Sure, people will laugh at “Bridesmaids" this weekend, some knowingly — because of the whole pain and time equation — and some of us simply because Kristen Wiig is never not funny. But what about those who’ll actually be bridesmaids this summer, the loyal friends who’ve signed on to trudge through the place-setting tutorials and mundane pageantry while summoning heretofore unknown reserves of patience and tact? The film might raise some, well, concerns. Luckily, two members of the cast, Ellie Kemper and Wendi McClendon-Covey, veterans of a combined 15 tours of bridesmaid duty in real life, have helped us prepare an informative guide.
You’ve been asked to be a bridesmaid — now what?
Keep it simple
Wendi: Wedding showers are boring. So, just plan a drop-off day for bridal presents. “Oh, you bought me a shower gift? Just come and drop it off and then leave.” Everybody can show up on the bride’s porch, drink a mimosa, eat a mini-quiche and then go about their day.
Ellie: Over email, I’ve seen girls sort of — maybe not blatantly — maneuver to be the best bridesmaid. “I was thinking, what if we had lions at the bridal shower?” No.
Be a wallflower, and/or be terrible at your job
Ellie: Don’t be overly enthusiastic, because then you’ll be shouldered with every task that needs to be completed. Do not speak up very much. Just lay low, or be really bad at the tasks you’ve been given, and they’ll stop asking you to do as many things.
Always keep the bride in check
Wendi: Brides need to remember that they get one day to be special, not a year and a half. How many times can you say, “This is supposed to be a really special time for me. I’m the bride, I need to feel special.”? Guess what? People have lives. You can’t schedule all of these Girl Scout activities and expect your bridesmaids to pay for it. Especially in this economy. Remember, they’re not marrying you. All they really have to do is stand up next to you in the church wearing an ugly dress.
If you are in charge of planning, avoid shower games
Wendi: At a bridal shower, it’s customary to play really stupid games that nobody wants to play except the person who planned them. Games like, “How well does the bride know the groom?” Or splitting up into teams and trying to make a bridal dress out of toilet paper in three minutes. Who wants to do that? Let’s face it, adult women in the middle of a long Saturday want to go to Costco, so let’s pile into a small utility vehicle and go to a big store.