After finding out that you will be the Maid of Honor or a Bridesmaid, it is important to see if the Bride-To-Be needs your help with anything since she may not ask.

One of the first things the Bride-To-Be may be concentrating on is the dress and losing weight. As for the dress, it is fun to go with her and find the dress of her dreams! Make a day out of it, going to different places to shop for the dress as well as going out and having lunch. Talking about lunch, make sure she does not become too obsessed with losing weight for the big day, especially if she doesn't need to lose weight.

It is very important to support your friend. If the Bride-To-Be has a little weight to lose and you do as well, help each other eat healthy and exercise which will only strengthen your bond!

The Bride-To-Be will be worried about who to invite as well as all the odds and ends of planning her big day! It is important to help her out (if she wants) with picking everything from the cake top to the seat covers in making her day special. Many times her man is not too interested in helping out so you are key in reducing her stress for the day!

Your main task is helping in the planning of her bachelorette party as well as her wedding shower. Check out the Bachelorette Party ideas on www.bachelorettepartyfun.com. They actually have a few products for black-brides-to-be, although it is still disappointing how many items are made for non-white brides!

As for the wedding shower. Help her make it special by planning games (my favorite is "How well do you know your Groom-To-Be where you ask her questions like the Newlywed Game),helping in choosing the place, guests, food, etc. Make this day as special as possible and she will always appreciate it. Don't forget the cameras!!! Make sure to pay attention to detail since all the divas attending pay close attention to detail and compare the shower to others they have been to in the past! During the wedding shower, make sure to write down everything that is given to the Bride-To-Be so she can send thank-you cards to those who attended and gave gifts. If you take the pictures, develop them and make a photo album out of them, giving her the doubles for her own album! You can place a picture of her and her man and me and my man on the cover which she totally appreciated!

Ask the Bride-To-Be if she needs help addressing her invitations and/or if she wants you to collect the RSVP's that come in for the parties and wedding! This is a great help and honor!

There will be many different tasks that come up for the Bride-To-Be, make sure you help her out as much as you can since it can be a very stressfultime. There are many different deliveries (flowers, cake, etc) as well as service providers (DJ or Band) that need to be checked to make sure everyone knows when to show and where to go. Although the Bride-To-Be may have a wedding coordinator, double-check everything to catch any errors since you want the day to be absolutely perfect for your friend. I found out the flower woman almost went to the wrong place so I saved the day as for flowers coming on time!

Make sure the Bride-To-Be doesn't forget to bring anything (such as extra make-up, underwear, travel tickets if they are leaving after the party, etc). Prepare a speech for the Wedding Party that makes everyone cry with sentiment yet laugh with great memories!

All in all, make sure the Bride has a great time by helping out as much as possible in making her Wedding day and the days leading up to it the most memorable for you and for her and her family!

Article by Alex Smith, writer for www.bachelorettepartyfun.com  and www.bridesmaid101.com