Wedding ceremonies and the subsequent reception are events that often require a lot of brain and manpower to be made successful. After all, it’s simply impossible for one person to handle the slew of responsibilities that come with planning a wedding. They are also accompanied by the stress of wanting everything to be perfect on the Big Day.
This is why brides are encouraged (and expected) to rely on other people until their wedding days. Doing so allows them to take breathers once in a while. Hiring wedding vendors can help achieve this feat, but so does arranging the wedding entourage.
If you’re part of the said entourage, you’re probably expecting to be saddled with a few tasks to make the wedding day as magical as the couple wants it to be. Here are some that you may have to do before and on the day itself.
Lend a Helping Hand
As the maid of honor, one of your primary duties, which is also the best possible way for you to help make the wedding happen, is working on the logistics of the event with the bride and groom.
A step that you may take is researching possible locations that fit the theme of the wedding. For example, you can look for rustic wedding venues or something more modern looking in Minnesota. Aside from the location, you can also compile a list of eligible wedding vendors, like the caterer and pastry chef for the reception and cake or even the musician who will liven things up after the ceremony.
If the soon-to-be-married couple hasn’t decided on a planner yet, perhaps you can convince them to hire one since a planner will lighten the load on their shoulders.
Lead the Bridal Party
Traditionally, the maid of honor’s actual duty is to plan the hen party (or bachelorette party as it’s more known these days) for the bride. When planning this, keep in mind that you don’t have to abide by the depictions in movies. That is a wild night that’s filled with booze among other things.
Instead, opt for something that is more in line with the bride’s interest as well as the group’s. This can be a brunch out, followed by shopping or even a day out on the beach. As long as the bride and the rest of the group enjoy themselves, it’s considered a success.
Aside from the hen party, you’ll likely be put in charge of communicating with the rest of the bridal party as well. This means checking in on everyone to ensure that they have been fitted for their outfits plus reminding them of their tasks if they are assigned some.
On the day of the wedding itself, you can even help the wedding vendors set up so that the bride and groom can focus on preparing to look their best for the vows and the following reception.
(Be a) Loving Friend
Wedding preparations can be nerve-wracking. After all, if things go well, a wedding is something a person only has to go through once, making it more special compared to other events. The stress of the preparations can get to the bride, which makes it your job to provide emotional support when they need it.
This is especially important on the Big Day, where many brides get cold feet. If your sister or friend goes through a similar experience, remind them that ceremony and reception are only two steps towards their happy-ever-after future.
