Maids Of Honor...what do they do? ?

Question

so i'm the maid of honor for my cousin and ive never even been a brides maid and i have no clue what i'm supposed to do! can someone please give me the basics? i'm planning a bridal shower for her next week and i need alot of help with that...like a theme? things ill need..what kind of present , food and stuff..who should i invite?.. thanks so much for the help !!! :) oh and also what do i do during the ceremony??

Answer 1

Here are some links that will help you a great deal:

Maid of Honor: Her Duties in Detail

Help! What do you do as the maid of honor? Don't worry, we've got your job description down to a science.

The maid/matron of honor is part worker bee, part emotional lifeboat. Chosen for your energetic, get-the-ball-in-motion qualities, you should also remember that listening to the bride, making her laugh, and offering emotional and logistical support are also part of your honor attendant package. Here's what's expected:

Lead the bridesmaid troupe. It's the maid/matron of honor's (MOH) job to direct the other maids through their duties. Make sure all bridesmaids get their dresses, go to dress fittings, and find the right jewelry. Also provide them with the 411 on all prewedding parties.

Help shop for dresses (the bride's and the bridesmaids'). And the MOH pays for her own entire wedding outfit (including shoes).

Offer to help the bride with prewedding tasks, from addressing invites to choosing the wedding colors and nodding enthusiastically when she waxes poetic about wedding cake.

Spread the news about where the bride and groom are registered.

Help the bride change for her honeymoon and take charge of her gown after the ceremony. Arrange for storage in a safe place until she returns.

Lend an ear. Whether it's about the planning, the marriage, or the registry china patterns, the MOH should assure the bride that she has someone with whom she can share her thoughts. Even if she seems to dwell on the same subjects repeatedly, the MOH keeps listening.

Host or cohost a shower for the bride.

Attend all prewedding parties.

Keep a record of all the gifts received at various parties and showers (or delegate a bridesmaid to handle this).

Plan the bachelorette party with the bridesmaids.

See to it that all bridesmaids get to the rehearsal; coordinate transportation and lodging, if necessary.

Make sure that all bridesmaids get their hair and makeup done, get to the ceremony on time, and have the correct bouquets.

Hold the groom's ring during the ceremony. Safest place to put it? On your thumb.

Arrange the bride's train and veil before the ceremony begins and just after she arrives at the altar. The MOH might also need to help her bustle the train for easy dancing at the reception.

Hold the bride's bouquet while the couple exchanges vows.

Sign the marriage license as a witness, along with the best man.

Stand next to the groom in the receiving line (this is optional; the bride may decide to have attendants circulate among the guests instead).

Play hostess along with the other bridesmaids at frequent points during the reception: show guests where to sit, direct them to restrooms, tell them to where to put presents, invite them to sign the guest book, etc.

Collect any gift envelopes brought to the reception and keep them in a safe place.

Make sure the bride takes a moment to eat something -- refresh her drink, get her a plate of food from the buffet table, or instruct the wait staff to keep her entree warm.

Dance with the best man during the formal first-dance sequence and possibly be announced with him at the beginning of the party. Also dance with other groomsmen, the groom, and others.

Toast the couple after the best man. (This is optional, but it is a nice touch.)

Troubleshoot emotional crises. In most cases, this will require lots of tissues, hugging, and hair-smoothing. The MOH continues to be a trusted friend, a good listener, and a smart advisor.

Keep the bride laughing. For the stressed-out bride, laughter can be as effective as venting.

-- Wendy Paris

Answer 2

Here's a quote from Wikipedia about Maids of Honor

'The activities of the principal bridesmaid may be as many or as varied as she allows the bride to impose upon her. Her only required duty is to participate in the wedding ceremony. Typically, however, she is asked for help with the logistics of the wedding as an event, such as addressing invitations, and for her help as a friend, such as attending the bride as she shops for her wedding dress. Many brides expect a chief bridesmaid to arrange and pay for a bridal shower as well as the bachelorette party (US) or hen's night (Australia and UK).

On the day of the wedding, her principal duty is to provide practical and emotional support. She might assist the bride with dressing and, if needed, help the bride manage her veil, a bouquet of flower, a prayer book, or the train of her wedding dress during the day. In a double-ring wedding, the chief bridesmaid is often entrusted with the groom's wedding ring until it is needed during the ceremony. Many brides ask bridesmaids, if they are adults, to be legal witnesses who sign the marriage license after the ceremony.'

So all in all, the least you should have to do is to attend the ceremony, and provide emotional and physical help and support. You could be asked to help dress the bride or help with the bouquet or veil. You could also possibly be signing the marriage license as a witness after the ceremony.

It really all depends on the bride.

Answer 3

No "theme" for bridal showers.  Just try to stick with the chosen colors.

Invite the female members of her family and the grooms family and her friends.

Nothing extavagant for food.  Salads and a veggie tray - the other bridesmaids should pitch in for all of the expenses and planning.

Play games and give prizes.

"How well do you know the couple":

ask several questions about the couple - do they plan of having kids? how many? where did they meet?  where are they going for the honeymoon?...

Bridal bingo: everyone fills out a bingo "card" with things they think the bride will get.  when they get bingo (5 in a row) they get a gift.  Play this last as you will run out of prizes.

you can also find lots of fun ideas online just do a search for "bridal shower"+games

Pick up cheap gifts like cooking utensils, timers, hot pads, candles, bubble bath, lotion, etc. at the dollar store

At the ceremony (you'll go through this at the rehearsal too, so don't worry) you fix the train on her dress when she gets to the alter, hold her flowers.  Depending on how the priest wants it done, you may hold the ring for the blessing, you will know at the rehearsal.

You may opt out, but at the dinner, it is traditional for the best man and maid of honor to make a speech. (seperately)  So you may want to have a few words prepared.  Note cards are acceptable.

Also, if she has a big poofy dress, you may have to help hold the dress while she pees at the reception.