Do you remain friends with the brides?

Yes! That happens a lot — I'll leave a wedding and go, 'Wow, that's someone I would be friends with in real life,' and it becomes a lifelong friendship. Then there are other brides I leave saying, 'thank god!'

What are some of the worst behaviors you've seen?
I've had brides ruin friendships or ask them for insane things — whether it was to buy a very expensive dress or spend a lot of money. Those are usually the common situations when someone's turned into a bridezilla — your friends are off the clock; they can give what they can give.

How do you hold it together with difficult brides?
I have to remember they're stressed, and a lot of people can't handle that. I step in and help them come back to reality. One of the reasons I got into this is because I love people, and I love helping people in challenging situations. I don't think there are many situations as challenging as a wedding.

Much of your job is people-focused. What is your training for that?
I reluctantly joined a sorority in college and over the course of four years, became the president. I loved being a leader and problem solver and dealing with different personalities. When I graduated, the first job I had was to work for the sorority. I was sent to schools with major problems like hazing, and I had to walk in and help them turn their problems around. I learned how to deal with different people and tough situations.

Are there things you've learned that you wish you'd known earlier?
I definitely started the business making every mistake in the entire world. I didn't know how much to charge, I didn't know how to set up business contracts or set boundaries so it was clear this isn't round-the-clock. A lot of these basic skills I maybe would've learned in school, but I learned on the job, and I'm happy I did. I learned from making a lot of mistakes.

Do you hear from aspiring professional bridesmaids?
I've had 25,000 people apply to work for me over the years. But I can't hire everyone. I've had a lot of people reach out to me and say, 'I would be so good at this! I love to party, I love to dance, I've been a bridesmaid a million times,' and I think, 'Well, that's awesome, but this isn't partying and dancing.' When you're at the wedding you don't drink and you don't flirt with guys and run around like crazy. You usually leave a wedding physically and mentally exhausted.

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