Knowing the difference between the positions is essential before making a choice. Maid of Honor is the most senior bridesmaid, and is responsible for looking after the bride's maid of honour. There is typically and over one bridesmaid in a traditional Western wedding.
What Is a Matron of Honor? A matron of honor is essentially the HBIC (head bridesmaid in charge). The truth is, it's no different than being the maid of honor. The only distinction is that a matron of honor is a married woman.
Maid of Honor/Matron of Honor
Before starting down the aisle, she should take a moment to look over the bride's wedding gown, dress train, and veil to see that they are perfectly in place. Then she walks down the aisle, after the bridesmaids and groomsmen, and stands next to the bride, on her left.
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.
The maid of honor, along with the rest of the bridal party, is expected to cover all wedding attire costs. This includes the dress (plus any necessary alterations), shoes, and any jewelry you'll be wearing the day of. Occasionally, the bride will gift her bridesmaids with whatever accessories she wants them to wear.
We'd say there's a fairly solid consensus that the couple should pay for anything beauty-related for bridesmaids, like hair, makeup, tans or nails. Basically, anything that affects the way the girls look that the bride has specifically requested.
Does the maid of honor get the bride a gift? Generally speaking, yes. Giving gifts is customary for the wedding party.
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.
The Maid or Matron of Honor: The maid or matron of honor will walk alone after other bridal party members. The Flower Girl(s) and/or Ring Bearer(s): The children chosen will walk down the aisle one after the other. They can sit with their parents once they are done.
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.
The maid of honor usually stands closest to the bride and holds the bride's bouquet. If one of your besties is a matron of honor, you can ask her to stand in the second spot.
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.
Usually she is dressed the same as the bridesmaids, although some brides will reflect her status with a different colour, piece of jewellery or slightly different dress design. Note that if she is married, the correct term is matron of honour.
This is a big honor, and can be fun and exciting. Just in case you aren't clear on the definition, the maid of honor is defined as the bride's right hand woman throughout her engagement and wedding day, leading the rest of the bridesmaids in their own duties.
You can have one, two, three, or even more maids of honor. Choosing a maid of honor is one tough choice, but if you're not sure between two or three different friends and family members, why not pick all of them?
There's no rule stating you absolutely must make your sister your maid of honor—or even include her in your bridal party at all. Of course, leaving her out does run the risk of causing a rift, so if you and your sister are on good terms (or some semblance thereof), making her a bridesmaid is highly recommended.
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!
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.
The “Maid Of Honor”, is the principle Bridesmaid. Usually a sister, very close friend, or confidant, that the Bride can rely on.
"Weddings are an emotional time. A bride designates her maid or matron of honor as her most cherished confidant to share in all the emotions of planning and celebrating a wedding," Krug says. Alternatively, you'll also want to help the bride relish in all the excitement.
Typically, the maid of honor pays for smaller-ticket items, like a bachelorette sash or tiara, decorations, and swag for the other party guests. If you, as the bride, don't want to pay for these smaller items, our advice is to give your friends space to take the reins.
Can a married woman still be a maid of honor? 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.
Does the maid of honor have to give a speech? It's expected for a maid of honor to give a speech, especially if the other honor attendants are planning on giving one, but it's not required. Giving a maid of honor speech can be a fun experience, but it isn't for everyone.
Generally speaking, bridesmaids are expected to pay for their own dresses and accessories as well as potentially hair and makeup appointments and transportation to the wedding. According to Gottsman, bridesmaids should be prepared to cover the costs for these expenses once they accept the offer.
The Bride Pays for All the Bridesmaid Hair and Makeup Costs
One of the two most common payment scenarios for bridesmaid hair and makeup is the bride covering all the costs.