Category Archives: Bridesmaids

Q&A: Can I bring a date (and should I)?

Q: As a member of the wedding party, can I bring a date? And more importantly, should I? I know I’ll be with the bride for long periods of time, so what can I do to make the wedding a good experience for my date too?

A: If you’re not seeing someone on a steady basis and you’re a member of the wedding party, I’d strongly recommend not inviting a date. The demands of being a bridesmaid will keep you away from your guest for a fair amount of time, so it’s not a good venue to test a new relationship. Likewise, you’ll be surrounded by girlfriends, so there’s no chance you’ll feel left out without a date.

If you do have a significant other, ask yourself a few very important questions before asking them to come to the wedding. First, ask your bride what the seating arrangement will be at the reception. Very few brides insist on the old-fashioned head-table set-up, but if your bride wants this traditional format, then the wedding party is seated apart from their dates. This means that the day of the wedding you’ll probably say goodbye to your date early in the morning to get ready with the bride and not meet up with them again until the dancing starts after dinner.

The next question you should ask yourself: Does my date know anyone at the wedding who they can hang out with? Continue reading →

Fiesta Bridal Shower Inspiration

Everyone loves a fiesta, especially in the summertime. The colors are bright, the food is delicious and the drinks are strong—the perfect inspiration for a fun backyard bridal shower. My advice is to not go too literal on the invitations—in other words, stay away from sombreros, tacos or margaritas. Instead choose color palettes and motifs that evoke the occasion. This Etsy number uses spot-on color combos, but a modern chevron pattern. I also love the mix of fonts, which really gives the invite an personalized look.

The decorative flourishes on the edges of this invite from Wedding Paper Divas evoke a festive fiesta, but white space and typography make it seem a bit more fancy.

I also like this option from Polka Dot Design. It’s a simpler version of the Etsy invite above, but as a bonus they have napkins and Lucite serving trays in the same pattern (and the back is printed in allover chevron).

Now decor. The traditional choice would be Fiesta ware, but if you can’t get your hands on the real stuff, ask around for brightly colored plates and serving bowls and mix and match for an eclectic feel. I love the mix and match feel of this tablescape: bright traditional Mexican textiles as a tablecloth, mix-and-match colored plates and a few quirky pieces in the center.


I also love the chic simplicity of this setting. The colored glassware in particular pops on the table and the sunflowers evoke the perfect summer mood.

Can we talk about how adorable this idea is?? Flowers in limes!

For drinks, I love the look (and taste!) of this strawberry basil sangria, made with chardonnay and a bit of club soda for bubbles. Add don’t forget the margaritas, of course.

A serve-yourself taco stall looks adorable and lets guests regulate the amount of spice they like in their food. Fill small bowls with chopped lettuce, diced jalepenos, halved cherry tomatoes, and slices of red onions and avocados. Then choose your fillings. For a no-hassle option, you can always shred rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, but if you want to fancy it up, try these tequila-glazed chicken thighs (then shred into taco-sized pieces). For a delicious and fresh salsa topping for your tacos, boil sweet corn for about 10 minutes, then use a knife to take the kernels off the cob. Next, mix with chopped avocado and cherry tomatoes. Stir in two tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons sea salt, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and the juice of one lime.

For a side dish, I love these grilled sweet potato fries with lime cilantro vinaigrette. They’re super easy to make and taste delicious.

And for dessert, you have to go with Mexican wedding cookies! Check out a recipe here.

Additional sources: Hostess with the Mostess Mexican fiesta, Celebrations.com fiesta and The Stir table settings.

This post contains a few affiliate links. All products are selected because we love them—if you love them too, you’re helping support Ultimate Bridesmaid. So thanks! 

Lingerie

All right, we’re going there, ladies. Lingerie for the shower. The first thing you’ll learn when you start shopping is that good lingerie—you know, the delicate kind with lace—is expensive. I mean, it can be really expensive. Bras can run your $60 easy. I think there are two gift approaches when going into a lingerie shower. Option 1: Team up with another guest to get the bride one really nice set, something she would never buy for herself and may very well use to seduce her husband (but don’t think about that part). Option 2: Go for a more affordable everyday item, something in cotton or jersey that’s cute and comfy and that she’ll wear all the time. This post addresses option one, though I’ve tried to keep things reasonable. Seductive and admittedly beautiful Agent Provocateur pieces will set you back $200 for one bra…not a proposition I’m personally willing to entertain.

To me, black and lace is the ultimate in classic sexy. It will never go out of style. This gorgeous Espirit set comes in at only $60 for the bra and panties, or swap out a chemise in the same pattern for $50.

Though black is the ultimate in sex appeal, every bride does need some wedding white.

 I love the intricate details on this Elle McPherson bra ($60) and panties ($34).

Or what about this bralette from Only Hearts, currently on sale for $40?

Want some color? I cannot get enough of these dotted bralettes and boyshorts from Madewell ($53 for a set).

Or this emerald lace set from Anthropologie at $44.

And I can’t help myself…elephants (for $65)! There’s even a bit of mesh to show a little skin for her guy.

Bridesmaid Dress Reviews Wanted!

Hello out there in bridesmaid world! You know what I’d like? Some honest bridesmaid dress reviews. I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to shell out more than $100 (and sometimes quite a bit more) for a dress that I cannot try on, I’d really like to read a review from someone who has actually worn the dress. Hence, Real Bridesmaid Reviews, both the good and the bad. You can review anonymously so your bride won’t know the dress wasn’t your favorite, or send pictures from the wedding to show off a dress you loved. Email reviews to ultimatebridesmaid@gmail.com.

Today’s review comes from my good friend Jill. New York still misses you (though I know you love being back in your home state of Nebraska!). Continue reading →

Bachelorette Games: Bar Scavenger Hunt

If you’re planning a bar crawl for a bachelorette party, think about spicing the evening up with a scavenger hunt. This game is kind of a hybrid between a scavenger hunt and truth or dare (without the truth part). The idea is to compile a list that includes objects and people to find as well as challenges and dares, which can be very generic or specific to the bride or the bars you’re visiting. For example, is there a certain bouncer at the bar who always flirts with your group? Track him down and convince him to “sell tickets to the gun show.” A regular at the kareoke bar who can be counted on to belt Lady Gaga tunes? Score points if he chooses “Bad Romance.” You can work as a group to complete the list, split into teams or compete individually to finish the list first. Make sure you take a picture as you check each item off the list (for proof and posterity!). Here are some ideas to get you started, all of which I’ve kept very focused on the bachelorette:

  • Find a guy with the same name as the groom and get him to snap a picture with the bride. +1 for each guy you find.
  • Find a penny from the year the bride was born. +1
  • If the bride’s from out of state, meet someone from her home state. (+1) Add an extra point if he or she is from her home town.
  • If you’re in the bride’s home town, find people who went to the same high school/grade school as her. (+1) Add additional points if they were actually in her class.
  • Find another bachelorette or bachelor party. Ask the brides-to-be or bride- and groom-to-be to pose together. +1
  • Ask the bartender to come up with a special drink that is “the bride’s drink.” Then start talking the drink up around the bar and convince strangers to order it by name (i.e. I’ll have The Amanda). +1 for each person who orders it.
  • Designate “the bride’s song” for the night. Get the DJ to play it at each bar. All attendees must sing. +1 each time the song is played. Double points if they play it twice in the same bar! Triple points if you develop a choreographed dance that you all do to the song.
  • Find objects that unintentionally resemble the male anatomy…you know what! +1 each.
  • Collect marriage advice. Ask people to write their advice on a napkin. If you want this to get naughtier, change this to advice for the wedding night. Target really drunk people for the best answers. +1 for each napkin you collect.
  • Pick a distinctive characteristic about the groom. Maybe he has a mustache, red hair, or always wears a shirt from his favorite college team. Now hunt down groom look-alikes. The bride must approve your choice, then snap a picture for later comparison. +1 for each look-alike you find.
  • Collect a coaster from each bar or a napkin signed by the bartender. +1 each
  • The bride needs to be carried across the threshold into every bar. Try to recruit a stranger to do the job, but in a pinch someone in your group can carry her in. You only score +1 when a stranger does the job though!

You can modify this list to make the challenges more risque if your group is daring and be sure to add a few special touches that are particular to the bride. It’s a good idea to have a printed list to take to the bar so you can keep score as you go along. Create your own custom list or use this handy printable bar scavenger hunt form I created! Continue reading →

Tanks for Parties or Bridal Prep

The Wedding Chicks is a great bridal resource, but it also has a shop with some fairly adorable tees and tanks that would be perfect to wear while getting ready the day of the wedding or at a bachelorette party. I’ve compiled some of my favorite styles below and you can check out their totes, hankies and more here. The orders are custom and each tank set is available in a “bride,” “bridesmaid,” and “maid/matron of honor” option with different colors to choose from. Some can also be customized with names and dates. The tanks go for $24 apiece.

Vintage

Nautical

Paisley

But my absolute favorite? This cozy bridal sweatshirt, also available in bridesmaid and MOH options, at $48 each.

Fashion Friday

Despite the allure of online shopping, I’m an old-fashioned girl. I like to try things on before I buy them. And that’s what drew me to Kennedy Blue. Using their Try and Buy Service, the Minnesota-based store will ship you a sample in your size, along with a color swatch and prepaid return label for only $1. The price on these dresses is also enticing. They’re more affordable than some designers using exactly the same materials and silhouettes! Check out the full collection here.

Fabric: Silk chiffon

Price: Sydney (left): $167. Chloe (right): $162.

Colors: Black, charcoal, coral, navy, eggplant (shown), espresso, wine, peacock, mint.