As a maid/matron of honor in a wedding, there are countless responsibilities that go along with this honor. Here is a checklist of items you will not want to forget on the wedding day.
* In addition to your own dress, shoes and jewelry, you will need to make sure that the bride's gown and accessories also arrive safely at the ceremony site, or wherever she will be getting dressed for her big day. Be sure to take the gown out of the garment bag and lay it flat as soon as possible so the dress has a chance to breathe and air out before being put on.
* It is customary for the maid/matron of honor to give a small toast to the bride and groom on their wedding day, so have your toast prepared and don't forget to place it somewhere you can easily find it later.
* Wedding are notorious for having things go awry at the last minute. Have a notepad of all of the phone numbers of the different vendors, like the florist, DJ, caterer and photographer. If one of the vendors is running late, instead of the bride worrying about it, you can simply get on a cell phone and find out what the holdup is.
* Many maids/matrons of honor put together a small emergency kit for the bride-to-be, to account for those little mishaps or touch-ups that may need to happen throughout the day. Some important items to include are hair products (brush, bobby pins, hair gel, hairspray), makeup, perfume, tampons or sanitary napkins, breath mints, healthy snacks, bottled water, toothbrush/toothpaste, safety pins and a sewing kit.
* The bride may ask you to hold the groom's ring for her, so be sure to bring it with you and carry it in a safe place.
* If you have not already brought one for the couple, bring your wedding gift with you, as well.
* Sometimes, after the wedding, the wedding party (groomsmen and bridesmaids) will stick around to help clean up (especially if the reception is at somebody's home). If you plan on doing this, bring along a comfortable change of clothes.
