The Ultimate Maid of Honour Wedding Morning Checklist

It all started when you were asked to be the maid of honour at your bestie’s wedding. You’ve been by her side the entire time since then, helping with dress fittings, moments of panic, hen parties and a hundred tiny details you had no idea existed.
Now, the big day has arrived and you are both on pins and needles as she prepares to walk down the perfectly petaled aisle toward the man who makes it all worth the effort.
It’s your job to see it through to the breathtaking finish, so here is our Ultimate Maid of Honour wedding morning checklist to help you get through the last leg of this incredible journey with her:

1. Get the bride started out on the right foot

Your bride is going to be busy with hair and makeup appointments. If you planned wisely, your time in the chair will be as early as possible. Once the you are properly polished, you can focus on making sure everyone else is on schedule to get to the church on time, as well.

2. Keep tabs on everyone’s progress

Keep a checklist and ensure that it is flowing as expected. Be certain that every vendor and family member already has your number for any last-minute issues or questions. You don’t want an already nervous bride melting down over minor inconveniences.

3. Pack a lunch

In her haste to overcome the hangover from last night’s hen party and crawl toward the shower to get ready for the day, there is a good chance your blushing bride may not have eaten. The last thing you want is a hunger fueled bridezilla, or worse, one collapsing mid-aisle from low blood sugar.

4. Be a bouncer

It is common for the bride and her posse to have a few toasts even while getting ready for the wedding. Beware the bridesmaids that never went home after the hen party and are already on the verge of staggering toward their positions at the front of the church. Have plenty of water and snacks around to balance out the booze, but don’t be afraid to cut them off with a reminder that it’s the bride’s big day and not a frat party.

5. Be the keeper of the treats

It’s all about comfort foods and she might just need a little something special to keep her cool. Know your bride’s comfort snacks and buy a few. Keep those gummies or blocks of chocolate on hand in case you need to bring her back from the edge of freaking out with a childhood favourite.

6. Help get her into that wonderful dress!

This is no time to risk ruining the very expensive dress she’s chosen especially for today. Be sure that everything is laid out conveniently and nothing is missing that she’ll need. Don’t forget the things that aren’t seen as well as those on display. Make a list of everything from undergarments to jewellery and check it all off. No bride wants to walk down the aisle in a beautiful dress knowing she’s wearing your spare pair of clean panties. Once she is in everything, help her make it from her dressing area to her place to begin her walk down the aisle.

7. Be there for her

There is a reason she chose you as her maid of honour. She knows that you will get her through this, one way or another. Don’t let her down. Whether you are fetching her phone so she can nervously text the groom or stressing about having forgotten to arrange seating near an exit for her claustrophobic aunt – be prepared to deal with whatever she tosses your way on her behalf.

8. Guard the groom’s ring with your life

Seriously, don’t lose it. Put it somewhere completely safe or be prepared for the wrath of the bride, one for which we can’t prepare you, especially if you forgot to feed her or bring snacks.

9. Deliver a winning wedding toast

Maybe you are one of those people who is just able to speak from the heart at a moment’s notice and don’t need to prepare a formal toast, but at least make a few notes to guide you along and keep you from rambling. If you aren’t a dynamic public speaker, write it out ahead of time and rehearse it, perhaps for people at home. You only get one shot at this, make it count.

10. Finish the day on a high note

Once you’ve managed to get the bride all dolled up and married off, you can relax a bit, but not completely. Make sure that everything is smooth sailing for the reception. Are all the decorations in place? Have all the vendors arrived or delivered their orders? Continue taking care of any small details so your bride is free to mingle with her new husband without worry.
By Amy Naves, Excalibur Press

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