A Bridesmaid's How-To on Maintaining a Friendship With the Bride

It’s your closest friend’s big day. She’s getting married, and you were honored with the title of bridesmaid. And, at first, it was an honor… until you realized that planning a wedding had turned your close friend into a total stranger. Now, all you want to do is hide every time she comes calling and you can’t help complaining with your friends or fellow bridesmaids that the bride has lost it. If you’re ready to call it quits—whether to the friendship or the wedding—read the following tips on how to get along with a crazy bride on her big day.

First of all, the key to any good relationship is communication. Make sure you and the bride are communicating. Not just talking on a regular basis, but talking about the wedding and getting the plans and timeline all clear. Plan with the bride. Generally speaking, there are to types of brides: one’s who want too much help and one’s who want none at all. If you’re bride is asking you to do things you can’t fit into your life, make sure to be upfront. Tell her you can’t fit a certain errand in or you are at work and don’t have time to talk about the thirty-fifth color change. But, be nice and help her think of someone else who might be able to take the errand or conversation. If the bride doesn’t want help and refuses to give up information on her own, make sure to ask on a regular basis if you can help with anything. If there’s something you think you should know, ask directly. The closer to the wedding that you get, the busier the bride will be. Utilize emails for questions that don’t need to be answered right away, that way the bride can answer the question at her convenience.