By Paige Atwell 

If you’re a bride and groom, there are a plethora of things on your to-do list before the big day. It can seem a bit overwhelming, but truth be told, that’s what your Maid of Honor and Best Man are for. These are more than just titles; rather, it represents your role in the couple’s life and the one they want you to play on their big day. It’s the job of these individuals to make the lives of the bride and groom easier. Here’s how:

Attend fittings

Often times, the Maid of Honor and Best Man accompany the bride and groom to dress and suit shopping and fittings. It’s important to be a calming presence, and to give advice or suggestions, but only when asked. The priority is to be supportive. Whatever they wear, they should be confident, and that’s easy to do when they have you cheering them on!

Attend pre-wedding events

There are a lot of events leading up to the actual wedding, such as wedding showers and the rehearsal dinner. As the Maid of Honor and Best Man, it’s crucial that you come to these. Not only should you attend, but be sure to offer a helping hand wherever you can.

Plan the bachelor/bachelorette parties

This job does come with fun perks, such as planning the bachelor/bachelorette parties! You can also pull in help from the bridal party on this but be sure to consult the bride and groom first to be respectful of their wishes. If they want something low key, keep it low key and vice versa. Whichever way you celebrate, just make sure everything is planned and that they have a good time.

Be a point person for guests

If you’ve ever been invited to a wedding, you probably know that guests typically have a million question. A great way to help the bride and groom is to be a point of contact for questions before and on the day of.

Lead the wedding party

As much as brides and grooms typically love the people they choose to stand next to them on their big day, keeping a large group on the same page can be challenging. For this reason, the Maid of Honor and Best Man should be the leaders. Make sure everyone knows when and where to be at all times and that they keep a positive attitude!

Be the messenger the day of

Traditionally, the bride and groom avoid contact on the wedding day. This is the perfect opportunity to lend a helping hand. Stay in contact with the bride and groom and the wedding party to make sure everyone is there, ready to go!

Have all vendor contact information

The last thing you want on the wedding day is to have a stressed-out bride or groom. To help avoid it, make sure you have all vendor contact information before the day of. This ensures that if anything is missing or messed up, you know who to contact to fix it without having to bother the couple.

Be a calming presence

Weddings can be stressful, especially the day of. Getting everything and everyone in order can be chaos, and there is a lot that, unfortunately, you can’t control. However, no matter what happens, you can be a calming presence to help ease the bride and the groom. You’ll be surprised by how much that act alone can help.

Play host

During the reception, the bride and groom can be bombarded with people, photos and well wishes. It can be difficult for them to get to everyone. For this reason, it’s helpful for the Maid of Honor and Best Man to act as hosts. Show people to their seats, make sure they get food and thank them for coming!

Make sure all rentals  are returned

Last but not least, tie up any loose ends after the big day. If there are suits, dresses or party supplies that were rented, make sure they get returned on time.