Weddingguide


	YOUR RETINUE
	by Bride-to-be

	It has finally happened! You are engaged, you have chosen the wedding
	date and found the perfect venue – now you must organise the perfect
	wedding!

	There are a million things to remember, things to do, choices to make (and
	your groom just says: “Whatever you want, hon!”). But that is not always what
	you want to hear – well, not always! So, who will assist you?

	This is where your maid of honour comes in. It is very important that you
	choose someone who will support you and whom you can trust, and who will
	stay your best friend through thick and thin. Remember, you can choose
	anyone you want. The groom should have as many groomsmen as the bride
	has bridesmaids.

	The bridesmaids’ outfits should match the colour scheme that you chose for
	your wedding, but take your bridesmaids’ figures into account and choose
	styles that will look good on them. They do not all have to look identical;
	they just need to form a unit and not steal the limelight. You do not have to
	pay for their outfits, but it is a nice gesture if you offer to help to pay for
	them, if you want to.





	The duties of the bridesmaids before and at the wedding are very important
	and it is an honour to be asked. The maid of honour is responsible for
	organising the kitchen tea. She will help you choose your wedding dress,
	remember your appointments and help calm you down when your nerves
	start fraying. She can also arrange a special day at the spa – just for all the
	girls – the day before the wedding. On the wedding day itself, she gets you
	to the hairdresser, make-up artist and photographer on time. She will help
	you to get dressed, make sure that you eat something light and drink enough
	water. She is also responsible for the pageboys and flower girls, if you have
	any.

	Also ask your maid of honour to keep your little handbag handy in case you
	want to put on a dash of lipstick or a touch of powder or if you want to wipe
	away your tears of joy. She will also be responsible for returning hired
	clothing after the wedding.

	If you want to use pageboys, flower girls or a ring bearer, make sure that their
	tasks are simple. Remember, they are still young, they might not do exactly
	what you expect them to! It is also a good idea to ask their mothers to bring
	along a clean set of clothes so that they can go and play after the ceremony.
	They will not be very happy if they have to sit quietly and listen to speeches
	and people saying kind words to you while the other children run around and
	play!