So your partner-in-crime is getting married and she’s asked you to be her maid of honour. What an exciting time for both of you! Although, now comes the tricky bit - planning the actual thing! Organising a wedding can be wonderful and every girl’s dream, it can also be a tad stressful. Your role as the chief bridesmaid is to help alleviate the stress along the way and make sure it all runs as smoothly as possible. “But how?!” We hear you scream. Well, we’ve come up with a checklist for those all-important maid of honour duties, so you don’t feel too overwhelmed!
Maid of Honour Duties Checklist:
- Invites & Announcements - Envelope licker and stamp sticker!
- Wedding Dress & Accessories - “Give us a twirl!”
- Bridesmaid Dresses & Fittings - Help pick, so you don’t wind up looking like Little Bo Peep.
- Help with the Planning - Pens, paper, Google and wine at the ready!
- Be a Friend - Provide the chocolate and let the bride vent!
- Plan the Hen Party - No pressure, it’s only the bride’s big send off into married life!
- Attend the Rehearsals - “I’ll try not to fall over on your actual wedding day!”
- Going Away Luggage - “Yes, I’m sure two suitcases will be enough.”
- Help Her Get Ready - Be on hand to help while the experts work their magic.
- Calm Her Nerves - “…aaannnndd breath!”
- Herd the Bridesmaids - It’s like babysitting kittens!
- Honeymoon Kit - Passports? Check! Tickets? Check! Inflatable Crocodile? Check!
- Check Reservations & Arrangements - Double, triple, quadruple check!
- Go-Between for the Bride and Groom - “Don’t shoot the messenger!”
- Emergency Bridal Kit - “I need some safety pins and a needle and thread, STAT!”
- Get Everyone in Order - Good luck, this one can be a pain in the maid of honours!
- Look after the Bouquet - This one’s a doddle! Just hold them while the bride gets married.
- Witness the Register Signing - Easy! Watch them sign the register.
- Help the Photographer - Round up the rabble, it’s picture time!
- Get Them in the Car - “Unless you want to walk to the reception, I’d hop in now!”
- Receive the Guests - “I’ll be the one making a fool out of myself later!”
- The Bouquet (Again!) - Just make sure they don’t die during the evening!
- Make Sure Everyone is Enjoying Themselves - “….heeeeeeey Macarena!”
- Speech - “I first met [bride] when God was handing out good looks and fab senses of humour”
- Help the Bride Change - So she can party without spoiling her dress.
- Dance - Throw some shapes with the best man and get the party started!
- Laugh & Have Fun! - It is a party after all!
Before the Wedding
- Invites & Announcements
Help out with arrangements for getting the mother of the bride and the other attendants to the ceremony.
- Wedding Dress & Accessories
Help pick her dress. Be supportive but honest (there’s a fine line between helpful and rude!)
- Bridesmaid Dresses & Fittings
Help organise the rabble and allow plenty of time to get the girls together for a fitting.
- Help with the Planning
Lend a hand and an opinion. Act as a sounding board for the bride to bounce ideas off.
- Be a Friend
Allow the bride to vent her stresses to you and help as much as you can.
- Plan the Hen Party
The biggie! Speak to the bride to gauge what she wants. Then call in the experts!
- Attend Rehearsals
Make sure everything runs smoothly and practice your role for the big day.
- Going Away Luggage
Ensure the bride is all packed for the honeymoon or for the wedding if it’s not near to home.
- Little Things
Help track gifts received and thank you notes. Supply “something borrowed” and “something blue”.
The Big Day - Pre-Ceremony
- Help Her Get Ready
Arrive at the bride’s house/accommodation and help her with hair and make-up.
- Calm Her Nerves
Simply be there for her. Reassure her. Make sure she eats, whatever she wants or needs!
- Herd the Bridesmaids
Make sure they all know where they’re going and what they’re doing.
- Honeymoon Kit
Make sure the bride and groom have their luggage, tickets, passports, money, etc.
- Check Reservations & Arrangements
Service sheets, hired cars, times, places, people. Check, double check, triple check!
- Messenger Between Bride & Groom
Obviously, they can’t see each other pre-ceremony, but they may need to get info to each other.
- Emergency Bridal Kit
Safety pins, sewing gear, make-up, tissues, etc. Just in case, you’re prepared for it all!
The Ceremony
- Get Everyone in Order
Ensure everyone is in the right position behind the bride for her entrance.
- Look After the Bouquet
Hold the bride’s bouquet for the duration of service once she joins the groom.
- Witness the Register Signing
When the time comes, you’ll go with the couple to a side room to witness the signing.
- Help the Photographer
If the photographer wants some pre-wedding snaps, find the people and direct them to him/her
- Get Them in the Cars
Gather the important attendants and make sure they get to the reception.
The Reception
- Receiving the Guests
You may be part of the receiving line, if there is one, to greet the guests.
- The Bouquet (Again!)
You may have responsibility for keeping bouquet somewhere safe, so it doesn’t get damaged.
- Ensure Everyone’s Enjoying Themselves
Circulate to make sure everyone’s having a good time and report back to bride to reassure her.
- Speech
Although traditionally a job for the best man, more maid of honours are doing one. Plan early!
The Evening Reception
- Ensure Everyone’s Enjoying Themselves (Again)
Including the Bride! This really helps to alleviate concerns and makes things run smoothly!
- Help the Bride Change
Help her change and take care of the wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses!
- Dance!
And there you have it, your definitive maid of honour duties checklist, so you can now be prepared for anything that gets thrown at you in your role as the bride’s righthand gal. There’s no need to be daunted, most of the duties just require you to be a great friend and remember things!
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