Extreme Wedding Planning

From Newsweek.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/140148/output/print


Bridesmaid Pre-Nuptial Agreement. Yes, you read that right. If having to squeeze into a puffy, unflattering horror of a dress wasn't bad enough, now bridesmaids have another indignity to contend with. Some brides are so worried about the way their wedding party will look, they have a lawyer draw up a pre-nup that can include things like requiring that a bridesmaid not gain more than 7 pounds before the wedding, not consume too much alcohol at the reception, vow to take extra care of her skin and hair, and not to make any inappropriate advances toward male guests at the reception. [For a peek at a sample agreement, go to the American Bar Association Website).
Although brides who've used pre-nups were reluctant to go on the record for this story, several of them explained that the agreements were necessary to ensure that their day was perfect.
"People can have a contract for just about anything that's not illegal," says Randy Kessler, who teaches family law at John Marshall Law School in Atlanta. "This sort of document simply states that if the woman keeps the requests of the contract, she will be a bridesmaid. If not, she won't. It's not the craziest contract idea I've seen or heard of."
If worded correctly and signed by both members, the contract, which can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 to draw up, could be used in court. For example, Kessler says, if a woman flew all the way to Hawaii for a wedding and didn't end up being a bridesmaid because of a breach in her contract, and then she tried to sue the bride for the expenses of her flying to Hawaii, the contract could be used in court as proof that the bride had the right to take away the privilege of being a bridesmaid.
But Kessler cautions overzealous Bridezillas: "A wedding should be a happy time. And to be honest, getting lawyers involved always puts a damper on things."