One of my female friends got married last year, and I was asked to be her bridesmade. Now, this is very flattering. I said yes! I didn’t realize at that time how much work would be involved. Don’t make that same mistake, here are some common issues that you should be aware of before agreeing to be a bridesmaid for any wedding.

Have you ever heard jokes about unattractive bridesmaids dresses? Those jokes exist for a reason. You’ll be asked to wear a horrid dress you will never want to wear again. Worse, the dress will be expensive and you will be expected to pay for it yourself. Oh, and if it doesn’t fit right, you can figure on altering it for fit at your own expense as well.

Then there is the bridal shower. The bridesmaids have to plan and organize the shower. Basically it’s event planning on a small scale. You have to choose a site and invite people, figure out the food, and then once it is time for the shower you need to host.

That’s not the only party you need to organize and host. There’s also the bachelorette party. You want to plan something fun and a bit wild. For your more high-maintenance bride, you may even end up planning something out of town or on an exotic island if that is what she wants. Again, not cheap. You have to attend it too because you are helping to throw it.

Next we consider the wedding day and the prep day before hand. The day before the wedding is the day when all of the beauty stuff happens, like having nails done and hair colored, and then that evening there is the rehearsal.

On the wedding day you will be overscheduled and overtasked within an inch of your life. The wedding I was in tracked where I was supposed to be, from -9 a.m. until midnight, using a color-coded chart.

For starters, we had to help her with her makeup and hair. Then her dress needed something. Then we had pictures. The day went on and on. On the wedding day, you have to do everything you can to attend the bride on her special day.

Remember, it is a big honor to be asked to be a bridesmaid, but don’t get carried away with your excitement. It’s work! You need to figure out if you have the time and resources to follow through, if you do agree to do it. If you do, it can be a great experience to share with a friend.

See more pieces of work created by this author regarding items including buffet serving dishes and cheap chafing dishes.