What to Do if One of Your Crew Overbooked for Your Big Day
Really, the Royals can do no wrong in our eyes (especially Kate, she impresses us EVERY DAY with her #somethingborrowed fashion choices)… Did you happen to catch Will and Kate’s Christmas photo with the munchkins? OMG. They’re the cutest. But over the weekend, Prince William found himself in the middle of a media meltdown, when everyone realized that his little brother’s wedding - now confirmed for May 19th 2018 - fell on the same day as the FA (Football Association) Cup Final. Ohhh snap. Photo above from @kensingtonroyal.
One might wonder why it was such a big deal, considering how many matches Wills and his wife have attended over the years (really, it’s just one important game), but apparently as the President of the FA, he’s kind of the linchpin for the entire thing. And he has to present the trophy to the winning team, naturally.
So, everyone is left to wonder whether PW will bail on the match or leave his brother without a best man (although that title is still hanging in the balance, for the time being). Or, if he’ll just do both, because he’s obviously no stranger to multitasking. Ahem, soon-to-be father of three.
All this being said, yes, it’s up to Prince William to figure things out, but his groom-to-be brother must be having some feels about all of it. And really, it’s more of an inconvenience to the bride and groom to deal with one of their bridal party peeps having a plethora of priorities on their big day.
Let’s be honest, with all of the Prince’s power, we wouldn’t be surprised if he could move the date of the FA Final, because #presidentialveto, but if he can’t wave his wand and make things work for everyone, then Prince Harry just has to handle it. Redheads can do anything.
Until we see what the future holds for 5.19.18, we’ve put together a few tips for anyone who has bridesmaids or groomsmen double-booked for their wedding day. It’s not ideal, of course, but it’s still not the worst thing in the world. Just keep these things in mind - to avoid any unnecessary conflict with your WD (wedding day) VIPs.
Couples, need a refresher on how to pick your bridal party? Well, here you go! And remember our rules on how to support your newly-engaged sibling? It’s easy. Just show up and shut up 😉
As a bride or groom, you never want to hear that one of your girls or guys is double-booked for your big day. Like really, WTF? But sometimes life just happens, and you have to figure out a plan B to avoid becoming a bride or groom zilla. Prince Harry doesn’t strike us as one who would throw down with William for needing to attend a soccer Final Cup on the same day as his wedding, but we’re not experts on their brotherly dynamic. All we can do is offer some advice for the couples who are going through it on their own. So, swipe through for some ideas on how to hang…
Photo from: @kensingtonroyal
soft sound your soul sistas first
Okay, so sometimes things come up AFTER the fact, but in all likelihood, if you ask the girls or guys well in advance, over some wine (why not) you’ll be able to gauge any scheduling conflicts. And if need be, you can have the delicate conversation with the one who already has a commitment on your wedding day, and try to work it out. OR, you can calmly say that maybe the responsibility to be a bridesmaid or groomsman will be too much, and perhaps it’d be a better idea just to have them as guest and not a member of the bridal party. Sometimes they’ll come to that conclusion before you even offer it up! Photographers: Kelsey Knight on Unsplash
see if they can do some rejiggering
If you already have your posse picked out - and they’ve accepted their places in your party, then they should be able to make adjustments in their schedules to make sure your wedding doesn’t fall off their radar (AS IF). So, if you’ve found out that they have another [SUPER IMPORTANT] event on the same day, ask them if they can work it out so that they don’t miss any of the big things. Like the ceremony, the reception, etc. You can deal if they have to skip out on a morning of getting ready, right? If they can manage to get dressed, get their glam on, and be at the ceremony on time, it doesn’t matter if they missed morning mimosas.Photographers: Alexis Brown on Unsplash
make sure they step up for everything else
Not to get HBIC up in here, but if you know that one of your bridesmaids will be partially MIA for your wedding day, then you definitely can afford to make them accountable for all of your either pre-wedding events. So, if your mom needs extra help with bridal shower set up, appoint them for the job, if your sister needs some extra scouting help for the bachelorette party, put them in charge, or if you need someone will excellent handwriting to scribe your thank you notes, then shoot them a text with ‘I need you. Remember you’re missing some of my wedding. #Yousignedupforthis.’ They will appreciate your understanding and will, of course, go out of their way to make it up to you. Photographers: Katy Belcher on Unsplash
consider what jobs they'll have at the actual wedding
If you know that one of your bridesmaids has a work event the morning of your wedding, or needs to leave your reception early to catch a flight for her own brother’s wedding, then make sure you don’t give them a task they’ll be unavailable for. For example, don’t assign your bestie a reading if you know she won’t be there to deliver it. Or if you’re thinking about giving your little cousin a Maid of Honor title, but she needs to peace out a bit early for her sorority formal (okay, we know this wouldn’t happen…. But JUST IN CASE), then just keep her as a bridesmaid, otherwise she’s sure to feel terrible about not being able to impress you with a kickass speech.
Photographers: Andre Hunter on Unsplash
use them for errands
This sounds REALLY bad. But coming from a former bride who DID have a groomsman with another wedding (in another state, mind you) the night before ours, I can say it. My cousin ended up leaving his cummerbund at the tuxedo shop the day before our wedding, so my hubby called his friend who was rushing (thankfully completely un-hungover) to make it for our ceremony, and had him do a quick pitstop at the shop to pick up my cousin’s cummerbund. It was super helpful! So, if your rogue roommate from college has another engagement the morning of your wedding, enlist her to stop by your apartment and pick up your envelopes of tip money for your vendors (that you forgot, of course) or swing by the bakery and grab your wedding favors, head over to the florist and pick up flowers, or run to CVS and get a whole bunch of blister pads for your feet. Photographers: Roman Kraft on Unsplash