6 Do’s and Don’ts for Choosing Your Bridesmaids

December 3, 2024

Choosing your bridal party can feel like solidifying your inner circle: it’s a big decision that carries symbolic weight, as well as real-life responsibilities. Your bridesmaids are your best friends, but they’ll also be your advisors, party planners, personal assistants, and more in the months leading up to the wedding. So how’s a bride to […]

– Ask Cheryl – Who Should I Invite to My Bachelorette Party?

August 27, 2024

In recent years, the bachelorette party has become a huge production. What once was a fun night out with the bridesmaids has become an extravagant (and expensive) weekend-long trip. The new bachelorette party format raises new questions, like who should be invited. Hi Cheryl, What is the etiquette on inviting friends to a bridal shower […]

– Ask a Real Bride – The Truth About Mismatched Bridesmaid Dresses

June 20, 2024

Wedding planning comes with lots of decisions and questions, and sometimes, finding an answer requires some crowdsourcing. That’s how the Ask a Real Bride Instagram account came to be, and this month’s question is the perfect example of women coming together to help each other in the wedding planning process! A Real Bride asks: “Hi! […]

– Ask Cheryl – How Much to Spend on a Bridesmaid’s Gift?

April 16, 2024

There are so many decisions to make when planning a wedding. Today, our AskCheryl reader is an organized bride who isn’t sure how much to spend on gifts for her attendants. Hi Cheryl! I have an etiquette question regarding the cost of wedding party gifts (I also read your article on the topic). We were planning on […]

Finding the Perfect Bridesmaid Gifts

February 28, 2024

After you say “YES” to your perfect partner, you get to choose the besties that will stand by your side as you say “I do”! Each of these ladies is, without a doubt, so important to you and adds her own unique element to your life. When you thank them for being a huge part […]

– Ask a Real Bride – 6 Bachelorette Party Do’s and Don’ts

January 18, 2024

In the midst of wedding planning, a weekend getaway with your best friends sounds like the perfect break from all the stress. But in order to keep your bachelorette weekend truly stress-free, there are a few things brides may want to keep in mind. My favorite source for wedding-related wisdom? Our @Ask a Real Bride […]

– Ask Cheryl – Should Guests be Invited to Multiple Bridal Showers?

November 28, 2023

While it may seem that “anything goes” regarding wedding etiquette these days, there are a few firm rules about guest lists and gift obligations. Dear Cheryl, My daughter has already had one shower which included me, her sisters, her bridesmaids and their mothers. Now she is having another shower given by an aunt and she […]

– Ask a Real Bride – 5 Bridesmaid Getting Ready Outfits Your Girls Will Love

November 21, 2023

The morning of your wedding is a special time: the months of anticipation and planning are finally coming together, and it’s time to soak it all in and enjoy! The best part of the morning is sharing it with your best girls, and one way to make them feel special is to coordinate your bridesmaids’ […]

Best Personalized Gifts for Your Wedding Party

August 22, 2023

Show each individual in your bridal party just how much you appreciate them with a personalized gift before the wedding. There is nothing accidental about a bridal party. Each bridesmaid and groomsman holds a special place in your lives as a couple — whether they’re childhood friends, siblings, or college buddies — and they’ve likely […]

How To Show Love To Your Bridesmaids

July 4, 2023

Bridesmaids for a day and best friends for life, don’t forget to say thank you and hold on to your girls tight! If you’re anything like me, finding your tribe is almost as important as finding your guy! As a former bride and bridesmaid herself, I am here to share with you all the ways […]

– The Morning Of – 6 Ways Bridesmaids Can Help Create Calm, Not Chaos

May 11, 2023

Bridesmaid dress? Ordered! Bridal shower? Check. Bachelorette weekend? Done! After months of anticipation, a few pre-wedding festivities, and around a thousand messages in the group chat, you might get the sense that your bridesmaid duties are winding down. But the hours leading up to the ceremony are some of the most crucial moments for bridesmaids: […]

– Ask a Real Bride – What Are Honorary Bridesmaids, Hypemaids, and Something Blue Crews?

April 20, 2023

One of the most frequently discussed topics on our @askarealbride Instagram page is bridesmaids. I hear variations of these questions all the time: How do I choose my bridesmaids? What if I don’t want the chaos of a huge bridal party? Will my friends be disappointed if they aren’t asked to be in the wedding? […]

– Wedding Etiquette Question – What Costs Should the Bride Cover for Her Bridesmaids?

January 24, 2023

Being asked to be a bridesmaid for a friend’s wedding is exciting. But when the questions of travel, lodging, the bachelorette party, and the wedding day itself arise, the bridesmaid may wonder, “Am I supposed to pay for that?” Money conversations are always awkward, but before you say yes to the honor of being a […]

– AskCheryl – 1st Time Bridesmaid Asks, “Who Pays for the Bachelorette Party?”

August 23, 2022

Hello Cheryl, My best friend is having a destination wedding and asked me to be a bridesmaid. I generally do not like the idea of traveling internationally for a wedding, but I agreed to go and be there for her. This will be the first wedding I have ever attended. It’s the first time I’m […]

– Ask a Real Bride – How to Plan a Bachelorette Weekend, Not a Guilt Trip

June 23, 2022

If you’re a bride currently planning her bachelorette weekend, this is your sign to step back, take a deep breath, and honestly ask yourself: am I planning a girls’ trip or a guilt trip? Since I’ve been writing about weddings for nearly 8 years, people love to tell me their wedding stories–and I love hearing […]

Finding the Perfect Groomsmen’s Gift

June 16, 2022

While your wedding is primarily a celebration of the love and commitment between you and your spouse, it’s also a celebration of the family and friendships who supported you on your journey to the altar. Your groomsmen have been by your side through the highs and lows, the good and bad — that’s good enough […]

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