Being chosen to be a maid of honor and bridesmaid is wonderful, and most women feel incredibly honored to experience it. However, if it’s your first time to be one or if you don’t know much about the formalities of a wedding, it can be quite a daunting task. But you don’t have to worry because we’re here to help you know and understand the duties of a maid of honor and bridesmaid.
Duties of a Maid of Honor in a Wedding
Being the bride’s maid of honor is a mark of true friendship and trust. Aside from letting you know that you’re one of her closest and most trusted friend, the bride is also counting on you to support her in the journey of getting married. At first, you may feel pressured but remember that the bride chose you because she trusts that you can handle all the responsibilities of being the maid of honor.
The duties of a maid of honor vary depending on the bride’s personal expectations, therefore, it’s also important to communicate with her early for you to know what she expects from you. But to give you an idea, here are some of the traditional maid of honor responsibilities.
Before the Wedding
Shopping for the Wedding Dress
Most brides already know what they want in a wedding gown and some even embark on a month’s-long process to find the best one. As the maid of honor, it’s your duty to always be at her side while trying on dress after dress, including accessories. You should be honest with her but kind as well to help her find the best one that will make her look stunning and feel beautiful in her big day.
Shopping for the Bridesmaid Dress
It is also your responsibility to help the bride in choosing the dress that you and the bridesmaids will wear. This is actually great because you have a say in what you’ll be wearing on her wedding day.
Host a Bridal Shower
Being the maid of honor, it’s your duty to lead the preparation and hosting of the bridal shower. You can also ask the bridesmaids for some help for you to be able to organize a wonderful party for the bride.
Give Moral Support
As the date of the wedding approaches, the bride will feel more stressed. As her maid of honor, it’s your duty to always talk to her and assure her that things will go as planned. Always keep in touch with the bride and ask if there’s anything you can do to help. Simply being available to talk can go a long way.
On the Wedding Day
Know All the Important Details
The bride will be very busy on her wedding day, therefore, it’s your duty to know all the important details about the wedding. This is because everyone will have questions about the event such as where will the portraits take place, the time of the cake-cutting, the plan when it rains, and more. By knowing the details, you will surely help the bride answer all of these questions.
Stay Close to the Bride
The maid of honor should always be within arm’s reach with the bride. This way, you will be able to assist her when she has requests such as a tissue, a glass of water, or a bobby pin. She will also feel more comfortable when you’re near her.
Lead the Bridesmaids
Even when there are just two bridesmaids or ten, as the maid of honor, it’s your duty to make sure that they know what to do and where they should be throughout the wedding day.
Hold the Bouquet and Ring
During the vows, it’s your duty to hold the bride’s bouquet and the groom’s ring.
Witness and Sign the Marriage Certificate
You are also part of making your best friend’s marriage official.
On the Reception
Assist the Bride
Before heading to the wedding reception, the maid of honor should help the bride in preparing her dress for the reception. You can also help her retouch her makeup if needed.
Speech and Toast
The maid of honor can give a short, sweet, funny, or touching message for the bride and groom and offer a toast.
Help in Collecting Gifts
If there are guests who brought gifts to the wedding, make sure that all of their gifts were collected in one place and brought home after the event.
Make Sure Everyone is Having a Great Time
If you see that the dance floor is empty, you should encourage the guests to dance by setting an example to them.
Lead the Guests
During the reception activities like cake-cutting and bouquet toss, you can lead the guests and let them know where they need to be.
Prepare for Takeoff
After the party, the maid of honor should help the bride in changing into her going-away dress and collect her gown as well as accessories to take home. It’s your responsibility to take care of her wedding gown as she takeoff with her husband to their honeymoon.
Duties of a Bridesmaid in a Wedding
The duties of bridesmaids in a wedding will depend on their age and the kind of bridal party. If there are very young bridesmaids, they are only required to show up on the wedding day looking beautiful and follow the bride down the aisle. Older bridesmaids on the other hand, have a lot of useful role to play before, on the day, and after the wedding. Here are the duties of a bridesmaid.
Before the Wedding
Before the wedding, the main duty of the bridesmaids is to show up on dress fittings, suggest some styles to the bridesmaids’ dresses, and attend the bridal shower. Aside from these, the bridesmaids can also go with the bride in shopping for the bridal gown if ever the maid of honor is not available.
The bridesmaids should also help the maid of honor in organizing the bridal shower. They can also keep track of any gifts that that bride will receive on the bridal shower so she can write some thank you messages.
On the Morning of the Wedding Day
On the wedding day, the bridesmaids should arrive early at the place where the bride is getting ready in so that they would have time to have their hair and makeups done and as well as to get into their outfits. Older bridesmaids should help younger ones and even the flower girls to get ready and keep them entertained and clean as well.
It’s also the duty of the bridesmaids to know in advance how they are getting to the ceremony and make sure that there are no issues with the wedding transportation.
During the Wedding Ceremony
The main duty of the bridesmaids on the ceremony is to hold and look after important items such as the vow cards and the bride’s gloves or bouquet while the maid of honor signs the marriage register.
During the Wedding Reception
Bridesmaids during the reception are required to take part in the receiving line and as well as in greeting the guests. It’s also their responsibility to assists guest and ensure that everyone knows where they should be. The bride can also ask the bridesmaids to distribute the wedding cake to the guests. Once the dancing starts, the bridesmaids should also join the dancing.
After the Wedding
The duties of the bridesmaids are not yet done even after the wedding. It’s because the bride can ask for their help in returning anything that was hired, having some photos printed, and as well helping the maid of honor to get the bride’s gown dry cleaned and packed.
A maid of honor and bridesmaids are indeed important for the bride to make her dream wedding possible. You just have to remember that the most important duty you have is to act as a good friend to the bride and assure her that her wedding day would be fabulous. We hope this will help you fulfill your duties as a maid of honor or a bridesmaid.