Matron of Honor Checklist

“When you are chosen as a maid of honor, you should be flattered and happy that the bride felt she could trust you to be her touchstone on the most important and expensive day of her life,” says Charity Plaster, wedding coordinator/planner of A Charmed Event in Akron. Yikes! I'd better make absolutely sure I know what I'm doing! It's a good thing the internet is full of checklists to help me out.

So here is my checklist:

1) Help the bride select bridesmaids' attire
Check - "This is what I want to wear, OK with you?"

2) Help address invitations and place cards
Check - OK, I didn't actually help address them, that was done on a printer, but I did press the wet envelope flaps down

3) Attend as many prenuptial events as possible
Check - There was only one formal "event" but I did attend the dress shopping and hairstyle practice sessions.

4) Make sure all of the bridesmaids, the flower girl and the ring bearer are at the ceremony on time
Check - Should be easy, I just need to get my ass there on time.

5) Attend the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
N/A - there is no rehearsal (OK, unless you count make-up and hairstyle rehearsals) but I'm certainly up for dinner!

6) Walk in processional and recessional
Check - Because doing back flips would take too much attention away from the bride

7) Hold the groom's wedding ring during the ceremony
Oh yeah! I'll have to remind her to get it off his finger, he's already wearing it

8) Hold the bride's bouquet during the ceremony
Check - Take Zyrtec to avoid showering her bouquet with spit and phlegm

9) Help with the bride's gown
Check - Not much to do here but tell her how fabulous she looks in it

10) Arrange the bride's veil and train before the processional and the recessional
Check - I actually made the veil and am doing her hair so I'm extra qualified at arranging it. Don't need to worry about the train as we're flying to the Islands.

11) Make sure the bride's gown is picture perfect throughout the day
Check - I'm prepared to tackle any camera bearing guests who take aim while she is in anything less than a supermodel pose

12) Witness the signing of the marriage certificate
Check - So I can say to the groom that day, "Get your butt back here, I saw you moving the pen without actually touching the paper" or so I can say to the bride years later "No, I SAW you sign it with my own two eyes."

13) Stand in the receiving line
Check - Mental note, do not sprawl out along the ground... someone might trip over you

14) Keep the bride on schedule
Check - although I'm fairly certain I can't control her "schedule", I will bring extra feminine supplies

15) Help the bride change into her going away clothes
Check - Since we'll already be at the destination, I suspect that if the bride wants to change into "going away" clothes my job will be to talk her out of it

16) Take care of the bride’s gown and accessories after the reception
Check - Remind her to at least take the time to pick it up off the floor and hang it up on her wedding night