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3 conversations you should have with your bridal entourage

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Your partner’s just popped the question, you’ve set a date and now you can get around to the planning.

But first, you need to surround yourself with the best people to form part of your bridal party – people you can trust, rely on and who don’t balk at tackling tasks from the menial (helping with invites), to the more strenuous (shopping for ALL THE BRIDAL THINGS).

Once you’ve established your bridal team (whom hopefully all responded with the appropriate amount of enthusiasm to your request), it’s time to sit down and establish some ground rules.

The last thing you want is for people going into the wedding with their eyes closed, only to bail out later – so, in order prevent that, sit down and discuss the following points with them.
 
Roles and responsibilities

Whether the person or persons in question have been designated as maid of honour, bridesmaid or guest co-ordinator, everyone needs to have a basic idea of what their designated tasks entail.

Remember, there’s also the chance that you’ve asked someone who’s never been part of a wedding procession before, so having a session where you establish who does what will not only be beneficial to them, but it will also help you to feel a little more organised in the long run.

Be upfront about costs

Being a bridesmaid or maid of honour is not only hard work, but it unfortunately also comes with quite a few costs.

While you may not be able to give an approximate amount of all the costs that are involved, you are in the position to let those who’ve said I do to being part of your entourage know what they can expect in terms of monetary expenses.

Talk about what you’re planning in terms of dress shopping, engagement parties (if you’re having one), spa days and any extracurricular activities in order to give your planning party a guesstimation of events to come.

READ: Why you should think twice before you say “yes” to being a bridesmaid

Schedules and availability

One of the most important aspects of your wedding is all the preparing and running around you and your bridesmaids will be doing during your wedding.

While you should definitely not expect everyone to be available at a moment’s notice, it should be understood that your wedding will be taking up quite a bit of your and their time. Dress shopping, fittings and alterations? It will be on the itinerary of one of the many things that need to be done.

Planning a bachelorette party, collecting invites and assisting with décor arrangements? Prepare you friends well – this will be their lives for the next few months.

And remember, if someone isn’t pulling their weight, you always have the option of removing them from your entourage.

READ: How to (politely) kick someone out of your wedding.

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