by Dr. Karen Sherman www.drkarensherman.com Dr. Karen Sherman offers information to help couples deal with potential relationship difficulties. Here Comes the Bridesmaid It’s your wedding, the most special day of your life. You have probably dreamed about all of your expectations for this day beginning with your gown down to the details of your centerpieces. You have also imagined how your wedding party will look. With other details attended to, it’s time to select the dresses for your maid of honor and bridesmaids. There’s an air of excitement as you all set out on this task. Your bridal party consists of people that are special to you. You all have the same goal - to make a statement, through fashion, of how meaningful this event is. But, as you start to explore the various options, it becomes apparent that there are definite differences in how that goal will actually play out. All sorts of concerns are now obvious. The differences may be in what style looks good on whom. Though each person is special to you, the variations in height and weight start to stand out. Perhaps, one bridesmaid is pregnant and will still be so at the time of the wedding! Cost certainly starts to become an issue. This is a big outlay of money for many; therefore, an expectation to select a dress that can be worn again. Oops - you had envisioned a rainbow colored wedding party. Now, you feel conflicted between your envisioned fantasy and your concern for the realistic needs of those who mean so much to you. What started out as a day filled with excitement is turning into one fraught with tension. To avoid this situation, you can consider trying some of the following: After you have asked each person to be in your wedding party, ask if they have any ideas or concerns, i.e. styles or colors that they absolutely feel they hate. Be sensitive to financial needs. Choose a dress that can be worn again. If it is only one person who will have trouble affording the selected dress, offer some assistance perhaps by offering to pay for the other items. You don’t want to make that person feel uncomfortable about not being able to afford the dress that everyone else can. If you have your heart set on a dress that really is costly or not one that can be worn again, consider paying for the extras for everyone. Consider having a color theme and allow each bride’s maid to select a dress style that compliments her. Be willing to be flexible and select a dress that everyone feels comfortable in. Remember that what you want is for everyone to have a good time. What someone wears can make a difference in her comfort level. When you look back on the day, a particular dress will not mean as much as that people were feeling good and enjoying themselves. Enjoy yourself - it’s your very special day. Copyright © Dr. Karen Sherman www.karensherman.com