The term “bridezilla” is thrown around too often, and it’s often branded to women who don’t even deserve the name. But they do exist. And if you’re a bridesmaid who’s unlucky enough to be caught in Hurricane Bridezilla, here are 8 tips on how to cope.
Let Her Know
Wedding planning is a stressful time for many brides, and stress can make people behave in ways they normally wouldn’t. If your bride strays toward the bridezilla territory, let her know; she may not even realise that she’s turning nasty.
Be Calm and Patient
Though sometimes you’ll want to strangle the bride, try to be calm, patient, and understanding. Be the voice of reason when she’s losing her head and bite your tongue to save yourself from an unwanted argument.
Don’t Take it Personally
Sometimes wedding planning brings out the worst in people; the bride may snap and bark orders sometimes, and it’s easy to get offended and wonder if you’ve done something wrong. Try not to get upset about it—it’s probably not your fault, and probably not you the bride’s mad at.
Have Fun
Break up the wedding planning by organising something fun for you, the bride, and the other bridesmaids. This will be a day when no wedding planning is allowed. Even if it’s just a day out in the park, all friends together, it will give you time to relax.
Don’t Talk Behind Her Back
The worst thing to do is keep things bottled up. Anger, for example, will just give you a headache and could actually harm your health in the long-run. Have someone you can vent to when you need to. But try and do this with someone who’s uninvolved in the wedding planning; if you start chatting with other bridesmaids it could too easily spiral into back-biting.
Don’t Be Manipulated
You have the bride’s best interests at heart, and you’re willing to do a lot to help her out even if it means sacrificing your own time. But you should be wary of any tricks or manipulations. It may be that your bride starts to take advantage of your kindness. You’re not a slave. Know when to draw the line, and learn to say no.
Be Honest
You can’t do everything. Sometimes the bride may ask too much of you. While there are times you should bite your tongue and keep your thoughts to yourself, you need to be honest about what you can and can’t do, and what you’re comfortable and uncomfortable with. Sometimes you may need to negotiate with her to find a happy medium, but sometimes you’ll need to stand your ground.
Get out of There
While sometimes wedding planning brings out the worst in people, your bride can cross the line. Sometimes it’s better for your sanity and happiness to just get out of a poison situation.
