The Ultimate Bridesmaid Duties Guide

Excited, overwhelmed, nervous, overjoyed…

The bride to be will feel all of these emotions as she embarks on her wedding planning journey. As a newly crowned bridesmaid or maid of honor, it’s now your job to help her through the entire process.

Sound scary? If you’ve never been in a wedding party before (or even if you have), don’t panic. There may be a lot asked of you over the next year or so, but we’ve broken it down into a manageable list. It’s time to pop a little bubbly, settle in with some bridal magazines, and check out our ultimate guide to bridesmaid duties.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Purchase a tasteful engagement gift for the couple.  
• Congratulate your friend with a sweet text or card.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Contact the bride to discuss her expectations and needs throughout the wedding planning process.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Help the bride choose her wedding venue and theme.
• Help the bride think of a wedding hashtag to use on social media.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Offer to accompany the bride as she searches for a location for her ceremony.
• Help the bride find a reception site and caterer.
• Help the bride decide on a date and theme for her wedding.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Accompany the bride to pick out her wedding dress.
• Once the bride and groom are registered, share the news.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Be proactive about the bride’s needs as she’s selecting her wedding dress. Offer to retrieve a different size, recommend a style you know she likes, and provide honest feedback about how the dresses look.
• Help the bride find a photographer, videographer, and DJ for the wedding.
• Offer to call and book hotel rooms for out of town guests.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Help the bride select bridesmaid dresses and attend a fitting.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Finalize the details for the bridesmaid dresses to ensure that they’re ready on time.
• Help to select and send Save the Dates.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Compile inspiration sources for the bride’s bouquet and help her select the perfect one.
• Check in with the bride to see how she’s feeling and if she needs more help.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Assist in the selection of wedding invitations.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Buy a bridal shower gift for the bride.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Offer to help the bride select a cake.
• Make sure that the men in the wedding party have their formalwear arranged.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Make sure that your hair and makeup appointments are arranged for the big day.
• Help plan the bridal shower.
• Go in with the other bridesmaids on an amazing wedding day gift for the bride.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Help the bride mail out invitations.
• Host a bridal shower for the bride.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Offer to accompany the bride to her final gown fitting.
• Buy a bachelorette party gift for the bride.
• Attend a final fitting for bridesmaid gowns.
• Help facilitate the bachelorette party.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Make sure gifts for the bridal party are selected.
• Host the bachelorette party.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Offer to help the bride or maid of honor with any extra tasks.
• Prepare an emergency kit for the bride.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Help to finalize the RSVP list. Consider calling guests who have not responded.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Provide emotional support to the bride as the big day approaches.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Go over the wedding day schedule with the bride.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Assist in running last minute errands like picking up the cake, dropping off checks or organizing schedules.
• Help to entertain out-of-town guests.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Offer to take the bride’s gown to be pressed or steamed.
• Offer to pick up out of town guests and bring to the hotel.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Help to facilitate the rehearsal dinner.
• Socialize with the bride’s family and friends.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Give a toast at the rehearsal dinner.
• Ensure that the bride is well-rested and prepared for the ceremony.

If you’re a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you should:

• Provide emotional support for the bride.
• Run any last minute errands that the bride may need.
• Get your hair and makeup done.
• Help the bride get dressed.
• Attend to any guest needs.
• Help the bride with her dress when she goes to the restroom.
• Help the bride change for her honeymoon.

If you’re the maid of honor, you should also:

• Establish yourself as the point person for any issue that may arise.
• Keep the wedding band safe to present at the altar.
• Arrange the bride’s dress before she walks down the aisle and when she gets to the altar.
• Hold the bouquet while vows are exchanged.
• Sign the marriage license as a witness.
• Collect the wedding gifts.
• Give a toast after the Best Man.
• Make sure the bride has something to eat throughout the day.
• Take charge of the dress after the wedding and get it stored properly.

Now that you know what’s expected of you as a bridesmaid or maid of honor, it’s time to share this list with the rest of the wedding party! To see all of the essential bridesmaid duties in one place, check out the infographic:

If you’re a bridesmaid or maid of honor, chances are that this wedding is almost as important to you as it is to the bride. By making sure you know all of the duties of a bridesmaid, you’re already ensuring a beautiful and successful ceremony.

Though this list is a helpful guide, remember that every bride will need something different from her bridesmaids and maid of honor. So it’s a good idea to sit down and discuss how involved she’d like you to be. When you’re ready to start celebrating the bride, check out our post on how to set up a wedding shower mimosa bar. Cheers!

Sources:

http://www.shaneco.com/

https://www.theknot.com/content/maid-of-honor-duties-in-detail

http://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/weddings/family-gifts/maid-of-honor/maid-of-honor-duties.htm

http://www.colincowieweddings.com/planning/roles-and-responsibilities-of-bridesmaids

http://www.realsimple.com/weddings/weddings-planning/maid-honor-checklist