Maid of Honor Duties: Responsibilities of a Maid of Honor

If you have been chosen to be a bride's maid of honor, you must be someone extra special to her. The maid of honor has a number of important duties to help the bride before, during and after the most important day of her life. Here is a quick checklist of some of the essential duties of a maid of honor.

Maid of Honor Duties Pre Wedding

The maid of honor should assist the bride with arrangements and preparations for the wedding day. You may need to help pick out the wedding dress as well as the bridesmaids dresses and accessories, flowers, wedding decorations and wedding invitations. The maid of honor may also need to help the bride with addressing and mailing out the invitations. The maid of honor usually hosts and plans the bridal shower and should keep track of the gifts the bride receives with the giver's name to send out the thank you cards. Of course, the most important preparation is the maid of honor's duty to arrange the bachelorette party in the bride's final chapter of singleness.

Wedding Day Duties of the Maid of Honor

On the bride's big day, the maid of honor's most important responsibility is that of moral support. After all, there's a reason she chose you for this position; she trusts you. The maid of honor helps the bride with her hair and makeup and may even help her get into her wedding gown, making sure the train and veil are straight and everything is in its place. The bride's maid of honor also assists in keeping the bride calm and relaxed. He/she keeps track of the groom's wedding ring and holds the bouquet during the ceremony. The maid of honor is also responsible for serving as a witness in the signing of the marriage certificate.

After the Wedding Ceremony Maid of Honor Responsibilities

Lucky for you, your duties don't end simply because the wedding ceremony is over. At the wedding reception, the maid of honor will usually toast the bride and groom after the best man's toast, so have your best speech or funniest anecdote about the couple prepared. If there is a dance, the maid of honor also shares a dance with the best man. You may be asked to take care of the bride's wedding dress and help transport gifts to the newlyweds' home.

Now that the wedding is over, you can kick off your heels and relax. Weddings can be just as stressful for the maid of honor as it is for the bride, but you can rest assured that you helped your friend or family member make the most important day of her life the best possible.