Let’s be real. Being a maid of honor is a big deal! Being chosen as maid of honor means the bride, who is also an important woman in your life, trusts you to be with them during one of the most special milestones in their life.
As the maid of honor, you are responsible for making sure that everything goes smoothly on your friend’s wedding day. This includes helping with the planning process, attending appointments with her to help select the dress and accessories, working with other family members and friends to get things done, being there on the big day in case something goes wrong, and generally making sure everyone has fun at this special occasion.
While you are not obliged to do everything on this list, the bride will greatly appreciate you being by her side during one of the most important moments of her life. The important thing is you and the bride communicate expectations beforehand.
Here’s a bit of a rundown on what you may need to do as a maid of honor:
Being a constant help from preparations to after-wedding celebration activities!
If a bridal shower or bachelorette party is being planned, you should help to plan it. The maid of honor can also help to plan the rehearsal dinner, reception, and any other events that are held before the wedding. You can help her by looking for affordable wedding event suppliers that provide quality wedding decorations.
Attending dress-fitting appointments with the bride and obliging when asked to give an honest opinion!
Perhaps an even more important duty, however, is attending dress-fitting appointments with the bride. The bridal industry has become increasingly inclusive of all kinds of bodies, however, this does not mean that you should sit idly by as your friend tries on one outfit after another that is unflattering on her.
Remember that the bride values your opinion so if you think the dress is unflattering or just not for her, say something! She needs to hear it from someone she knows and loves—not from some saleslady who won’t care if she’s upset when out of the dressing room comes a dress that doesn’t compliment her figure at all.
Have a last check on the wedding set-up and decorations!
This task is mostly for the hired decorators and event coordinators, but the bride might ask you to have the last check on the wedding ceremony and reception venues, just to have a general inspection to avoid mishaps and to make last-minute changes if you have to.
From event drapes and backdrops to the buffet set-up to menus and floral arrangements, quick changes may need to be made if the overall style and theme of the wedding are not reflected by the decorations.
Writing a speech for the reception or toast in honor of the newlyweds!
A Maid of Honor’s speech should be personal and heartfelt. She should share stories about the bride and groom, their relationship together, or even their first meeting. A good maid of honor knows that the best speeches are funny, but they also include some touching and sentimental moments too.
She may want to talk about how the couple met or how they got engaged. If there is a funny story behind how two people met, she should definitely include it in her speech!
It’s also important for a maid of honor to focus on what comes next for these newlyweds: their lives as husband and wife. In addition, she should mention any family members who have passed away so that those in attendance can reflect on what life would have been like had they known them better during this special day.
Keeping track of the wedding gifts you receive, including who sent them, and make sure to send thank-you notes after the wedding!
This may be done by a wedding coordinator, but because you know the guests more, the bride might ask you for help in tracking gifts and preparing thank-you notes.
To help ensure that everyone receives a thank-you note, keep track of who gave you what during the gift opening. This is especially important if you receive multiple gifts from one person or as a couple with your groom. The maid of honor should also be in charge of sending out these notes to guests who were invited but did not attend the wedding.
In addition to keeping track of who gave you what, it’s important that all wedding guests know how much they’re appreciated for their generosity and thoughtfulness during this special time in your lives.
Organize a bachelorette party for the bride and her girlfriends!
As the Maid of Honor, you’re responsible for planning your bride’s bachelorette party. The most important thing to remember is that it should be a surprise! She should not know about it until she gets there, so don’t tell her. Get the bridesmaids and your closest girlfriends on board for this surprise!
If you have any friends who are bridesmaids or other women who would enjoy being involved in this special event, include them. They can help with things like flower arrangements, decorations, food, drinks, etc. They can be assigned to prepare the table set-up for intimate dinners, from the tablecloths and chair covers to the table centerpieces, napkins, and cutlery.
You may opt to create an itinerary for the bachelorette party; find out what activities are available at different locations in town so guests can choose which one sounds best for them. Also, make sure everyone knows what time they need to leave so no one misses their flight home after the festivities end!
Be with the bride on her wedding day providing whatever support is needed before, during, and after the ceremony!
- Be with the bride on her wedding day, providing whatever support is needed before, during, and after the ceremony, such as helping her get dressed, making sure that the dress looks well, etc.
- Help keep the bride calm and happy.
- Make sure that everything runs smoothly. This includes keeping everyone on time and in line. Again, this may be done by a wedding planner, but the bride might ask you to oversee the event for her.
Assisting the newlyweds in writing their thank-you notes!
- Check with the bride on what she wants to say.
This is a great opportunity for you and your friend to share memories from the day, which is sure to be a highlight of their lives. You can also give updates on how things are going in your life and ask after hers—this way, you’ll have something new to talk about when you catch up later on!
- Write thank-you notes before or after the wedding.
While some people like to write thank-you notes while they’re still enjoying their honeymoon, it’s best if you do so right away after returning home from the wedding itself. There will be plenty of opportunities for writing while on vacation, especially if you’re traveling abroad, so don’t put it off until then!
Being a maid of honor is hard work!
Being a maid of honor is an incredibly rewarding and fun experience, but it can also be quite challenging. The best way to ensure that you are prepared for the challenges ahead is by reading this guide and taking it seriously!
You will be responsible for many tasks over the course of your service. You need to know all about them so that you can complete them on time, with good results, and without any mistakes. This means that it’s important that you have everything planned out before you begin working hard at these duties. Worry not because there are a lot of online resources on wedding planning to help you!
Being a maid of honor is hard work! It’s essential that you do everything in your power to make sure your friend has an amazing day. The best way to do this? Be organized, be prepared, and most importantly, be supportive throughout the entire planning process!