Maid of honour title?

I am having a “chief bridesmaid”. I think that’s the traditional British (or maybe just English!) role, but I am having 6 bridesmaids so she is the one in charge of coordinating the hen-do, and I may ask her to make a speech (as a best man does). Lots of people have a maid of honour in the UK these days, but I don’t think it’s necessary to have either. With two bridesmaids it will be very easy for them to plan things together, but if you hope one of them will do more then it would be nice to give her a title.

Hiya

I don’t think MOH is necessarily an American thing, it’s more traditional than you probably believe! A Maid (or Matron if she’s married) of Honour is usually the oldest of the wedding party and has the most responsibility before and during the wedding. She is also the most likely to have been asked to Witness the marriage. A MOH is equivalent to the Best Man, and if you’re having a formal or semi formal wedding, they would take part in the couples’ dance after your first dance as Husband and Wife.

I’m having my two adult daughters as my MOH and Bridesmaid when we get married next year. The two of them will walk me down the aisle as both my parents are deceased. My eldest is MOH and will Witness the marriage and her sister will do a reading, so that they both have key responsibilities during the Ceremony.

Hope this helps,

Ali xx

As has been said the maid of honour has slowly come in from America but what I have noticed is that it is used instead of "chief bridesmaid" where there are a number of bridesmaids but you do not want to particularly elevate one above all others so as to not possibly upset the others.

In practice their rolls are the same if you call them cheif or honour, sometimes I see there are both at the same wedding, usually in the cases where there is a Sister involved who was not asked to be the chief bridesmaid so the title maid of honour keeps her (and Mum ) happy .

Also I Sometimes see that maid of honour is used when the bridesmaid is a lot older, sort of like "when does a pageboy become too odd and needs to be a grooms-man or usher"

In your situation with just two bridesmaids and you have already asked them to be bridesmaids, suddenly elevating one to a "higher status" may upset the other.

As with all things wedding there is no Must or Have to, its your day and up to you.

You don't have to have a MOH.. it's all about personal preference

Actually, as Ali says, Maid or Matron (depending on marital status) of Honour is quite a well established tradition in Britain - I remember going to weddings 20 or more years ago which had MOHs.

Usually, there are several bridesmaids and the MOH acts as the 'best man' equivalent for the bride. There is no requirement to have one, especially if you are not expecting the bridesmaids to do much to help, or if they will both be helping equally. And I agree with the PP who said that if you have asked them both to be bridesmaids, suddenly upgrading one to MOH might upset the other one.