The obligations of the Maid of Honour aren’t exactly what they have always been. Weddings nowadays are very different than they were when our mums were young, in case you hadn’t noticed. Bridesmaids were formerly used as lookouts for the bride in the event of a kidnapping attempt! These days, being the bride’s go-to will keep you on your toes in a new manner.
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The maid of honour is responsible for the bachelorette party and bridal shower, as well as directing the other bridesmaids during the wedding preparation process and on the big day. The maid of honour is usually someone who is extremely close to the bride and has a deeper relationship with her.
The role of maid of honour is a major one, and it begins well before the wedding day—basically the moment you’re asked.
Here’s what every maid of honour should know in the weeks leading up to the big day.
1. Be there
The maid of honour should strike a balance between being supportive and being overbearing. You know the bride, better than anyone else as the maid of honour. The maid of honour should begin a dialogue with the bride after being asked to discuss how she may best assist her during the wedding preparation process.
Discuss personalities and determine if the bride will assign and ask for assistance or whether the maid of honour should check-in and give support on a regular basis without being asked. Talk about the extent of collaboration and commitment upfront, and keep in mind the bride’s potential family ties.
2. Have all Vendors’ Contact Information
The objective for the bride should be to unwind and enjoy the morning of her wedding, rather than to obsess over last-minute preparations! If necessary, the maid of honour can assist in communicating with wedding providers, however the planner or venue administrator is normally in charge of such matters.
3. Have Fun
While your primary duty to the bride is to provide a helping hand, don’t forget to schedule some fun as well. The bride is first and foremost your closest friend, and that’s the position you should take very seriously during the preparation process, from having mani-pedis to a full-blown ladies’ night out. The most crucial thing to remember is that as maid of honour, you are responsible for absolutely supporting and adoring your friend.
4. Attend Wedding Dress Shopping and Fittings
Aside from the wedding itself, wedding dress finding is probably the most anticipated occasion. By accompanying the bride to dress fittings and giving her your honest judgement, you can help her say “yes” to the gown. Offer to assist her zip up her clothes and hang them back on their hooks as she moves from fitting room to fitting room.
5. Make a Wedding Emergency Kit
There are several little crises that may arise before the wedding, and it is critical to be prepared! The maid of honour have a wedding-day emergency kit (we have put together one for you!) with supplies like safety pins, fashion tape, bandaids, and pain medicines.
6. Know the Details
Assimilate as much wedding information as possible, and allow the other bridesmaids, bride’s family members, and even visitors come to you with any queries. This might save the bride a huge amount of time and stress from having to answer to phone calls and text messages regarding where and when activities are happening.
7. Take care of any conflict
You’ll be in charge of keeping the bridal party calm as the maid of honour. You’ll also be assigning jobs for any pre-wedding festivities and responding to any inquiries the bridesmaids may have about the wedding day schedule. Let the bridesmaids know that they may come to you with any questions, comments, or worries, and you can jot them down, filter out the ones you can address, and bring the remainder to the bride when she has more time on her hands.
8. Plan the Bachelorette Party
When it comes to arranging the wedding shower and bachelorette party, get ready to take the lead. You’ll rapidly become the genuine expert party planner during the wedding process, from contacting family members and the other bridesmaids to assisting with the essentials of planning and keeping everyone’s finances in mind. Plan a bachelorette party for the bride that you know she will like. Don’t feel obligated to plan an event merely to have something to post on social media.
9. Hold some things
This one is simple enough. The maid of honour’s tasks throughout the ceremony include carrying the bride’s bouquet when she and her husband exchange vows and holding the groom’s ring. She could also prepare ahead of time by wrapping a few tissues around the stem of her bouquet in case the bride or bridesmaids shed a few happy tears as well!
10. Have your Hair and Makeup Plan ready
Bring sample images for the stylists and appear on the wedding day with your makeup look previously approved by the bride. As a result, you’ll be able to advise other bridesmaids on their looks to speed up the process.
11. Act as a liaison between the couple
If they’re following the practice of not meeting each other before the ceremony, assist the bride by keeping an eye out for her spouse. Check in with the wedding planner or organiser to make sure you don’t run into each other before the big day. If the bride and groom decide to exchange presents before the wedding, help them out by making the transaction quick and easy.
If the soon-to-be-wed pair are exchanging love letters or presents on the morning of the ceremony, the maid of honour, along with the best man, might be the go-between. The maid of honour pays a visit to the bride’s future husband and presents him with the message and/or gift—and, of course, reports on his or her reply!
12. Help keep things on schedule
Keep an eye on the clock as the maid of honour ensures that the bride or wedding coordinator presents you with a complete wedding timetable. If the bridesmaids are talking instead of getting dressed, kindly inform them that the car will be departing for the wedding in 10 minutes. Make every effort to ensure that everyone arrives on time.
13. Drop off any reception items
If you haven’t previously dropped off items like toasting flutes, the couple’s register book, seating cards, candle lighting or wedding favours to the ceremony and/or reception locations, you should do so on the morning of the wedding.
14. Act as a back-up hostess
Because you’ll be socialising with guests, your maid of honour can also take on the role of hostess for a portion of the reception (showing visitors where to sit, guiding them to toilets, informing them where to deposit gifts, and encouraging them to sign the guest book). You’ll be relieved to have those responsibilities removed from your plate.
15. Ensure the bride eats
You should check in with the bride throughout the day–and especially before she leaves the bridal suite–to see if she needs anything to eat. While she may be too preoccupied with her excitement to think about eating, a protein-rich snack can help her avoid hunger pangs.
16. Take care of the socials
The bride would most likely want to be as comfortable and disconnected as possible on the morning of her wedding. Of course, check with her beforehand, but this may be an excellent opportunity to capture behind-the-scenes footage of Champagne toasts, joyous tears, and perhaps the moment she puts on her gown. By sharing and tagging on social media, the maid of honour may help keep the party continuing. On the wedding day the bride is normally unable to take photographs, being wrapped up in the emotion of the day.
17. Make sure the bride is hydrated
From the morning until the last dance, you would like to keep the bride refreshed as the maid of honour. Check with the bride about her preferred beverage and advise her to drink plenty of water throughout the day. This will keep her energised and prevent any hangovers from interfering with the morning meal.
18. Dance with the bride
You’ve arrived to the reception, where ideally all of your tension from the planning has dissipated. It’s time to party on the dance floor—grab the bride, your original dancing partner, and get ready to boogie to your favourite tunes. Selfies are encouraged.
You’re definitely someone significant to the bride, and you’ve already put in all the effort. That includes ensuring that you and your partner continue to enjoy the time of your lives during the wedding, since you both deserve it.
19. Help the couple during and post-honeymoon
Ask whether the couple need any assistance before they go on their honeymoon, especially if you live close. Perhaps you could drop by and check on them every now and again, dog watch, or buy groceries ahead of their arrival. By assisting the newlyweds after the wedding, you are demonstrating that you will be there for them for the rest of their lives.
We hope this helps!
Related Article: Our Top 14 Bridesmaids Dress Designers
