Bride Meticulously Chooses Unphotogenic Bridesmaids Who Won’t Outshine Her On Her Wedding Day
Because nothing says “true love” like strategic photo placement.
DocPhotos | Shutterstock Most brides don't need to deliberate when it comes to choosing their bridal party. They are the friends and family members who are part of their inner circle. But one woman took a more... strategic route. Rather than choosing the people who know her best, she chose the ones who wouldn’t look better.
Her bridesmaid lineup, according to her sister, who ratted her out on Reddit, featured women she barely spoke to, handpicked not for their support and friendship, but for their lack of camera-readiness. Nope, this isn't the plot of a weird rom-com; the bride actually chose her bridesmaids based solely on looks because she did not want anyone to steal her spotlight.
A bride chose bridesmaids she felt wouldn't outshine her on the wedding day.
While most people assume bridesmaids are chosen based on, say, emotional bonds or shared memories, this bride flipped the tradition on its head. In explaining the strange story, her sister wrote, "My sister (27F) is getting married and asked me (24F) to be one of her bridesmaids. I was excited — until I found out who the rest of the bridal party was. Every single one of them is someone she’s either not that close to, or has made fun of before for being 'awkward' or 'not photogenic.' Some of her actual best friends — the ones who she sees all the time — weren’t even asked."
Lawrence Lam | Canva Pro
Wedding and event planner Oniki Hardtman told Brides that outside of close family who need to be in the bridal party, when choosing who to ask, consider the friends who have been the most supportive of you and your relationship. She told the outlet, "Who are your best friends right now, and mainly, who is supportive of both you and your partner?" She went on to say, "After all, this wedding is about the two of you and the love you share. Sadly, I’ve witnessed many an unruly groomsman or a bad-energy bridesmaid on wedding day that were not lending the type of emotional support needed on the day."
Emotional support and celebrating their union were not in this bride's list of criteria for the bridal party, however. Her sister wrote, "It felt weird, so I asked her why she picked this group. She kind of laughed and said, 'You’ll understand when it’s your wedding. You don’t want people who’ll outshine you in your own pictures.'"
The bride's sister declined to be a bridesmaid over her sister's shallow behavior.
The sister went on to detail how callous and uncomfortable the bridal party picking was. She explained, "I just stared at her. I asked, 'So you picked them because you think they’ll make you look better?' She rolled her eyes and said, 'It’s not that deep. I just want to feel confident that day, and I’m allowed to be a little selfish for my wedding.'"
Interestingly enough, if she was truly confident, then outshining everyone else wouldn't matter. The bride's sister continued, "That rubbed me the wrong way. I told her I didn’t want to be part of a bridal party built on tearing other people down — even subtly — and that she should’ve picked people she actually cares about."
After realizing the entire bridal party had been picked like set decorations, she bowed out. While family pressure mounted to support the bride no matter what, the sister held her ground, unwilling to participate in what she saw as disingenuous. Her refusal sparked tension in the family, and even her mom tried to pressure her to change her mind regardless of her convictions.
The bride's sister has good reason for standing up for herself and the bridesmaids.
In the end, the bride will walk down the aisle flanked by women she barely likes, confident in the knowledge that she’ll look great standing next to them. The guest list may include fewer true friendships, but at least the group photos will be carefully calculated.
But that's not even the worst of it. In the comments section on her Reddit post, the bride's sister added some crucial details that make the bride's behavior that much worse. She wrote, "She's always been like this. I am rather curvy and she has never failed to shame me for it. She is a typical modelesque skinny person. And she got a lot of attention growing up. She's beautiful, no doubt. But yes. I have a good looking partner and she has subtly hinted that he could do better than me. I don't see what she has to be insecure about. She's objectively good looking. As for my appearance, I like the way I look. I'm comfortable with it. I just don't see why she feels the need to bring others down to make herself feel better."
In pointing out the bride's insecurity, one commenter summed it all up stating, "Good for you for opting out of this insulting plan of hers. Imagine how hurt the other women will be when they find out she picked them bc she thinks they are ugly. Does she ever think about other people's feelings? Ugh. I'd rather be your friend."
At the end of the day, this wedding may deliver flawless photos, coordinated colors, and a bride who shines brighter than anyone around her — exactly as planned. Sadly, one day she will look back on the photos and she'll only see a day that was built around a carefully curated aesthetic instead of a day celebrating love.
Erika Ryan is a writer working on her bachelor's degree in Journalism. She is based in Florida and covers relationships, psychology, self-help, and human interest topics.
