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Bridesmaids go professional

sixthtone.com

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Re: Bridesmaids go professional

#11

Post by arethuza »

Auracle wrote: post #6
blamazon wrote: post #5

I like the end of the article: > Xie met her current boyfriend at a wedding, where they were working as a professional bridesmaid and best man. He’s promised to make her the happiest bride. “We will hire 24 groomsmen and bridesmaids,” Xie told Sixth Tone.

I realize cultures are different, but as a wedding photographer I can tell you the happiest brides are usually the ones that have the fewest bridesmaids. Smaller weddings are less stressful, but more importantly the friendships seems to be closer/more loving when there are 2 or 3 bridesmaids instead of 10.

I'm from the UK and we got married in the Seychelles 32 year ago - there was just the two of us and some people from the hotel standing in as witnesses.

It was brilliant and completely stress free.

The hotel even organised a "honeymoon" for us for free where we flew to another hotel on a different island for a few nights - they didn't even charge us for it.

Ever since then I've noticed how stressed people are at weddings....

Edit: I should also point out that this was also much cheaper than a "normal" wedding.

Re: Bridesmaids go professional

#12

Post by forgingahead »

AlwaysRock wrote: post #10

I'm in a wedding soon where the groom basically sent all the groomsmen a kind of odd message saying here is what you are responsible for doing. I think it was intended as being kind of funny but none of us know each other and this isnt someone I'm exceptionally close with anymore. It feels like I just got signed up to do work. I could see how this could easily be a job.

This seems normal? Groomsmen are supposed to be part of the groom's helpers/runners. Apparently the original purpose of the best man to act as the groom's backup in the event that one of the bride's loved ones tried to take her back from the groom (or the unwilling bride tried to run away). Official sword-fighter/protector type fellow.

I don't think anyone accepts being a groomsman at a wedding without expecting them to be tasked to do something to help out.

Re: Bridesmaids go professional

#15

Post by hunglee2 »

Auracle wrote: post #6
blamazon wrote: post #5

I like the end of the article: > Xie met her current boyfriend at a wedding, where they were working as a professional bridesmaid and best man. He’s promised to make her the happiest bride. “We will hire 24 groomsmen and bridesmaids,” Xie told Sixth Tone.

I realize cultures are different, but as a wedding photographer I can tell you the happiest brides are usually the ones that have the fewest bridesmaids. Smaller weddings are less stressful, but more importantly the friendships seems to be closer/more loving when there are 2 or 3 bridesmaids instead of 10.

there is something in this. Maybe the having a huge squad is itself an attempt at asserting popularity, a narcissistic trait which is usually an unhappy one

Re: Bridesmaids go professional

#16

Post by hunglee2 »

given that every bride is obviously unique, being a professional wedding ringer might actually be a viable job for a lot of people, as the qualifying criteria is going to change every time. One of those where maybe we should all sign up on the off chance we get called up - food, party and get paid for it? Deal!

Re: Bridesmaids go professional

#17

Post by cafard »

jdalgetty wrote: post #9

"A bridesmaid needs to be unmarried" - Interesting...

There is (that I know of) no such requirement in American custom. One does hear of a "Matron of Honor" as opposed to "Maid of Honor", but it is true that "bridesmaids and/or matrons" has an awkward sound.

Re: Bridesmaids go professional

#18

Post by rsynnott »

blamazon wrote: post #5

I like the end of the article: > Xie met her current boyfriend at a wedding, where they were working as a professional bridesmaid and best man. He’s promised to make her the happiest bride. “We will hire 24 groomsmen and bridesmaids,” Xie told Sixth Tone.

That is clearly the setup for a not-very-good romantic comedy movie.

Re: Bridesmaids go professional

#20

Post by rsynnott »

RcouF1uZ4gsC wrote: post #2

I wonder how much the one child policy has had an effect in making this type of industry prevalent in China. With a one-child policy, the first generation you have no siblings. The next generation, you have no cousins. Add to that the sex selection of many families choosing to have a son over a daughter as their one child, and you end up in this situation.

... Seems unrelated. It would be fairly unusual to have siblings or cousins as bridesmaids or similar, I would have thought? It's generally friends.
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