As the Maid of Honor, you have quite a long list of responsibilities. You are basically the right-hand man and need to be available for the bride whenever she needs your assistance. The following 8 tips on being a good Maid of Honor are by no means the only ones out there. It’s a huge privilege to be asked to be the Maid of Honor. I hope the following tips help you to be the best Maid of Honor ever!
You don’t have to be a constant source of laughter, but it would help if you are able to get the bride to see the humorous side of things every now and then. Keep smiling and making lots of positive comments. Cheering the bride up is part of your duty as the Maid of Honor. Make sure she’s happy and doesn’t get so bogged down with the wedding planning process that she becomes an emotional wreck.
It’s an unsaid part of the Maid of Honor’s job description. You are supposed to be a good listener and be there for the bride when she needs to vent about an aspect of the wedding that isn’t going according to plan. The bride should also be able to share her excitement with you as well. Even if something seems to re-emerge constantly, listen intently to what the bride has to say.
Being the Maid of Honor means it is your duty to plan a shower for the bride-to-be or at least co-host it. There might be someone else who is already making plans to host the bridal shower, but it would still be a good idea if you helped as much as you could. Definitely spread the word that the shower is going to take place, whether this news travels via card or word-of-mouth is up to you.
Some brides hire planners to take care of every little detail and others will try to accomplish everything all on their own. It’s this latter type of person that tries to take on too much responsibility and ends up nearly having a nervous breakdown. Ask the bride if you might be able to help her with some of the planning or anything else she might need help with.
Being on time for rehearsals, dress fittings, and other wedding planning events is just as important for the Maid of Honor as it is for the bride. If you are supposed to be there for a certain event, then be sure to show up on time. It would be disappointing if you miss an important happening that causes you to disrupt the flow of the wedding later on.
There’s a huge difference between being a critic and providing necessary input. If the bride is a close friend, then you should know where the boundaries are in your relationship. When the bride asks you for advice, be certain you know how truthful she really wants you to be. If you have to sugar coat something, it might be necessary. However, if she is about to pick out something that is utterly gauche and asked you for your opinion, you might want to be as truthful as possible.
Dresses for the Maid of Honor and the Bridesmaids are notorious for being atrocious. I know some brides pick out killer dresses that are amazingly beautiful and can be work for events after the wedding. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be a Maid of Honor who gets to wear a dress she truly likes. If you have nothing but negative thoughts about your dress, suck it up and put on a smile. Don’t make the poor bride feel horrible on what is to be one of the most memorable days of her life.
Brides tend to be extremely stressed out during the planning of the wedding. Offer the bride as much encouragement and positive vibes that you are able to muster up. I’m sure this would be greatly appreciated. The last thing the bride needs is a Maid of Honor who isn’t supportive of the wedding that is about to take place.
If you’ve already been a Maid of Honor in a wedding, please feel free to describe some of the duties you took on. Adding more suggestions to this list of 8 tips on being a good Maid of Honor will be exceptionally helpful to women who might be asked to take on this duty in the future. Did you find that being the Maid of Honor was a rewarding experience or a headache?
Top Photo Credit: jeremyhays