One down, four to go.
I saw it coming from a mile a way and there was nothing I could do to stop it. She quit. A bridesmaid has already thrown in the towel! 
I know I'm still far enough out to rearrange, but is there a tactful way to ask a friend or loved one to fill those shoes? It was hard enough deciding on the final 5; now how hard will it be to ask someone without making her feel like some sort of runner up?
A Bridesmaid is someone you couldn't picture your wedding without; not someone who evens out the pictures.
The first thing I have to do is come to terms with what just happened. Losing a friend is never easy but recognizing that two friends can grow in opposite directions may ease the sting. I have to remember to handle the situation with maturity and understanding. I can fight and try to reason with her as much as I want, but the fact is still the same: I'm short a person.
Depending on how far along the planning journey you are, the end result may be a lot of slack for you and the other members of your party to pick up. I'm lucky in that few responsibilities have been divvied up among the bridal party.
Things have a way of working out for the best.
My future sister-in-law, Gina, went through this situation to the 3rd degree. She had picked her friend since the 4th grade to be her Maid of Honor (MOH), thinking it was only appropriate and everyone expected her to. (First mistake!) After months of this MOH dragging her feet, ignoring suggestions from the other ladies, and blowing off appointments, Gina finally confronted her. Once Gina called her out on some of these issues, she stepped down both as a MOH and sadly, a friend. Shortly following, two more of her bridesmaids were forced by separate family situations to step down. This left her with 3 Bridesmaids and 5 Groomsmen to accompany them.
Although the time was very stressful for Gina, a couple of things that helped her through it were the remaining girls that graciously stepped up to the plate, and everybody's honesty regarding their situations. The bridal party may have been out of balance, but one lucky lady got to walk down the aisle with two escorts, allowing Mike to walk their mother down the aisle. Her wedding was still beautiful and everything she was looking for, proving to Gina that she ended up with the correct Maid of Honor.
Nothing in Life is Above Being Honest
I've gotten a lot of feedback from "Replacement Bridesmaids," and have mixed feelings about what I'm going to do. I have no intention to just fill the spot. I'm actually very close to the girls I'm considering for the vacancy, but other factors led me to ask this girl instead. As hard as it will be, I have to swallow my pride and admit to my new inductee that I made a mistake in asking my former bridesmaid to stand in my wedding. I can only hope that if I'm honest with my friend, she won't feel jilted or simply a place holder.
Lena M. Sack is a 25 year old student of life currently working her way through Massage Therapy School. By day an Executive Assistant for a magnet company, by night,
writer and artist, Lena's latest mission is planning a dream wedding with her wonderful fiancé, Michael.