F.S. ~ A Maid of Honor

Back to our wedding series...A Maid of Honor. She is a very important part of the wedding! First of all, it is an incredible honor to be asked to stand as Maid or Matron of Honor. The Maid of Honor leads the bridal party. Many of the responsibilities are the same as a bridesmaid (see post A Bridesmaid), except that this is more of a leadership role.

• Be there for technical and moral support. The bride may rely on you to be her right hand during the wedding process, but she may also need you for stress relief! Be encouraging, make her laugh, be supportive, and help her enjoy it. 
• Help with pre-wedding logistics with the bridesmaids. There are lots of decisions to be made, orders to be placed, and errands to be run when it comes to outfitting the bridesmaids for wedding day. Let the bride know that you will be in charge of anything she needs to hand over to you. Just keep in mind that it is her wedding, and be sure to get her approval when necessary. 
• Stay informed as to where the bride is registered, where events are being held, what the arrangements are for out-of-town guests, etc., so that you can take some of the pressure of questions from guests off of the bride.
• Attend all of the showers and parties given for the bride.
• Make sure that you or some other designated person keeps a record of all gifts received at pre-wedding events. 
• Host a bridal shower. The bridesmaids may also want to participate in this, and it is a great opportunity for all of you to get together and throw the bride a party. However, you as Maid of Honor lead the way!
• Coordinate bridesmaids during wedding weekend. Make sure that out-of-town bridesmaids have somewhere to stay and that they receive all the details of events. 
• On the day of the wedding, be sure that the bridesmaids all get where they need to be, have their hair and makeup taken care of, and receive all the necessary items they need for the ceremony. It may be helpful to type up a sheet of information for them (dates, times, and places of events; when to arrive on wedding day, what to bring, and helpful little tips and reminders).
• On wedding day, be sure the bride has all she needs. You should be assisted in this by the other bridesmaids who are also looking out for the bride. Usually, you are most helpful in seeing that the bride is not overloaded with little details that you can handle.
• Make sure the bride has the marriage license.
• As the ceremony begins, help arrange her train if needed. 
• Hold the bride's bouquet during the ceremony when the vows begin.
• Make sure the bride's train is properly arranged as she leaves the ceremony. 
• At the reception, help direct guests where to go for the food line, where to sign the guestbook, where to place gifts, etc.
• Be sure that the bride gets something to eat before she leaves the ceremony. 
• Be willing to assist the bride whenever she needs you! 

While it seems like a lot of things to remember, it is a joy to come alongside a bride and help make her special day as special as possible!