What do you do after the excitement of being a MOH wears off and you’re hit with a laundry list of duties to do before the wedding? Nervousness is normal when you’re dealing with the most important day in someone’s life so it’s best to be prepared. If you are shaking in your pumps at the thought of being a Maid of Honor, don’t worry you’re not the only one. Luckily I’ll be gathering some top-notch intel from former MOHs to help you prepare for your new role.
After agreeing to be her friend’s Maid Of Honor, Diana’s emotions were in a tizzy, she was excited, but the responsibility came with added pressure. She said her nerves came from wanting to do a great job for the bride, “This person means a lot to you, so you want to make sure everything goes as perfectly for them as possible.” Here are some of her words of wisdom for being a successful MOH.
How did you handle the bride’s wants and needs, even if they were minuscule?
My bride was fairly accommodating. I think it’s important for the bride and the bridal party to be flexible, and open, honest communication is important. If I was able to give her what she wanted that was great, but if something wasn’t doable, I would go to her right away, let her know what was up and come up for a game plan for what to do next.
How did you prepare for your MOH duties?
Mostly via open communication. I was ready to hear what the bride wanted, and quick to coordinate with the other bridesmaids about what we could do.
What was the best and worst part of your role? Would you do it again? If yes, what will you do differently?
The worst was planning the bachelorette party. She wanted to go away for it, but many of the bridesmaids were not able to. Different budgets, different personality types and different comfort zones made planning something that the bride would love that everyone else would be able to partake in was tricky. The best part was the actual party. It all worked out, we all had an absolutely amazing time. All the hard work, stress, and frustration really paid off, and it was great watching her have so much fun! I would definitely do it again!
Help-a-MOH-out! What advice can you give for future MOHs?
Speak up – be open with your bride. If something cannot be done, don’t be afraid to tell her. Be open and flexible, and be willing to step out of your comfort zone because it is her special day, it will be worth it in the end, but if the sacrifice is too large (something out of your price range, for example), let her know ASAP! And do your best to stay calm! It’s a big day for her, and you will be her rock of support. She might be scared; she might be upset over things beyond her control (the weather, the makeup artist being late, traffic, etc). Be ready to comfort and support her.
Did the bridesmaids give you in trouble? How did you handle dealing with several women?
A little bit. They weren’t too bad, but some wanted to go away, some wanted to stay, some wanted to go to clubs, some wanted to chill out by a pool, and not everyone had the same budget, so figuring out what would make everyone happy and something that everyone could afford was frustrating. But at the end of the day, remember, you want to do what would make your bride happy. You can’t please everyone so if push comes to shove, put your bride first!
What do you think are the most important things about being a MOH?
There are the traditional things like planning the bachelorette and showers, but ultimately, I think the most important part of being a MOH is you are there to support your bride, especially on The Big Day. She will undoubtedly be stressed out by many factors (hopefully not her groom!) so you need to be there to keep her calm and be ready to take charge if you need to.
Anything you would like to add?
If you’re particularly sentimental, practice your MOH speech well before the wedding! It will help from getting too emotional when you’re actually giving it!
Do you have something to share about your experience? Email [email protected] or contact us on social media, we want to hear what you have to say!
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