I’m a serial bridesmaid — my real-life ‘27 Dresses’ left me drowning in debt

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.

Jaelle Coope, 27, has been a bridesmaid 14 times and while she’s honored to be included in so many special days, she said she’s been left drowning in debt.

“The first time I was a bridesmaid I was 18 years old and it was for my brother’s wedding,” Coope told Caters.

“I loved it so much and I will never forget it as it was such a fun event to be a part of.”

She remembers, “Walking down the aisle with my sister-in-law, wearing a pretty dress, was magical and felt like the greatest honor.”

“Because it was my family it felt even more special,” she added.

But her bridesmaid duties didn’t end there. Since her brother’s wedding, the young woman from Nashville, Tennessee, has been in 13 other weddings.

“It really aligns with my personality,” Coope shared. “I love encouraging and celebrating people, I love my friends and family so much, so it’s so amazing to play a role in their special day.”

“I thrive as a bridesmaid.”

She also loves becoming friends with the other women in the bridal party but noted that “the financial pressures are definitely a downside.”

Although she has enjoyed being a bridesmaid, in 2019 it all got to be a bit much.

“There was a year when I was a bridesmaid six times in the space of eight months and it was exhausting,” Coope admitted.

“Being a bridesmaid isn’t just about the actual wedding day. Every weekend I had something related to one of the weddings, whether it was a bridal shower, hen party [bachelorette party] or the wedding itself.”

After six weddings in eight months, Coope was exhausted and broke.

“I was so burnt out and ended up getting myself into a lot of debt because of the pressure to attend all of the events,” Coope said. “I would say I spent $3,800 on being a bridesmaid during this period. I was drowning in credit card debt.”

For every wedding Coope has been a part of, at the very least, she’s had to buy a bridesmaid dress that she will likely never wear again. She eventually decided to try to get some of her money back.

“I kept them for a really long time, but in the end, I needed to sell some of them to clear my debt,” Coope said. “I sold half of them, and the rest are hanging up in a closet at my mom’s house.”

Her recurring role as a bridesmaid has led some of her friends to compare her to Katherine Heigl’s character in the rom-com “27 Dresses” who has been a bridesmaid 27 times and has a closet filled with her ridiculous dresses.

“It is rare to have been a bridesmaid as many times as I have and people are also surprised when I tell them as most women are only ever a bridesmaid once or twice in their life. I’ve become a bit of a professional,” she joked.

Her experience has even prompted people to turn to her for advice when planning wedding events. Throughout all her events, she’s been fortunate enough to never have to deal with any bridezillas but has seen a couple of “bridesmaid-zillas.”

A few fellow bridesmaids have gotten “caught up and try to make it about themselves” but Coope is sure to remind them that the day is all about the bride and the groom.

“My advice to other bridesmaids is to be intentional with the bride,” Coope said. “Check in on her and what she wants.”

“As friends of the bride, I think that bridesmaids assume they know what she will want, but it can usually be something so different. Don’t make it about you, and celebrate the bride.”