What does the Maid of Honor do?

I have had a lot of brides tell me that their Maid of Honor does nothing to help them plan the wedding. "Are they supposed to help me?" "Can't I ask someone else to be my Maid of Honor? I am not close to her anymore."

Fist of all, once you ask someone to be your Maid (Matron) of Honor and they accept, that is it. You are "stuck" with them, so make sure you choose wisely. This person will be by your side for the next few months of wedding planning.

And speaking of wedding planning--yes, your Maid of Honor is supposed to help you throughout the wedding planning process. No, she is not "cheap labor," but rather a calming force and person of action as you seek to create the perfect wedding.

I will give a list of Maid (Matron) of Honor responsibilities here. I am sure that some of you will disagree, but for the most part, your Maid of Honor is very instrumental is helping the wedding day go smooth.

Maid or Matron of Honor’s role:

· She is to assist the bride in planning the wedding. She should be willing to pitch in wherever needed.
· She is to stay with the bride at all times during the day of the wedding to keep the brides calm and assist with whatever help the bride needs.
· She helps the bride get ready. She helps to arrange the bride’s dress, veil and train. However, once the bride gets to the altar; she should not be fussed over, as it is distracting.
· She carries the groom’s ring for the bride
· She holds the bride’s bouquet during the ceremony
· After the ceremony, she stands in the receiving line
· She signs the marriage certificate as a witness
· Help bustle the bride’s gown for the reception
· Help bride when she changes into going-away clothes
· Make sure no personal items are left at the wedding or reception locations
· She may offer a toast at the reception if she wishes
· Help organize activities during the reception such as bouquet toss, dollar dance, first dances, and the newlywed couple’s departure
· She is responsible to host a shower for the bride
· The maid of Honor should bring a few things with her to the wedding---a “wedding day emergency kit” if you will. She can include such items as hairspray, a curling iron, nail glue, make-up kit, tampons, a small sewing kit, etc.