You may have been anticipating saying “Yes!” (with about a dozen more exclamation points) to a good looking guy with a big sparkly rock last week, only to be taken on a dinner-and-a-movie date for the hundredth time. Right as the handsome fella in the sappy romantic comedy is running back to his lady that he can’t live without, your phone buzzes — a zillion times. Your best girlfriend just got engaged!
Your phone lights up the whole row as she blows up your phone with ring pictures. (Cue the death glares from everyone in the movie theater, including your boyfriend.) And while you couldn’t be happier for your best friend in this life-changing moment, you can’t help but be a tad bit wary of what you know is inevitable… being the maid of honor.
The MOH (maid or matron of honor) plays an important role in a wedding, and has quite a few duties that are expected of her. This list below will give you the low down on what you’ll need to do if you’ve been honored to have the title of MOH.
1. Lead the Bridesmaids
As the Maid/Matron of Honor, one of your main responsibilities is to be the leader of the ‘maids. You’ll need to make sure they have all ordered their dresses, been to their fittings, gotten their accessories and shoes, etc. It’s also a good idea to decide on transportation for the bridal party to/from hair and makeup, the ceremony and the reception. Make sure the bridesmaids are all on the same page, and are well-versed in the wedding day timeline of events. Since the bridesmaids are all in the limelight, chances are that guests will ask them questions during the event – this means it is good for the bridesmaids to know where all the restrooms are, where gifts go, where the send-off will be and the like, so that they can direct anyone who inquires.
2. Help the Bride Plan the Wedding
There are a million decisions to be made when it comes time to plan a wedding, and no one should have to do that alone. This is where you come in! Depending on the bride’s personality, she may need all the assistance she can get from you, or she might not. This could mean going to florist appointments with her, going to fittings, helping address invitations, going to cake tastings, catering appointments, and basically being the bride’s wedding planning go-to.
3. Be the Bride’s Friend — and counselor, and confidant, and cheerleader, and…
In the midst of all the hustle and bustle (and all the bad puns like that one), it’s easy to forget your most important duty as MOH – being the bride’s friend. During the engagement, she’s going to need more than just help completing tasks; she’ll need your emotional support and encouragement too. If she’s stressing about the flower order and talks about it non-stop, then you’ll listen non-stop, no matter how much she beats the topic to death. Just lend an ear and be there when she needs to vent about monogrammed napkins or her fiancé’s quirks, and let her share her simultaneous excitement and anxiety about marriage.
4. Host a Bridal Shower
As MOH, you’ll be tasked with hosting the bridal shower. Feel free to recruit some help from bridesmaids, as well as the bride’s close female relatives. After all, you are still the bride’s primary helper, and will have a lot of other tasks on your plate.
5. Gifts
Since registry information isn’t generally included in invitations, it will be up to you (and the other bridesmaids) to spread the word about where the bride and groom are registered. You will also want to keep a running list of who has given the couple gifts, to make thank you notes a breeze. At the shower, have a notepad and pen at the ready!
6. Host a Bachelorette Party
This will depend on whether the bride actually wants a bachelorette party, so be sure to communicate with her on this one. It generally includes the bride’s closest friends and bridesmaids, and a whole lot of shenanigans.
7. Bring an Emergency Kit on the Day-of
If anything comes up on the big day, you’ll be glad to have things like safety pins, a hair dryer for quick spill recovery, dental floss, bobby pins, a small sewing kit, tissues, tweezers, etc. It may not seem like a must-have, but you’ll be very glad to have it if there’s a mishap!
8. Keep the Bride Fed
The bride has a lot on her mind, the least of which is probably having a good breakfast. Stick around to remind her when it’s mealtime, and make sure you have snacks at the ready throughout the day.
9. Bring Music
When the bride and all her bridesmaids are getting ready for the big event, make the moment complete with a fun, upbeat, romantic playlist. It will keep the atmosphere happy (this is a wedding after all), and help take the edge off any nerves too.
10. Make sure the Bride is Sitting Pretty
During the wedding ceremony, it’s your job to make sure the bride’s train and veil are just-so. Spread out her train, and adjust her veil as needed once she makes it down the aisle. You will also be the one to hold her bouquet during the ceremony. Before the reception, you’ll be in charge of bustling her gown. This could also translate into making bathroom runs with the bride for the rest of the night to help her manage her dress. You will probably be the one to help her get changed into her clothes to leave for the honeymoon as well.
At the end of the day, being asked to be Maid/Matron of Honor is just that, an honor. Enjoy every minute of it and be thankful for the friend who wants you involved in their big day. If the two of you need any help along the way, contact us today at 937-283-3272.
