Bridesmaid and Maid of Honor Tips and Lists
About the Maid or Matron of Honor
The maid of honor is the main source of wedding and pre-wedding emotional support for the bride. She shops and plans with the bride, and helps the bride with pre-wedding tasks such as wedding favors and addressing invitations and often joins the bride and her mother to shop for the wedding gown.
The maid of honor is the coordinator and source of information for bridesmaid events including fittings and the bridal luncheon. She organizes a shower in honor of the bride and coordinates or delegates coordination of a bachelorette party, if one is given.
On the day of the wedding she concerns herself with assisting the bride in her dressing and preparations for the day, accompanying her to any beauty appointments and seeing to her emotional well being. At the ceremony itself she adjusts the bride’s veil and train, holds the groom’s ring until the appointed time and the bride’s bouquet during the ring exchange. She will also sign the marriage certificate as a legal witness. She may participate in the receiving line.
During the reception she is seated in a place of honor and may make a toast to bride and groom. She will also keep watch over the bride’s health and appearance, seeing that the bride eats properly and helping with beauty touch-ups. She may also act as intermediary between the bride and any wedding professionals assisting at the reception. Near the end of the reception, she helps the bride change to her going away outfit and sees that the wedding gown and accessories are properly cared for until the bride can arrange for cleaning and storage. She gets the bride’s bouquet to a preservationist if requested.
Sometimes a bride will choose both a maid and matron of honor, particularly if she has both a close friend and sister.
Below are some traditional duties of the Maid or Matron of Honor. Be sure to defer to your bride, for direction.
Before the Wedding:
• Attend Engagement Party.
• May join bride and her mother in selection of bridal gown.
• Plan and coordinate bridal shower with the assistance of other attendants.
• Join bride in selection of attendant attire.
• Help coordinate bridesmaids for their fittings.
• Attend fittings and purchase wedding attire and accessories.
• Coordinate accessory selection and distribution.
• May assist bride in preparing guest favors.
• Assemble a Wedding Day Emergency Kit.
• Attend ceremony rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
Ceremony:
• Assists the bride in dressing for the ceremony.
• Coordinates bridesmaids in their duties, time, and transportation details.
• Runs "interferance" for the bride, to reduce her stress before the ceremony.
• Keeps the groom’s ring safe until needed in the ceremony.
• Attends to the bride’s health and emotional well being.
• Tends to bride’s gown, veil and train before and during the ceremony.
• Holds bride’s bouquet during the ring exchange.
• Provides the ring to the celebrant at the appointed time.
• Signs marriage certificate as legal witness.
• Sees to bride’s appearance before any photography.
Reception:
• May stand in the receiving line.
• May sit next to the bride or groom at the head table
• May make a toast to the couple.
• Helps the bride bustle up her train, if necessary.
• Dances with best man during wedding party dance.
• Sees to bride’s and guests’ needs during the reception.
• Helps guide reception activities as needed.
• Helps the bride change out of wedding gown.
• Sees that the bride’s gown and accessories are packed and safe.
• Gets bride’s bouquet to preservationist if requested.
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About the Bridesmaids
The bridesmaids attend their fittings, purchase their own gowns and accessories and assist in the planning and hosting of the bridal shower. They may also assist the bride in other ways, such as with wedding favors, programs or decorations.
Younger attendants aged ten to fourteen may be junior bridesmaids who are often asked to light candles before the ceremony or attend to the guest book at the reception. All attendants are invited to pre-wedding parties and give joint or individual gifts for the wedding shower and wedding.
Below are some traditional duties of the Bridesmaids. Be sure to defer to your bride, for direction.
Before the Wedding:
• Attend engagement party
• Co- host bridal shower with the maid or matron of honor
• Attend fittings and purchase their own wedding attire and accessories
• Assist bride when needed with wedding preparations
• Attend ceremony rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
• Other as needed or requested
Ceremony:
• Follow timelines closely
• Perform duties as requested by the bride and maid of honor
• Walk in wedding processional and recessional
• Other as needed or requested
Reception:
• May sit next to their groomsman escort at the head table
• Dances with their groomsman escort during wedding party
• Participates in reception activities
• Assists bride with any assigned wedding tasks
• Other as needed or requested
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About the FlowerGirls
A lighthearted addition to any wedding is a sweet little flower girl accompanied by a handsomely suited little ring bearer or page. Though these youngsters, ranging in age from three to eight years old are incredibly adorable they are often equally unpredictable. It is important that the parents of the children and the children themselves are aware of your expectations and schedules.
Should it seem unlikely that the children can remain standing still with the bridal party they may be seated with their parents during the ceremony. All children are seated with their parents at the reception.
Below are some traditional duties. Be sure to defer to your bride, for direction.
Before the Wedding:
• Attend bridal shower with their parent
• Attend fittings and purchase (with parents) their own wedding attire.
• Attend ceremony rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
Ceremony:
• Follow timelines closely
• Walk in wedding processional and recessional as requested by bride
• May sit with their parents during ceremony
Reception:
• Sit with parents during reception
• May dance with their escort during wedding party dance
• Participate in reception activities
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