What Actually Are Bridesmaid Duties?

Your best friend has picked you to be her maid of honor. You accept, excited to stand beside her on quite possibly the happiest day of her life. Yet, there’s just one problem: you have absolutely no clue what bridesmaids do.

Fear not, we’re here to help. Essentially, the bridesmaid is the handy sidekick of the bride. From the bachelorette party to walking down the aisle, it’s not easy pulling that off while looking fab.

Becoming a bridesmaid means you’re the right-hand (wo)man of the bride. The main duty is to reduce the stress that falls on the bride. You should try to be with them (physically and mentally) through every step of the process, from taste testing the cake for the reception (yum!) to holding the bouquet down the aisle. 

One major responsibility of the bridesmaid involves deciding what to wear on the big day. Often times, the bride will pick out a color or style for the dress, but that doesn’t mean the bridesmaid should be stuck in an uncomfortable or boring dress. Yes, bridesmaids shouldn’t upstage the bride, but they should be able to shine with confidence and pride beside the to-be-bride! In addition to a dress, the bride may also ask bridesmaids to coordinate via accessories, whether that be a pair of nude heels or gold jewelry to match the theme of the wedding.

Once you agree to being a bridesmaid, the countdown to the big day is on! And to get there, you’ll need to get your organizing chops and handy planner out to plan a bridal shower and, everyone’s favorite, bachelorette party. Again, you should try to help out in whatever way will ease the load off the bride. As you accompany the bride, suggest ideas for the theme or even help the bride decorate for the various parties. What is the bride’s vision and how can you make it a reality? As they say, teamwork makes the dream work—especially when the team is made up of the bride’s closest confidants.

As the big day nears bridesmaids or the maid of honor may also be asked to help with operational activities, such as sending out letters or accompanying the bride on her trip to numerous bridal boutiques. At the reception, maids of honor in particular can be expected to act as hostesses. There is only one bride to attend to all the guests, and the maid of honor can help make the rounds to make sure every guest is comfortable and having a good time.

Bridesmaids have a lot of responsibilities to make sure the wedding remains an unforgettable day in the bride’s memory. But don’t get overwhelmed by all the tasks ahead—relax! Take it one step at a time and don’t forget to have fun!