Being a bridesmaid is both a beautiful honor to accept and a great responsibility. As part of the wedding party, you’re on the guest list for all of the wedding events, from the engagement party to the bachelorette party. These expenses and pressures can add up. Follow this guide to ensure you’re prepared and you can enjoy the perks of being a bridesmaid.

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Take Stock

With the number of formal events you’ll have to attend as a bridesmaid, it’s beneficial to take a moment and check out your closet. You might have some dresses or nice shoes hiding in the back of your closet that are waiting for the triumphant moment they get to be worn again. Being within the inner circle of a wedding means you’ll likely be going to an engagement party, a bridal shower, a Bachelorette party, the rehearsal dinner, as well as the actual wedding itself. You can come up with a rotation of what to wear from your existing wardrobe or maybe you just need a few items to get you through this marathon.

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Budget, Budget, Budget

Once you have an idea of what purchases you’ll need to be making, you can make a budget. In addition to clothing or shoe purchases, you may also need to be saving money for the shower gift, the wedding gift, any travel costs and possibly hotel stays. It’s very trendy for bachelorette parties to become an entire weekend trip. If you’re particularly worried about costs, offer to help the maid of honor with planning so you have an accurate idea of the itinerary and the additional costs that might come with this fun-filled weekend. Bachelorette parties may not be the only thing that has changed in regards to a modern wedding. Familiarize yourself and research wedding events so you can be sure that you fully flesh out your budget. The more costs you can anticipate the better!

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Don’t Buy New

People are getting creative to avoid buying full-priced, brand new clothing. A great way to avoid the added expenses of so many typically formal events is to try doing a clothing swap with your friends. Take a look at how other people organize clothing swaps and see what kind of set up would work best for you. Swaps are great if you can find a group of people that can provide a variety of sizes and styles of clothing. If a swap won’t work out due to sizing, or the options just weren’t what you had in mind, consider thrift shopping. Not only does it provide a huge savings opportunity, but you can also find the brands or styles you like when you shop an online thrift store. This is an especially great way to get the formal outfits you might need to make it through all of the wedding-related celebrations. 

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Plan Ahead

Get a jump on planning as soon as possible. If hotels need to be booked, or houses need to be rented, doing so early can ensure you take advantage of any room block rates that are available as well as avoiding the possibility that everything gets booked. It is also prudent to stay on top of the registry. Ideally, if you can be one of the first shoppers, you’ll have your pick from all of the items and the ability to select gifts that best fit your budget. As a bridesmaid, you have an in with the happy couple and it should be easy for you to be in-the-know about all the different wedding plans you’ll want to get a jump on.