So, your friend has asked you to be her maid of honor. While it's certainly an honor, it's also a position that holds a lot of responsibility. How you choose to fulfill your maid of honor duties can have a big effect on the bride's overall wedding experience. If you've accepted this honor and are just realizing how challenging the role of being a maid of honor can be, keep reading to learn a few tips to help you be the best right hand a bride could ask for.
Offer to Attend Consultations with Her
Often, the bride and groom will book consultations with professionals to plan their cake, flowers, table arrangements, food, and more together. But there are so many other appointments and meetings that the bride must attend and which the groom tends to skip. From dress fittings to hair and makeup trials, these can be time-consuming, stressful, or even downright boring. Offer to come along to any and all consultations that you're able to attend. Even if you're just there to keep her company, the bride will appreciate that you want to be there for the less-exciting parts of planning a wedding.
Coordinate with the Other Bridesmaids
Whether the wedding party is just a few close friends or sisters or a big group of college friends, coordinating everyone's schedules and making sure they're all in the loop is quite the job. Take over for the bride-to-be and connect with all the bridesmaids right from the start. Swap contact information, send out updates about dress fittings or the bachelorette party, and offer to answer any questions that might come up. This will save the bride time and reduce her anxiety, allowing her to focus on other important wedding planning tasks.
Plan a Bachelorette Party She'll Actually Love
When it comes to planning a bachelorette party, it's easy to get carried away. And if you know that the bride will enjoy an over-the-top, naughty night on the town, plan just that. Then again, if you know your friend would enjoy something more intimate, like a girl's weekend away or even just a cooking class or craft night, drop the party night vibe. After all, the last thing you want to do is plan a party that the guest of honor won't actually enjoy attending. Set aside what you think a bachelorette party should be like and instead plan the perfect event for your friend.
Pick the Perfect Gift
Now that you've planned the perfect bachelorette party, there's one more thing you need to prepare for the big night: a gift. Most bachelorette party guests bring a small gift for the bride, with lingerie being a popular choice. Unfortunately, mothers, casual friends, or distant relatives aren't always the best at choosing what a bride might enjoy wearing on her wedding night. As the bride's best friend—and likely her closest confidant—it's up to you to choose the perfect intimate gift. Consider your friend's taste and style, as well as what might accent her best features. While white is a popular choice for wedding nightwear, if you think the bride would prefer a lingerie set in a pop of pink or sexy black, don't be afraid to go with your instinct.
Be Overprepared on the Big Day
A woman's wedding day is a wild mix of emotions. From exhaustion to happiness and nervousness to excitement, your friend will have plenty on her mind. Ahead of the big day, make sure you've overprepared to help make things go as smooth and stress-free as possible. For instance, pack an emergency kit with things like stain pens, band-aids, concealers, wet wipes, hygiene products, and deodorant just in case the bride or a bridesmaid forgets something. Know the schedule for the day down to the minute, and try to help keep things on track. If something goes wrong among the bridesmaids, like someone forgetting their shoes at home, take charge and do what you can to fix the problem and only let the bride know that something is up after you have it under control. She may not realize what you're doing in the moment, but your friend will be endlessly grateful that you helped make her big day a bit less stressful.
Being a maid of honor is a big deal and responsibility. But with these easy tips, you can master your duties and help take a weight off your friend's shoulders as she prepares for her big day.
MORE ON THE FLASH LIST
