Say I Do: Why Hire a Bridesmaid
There are a few nonnegotiables at most weddings. A beautiful dress, picturesque setting, and entertainment that keeps your guests dancing and happy all night long. Most brides-to-be want every detail to be perfect but also want to enjoy their special day by mingling with guests and leaving the hard work to someone else.
Hiring a wedding planner isn’t an option for most couples on a budget. But what if we told you you could hire a bridesmaid to do most of the heavy lifting? While the concept is relatively new, more and more reasons are surfacing that prove hiring a bridesmaid is a worthwhile investment. Keep reading to learn why this may be the best wedding investment you’ll ever make!
What Is a Professional Bridesmaid?
As the name suggests, a professional bridesmaid is someone you pay to attend your wedding as part of the bridal party. Some professional bridesmaids perform basic duties like wearing the chosen dress, walking down the aisle with a groomsman, and posing for pictures. Others go above and beyond by helping plan the bridal shower and bachelorette party, giving a speech at the reception, and performing damage control on unruly family members. All of these services come at a cost, of course, but many brides admit that hiring a bridesmaid for their wedding gave them peace of mind that was ultimately priceless!
Why Hire a Bridesmaid?
Hiring a bridesmaid to be part of the most important day of your life is hard for some people to understand. But you’ll quickly understand why this trend is taking off when you see all the reasons to hire a bridesmaid, plus the benefits.
You Don’t Have Enough Members of the Bridal Party
This is a common and simple reason to hire a bridesmaid. Many couples don’t have the same number of friends and family members to accompany them on their big day. For example, the groom may have three brothers and three best friends from college, while the bride is an only child with just one or two close friends. While there’s no rule about how large a bridal party must be, most brides want aesthetically pleasing pictures that include an even or balanced number of people on both sides of the aisle. Hiring a bridesmaid lets you even out your bridal party and your pictures to help create the perfect day.
This is also a good option if you’re planning a destination wedding or live far away from your best friends and family. Not everyone can afford to travel for a wedding, which may result in some prospective bridesmaids having to decline the offer. Hiring a professional could be the perfect solution if you find yourself short bridesmaids or unable to complete your bridal party.
You Want to Avoid Drama and Hurt Feelings
While having too few friends and family members can be an issue for some brides, others struggle with having TOO many. There’s nothing more difficult for a bride than choosing those few select people to stand by her side on one of the biggest days of her life. The last thing she wants to do is hurt anyone’s feelings or create unnecessary drama. Some brides hire a bridesmaid for the day to avoid these uncomfortable feelings. This helps simplify things and is a tactful way of navigating a touchy subject for some people.
Brides can include direct family members in the bridal party and hire bridesmaids to fill in the gaps. This prevents the bride from choosing between friends or leaving anyone out. Professional bridesmaids are experienced in acting or playing a part. Introduce them as distant cousins or relatives that your friends have never met. Now, your bridal party, sanity, and friends’ feelings all remain intact.
You Need Professional Support (undercover)
Sharing your special day with friends and family is wonderful. Unfortunately, they’re not always the biggest help. Even if they have the best intentions, not everyone in your bridal party is a seasoned professional in the duties of being a bridesmaid. For example, they might not understand that planning your bridal shower and bachelorette party is their job. They need to pay for their dress, attend the rehearsal dinner, and offer emotional support to the bride.
A professional bridesmaid can tactfully steer the other members of your bridal party in the right direction. For example, they can ask the maid-of-honor if she has a speech prepared and then help write it. Do you want your bridal party held at a certain location? Have your hired bridesmaid make this suggestion and put the wheels in motion. A professional bridesmaid can pick up the slack for other bridal party members unfamiliar with the role.
Not all brides know what to do, either. Unforeseen or unexpected issues can throw a wrench in the planning process. Need help telling Aunt Susie she can’t give a toast at the reception or keeping the peace between your divorced parents? Hiring a professional bridesmaid means getting emotional support from someone who’s seen and experienced it all. Hired bridesmaids can think fast and perform damage control like a pro!
You Want a Wedding Planner (on a budget)
Why hire a bridesmaid? Because, in most cases, it’s a more affordable option than hiring a wedding planner. The average wedding planner costs between $2,000 and $5,000. While the price of a hired bridesmaid can fluctuate as well, some offer their services for an hourly rate of just $100.
Most wedding planners are all business. Their job is to be efficient, assertive, and organized. And while those attributes are extremely important for planning your dream wedding, not all wedding planners are emotionally invested. If you want help planning your wedding from someone who feels more like a friend than a paid employee, you may want to hire a bridesmaid instead. For an extra fee, your hired bridesmaid will help plan pre-wedding events like your bridal shower and bachelorette party and ensure everything runs smoothly the day of.
You Need a Borrowed Bestie
Do you remember your roommate from college that you haven’t seen in years but still consider your best friend? No? That’s okay. Neither does anyone else! And that’s why you can hire a bridesmaid to pass as your long-lost best friend whose sole purpose is to make your wedding day perfect. Maybe you have a lot of close friends but lack that single bestie who knows you better than you know yourself. Never fear! With the right service and budget, you can hire a borrowed bestie to be your bridesmaid or maid-of-honor and be the ultimate sidekick during your big day.
Professional bridesmaids will do whatever you ask of them (within reason). For example, they’ll get out on the dancefloor to start the party, help usher people into the buffet line, and ensure your eccentric relatives don’t make a scene. They can also help you navigate the bathroom in your wedding dress, make sure your make-up and hair remain intact all night, and perform any other tasks you need, no questions asked. You also won’t feel bad about asking them to be at your beck and call since they’re being paid to do that. Hiring a professional bridesmaid means getting the best friend you never knew you needed, complete with a cover story.
FAQs About Hiring a Bridesmaid
One of the main questions people ask is, why hire a bridesmaid? But it’s not the only one! Here are a few other things you may be wondering about this unconventional yet wildly popular practice.
How much does it cost to hire a bridesmaid?
Prices vary depending on several factors, including the level of service you need, the wedding location, and the bridesmaid’s experience. Professional bridesmaids with years of experience and a long wait list can cost as much as $2,000. New bridesmaids just starting out may charge as little as $50 to $100 per hour. It’ll cost you more if you want a bridesmaid to attend or help plan pre-wedding events. Having a professional bridesmaid stand in at the ceremony and appear at the reception is a more affordable option. Just remember that you get what you pay for. The more experienced and involved you want the bridesmaid to be, the higher the price tag.
Where can I find a bridesmaid to hire?
There are countless sites designed specifically for this purpose. Brides can browse different bridesmaids based on location, services, price, and experience. Bridesmaids can also post their resumes and credentials to help secure more work. This process is fast, simple, and secure at FindMyBridesMaid.
What can I ask my hired bridesmaid to do?
Most professional bridesmaids post a list of services on their profile. These can include basic things like posing for pictures and attending the reception or more personalized services like helping plan and organize the ceremony and pre-wedding events. Speak with your bridesmaid for hire the same way you would another professional or vendor. Ask if they can perform specific duties or services and at what cost. Most professional bridesmaids are willing to work with the bride to deliver an unforgettable experience at a fair price.
Why Hire a Bridesmaid? Why Not!
The question shouldn’t be, why hire a bridesmaid? It should be why NOT hire a bridesmaid to ensure your wedding day is as perfect as you imagined? Whether you need someone to complete your bridal party and take breathtaking pictures or a borrowed bestie to be your right-hand woman all night, a professional bridesmaid is waiting for you!
At FindMyBridesmaid, you can browse dozens of profiles to find the perfect match for your budget, personality, and unique needs. Before you book the venue, hire a DJ, or decide on a color palette, hire a bridesmaid to help make your wedding day dreams come true.
