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Bridesmaids may have to sign weight contracts
Telegraph ^ | 2/4/2008 | Aislinn Simpson

Posted on 02/24/2008 5:23:22 AM PST by Huntress

Bridesmaids may soon be forced to sign contracts agreeing not to put on weight or get pregnant before a friend's wedding.

One in five brides-to-be is so concerned that her bridesmaids might let her down that she would ask her maid-of-honour to sign a written "pre-nuptial agreement", according to a new poll.

A bridesmaid contract is the latest American-style trend for brides

Despite the fact that 61 per cent of brides picked a best friend as their choice of bridesmaid and 49 per cent chose their sister, 48 per cent would sack a bridesmaid who failed to stick to the rules.

The survey of 1,000 women, commissioned by You & Your Wedding magazine, asked women which clauses they would put in their contract.

It found that respondents' biggest gripes were with bridesmaids who put on weight, became pregnant or changed their hairstyles before the big day.

A series of suggested clauses included that bridesmaids should not consume more than 10 units of alcohol or make any advances towards "inappropriate male guests" - or the groom.

Many women who had already married reported stories of their bridesmaids letting them down on their big day.

One woman said her maid-of-honour left her dress at a service station on the way to the wedding after deciding she didn't like it, while another revealed a bridesmaid had left 30 invitations unsent in her desk drawer.

Colette Harris, editor of You & Your Wedding magazine, said: "Planning weddings can be a stressful time for brides and while our contract is meant to be tongue-in-cheek, the survey demonstrates that issues with bridesmaids are of concern to many readers.

"Perhaps official contracts are the way forward for brides struggling to keep the peace."

Siobhàn Craven-Robins works with hundreds of brides a year in her role as wedding planner and has organised the weddings of celebrity clients including Joan Collins and Barbara Windsor.

"There has been a spoof contract like this on the internet in recent years but I'm not sure if the brides I know would actually use the real thing," she said.

The bridesmaid's contract is the latest American-style trend for brides. It follows the opening in Berkshire of the country's first bridal boot camp for women determined to shape up to fit into their dresses.

Trudy Dixon, the director of Bridal Boot Camp, said while many of the bridesmaids that work out at the boot camp had complained about the colour or style of the dresses chosen for them, few brides she knew would resort to such draconian measures to keep their ladies in line.

"I've been a bridesmaid several times and if I was presented with a contract, I would suggest they found another friend to do the job" she said.


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: bridesmaid; bridezilla; weddingbells
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To: STONEWALLS
"...I gotta rent a tux!...my wife says I need do it..."

Do what your wife suggests. Resentment goes away when you see the big smile on your wife's face. jmo...

41 posted on 02/24/2008 6:48:40 AM PST by There's millions of'em (Hillary: the busted unfaithful ex...)
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To: Huntress

I’ve seen several brides go through this: A bridesmaid insists on ordering her dress several sizes too small because she’s “going to lose weight by the wedding.” Then the bride has to sweat it out for months, hoping the bridesmaid really does lose the weight.

I think asking a bridesmaid to sign a contract is tacky, though. It’s bad enough the bridesmaid has to wear a usually horribly unflattering dress and spend a whole bunch of money for the “honor” of being in someone’s wedding. My advice is: If you’ve already been a bridesmaid twice, say “Sorry...I’m superstitious. Three times a bridesmaid, never a bride!”

Some people take the wedding day way too seriously. If they devoted as much thought, time, money, effort, planning, energy, etc., to their married life AFTER the wedding, as they do to that one day of the actual ceremony, maybe there wouldn’t be so many divorces.


42 posted on 02/24/2008 6:48:57 AM PST by Nea Wood (I'm not a bad Christian because I refuse to join you in giving other people's stuff away.)
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To: Huntress

American style ?

This is just a way to insult Americans. Fat does not “just happen” unless medical.

This sounds more like a “your fat lose weight” hint for women who kept a fat friend and now demand she loses weight so the bride does not have a parade of fat cows to hurt her wedding day egomania.

(grooms be warned.)


43 posted on 02/24/2008 6:50:41 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Huntress

I’d take a pregnant bridesmaid as a life-affirming sign of good luck.


44 posted on 02/24/2008 7:05:40 AM PST by Last Dakotan
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To: foreverfree

Were the people at the wedding as big a jerks as you are? You’re a piece of work to have posted what you did.


45 posted on 02/24/2008 7:07:28 AM PST by em2vn
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To: Huntress

I’d say, “You first!”


46 posted on 02/24/2008 7:09:10 AM PST by CodeToad
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To: bannie

I saved money by asking to go through my best friend’s closet and helping her pick out a dress from her stack from her sisters’ weddings. It was easier, and cheaper, than getting a new, one time dress.


47 posted on 02/24/2008 7:14:15 AM PST by tbw2 (Science fiction with real science - "Humanity's Edge" - on amazon.com)
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To: LikeLight
Our culture is trying to replace relationships with binding obligations.

Marriage used to be a binding obligation. In the old days, it took an act of the state legislature to get a divorce. Then, divorces could be granted could be granted by a judge, but only for 'cause'. Convenient, on-demand divorces have only been around for a few decades.

48 posted on 02/24/2008 7:24:23 AM PST by PAR35
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To: There's millions of'em; Sam Cree; HairOfTheDog; TalBlack; blam

...OK folks....you’ve convinced me!....I’m gonna throw in the towel and rent that tux....and never mention it again.


49 posted on 02/24/2008 7:38:12 AM PST by STONEWALLS
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To: longtermmemmory

Cheap wedding
Get married in a nudest colony forget Bride Maids dresses


50 posted on 02/24/2008 7:42:34 AM PST by Ret Cop 187 (Cain killed Able with a rock. Ban rocks)
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To: Huntress

My attendants loved me. We had a black and white wedding and the dresses were simple dresses that they’ve all worn since. And they cost about 75 dollars each.

And we found a dress that was decent on everyone. Their heights ranged from my 6’1 future sister in law to my 4’11 best friened. That was a feat.


51 posted on 02/24/2008 7:45:00 AM PST by kerrywoodssecretwife
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To: Huntress

I actually caused the reverse problem.

I lost 75 pounds from the time I was asked to be a bridesmaid to the wedding for my youngest brother (Lost another 60 since have 10 to go).

They kept having to take in the dress.


52 posted on 02/24/2008 7:46:43 AM PST by kerrywoodssecretwife
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To: HairOfTheDog

We had a formal wedding but the only tuxes outside the men in the wedding party were on the dads and the grandpas and the 2 uncles who did readings.


53 posted on 02/24/2008 7:49:09 AM PST by kerrywoodssecretwife
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To: longtermmemmory

I’m sure if your wife gained 10 pounds you’d find the nearest whore and say it’s okay because she gained weight. And beat her for it too. NEVER GET MARRIED PLEASE!


54 posted on 02/24/2008 7:50:23 AM PST by kerrywoodssecretwife
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To: PAR35

I think there should be a year long wait and mandatory counseling. 2 years if kids are involved.

And if either spouse cheats or is abusive THEY LOSE EVERYTHING!

It would end all men’s affairs anyway. The whore is always only after his money (she’s always a whore no exceptions) and would leave him if he lost his money.


55 posted on 02/24/2008 7:52:02 AM PST by kerrywoodssecretwife
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To: STONEWALLS

Is it for all the guests or family members? Is it your sister or your wife’s sister? Is she in the wedding? If it’s your sister I’m surprised your not a groomsman.


56 posted on 02/24/2008 7:53:13 AM PST by kerrywoodssecretwife
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To: M.K. Borders
The bride (or her family) pays for all this stuff including the bridesmaid outfits.

I have yet to have a bride pay for my bridesmaid outfit. Although I did pay for all my bridesmaids dresses, well my parents did.

57 posted on 02/24/2008 7:53:40 AM PST by mockingbyrd (peace begins in the womb)
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To: Larry Lucido

Haha! GMTA.


58 posted on 02/24/2008 7:55:10 AM PST by Brett66 (Where government advances, and it advances relentlessly , freedom is imperiled -Janice Rogers Brown)
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To: kerrywoodssecretwife
I kind of laugh about my wife's eating habits. Very sparse. She also works very hard. I started buying her the Lindt Dark Chocolate Truffles because she never treated herself. I did it for about 3 years and forgot a few times when I noticed she bought 4 packs one time she went shopping. There was something very satifying for me in seeing that.

If only the bodies we had in our 20's lasted through the 60's and 70's - lol! Ain't gonna happen. Pass me another chocolate, please! ; )

59 posted on 02/24/2008 7:55:17 AM PST by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: bannie
They wear ugly dresses, anyway: They're just there to make the bride look better.

my bridemaids didn't wear ugly dresses... i let them choose the dress... most of my bridesmaids were family... sisters and a niece with a couple of friends... my niece was the maid-of-honor... she has really good taste and she was in charge... she wore the same dress as the bridesmaids... she and my sisters chose it... we were also all in our 30s... i think it helped that we were a little more mature... the dress was not big, not shiny, not some silly color... but yes, you are right... generally, the bridesmaids are there to make the bride look better...

60 posted on 02/24/2008 8:02:22 AM PST by latina4dubya
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