Maid of Honor Duties: The Ultimate Checklist

Has a friend or family member asked you to be their maid of honor? Congratulations! That means someone close to you is having her big day soon, and she has chosen you for a special responsibility. Don't take that role lightly. As maid of honor, the bride trusts you with one of the most significant roles in her entourage. 

The maid of honor typically has some perks compared to the rest of the wedding party. For instance, in the Philippines, the MOH dons a dress that sets her apart from other bridesmaids. While stylistic traditions around this role may vary, one thing is for sure: with great power comes great responsibility.

The maid of honor is the bride’s sidekick and confidante. She could be a sister, best friend, or close relative. These days, the rules have gotten much more flexible – some brides even have a man of honor. This chief bridesmaid is privy to different aspects of the wedding planning, from helping the bride pick out her wedding dress and other accessories to accompanying her on various errands such as food tastings, makeup trials, and invitation printouts. The maid of honor is an extra pair of hands and a source of support.

Every bride (and wedding!) is different; hence, the list of responsibilities of a maid of honor is not always fixed. She could have an intimate wedding with only her closest friends and family or have a grand affair. That said, a maid of honor typically knows the bride best and is most capable of helping her make choices that will make her wedding day feel meaningful and personal.

Ready to get started on your MOH duties? Below is a checklist of tasks expected of a maid of honor before, during, and after the wedding:

One of the most classic maid-of-honor duties is planning the bridal shower or bachelorette party. The bride may have expressed her wishes previously about what she wants, but it is ultimately up to you to organize this celebration as the last hurrah of her single life. Hence, meeting expectations is crucial. You will have some big decisions: are you planning an intimate gathering or an all-out bash? A wholesome affair or a stripper-filled rager?

A successful bachelorette party or bridal shower will depend on how well you know the bride and what she likes or dislikes.

Just how hands-on you and the bridesmaids will be in the wedding prep depends on the bride, but you will have some responsibilities. With more weddings becoming practical and eschewing outdated traditions, some brides will ask their entourage to personalize their bridesmaid dresses (and pay for their outfits, too). The maid of honor must rally bridesmaids and look for a dressmaker or a couturier or even help them figure out their dress patterns.

Sometimes, the bride will expect her maid of honor and her bridesmaids to give her a hand with dress and shoe shopping. After all, there's nothing like her bride squad hyping her up for the big day! The maid of honor may have to coordinate everyone’s schedules and ensure they make it to the fitting.

In destination weddings, the party will sometimes go on special trips or activities before or after the big day. The maid of honor oversees the logistics, ensuring those outings go as hitch-free as possible.

Planning a wedding can be both exhilarating and stressful, especially for hands-on brides-to-be. The maid of honor must lend an ear or serve as a shoulder to cry on while providing comfort and encouragement amidst prenuptial overwhelm. 

As MOH, you must ensure the bride is glowing, fresh, and radiant inside and out! Bar potential stressors (such as taking care of suppliers at the last minute) and ensure she is on top of her self-care regimen (getting enough sleep the night before, staying hydrated, and sticking to her bridal skincare routine).

When the big day finally arrives, the maid of honor helps the bride look and feel her best. But in reality, the bride’s skincare game starts weeks before the wedding to get the best glow possible. An overnight serum that makes skin bright, youthful, and rejuvenated will help it stay radiant on the day itself.

POND'S Bright Miracle Night Serum your complexion luminous and refined, as niasorcinol helps brighten skin, refine pores, and stimulate skin renewal at night

Every bride wants to achieve that effortless bridal glow on their big day, and it helps if her face reflects it. A facial cleanser such as the Dove Facial Cleansing Mousse Moisture Care leaves skin radiant and moisturized for up to 24 hours, ensuring smooth and plump skin that doesn’t dry out.

And finally, make sure that the bride emanates picture-perfect radiance from head to toe. The Vaseline Gluta-Hya Serum Burst Dewy Radiance will give her that lit-from-within brilliance that photos will capture for a lifetime.

Being maid of honor comes with huge responsibilities – yet everything becomes worth it when the bride walks down the aisle with the biggest smile. Do your duties well and make the bride’s wedding one to remember!