You’ve probably noticed the postings on Facebook, statuses announcing a friend’s engagement or a wedding, and realized that it’s only a matter of time before one of your closest friends gets engaged. And then you finally get the call: You’re going to be a bridesmaid in your friend’s wedding.

Being a bridesmaid can be a fantastic experience, but it can also go awry if there’s discord among the bridesmaids or between bridesmaids and the bride. As a bridesmaid and, more importantly, a friend, it’s your responsibility to recognize that while everyone is different and has opinions on everything from dresses to bachelorette party ideas, being there for the bride is the most important part of being a bridesmaid.

Here are five tips to help you be the best bridesmaid you can be:

1. Support Your Friend

As a bridesmaid, it can be easy to lose sight of your friend in all the bridal frenzy, especially if you feel like she isn’t as present as she normally is. But friendship is a two-way street, so make sure your friend knows that you’re there for her and that she can count on you throughout the whole process. That will ensure that you are more than just a great bridesmaid — you are a great friend.

2. Answer Her Calls

Some brides are very relaxed and have a no-frills wedding; others become stressed-out emotional messes. Hopefully your friend will fall into the former category, but regardless of her temperament and the sometimes excessive frequency of her calls, if you’re agreeing to be her bridesmaid, you should answer those calls. Ignoring her will only add to her stress, and that’s the last thing you want to do.

3. Offer to Help Whenever Possible

If you’ve ever planned a party or an event, you know how tiring the process can be. For a bride, figuring out everything for the big day can be just as overwhelming, if not more so. That’s why you should let the bride and the maid of honor know that you’re willing and able to help in any way possible. No task is too big or too small, and your assistance will give all the involved parties one less thing to worry about.

4. Ensure Someone is Organizing the Bachelorette Party

Besides the wedding itself, the bachelorette party is the event that the entire bridal party looks forward to. Normally the maid of honor organizes the bachelorette party, so ask her, or the person in charge, if there’s a way for you to help with the planning process. Planning in advance allows you to choose the best spot and theme for the party, rather than settling for a last-minute, lackluster location, which will only bring the bride’s and everyone else’s spirits down.

5. Have Fun!

Many factors can make weddings a miserable experience, but it’s important to not lose sight of the situation: You were chosen to be a bridesmaid because you mean a lot to your friend. So do your best to enjoy the process (or at least not stress over or suffer through it), and try to inject some fun into the situation. After all, your friend is getting married!

Bio: Sarah Fudin works in community relations for University of Southern California’s online Masters in Education and Masters in Teaching online. In her free time she enjoys running, reading and Pinkberry frozen yogurt.

(This is a sponsored post from our friends at 2U.)