Maid of Honour: Style Guide
Every element of a wedding, from the architectural floral installations to the ambient lighting, is meticulously planned to create an unforgettable experience. While the bride is undeniably the star of the show, her bridal party forms the visual frame that elevates the entire ceremony.
Within the bridal party, the maid of honour holds a deeply significant role; she is your confidante, your calm amidst the excitement, and your ultimate support system. Her styling deserves to reflect this elevated status within the bridal party, striking a perfect balance between standing out as a key figure and remaining cohesive with the bridesmaids.
What Is the Best Way to Distinguish the Maid of Honour?
The best way to distinguish the maid of honour from the rest of the bridal party is through subtle, high-impact design and accessory choices.
One elegant method is to introduce a different texture or embellishment. You can give your maid of honour a dress or jumpsuit featuring luxury beadwork and sequins, like our ARIANA Lilac Dress or intricate lace fabrication, like the HATTIE Black Jumpsuit, while the bridesmaids remain in minimalist fabrics. Alternatively, you can vary the silhouette or neckline, keeping the fabric and colour identical but giving the maid of honour a dramatic one-shoulder or cowl neckline while the bridesmaids wear a classic strapless cut.
Styling the maid of honour with more prominent jewellery, a unique hairpiece, or a contrasting luxury clutch also instantly sets her apart. Alternatively, upgrading the floral arrangement is a beautiful touch. You can work with your florist to give your maid of honour a slightly larger bouquet or one that incorporates a unique accent flower not found in the bridesmaids' bundles.
What Colour Does a Maid of Honour Wear?
When choosing what colour a maid of honour wears, the decision ultimately rests on the overall colour palette of your wedding.
You can choose an exact match, where she wears the exact same colour as the bridesmaid dresses. This is ideal for brides who want a seamless, uniform block of colour standing at the altar, leaving the distinction to be achieved through texture, silhouette, or accessories.
Or you can go for a tonal or complementary hue, where she wears a different shade within the same colour family or a complementary accent tone. For instance, if your bridesmaids are in soft blush, your maid of honour might wear a deeper mauve or a candy pink, like the LEANNA Pink Dress.
Does the Maid of Honour Have to Wear a Different Dress Than the Bridesmaids?
There is no strict rule dictating that the maid of honour must look entirely separate from the rest of the group. The choice entirely depends on the bride’s personal taste. Many contemporary brides choose to have their entire bridal party in identical gowns, allowing the maid of honour's title to be subtly highlighted purely by her position next to the bride and her unique bouquet. However, if you love the mismatched bridal party trend, giving her a completely different dress while keeping one cohesive element like fabric or colour family is a beautiful way to honour her unique role.
Does the Maid of Honour Have to Wear the Same Length as Bridesmaids?
While it is common practice for the bridal party to share a uniform hemline, the maid of honour does not strictly have to wear the same length as the bridesmaids. For example, if your bridesmaids are wearing midi dresses, giving your maid of honour a dramatic floor-length gown or a sweeping train is an exceptional way to elevate her look.
The only style rule to keep in mind is overall formality. If your bridesmaids are in floor-length gowns, your maid of honour should also wear a floor-length gown or a tailored jumpsuit to ensure the collective aesthetic maintains its high-end appeal.
Maid of Honour Dresses
For a truly show-stopping look, a signature MERABI dress offers the ultimate sense of occasion. Choosing a gown with intricate, hand-finished details instantly defines the Maid of Honour's look. Our SLOANE Yellow Dress is a showstopping piece, featuring a floral lace bodice and flowing floor-length skirt with a thigh split.
For a sun-drenched wedding, reach for vibrant floral prints and colours that’ll make her effortlessly stand out, like the ARIA Floral Dress with her drop waist and tiered maxi skirt. When choosing her dress, look for styles with asymmetric details or draping to give your maid of honour that coveted design edge.
Maid of Honour Co-Ords
For the fashion-conscious bride and maid of honour, a luxury co-ord set offers an incredibly chic, unexpected twist on bridal party styling.
A two-piece set featuring a structured blazer or top paired with a flowing skirt or wide-leg trousers brings a fresh, editorial feel to the altar. This option is not only effortlessly stylish but also provides an element of versatility, allowing your maid of honour to style and wear the pieces long after the wedding day is over.
Our MARNI Pink Blazer and matching powder pink trousers are made with our exclusive satin fabrication, offering a clean and sleek silhouette. For a touch of romance, the blazer features a detachable 3D flower. If you’d like your maid of honour to be your ‘something blue’, go for the ALISSA Blue Blazer with its 3D floral embellishment and matching blue occasion trousers.
Maid of Honour Jumpsuits
A perfectly tailored jumpsuit is a refined alternative to a traditional gown, immediately setting your maid of honour apart from the bridesmaids. A jumpsuit looks exceptionally striking when standing directly next to the bride, offering a sharp, fashion-forward contrast that photographs beautifully.
You can opt for styles with premium lace detailing, like the SLOANE Black Jumpsuit or HATTIE Mint; crepe tailoring; or boned corsetry, like the MARISSA Black Jumpsuit, perfect for black-tie wedding receptions – it’s the ideal piece to make your Maid of Honour stand out, especially with her eyelash hem lace sleeves.