Sisters are silly for wedding picture.

Bride makes silly face in picture with Maid of Honor/sister.

I just recently had my first real experience as a Maid of Honor. I was the Maid of Honor in my older sister’s wedding five years ago, but I was only 16. Because of my young age and lack of money, I wasn’t in charge of any of the traditional Maid of Honor duties. The next bridesmaid in line took care of the bridal shower, the bachelorette party, and everything else. This time, however, my best friend and roommate is getting married. I have quickly figured out what it takes and what it means to be the best Maid of Honor I can be.

When Stephanie asked me to be her Maid of Honor, I was nervous. I’m a “poor college student” and a college student with not a lot of time on my hands. But, since we are best friends, I was honored and said “yes” in a heartbeat. Stephanie and I have become even closer through planning her wedding. I was there for her through the frustrations, the tears, and the excitement of wedding planning. Our friendship has grown stronger and more special throughout this process.

Bride and Maid of Honor laughing together.

Bride and Maid of Honor share a touching moment before the wedding.

Although my friendship with Stephanie has grown stronger, my Maid of Honor duties were a bit overwhelming at first. I was in charge of planning the bridal shower, the bachelorette party, a game to be played at the reception, and any other odds and ends that Stephanie needed help with. The bridal shower was my first task. It seemed pretty simple; I’ve attended plenty of bridal showers. But of course, it wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped it would be. I had to find a space for the event, create a guest list, and figure out the food, drinks, and decorations. Luckily, the other bridesmaids pitched-in with the planning of the shower, and the shower turned out to be a huge success. The bachelorette party was much more difficult than the shower. As the wedding date got closer, it was harder to get all of the bridesmaids together. I had issues finding a location for the party with all of us bridesmaids living all over the state of Kansas. There were frustrations and compromises, but we were finally able to have the bachelorette party that Stephanie had hoped for. As far as the duties I was asked to fulfil by Stephanie, I was happy to do so. I knew going into it that being Stephanie’s Maid of Honor would have its difficulties. However, she’s my best friend and I know she would do the same for me.

Maid of Honor helping bride before bridal shower.

Maid of Honor assists bride in getting ready for her bridal shower.

Being the Maid of Honor in Stephanie’s wedding gave me the opportunity to have fun with Stephanie and the other bridesmaids. We planned together, laughed together, gossiped together, and celebrated together. I will never forget this rewarding experience of being Stephanie’s Maid of Honor. To all the brides reading this post, be sure to cherish your wedding planning experience. Enjoy the time with your friends and bridesmaids. You will only have this experience with your favorite girlfriends once—make it count.