The symbolism of being a bridesmaid harkens back to the ladies-in-waiting who attended to the queen, specifically as part of the royal court during public appearances. As times have changed and royalty is a very uncommon occurrence for us in everyday life, the queen, who is meant to always be the center of attention at the large social gatherings, becomes the bride who is viewed to be the focus of the wedding. After all, she is the one most everyone fawns over, not to mention she gets to wear a gown. So then become those who must “take care of” their mistress, the ladies-in-waiting, the bridesmaids.
The ladies-in-waiting, of lower class and little concern to the queen, have obviously become much more independent in this analogy. And further we must recognize them for the important purpose they serve in the first place. Though the bridesmaids’ rolls as ladies-in-waiting on the day of the wedding are more or less short-lived, still she has come to this position for a specific reason. Without the women who help them to become who they are today, assisting them through the trials and tribulations of life, and who keep themselves unselfishly in the background so that the bride may shine, where would she be?
