bride’s perspective, they want their closest friends and family involved in their special day, but this isn’t always easy. Sometimes, the issue is geography. Whether the bride wants a destination wedding or their closest friends and family members live too far away, a bride may need someone in a pinch to balance the number of bridesmaids and groomsmen. In other cases, it’s the drama that the bride wants to avoid. By hiring a bridesmaid on Craigslist, brides rest easy knowing they have a seasoned professional working behind the scenes to keep stress and drama to a minimum and the wedding schedule on track.
After staring at a collection of bridesmaid dresses in her closet, Glentz realized she had enough experience as a bridesmaid to help these stressed-out bridesmaids before and during the big day. Glentz turned to Craigslist to promote her services. Two days later, the young entrepreneur had over 250 responses from people worldwide asking to hire her as a bridesmaid. Once she realized there was such a high demand for this arrangement, Glentz launched her website, and the rest is history!
Today, Glentz works with up to 6 brides per month. Some pay $1,500 for the wedding coaching package, including planning, organizing, and emotional support leading up to the big day. If the bride wants Glentz in attendance on the big day, it’ll cost an additional $500. Her prices vary depending on the number of services, the location, and the date, so be sure to consult directly with the website for final pricing. Unfortunately, the busier and more popular Glentz becomes, the more expensive her services are and the less likely she’ll be available for your designated date.
Advertising as a Hired Bridesmaid on Craigslist
Whether you love weddings, want to make some extra money, or both, you can advertise yourself as a bridesmaid for hire on Craigslist. All you have to do is visit the website and create a posting to advertise your services.
There are a few things to remember when creating your Craigslist post. First, make sure you choose a relevant category for your post. Next, set a reasonable price. This can vary depending on your location, experience, and level of service. Some professional bridesmaids charge by the hour (between $50 and $200), while others charge per event, with additional fees for appearances at pre-wedding events or help planning special events. Be firm in your pricing but open-minded when negotiating.
Add specific details in the post about your experience, availability, pricing, and what you offer. Let brides know that you provide a personalized service and are committed to making their wedding day perfect. You can also upload photos of other weddings you attended. Include your location, as well, and how far you’re willing to travel. Craigslist emphasizes local connections and deals, so much of the search results are based on your location and the location of interested users.
Finding a Hired Bridesmaid on Craigslist
Brides looking for professional bridesmaids can also turn to Craigslist for help. While this isn’t a service that’s offered often, with enough digging, you might be able to find a bridesmaid for hire on Craigslist. Search for relevant keywords like “bridesmaid”, “maid of honor,” and “wedding.” Just know that most of the results will be for bridesmaid dressings and wedding decor. Filter the results based on your location or the location of your venue and the category “services” instead of “items for sale.” These minor changes might increase your chances of finding a reliable bridesmaid for hire on Craigslist.
Although Craigslist does have a customer support team to help with transactions and prevent scams, there’s minimal protection for services rendered (or not rendered). If you’re lucky enough to find a professional bridesmaid that meets your requirements, preferences, and budget, you’ll need to do a thorough background check to ensure they’re qualified. The last thing you want on your wedding day is an inexperienced bridesmaid who is more focused on enjoying the party than ensuring your happiness.
The Pros and Cons of Using Craigslist for Bridesmaids
Finding goods and services on sites like Craigslist comes with pros and cons – many of which apply to finding a bridesmaid for hire. So, before you use Craigslist to find a borrowed bestie for one of the biggest days of your life, consider these pros and cons.
Pros of Finding a Bridesmaid for Hire on Craigslist
- You can find a professional bridesmaid on a budget
- You can search by location to find a bridesmaid closer to the wedding venue
- Craigslist is known for posting unconventional services and items for sale
Cons of Finding a Bridesmaid for Hire on Craigslist
- There’s no way to guarantee the bridesmaid you hire will be qualified
- Craigslist doesn’t perform background checks or identity verification on users
- Most experienced professional bridesmaids register with a reputable website
- It may be difficult to find a bridesmaid for hire among all the other postings
However, it’s not just brides who are at risk when using Craigslist. If you want to advertise your services as a bridesmaid for hire on Craigslist, you must also protect yourself and consider these benefits and drawbacks.
Pros of Advertising As a Bridesmaid for Hire on Craigslist
- You can reach a broader audience
- You can find local brides looking for your services
- You can advertise your services anonymously
- You can chat via email to coordinate the details
Cons of Advertising a Bridesmaid for Hire on Craigslist
- It can be nearly impossible to target brides looking for your service since the Craigslist customer base is so huge
- There’s no protection against scammers
- You have to negotiate your prices with no recourse if the bride doesn’t pay or cancels
Professional bridesmaids looking for work are much better off advertising on a well-known bridal platform like FindMyBridesmaid, where all the site’s visitors are looking for an experienced bestie to stand by their side on their special day. Using a dedicated platform will save you time, help increase your income, and protect you from scams and dead ends. Craigslist is such a vast marketplace serving dozens of countries and industries that you’d be hard-pressed to find consistent work.
Visit FindMyBridesmaid for a Stress-Free Experience
Most brides aren’t willing to take risks on their wedding day. They want everything to be perfect, from the venue and the food to the flowers, music, drinks, and atmosphere. Finding a bridesmaid for hire on Craigslist could be risky. There’s no way to verify their identities or credentials and little recourse if they decide to flake on your big day or drink the night away, causing the bride-to-be more embarrassment and stress than anything else.
Avoid these potential wedding day pitfalls by finding qualified, vetted bridesmaids on FindMyBridesmaid.com. You can search by location, experience, price, and more here. You can also view each bridesmaid’s profile to see if her style and personality complement your idea of the perfect wedding party.
Click here to get the planning process started!
