What Are A Bridesmaid’s Responsibilities? A Checklist & Guide

One of your favorite people in the world is about to tie the knot, and you couldn’t be happier to be a bridesmaid at her wedding.

You want her special day to be beautiful from beginning to end. But wedding planning can be as stressful as it is exciting. So, how can you do your part to help? The checklist below details potential responsibilities for a bridesmaid before, during, and after the wedding. So, you can help the bride create special memories. Plus, discover the perfect Rhode Island bachelorette party venue or bridal shower.

Maid of honor vs bridesmaid duties

As the lead bridesmaid, the maid of honor is the bride’s righthand girl. She’ll typically take the most active role in wedding planning and have a few distinct responsibilities, such as planning the bridal shower or bachelorette parties.

That said, her plate might end up full with all of the party-planning tasks. That’s where you can come in to be a supportive assistant!

Your bridesmaids responsibility checklist

Your individual taks as a bridesmaid may vary from the following checklist. So, be sure to ask the maid of honor, bride, and wedding planner for anything extra they might need!

Bridesmaid duties pre-wedding day

• Plan pre-wedding events. The maid of honor will handle most of the bridal shower and bachelorette party. But you can support her by researching and booking venues, choosing decorations, sending invitations, or chipping into the party fund
• Help choose decor. Sometimes, the bride may need an extra opinion on wedding decor, like the color palette and flower choices. If she asks, you can chime in with your ideas.
• Assist with invitations. The bride may want you to gather information for wedding invitations, like guest addresses. If she’s making her own wedding invitations rather than using a dedicated service, you can help address envelopes and mail them.
• Be a DIY assistant. Has the bride chosen to DIY wedding decorations, like centerpieces or floral arrangements? You can be her DIY assistant for a fun pre-wedding project
• Go dress shopping. As a bridesmaid, one of your main field trips will involve dress shopping and fitting sessions. You can offer feedback on your favorite wedding dresses the bride tries on, and on your favorite bridesmaid attire. If you’re uncomfortable with the style the bride chooses for you, now is the time to speak or forever hold your peace!
• Learn the wedding schedule. You don’t need to memorize every moment of the wedding day from beginning to end. But you should learn the general timeline and understand where you’re meant to be at different moments. (After all, you don’t want to be late for the open bar!)
• Attend the rehearsal dinner. As a bridesmaid, you’re one of the key attendees at the rehearsal dinner. Beyond learning your overall role and timing for the upcoming big day, you’ll also want to create a pleasant party vibe by welcoming and chatting with other guests, like the bride’s family members
• Coordinate a bridesmaid gift for the bride. If you and the other bridesmaids want to coordinate an extra special surprise for the bride, now’s your chance! You can offer ideas on the gift, contribute to the purchase fund, or work magic with wrapping paper

Bridesmaids duties on the wedding day

• Move decor. The maid of honor will handle most of the bridal shower and bachelorette party. But you can support her by researching and booking venues, choosing decorations, sending invitations, or chipping into the party fund
• Be on snack duty. You and the rest of the bridal party might need a chance to refuel before you can officially sit down for dinner. If you’re carrying a purse, pack snacks and bottled water for a quick pick-me-up
• Pack touch-up supplies. On a day as emotional as a wedding, there’s bound to be some waterworks - but that doesn’t mean you should have smudged eyeliner in the wedding photos. Pack some makeup touch-up supplies for makeup emergencies, like tissues and (waterproof) mascara.
• Create good energy. This might just be your most important task of the whole day - creating supportive, encouraging energy. Make sure the bride can feel the love throughout the ceremony and reception. And if you head to an after-party, you can keep the good vibes flowing there too

Bridesmaid Duties post-wedding day

• Share photos. While everyone is waiting on the photographer’s official photo album, you can get ahead of the curve by sharing any photos that guests snapped. Post them on social media, or send them in emails and texts!
• Coordinate returns. Are any wedding gifts not quite right? You can return them for refunds or exchanges. You can also help return any rental items used during the wedding, like tables and chairs. (If you take home some leftover wedding cake while you’re at it, we’ll keep our lips sealed!)
• Send Thank-You cards. It’s always a nice gesture to receive a handwritten thank you note! But that can be a massive ordeal for a bride to undertake by herself. You can help her out by writing them yourself or addressing the envelopes and mailing them out.

A Rhode Island bachelorette party and bridal shower venue

Looking for the perfect RI bridal shower venues? Kirkbrae Country Club is ready to streamline your planning process! No more stressful wedding planning

Our elegant event spaces are perfect for a fun get-together with a bride and her closest friends. Sip cocktails and play games in our intimate charcoal room, or enjoy mimosas at a bridesmaid brunch on our tented patio. We can even help you with catering, so you can check one more task off your checklist.

Contact us today to book one of our spaces.