The Ultimate Guide To Help Brides Plan Their Weddings

Planning a wedding can be stressful, so it's important to offer to help the bride before you're asked. You can do this by taking the initiative and coming up with ideas of how to help, rather than waiting for the bride to tell you what to do. For example, you could offer to research caterers, send along place setting ideas, or find the cheapest chair rentals. It's also a good idea to plan non-wedding-related activities and talk about other topics, so the bride-to-be doesn't feel overwhelmed by wedding planning.

Offer to help before being asked

The best thing you can do is offer to help before you are asked. The bride will likely hope that her closest friends and family want to help, but she may not want to expect anything from her wedding party. Reach out to the bride and see if she wants a bridal shower, who she wants to invite to her bachelorette party, and if she is having any external traditional affairs, such as a Henna or Jewish Sheva Brachot.

You can also offer to help with the boring stuff, like finding the cheapest chair rentals or wedding tents. If the bride doesn't have a wedding bible, you can swoop in and help with the research. Chat with her about what she does and doesn't like, and offer to research caterers or send along place setting ideas, dresses, party favours and more based on her tastes.

It's important to remember that there is a fine line between being helpful and overbearing. While you're helping the bride, treat her like a person and talk about other things. Feel free to check in on wedding planning, but don't forget to share snippets of your life as well. It's important to lead a real life when you're planning a wedding.

Help with the dress

The wedding dress is one of the most important parts of the big day, so it's important to get it right. Start by researching styles and finding inspiration online or in magazines. Once you have an idea of the type of dress you want, start shopping around and trying on dresses. It's a good idea to give yourself plenty of time for this process, as you may need to order a dress in or make alterations.

If you're not sure where to start, consider the theme or style of the wedding. For example, if it's a beach wedding, you might want to go for a more relaxed, flowy dress. Or, if it's a more traditional wedding, you might want to go for a ball gown or A-line style.

Don't be afraid to try on different styles and ask for opinions from the bridal party or other trusted friends and family members. Ultimately, though, it's the bride's decision, and she should go with what makes her feel the most beautiful and confident.

It's also important to consider the budget for the dress. Wedding dresses can range in price, so it's important to find something that fits within the bride's budget. There are also often additional costs for alterations, so be sure to factor those in as well.

Talk about non-wedding related topics

While it's important to be there for the bride-to-be and help her plan her wedding, it's also important to remember that she's still a person with interests outside of her wedding. She will likely want to chat about politics, work, and other topics that have nothing to do with her wedding.

So, when you're helping a bride plan her wedding, make sure to talk about non-wedding-related topics as well. Ask her about her life and what's going on outside of the wedding planning. Share snippets of your life with her too. This will help take some of the burdens of wedding planning off her shoulders and remind her that there's more to life than just the big day.

You can also offer to take on some of the more mundane tasks, like researching caterers or finding the best deals on chair rentals. This will free up her time to focus on other things and give her a break from wedding planning.

Remember, it's all about finding a balance. While the wedding is important, it's not the only thing going on in the bride's life. By talking about non-wedding-related topics and offering to help with specific tasks, you can make the planning process less stressful and more enjoyable for the bride.

Research on her behalf

Researching on the bride's behalf is a great way to help her plan her wedding. It's important to offer to help before being asked, as the bride may not want to expect anything from her wedding party.

There are many ways to help with research. One way is to take on the role of researching specific details, like caterers, place settings, dresses, and party favours, based on the bride's tastes. You could also offer to research the boring stuff, like finding the cheapest chair rentals or wedding tents. It's important to be mindful of the bride's personality and not be overbearing with your help.

Another way to help with research is to provide inspiration. You can suggest ideas for the bridal shower and bachelorette party, as well as any external traditional affairs, such as a Henna or Jewish Sheva Brachot. You can also suggest venues, dates, photographers, and live bands, helping the bride to prioritise and stay within her budget.

When it comes to dress shopping, you can help by writing down the characteristics of each dress, including pros and cons. This will take a significant portion of stress off the bride's shoulders and allow her to make an informed decision.

Prioritise and budget

Planning a wedding can be stressful, so it's important to be proactive and offer to help the bride before she has to ask.

The first step is to sit down with the bride and decide on the three most important aspects of the wedding. This could be the venue, the date, the photographer, the entertainment, the food, or something else entirely. Once these priorities are established, it will be easier to allocate the budget accordingly and decide where to save money.

The next step is to research. Look at Pinterest, Instagram, magazines, and bridal websites for inspiration. This will help the bride decide what she likes and doesn't like, and you can start to narrow down options and get quotes. It's also a good idea to offer to take on some of the more mundane tasks, such as finding the best deals on chair rentals or wedding tents.

It's important to keep a cushion of 10-15% in the budget for unforeseen fees, and be prepared to compromise on some aspects to stay within budget.

Frequently asked questions