Being asked to be the maid of honour is exciting and a huge privilege. Youâve not only been picked for this role because youâre a great friend, but you also possess the right traits to live up to the responsibility. After all, there are many maid of honour duties that youâll need to tick off in the coming months of your bestieâs engagement.
So what are they?
Maid of honour duties are many and varied and largely depend on the brideâs wishes. From organising the henâs party to a speech at the wedding, being a maid of honour is the ultimate mark of friendship.
While maid of honour duties vary from person to person, there are a few standard expectations from all chief bridesmaids. Here are the five most common maid of honour duties to be aware of.
Assist with wedding planning
When youâre first asked to be the maid of honour, be prepared that you might also be delegated a few wedding planning tasks. Planning a wedding is a massive job and the bride and groom will hand some things over to the people they trust the most. Thatâs you.
While youâre opinion matters to the bride, at the end of the day, this is about what she wants, not what you want. If youâre tasked with something to organise for the wedding, make sure you listen to the brideâs wishes, even if you think you have a better idea.
Youâve been chosen as the maid of honour because of your close ties to the bride. But youâve also been chosen because youâre reliable. Live up to this expectation and assist with wedding planning wherever possible.
Taking charge of organising henâs party
Organising the henâs party is a job for all bridesmaids but, as maid of honour, youâll take the reins and have overall say on the eventâs activities.
Be sure to listen to the brideâs wishes regarding what she wants for the day. If sheâs specifically requested a low-key event, donât go throwing her a raging party just because you think itâd be more fun.
Take charge of the henâs party planning and delegate tasks to other bridesmaids to ensure the event comes together nicely and everyone feels included in its organisation.
Helping the bride get ready and keeping her calm
Wedding day jitters can affect even the calmest of brides. Even if the bride believes wholeheartedly that she wonât experience nerves on her wedding day, thereâs a high chance she will at some point.
Be there to ease her nerves. Make her laugh. Ensure she stays hydrated. Make her chamomile tea if you have to.
Whatever it is that you need to do to keep your best friend calm, make sure you do it for her on her wedding day.
The bride may also need help getting into her wedding dress. Fiddly buttons and fussy fabric are typical of wedding dresses and most brides need some assistance. Keep in mind that this is the gown of her dreams, so take your time. The last thing the bride wants is a wardrobe malfunction on the most special day of her life.
Signing the marriage license
As maid of honour, youâll be asked to sign the marriage license as a witness. This is an imperative part of a wedding ceremony as it legally binds the couple as husband and wife.
This may seem like a quick and easy task but you need to be aware of how important your signature is in making the marriage official.
Treat this job as a huge honour, because it is. If thereâs a signing table set up, take the time to sit down and sign the license carefully. Donât stand next to the table and scribble your name quickly. The bride will want to see that you take her marriage seriously and you support her in this new chapter of her life.
Saying a speech at the wedding reception
Ahhh, wedding speeches. Weâve all witnessed a shocker or two in the past. Donât be this person.
Itâs important to remember that a wedding speech is not a 21st speech. While itâs always good to add some humorous anecdotes in a wedding speech, donât go overboard and turn it into an all-out roast on the bride!
Being asked to say a wedding speech is an honour in itself. As the bride will have very little clue about the content of your speech, she is putting complete faith in you that you will do her justice when it comes time for speeches.
Be funny, be sentimental and, above all, understand that this is the most important day of your best friendâs life. Say a speech that she will remember for all the right reasons.
Witnessing the closeness of a bride and her maid of honour is something truly special and weâre lucky to see this so often here at Markovina Vineyard Estate. This unwavering relationship is something that all brides will keep close to their heart which is why maid of honours need to take their duties seriously.
Wedding season is here and weâre busy helping all our couples plan their weddings
As an all-inclusive venue, we take care of all the major tasks in wedding planning.
We provide an exceptional food and beverage menu, decorations and music and lighting.
We also only host one wedding per day to ensure our couples have use of the full estate grounds.
There is so much to organise when planning a wedding so let us make it easier for you. Give us a call today to find out how we can help you create the wedding of your dreams.
