It’s wedding season, which means, in addition to the constant stream of wedding albums posted to Facebook, you will most likely have to attend a wedding or two this summer. If you’re extra lucky, you might actually be a part of the bridal party or even be– gasp— the maid of honor. All sarcasm aside, being the bride’s maid of honor is a big deal. It’s an extremely flattering role to accept, but one that comes with a lot of responsibility. Whether the bride is your sister, childhood friend, or college bestie, there is a lot weighing on your shoulders to make sure everything from the bridal shower and bachelorette party, to rehearsal dinner and wedding day go as smoothly as possible. To help you keep your sanity throughout the entire process, below is a list of 5 things very maid of honor needs:
1. A Pinterest account
I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a thousand more times: When in doubt, Pinterest. I understand that different people have different ways of dealing with stress. But I am here to tell you that the thousands of dollars you are spending on your therapist every year are being wasted. I could go on and on about the many ways in which Pinterest can make you feel better about your life, but since this post is about your maid of honor duties, I’ll keep it limited to that. Everyone knows that girls have (secret) boards for their wedding days, and this is because, in addition to needing an outlet to plan your dream wedding (even when you are single) without looking like a lunatic, it is a gold mine for ideas and inspiration. From timeline guides of your duties to ideas for party favors and decorations, Pinterest will have everything you need to help you plan the perfect shower and bachelorette party.
2. An email list/group chat
You are going to be talking to the bridesmaids.. a lot. While I know there are many people in this day in age that prefer texting to email, no one likes feeling constantly attacked by being a part of a group chat they don’t want to be in. But whether it is in a group chat or an email, you need to make sure you have a way to talk to all the bridesmaids in one place so you don’t have to keep repeating yourself when trying to explain plans, ask questions, etc. I recommend making an Excel spreadsheet with all of the girls names, phone numbers, email addresses, social security numbers mailing addresses, etc. as early as possible so that when it comes time to planning the get-togethers and events, you will be able to contact everyone easily.
3. A credit card
It’s not a secret anymore: planning a wedding is f*cking expensive… even if you are not the one getting married. While there are plenty of ways to plan bridal showers and bachelorette parties on a budget, the fact of the matter is that you are going to end up shelling out some cash here and there, even when you don’t really want to. Between the dress, party favors, bachelorette party, etc. you are going to want to have your credit card ready to swipe at pretty much all times.
4. Customized gifts
When it comes to being a maid of honor, there are few greater things you can do for yourself than finding a place to order custom labels. Whether it is for the water bottles you are going to put in the bachelorette party gift bags, the wine bottles you are going to have at the shower, or the cheesy tank tops you are going to make the bridal party wear while getting ready the day of, nothing you give anyone during the course of the wedding events will matter unless it distinctly has a custom label that indicates it is for { JEN & BEN’S WEDDING 7.15.2015 }… or whatever. Why is it necessary to put custom labels on everything, as if the people in attendance don’t know what has brought everyone together in the first place? I’m not sure. But it’s just a reality you need to accept.
5. A grip
If you are someone who tends to lose their sh*t at the drop of a hat, then you should probably reconsider your role as the maid of honor. But since turning down this role would just make you an inconsiderate betch, you should instead probably just learn how to get a grip on yourself and realize that throughout the entire process of the wedding and the events leading up to it, things are going to go wrong. Bridesmaids are going to get too drunk. You are going to forget to pack extra bobby pins. And Becky is going to forget to bring the extra bags of ice. But you know what? None of this matters. Because ultimately this isn’t about you; it’s about the bride and it’s about making her wedding day as special as possible. And the biggest responsibility you have, aside from making the entire thing as close to Bridesmaids as humanly possible (including puppies as party favors), is making sure the bride, throughout the whole thing, is enjoying herself and not losing her sh*t. If you can make that happen, you already are a great maid of honor.