Maid of Honor Duties
From the very moment that the bride asks you to be her maid of honor, you will have a list of things to do for her. Your main job will be the main support system of the bride and so helping her in whatever way you can will be your main job – before, during, and after the wedding. It’s a huge job and a huge responsibility but remember, she asked you because no one else would do! Here’s what your main responsibilities will be as the privileged maid of honor.
Before the Wedding
You will start to see the chaos that wedding planning can set into motion as soon as the words ‘location’ or ‘guest list’ are mentioned. From this point on, you will be expected to go with the bride to look at different venues for the ceremony and reception, stuff and send invitations, sample cake (oh, shucks!), and visit florists, to name just a few things. There’s a good chance that the bride will want your opinion on just about everything and will greatly appreciate your second opinion and thoughts throughout the entire process. Be there to give these things to her, run any errands that she needs you to, and support her in whatever other way you can.
The bridal shower and the bachelorette party will be your main responsibilities during the pre-wedding process as these events will be hosted and planned by you. Feel free to enlist the help of the bridesmaids – they’re playing a supportive role too! You will also need to attend most, if not all, of the functions that come with wedding planning including the rehearsal ceremony and rehearsal dinner.
The Day of the Wedding
Here again you will be doing just about anything you can think of. The main thing is that you stay close to the bride and do whatever you need her to do, while trying to keep the peace at the venues. You can act as a go-between for the bridal party and the groom and his groomsmen as well as do small things like continue to check in with the caterer to make sure that everything’s going according to plan.
There’s not enough emphasis that can be placed on supporting the bride this day. Help her get dressed, do her hair or makeup, or drive her to hairdresser’s, and make sure that you’re constantly adjusting her train and her veil to make sure that she looks perfect at all times and more importantly – doesn’t trip!
The best man will walk you down the aisle just before the entrance of the bride. During the ceremony you’ll be expected to hold the bride’s bouquet throughout, hold the groom’s ring, and witness the signing of the marriage certificate. If there is a receiving line at the reception, you will also be expected to stand in the line and greet the guests. You will most likely also be expected to give a toast to the bride and groom at the reception, following the best man’s speech.
After the Wedding
Just because the vows have been exchanged and the bouquet and garter have both been tossed, doesn’t mean that your job is over! One of the jobs you’ll have is to make sure that the gifts are in order and that thank you cards are addressed and ready to be filled out upon the bride’s return from her honeymoon. You may also want to help with any last-minute details that need to be taken care of.
