Extreme Green Wedding Tip: Only ONE Bridesmaid
May 29, 2008 by Peggy
I’ll be a bridesmaid for the fifth time in July, and I would have been just as happy sitting down for each of those weddings. I know that sounds mean, but if most women are honest they’ll tell you they’d rather sit in the crowd than stand beside you in a matching dress and shoes with four other women.
The duties of a bridesmaid include throwing bridal showers and helping the bride get ready on her big day. The truth is, you don’t have to be an official bridesmaid to do any of those things.
One maid/matron of honor standing beside you to hold the groom’s ring should do the trick. Plus, that just looks more simple and less distracting.
How is it more green to only have one bridesmaid? Three or four women get to forgo buying a dress and shoes they’ll probably never wear again. I never wore any of my bridesmaid dresses again, that’s for sure. Plus, you don’t have to buy as many bouquets!
Is this tip too extreme? Do you like being a bridesmaid? Are you going to yell at me?
Image via flickr.
Yell at you? Oh I hope no one does that! I had 2 bridesmaids. It was more a simplicity thing than an eco thing. I really never understood why people needed to have so many. Someone said they had a lot of friends and they didn’t want anyone to feel left out. Personally, I don’t like being one. I’m not much of a ‘girly girl’. I enjoy being the friend who gets to enjoy the wedding and not be on display. I guess I’m just self-conscious like that!
I think I’m too pour to be asked to be a bridesmaid. Either that or I’m just too dang stingy to be one. As much as I love my friends, I would rather buy one gift and be done. I’m not into spending on an expensive dress, shoes and throwing a shower.
I got married in a very small ceremony and didn’t put anyone out of any expense. I’m so financially aware that I wouldn’t even put people in the position of feeling like they had to buy a thing.
We had a pitch in and all I asked for was a covered dish to help make our celebration yummy for everyone.
DramaMama, I think you named a big reason why people have so many bridesmaids — they don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. I’m with you though — don’t like being on display.
Gayla, good for you! I don’t like spending money on weddings either.
DramaMama, here’s an example of me getting “yelled at” just today. However I sometimes think these people are PR in disguise.
http://www.treehuggingfamily.com/greenwash-palmolive-eco-gel-dishwasher-detergent/
I had one bridesmaid (my sister) and thought it was great. My only regret is that I made her buy a specific dress; I should have just told her to wear whatever she wanted. For some reason I had a color scheme in mind . . . of course this seems silly in retrospect. Another thing that’s greener about having one bridesmaid is that you don’t have to buy a bunch of bridesmaid’s gifts. Some brides really go all-out buying their bridesmaids a bunch of stuff they’ll never use.
And p.s.–the woman in the Palmolive post you linked to is not me but a different Rebecca!
Rebecca, I know that wasn’t you in the Palmolive post! : ) I thought about mentioning the bridesmaid gift thing, but didn’t for some reason. Thanks for bringing it up.
You shouldn’t feel bad about your one bridesmaid dress. I had two sisters and two college roommates in matching bridesmaid dresses at my wedding in 98. I guess I figured — pay back time. Just kidding. I think I did it because of tradition and not wanting to hurt feelings (evil cycle of bridesmaids). Plus, I just didn’t think about it at the time.