'Bridesmaids' Stars Offer Advice To Real-Life Bridesmaids

It's those five little words that can simultaneously strike dread, joy, fear, and a slew of other emotions in any woman: "Will you be my bridesmaid?"

In what some are calling the chicks' answer to The Hangover, Bridesmaids assembles a motley crew of female comedians—from SNL stars Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph to The Office receptionist Ellie Kemper—to explore the perks and pitfalls of this time-tested tradition. (We're talking $800 dresses, serious one-upping between bridesmaids, disastrous Vegas jaunts, and fluffy purse dogs as bridal shower gifts!) And not, surprisingly, the cast has plenty of real-life anecdotes and advice to share with those who say "yes" to the bridesmaid dress. 3 Reasons It's Great to Be a Bridesmaid

"You have that mixed feeling when someone asks you, like 'Oh my God, I'm so excited' and 'Oh my God, here we go again,'" says Annie Mumalo, who co-wrote the movie with Wiig.

Wiig agrees. "It's a very heightened emotional time for women because weddings bring things out in people; sometimes bridesmaids can get more worked up than the bride," says Wiig, who plays the meltdown-prone maid of honor. "Just relax and chill out!"

Easy to say, but not always so easy to do—Mumalo says two of her friends still don't speak because they got in a fight about what to do for her bachelorette party. And Reno 911! star Wendi McClendon-Covey, who plays "Rita," says she's still feeling crunchy about a recent bridesmaid experience and will proceed with caution next time around. "Before you say yes, state your boundaries and say this is what I'm willing to do and willing to spend," she advises. "I'm still harboring some resentments!"

One way to avoid unnecessary drama is to mix things up a little in the bridal party—when Melissa McCarthy ("Megan") got married, she appointed her sister, one bridesmaid, and four bridesmen to stand by her side. Also? She advises not to put too much pressure on yourself when planning the festivities and getting ready for the big day. "Too many shows, too many magazines have us on a quest to be perfect," says McCarthy. "People can forget that there are 30 people making that woman and that room look like that." "Is It Open Bar?" 34 Thoughts We Have At Weddings

And, of course, the final key to achieving bridesmaid harmony is the dress. Don't be afraid to lobby for an affordable, stylish option that you actually might—gasp!—wear again. Rudolph says her favorite approach is when the bride picks a color scheme and lets the bridesmaids pick their own gowns within it, and Kemper adds that her sister-in-law made bridesmaid the new black by picking chic little black dresses from an NYC boutique.

In short, it's not always easy being a bridesmaid, but someone's gotta do it—and these ladies do it well on-screen and off! Don't miss Bridesmaids, out in theatres May 13th:

Photo: NBC Universal