The role of Chief Bridesmaid
Before the day
It is up to the chief bridesmaid and bride what role she
will have in the wedding and what is expected of her.
She should attend wedding dress fittings and help with
accessories and the going-away outfit as well as help
with the choice of bridesmaids dresses. As with the best
man’s duties, the chief bridesmaid should organise the
bride’s hen night/weekend and know the bride well
enough to tailor the event to her tastes. She should
familiarise herself with the best man and the bridesmaids
in order to make sure everyone knows their roles,
especially if there are any young bridesmaids or
pageboys. The chief bridesmaid must play a
supporting role so the bride feels less strain.
On the day
The calm and collected presence of a chief bridesmaid is
essential for any bride on her wedding day so this
should be taken into consideration when choosing her.
On the day the chief bridesmaid should help the bride
to prepare her hair and make-up and get into her dress
and hold onto any essential items the bride may need
for touch ups throughout the day. She should give all
bridesmaids and pageboys a final briefing so they know
what is expected of them at the ceremony and make
sure that they are calm and dressed on time. The chief
bridesmaid should escort the bridal party into their cars
and wait with them at the venue for the bride to arrive.
Once the bride has arrived the chief bridesmaid should
help rearrange her dress, veil and bouquet and make
sure everyone is lined up correctly to follow her down
the aisle. Once the bride is down the aisle the chief
bridesmaid should take hold of the bride’s bouquet until
the ceremony is over and then hand it back to her when
necessary. Once the ceremony is over the chief bridesmaid
and best man leave together and make sure everyone
gets to the reception. The chief bridesmaid and best
man should be in constant communication before and
during the day to make sure everything is going to plan
and any hitches are calmly and adequately dealt with.
Finally the chief bridesmaid should help the bride change into her going-away outfit and check she has everything she needs.
