Planning your wedding is no walk in the park, but in choosing the right Bridesmaids they will give you the extra support and advice you need at each stage, from selecting the perfect wedding dress to assisting you with your bridal wear on the big day. It’s a special and treasured job for any family or friend member of the bride, therefore it is important you choose carefully and wisely without upsetting anyone whom has been influential in your life. Read on for further suggestions of what you should take into consideration.

• Think about the type of wedding you are having before selecting the number of attendants you are having. Large formal weddings usually have large bridal parties, whilst smaller intimate ceremonies tend to have a smaller party. The more bridesmaids you have the more complicated it can become. From the selecting the dresses, to the hen night and not forgetting the cost implications.
• Take into consideration their personalities. Do you want your bossy or high maintenance friend ordering you about? Or a friend who is vain and will be more concerned about how she looks than yourself? Some ladies may be more trouble than it’s worth. They should be fun, supportive you and love you unconditionally.
• Your bridesmaids should have good taste. When shopping for wedding dresses you want someone who is honest and truthful, you don’t want to be opting for the wedding gown they loathe. They should also know how to organise a great party, essential when planning your successful hen party.
• You need a friend who can keep you calm and serene in any situation. During the build up to the big day and possibly on the day itself there may be problems that pop up and it’s your bridesmaids role to help ease any issues and help you to relax.
• If you are opting to have younger attendants or small children attending your wedding then at least one of your adult bridesmaids should be able to get down to their level and help keep them happy.
• Do remember you bridesmaids don’t have to be female. If you have a best friend who is male then he can simply be your bridesman and your groom can always have a groomswoman.
• There is no rule to say you can’t have two chief bridesmaids, just as your groom may choose to have more than one best man.
• Remember it’s ultimately your decision who your bridesmaids are, don’t be afraid of hurting someone’s feelings as a true friend will respect your choice.
• Being a bridesmaid is a big responsibility so don’t be too disheartened should someone turn down your offer. For some being the centre of attention and the pressures is too overwhelming. Some friends may be happy to help you out with tasks behind the scenes.

Once you’ve chosen those special ladies it’s time to begin the wedding gown hunt. For the best selection of cheap wedding dresses then look no further than our huge collection at the Wedding Dress Factory Outlet.

It is a special moment asking a good friend or a loved one to be a part of your wedding day. They are likely to feel touched and privileged, taking on the responsibility of being a bridesmaid. It involves time and commitment, and of course heaps of fun from wedding dress shopping to decor planning.

You should consider how you are going to ask them to be your bridesmaid. Ideally if they live close by it should be done privately, in person. This makes it more of a special occasion and would make it easier, should they need to decline. Do try to give them as much notice as possible to avoid any disappointment.

There are many unique ways in which you can ask those speical ladies to be involved on your big day. You can now purchase ‘Will you be my bridesmaid’ cards, an inexpensive but personal touch or perhaps a gift, such as a magnet, ornament or mug with the same question on. Maybe order them a ‘Bridesmaid handbook’ or present them with a t-shirt emblazoned ‘Bridesmaid’ with your wedding date. How about framing a picture of the two of you and adding a note saying how you would love a similar picture of you as the bride and her as your maid. Send them some flowers of which you’d like to use in your wedding day informing them that you’d like them to carry something similar in their bouquet on your wedding day. Arrange to walk past a bridal shop, asking what sort of bridesmaid dress they would like to wear before dropping the question or go along to a bridal fair and get excited together before popping the question. Alternatively why not write a simple poem or letter from the heart, telling them how much they mean to you and how you would love them to share your in your experience.

However you choose to ask, making it that little bit special will ensure the beginning of a wonderful journey together is made more memorable. Of course once they accept it’s time to begin the hunt for the bridal gown. With over 700 discounted designer wedding dresses in stock we can guide you into finding you dream bridal gown.

Wedding dresses, bridesmaids’ dresses, flowers and photographers. These are all straight forward parts of a wedding ceremony – everyone knows what they are and why you might want them. Ushers though are more confusing. Sure, if you have a few bridesmaids, the photographs will look more balanced with an equal number of ushers on the other side, but if you’re going to pay for suit hire, you want more of a reason than that!

Traditionally the bridesmaids help the bride plan the wedding, and to get dressed on the big day. During the ceremony they may arrange the train on her wedding dress or hold her flowers, and they should also be available to help the bride during the wedding reception (I remember the first time I was a bridesmaid, and by 8pm I had to swap shoes with the bride as she’d chosen highly impractical shoes while I had the boring, sensible option!). On the other hand, the groom usually has more of a back seat when it comes to wedding planning, and often even his outfit will be chosen by the bride to fit in with the theme of the wedding. He is also unlikely to need help getting dressed, or arranging his suit during the wedding!

So what can the ushers do to make themselves useful? The first thing they should do is ask how they can help! It seems obvious, but they may find that the bride could use some help, even with the simple fetching and carrying. There is often quite a few things that need picking up – the flowers may need to be collected (or at least the buttonholes as the florist will often drop off everything with the bride except for the venue flowers), the suits picked up, they may need help driving the bridesmaids to the venue. In fact, I’m sure most brides could think of lots of tasks they would like taken off their hands!

During the ceremony, if the music is being provided by a CD, an usher should be in charge of making sure the right track is played at the right time. Telling the guests where they can sit, and keeping the groom calm are also important jobs. Their duties for the rest of the day will depend on how the reception is planned, but as these people are your close friends, they are bound to be willing to help in any way (although I can’t imagine them being asked to swap shoes with the groom…).

The nation’s idea bridesmaid, according to a survey by confetti.co.uk, would be Gok Wan! The wedding website is holding a competition to find the Ultimate Bridesmaid, and has been exploring what makes the ideal maid of honour through the trials and tribulations of planning a wedding.

But why Gok Wan? Confetti says: “It’s obvious isn’t it? He spends his life making women feel and look good. What woman wouldn’t want someone like that by their side?” And they’re right – a great bridesmaid is someone you can trust to look out for your best interests, be honest and supportive and fun at the same time. Bridesmaids and especially maids of honour or chief bridesmaids have to take on a lot of responsibilities when helping their friend prepare for marriage. It’s often a time that can be stressful, fraught and put strain on a friendship, so choose your bridesmaids carefully and try not to make their life even more difficult by being a ‘bridezilla’!

The traditional role of a bridesmaid is to:

- help with wedding ideas, planning and organisation

- organise and throw the hen party/bridal shower

- accompany the bride to choose her wedding dress and help out at fittings

- be a bit of a dogsbody at times, helping with setting up, collecting items and assisting the bride into her wedding dress

- stand with the bride at the ceremony in support of the marriage

- generally make sure things run smoothly behind the scenes

- provide lots of hugs, laughter and reassurance!

According to the confetti.co.uk survey, the UK’s  brides have some specific dos and don’ts when it comes to what they want from a bridesmaid. They must be: reliable, sympathetic, stylish, organised, practical, fun, knowledgable, preferably single and child-free and under 25 years old! The top no-nos when it comes to bridesmaids were stealing the bride’s thunder or starting a fight!

So go easy on your bridesmaids, they have a tough job to do – 1 in 4 bridesmaids today spend nearly 30 hours ‘working’ for you, for free – and though it is usually a satisfying and fulfilling role, it can also be exhausting!

So tell us, what are the essential qualities you want from a bridesmaid? And who would be your ideal celebrity maid of honour?