It’s not just pride and glory for having been chosen the maid of honor because with it comes the maid of honor responsibilities that, besides providing emotional support to the bride, involve helping her plan out her wedding. A maid of honor is a person that the bride completely trusts. She could be her sister or her best friend. She is the one who would understand how special the wedding is for the bride and how badly she wants everything to be perfect. Being chosen as the maid of honor also means that the bride appreciates your managerial qualities. So if you are the chosen one, it would be of great help if you knew what the maid of honor’s duties and responsibilities entail.
Maid of Honor Responsibilities – Before the Wedding Day
The responsibilities of a maid of honor start right from the day the wedding is announced. Although there are wedding planners nowadays, a maid of honor still has a lot of responsibilities to shoulder. She may be required to assist the bride in choosing her wedding dress and bridal jewelry. For this, the maid of honor may want to visit a couple of bridal shops. She is expected to assist the bride in deciding on the wedding flowers and reception decorations. The bride may ask the maid of honor to accompany her to the reception sites she is planning to choose. The maid of honor’s duties includes shopping for the bridesmaid’s attire. She is responsible for addressing the wedding invitations and plays an important role in making the wedding guest favors.
Other than these roles that might make a maid of honor look like a superwoman, traditionally, she is supposed to host the bridal shower. From deciding on the theme to zeroing in on the location, it is on the shoulders of the maid of honor to plan the bridal shower. Holding a bachelorette party also comes within the duties of the maid of honor, and it is her responsibility to make the bride’s last night as a single woman, a memorable one.
Maid of Honor Responsibilities: On the Wedding Day
The maid of honor has a big role in how the bride looks on her wedding day, from buying the wedding dress and the bridal jewelry to dressing her up for the big occasion. It all depends upon how the maid of honor manages it all. She is with the bride, helping her dress up, ensuring that the wedding dress fits her perfectly and that she wears the right perfume. During this time, the maid of honor may be the bride’s biggest emotional support. The bride may be worked up and feel nervous before walking up the aisle, and the maid of honor is the one to whom the bride will look for words of reassurance.
Other than being the bride’s right hand on the wedding day, the maid of honor is at the helm of the bride’s party too. She has to ensure that all the bridesmaids are properly dressed and that they know what they are supposed to do. For this a maid of honor may want to hold a rehearsal with the bridesmaid so that they know exactly what they have to do during the event.
The maid of honor is the one who is entrusted with the most important object of the wedding – groom’s ring. Along with the best man, the maid of honor is required to sign as the witness on the marriage license and holds the bride’s bouquet as she takes her wedding vows.
As per the responsibilities of the maid of honor, she is expected to dance with the best man in the first formal dance after the wedding is over. She raises a toast to the married couple and gives a maid of honor speech.
Maid of Honor Responsibilities Checklist: For the Wedding Day
It must be clear by now that meeting the maid of honor’s duties and responsibilities is a herculean task. To handle all of this, one needs to be very organized. Here is a checklist for the maid of honor that would help her make sure that everything goes as per the plans on the wedding day:
- First and foremost, put the Groom’s wedding ring in your purse the night before the wedding. You surely don’t want to land at the venue without it.
- Ensure that you have the numbers of all the vendors at hand. Unexpected delays in the delivery of wedding items can’t be unexpected, although they are undesirable.
- Don’t forget your cell phone and charge it well. The battery often let’s you down when you need it the most.
- Put a good amount of extra cash in your purse. There are always unforeseen expenses.
- Have a friend on call. You are supposed to be at the bride’s side that day. However, you also need to ensure that everything goes according to schedule.
- Make alternate transportation arrangements.
- Don’t forget that little watch of yours. You need to ensure that everything takes place on time.
- Carry two pair of pantyhose (one should match with those of the bride), two garters, needle, threads and a pair of scissors. The bride would definitely be grateful to you for all this, as there might be last-minute fixings and cuttings required.
- Toilette items like make-up, safety pins, perfume, etc., would easily fit in your purse for some last-minute touch-up to the bridal makeup.
- Your wedding speech and wedding gift for the couple. Make it special with a heartfelt message. After all, you are have been given a special place in the couple’s life.
