What Excites You Most About Being a Professional Bridesmaid?
Excitement means different things to different people, but when it comes to choosing a career, it should be something you’re passionate about. According to the job app Indeed, some of the most exciting and fun jobs include fashion consultant, pet groomer, video game designer, and race car driving instructor.
If you love weddings, parties, and planning, you might want to explore a career as a professional bridesmaid. Slightly different from a wedding planner, a bridesmaid for hire is part of the bride’s special day in various ways. Some professional bridesmaids are merely stand-ins, while others are involved in all the pre-wedding events and festivities.
Before you decide to walk down this job aisle, hear from the professionals on what excites them most about being a professional bridesmaid and why this side hustle is a healthy mix of work and play.
What is a Professional Bridesmaid?
Professional bridesmaid is a fairly new job title. For those unfamiliar with this side hustle, professional bridesmaids are women hired by the bride to attend their wedding ceremony and help with the planning and execution of all pre-wedding events. This includes everything from choosing the dress and venue to planning the bridal party, bachelorette party, and rehearsal dinner. The more duties you have as a professional bridesmaid, the more money you can charge.
Your involvement depends on the bride’s needs and budget. Some brides-to-be only require a stand-in bridesmaid to balance out the bridal party and help guide other bridesmaids on the big day. Other brides want a borrowed bestie as their go-to wedding planner and coordinator. Professional bridesmaids can choose which services to offer and how much to charge based on their location, experience, and other factors.
What Excites You Most About Being a Professional Bridesmaid?
Before becoming a hired bridesmaid, why not hear what other professionals in the field have to say? Here are some of the most exciting aspects of being a professional bridesmaid right from the source!
Getting Glammed Up
Do you love getting dressed up and pampering yourself? Becoming a bridesmaid is a great excuse to get glammed up! Most brides pay for these services for the entire bridal party, including hair and makeup on the ceremony day. As a bridesmaid, you’ll purchase a dress to match the rest of the bridal party, complete with shoes, jewelry, and a beautiful bouquet. You’ll also get to pose for dozens of gorgeous pictures and accept compliments all night.
Getting Paid to Party
If the movie Wedding Crashers taught us anything, it’s that attending wedding receptions is fun! It’s like one big party, complete with dancing, drinks, games, good food, and lots of laughs. Professional bridesmaids are often excited about getting paid for a fun-filled night. A hired bridesmaid still performs all the same duties as a traditional bridesmaid, like helping the bride navigate her dress in the restroom, keeping guests entertained and involved, and organizing the bouquet and garter tosses. But when the work is done, professional bridesmaids get to partake in all the festivities.
Meeting New People
Being a professional bridesmaid offers the unique opportunity to meet new people at every turn. Most hired bridesmaids don’t know anyone at the reception aside from the bride herself. With dozens of people in attendance, you will surely meet and mingle with plenty of fun and interesting guests. Some professional bridesmaids even claim to have become friends with the brides after the big day is over. Hired bridesmaids also spend plenty of time with the bridal party, where acquaintances become friends and ladies bond over shared interests.
Seeing New Places
Did someone say destination wedding? Another thing that may excite you most about being a professional bridesmaid is the opportunity to travel and see new places. Most hired bridesmaids work both locally and nationwide. Destination weddings can include out-of-state locations, different countries, the islands, and beyond. Of course, being a bridesmaid in an exotic location can get quite costly. The good news is that most brides bear this expense, which means as a hired bridesmaid, you get to travel and see new places, all while getting paid!
You don’t need to travel abroad or even across state lines to see new places. Many wedding venues are hidden gems that you may not have ever seen or had the chance to visit. Uncovering new and exciting places is another benefit of being a hired bridesmaid.
Delicious Food and Drink
Weddings are known for their delicious food and drinks. From the cocktail hour and appetizers to the main course and cake, wedding venues and caterers pride themselves on preparing and serving beautiful gourmet food. Members of the bridal party are often treated to goodies before the ceremony as well, like sandwiches, pastries, and champagne in the bridal suite.
Some professional bridesmaids meet with their clients before the event and discuss the details over lunch or dinner – all of which the bride usually pays for. Free meals are usually included if you attend the bridal shower, the bachelorette party, and other pre-wedding festivities. It’s not guaranteed that these add-ons are covered, but you can safely assume if the bride is paying you for your bridesmaid services, they’re also footing the bill for the food.
Bringing a Date
Even professional bridesmaids are considered wedding guests, which means they usually get to bring a date. What other job can you take your significant other with you? Not many! Hired bridesmaids get excited about bringing a date on the job. Your guest can enjoy many of the same perks as you, including the food, drinks, and dancing. Bringing a date isn’t standard for all professional bridesmaids, so check with the bride-to-be before showing up with a plus one.
A Sneak Preview of the Day’s Events
Professional bridesmaids get a behind-the-scenes look at all the day’s events and festivities. You’ll have a chance to see the venue, the wedding dress, the favors, and even taste the food and cake. Most hired bridesmaids also attend the rehearsal dinner, so you’ll get a preview of the ceremony. Some brides need help writing their vows, too. If you’re a professional bridesmaid by night and a wordsmith by day, you can help with this and get the inside scoop on what the bride plans to say at the ceremony.
Adopting a Cover Story
Have you always dreamed about being an actress or leading a secret life? Now’s your chance! Being an undercover professional bridesmaid gives you the opportunity of a lifetime to adopt a new identity. While some brides don’t mind if people know that you’re part of the hired help, others want to keep your presence a secret. You’ll need to work with the bride to develop a cover story.
Some popular ways to explain a bridesmaid that no one recognizes is that she’s:
- A childhood best friend
- An old college roommate
- A long-lost relative
- A friend of the family
Come up with your own cover story and see if it aligns with what the bride-to-be has in mind. You can also adjust certain details and even change your name. You’ll need to memorize every part of the story and ensure that you and the bride are on the same page so that your stories mesh and no one suspects a thing.
Free Gifts
It’s not uncommon for brides to give their bridesmaids gifts. Many hotels and venues also leave special treats for the bridal party, including food, personal items, and other goodies. You may be spoiled with robes and slippers in the bridal sweet and gifts from the bride. Common presents include jewelry, monogrammed items, clutches or handbags, and candles. Remember, these gifts are in addition to what you’re already being paid for your services. So, get excited about being a professional bridesmaid and all its benefits.
The Ability to Leave Early
As fun as weddings can be, they can also be long and exhausting! If you’ve ever wanted to dip out early, now’s your chance. Once the dancing is done and the crowd begins to thin out, most professional bridesmaids can leave. Some are encouraged to depart right after dinner is served. Chances are, no one will notice you’re gone, especially if they didn’t know who you were in the first place! There’s also the added benefit of “ghosting” by leaving without saying formal goodbyes. As a professional bridesmaid, you experience the best parts of the wedding without being forced to stay until the bitter end.
Turn Your Love of Weddings Into a Career
Weddings are joyous occasions for everyone involved, including bridal party members. Most bridesmaids and groomsmen are either related to the couple or important people in their lives. Sometimes, though, a bride needs a borrowed bestie for the day. And this could be you!
If you had the chance to ask someone, “What excites you most about being a professional bridesmaid?” don’t be surprised if they list a host of perks, like gifts, free food, and travel opportunities.
Click here to learn how to start this lucrative and fun career!
