I'm a 'bridesmaid for hire' who stands in weddings for total strangers. These are the best perks of the job.

• I've been to more than 125 weddings as a professional bridesmaid for hire.
• The work can be time-consuming and tiring, but the bonuses make up for it.

For the past seven years, I've spent the majority of my weekends working weddings as a hired bridesmaid for strangers. After being a bridesmaid for my own friends so many times, I realized that not everybody has people in their lives to stand by their side as they tie the knot. Some people don't have close friends and others have friends but they aren't great at taking on bridesmaid tasks.

That's why I started my business, Bridesmaid for Hire, in 2014. People hire me to step in and be their bridesmaid. Sometimes, they keep it a complete secret from everyone else, including the person they're marrying.

But what keeps me loving this job, after going to over 125 weddings, isn't that I'm a hopeless romantic or obsessed with wearing bridesmaid dresses. It's the perks that come with my participation.

If you've ever wondered what a professional bridesmaid gets during the wedding adventure — or better yet, what they walk away with when the job is over — here are the best added bonuses of working as a hired bridesmaid for strangers.

A closet upgrade

When I work as a professional bridesmaid, I am an actual bridesmaid in the wedding party. This means that I have to match the exact styles that the other bridesmaids are wearing, from the dress to the shoes. Clients will often buy me the bridesmaid dress (or ask me to wear a dress I already have in the color scheme that their bridal party is wearing) and buy the shoes, jewelry, and handbag that they'd like me to wear.

When the wedding ends, these items are mine to keep. I donate the styles that don't suit my taste and add the ones that do to my closet. While I have way more than 27 bridesmaid dresses, I have a lot of fun items that I do wear quite often — from trendy handbags to earrings that pair well with everyday looks.

Weekend stays at a hotel

Oftentimes, the weddings I'm hired to work are located in a city that I have to travel to. This means that not only will I fly in the day before the wedding, but I'll also stay the day after too (sometimes to help the client pack up or to attend the post-wedding brunch).

Clients are responsible for booking my travel for their wedding. While I don't ask for any flight upgrades (flying coach is fine with me), I do ask to be put up in the same hotel that they, or their guests, are staying in for the wedding.

Usually, these hotels are not only nice but come with their own perks: a souped-up gym, free breakfast, a pool, and the like. I get to enjoy these amenities throughout the weekend when I'm not working.

Because of this job, I've gotten rooms at fancier places than I've ever stayed at in my life (from the Four Seasons to a Ritz Carlton hotel).

Endless free food

A big part of my job revolves around food. When I'm on the job, all my meals are paid for. I receive a food stipend (usually of $50 a day) and then get to eat the free food at the wedding events, from the rehearsal dinner buffets to the three-course meals at the reception. On any given weekend, I'm saving money just by working as a professional bridesmaid and getting my meals comped.

While I'm not a big drinker, free booze is another potential perk of this job. I stay sober at the weddings I work, but I'm often given bottles of expensive champagne or wine as thank-you gifts from my clients. I usually re-gift these to my friends or family members when I return from the wedding.

Trips to fun cities

As an avid traveler, one of the biggest reasons I still get excited about working weddings — even seven years later — is the opportunity to visit new or fun cities.

Through this job, I've had the opportunity to work weddings all over the country. Some of my favorite trips have been to Las Vegas, Seattle, Los Angeles, Austin, Detroit, and Nashville.

While I do spend 75% of my time in these cities doing tasks related to my job as a professional bridesmaid, I'll spend any extra time or breaks exploring the town and doing a few unique activities that I've never done before: city tours, eating at a special restaurant, or visiting an attraction.

Constant gift bags

One of the best free things I get at the start of every wedding is the welcome gift bag that the client hands out to wedding guests when they arrive at the hotel. While some of these bags have standard items in them (snacks, water bottles, and a map of what to see in the city), some of the gift bags I've received are filled with expensive goodies.

I've received a $75 bottle of perfume, a $125 robe, a $50 pair of slippers, and a $99 pair of sunglasses in gift bags from clients who were extremely wealthy and giving to their arriving guests.

Paid-for glam

As a member of the bridal party, I get my hair and makeup done on the morning of the wedding, just like all the other bridesmaids. The only difference is that the client covers these costs. Getting paid-for glam is a perk worth a couple hundred dollars and never gets old. I love trying out new hair and makeup styles (when the client lets me) and enjoy getting pampered by the professionals.

On the occasions when the person getting married wants the bridal party to do their own makeup, or I don't arrive in time for glam, the client will often provide me with the exact beauty products that they want me to use so I match the other bridesmaids.

Helpful connections

An underrated perk that's come in handy over the years is the connections that I make working this job. I keep in touch with many of my clients, and that has allowed me to build a network of people all over the country.

Some of my clients are executives at big companies or experts in a certain industry. Over the years, I've turned to past clients for professional help (legal and accounting advice) and to help friends land jobs.

I've also maintained genuine relationships and friendships with some clients as well, which is a perk that doesn't have a price tag on it. It's been invaluable meeting people all over the world as a professional bridesmaid.

While being a professional bridesmaid can be time-consuming and exhausting, the bonuses you receive on the job keep working this gig exciting and fulfilling.