What are the responsibilities of the maid-of-honor?

By Sharon Naylor
The Maid of Honor has a variety of roles during the time of her service, and they are specifically determined by what the bride requires of her.
Traditionally, the Maid of Honor does the following:
• Helps the bride choose her wedding gown.
• Participates in the selection of bridesmaid gown options.
• Helps coordinate the bridesmaids’ efforts in trying on and purchasing gowns.
• Might take over the responsibility of coordinating the bridesmaids’ payment and delivery of their gowns.
• Helps the bridesmaids coordinate their shoe and accessory orders.
• Helps in any other capacity to outfi t the bridesmaids.
• Helps coordinate fi ttings for the bridesmaids.
• Hosts or co-hosts the bridal shower, including planning the entire event, coordinating the bridesmaids’ helpful efforts and payment, and perhaps selecting and buying the bride’s gift from all of the maids.
• Records who gave which gift at the bridal shower.
• Might help create the bride’s bow-bouquet at the bridal shower.
• Helps plan the bachelorette’s party in tandem with the other maids or bride’s friends.
• Participates in the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Attends salon appointments, if the bride requests that her maids get their hair, makeup and nails done at a salon.
• Attends the bridal brunch the morning of the wedding.
• Helps the bride dress before the wedding.
• Uses her resourcefulness to replace missing items that morning.
• Poses for group pictures before the wedding.
• Attends the wedding and reception.
• Perhaps proposes a toast to the bride and groom.
• Keeps the party going with great group dances and tributes.
And perhaps most importantly:
Serves as the bride’s right-hand woman throughout the entire wedding planning process, being the person
who is completely dependable with what the bride needs done.
Also, serves as a sounding board for the bride during the stressful planning months.
Very often, the bride may feel pushed and pulled in many different directions as she deals with the emotionally-
charged aspects of her wedding, various family members’ requests and demands, etc.
The Maid of Honor is then there to help even out her stress levels by getting her away from it all, getting her to
laugh, letting her talk it out, or just being there as someone who doesn’t want anything from the bride.
The Maid of Honor has an important, never-forgotten role that can seal a relationship with the bride…or break it
forever if the role is not taken seriously.
—Sharon Naylor is the author of over 25 wedding planning books and is the wedding planning Q&A specialist at www.NJWedding.com, personally answering questions from brides and grooms about any aspect of their wedding planning.