11th September 2023
You and your girl squad have probably been dreaming about your wedding days together since you were little girls – and now that it’s finally here, you get to ask them that all important question!
To be honest, bridesmaids haven’t always been a South Asian tradition, but it’s one that has definitely been adopted with open arms by anyone who has been exposed to it growing up, through Pinterest, or movies. Eternity is all about helping desi girls plan their wedding, the modern way, and so bridesmaids definitely fit the bill there.
So truth be told, we’ve adopted this beautiful tradition but really don’t always know how it fits into our events, right? Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered with tons of the incredible ways that your desi bridesmaids can play a role in the lead up to your South Asian wedding.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Manage expectations between you & your bridesmaids early on. Some of them may want to be super involved from day one, whilst others just won't have the same capacity. To avoid any awkward moments in your friendship, communicate from the start.
So we’ve all seen Say Yes To The Dress, and we know about the infamous scenes where your girl squad surround you on the podium. Honestly, that just doesn’t always happen for South Asian wedding outfits.
Often, the bride could be shopping abroad, or getting her outfits bespoke made, or going with her family instead.
Something that you can most definitely do instead, is attend fun wedding exhibitions together to build up the hype, shop for bridesmaid outfits, or even accessories together.
Mix & match this with an afternoon tea and you’re good to go for the best bridesmaid shopping day out!
Another fun tradition that we’ve adopted are the infamous hen / bachelorette parties. You definitely want to take charge of planning this one, and keep a sub-committee with a few of you who can research & decide all the logistics.
Ask the bride for her general vibe ie. chilled / going out / exploring / local / abroad – and then kick her out of the group chat!
Check out our top tips for throwing the perfect hen / bachelorette party here.
One of you definitely needs to take charge as the main choreo – of course! As bridesmaids, if you are doing dances, think about the songs that your bride loved & has grown up with, and get started with your performance.
There is so much pre-wedding admin that you need to do in preparation for the big day: from creating mithai boxes, DIY-ing favours, creating welcome bags, the list is endless.
Volunteer to help out, if time allows, as this will definitely go a long way!
One of the first few wedding events is going to be the bride’s solo sesh for her mehndi. This is often done one a separate day to the actual event, so definitely be around on standby to feed her, provide good vibes & music, and overall be someone to talk to during the next 6-8 hours.
Whilst it’s not the most traditional speech that’s done, it’s becoming increasingly common for bridesmaids or groomsmen to do speeches for the couple. Be sure to prep one in advance with the best balance of humour, embarrassment, and emotion!
(preferably with a car!)
Closer to the wedding week, there will be so many random little errands. From picking up blouses, to mithai, to printouts: try to be on standby for your bride just in case they need something.
At all times.
A hangry bride is not a happy bride. Also, closer to the time, a bride may have tons of different emotions and nerves and may not actually eat at meal times, so it’s good to always have backup.
A top tip is to be ready in advance, at least 30 mins, before the bride. This will be super appreciated, as you can be there to calm the nerves and hype them up before the events.
If you aren’t hiring a wedding content creator, then a bridesmaid should definitely be in charge of capturing all the best moments from your wedding events. No need to go overboard, but it’s good to have one person & one phone dedicated to this, so you can look back and re-live the moments the next day.
From eyelash glue, to lip top-up, to plasters, to spare earring backs – allocate one bridesmaid to keep the emergency kit handy. No need to carry it around, but just know exactly where it is at all times.
If you aren’t having a wedding coordinator, be sure to have a wedding week itinerary handy with all your contacts and timeline.
This is the one time you truly need all your bridesmaids to assemble: when you steal the shoes. Make sure there’s always a pair of eyes on the shoes, to ensure that you definitely win this tradition!
In some ceremonies, the bride changes clothes half-way through as part of the tradition. If that is the case, make sure you’re around in case there is anything she needs – something as little as passing earrings over can be super helpful!
Last, but definitely not least, definitely be the emotional support your bride needs throughout. Planning a wedding and getting married is such a daunting process, and so she will definitely need her best mates throughout this rollercoaster of emotions.
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