Bridesmaid's Blog
Have you been asked to be a bridesmaid? Not sure what to expect? Share in Emma's experiences over the next seven months as she heads deep into bridesmaid territory...
So, a few weeks on from that gloriously heady proposal, the reality of a summer wedding is starting to sink in for Sarah-Jane (and for her bridesmaids, who are becoming increasingly panicked by the thought of months of fabric sampling, hen parties and guest lists to draw up – all with a dash of varsity life on the side, of course). Because these two certainly aren’t letting the grass grow under their feet, so to speak, and the wedding date is set - for January 2009! (In case you haven’t had your fill of matrimonial movies, this is the part where all the girlfriends let off a united squeal, jump around a bit and hug.)
Since her engagement, that well-worn complaint of brides-to-be (“I’ve only got x months!”) has been used to full effect by Sarah-Jane; in between searching for invitation ideas, ticking off names for a guest list and finding a venue, she has realised that she’s only got, well, five months! (Sounds like overkill to me - but then I’m not the bride…)
Setting the date has been a bumpy business. Swinging from the 12th of December to the 15th, then into January, it has been subjected to the whims of family life and rearrangement depending on which aunts can make it, and who is going on holiday when. One night, on speakerphone with Sarah-Jane, we had a bigger task to manage - avoiding the various graduation dates of the bridesmaids. Thankfully, Leon (who really is starting to prove himself) did a heap of phoning around and organising, and the cap-throwing days have now been successfully dodged. (Ten points to Leon.)
At least one other thing is secure: up in the vine-covered hills of Somerset West, Sarah Jane has found her dream venue. Described by her as “small, quiet…just perfect” (with a big, goofy grin on her face), it is apparently a gem of a wine farm, where wedding receptions are held in the roomy cellar.
In between the big questions of date and venue, there has been the inevitable nitty-gritty to consider. On a rainy May day, Sarah-Jane fetched me in her beloved old yellow station-wagon and we rambled off to find ideas for invitations. First stop was a quaint little shop filled with paper samples and albums of demo invites. As Sarah-Jane and I paged through the samples, what ensued was a real case of “You say neether and I say neither…” While I have always favoured the clash of pink and orange, Sarah-Jane is a fan of baby-pink and hearts, vintage-chic and silver writing. (She’s always been the classier gal.) But after debating what was too kitsch to be cool, too busy or too bright, a conclusion of sorts was reached: the wedding invitation of Sarah-Jane and Leon is to be adorned with paper roses and tiny pearls (or neat wire hearts on white card…)
Afterwards we headed off to a bookshop, where we sat on the floor, perusing wedding magazines and debating hairstyles. We also did some serious research at the wedding book stand. At one point, Sarah-Jane looked at me, raised her eyebrows meaningfully, and pointed to a heavy-looking book aimed specifically at bridesmaids. (I have forgotten to mention that Sarah-Jane is studying to be a teacher, and when she wants to, she can look uncharacteristically severe.) I gulped, dutifully picked up the book, and started reading. In the words of the song made famous by The Carpenters, “We’ve only just begun…”
If you have any comments, feel free to email me: blogs@celebrationhouse.co.za
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