The Surreal Life of a Professional Bridesmaid, in The Hustle. It’s a fantastic piece, and I’m sure there will be a movie, reality series or both about this. In my view, weddings are needlessly stressful, expensive nightmares (my own included). Someone once told me that the only time you’re ready to plan a wedding is the day after you get married.

But in confusion there is profit, and good for Jen Glantz for going after it. It’s the kind of story that could be twice as long and still too short. The origin story:

She typed out an ad on Craigslist: “Professional bridesmaid – w4w – 26 (NYC). Let me be there for you, this time, if: you don’t have any other girlfriends except your third cousin, twice removed, who is often found sticking her tongue down an empty bottle of red wine,” she wrote. “You need someone to take control and make sure bridesmaid #4 buys her dress on time and doesn’t show up 3 hours late.” 

It reminded me about a family member who for a while, was a stand-in pallbearer. He had some time on his hands and a flexible gig, and loves talking to strangers, so it was a perfect little side gig, and I couldn’t wait to hear the stories from those funerals.

Sounds like Glantz has som of her own:

“People post these pictures from their wedding as if everything’s perfect. And I was at your wedding — it was a complete disaster, your dad got drunk and almost hit somebody,” she says.

I wonder if she’s had experience with surprise weddings. Unusual hustles are so awesome, and she sounds like a genuinely smart investment for a lot of her clients. Read the article here.