A professional bridesmaid who has worked hundreds of weddings says she can often spot subtle signs on the big day that suggest a marriage may not last.

Jen Glantz, 37, founder of Bridesmaid for Hire, told the Daily Mail in an exclusive interview that the pressures and private moments of a wedding frequently reveal problems that attendees and even the couple may be trying to hide. Glantz said she has attended more than 200 nuptials over a decade in the business and is often hired to act as a stand‑in friend or family member who manages logistics and emotional support.

"A hired bridesmaid is like your undercover support system," Glantz said, describing tasks that range from holding a dress while a bride uses the restroom to calming a stressed maid of honor and running interference with family drama. Because she works behind the scenes, Glantz said, she often witnesses exchanges and behaviors that reveal the underlying dynamics of a relationship.

Among the patterns Glantz described as red flags are couples who treat the wedding as the defining moment of their relationship rather than one day within a longer partnership; breakdowns in teamwork when stress hits; partners who withdraw instead of helping; and public mockery or mean‑spirited comments between the bride and groom. She said weddings tend to magnify what is already present in a relationship rather than creating new problems.

"On the surface, weddings are supposed to be pure celebrations, but I've witnessed cold feet, couples marrying for the wrong reasons, and a level of unhappiness or desperation that you can feel in the room," Glantz said. She added that many brides skip meals, arguments unfold behind closed doors and logistical concerns crowd out opportunities to enjoy the day.

Glantz framed these observations as practical, not predictive. "Weddings don't make or break couples, but they do magnify what's already there," she said. She advised couples to prioritize well‑being on the day, accept that something will go wrong and avoid treating perfection as the goal. "If you let [a mistake] derail you, you'll miss the joy. Let it go," she said.

Glantz's company markets itself to brides who want additional help without tapping close friends or family, charging to be part of a bridal party and to take on coordination and emotional support roles. Her comments come amid a broader cultural conversation about the wedding industry, where the stakes and expenses have risen and some critics say ceremonies can become overly focused on performance.

Experts in relationship research caution that single observations do not determine future outcomes; longitudinal studies identify many factors that influence marital stability, including communication patterns, shared values, financial stress and prior relationship history. Still, moments of behavior under stress are a common feature in clinical assessments of couple health.

Glantz said her aim in sharing the signs is not to alarm couples but to encourage focus on the relationship beyond the ceremony. After more than a decade and hundreds of events, she said what she sees most often is not drama for drama's sake but people trying to manage overwhelming expectations.

"Something will go wrong. It always does," she said. "If you want to actually feel joy, you have to prioritize your well‑being, not just the schedule."

The Daily Mail published the interview on Sept. 8, 2025.