Maid or Matron of Honor Duties

In a platonic relationship, one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon you is the role of Maid or Matron of Honor. Although this title can be a privilege and confirmation of your best-friendship to the bride, this job is a full-time gig – so you better be prepared! Even if there is an actual wedding planner on the job, don’t get your hopes up – your involvement with the wedding will still be extensive. There is a long list of duties that are associated with the Maid of Honor role, but here are some helpful reminders to assist you in your long and crazy journey:

• Make Her Smile: You’ll be the one she turns to when her pre-wedding spray tan makes her look like a creamsicle. It’s your job to console her; bring over a bottle of wine, Dirty Dancing, and some smut magazines to help her feel better.
• Be All Ears: Your darling mother gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason – to listen more often than you speak. You may have gone through this process before, especially if you’re a Matron of honor; however, this is not YOUR day. When the bride speaks, it’s your job to hear her out, no matter how ridiculous she may be acting!
• Coordinate with Fellow Bridesmaids: You are bridesmaid numero uno. It is your job to keep the others in the loop…and keep them at bay when necessary!
• Help Make Big Wedding Decisions: If your schedule allows you enough free time, help the bride-to-be with all of her major decisions. Some of these decisions include:
  • Dress
  • Hair Style
  • Makeup Style
  • Invitations
  • Venue
  • Cake
  • Catering
  • Flowers
  • Linens
  • DJ
• Be Involved with Parties: Do not feel obligated to plan every party, but you should offer your assistance with as many of them as you can. As the Maid or Matron of honor, you usually know the bride better than anyone else, and therefore will be able to throw her a bash that she (and everyone else) will remember for many years to come. As a side-note, some things that you should plan on delegating or personally taking care of are small duties such as keeping a list of the presents and who they’re from. This may seem simple, but it is extremely helpful to the bride! Some parties that you will be involved with are:
  • Engagement Party
  • Bachelorette Party
  • Bridal Shower
• Toast at the Wedding: It can be long and drawn out or short and sweet, but the Maid or Matron of Honor’s speech is highly anticipated by not only the guests, but the bride as well. Be sure that your toast is heartfelt and sincere – and not too overly-embarrassing!
• Organize Gifts: After the reception, the newlyweds will be in their honeymoon mindset – and rightly so! As a final parting duty, you should take on the responsibility of collecting the couple’s gifts and dropping them off at their home, or other desired location.

The aforementioned list becomes even more detailed if the bride does not have a wedding planner. Nudge her in the the direction of hiring a coordinator, and make everyone’s lives a lot easier! Best of luck.

Photo Courtesy Of: DexKnows.com

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Picking the Perfect Wedding Date

The annual “wedding season” is fast approaching – do you have your date set?! Perhaps you do, but if you and your mate are confused about selecting the ideal day for your upcoming nuptials, read on! Here are some tips to help you select the perfect date:

Photo Courtesy Of: TeamWedding.com

• Symbolic Date: Your parents’ anniversary, the first day you met, the day he proposed, a dating anniversary, or some other memorable day in your couple history or individual histories all serve as significant and fitting dates for your wedding. Not to mention, it’s totally romantic!
• Favorite Wedding Planner: Because you’re planning on getting married, you’ve probably recorded or rented The Wedding Planner, Bride Wars, Bridesmaids, and every other typical wedding movie known to man. From these films or from following wedding trends, you know how important it is to have an amazing wedding planner for your special once-in-a-lifetime wedding day. Your favorite wedding planner’s availability may play a role in the date that you can choose. Be sure to match your wedding date desires with your planner’s weekend openings.
• Holidays: Some holidays may be a no-go because of familial obligations, but if you’re determined to have a cupid pinata or Christmas tree at your wedding, a holiday wedding date may be for you. Although it is technically “your day,” depending on the holiday celebration, it may be acceptable to provide guests with some festive entertainment in combination with the wedding ceremony and reception. For example, if you love the Fourth of July, provide barbecued food for your wedding’s dinner and incorporate fireworks into your reception for great fun for all attendees!
• Pricing: Traditionally, the most popular wedding months are May through August; thus, prices for planners, venues, flowers, etc. will most likely be higher during these months. If you and your lover are looking to save some money, try holding your wedding date in some of the lower-key months in Fall and Winter.
• Season: If you’ve always dreamed of having your wedding in Lake Tahoe with the snowflakes falling down on your nose, low lighting, and a hot chocolate being served, Winter is your ideal wedding date season! Match your wedding date and individual personalities with the season that you’d like to celebrate your marriage in. As a small reminder, too hot or too cold is uncomfortable for you and your guests – be sure to make accommodations!
• Special Accommodations: There are some guests that you just can’t celebrate without. If your great-aunt Myrtle is having hip surgery or your crazy cousin Gertrude is travelling to Croatia to inoculate newborn babies and they just have to be there to witness your nuptials, be sure to coordinate with them before choosing your wedding date. As a warning, if you offer this accommodation to one person, others may jump on the bandwagon too!

SPECIAL NOTE:

• Tax Weekend: One of the most stressful times of year for everyone is April 15th – that being said, DO NOT schedule your wedding on that date unless you’re prepared to deal with some grumpy guests!

Your wedding date will be a day that you and your partner remember forever. You will have champagne glasses, photo albums, and future anniversary gifts engraved with that special date – choose wisely, and best of luck!

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