When choosing your maid of honor, be sure to pick someone very responsible. You will rely on her to help you through all aspects of your wedding planning. If your best friend tends to be a flake, ask her to be a bridesmaid and select someone else as your maid of honor. This is particularly important if you are not hiring a wedding planner.
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So what does your maid of honor do? Well, a lot more than standing next you at the altar.
Planning the Shower
If your family isn’t hosting your bridal shower, it’s time for your maid of honor to step up. She can plan the shower (or help you plan your own shower) including handling the invitations, the catering and all other aspects. At the shower, she should mark down each gift as you open it, along with the name of the person who gave it to you. She can help you write the Thank You notes too. If you are having a bachelorette party, she should plan that too.
Shopping for Dresses
The maid of honor normally accompanies the bride when she’s choosing her wedding dress. Ideally, the maid of honor should be honest enough to give her opinion about how the gown looks. She should also help the bride pick out the bridesmaid dresses. She should organize the fittings for the bridesmaids.
Addressing Invitations
The maid of honor and the other bridesmaids should help the bride addressing the invitations and stamping the envelopes. It’s kind of a pain, so make a night of it and use the opportunity to hang out with your favorite girls. If you have to put together D-I-Y favors, centerpieces or other decorations, the maid of honor should help the bride with these items too.
On Your Wedding Day
The maid of honor should assist the bride with her train, help the bride with her makeup and hair, and do just about anything else to make sure the bride looks perfect. She stands up for the bride as a witness. She is also responsible for holding the groom’s ring for the bride, as well as hanging onto her bouquet as the couple says their vows. At the reception, she will dance with best man and make a toast. She should also be on the look out for trouble — making sure your Uncle Sal isn’t drinking too much and that the kids aren’t dipping their fingers into the icing on your wedding cake.
Basically, your maid of honor should do everything and anything she can to make sure your wedding is beautiful and stress free for you. When picking your maid of honor keep these things in mind. She can’t just be a good friend; she needs to be responsible, organized and trustworthy too!
