Bridesmaids are an integral part of the bride's entourage at traditional Western wedding ceremonies. They are typically close friends or relatives of the bride, often sharing a special bond with her. The movie Bridesmaids explores this dynamic through the story of Annie Walker, who becomes the maid of honor for her best friend, Lillian. The film delves into the competition and complexities that can arise among bridesmaids, showcasing the importance of their role and how it can impact the bride's experience.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Year of release | 2011 |
Genre | Comedy |
Director | Paul Feig |
Screenplay writers | Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig |
Producer | Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel and Clayton Townsend |
Starring | Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, and Chris O'Dowd |
Plot | A woman experiences a series of misfortunes after being asked to serve as maid of honor for her best friend |
What You'll Learn
Who are bridesmaids?
Bridesmaids are members of the bride's party at some Western traditional wedding ceremonies. A bridesmaid is typically a young woman and often a close friend or relative of the bride. She attends to the bride on the day of the wedding and may be involved in the planning of the wedding and any pre-wedding events.
The principal bridesmaid may be called the chief bridesmaid, the maid of honour (if she is unmarried) or the matron of honour (if she is married). In some cultures, bridesmaids are usually young girls rather than grown women. In modern English-speaking countries, this role is separate from that of the bridesmaid and the small child performing it is known as a flower girl.
The duties and costs of being a bridesmaid are shared between the bride and her attendants in various ways. Bridesmaids may be asked to pay for pre-wedding parties, and it has become customary for the bride to present her bridesmaids with gifts as a sign of gratitude for their support and financial commitment.
In the film Bridesmaids, the story focuses on a woman who experiences a series of misfortunes after being asked to serve as the maid of honour for her best friend.
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What are their duties?
Bridesmaids are members of the bride's party at some traditional Western wedding ceremonies. They are usually close friends or relatives of the bride and are typically young, unmarried women.
The principal bridesmaid, or chief bridesmaid, may be called the maid of honour if she is unmarried, or the matron of honour if she is married. In the United States, only the maid or matron of honour and the best man are the official witnesses for the wedding license.
The duties of a bridesmaid include:
- Attending the wedding ceremony and assisting the bride on the day of the wedding.
- Helping the bride with planning the wedding and wedding reception.
- Participating in planning wedding-related events, such as a bridal shower or bachelorette party.
- Providing practical and emotional support to the bride.
- Assisting the bride with dressing and helping her manage her veil, bouquet, prayer book, or train of her dress.
- Leading the rest of the bridal party and making arrangements for any pre-wedding events, such as bridal showers and bachelorette parties.
- Offering a toast to the newlyweds at the wedding reception.
In some cultures, such as in Norway, the Netherlands, France, and Victorian Britain, it is customary for bridesmaids to be young girls rather than grown women. These young bridesmaids, known as flower girls, may carry flowers during the wedding procession and pose with the married couple in bridal photos.
The role of a bridesmaid is both an honour and a responsibility, and it is important for bridesmaids to be supportive and helpful to the bride throughout the wedding planning process and on the wedding day itself.
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What is the origin of the tradition?
The tradition of having bridesmaids at weddings is likely to have originated from a combination of socioeconomic class and status, family size, the socialisation standards of the day, and religion.
In ancient times, the bride and all the bridesmaids wore the same dress and heavily veiled their faces. This was done to confuse jealous suitors and evil spirits. In China during the feudal era, bridesmaids dressed like the bride to protect her from being identified and kidnapped by rival clans and hooligans. As legal protections for marriage were established, the role of the bridesmaid became more symbolic.
In the Victorian era, white was the official colour for both male groomsmen and female bridesmaids. This trend was started by Queen Victoria, who wore a long white wedding dress, and her bridesmaids matched the colour of her gown.
In some cultures, such as in Norway, the Netherlands, France, and Victorian Britain, it was customary for bridesmaids to be young girls rather than grown women. They may carry flowers during the wedding procession and pose with the married couple in bridal photos. In modern English-speaking countries, this role is separate from that of the bridesmaid, and the small child performing it is known as a flower girl.
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What is the male equivalent of a bridesmaid?
A male bridesmaid is commonly referred to as a bridesman or a bride's attendant. If he is serving the role of chief bridesmaid, he can be called the Man of Honour. The term "bridesman" is a combination of "bride" and "groomsman", indicating a male member of the bridal party.
The role of a bridesman is similar to that of a bridesmaid, including pre-wedding, during-wedding, and post-wedding duties. This may include helping with wedding planning, providing emotional support to the bride, attending bridal showers and bachelorette parties, participating in the rehearsal and dinner, and being involved in getting-ready activities on the morning of the wedding. He can also assist with running errands, taking photos, interacting with guests, and helping with cleanup and vendor payments after the reception.
In terms of attire, a bridesman typically wears a coordinating suit or tuxedo as the other male attendants, with an accessory such as a tie or pocket square that matches the colour of the bridesmaids' dresses. This allows him to blend into the wedding party photos while still maintaining a cohesive look.
It is becoming increasingly common for brides to include male friends or family members in their bridal party, reflecting a modern trend of personalising wedding traditions to showcase the couple's individuality.
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What is the plot of the film 'Bridesmaids'?
The 2011 American comedy film Bridesmaids follows Annie Walker, a young single woman who experiences a series of misfortunes after being asked to serve as the maid of honour for her best friend, Lillian. The film focuses on the competition between the maid of honour and a bridesmaid, threatening to upend the life of Annie, an out-of-work pastry chef.
Annie lives in Milwaukee and has had a rough time following the recession. Her bakery went out of business, wiping out her savings and resulting in her boyfriend leaving her. She has lost her passion for baking and now works a stressful, underpaid job at a jewellery store, regularly engaging in casual sex with a wealthy and self-absorbed man named Ted. The only positive presence in her life is her lifelong best friend, Lillian.
When Lillian gets engaged to her boyfriend, Doug, she asks Annie to be her maid of honour. At the engagement party, Annie meets the other bridesmaids, including Doug's raunchy and foul-mouthed but friendly sister, Megan, and Helen, the wealthy, snobby trophy wife of Doug's boss. Annie and Helen instantly become jealous of each other's friendship with Lillian and compete for her attention.
Annie's suggestion for a bachelorette party at Lillian's parents' lake house is overruled by Helen, who plans a trip to Las Vegas. Unable to afford a first-class ticket, Annie books a ticket in economy and accepts a sedative and liquor from Helen to help with her fear of flying. However, she begins to hallucinate and suffers a breakdown, causing the plane to make an emergency landing. The party takes a bus home, and Lillian decides it's best if Helen takes over planning the bridal shower and wedding.
Meanwhile, Annie grows closer to Nathan Rhodes, a Wisconsin State Patrol Trooper who lets her off without a ticket for broken brake lights. Nathan encourages her to open a new bakery, but Annie is resistant to the idea. After a romantic night together, she panics and abruptly leaves when Nathan surprises her with baking supplies.
Annie is fired from her job after an argument with a teenage customer and is later evicted by her roommates, forcing her to move in with her mother. She attends the extravagant bridal shower in Chicago, which is Parisian-themed, an idea of hers that Helen had previously rejected. When Helen upstages Annie's gift by surprising Lillian with a trip to Paris, Annie flies into a rage, berating Helen and Lillian and destroying the decor. She is then disinvited from the wedding.
On her way home, Annie gets into a car accident due to her broken taillights. Nathan responds to the scene but admonishes her for not taking responsibility for herself. Ted arrives to give Annie a ride, but when he asks her to perform oral sex on him, she demands to be let out of the car and leaves him for good.
Megan visits Annie and motivates her to take control of her life. She resumes baking, gets her car fixed, and tries to make amends with Nathan. On the day of the wedding, Helen arrives at Annie's apartment, begging for help finding Lillian, who has disappeared due to being overwhelmed by the extravagant wedding planning. Helen apologizes to Annie, revealing that she doesn't have any true friends and feels unsatisfied in her marriage. With Nathan's help, they find Lillian, and Annie reconciles with her, resuming her role as maid of honour.
After the wedding, Annie and Helen share a hug, and Nathan arrives to pick up Annie. They kiss and ride away in his police car.
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Frequently asked questions
Anna's Bridesmaids is a promise made between Cathy Kerbey and her friend Anna. The pair, who grew up together in Limerick, Ireland, promised each other that when one of them got married, the other would perform a speech scene from the 2011 comedy film Bridesmaids.
Bridesmaids is an American comedy film about a woman who experiences a series of misfortunes after being asked to serve as the maid of honour for her best friend.
The film follows Annie Walker, a young single woman living in Milwaukee. After her bakery goes out of business, she loses her savings and boyfriend. She then moves in with her obnoxious British immigrant siblings and starts working at a jewellery store. When her lifelong best friend, Lillian, gets engaged, she asks Annie to be her maid of honour. At the engagement party, Annie meets Lillian's other bridesmaids and jealousy ensues between Annie and Helen, the wealthy, snobby trophy wife of Doug's (Lillian's fiancé) boss.
After a series of unfortunate events, Annie is fired from her job and evicted by her roommates. She then moves in with her mother. On the day of the wedding, Helen visits Annie, begging for help finding Lillian, who has disappeared. The pair reconcile and Annie resumes her role as maid of honour.
Cathy Kerbey and her friend Anna watched and quoted Bridesmaids throughout college. They promised each other that when one of them got married, the other would perform the speech scene from the film at the wedding.