Bridesmaids 101
All You Need to Know About Your Group of Gals

The joy of an impending wedding day can be short-lived when you sit down and list everything you have to do. Fortunately, there are some helpers – your bridesmaids.

Call upon people who you've known forever – close friends and relatives who are with you for good. Choose the number of bridesmaids that best reflects the size and style of your ceremony.

Remember, you aren't obligated to choose people who included you in their wedding. There are always ways to include more people if you think an old friend or a close colleague from the office might feel slighted at not being a bridesmaid: Call on her to handle the guest book or give a reading. That can make her feel just as special.

Dishing out the Duties
You'll want total control of your special day, but remember, your bridesmaids are there to make your life easier, so let them. They can scour the bridal shops for their bridesmaid dresses, research hotels for guests and address invitation envelopes and write place cards. Let the maid of honor be your royal lady in waiting as she coordinates pre-wedding bridesmaids' fittings and lunches and acts as your personal beauty consultant – not to mention therapist – on the big day.

Getting the Gowns
Today's brides have come a long way from the days of seafoam-colored ruffles. Make sure your bridesmaids have a say in their wedding wear. Whatever you do, don't send a gaggle of girls in search of the perfect dress – that's recipe for disaster. Let your maid of honor choose her outfit per your specifications, and then you can select three similar styles for your bridesmaids to pick from.
Although similar dresses are striking as bridesmaids flank the true star of the show (you!), it's unnecessary to have a procession of clones pave your way down the aisle. Bridesmaids' dresses should complement the style and formality of your gown, but encourage bridesmaids to choose a style that appeals to their tastes and flatters their body types. Plus, you can outfit the girls with similar bouquets, shoes and jewelry if you want a fall-in-line parade.

Bringing Out the Boys
Including a guy in your procession is perfectly acceptable, even progressively hip. Your attendant (not "bridesman") can don the same attire as the groomsmen, but you might outfit him with a unique boutonniere or cummerbund to identify him as part of your bridal party. §

(WMS)