A maid of honour and bridesmaid are both important roles, but typically the maid of honour has more responsibilities than a bridesmaid. A bridesmaid is only expected to attend the wedding and assist on the big day, whereas the maid of honour is an integral part in the lead up to and planning of the wedding day as well.
Usually a sister, very close friend, or confidant, that the Bride can rely on. Basically, the Maid Of Honor is the assistant to the Bride. While Bridesmaids' responsibilities are to be supportive and help as needed, the Maid of Honor will help the Bride out with whatever tasks are needed.
It's quite common, at casual or small weddings, for there to be no maid of honour. If you simply can't choose between your sister and your best friend, or you just don't want to cause drama by elevating one of your bridesmaids above the rest, there's no need to. Simply call them all 'bridesmaids'.
A matron of honor is often an older or more experienced version of a maid of honor. She is typically a married woman, but this isn't always a requirement. The matron of honor may be the bride's mother, sister, close friend, or a woman she has a close relationship with.
The principal bridesmaid, if one is designated, may be called the chief bridesmaid. She may also be called the maid of honor if she is unmarried, or the matron of honor if she is married. A junior bridesmaid is a girl who is clearly too young to be married but who is included as an bridesmaid anyway.
What does the Maid of Honor Pay for? As the main event planner and bride's right-hand gal or guy, the MOH is often the one who covers some of the bachelorette party expenses — extra fun additions like decorations, a stocked fridge, or first-class upgrade for the bride's flight (if you're feeling extra generous).
An honorary bridesmaid or bridal party member is an attendant to the bride whose involvement in traditional bridal party duties vary based on the bride's desires. They typically walk down the aisle but will not stand at the altar.
Maid of Honor/Matron of Honor
Before she walks down the aisle, she should do a final check to make sure the bride's veil, dress, and train look perfect. Then she walks down the aisle solo, following the rest of the bridesmaids, and stands at the bride's side during the ceremony.
Can I Have Two Maids of Honor? The answer is yes! Not only is having two maids of honor acceptable per modern wedding etiquette, but it's also a savvy move when it comes to the logistics of preparing for your big day.
Typically, the maid of honor walks down the aisle with the best man, but this "head bridesmaid" could also walk behind the bride. If you have two MOHs and only one best man, you could either have him escort both MOHs down the aisle or tap another VIP (such as one of your brothers) to serve as a second escort.
An "I just don't want to do it, sorry" to a really good friend just isn't empathetic enough. There is nothing wrong with declining being a bridesmaid or maid of honour, but keeping kindness at the heart of your conversation is an absolute must.
First off: There's no real tradition surrounding the concept of asking your sister-in-law to be a bridesmaid. The concept of having bridesmaids is relatively new. So, the short answer is no, it's not rude to choose not to make your sister-in-law a bridesmaid.
The short answer is, no, a maid of honour does not need to be married! The bridesmaids were traditionally chosen because they were young and single! It was actually considered a good way to attract a husband. But be careful, some believed that if you stumbled down the aisle, you would never get married!
Choose a different dress colour or design
A common approach when it comes to colours is having the maid of honour in the same dress as the bridesmaids but in reversed colours. So, if the bridesmaids are wearing pink dresses with purple sashes, the MOH might wear a purple dress with a pink sash.
Your maid of honor should be someone who can communicate, encourage, and keep a good sense of humor. And while there's no written rule those duties have to go to a family member, many brides choose a sister over a friend to neutralize pushback from the rest of the clan (i.e., your parents).
Yes, it is very common for a married woman to still have the title of “Maid of Honor” since that is the most commonly used term for the lead role of the bridal party. You can always ask if your maid/matron of honor has a preference, or you can stick to the traditional titles of married = matron, and unmarried = maid.
Usually, the 'maids walk down first, followed by the MOH with the bride last. If you're just having one maid or matron of honor, it's a simple line-up. But with two MOHs, you have a little more flexibility. For example, you can have the maid and matron walk down together with each other and/or the best man.
"Try to give [each maid of honor] different roles and responsibilities so they don't step on each other's toes," says Glantz. "Perhaps one is in charge of the bachelorette party and the other can plan the bridal shower."
From walking down the aisle first to last, the traditional order is: Mother of Bride, Mother of Groom, Grandparents of Bride, Grandparents of Groom, Groom, Officiant, the Wedding Party, Maid of Honor and Best Man, Ring Bearer, Flower Girl and lastly the Bride and her Father.
Bridesmaids: The bridesmaids walk down the aisle one by one before the maid of honor enters.
Aim for 2-3 minutes, and it shouldn't be longer than five minutes maximum. Very often there will be speeches from the best man, family members, or other members of the bridal party, so the maid of honor isn't responsible for filling up the whole time.
A wedding can have quite literally any number of bridesmaids. Some brides have no maids at all, whereas others might have several dozen. The most common number of bridesmaids is 3, but anywhere between 1 and 12 is considered a perfectly normal amount.
Visualize them as curtains: Some bridesmaids prefer a length that sits 1 inch above the floor, while others like the dress to gracefully touch the floor. Alternatively, you can go for a slight puddle effect. While all three lengths are acceptable, a couple of factors come into play.