A non-guidey guide from a 'Soon-to-be Bride' Part 12

We've been on Steph's wedding planning journey for a year now, and we've loved her story and loved sharing it with you - and it's especially relevant to so many of you as her wedding plans have been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic meaning her original plans have had to change significantly...and not just once, she's now onto her 3rd wedding date!

In Steph's last blog, she shared how Pinterest was her friend as she changed from one season to another to another due to two re-arranged dates - she's since had a couple of months off but is back to share with us some invaluable advice on choosing your bride tribe...if indeed you have one at all!

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Hello everyone, can you believe it's November?! 

I know we all say this every year, but it seems especially strange this year! I hope everyone is holding up OK in the midst of this second lockdown - I have the upmost respect for everyone dealing with anything wedding related right now, from brides re-arranging, to all of the businesses under the immense pressure of it all, to the families and friends supporting us through it all.

This month I wanted to talk about your bridal party, specifically bridesmaids, and help explain their importance in the journey you make through your engagement. 

I’ll never forget the feeling of being asked to be bridesmaid for my best friend a few years ago, it’s such a special thing to do and it’s like making a promise to each other to be lifelong friends, you’re not just committing to the wedding. It’s almost like asking someone to be your bridesmaid is a proposal in itself, to let them know how much they mean to you and that you love and respect them enough for them to be stood next to you on the biggest day of your life.

It is actually a really big decision to make, and I was extremely fortunate that it was an easy decision for me, but take your time and think about who you can imagine being in your life forever and who brings out the best in you. And remember you don’t have to ask someone right after you get engaged, engagements can last for years, even if it’s not planned that way, (my 18 month engagement is well over the 2 year mark now!) and involves so much organisation and energy. So you need to pick people who are going to be there for the exciting bits but also there when it’s stressful or you’re having a bridezilla moment! 

I’m lucky that my bridesmaids have been an endless support to me right from day one, and they’re lucky that I haven’t had any bridezilla moments (although they may tell a different story!!).

The biggest thing to remember though is to not be pressured into having a bridesmaid because you feel like you have to any reason, I know people who have had 8 bridesmaids and regretted it and people who have had no bridesmaids and were perfectly happy with that decision - the most important thing is to make decisions that are right for you, much like picking your partner! You wouldn’t settle because someone said you had to or that it would make someone else happy!

So this month, make the most of cosy evenings snuggling up with your other half and dreaming of your day in the future when you’ll have your closest people by your side, it’ll happen one day(!), and in the meantime, be kind to people. Remember, that when you’re speaking to your suppliers they're also going through stress and worry in the same way we are; and consider your family too - I was only thinking about how gutting this is for me and Jack, forgetting that our parents, and grandparents for example have been waiting for our wedding day since we were born! They are gutted for us, but also gutted in their own sense too as they’ve been waiting for out wedding day even longer than we have!

Stay safe everyone the next time I write I’ll be looking at my Christmas tree!

Your bride-to-be

Steph x"