Last updated April 12th, 2024 at 03:23 pm
So your best friend’s boyfriend popped the question – then it was her turn! You were SO excited to be her maid of honor until you realized you have no idea what that entails. Sure, you get to shop for for cute dresses and get your hair done together on the big day but surely there are more responsibilities than that, right? As the maid of honor, and as a bridesmaid for that matter, you have the all important job of helping ensure your besties best day ever is just that.
Tips for the Maid of Honor
Being in the bridal party can be expensive. Make sure you are financially ready for the commitment. You are expected to purchase your own dress, shoes, and accessories for the big day. There may also be travel and lodging expenses required. The cost of the wedding shower and bachelorette party are usually split by the bridesmaids.
As the maid you honor you are basically the ringleader. The bride has a mother in law breathing down her neck so the last thing she needs is to figure out why a bridesmaid hasn’t ordered her dress yet. It’s your job to keep everyone on schedule, prior to and on the the big day (that may include the men as well! Help the bride by giving them this DIY wedding binder!
A lot of times the family will want to be involved with the wedding shower. If it’s ok with the bride – let them! There may also be several showers, but you are only expected to attend/throw the one. Hopefully your bride will understand you can’t make it to her church shower, cousins shower, and the one thrown by her childhood next door neighbor. Here’s ideas for a backyard bridal shower!
The bachelorette party is the most fun! The bride has been working hard to plan her big day and this is her chance to celebrate the upcoming nuptials with her best friends. Make it a night (or in some cases a weekend) to remember! Plan games and dinner and whatever you do make sure there is lots of dancing! Remember this is a night all about her so make sure it’s in good taste and the type of party she wants.
You may also be expected to plan a lingerie party. Talk to the bride and ensure this is something she’s comfortable with. I recommend doing it in conjunction with the bachelorette party; not the wedding shower! Awkwarddddd!
Prior to the big day, help in any way you can. Offer to look up vendors for her or help address envelopes. Her to-do list is miles long and there are plenty of ways you (and the other bridesmaids) could help.
Planning a Bachelorette party?
Be sure to check out our post “34 Fun Bachelorette Party Games – Ideas for a Hilarious Night!” This post has a list of awesome games whether you’re having a wild night out or a chill night with friends!
On the wedding day, you are in charge of the phone. Believe it or not, everyone is going to be calling the bride with a hundred questions so try to screen those calls for her. She should be sipping champagne and getting her make up done, not calling the caterer and orchestrating flower deliveries.
There are always last minute things that are missing or forgotten. Help your bride stay calm and stress free by having an emergency kit handy (breath mints, aspirin, list of vendors numbers, sewing kit, etc.)
At the reception, you are in charge of bustling the bride’s train and removing the veil.
Bathroom duty – that wedding dress is huge and heavy and more than likely the bride will need help going potty.
Work with the caterer and make sure a plate is saved for the bride and groom. They are usually so busy shaking hands and kissing babies they forget to eat.
Help ensure the bridal party gets home safely. Have you figured out you are basically mama bear this weekend?
After the bride and groom make their exit, the rest of the guests follow. Make arrangements to get all their gifts and valuables back to the hotel for them.
“I had a destination wedding and we gave TOMS as favors on the dancefloor. I already had a ton of things and 2 full suitcases so I made my maid of honor travel with 120 pairs of TOMS! My maid of honor was the only person I could ask for something like that!
“My cousin made all her bridesmaids dye their hair brown because she wanted to be the only blonde in the wedding.”
“As part of a bachelorette weekend, the bride made us all get matching black light tattoos.”
“My best friend made us host a ton of showers! She had a couples shower, a tea party for the aunts and grandmas, a Pampered Chef party, a passion party, and a regular bridal shower.”
“Not unheard of, but a friend made us all pay to get airbrush make up done. We all looked like newscasters!”
“At an Indian wedding, my friend had to put her cousins shoes on her feet and take them off for her because you can’t wear them at the alter.”
“I had to write the names of the couple and the wedding date on 250 wooden fans for an outdoor wedding because of of all the bridesmaids, I had the neatest handwriting.”
Have you been in a wedding as the maid of honor? What was your experience? I’d love to hear about it!
cuteheads says
These are awesome tips! I think I’m pretty much out of the bridesmaid phase of life, but I agree with so many of these.
xo,
Esther
The Cuteness