The Real MVPs of Your Engagement Season (Hint: It’s Your Group Chat)

💕Hey y’all, I’m Kimberly, and I’m here to tell you the truth — with love.

Engagement season is magical.

It’s exciting.
It’s emotional.
It’s overwhelming.

Your ring is stunning.
Your Pinterest board is growing.
Your vendor inquiries are stacking up.

But here’s the part no one talks about enough:

Wedding planning can quietly shift friendships — and even relationships — if you’re not intentional.

And the real MVPs of this season?

It’s not the venue.
It’s not the florist.
It’s not even your planner.

It’s your girls.
Your group chat.
The ones who answer “send pics” within three seconds.

Let’s protect them.

The Part No One Prepares You For

You’re more than just a bride or a groom.

You still have work.
You still have life.
You still have responsibilities and relationships to maintain.

And now you’re planning a wedding that can easily feel like a full-time job for six months.

That’s a lot.

Your friends are excited for you — but they’re not planning the wedding.

They still have:
• Jobs
• Budgets
• Relationships
• Their own life happening

Truth bomb:

Not everyone wants to talk about napkin folds 24/7.

That doesn’t mean they don’t care.

It means they’re human.

Where Things Quietly Go Sideways

Bridesmaid Burnout Is Real

Let’s say it gently.

Being in a wedding in 2026 can be expensive.

Dresses.
Alterations.
Travel.
Showers.
Bachelorette trips.
Gifts.
Time off work.

If participating in your wedding requires a payment plan from your bridal party… pause.

That’s not judgment.

That’s clarity.

Luxury isn’t about spending more.
It’s about being thoughtful.

The Group Chat Shift

At first it’s:

“OMG you’re engaged!!!”

By month four it becomes:

“What do you think of this seating chart?”

Without meaning to, friendships can start to feel transactional.

Advice.
Logistics.
Coordination.
Decision fatigue.

That shift is subtle.

And it’s preventable.

Let Galentine’s Be Your Reminder

Galentine’s Day is a celebration of friendship.

Use it as a gentle reminder to protect the relationships walking through this engagement with you.

Not just to celebrate your wedding — but to honor the people who are celebrating you.

💕 Plan a Zero Wedding Talk Night With Your Girls

Not “just five minutes.”

Zero.

No vendors.
No guest list drama.
No timeline discussions.

Be the version of yourself they loved before the ring.

Let them feel like friends — not unpaid consultants.

Protect the laughter that existed before planning took over.

💍 Plan a Separate Zero Wedding Talk Night With Your Fiancé

This one matters just as much.

Before the guest list and the venue and the timeline — there was just the two of you.

Planning can slowly turn your relationship into a project management team if you’re not intentional.

Have one night where:

No budget talk.
No seating chart.
No vendor follow-ups.

Just dinner.
Just a movie.
Just being together.

The wedding is one day.

The marriage is the goal.

Keeping that perspective doesn’t make you less excited about the wedding — it makes the whole experience healthier.

A Few Truths to Keep Things Healthy

💗 Say Thank You Before You Ask for Something

Appreciation should not be transactional.

Don’t wait until you need:
• Opinions
• Money
• Time

A relationship that only hears from you when you need something will eventually start to feel like a job.

Lead with gratitude.

💗 Be Honest About Expectations Early

Budget.
Travel.
Time commitment.
Events.

Clarity is kindness.

Surprises create resentment.

💗 Not Every Friend Has to Be a Bridesmaid

You can love someone deeply and not assign them a role.

Sometimes protecting a friendship means not turning it into a responsibility.

That’s maturity.

For the Girls in the Group Chat

If you’re the bridesmaid reading this:

Give grace.

Engagement season is overwhelming.

But also?

Speak up early.
Set boundaries kindly.
Don’t ghost when you feel stretched thin.

Friendship > perfection.

The Real MVPs

On wedding day, the real MVPs aren’t the vendors, the dress, or even your planner.

They’re the ones who:

• Show up.
• Hold your bouquet.
• Calm your nerves.
• Fix your veil.
• Dance when you’re too tired.
• Stay late to pack up.

Your wedding is one day.

Your friendships are lifetime.

You are more than just a bride or a groom — balancing work, life, and relationships while planning something that can feel like a second job.

That’s a lot to carry.

So protect your people.

Celebrate your girls.

Say thank you before you ask for something.

And if you’ve got a wedding planning question you want answered honestly, I’m starting an Ask Me Anything series over on TikTok. You can submit your question here:
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThH2k8Dq/

I’ll tell you the truth — with love.

Cheers 🥂,
Kimberly