Maid of Honor Duties
Being chosen as a maid of honor is a great privilege, but it
also requires a large number of responsibilities in the wedding
planning process. The maid of honor will likely be spending a
great deal of time with the best man, since their duties are
often the same and require them to work hand-in-hand in order
for the wedding to be a success. Once you have dealt with the
excitement of being part of the wedding party and of wearing a
great dress, it’s time to start planning immediately. Here is a
list of common duties the maid of honor must fulfill:
- It is the maid of honor’s responsibility to shop with
the bride and attend all dress fittings. The maid of honor may
want to help the bridesmaids shop for their dresses as well. - The maid of honor will be required to help with wedding
invitations, wedding favors, flower arrangements, centerpieces
or anything else at the bride’s request. - A large part of the maid of honor’s duties requires her to
throw the bridal shower and bachelorette parties. The maid of honor will be
responsible for planning and hosting all of these parties. If
the couple decides they want a stag and doe (as opposed to
bachelor and bachelorette parties) the maid of honor and best
man will work together to plan and host the event. - It’s the maid of honor’s duty to record the names of the
guests at the bridal party as well as their gifts. It is also
her job to send out thank you cards to all guests. - During the wedding ceremony, it’s the maid of honor’s
responsibility to hold onto the groom’s ring (the best man is
required to hold onto the bride’s ring). - It’s the maid of honor’s responsibility (as well as the best
man’s) to sign the wedding license as a witness. - Finally, it is tradition for the maid of honor and best man
to dance together at the reception.
If you are a first-time maid of honor and need help planning
there are many people who would be eager to help out starting
with the bride’s mom or the bridesmaids. There are also a number
of Internet resources to assist you with bridal planning and
ideas.
The maid of honor has many responsibilities, but it’s important
to remember that the bride would not have chosen you if she
didn’t think you were capable of fulfilling these obligations.
