Bridesmaid for Hire Salary: How Much Can You Make?
Weddings are happy occasions. Unfortunately, they’re also expensive! The average couple spends roughly $35,000 on their special day. This figure fluctuates depending on the venue and location, number of attendees, and number of vendors.
But the happy couple isn’t the only one spending money on a wedding. The average guest gives a generous gift of around $200. And while this pays for the food, drinks, and a smashing good time, attending weddings can be costly. But what if we told you you could get paid for your presence instead of vice versa?
We’re talking about becoming a professional bridesmaid, of course. Did you know people pay professionals and consultants to act as bridesmaids on their special day? If this sounds like a career you might be interested in, keep reading! Below, we’ll uncover the average bridesmaid for hire salary, hourly fees, popular services, and ways to promote yourself.
What is a Bridesmaid for Hire?
Before discussing your potential income, you may be wondering, what exactly is a bridesmaid for hire? Professional bridesmaids are people that brides pay to join their bridal parties. This is done for several reasons, but some of the most popular include:
- The bridal party needs help or guidance in fulfilling their tasks and duties
- The bride wants a certain number of bridesmaids and needs one more
- The bride wants to avoid unnecessary feelings or drama (some bridesmaids take on alter egos, like a distant cousin or long lost relative)
- The bride doesn’t have any local friends or family to fill the spots
Experienced professional bridesmaids do more than stand beside the bride during the ceremony. They offer emotional support, help plan events leading up to the big day (i.e., the bachelorette party, bridal shower, rehearsal dinner), and may even assist the bride in writing her vows.
Bridesmaid for Hire Salary Explained
The average hourly rate for a professional bridesmaid is between $20 and $22. However, this fluctuates significantly based on several factors. One is your experience. If you’ve never been a bridesmaid, you may have to start at a lower pay scale until you expand your resume.
Some brides are comfortable with bridesmaids for hire who have been in multiple weddings for family and friends, while others prefer paid consultants with experience in the industry. Build up your clientele and reputation by collecting positive reviews from satisfied customers. You can also ask your family and friends to highlight the best attributes, skills, and personality traits that make you a great bridesmaid.
Other factors affecting your bridesmaid-for-hire salary include the wedding location, the couple’s budget, and the services you perform. The more assistance you provide, the more you can charge. For example, if the bride only wants you to be escorted down the aisle by a groomsman to keep things balanced, you may not make as much as a bridesmaid fulfilling all the allocated duties. These duties include attending all pre-wedding events, selecting the wedding dress, diffusing drama within the bridal party, and helping assemble bouquets, wedding favors, and/or centerpieces. The more you do, the more you can charge.
While some bridesmaids-for-hire charge an hourly fee, others request a flat fee in advance. This price ranges from as much as $1,500 up to $10,000 and beyond! One professional bridesmaid charges by the event, phone calls, and how long she’s present on the wedding day. For example, she charges $2,700 for three phones leading up to the wedding and eight hours in attendance on the wedding day. Another bride she worked for paid her $5,700 for additional services like attending the bachelorette party and going wedding dress shopping.
Understanding the Role of Bridesmaid for Hire
Before stocking up on bridesmaid dresses and advertising your services, it’s important to understand what you’re signing up for. Making money as a professional bridesmaid takes more than just a good march down the aisle and a pretty smile. It requires planning, preparation, and emotional support.
Basic Bridesmaid Responsibilities
Here are some basic duties you can expect to perform once you land your first gig.
Be Present on the Wedding Day
This is the most important role of any bridesmaid-for-hire. You must be present on the wedding day – and not just for the ceremony. Most brides start getting ready for their big day hours in advance. This includes getting hair and makeup done, taking pictures, getting dressed, and de-stressing. Chances are, your bride will want you present for all of these events.
Once it’s show time, you must walk down the aisle and actively participate in the ceremony. This includes smiling, carrying a bouquet, being polite and well-mannered, and potentially helping with the bride’s dress, bouquet, and rings. Some bridesmaids even give speeches and toasts during the reception. If the bride needs help using the bathroom (it’s more complicated than you might think), wants a drink, needs her make-up touched up, or demands just about anything else, it may be your job to make it happen. Earning a bridesmaid-for-hire salary requires being humble, professional, and sweet.
Make Up a Fake Backstory
Some friends and family might raise an eyebrow and ask a few questions when a stranger shows up in the bridal party. Most professional bridesmaids create a backstory of how they know the bride. Maybe you’re an old college roommate, a friend from yoga class, or a distant cousin. This may come with a fake name, age, and history. Study and memorize the story you and the bride come up with to ensure everyone stays on the same page.
Mingle and Stay Sober
Weddings are fun, joyous, and social occasions. That means as a bridesmaid-to-hire, you need to be ready to mingle. This may include making small talk, dancing, and keeping energy levels high. You also need to be alert and attentive, which means no booze! Although alcohol isn’t a must-have at weddings, most celebrations involve an open bar and flowing champagne. Don’t be afraid to decline a drink or sip on seltzer all night. Remember, you’re being paid to perform a job, not party hard.
Provide Stress Relief and Damage Control
Professional bridesmaids need to stay on their game to help diffuse any potential situations before they get out of hand. This could be anything from an overly emotional relative to a drunk friend of the groom or an angry ex. It’s also part of your job description to keep the bride stress-free, comfortable, and happy. Check on her periodically to make sure she has everything she needs. If she looks stressed or frazzled, find out what you can do to help. In addition to your hourly rate and bridesmaids for hire salary, many satisfied customers show gratitude with a generous tip at the end of the night.
Help Plan Minor Details Beforehand
Basic bridesmaid-for-hire duties don’t involve too much pre-wedding. While some professional bridesmaids chat or meet with the bride beforehand, they don’t normally attend events, help pick out dresses, or do other prep. However, you may be called to participate in a make-up or hair consultation, dress fittings, and other appointments. Be sure to charge accordingly, whether by the hour or by adding fees to your base bridesmaid-for-hire salary.
Add-On Services
The average bridesmaids-for-hire salary is based on how many services you offer and how much support you provide. If you want to increase your rates, you need also to increase your involvement in the wedding preparation.
Here are some add-on services that the highest-paid professional bridesmaids offer at a cost.
Attend the Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party
One way to create a truly convincing backstory of how you and the bride know each other is to attend the bridal shower and bachelorette party. After all, if you and the bride are close friends, you should be present at these momentous occasions. Some professional bridesmaids go as far as to help plan and execute these parties as well. This includes crafting a guest list, sending out invitations, managing RSVPs, booking the venue, and decorating the on-site location. The more involved you are, the more you can charge.
Attend the Rehearsal Dinner
The rehearsal and rehearsal dinner usually occurs the night before the wedding. During these events, the bridal party does a practice run of the ceremony schedule, including walkouts and vows. As a bridesmaid, it only makes good sense that you would be present for these events. If part of your faux backstory is that you live far away and won’t arrive until the morning of the wedding, you may be able to get out of this particular duty. Remember, that means a dip in your bridesmaid-for-hire salary that reflects your absence.
Go Wedding Dress Shopping
Choosing a wedding dress is one of the most important decisions any bride-to-be will make. And she needs all her most supportive girlfriends and family members present – including you! Not only does that look good to others who don’t know you’re a hired consultant, but you can also help with damage control. For example, if other bridesmaids are fighting over which dress they like best or the bride’s future mother-in-law becomes overbearing, you can kindly and politely step in to diffuse the situation. When pricing this service, consider the dress fitting’s time, date, and location. Include any travel expenses in your final bill.
Help the Bride Write Her Vows
While some people opt for standard wedding vows, nearly 50% of all couples think outside the box and craft their own special words. Custom vows are meaningful and help embody the special love the couple shares. Unfortunately, not everyone is a wordsmith. To not embarrass herself, your bride might ask you to help write her vows. This is a big task and shouldn’t be taken lightly. A few tips to get started include researching different styles and formats, deciding on the emotions you want to convey, choosing a length or time limit, and practicing reading them aloud. The more intimately you know the bride and her future husband, the better you’ll be able to capture their personalities.
Manage Travel and Hotel Stays
Even though most professional bridesmaids don’t double as travel agents, some do. If you’re tasked with planning and executing the bridal shower and/or bachelorette party, you may also need to make travel arrangements. Depending on the event’s location and the number of guests, professional bridesmaids can research budget-friendly options, plan activities and meals, and even create detailed itineraries for the day or trip. You may also be asked to help book hotel rooms or reserve a block of rooms at a nearby hotel for guests the night of the wedding. These services also come with added fees and can increase your bridesmaid-for-hire salary.
Help Choose and Assemble Favors, Centerpieces, and More
Professional bridesmaids are still just one of the girls in many ways. It helps to blend in with the rest of the bridal party, make friends, and bond. Doing so can make for a bigger payday for you and a more seamless wedding day for the bride-to-be. Offer to help the bride choose and construct her centerpieces and favors. Some brides even put together their own bouquets! This is an opportunity to charge more and get to know the bride and her friends more intimately. This helps you and the bride feel more comfortable and confident on her special day and will only reinforce whatever cover story you two came up with.
Bridesmaid-For-Hire Salary: Know Your Worth
When deciding on your bridesmaid-for-hire salary, don’t sell yourself short. Committing to being in a wedding party is one thing, but assisting with pre-wedding tasks and offering endless emotional support comes at a cost. You can charge hourly for your services or a flat fee. Don’t be afraid to include add-on fees if the bride asks for extra help leading up to the big day.
Is being a professional bridesmaid something you’d be interested in doing? Or are you in need of a bridesmaid for your wedding? Check out our site and explore your options!
