welcome to elaney!

There’s a stereotype of the bitter bridesmaid that really does a disservice to loyal friends everywhere.  It’s pretty painful to watch bridemaidzillas in pink dresses chugging white wine and wiping smudged mascara from their eyes, and these girls are out there, but they really aren’t the norm.  To be fair, most ladies have a lil’ bridemaidzilla hidden deep down, but in the interest of clearing it up for married people, teenagers, and men everywhere…it is possible to be sincerely happy to be a maid to your bride.  Forget bridesmaidzilla, elaney girls are “BridesMADES to Order.” 

It’s the mastery of the “BridesMADE for You” that led Reader EmEmli to ask the $1,000,000 wedding party question.  When it comes to the wedding weekend, all of your duties are carefully laid out on a Google Docs spreadsheet that is sure to have lots of emoticons.  You know where to be, what to wear, what the bride will be wearing (no copies!!).  You have your ”BridesMADE of Love” toolkit that includes safety pins, hairspray, etc.  You’ve learned to leave nothing to chance, nothing to imagination, and there is no room for error.  Except….there is one event during the wedding weekend in which you are not “BridesMADE of whatever you want us to be.”  And that my friends, is  the rehearsal dinner toast…

The toast can touchy.  Do you try to be funny?  Do you try to be serious?  To reflect on memories?  To thank the grooms’ parents?   There are just so many ways to go.  Write it out, wing it, bullet points.  So, let’s help out EmEmLi as you prepares to be “BridesMADE to Order at least until she can be BridesMADE Out with the Groomsman,” and give her some rehearsal dinner toast tips!  

Lately a new bridal trend is to wear colored shoes with your dress.  Reader CharMar is thinking of wearing blue shoes for her something new!  We love this idea!  What do you think about mixing it up with a splash of color?  Are you a traditional white is right, or do you think Something Blue is fun for Something New??

Jennbug the bold has agreed to once again throw herself into the line of fire.  After willingly letting readers weigh in on the bmaid dress (readers spoke, said no, jen went with another option), she’s up for doing it about the shoes!  Here’s a pic of the dress and her two shoe options.  Fashionistas, what do you think?

Note:  Both shoes would be gold – pics in gold weren’t available for option 2.

How many times have you lied about the bridesmaids dress?  We’ve never admitted not to like one, and we don’t recommend doing it either.  Here’s your one shot to be honest though.  Reader Jennbug is getting married, and she’s trying to pick out a bridesmaids’ dress.  She wants short and pink for a March wedding.  She’s ready to throw herself in the line of fire, and she wants to know what you think!  Do you like this dress?