By Louise Baltruschat Hollis
Photos by Laura Jane Photography
I have to be honest from the outset, it may be controversial but I don’t really like the phrase ‘bridesmaid duties‘. However, it seems to be the most common way to describe the role of a bridesmaid/bridesman and the responsibilities they can help with. So we’ll stick with it for the purpose of this article ☺️.
First things first, there are no rules when it comes to weddings.
Now we have that out of the way, shall we take a look at some duties that your maids can help with? Or perhaps you are a dedicated bridesmaid/bridesman who wishes to help your bride/groom with their plans?
I am here to help, with a round-up of all the ways bridesmaids/bridesmen can be of help. Hoorah! Plus I’ll share my top tips along the way to help keep drama to a minimum and the good times rolling.
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From engagement to honeymoon, a bridesmaid/bridesman can be at the side of the bride or groom.
Some couples look for a lot of involvement, others not so much. The same goes for bridesmaids, some may wish to get fully involved and others take more of a back seat. There is no right or wrong. The key though, is communication.
As a bridesmaid/bridesman, if you are unsure what to do or be a part of, ask the couple or offer to help with certain aspects. As a couple, think about asking your bridesmaids/bridesmen if they’d like to get involved and what they’d perhaps would like or wouldn’t like to do.
That open and honest communication from the outset will help to mitigate any dramas or fallouts. Set any expectations and duties right at the offset.

When it comes to helping the couple plan their day, there are so many ways bridesmaids/bridesmen can be involved. From venue visits to wedding shows, wedmin, timelines and WhatsApp groups there are some really fun parts to be involved in.

On the wedding day itself, there can be so many little things to consider and help with. This may vary depending on the type of wedding. If it’s a DIY wedding, there may be more heavy involvement. If there is a wedding planner or on-the-day coordinator, not so much help may be required. Some suppliers that have been hired may also take on some of the responsibilities.
As a couple, think about drawing up things on the day you may need help with. Then approach your bridesmaids and wedding party to see if anyone would like to help out. As a bridesmaid/bridesman, you could speak to the couple and ask what you need to do on the day. That way it’s really clear for everyone.


Couples, once it’s finalised whos doing what, draw up a checklist and wedding day timeline. Then hand it out to wedding party members as well as suppliers, so the day runs smoothly.

Post-wedding there are always things to do. But newlyweds may wish to do them themselves. Alternatively, if the couple is jetting off straight away on a honeymoon, it could be helpful to step in with certain elements of their post-wedding debrief.
It’s also worth remembering that if the wedding party is larger, tasks can be delegated between more people. But also other guests may wish to help and take on responsibilities too. That way bridesmaids don’t have all the duties and are able to let their hair down too.

So there you have it, all the possible bridesmaid duties as well as some top tips on how to organise tasks. Yay!
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