Maid of Honor Duties

Weddings are hard work, and it falls to the maid of honor to help handle some important details. She's the go-to person for the bride when it comes to guidance, a fresh perspective and, well, some of the heavy lifting. Being tapped as an honor attendant can be a chore, but it's also a tremendous compliment and a lot of fun. If you're on the lookout for fresh information you can use for your own wedding, participating in a friend's arrangements can be an eye opener that may save you time and some potential gotcha moments later, too.

Helping the Bride

The temperament of the bride and the scope of the wedding will have a big impact on how much or how little of the planning and organization the maid of honor will be responsible for. When assisting the bride, the maid of honor may be part facilitator, secretary, delivery person, counselor, decorator, or just about anything else. This partial list will give you an idea of some helpful ways you may be pressed into service:

• Scout wedding locations.
• Select invitations and help with invitation prep.
• Explore floral options and other decorative choices.
• Help the bride shop for her wedding dress and choose bridesmaids' dresses.
• Oversee delivery of the dresses, monitor fittings and assist with other wardrobe functions.
• Encourage the bride to register for gifts, spread the word about where the bride is registered and answer any gift questions that may arise.
• Help with honeymoon planning.
• Help with seating chart details.
• Attend the cake tasting and make recommendations.
• Attend the catering meetings or tastings and make recommendations.
• Host the bridal shower.
• Host the bachelorette party.
• Maintain timetables and be of general assistance to keep things moving forward.
• Attend the rehearsal dinner.
• Keep a list of gifts received.

Maid of Honor Duties for the Big Day

The maid of honor also has some specific wedding day duties beyond wearing a big smile and keeping the bride happy:

• Help the bride dress and deal with her hair, jewelry and the unavoidable wedding day jitters.
• Check the last minute details, like instructions for the photographer and deliveries to the hall.
• Act as a messenger between the bride and groom (and various and sundry family members).
• Handle dress and veil issues. Maneuverability could be important here, even in the restroom, so this is an important and sometimes unexpected duty involving lifting, fluffing, arranging and rearranging.
• Hold and protect the groom's ring.
• Hold the bride's bouquet for the duration of the wedding ceremony.
• Witness the marriage license signing.
• Be part of the receiving line at the reception or act as a greeter.
• Toast the bride and groom.
• Participate in the first dance at a formal reception (partnered with the best man).

If the bride has help from family members, the groom or lots of bridesmaids who want to pitch in, the maid of honor's responsibilities could be limited to wedding day ceremonial functions and a few other helpful contributions.

The dynamic between the bride and the maid of honor will impact how the planning process unfolds. It's a sure bet, though, that if you're a maid of honor it couldn't hurt to have a sympathetic ear, limitless patience a day planner and a sense of humor.

Did You Know?

The maid of honor's role isn't gender-specific anymore. Honor attendants can be men as well as women, and it isn't unheard of to have more than one honor attendant sharing the privilege of serving as the bride's trusted confidante and aide. Actually, this is a great way to split the labor and bestow the honor on more than one trusted friend or relative.

Wedding Day Duties for the Best Man

Best Man

Wedding Day Duties

In addition to the speech, there are a few other duties expected of the best man on the wedding day. Preparation is key, so you can enjoy the day as much as everyone else.

Getting the Groom there, on time
Your responsibilities start with getting the groom to the church, registry office, etc. on time and ready for the service. Have a plan of how you are travelling to the venue and allow plenty of time to get there. Also have a couple of back-up plans (e.g. taxi numbers), a fully charged mobile phone, and plenty of cash. Aim to be there early, about half an hour before the service starts, to greet the guests as they arrive.

The Service and the Rings
If you and the groom are at the wedding venue early and you have the rings safety in your pocket, then there is not much else you need to worry about for this part of the day. Now is the groom's time to sweat! The person taking the ceremony will tell you where you need to be and when. A tip for keeping the rings safe is to place them both on your little finger until you take your place for the service. It is difficult to trust those small waistcoat pockets.

General Administration
Generally the bride and her mother would have done most of the organisation for the day, but you will still be expected to do some of the administration on the day. This will mostly be directing the guests to where and when they need to be in certain places. If you are the quiet type there is no need to be worried about this as most guests expect information from the best man and ushers. You may also be entrusted to settle some of the payments such as the church fees, so find out in advance.

Presents and Cards
One of the best man's responsibilities is to accept wedding presents and cards from the guest throughout the day. If you do not have somewhere to put them this can become annoying, especially as you have other things to be concerned with, like the ceremony or your big speech. A solution is to designate a table at the reception for all the presents and request that the guest keep hold of their gifts and deposit them there.

Dealing with any Problems
As best man, you are the main trouble-shooter should anything arise. It is the bride and grooms day so they should not be expected to worry themselves with any problems. It will be down to you, the ushers, and maybe the parents to enlist the venue's staff in finding a solution. Don't panic, most things are easily sorted out, and try to delegate as much as possible to the venue's staff so you can concentrate on your other responsibilities.

The Speech
This is the big one for the best man. You are expected to entertain the guest with a witty speech! Please refer to the several articles on this website for help with the big speech. If doing a speech isn't enough you may be asked to act as the master of ceremonies as well. Check this out beforehand.

Other Duites
It is likely that your role will mean you are expected to do a lot of other things, e.g. first dance with the chief bridesmaid. It is best to arrange some time with the bride-to-be (grooms only tend to know the time and place!) to find out the plans and expectation for the day.

Real Secret Elopement Wedding: Crystal & Matt

Crystal and Matt eloped and got celebrated their big day in a secret ceremony without any other guests. Now how's that for an inspiration for couples struggling to edit their guest lists! They chose the most incredibly romantic location I've ever seen, unfortunately for us Brits, is all the way over in Atlanta Georgia. But we can still fall in love with idea of getting married near a tumble-down mansion, there must be hundreds in the UK - why not check out the National Trust for ideas. Other totally stealworthy ideas include Crystal's gorgeous simple strapless dress, the cute bright yellow of Matt's buttonhole, and the stunning sewn vow cards, created by Ashley of Dolci Odille. Best of all, I love the pics, and they're thanks to the massively talented team at Simply Bloom.

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Cute, Bright DIY Wedding Decorations

DIY brides who are looking for an original way to decorate their wedding venue are in for a treat. How about pom-poms? Not your standard wedding tissue poms, but woollen pom-poms like those you normally find on the end of a bobble hat! You could make garlands out of them, or add one to each table setting as  wedding favour with bags of playful personality. You could make them in every size or colour imaginable - all you need is wool, cardboard, a pair of scissors, this tutorial, and a lot of time on your hands! If you're not all that interested in DIY wedding projects, then check out these gorgeous garlands from Milla Love. All the beauty with none of the work.

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Snowy Wedding Inspiration with Hot Pink Accents

Two of our friends celebrated their wedding in the show, and although it caused more than a few travel headaches, it made for one of the most romantic weddings ever. So when I stumbled across this gorgeous snowy wedding shoot by fabulous photographer, Amy Carroll, I knew I had to share it with my lovely wedding blog friends. Just check out how dramatic the hot pink looks against the snow, and the glamour and luxury of the furs. I'm also loving the gold details on the buttonhole, and the fabulous spotty bow-tie. Let's start a wedding mini-trend for bow-ties on grooms - they're such a fun detail, and they'd make your boy stand out from the crowd. Throw in a cute dog and a baby coat, and I'm in wedding-heaven!

{Wedding Credits}
Daisy of Pixel & Hank, Jamie from Shutter Speed Productions, real-life couple Jen & Matt, hair & make-up by Stacy Jensen, tux by September’s Bride. Watch Jamie's video from the shoot.


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Cheap & Cheerful Wedding Favours

Sweetie bars and biscuit bars have become a hugely popular at weddings. Guests are usually encouraged to fill a bag with their goodies and take them home as wedding favours. It's a brilliant idea, because it doesn't cost much {you can even bake your own biscuits}, and people always appreciate favours they can eat! Add a splash of colour with these fun striped paper bags. They're a great way to package sweeties, and en masse, they look really effective. Just add twine. Pick up paper bags from eBay super-cheap.

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My Three Top Honeymoon Destinations

Right now I'm feeling sick with jealousy, as at least three couples I know are sunning themselves in either the Caribbean or Costa Rica. I almost can't look at Instagram, in the fear that another gorgeous shot of palm trees, will make me go green-eyed and grumpy. So I thought I'd get it all out of my system with a feature about the best beach honeymoon destinations. My husband and I were lucky enough to go travelling before we got married, so we've been to a lot of gorgeous places around the world. Here are my top three honeymoon hot-spots....I'll go back to dreaming now!

1. Bali - If you're looking for beauty on a budget, then Bali is your best bet. Balinese architecture is stunning, and nearly all their hotels have lush gardens, courtyards, and perfectly decorated rooms. Outdoor showers are a regular feature, and with the weather hovering at 30 degrees all year round, it's never too chilly to lather up among the greenery. Spend half your honeymoon in trendy beachside Seminyak learning how to surf, and half up in the stunning rice fields of Ubud, where you can start your day with yoga and a soya shake. If you're feeling more adventurous, then pop on a plane to nearby Lombok. Independent travel is easy, so book your flight, and research the perfect hotel on Trip Advisor.

2. Costa Rica - If your idea of the perfect honeymoon includes tropical beaches, lazy sloths and zipping through trees in pursuit of howler monkeys, then you'll L-O-V-E Costa Rica. My favourite resort is Santa Teresa, on the west coast, where you walk through the forest to a wild beach, studded with driftwood and the occasional giant turtle. Yoga and surfing are big draws here, and you'll love the boutique restaurants started by tourists-turned-locals. My husband and I spent a month here, practicing yoga every morning, eating delicious Thai curries and grilled fish, and reading a book a day. Bliss!

3. Maldives - It doesn't get more romantic than the Maldives. White sand beaches, arching palm trees, and crystal-clear, lightly-lapping water. Splash out on a resort holiday, and take a sea-planeto your own private island. I'd chose a room on stilts over the sea, so you can laze on your balcony and watch the tropical fish, without even getting wet!

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Before the Big Day's Christmas Personal Training Gift List

{Posting by Alice Cowen, Before the Big Day's Personal Trainer & Nutritionist} Happy Christmas from your Before the Big Day P.T! Here's my favourite health and fitness Christmas gift ideas for an exercise fan, or someone who needs a little bit of encouragement for 2014 to get into shape ready for their wedding! Remember you have to feel great in your training gear to get the most out of your workout, so start the New Year in style, and get some of these great garments and accessories under your Christmas tree.

{I want these!} Clockwise from Top Left

1. Addidas Women's Essentials Studded Tank, £40 - Designed by Stella McCartney, this top, with its bright, playful studs and a cutout design has a timeless casual style.

2. Bamboo Butterfly Cardigan, £67.50 - This great jacket keeps your warm, while allowing your body to breathe. Pretty, but packed full of useful details, like a mini iPod holder, it's a fantastic all-rounder.

3. Nike Air Max 1 SP 'Liquid Gold', £129 - how cool are these trainers! Go for gold!!!

4. Davina Aerobic Exercise Hula Hoop with HSB® Heartrate Watch & Gym/Shoe Bag, £33.50 - great for home training if you haven't got much space!

5. Speed-Tight Luxstream Run Tights, £88 - Cozy run tights with deep pockets and a wide waistband to prevent muffin top.

6. Nike Fuel Band, £129 - the smart, simple and fun way to get more active - this band tracks the intensity of your workouts and enables sleep tracking with Nike+ Sessions.

7. Sweaty-Betty Skipping Rope, £10 - Skipping is great for on-the-spot cardio.

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A Welsh Countryside Wedding with a Pretty Pink Theme - The Reception

Brides planning a marquee wedding are going to L-O-V-E the inspiration they get from this big day. Instead of a shabby chic or rustic look, Pippa and Martyn chose to go for glamour, and created the most fabulous look for their marquee. They didn't spend money on favours or an expensive wedding cake, saving their pennies instead for the most incredible flower displays, designed by The Bay Tree. I love the luxurious elegance of the pink and white table arrangements, and the gorgeous glass roofed reception-area of the marquee. Other stealworthy ideas include the chalk-board labels on the wine coolers, which doubled as table names, and the pink fizz cocktails, in keeping with the colour theme. A big thank you to Lucy Wallace Photography for her stunning pictures!

We got married in Ewenny in South Wales. The church was right next to my parents' house, so it had a special place in my heart {it was also where my husband proposed to me}. Our reception was in a marquee in a field behind my parents house.

We wanted our wedding to have a strong sense of family, so a marquee close to the church and my parents house was a natural choice. The idea of having a blank canvas was really exciting, I could let my imagination run wild!

We stayed with classic white and pink for our theme colours for both the wedding and reception. Our wedding flowers were our main detail, and we really wanted the colour to shine through.

We chose Lucy Wallace Photography for our wedding photographer. We searched for a photographer locally, but no one seemed to be able to capture the essence of a wedding as much as Lucy's photos. After meeting Lucy and seeing her portfolio, we realised her photos were so personal, and she seemed to really understand the feel of a wedding. 

My husband absolutely hates having his photo taken so we needed to find someone who understood that we didn't want a pushy photographer. We'd been to so many weddings where you feel like you're being hounded by paparazzi! Lucy assured us that she would make everyone feel comfortable. And she didn't disappoint, she was extremely accommodating to my husband's insecurities, and the photos are beautiful.

We used The Quarter Penny Cafe as our caterer. Not only was the food amazing, but they provided event organising as well. Natalie, the owner, took control of the whole day. 

It took the weight off my and my mum's shoulders – she organised the arrival of the string quartet, the band, the DJ and the florist. Natalie's hard work meant that the day flowed so well, and we didn't have to worry about a thing. 

We also used Accesi Videographers which gave us an additional memory source for the day. They filmed the entire wedding, and weren't intrusive at all. Watching our wedding video is the perfect way to look back and see peoples' faces!



Our flowers were designed by The Bay Tree in Cowbridge in Wales. The florist, Bryan Bird is so talented, that he understood exactly what look I wanted as soon as we met. 


Bryan Bird also designed the huge urn of flowers, which was the centrepiece of the marquee It was overflowing with flowers, a true show stopper when you walked in!

Enjoy every second of planning your wedding but make sure it doesn't take over your life! No one likes a bride to be who doesn't stop talking about their wedding! My biggest advice would be to sit down over a glass of wine with your husband to be and talk about what you envisage your wedding to be like and stick to it! 

It's so easy to get carried away with designs and ideas, and you end up with a wedding you don't recognise. Also, the biggest/longest part of the day is sitting down eating food, so make sure it's good! Everyone remembers rubbish wedding food, so make sure they remember how good yours was!

When it come to wedding favours, we thought that they are so expensive and no really misses them if they're not there. After all, no one's going to judge you on your wedding, if you don't have favours. So we saved a few hundred pounds there!

We didn't want to spend a huge amount on a wedding cake. We felt that no one truly remembers what the cake looks like, and it's a lot of money to spend, when you're just going to cut it up! So we opted for a plain white Marks and Spencer three-tier cake, which our florist decorated with a little posy of flowers.

I absolutely loved planning our wedding. My mum helped a tremendous amount, and working together, I think we planned the most magical day that everyone enjoyed. We planned it in just six months, which was plenty of time, but I wish we'd had longer, so I could read more bridal magazines and blogs! We had so much inspiration from reading them!

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A Welsh Countryside Wedding with a Pretty Pink Theme

Is there anything more romantic than a horse-drawn carriage? The wedding transport is just one of the things that makes this big day stand out, along with the pretty-as-a-picture flowers, stunning Pronovias wedding gown, and dramatic marquee reception. Pippa and Martyn chose to make their wedding flowers their biggest wedding detail, and called in the talents of Bryan Bird, the florist at The Bay Tree in Cowbridge in Wales. The end result is a stunning array of blooms, including lily-of-the-valley, sweat peas, and roses. The bouquets are beautiful, but wait until you see the reception flowers in Part 2 of this wedding - they'll blow your mind! Other details-to-steal include the bridesmaids black Dessy dresses - as Pippa says - everyone looks good in black, and she let her girls choose their style of dress -making it much more likely they'll wear them again. I also love Martyn's bespoke three-piece suit, and soft pink tie. Huge thanks to Lucy Wallace Photography for sending through her gorgeous pictures from Pippa and Martyn's big day. Stay tuned for Part 2 - the Reception - coming soon!

We got married in Ewenny in South Wales. The church was right next to my parents' house, so it had a special place in my heart {it was also where my husband proposed to me}. Our reception was in a marquee in a field behind my parents house.

To find a wedding gown, we went to Teokath, a fabulous bridal shop in Wimbledon in London, where I tried on lots of wedding dresses. I knew I wanted it to be lace, but when I tried on the Pronovias dress I loved that the grey belt made it a little different.

My veil was a classic church veil, the edging matched the delicate lace of my dress perfectly. My wedding shoes were from Debenhams! You couldn't see them under the dress, so I knew I didn't have to go over board in the design. As long as they were comfortable! And they were!

My bridesmaids wore black - who doesn't look good in black! They all had different colour hair so the best colour to flatter them, and their individual style was black. They chose their own gowns from a selection of bridesmaids dresses by Dessy.

We wanted our wedding to have a strong sense of family, so a marquee close to the church and my parents house was a natural choice. The idea of having a blank canvas was really exciting, I could let my imagination run wild!

We stayed with classic white and pink for our theme colours for both the wedding and reception. Our wedding flowers were our main detail, and we really wanted the colour to shine through.

Our flowers were designed by The Bay Tree in Cowbridge in Wales. The florist, Bryan Bird is so talented, that he understood exactly what look I wanted as soon as we met. 

I knew I wanted my bouquet to have lily of the valley and sweet peas as they are so delicate, and they really made my bouquet come to life. 

I walked up to aisle to Pachebel, Canon in D, and we walked out to The Queen of Sheba. Our first dance was to Dean Martin's, 'Ain't that a Kick in the Head'.

My husband has his suit tailor-made by a great designer called Birkett Bespoke Tailors in St Margarets, in Twickenham.

We chose Lucy Wallace Photography for our wedding photographer. We searched for a photographer locally, but no one seemed to be able to capture the essence of a wedding as much as Lucy's photos.



After meeting Lucy and seeing her portfolio, we realised her photos were so personal, and she seemed to really understand the feel of a wedding. My husband absolutely hates having his photo taken so we needed to find someone who understood that we didn't want a pushy photographer. We'd been to so many weddings where you feel like you're being hounded by paparazzi! 

Lucy assured us that she would make everyone feel comfortable. And she didn't disappoint, she was extremely accommodating to my husband's insecurities, and the photos are beautiful.

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