How to Be the Ultimate Maid of Honor
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let's look at the big picture. The maid of honor's primary purpose falls under three major categories: support the bride, manage the bridesmaids, and be available. Good organizational and communication skills are a plus, but a positive attitude is a must!
Supporting the bride means keeping her as stress free as possible and helping with the wedding planning in whatever capacity she needs it. (If she has a planner, you'll have less to take on, but the following duties include all that you might have to help with.) This also means emotional support. You need to be a good listener when she's having a meltdown about the planning process or cold feet about the marriage. You need to be honest and offer positive feedback when she asks for your opinions, but you also need to support whatever decisions she makes that you don't agree with.
Managing the bridesmaids includes making sure there is constant communication about where they need to be and when and what's expected of them. Most importantly, it's about being the go-between person for them and the bride, so that if they have issues about the cost of the bridesmaids' dresses, for example, you can help solve the issue without stressing out the bride.
Being available means making sure you can attend all the prewedding festivities — such as any bridal showers or bachelorette parties you may need to plan and host — as well as being available for guests to ask you questions and to take on last-minute DIY projects. Now let's look at the specific maid of honor responsibilities. And download the printable checklist here!
