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Your bridesmaids want you to have the most wonderful time on your big day. They’ll often go above and beyond, taking on a number of chores for you and treating your stress as if it is their own. If you want to have an amazing time, one of the best things you can do is do the same for them. Keeping your bridesmaids happy will ultimately improve your day and make sure everybody has the best time imaginable.

Below, we’ll take a look at just a few of the ways you can keep your bridesmaids happy:

Be Mindful of Their Own Lives

You need to put yourself in the shoes of your bridesmaids and ensure you’re not expecting them to be at your every beck and call while you plan the wedding. Don’t expect them to drop something important to them to be there for you in an instant. You must be reasonable, and give them plenty of time. Your wedding is not the most important event in the world, and people won’t want to be in your bridal party if you act like it should be.

Get Their Opinions On What They Want To Wear

One of the best things you can possibly do is get your bridesmaid's opinions on what they want to wear. This could be tough the more bridesmaids you have, as the same styles and colors are unlikely to suit everybody. You can look at tips for picking a bridesmaid dress and go from there. Perhaps you could have a shortlist of dresses and have everybody agree on one.

Alternatively, you could let them pick their own dress as long as it's appropriate and in keeping with the color scheme. This is a great way to compromise, and especially nice if they have offered to buy their own dress. This way, they might be able to select a dress that they will wear again and get the most out of their investment.

Set Up Get-Togethers So Everybody Can Get To Know One Another

You’ve probably picked people who are most important to you, including both family and friends. It’s unlikely that every one of them knows one another well. Why not set up a couple of get-togethers that suit everybody? You don’t have to make it all about the wedding. You could simply go for some food and cocktails and chat. When your bridal party gets to know one another, they’ll have a much better time at the wedding and during planning. They’ll also work better together when different chores need to be done and certain things need to be communicated.

Keep Track Of How Much They’re Spending

The average cost of being a bridesmaid these days hits the $1,200 mark. This includes things like transport, hair, makeup, dresses, jewelry, and so on. Make sure you keep track of how much each of your bridesmaids is spending. You should have a good idea of their budgets, and how much they are willing to put towards the day if anything. Try to be understanding if a bridesmaid can’t afford to contribute much, or if they would rather not be involved simply because of money.

Be Clear About Your Expectations

Make your expectations clear right from the start, and give people the opportunity to say they don’t want to be involved if they don’t think they can do it. Your bridesmaids will often need to do various things for you, from picking up suits to confirming dates with vendors. You might prefer to do many of the important tasks yourself or leave them to a wedding planner, but either way, you need to make it clear.

Don’t Take Your Stress Out On Them

There are times when you’re planning your wedding, and likely on the day, when you’ll feel stressed. Things might even go wrong. You might experience setbacks. Don’t take your stress out on them. There’s nothing worse than a bride who tries to blame her bridesmaids or takes a bad mood out on them, and no quicker way to make them resent you and wish they hadn’t agreed to be involved. Try to keep your emotions in check. At the very least, don’t blame them or get angry with them unless you want your long term relationships to suffer.

Find Ways To Make Them Feel Special

There are a few ways you can make your bridesmaids feel special. Make sure you include them in the day by saying thank you to them in your speech. Some brides also like to give each bridesmaid a small gift to say thank you during the ceremony. If you have a table introducing yourself and your spouse to people who may not know one of you're well-using pictures and paragraphs, do the same for the bridal party. For example, ‘This is Sarah. She has been the long-suffering best friend of the bride for 15 years and is your go-to gal if you want someone to throw some moves on the dance floor with you.’

Say Thank You Often

Make sure you say thank you as often as you can to your bridesmaids. They may only be doing what you believe is their duty, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to thank them. They are not legally required to be there or obligated to help you. They are going out of their way, spending time, money, and energy on you and your special day. Don’t forget it!

Divvy Up Expectations Equally

You probably have a maid of honor, but you should still try to divvy up certain jobs equally. Don’t let all of the responsibility fall on one person, as they can quickly get stressed. Note your bridesmaid's strengths and weaknesses, as well as their likes and dislikes, and try to make it so that they play to their strengths. For example, if your maid of honor isn’t the best party planner but one of the bridesmaids loves doing it, there is no reason they can’t take charge.

How will you keep your bridesmaids happy on your big day?