Maid of Honor Duties

The maid of honor is the most important of all the bridesmaids, since she has to take care of many wedding activities, before and during the celebrations. She has to be with the bride 24x7, after the wedding date has been finalized. This is because the bride needs assistance in all the wedding arrangements.

She needs a helping hand or sometimes, an honest opinion about things. She is the bride's right-hand who needs to fulfill all her duties on, and before the wedding day.

More often than not, the chief bridesmaid is the bride's best friend who not only helps with the planning, but also provides her with emotional support. As the chief bridesmaid, you are required to:

Firstly, discuss with the bride about the kind of wedding she wants. This will give you an idea of what preparations you need to do.

It is suggested that you maintain an errand checklist on your mobile, in a notebook, or a diary.

Shopping for a wedding takes a lot of patience. Hunting for a wedding gown is very important when it comes bridal shopping. Help the bride find a dress that goes with the wedding theme. You will be required to be with the bride for each of the bridal gown trials.

Give her honest opinions about the dresses, and suggest any alterations, if required. You will also be expected to take care of the bridesmaids' dresses.

Search for bridal shops which have the kind of bridal accessories that you are looking for. Help the bride shop for all the accessories such as shoes, jewelry, makeup, hair accessories, etc.

Next thing to be done is to start maintaining proper communication with the other bridesmaids as well as the groom's best man. You will be the bride's messenger, who will communicate with the bride and groom's parents, friends, and relatives.

This would be necessary only if you do not wish to hire a wedding coordinator for making all the arrangements. In case, you are taking help from a wedding coordinator, he would take care of all these arrangements. All you would have to do is communicate with the coordinator.

A bachelorette party is an expected affair that has to be taken care of by you. You will also have to throw a bridal shower and buy a gift for the bride.

Book a hairstylist and a makeup artist for the wedding day.

The photographer is usually chosen by the bride and groom. However, you might want to run a check on him prior to the wedding day.

The wedding decorations and wedding catering arrangements will also have to be looked into. The bride will need your help while deciding the venue, menu, and the interiors of the reception. You are also expected to help the bride with the seating arrangements, wedding invitations, and sorting out the guest list.

The rehearsal dinner is another important event for the bride and the groom. The maid of honor is supposed to look out for any minute details that might have been missed out initially. Help the bride fix them before the wedding day.

Your most important duties begin on the wedding day. You will have to escort the bride everywhere, help her get ready, put on her dress and makeup, take her to the beauty salon, if needed, etc. Your most important job of the day would be to take care of the groom's wedding ring.

During the wedding, you must hold the bride's bouquet, hand her the ring, straighten her gown, take care of the bride's possessions and gifts, etc. During the wedding reception, you are expected to deliver a speech in honor of the newly weds; and make a toast to them.

Last but not the least, your most important duty would be to support the bride mentally and emotionally. The bride may get nervous, anxious, or over-sentimental due to the stress of the wedding. This is when you should reassure her about the wedding and ensure that she feels gratified.