UPDATED 2020 – Brides: here are the Maid of Honor duties your MOH needs to know! Be sure to share it on Facebook + subscribe here for the latest!

Hello, loves! Today’s post is for your nearest and dearest: your MOH, abbreviated for Maid (or Matron) of Honor. The MOH is a key VIP of the bridal party, hand-picked by the couple from their closest crew and selected to represent the leader of the bridesmaids. The MOH and the Best Man are responsible for keeping the party going, keeping the wedding on schedule, and fixing anything that may go amiss along the way. There are a few key responsibilities of the MOH that you may already know (like being supportive, planning the bachelorette party, and giving a toast), but there’s so much more than that.

Today, we’re revealing 12 most important Maid of Honor duties you may not know to ensure you’re prepared for anything that should come your way. So, get ready to roll with the punches and read on to learn the full scoop!

Here’s everything the Maid of Honor needs to do (and then some). :) Enjoy!

Maid of Honor Duties, #1. Rock that Maid of Honor / bridesmaid dress.

You know that unflattering, possibly horrifying dress may not look good on you, but who cares? Own it. Besides, most bridesmaid dresses are pretty gorgeous today (have you seen these?) Also really lovin’ these pretty dresses from Divine Bridal Shop.

P.S. Here’s a list of affordable bridesmaid dresses that don’t look cheap.

Maid of Honor Duties, #2. ABRTKSSYKW: Always Be Ready To Kick Some Serious You-Know-What

This one is self-explanatory. Be the wedding ninja that strikes without warning, whenever and wherever needed. Mistakes happen, so always be kind and courteous if something’s amiss – but do your best to fix the problem without the bride ever having to know.

Maid of Honor Duties, #3. Throw an amazing, no-one-could-have-done-it-better Bachelorette Bash.

Don’t just throw a party, throw a complete bachelorette bash, tailored to her specific tastes. Is she a fan of Harry Potter? Accio Harry Potter bachelorette party!

Does she loooove the beach? New Orleans? Pineapples? Flamingos? The TV show fandom of Friends? Mean Girls? The spa? Sitting poolside? You get the idea.

Make a note of her favorite hot spot, arrange for a surprise along the way (a favorite drink, a limo, or a spa day), grab her favorite gals, and spoil her rotten. You know she’d do the same for you! (P.S. See our bachelorette party tips for inspo!)

Maid of Honor Duties, #4. Take initiative.

Say to the bride, “Oh, you know those peonies you’ve been eyeing for the reception? Here’s a quick Pinterest board I compiled to give you some inspiration.” (MOH of the Year.) Take a little initiative and she’ll definitely appreciate it. She may feel like her wedding checklist is never-ending, and every little bit helps. Plus, it shows you care (even if wedding planning isn’t your forte).

Maid of Honor Duties, #5. Keep the bridesmaids on schedule with dresses, which also means…

The Maid of Honor usually has the task of making sure bridesmaid dresses are ordered on time, that bridesmaids make it to fittings, and that dresses are picked up well in advance. This also means if a bridesmaid is running a little behind of schedule, work it out with her, not the bride. In other words, never let the bride know if someone’s a little behind on orders because it will just stress her out. If she asks, just do what Olivia Pope would do: tell her, “It’s handled.” Ha.

Maid of Honor Duties, #6. Keep essentials on hand at all times.

The bride could need a number of things on her wedding day, so keep a bag of essentials close by just in case. You’ll be her total lifesaver. She could spill (Tide pen!), her ‘do could start to fall mid-day (pins), encounters close talkers (mints), forgets her vows (keep a copy), cries (extra kleenex), cry more tears of joy (eye makeup remover + travel mascara), gets a headache (aspirin)… the list goes on. You know her best, so plan ahead for anything she’s likely to require on the big day. She’ll love you for it.

Maid of Honor Duties, #7. Have contact information for all vendors.

It’s unlikely that it will happen, but vendor scheduling mistakes or other issues can arise on the big day. Be prepared for anything by having contact information for vendors on your cell phone. If the flowers mysteriously never show, the cake is wrong, or the limo is running behind of schedule, you won’t have to ask the bride and freak her out. Just sneak away for a quick minute and give ‘em a ring. Likely they’re just running a little behind, no big deal.

P.S. Keep a piece of paper with the phone numbers in your purse, just in case your cell battery dies.

Maid of Honor Duties, #8. When the music is good, you dance.

And, when the music is not so good, you also dance. Either way, you get out there and shake your groove thing, shake your groove thing, yeah yeah. And get the bridesmaids in on the fun. It will inspire other guests get out there and shake it, too. Encourage the bridesmaids to bring a pair of flats (like these, I love mine and they’re super comfy and fold for travel!) so they won’t bow out of dancing due to foot pain from heels or too-tight shoes. (Read: Wedding Shoe Mistakes to Avoid.)

Maid of Honor Duties, #9. Make sure the couple has plenty of one-on-one time.

The wedding day goes by in an INSTANT. I’ve heard some couples don’t even get to enjoy a full piece of cake because they were too busy taking photos. Make sure the couple has plenty of time to dance, to eat, and to take a mini chat break – just the two of them.

Maid of Honor Duties, #10. Make her laugh.

If she’s stressed out, make her laugh. Break out your best impression, your favorite hilarious moment, or scramble for the hilarious You Tube video or meme on your cell phone that always makes her laugh. If it’s raining, offer her one of these and point out that rain actually means good luck. You get the idea: be the silver lining of the day. She probably won’t need a good laugh because she’ll already be overjoyed, but be ready to make her smile just in case.

Maid of Honor Duties, #11. Be the Clean-Up Crew.

Let the couple run away at the end of the night and take care of those last-minute tasks, like cleaning up, returning rental tablecloths, and making sure the venue’s end-of-night tasks have been completed.

Maid of Honor Duties, #12. HAVE FUN.

This one can’t be stressed enough: enjoy the day! It’s a great moment you’ll always remember together and she’ll appreciate all you did to make her wedding the very best. The hard work is done: have fun!

Isn’t this bracelet sweet? We spotted it at Red Fern Studio.

Maid of Honor Responsibilites

Do you have any Maid of Honor tasks or responsibilities to add to our list? Tell us in the comment box below!

Happy Planning!

xo
Emma

Leave a comment below! We’d love to hear from you.

Need to know Best Man Duties? Click here.

Brides: Your MOH does a lot to make sure your day is perfect! Make sure you pick out a beautiful gift to say thank you.