Once the question has been popped and the date has been set, choosing a maid of honor is one of the bride’s first tasks. Planning a wedding and reception is a significant endeavor, and the maid of honor will be involved in every step of the way. As the bride’s principal helper and assistant, the maid of honor has many responsibilities, both during the planning stages of the wedding and reception and during the big day. A bride typically chooses her closest friend as the maid of honor because she knows she can rely on this person to support and assist her with virtually anything associated with the wedding.

Picking Out Dresses

Browsing the bridal shops in search of the perfect gown is typically a task for the bride and the maid of honor. Choosing the perfect gown to walk down the aisle can be an agonizing process, so the bride may need all the help she can get. The maid of honor should be prepared to spend time with the bride, surfing the Internet to begin getting an idea of the bride’s tastes and desires. Then, the work begins in earnest when it’s time to hit the bridal shops to try on dresses. As the bride’s right hand, the maid of honor will lend a critical eye to weed out all of the unflattering dresses. Slowly, by the process of elimination, the bridal team will find the perfect gown that fulfills all of the bride’s hopes and dreams. The maid of honor typically assists the bride with choosing other wedding attire for both the female and male attendants and others in the wedding party.

Emotional Support for the Bride

It’s common for brides to need emotional support during the planning stage and throughout the actual day of the wedding. Planning a wedding can be stressful, even in the best of situations. The process of planning and organizing all of the different components of a wedding and reception can be confusing and taxing for the bride. Brides can also experience anxiety in connection with finances and family dynamics. Brides may feel perplexed about wedding traditions, too. The emotional support of the maid of honor can be an important help to the bride. The maid of honor’s ongoing involvement in every aspect of the wedding planning, listening to concerns and fears and offering steady comfort, can be invaluable to the bride.

Bridal Showers/Bachelorette Parties

Party planning is another typical duty of the maid of honor. Planning the shower is one task that usually falls to the bride’s right-hand person. You might host or co-host this gathering, taking charge of inviting the bride’s closest friends and family. Plan the food you will serve, and don’t forget about the traditional games and activities that typically occur during a bridal shower. The bachelorette party is another common pre-wedding tradition and another of the maid of honor’s pre-wedding duties. An ideal party would involve an excursion or an activity that has special significance for the bride, such as a particular venue the bride loves. Plan every detail, including the sequence of events for the evening, and make sure you invite the bride’s closest pals.

Planning the Ceremony and the Reception

Most brides appreciate help with wedding planning. The maid of honor will typically share the duties of wedding planning with the bride to take some of this pressure from her. By offering to help address invitations, search for caterers and florists, organize gift registries, manage seating plans at the ceremony and reception, and scheduling pre-wedding hair and makeup appointments, the maid of honor can shift many of the wedding responsibilities away from the bride to alleviate stress. The maid of honor should also assume all responsibility for overseeing the other attendants in the wedding party.

Ceremony and Reception Duties

On the big day, the maid of honor has many specific duties. Plan to spend the entire day with the bride, helping her prepare for the ceremony. Anticipate the bride’s needs throughout the day by being prepared with any essentials she may need, such as lipstick, tissues, pins, breath mints, or aspirin. Expect to have to calm her nerves at some point, too. During the ceremony, the maid of honor might hold the groom’s ring for the bride. The maid of honor will also hold the bride’s bouquet during the ceremony. The maid of honor also stands in the receiving line and assumes the role of host at the wedding reception to handle any issues that may arise.

Writing a Toast/Speech

As the closest friend of the bride, it’s common for the maid of honor to give a short toast during the wedding reception. Typically, the best man gives the first toast to the newlyweds. After the best man finishes, the maid of honor should stand up and say a few words to wish the happy couple well in their new marriage.