What should I do? Answer: Traditionally a maid of honor is a woman who has never been married, while a matron of honor is a married woman. In this case, the analogy is that just like a married woman went from a Miss to a Mrs., after divorce she becomes a Ms., but can never go back to being a Miss.
The marital status of the Matron of Honor does not matter. She can be divorced, married or widowed. The term Maid of Honor is reserved for those who have never been married.
“The Maid of Honor refers to a bride's honor attendant who is NOT married. The Matron of Honor refers to one who is married. Honor attendants are usually a best friend or sister. Recently though, some brides have selected their mother for this role.
A matron of honor is anyone who occupies the same role and fulfills the same duties as a maid of honor, but has already had a wedding of their own. The title holds the same rank as "maid of honor" does in a wedding party.
maiden of honor (plural maidens of honor) A girl or unmarried woman who assists the bride at a wedding.
Can I Have Two Maids of Honor? The answer is yes! Not only is having two maids of honor acceptable per modern wedding etiquette, but it's also a savvy move when it comes to the logistics of preparing for your big day.
Definition: A Maid/Matron of Honor is someone who is chosen to be the bride's right hand person leading up to the wedding and on the big day! She is in charge of planning some of the pivotal events before the wedding. On wedding day she is there to stand by the bride's side if she needs anything!
An honorary bridesmaid or bridal party member is an attendant to the bride whose involvement in traditional bridal party duties vary based on the bride's desires.
The matron of honor is sometimes referred to as the "bride's honor attendant." Not sure if you should have a matron and an MOH? Learn everything you need to know in our ultimate guide on How to Have Two Maids of Honor.
Bridesmate (or indeed mate of honour) is a gender neutral for your non-binary friends and family members who are a part of your wedding. The terms are alternatives to 'bridesmaids' and 'groomsmen'.
The principal bridesmaid, if one is so designated, may be called the chief bridesmaid or maid of honor if she is unmarried, or the matron of honor if she is married.
The short answer is, no, a maid of honour does not need to be married! The bridesmaids were traditionally chosen because they were young and single! It was actually considered a good way to attract a husband. But be careful, some believed that if you stumbled down the aisle, you would never get married!
You can have one, two, three, or even more maids of honor. Choosing a maid of honor is one tough choice, but if you're not sure between two or three different friends and family members, why not pick all of them?
Make One a Matron of Honor
If neither are married, then they'll both share the same “maid of honor” title. And if both happen to be married, then technically you'll have two matrons of honor. Either way works!
Indeed, you can fire your maid of honor, and the following stories serve as proof that sometimes, it's the best decision you can make to preserve your sanity and ensure all goes smoothly. Of course, it typically takes a lot for a maid of honor to get canned.
The “Maid Of Honor”, is the principle Bridesmaid. Usually a sister, very close friend, or confidant, that the Bride can rely on. Basically, the Maid Of Honor is the assistant to the Bride.
The short answer is, no, a maid of honour does not need to be married! The bridesmaids were traditionally chosen because they were young and single! It was actually considered a good way to attract a husband. But be careful, some believed that if you stumbled down the aisle, you would never get married!
This is a big honor, and can be fun and exciting. Just in case you aren't clear on the definition, the maid of honor is defined as the bride's right hand woman throughout her engagement and wedding day, leading the rest of the bridesmaids in their own duties.
The Maid or Matron of Honor: The bride's right-hand woman walks alone. The Ring Bearer(s) and/or the Flower Girl(s): The ring bearer walks down the aisle followed by the flower girl. They then sit with their parents after walking down the aisle.
The bride chooses someone who is not in her wedding party to be her “proxy” bride. The Proxy Bride will stand in for her during the rehearsal and other pre-wedding events. This gives the bride a chance to confer with her wedding planner and see the ceremony from the outside.
An honorary bridesmaid is someone who is not in the wedding party but attends and participates in all pre-wedding events. A regular bridesmaid is a member of the wedding party. Honorary bridesmaids are usually friends or family members of the bride or groom who don't live close by and can't be a bridesmaid.
Your Maid of Honor Options
Contenders for your maid of honor can be absolutely anyone you're close to and want to honor on your special day. As far as family, sisters and cousins make excellent candidates, but you are not obligated to give the honor to someone you're related to.
If the bride's honor attendant happens to be married, that person is technically a matron of honor. If the bride chooses a loved one who happens to be unmarried, that person is technically a maid of honor. Short version: "Matron" equals married, and "maid" equals unmarried. That's it!
Standard etiquette dictates the person hosting the shower would be the one who pays for it. However, if multiple people are hosting the shower (or if multiple people want to contribute to the event), that's absolutely fine too.
Though it may have raised eyebrows once upon a time, anything goes in a modern wedding. For instance, you could have one 'maid of honour', one 'chief bridesmaid', and a 'best woman'. Give them each distinct roles so that they all feel special.