#8 – All Things Bridal – Maid/Matron of Honor

I am so sorry for the delay in getting these to you. It’s been pretty ridiculous around here. Thank you for your understanding and patience. Without further ado, the series continues here…

Maid or Matron of Honor

This position in the wedding party carries much honor but also a lot of responsibility. Among other things, the MOH is responsible for the bachelorette party, help the bride in choosing the details (dress, color scheme, theme, location, etc), planning the bridal shower, and the list goes on and on!

When choosing someone to fill this weighty role, some of these tips may be helpful:

• Are they old enough and responsible enough to fulfill all of the duties – Accompanying you to find a dress and shoes is one thing, but can she plan a bridal shower – complete with sending invitations, helping you register and purchasing food (costs can be split with other BM’s)? Does she handle pressure well? As the days get closer and closer to the wedding, you will need to rely on her more than ever. If she stresses easily, you will become stressed. Is she organized? She will be helping you to keep track of most of the goings-on of your wedding. Does she have the time? Is her calendar already full? Most of us have jobs and family obligations not to mention other things that we are involved with. She should be available or be able to make herself available to assist you with whatever you need.
• The MOH does not have to be a close friend or family member – It is customary to want to honor your friend, your sister or best cousin. But if they can’t fulfill all of the obligations of the MOH position, there is nothing wrong with considering someone else. If you feel as if you have to include that close friend or sister, there is nothing wrong with having more than 1 MOH, if necessary.
• The MOH must be supportive of your decisions but tactful when necessary – The MOH is your right-hand-girl to help you with all aspects of planning and executing your wedding day and other events leading up to that day. She must help you make decisions but also support and, sometimes, communicate your decisions to the rest of the bridal party. There may be times, however, when she will need to kind of, rein you in, so to speak, if you may be getting close to your budget or don’t have enough time to complete some task, for example. Since the planning and the day itself can be stressful, the MOH should help to remind you of your obligations firmly but tactfully.
• What is her disposition? – Is she friendly and cooperative? Or can she sometimes be a complainer or even jealous of you? Let’s be real, just because you’ve been friends, like, forever, doesn’t mean that she’s going to be the best choice when it comes to having someone who will do whatever is necessary to help you on your day. Ultimately, your MOH is cooperative, willing to do the job, can criticize without being critical, trustworthy, not selfish, knows when to compromise, and, among other things is truly happy for you even though she might not be in a relationship.

Although the MOH has a lot of responsibility, choosing the right person or persons will make your day even better!

Check out these other resources:

http://www.ourweddingday.com/advice/Traditions/5-Essential-MOH-Responsibilities/1145.aspx

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=169658616413549

http://www.themaidofhonorguide.com/

http://wedding.theknot.com/bridesmaids-mother-of-the-bride/bridesmaids/articles/maid-of-honor-duties-in-detail.aspx

See ya next time,

z