13 Types of Bridesmaids Everyone Will Recognise (and the Jobs You Should Give Them)
Ever wandered what job to give the flaky bridesmaid? Or what role to assign to the one who is miles richer than everyone else? Here are 13 types of bridesmaids and the duties they should have
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Having a solid set of bridesmaids is crucial to any wedding planning journey. No matter the group, there are certain types of bridesmaids, bridesmates and bridesmen you will find in every 'I Do Crew'.
From the party animal friend and the flaky one, to the sister-like bridesmaid and the one who's social media obsessed - these are the types of bridesmaids you're bound to have in your wedding party, along with the bridesmaid jobs that are perfect for each one of them.
The 13 Types of Bridesmaids... and the Jobs You Should Give Them
Managing lots of different personalities and bridesmaid-types can be tricky, but we've paired the different types of bridesmates with the jobs that are perfect for them, in order to help you put each of their niche skills to good use. You can thank us later...
1. The Organised Bridesmaid
From wedding checklists and spreadsheets to Doodle Polls and group chats, the organised bridesmaid is always on hand to make sure things are running smoothly. We all have that one friend who only needs to get a whiff of plans before they've emailed everyone a selection of relevant links and recommendations.
Whilst their love of order and organisation may get on the others’ nerves - this is a bridesmaid that will save you a lot of stress during wedding planning. Always channelling Monica from Friends - who wouldn’t want someone as organised as that as part of their wedding squad?
The Perfect Job: This maid will be good at pretty much anything that involves an itinerary or checklist. Think hen party planning and on-the-day tasks for this busy pal of yours.
Always ready to bring the fun, your party animal bridesmaid is the one you want by your side throughout all of pre wedding celebrations. When the tiredness of the three-day hen starts to kick in, they're the one who’s ready and raring to go, always livening up the group.
And the hen party isn’t the only place this fun-loving maid shines - they are also the one who gets the party started at the wedding itself, ensuring awkward moments and empty dance floors are nowhere to be seen. Whether grandad and your long lost uncle want to dance or not, this maid won’t give them a choice in the matter…
The Perfect Job: This bridesmaid is the perfect person to put in charge of hen do evening activities. It’s also worth briefing them on any reception worries you may have. Asking one of your maids to encourage guests to join you and your partner on the dance floor - perhaps after your first dance - can help to eliminate any party nerves. You know they'd also make a hilarious maid of honour speech!
Here’s the friend who is constantly aww-ing at pretty much everything wedding-related. Enjoying every moment from receiving the save the date, planning the hen do activities and helping out on the day - we all have that friend who just loves love. Whether they’ve found the Chuck to their Blair or not, this bridesmaid is optimistic about all things love and relationships.
They’re also the one and only friend who doesn’t mind hearing your engagement story again, and again, and again. Whilst your other pals are rolling their eyes at hearing the 23rd version of the *same* thing - this pal is just happy to hear endless cute stories about you and your love.
The Perfect Job: If you’re looking for a friend to help write your vows, or help with your wedding speech if you’re planning on doing one - the hopeless romantic bridesmaid is the perfect pick. A pro in cute gestures, they’re also great for helping you to choose a sweet on-the-day gift for your partner - whether that's a wedding day gift for the groom, or an on-the-day gift for the bride.
4. The Like-a-Sibling Bridesmaid
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Whether you’ve known each other since you were in nappies or you lived together for years at university, this bridesmaid is the one who knows you the best and their opinion is priceless. Just like Serena and Blair, you bicker and snap at each other - but the truth is, you’re nothing short of family. No one can talk you down like this pal can - they know you better than anyone else - and better than you know yourself at times!
The Perfect Job: The best thing about having a bridesmaid or mate like this is that they know you *so* well - so the perfect job for this pal is purely to be there for you. When you’re having doubts about seating plans or panics about dynamics on the hen do - they’ll know exactly what to say to make you feel better. They are the ultimate all-rounder, always on hand and a pro at being a good friend.
5. The Painfully Honest Bridesmaid
While the like-a-sibling maid is tactful and knows you like the back of their hand, the painfully honest bridesmaid doesn’t care how their opinions are taken. The Christina Yang to your Meridith Grey, this vocal hun is here to tell it like it is. Sometimes this can be a blessing in disguise when an honest opinion is just what you need.
On the flip side, there are times when the truth hurts *sings Lizzo* and no matter what happens, this friend who will always tell you straight, whether you like it or not. A huge plus to this is if you’re ever unsure about whether or not you are being unreasonable - this pal won’t shy away from telling you and bringing you back down to Earth.
The Perfect Job: The perfect job for this kind of friend completely depends on the type of person you are. If you’re indecisive, thick-skinned and welcome opinions, taking this friend wedding dress shopping could be a great way to get some honest advice on styling.
If, however, you’re not keen on getting opinions on your personal style choices, having this bridesmaid as part of the hen planning group is a great way to make the most of their honest opinion without having to deal with it personally.
The rational bridesmaid is the friend you’re forever grateful for. Like Love Island's Gemma Owen and her undeniable maturity - this friend always knows what to say and how to say it. They are painfully right all the time and they manage to do it with such grace and poise.
Whilst being totally jealous of their ability to articulate themselves at all times - you’re also eternally grateful to have this friend on-hand when things hit the fan.
Not only are they able to keep you calm in the most stressful of situations, but they are also great at diffusing conflict between your friends, family and the wider wedding party. When everyone is up in arms about another wedding day disaster, this is the person who can bring the group back together again - we all need a friend like this!
The Perfect Job: When you do your seating plan, there’s always one table at the wedding you’re slightly worried about. Will they fall out, again? Will they bring up that one argument from *years* ago? Will they cause a scene in front of everyone? Put your bridesmaid’s rational thinking to good use and tactically sit them on this table - they may not thank you for this, but they’ll certainly understand why you did it.
7. The Frugal Bridesmaid
Whether it’s payday Friday, or you’ve just won big on a scratch card - your frugal bridesmaid will always be on hand with financial advice on how to spend smart and not blow the budget. Not to be confused with the stingy bridesmaid (we won’t go into that), your frugal bridesmaid is smart with money.
They’re happy to spend, but only if they’re sure they’re getting a fair deal. They know how to save where it counts and will ensure that the hen party budget is fair and reasonable for all of your guests. No matter the location, this friend is on hand with a voucher code, coupon or special set menu to save everyone a penny or two.
The Perfect Job: Putting this bridesmaid in charge of the hen party budget is a no brainer. Going on an expensive hen do is a huge pet peeve for so many hen party guests - people hate spending a fortune on hen parties when they know they could have planned a cheap hen do.
This bridesmaid thrives off of finding a deal and will happily do all the legwork so the other maids don’t have to. Their reward? Knowing they saved everyone money is satisfaction enough for this frugal friend.
Another great benefit to having a friend who is great with money is they can help you out with your own wedding budget. If you and your partner find saving difficult, don’t be afraid to ask this bridesmaid for help. Bartering not your thing? They’d probably love to help snag you a good deal on your venue and other wedding services.
Always found with their phone in hand (selfie-facing, of course!) - this social media obsessed bridesmaid could scroll through Instagram for a living. Never without a filter, they know all the latest TikTok dances and Instagram trends and are constantly trying to convince you and the rest of the crew to film another viral video.
It’s boomerang this and reel that, but having a social media obsessed friend has its benefits - one being that they are absolutely brilliant at capturing amazing content. How they get their pictures looking so much better than everyone else’s you’ll never know, and nor do you need to.
The Perfect Job: Whilst having someone who is constantly on their phone can be quite annoying - it’s perfect for getting those Insta-worthy snaps of your pre-wedding celebrations. From hen-do TikToks and brunch boomerangs, to engagement party kisses and wedding day moments - this bridesmaid will always be on hand to capture those unforgettable moments without a blur or red-eye in sight.
Task this pal with getting all the cool candids from your pre-wedding celebrations - and watch those likes roll in!
Spotted... The bridesmaid with a constant smile - and goodness me, are we grateful for this chirpy friend when the going gets tough. Through the bridesmaid WhatsApp drama and hen party planning, this friend is the glue that holds the group together with their unbreakable positivity and optimistic outlook.
Whilst this persistent positivity can rub some people up the wrong way, there are way more up-sides to having a bridesmaid like this than there are down.
The Perfect Job: This bridesmaid is the perfect friend to have as admin to all of the (many) WhatsApp group chats. It’s important to have someone with an optimistic tone heading up these chats as they can become overwhelmingly negative if the wrong people start to take charge.
When people are bickering over hen do accommodation and chasing payments, they’ll be on hand with a Kim Kardashian GIF or hilarious Sam Thompson video to give the mood a much needed lift. You could also ask them to sort the hen do T-shirts as you know they won't do you dirty with cringe nicknames!
We’ve all got that one friend who is SO good at makeup. They always have the best and latest products and can work wonders with a makeup brush. Their makeup is always snatched - for non-Drag-Race-fans, that means good - and they can work their magic on anyone’s face, not just their own.
The Perfect Job: Rooming with you on the hen do, of course! Who wouldn’t want the closest thing you can get to an MUA as a roommate on a trip that is all about you. You’re guaranteed to look fierce night after night with this talented friend doing your makeup for you.
And the best bit - you get to share all of their goodies. Hello Charlotte Tilbury, MAC and Benefit… It’s also worth calling in a favour if your budget doesn’t stretch to your bridesmaids’ makeup on the wedding day. A gorgeous bridesmaid gift will be more than enough of a thank you for them helping out with the other girls’ makeup looks on the day.
We all have that one friend in the group who absolutely promises the world - and the never delivers. They’re the one who, after a few glasses of Sav-B wants to plan a weekend away here, a brunch there and start a book club every other Thursday and then, low and behold, doesn’t turn up for any of it.
The most frustrating thing about this bridesmaid is that the plans are *always* their idea - and the excuses get worse and worse.
The Perfect Job: Absolutely nothing! The fact you’ve even asked them to be a bridesmaid is verrrrrry nice of you. If you have to task them with anything, make sure it’s something on the day itself - they can’t possibly bail out of the actual wedding day.
As a punishment for being so flaky, give them a really dull ‘fake’ job that isn’t even really a job. Something like tasking them with checking if everyone is in their correct seats at the meal (even though there’s a seating plan) would be ideal. By giving a fake job - if they flake out on it, which let’s be honest, they will - it doesn’t really matter.
12. The Indecisive Bridesmaid
Shall I? Should I? Could I? Will I? JUST MAKE A DECISION ALREADY! This bridesmaid couldn’t make a decision if their life depended on it. Their laissez faire attitude and lack of decision making skills has always been quite endearing - but now that they’re in your bridal squad - it’s an absolute nightmare.
The only plus side to having an indecisive bridesmaid is that they will never try to get too involved and control everything. If you’re a pretty decisive nearlywed - having a bridesmaid who can’t even pick what to have for lunch won’t be too much of an issue.
The Perfect Job: Jobs which don’t involve having to think much for yourself or make any hard-hitting decisions are perfect for this kind of maid. Consider tasking them with admin-y jobs or helping out with DIY wedding decorations. It keeps them busy, ensures they feel involved, but doesn’t require them to actually decide on anything.
There’s nothing more awkward than your filthy-rich bestie forgetting constantly that the rest of you have nowhere near as much money as they do. This is even more problematic when you have them as a bridesmaid as their expectations for pretty much everything can be far higher than what others can keep up with.
They want champagne afternoon tea and a chartered yacht while the rest of you can just about afford a canoe for two with the current cost of living crisis. Money may be no object to them, but it’s a sparse commodity for basically everyone else in the real world.
The Perfect Job: Keeping this bridesmaid away from actual hen do and shower planning is vital to ensure they don’t run up the costs for everybody else. A great way to make the most of this minted friend is putting them in charge of the gift list. When people ask what to get you, they’ll probably recommend some excellent picks - and you’re guaranteed a great present from them as well.
Keep the entire group sweet and smiling by keeping up to date with the things that really annoy bridesmaids. We've also got a round up of gender neutral and non-binary wedding terms to ensure everyone in your wedding crew feels included. From bridesmate to mate of honour - we've got an inclusive wedding term for everyone.
