Bridesmaid duties
As bridesmaid or matron of honour you will be expected to play a key role throughout the whole planning process. To begin with you will need to help the bride choose outfits, colour schemes and decorations. You should make yourself available to the bride for shopping sprees and planning meetings. Remember the final decisions should all be made by the bride but she will need you assistance with many of the tasks she has ahead of her. As with many other traditions surrounding weddings many modern brides are choosing to do away with some or all of the standard bridesmaid duties. Don't be offended is she chooses someone else to organise the hen do or help with the dress. Brides will often have a problem narrowing down the list of potential bridesmaids so they may decide to pass duties onto friends or relatives who missed out. Do not be offended as you are the one that has been chosen to stand at her side, you should feel honoured that she wants you to be there.
You should be prepared to be required to undertake the following tasks:
- Help with organisation of anything that is required, from making bookings and liaising with some of the wedding suppliers to writing and sending invitations.
- Pay for your own dress and help to choose it. You are entitled to express your opinions on this matter but the bride must be the one to make the final decision. Even if you hate the dress you must smile and go along with it.
- Plan or help to plan bridal shower and/or hen do.
- Be there as a sounding board for ideas and frustrations.
- Be available for shopping sprees.
- Attend rehearsal.
- Help to decorate ceremony and reception locations.
- Hold brides bouquet during ceremony.
- Stand in receiving line if required.
- Dance with grooms men.
- Help with clean up and loading gifts into car.
- Be on guard throughout the whole event to help with any unforeseen circumstances.
- Have a good time and do your best to make sure the other guests do as well.
The most important thing to remember is have a good time the couple will want to see their friends and family enjoying the day that they have invested so much time and money into. Do your best where possible to make sure the happy couple and the other guests have a good time as well.
If you are tasked with the role of organising her hen do Ann Summers offer some great hen do packs to help you along the way. Don't forget to think about the types of activities that she enjoys as well as what the guests budgets are. Many brides choose to have two hen dos one weekend away or activity filled day for those who can afford it and a quieter one closer to home for those on a tight budget.
