If you’re lucky enough to be someone’s maid of honor, congrats! It’s a huge honor (get it?) to be such a key part in someone’s big day. While it’s obviously exciting to be part of the magic, it can also feel intimidating if this is your first time navigating the MOH role. Don’t stress, bestie! We’ve got a list of the basic maid of honor duties, so you can focus all of your attention on making your loved one’s bridal experience the best ever.
Before the Wedding
While one of your biggest jobs as the maid of honor is standing by the bride’s side on the wedding day, it’s important to understand what is usually expected of the MOH before the big day. Obviously this could vary depending on the bride, and you should absolutely communicate with them ahead of time to make sure you’re on the same page, but these are some of the things usually expected of the MOH before the bride walks down the aisle:
1. The Ringleader – As the main bridesmaid, you are now the main point of contact between the other bridesmaids. Making sure everyone is responding in a timely manner, agreeing on budgets for things like the bachelorette, planning the bridesmaid dress shopping, and keeping the peace during any kind of drama are all things you might now be in charge of. This doesn’t mean you have to do it all alone though! Most of the time there is at least one other bridesmaid willing to help tackle all of the logistics involved in being in a bridal party.
2. Emotional Support Bridesmaid – If you got the MOH role odds are you already do this for the bride, but be prepared to be there. Planning a wedding is stressful, and sometimes your bride will have a freak out. Being there to help look for a florist, pick out the colors, or just listening when she’s overwhelmed are all important jobs for the maid of honor. You’ll also likely be involved in any wedding dress shopping and fitting appointments, and be asked opinions on most of the planning steps. No matter what it is she might need, your bride will want your honest, but supportive opinion!
3. Party Planning Committee – Perhaps one of the most important duties for a maid of honor, you are in charge of helping plan some of the pre-wedding events. The bachelorette party is almost always planned by the MOH, that includes talking to the bride about what she might want, agreeing on a budget with the bridesmaids, and booking and buying all the things you’ll need to make it happen. While this is the main pre-wedding party you’ll be in charge of, you might also help with a wedding shower, engagement party, bridal luncheon, or any other pre-wedding events your bride might need help with.
The Wedding Day
The big day is here and it comes with your final MOH duties! In addition to holding her bouquet after she walks down the aisle and giving a toast, there are a few more things the maid of honor is typically in charge of on the wedding day:
1. Assistant to the Bride – One of your biggest jobs of the day is to take as much stress off the bride’s plate as possible. Try to handle any last minute questions from guests or vendors, make sure she has something to eat, help keep things on track, and any other last minute things that may pop up that are easy to handle! If the bride doesn’t hire someone to set up for the ceremony and reception, you might be recruited to help here too. This typically just involves moving things around and arranging all the elements, so make sure you’re familiar with what she’s looking for! Don’t try to take it all on yourself though, you can delegate tasks to the other bridesmaids so everyone plays a part in making the day perfect.
2. Personal Stylist – As the MOH, you’re one of a few people in charge of making sure the bride looks her best at all times! You’ll make sure the veil and train are adjusted before the vows begin, make sure her makeup isn’t smudged, help bustle the dress, and assist with any dress changes that might take place before the reception. Depending on her wedding gown, you might also need to help with any bathroom runs throughout the day.
3. Official Hype Person – As the ringleader to the bridesmaids, you are in charge of keeping the mood for the day as upbeat and fun as possible. This includes hyping the bride up throughout the day with music and compliments, being the first one on the dance floor, and generally being excited for everything throughout the day. This one should be pretty easy because you’ll be celebrating someone you love!
We won’t lie, being a maid of honor is a big responsibility, but it’s also one of the most rewarding things you can do for a loved one. As long as you have fun and do your best, they’ll appreciate all the work you put into this role!
Leave a Reply