Being a maid of honor is a big responsibility. There are many things that need to be done in order for the bride's day to go smoothly. This guide will help you make sure that nothing is missed! The first thing you need to do is sit down with the bride and discuss what duties she would like you to perform. Some of the most common duties include: helping with wedding planning, organizing the bridal party, and being responsible for the bridal shower and bachelorette party!

What is a maid of honor?
The maid of honor is basically the bride's right hand woman. She is the "chief bridesmaid" of sorts and typically assists with wedding planning and helps to make sure that the day goes smoothly. If you are chosen as maid of honor, it is important to be organized and reliable. You will likely be working closely with the bride in the months leading up to the wedding, so it is essential that you are able to put the time and effort in to being a major part of your bestie’s big day!

Decisions, Decisions
One of the maid of honor's jobs is to help make decisions with the bride that the groom may not be as helpful with. There are many things that need to be decided on before a wedding, and it can be overwhelming! The maid of honor should offer her opinions but ultimately allow the bride to make all final decisions about things like colors and themes for her big day.

Some of the other decisions that will need to be made include the bridesmaids’ dresses, should there be a bachelor/bachelorette party, if and who will be giving speeches at the reception, and more.

Event Planning Duties
There are a few events that it is up to the maid of honor to plan. The Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party tend to be the duty of the maid of honor to organize. Now before you start freaking out, you don’t have to do this alone! We, along with the bridal party, are here to help!

Now for everyone's favorite event: the Bachelorette Party!

There are a few different things that go into planning a bachelorette party like where to have it, should there be a theme, should more than the bridal party be invited, what to do, and so much more. Again, feel free to include the bride and the rest of the bridal party in these decisions since they will be the ones enjoying it with you!

To Travel or Not to Travel
Some Bachelorette Parties take place far from home, typically in warmer climates like Las Vegas, Miami, or Charleston. These are all great options for bach parties and easy to make a fun weekend getaway for the bridal party!

But as fun as traveling is, it can be very expensive and hard to find a time where everyone is available to head to the airport. So there’s options for the hometowns as well like ultimate slumber parties, local wineries, the movies, and so much more!

Definitely have an honest conversation with your bride and the members of the bridal party on what is a realistic possibility for them. It’s your job to make the most out of whatever works for everyone!

Themes
While themes are not mandatory, they sure do make things more fun! We have tons of fun themes that level up any bach party to make it a night they will never forget! There are a range of themes that will be a perfect fit to any bachelorette. To make things even better, we can customize your products to give your bachelorette party the ultimate OMG moment!

The Guest List
Usually Bachelorette Parties will only consist of the bridal party as guests. But in some cases, brides and maid of honors may choose to invite close friends and family who may not be in the bridal party. In this case, open up the guest list! The more the merrier! Be sure to take everyone into consideration when planning too especially if you are thinking of travel or events with age requirements.

What to do
Depending on whether or not you travel, there are tons of different activities to do at the bachelorette party. There’s bar hopping, dinners, brunches, gambling, concerts, and so much more. Think of it as an ultimate girls weekend to celebrate your bride! Like we mentioned during the travel section, where you travel to can impact the itinerary, so make sure to do your research on the location to find the best area for your girl gang!

We have several guides that are specific to things to do in cities if you decide to travel! Check them out here.

Be aware of the time and keep everyone on schedule

Make sure things are running according to schedule and everyone is staying on time. Since most weddings are all day events, one set back can affect the rest of the day. Make sure to follow the itinerary as closely as possible.

Have an emergency kit
Bandaids, safety pins, bobby pins, needle and thread, feminine products, pain relievers, or anything that could help in an emergency are all great things to keep handy on the big day. A small pouch or bag holding all of these items will be a life saver in case something happens. Our nylon pouch or pool bag would be perfect!

Make sure the Bride eats!
This day is hectic and the first thing that will start to slip the bride’s mind is finding the time to eat! Put a small snack in the emergency kit or when you eat your meals double check she is able to stay nourished and hydrated!

Speech
If your bride and groom choose to do maid of honor and best man speeches, be sure to start writing well in advance and give yourself time to practice! Meet with the bride, groom, and best man to make sure both speeches are around the same length and live up to the bride and groom’s standards and expectations. Maid of honor speeches typically include memories with the bride, advice, or anything relating to the newly married couple, but there is no official set of rules you have to follow, so just write from the heart and you’ll be golden!

Delegate!
The Bridal Party is here to help! Don't be afraid to ask for assistance from the rest of the bride's girls to help in the planning and day-of tasks. You all know the bride the best and what she would like so teamwork will make the dream work!

Be There for Your Bride
Last, but certainly not least, it is important for the maid of honor to be someone the bride can lean on. Wedding planning is A LOT, so they will need someone to be a listening ear and help guide them the whole way through. You were chosen as the maid of honor because the bride trusts and loves you and they want you to be there for them during this time.

Congrats on your new role as maid of honor! The Checklist is here to help you plan, organize, and, overall, have fun while your bestie gets married! There is a lot to do, but with the support of the bridal party, the bride herself, and of course, us, you will be the best maid of honor. We already know your bride will be incredibly grateful to have you by her side!

You got this!