When it comes to planning a wedding, brides-to-be can often feel overwhelmed. There are so many things to consider, and with so little time, it’s easy for stress levels to start mounting. That’s why the bridal entourage is there to help the event feel more special for the bride. If you’re the maid of honor, there are ways you can help the bride stay organized and calm throughout the wedding planning process. Here are tips that should help get you:
Tips to Stay Organized
Although the bride is mainly in charge of wedding planning, the maid of honor needs to be organized. After all, you’ll be her right-hand woman on the big day, so you’ll need to be able to think on your feet and handle any problems that come up.
One way to stay organized is to keep a wedding planning notebook. This will be your go-to guide for all things related to the wedding and help you keep track of tasks that need to be completed. In the notebook, you can also jot down ideas for the bride’s wedding day look, gift ideas, and anything else that comes to mind.
Another way to stay organized is to create a wedding planning timeline. This will help the bride and her maid of honor keep track of deadlines and ensure that all tasks are completed on time. The timeline can be as straightforward or as detailed as you like. Still, it should include key dates such as the wedding venue booking deadline, the save-the-date card deadline, and the RSVP deadline.
Handling Stressful Situations
Even with a maid of honor by her side, the bride will likely still feel stressed during the wedding planning process. That’s why the maid of honor needs to know how to handle stressful situations. One way to manage stress is to take a break. When the bride feels like she’s about to hit her breaking point, she must step away from the wedding planning for a little while. Accompany her to take a walk, get some fresh air, sit down and chat, or watch a movie together — any method that helps relieve stress for you and the bride.
Helping the Bride Choose
The maid of honor not only helps the bride plan the wedding, you must also provide your opinions whenever the bride asks. Brides often ask for the opinion of their entourage while choosing their dress for the big day. Although brides know what they want, they also want to ensure that their dress suits them well, and that’s where you come in. You can provide your honest opinion about the dress. Still, you should also focus on the positive aspects of the dress to ensure that the bride feels good about her choice.
To help the bride expand her options, you can accompany her to a reputable bridal boutique that can customize dresses according to her wishes. This will help the bride find the perfect dress for her big day without having to go through dozens of gowns to find the right one.
Aside from her dress, she will likely ask your opinion about other aspects of the wedding, such as the flowers. When helping the bride choose, you should also consider the wedding’s overall theme and aesthetic. For example, suppose the wedding is going to be a formal affair. In that case, you’ll likely want to suggest classic and timeless flowers like roses or lilies. If the wedding is going to be more relaxed, you can offer more whimsical flowers like daisies or sunflowers. Whether helping the bride choose her wedding dress or giving opinions on other wedding-related decisions, the maid of honor needs to be supportive and helpful throughout the process.
What to Do If You’re Out of Time
One of the biggest challenges of being the maid of honor is balancing work, life, and wedding planning. It’s not uncommon for the maid of honor to feel like she’s out of time, especially as the wedding day gets closer. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t panic. There are a few things you can do to get back on track.
You should look at the wedding timeline and see what tasks can be removed or shortened. For example, suppose the bride has asked you to help her assemble 200 favors. In that case, you can suggest that she purchase pre-assembled favors instead. This will save you a lot of time and effort. Moreover, you can also delegate tasks to other members of the bridal party or family members. This will help lighten your load and ensure all tasks are completed.
Wedding planning can be very stressful, but it can be much easier with the right tools and advice. By being organized and keeping calm under pressure, you can help the bride make choices that will make her happy on her big day.