You know you’re a professional bridesmaid when…

1. You are not engaged, or married, and have already been to numerous florist appointments, wedding dress shops, sampled the wedding menu, registered for items for the couple, picked weddings table linens out, can do a wedding rehearsal at the church in your sleep, etc etc etc

2. You read wedding blogs and magazines regularly. And by regularly, I mean daily. For years. My absolute favorite: Southern Weddings (more on that later)

3. You have personally compiled a list of your all-time favorite wedding vendors. I can easily tell you who my picks are for the best photographer (NC-based? DC-based? national? of course!), best videographer, etc. If you ever need recommendations, I can help out – seriously.

4. You have been interviewed by MSNBC on how to budget for 10 weddings in 6 months (yes, ten. in six months. and seven more this year!) Check it out!

5. You regularly get phone calls, messages, texts, and emails about wedding advice, how to plan, what to do, vendors I love, should there be a DJ or not, favor ideas, table centerpiece ideas, bridesmaid dresses, etc. I have many secret Pinterest boards for other peoples’ weddings/showers. I love this so much!!! I don’t even charge a fee for this… yet.

6. Your closet is, truly, packed full of bridesmaid dresses. I even have two dresses: same designer, same style, same fabric, same size… different colors. But, I have actually liked all of the bridesmaid dresses I’ve worn and have actually even worn most of them twice – one of them to an inaugural ball! This summer, in fact, I get to wear one bridesmaid dress, in two weddings, both as a bridesmaid/MOH!

7. You get truly, truly excited when a dear friend asks you to be a bridesmaid. Some people just don’t love this (the horror!), but, I think anyone can attest to, I LOVE it. I’m known to cry (happy tears!) when asked, and it is such a privilege and honor. I adore every single thing about being a bridesmaid, and I am touched to be standing next to a best friend as she marries the love of her life.

8. You do actually wonder if you will end up having 27 bridesmaids on your future wedding day, a la “27 Dresses”, the movie. Seriously. I have jokingly thrown out the idea of having each friend re-wear the dress I wore to her wedding, just altered down to her size! Joking. I think.

9. You keep your own wedding plans and designs (mostly) to yourself. I regularly think of color patterns for friends’ weddings and give them suggestions for color palettes and wedding designs, but I don’t think I’ve ever recommended anyone use my exact (as of now) wedding color palette!! I think many friends know, by now, that there will be a black and white checkered dance floor at my wedding. It’s the little things!

10. Your social calendar is, legitimately, filled with all things weddings, all the time. Engagement parties, couples showers, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, bridesmaid luncheons, rehearsal dinners, and weddings actually consume every weekend for a year. It’s true, last year I was out of town every weekend for six straight months (minus four weekends!) for weddings. BUT I loved every second of it. I really did! If anyone is meant to attend so many wedding festivities, it’s definitely me!!

Last but not least…

11. Being a Maid of Honor is the ultimate pinnacle of bridesmaid-dom!! I was utterly thrilled and humbled to be asked to be Bridgette’s Maid of Honor for her wedding last month. I couldn’t imagine my first time being MOH for anyone else, and it was truly amazing in every way! From ensuring that her wedding day was the best day of her life, to throwing showers and bachelorette parties, to praying for her right before she walked down the aisle, to helping select bridesmaid dresses & a wedding dress & gifts & flowers, I loved every second of it all.

It’s true, I would love to be a professional bridesmaid or Maid of Honor… I’m working hard to figure out how to do this!