Being your bestie’s maid of honor means walking a fine line between having the time of your life with your friend and being an organizer and problem-solver. In many ways, you’re the bride’s personal assistant. Can this be tough? Absolutely. There’s enormous pressure to make the wedding day spectacular, emotions often run hot, and it’s your job to soothe any anxieties and ensure everything goes according to schedule. Need a hand? Here are five essential steps to being a brilliant maid of honor.
1. Get Organized Early
Party time doesn’t happen until the bride and groom are speeding away to enjoy their honeymoon. Until then, you’re on duty, and there’s work to be done. Planning a wedding can leave your friend feeling frazzled and battling to remember all of her appointments. To be a brilliant bestie, help her keep track of both personal and wedding-related necessities. Be sure to fit in a trip to a teeth whitening dentist, tanning, and beauty treatments so she loves her wedding photos. But also take care of practicalities like wedding insurance and honeymoon travel documents.
2. Turn Up The Glam Factor
This is going to be more of a project than a party, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the process glamorous. Arm yourself and your bride-to-be bestie with a few tools to help with the arrangements. A notebook, pen, calendar, and mobile apps will help you with getting in touch with the necessary service providers. Never go to an appointment – whether it’s a dress fitting, cake tasting, or hair treatment – without your notebook and pen. If there are changes needed for an order, note them along with the service provider’s recommendation, and date them. Keep track of every correspondence. That way, if there is a dispute down the line, you will be the most brilliant bridesmaid in the world by referencing your notes and holding people to their word.
3. Stay Unemotional But Have A Blast
Being a maid of honor is hard. If you’re feeling tired, it’s not surprising. Amidst the to-do lists and endless correspondence with caterers and dressmakers, you will witness your friend having a few meltdowns. Even the calmest ladies tend to buckle under the pressure leading up to the big day. You may find yourself on the receiving end of it (even if it’s not really fair), and family members may also contribute some drama. Do your best to soothe your friend. Sometimes a coffee and a chat will be enough to diffuse the emotions. Remember, your job is to be the assistant and to make the hard work fun.
4. Organize The Best Bachelorette Party
Didn’t fancy yourself an event organizer? Congratulations, you are one, at least for now. One of the most memorable parts of the wedding arrangement process is the hen’s party. This will be your job to arrange, and you’ll have to do it in secret because, despite the obviousness of the tradition, bachelorette parties are typically a “surprise” for the bride-to-be. You will need to engage all of your creativity to come up with activities that entertain any older, more conservative family members in attendance as well as younger friends.
Your bestie will demand lots of time and attention from you. Sometimes, you will need to say no to her (don’t give in to every new whim), and sometimes you have to fight with service providers and advocate on her behalf. Use this project as an opportunity to be there for your friend and further affirm your deep and loving friendship.
