Q & A: What are the duties of the bridesmaids?

Q. What are the duties of the bridesmaids?

A. The term "Bridesmaid" historically refers to those maids (true maids of the household) or maidens (single girl friends) who were to help the bride in accomplishing all those tasks required of the bride prior to the wedding and at the reception. Today, the term bridesmaid refers to those best of friends and family who are there to help the bride in accomplishing all those tasks required of the bride prior to the wedding and at the reception. The more things change the more they remain the same! A bridesmaid is responsible for helping the bride with organizing and finalizing all facets of the wedding process - I say process because it can start as early as when the bride asks you to be a bridesmaid and will continue strait through the reception and, on occasion through the day-after wedding brunch (though these events are becoming more and more rare). Help with planning the wedding? Help with finding the right professionals and vendors? Help in getting the invitations out? Get the idea? - This entire process is so overwhelming that many, many, many brides say "if they knew them what they know now..." and only 1 bride in 100 says she had enough help getting through this entire process!!! Beyond the help you can provide, the bridesmaids general host the shower or showers for the bride - pay for their own dresses - act as assistant wedding coordinator (unless one exists) acts as social secretary at the reception and picks up the bits and pieces all along the way. Other than that, the bridesmaids don't have much at all to do other than stand around and be pretty - right?