Today, I’m going to talk to the Maids (or Matrons) of Honor. Whether you are the best friend of the bride or the bride’s sister (or an other VIP in her life), you have been charged with the oh so big responsibility of Maid of Honor. And whether you wanted it or not, you HAVE to do a good job. You want to make the wedding experience wonderful and memorable.

There are a couple of duties that are in your job description: facilitating pre-wedding functions, the wedding shower, and the bachelorette party. I’m just going to give you a few ideas for a bachelorette party, a wedding shower and a miscellaneous wedding party event.

The Bachelorette Party

When you are looking for things to do for a bachelorette party, the most important thing to do is ask the bride what kind of party she wants.

Of course, there is a typical bachelorette party…party. You go out with your girls for a fun night of debauchery and dancing. There is nothing wrong with this. It’s fun! However, I am of the mindset that you should do everything in your power to make this wedding season less stressful for the bride. Although, a drunken night of dancing and risque behavior is fun, it is not for everyone.

A great alternative is a Spa Day. Whether you book two hours at Le Reve Rittenhouse Spa or a full day at Body Restoration Spa, I guarantee you will not regret it. A massage, a facial, manicure, hot tubs, mud baths, or the works! There are so many options to indulge yourselves. The first time I went to a spa, I got a massage and then sweated out all the toxins I didn’t know were in my body in the sauna. Then we had the best meal ever. It was wonderful!

Check out no more than 3 spas to see what they offer. Most spas offer great packages for events like this. There might even be champagne and cake (I mean that’s all I would need)! If you don’t see exactly what you want, most places are willing to customize a package for you.

The Wedding Shower

All of the wedding showers I’ve gone to have been, forgive me, lame as hell. You can be traditional without being corny! Now, I understand that wedding showers are about the location as much as the actual shower. Make sure you do it at a place where the guests will be comfortable. People need to feel free to be themselves wherever they are. Even the most beautiful party can be ruined by the wrong ambience. Think about having it in a familiar setting… then transform it into something else for the day. Flowers and candles, people! You’d be surprised how much you can change with flowers and candles.

The most important thing to me is the food. However, I know not all people are as food obsessed as me so I will only say a few things about this. I am not a huge fan of gimmicky food. That is not to say I don’t like a good theme! Colors, designs, flavors…these are all great things you can do with food. Get creative! You can have the guests create their own desserts with different frostings and naked cakes, ice cream and all the whipped cream, cookies and fruit. Or… be more reserved and classic with just one beautiful cake.

Make sure there is a photographer! Whether it is great Aunt Thelma’s daughter-in-law or a professional, you want someone documenting this experience. The bride will thank you.

I am a HUGE fan of games. No matter the setting or group of people, games are always appropriate. At least, I think so. Games are a good way to break the ice and get everyone to know one another. I’m always down for a good game of Find the Guest (every guest gets a checklist with a ton of different facts about each other and they have to match the facts to each guest). If some of the wedding party have never met, this is an innocent and fun way of brushing past the awkwardness of being in close quarters with people you don’t know. You can also get to know people really quickly with a round of Who Can Make the Best Cocktail!

Just a Few More Tips

Being the Maid of Honor is an open-ended commitment. That means you have to be ready for anything. You know the bride very well. You know her personality. You know what to be prepared for. In my previous post, I wrote about starting a Facebook group. That will be so helpful for you to communicate with the other bridesmaids. Also, start a Pinterest board with all of the ideas you have for the parties and other events.

I hope these ideas helped. Maybe it inspired you. Maybe it let you know that you’re going to need to get the rest of the bride squad to help with all of this. Or…Maybe it showed you that you can do it by yourself. If I helped you at all, then I achieved my goal.

If you need any assistance with your pre-wedding event plans, we are here for you. Take a look at our calendar to schedule a free 30-minute call with us.

Until next time…