Are you a maid of honor or bridesmaid, or are you going to be one soon? Congratulations! Being chosen as a maid of honor or bridesmaid is a great honor. Along with it comes a lot of responsibilities, but don’t worry, we have got you covered. Here is a list of maid of honor duties that you should keep in mind.
Maid of Honor Responsibilities Checklist
The bride will be counting on you for help with everything from choosing the perfect dress to planning the bridal shower, to keeping her calm on the big day. Here is a maid of honor duties checklist for you to make sure you don’t forget anything:
- Helping the bride select her wedding dress
- Attending fittings with the bride and other bridesmaids
- Coordinating bridesmaids’ dress fittings and pickups
- Organizing the bridal shower
- Planning and hosting bachelorette parties
- Assisting the bride with designing wedding invitations and announcements
- Making sure the bridesmaids know their duties for the day of the wedding
- Managing the wedding planning timeline and budget
- Acting as the point person for vendors and service providers
- Helping the bride with wedding day preparations
- Keeping the bride calm and collected on the wedding day
- Assisting the bride with the bathroom, dressing rooms, and touch up
- Being the last person to walk down the aisle before the bride
- Signing the marriage certificate as a witness
- Treating the bride to a relaxing massage or pampering session before the wedding
Maid of Honor Duties in Detail
Now that you know what your maid of honor duties are let’s examine each one in more detail.
Helping the bride select her wedding dress
This is one of the most important and exciting duties of a maid of honor. The bride will need your help, advice, and honest opinions when trying on dresses. Make it a memorable experience by scheduling appointments at bridal shops and offering to accompany her. Don’t forget to take plenty of pictures of her in the gowns.
Attending fittings with the bride and other bridesmaids
The bride will want you by her side for dress fittings and alterations. Make sure you attend each appointment and bring along tissues, water, and snacks for the bride. Your support and encouragement can make all the difference and keep her calm during this potentially stressful time.
Coordinating bridesmaids’ dress fittings and pickups
As the maid of honor, you will be responsible for keeping everyone else on track. You will need to coordinate with the bridesmaids to ensure that everyone has their dress fittings completed on time and that every dress is picked up before the wedding day. Make sure everyone knows the timeline and what to expect so there are no surprises.
Organizing the bridal shower
This is a fun and exciting task for a maid of honor. The bridal shower is a special event that celebrates the bride and her upcoming wedding. You will need to coordinate with the other bridesmaids to choose a date, time, location, and theme. Make sure to consult with the bride to ensure that the shower reflects her style and tastes.
Planning and hosting bachelorette parties
The bachelorette party is a time-honored tradition that usually involves some type of fun-filled activity or weekend getaway. Most bridesmaids combine the bridal shower and bachelorette party into one weekend event. Coordinate with the other bridesmaids to choose a date, location, and theme to make the event special for the bride.
Assisting the bride with designing wedding invitations and announcements
These days, many brides prefer to design their own wedding invitations and announcements. If your bride is one of them, offer your help in designing a beautiful and professional-looking invitation. You can also help with addressing and mailing invitations.
Making sure the bridesmaids know their duties for the day of the wedding
As the maid of honor, you will be in charge of keeping all the bridesmaids on track. Make sure that everyone knows what their duties are for the wedding day, including when to show up, what to wear, and what their responsibilities are. This will help ensure that everything runs smoothly and that everyone is in the right place at the right time.
Managing the wedding planning timeline and budget
Wedding planning can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to staying on task and sticking to a budget. As the maid of honor, you will need to assist the bride in managing her timeline and budget. This may mean tracking payments, creating spreadsheets, and reminding the bride of upcoming deadlines.
Acting as the point person for vendors and service providers
On the day of the wedding, it will be your duty to act as the point person for vendors and service providers. This means ensuring that they arrive on time, finding out where they need to set up, and addressing any issues that may arise.
Helping the bride with wedding day preparations
On the day of the wedding, the bride will undoubtedly be feeling a little nervous. As the maid of honor, it will be your job to help her prepare. This may mean providing her with snacks, water, or champagne, helping her get dressed, or just being there to calm her nerves.
Keeping the bride calm and collected on the wedding day
No matter how well the day is planned, things can get stressful. As the maid of honor, your job is to keep the bride calm and collected. Be prepared to offer words of encouragement or distraction techniques if needed.
Assisting the bride with the bathroom, dressing rooms, and touch up
The bride may need help with a variety of tasks on the wedding day, including trips to the bathroom and touch-ups. As the maid of honor, you will need to be on hand to assist with whatever she needs. This may also involve carrying a bridal emergency kit with everything from safety pins to lipstick to hand warmers.
Being the last person to walk down the aisle before the bride
As the maid of honor, you will be the last person to walk down the aisle before the bride. This is a big responsibility, but also a great honor. Make sure you are dressed appropriately and ready to assist the bride with her train if needed.
Signing the marriage certificate as a witness
At the end of the ceremony, the maid of honor will be asked to sign the marriage certificate as a witness. Make sure you are prepared to do this, and that your name is spelled correctly.
Treating the bride to a relaxing massage or pampering session before the wedding
As the maid of honor, it is your duty to help the bride relax before her big day. Treat her to a relaxing spa day, or a massage to help her unwind.
Conclusion
Being a maid of honor is an incredible honor, but it also comes with a lot of responsibilities. Make sure you keep this maid of honor duties checklist in mind, and you will be well-prepared for the role. Remember, the most important thing is to support and be there for the bride on her special day. Good luck and congratulations!
