Are you getting married, and struggling to decide who has an important role in your day and who doesn’t? This is often one of the hardest parts of getting married, as you may have many close friends and family that deserve a part of your wedding day, but it is so hard to narrow it down.
For men, sometimes choosing a best man is simple, but sometimes the bride can struggle to pick between two maid of honors. So, what if you had two Maids of Honor? What are the rules, and what’s the etiquette of having a Maid of Honor? We have all of the answers and guidance about the Maid of Honor.
What is a Maid Of Honor?
The Maid of Honor is sort of like a lead bridesmaid. The Maid of Honor is a chief bridesmaid who is in charge of the rest of the bridesmaids, along with organizing the bridal party, bachelorette party, and the wedding shower.
Naturally, the maid of honor will have a lot of responsibilities, and often helps take some of the weight off of the bride’s shoulders. She may help with the planning process, or be in charge of some wedding day duties, such as picking up the dress, making sure everything runs smoothly, and taking care of the bride.
Generally speaking, the Maid of Honor is an unmarried maiden, or she would be called a Matron of Honor, but nowadays you can also get a Man of Honor, depending on who is chosen.
For the most part this person would be the bride’s personal assistant and helper throughout the engagement process, the planning of the wedding and the actual wedding day itself!
As a result, this decision of who it will be will not be an easy one, as you need someone who you can rely upon completely, and who will rise to the occasion, without letting you down. This is why more and more brides are choosing multiple Maids of Honor. Two work better than one, right?
Where does the Maid Of Honor tradition come from?
Having a Maid of Honor is a rite of passage, it’s a tradition we have always known. But where does this idea actually come from? Well a Maid of Honor and Bridesmaids are actually long held traditions that stem from ancient Roman times.
During these times, people were far more superstitious and religious than we are today. In ancient Roman weddings, the bride was required to have several witnesses available to help ward off and outsmart evil spirits.
They were meant to act as decoys for the spirits, protecting the bride from their harm. The bride herself would wear the veil to cover her face and hide from them, whilst the bridesmaids distracted them.
The bridesmaids would also be dressed in the same clothes as the bride, to deceive the spirits, but also to confuse other men in the groom’s village or family who might want to sweep the bride away for themselves before the ceremony takes place.
Therefore, the bridesmaids were a means of protection for the bride until she was securely in the arms of the groom.
The Maid of Honor in these weddings would be the bride’s closest confidante and would stay as close to her as possible to confuse threats and evil spirits. The actual phrase Maid of Honor became popular as this was the title for the female attendants who cared for the Queen in the United Kingdom. So, there have always been more than one!
Today, the Maid of Honor remains the closest companion of the bride, and someone she trusts entirely and deeply to help her on the biggest day of her life.
What responsibilities does the Maid Of Honor have?
Surprisingly enough, the Maid of Honor today is not required to ward off evil spirits or ghouls. Nowadays, the Maid of Honor has a range of responsibilities, from hosting wedding events such as the bridal shower, bachelorette party, and to take care of the bride.
She may also be in charge of certain wedding day responsibilities such as helping the bride get dressed and ready, or assisting her in visiting the bathroom, as those gowns are no easy feat to lift.
The Maid of Honor is also required to hold the bouquet whilst the bride gets married and signs the marriage certificate. She may also have to dance with the Best Man during the first dance, or even make a speech for the bride, and raise a toast.
With so many responsibilities, it comes as no surprise that so many brides want to choose more than one Maid of Honor. So can you pick two?
Can you have two Maids Of Honor?
Yes, you can have two Maids of Honor. In the modern day, people have become far more lenient and flexible with traditions, and more and more people are choosing to do things their way. After all, it is their day after all. If it works for you to have two Maids of Honor, then just do it!
It can sometimes be much more efficient to have two Maids of Honor, as you have two pairs of helping hands, and the responsibilities are spread out more evenly, so that no one person gets stressed, or loses control over certain situations and events.
Especially when it comes to bridal party planning or bachelorette party planning, it can be difficult to navigate those events by yourself, so having two people team up can be a great idea.
As per modern wedding etiquette, there is no problem with having two Maids of Honor. Nowadays, it is far more expected to have two Maids Of Honor, as they have far more responsibilities.
The wedding industry is bigger than ever, with so many events and lots of planning leading up to the day, so it is natural to want a little extra help, and have those long lasting close friends to help you along the way.
