How young is too young?

Stormz

My sister is 16, will  be 17 for my wedding... Is she too young to be a maid of honor or a bridesmaid? I think she is expecting it but I just didnt know if she was too young. Shes pretty mature and I do not think I will have any pre-wedding parties and if there are any hosted they will be casual affairs... this is my second wedding so I am not too concerned about having anything hosted for us.

Thoughts?

AdeleDazeem

She is most definitely not too young.  Anyone can be maid of honor!

Some states don't require anyone to sign the marriage licesnse.  If yours does, just have another witness to the ceremony who is over 18 do it.  But there is absolutely no reason why she can't get a dress, stand next to you, hold your bouquet and fluff your dress.

Like you said, she doesn't have to do parties.  Parties aren't even strictly a MOH job - anyone can throw a shower or bachelorette party. 

I definitely think you should have your sister as your MOH.

m tulli

No she is not too young.  She doesn't have to throw the party's another family memember or friend could.  If she wanted to i'm sure your mom or a friend could help guide her.  The rest of the wedding stuff is simple.  The only thing she wont be able to do is sign the license.  But bridesmaid or family member could do that for you.  But the rest of it buying a dress walking down the isle, holding a bouquet no problem.

If you want to ask her then I say go for it.  Im sure she would be honored.

JaxInBlue

Do - definitely not too young.  The only thing she may not be able to do as MOH is sign your marriage license - but that depends on the number of witnesses you need and the rules in the state/county where you get married (ask a clerk in the office that issues the licenses).  But that's not a reason not to ask her to be your MOH.  Like PPs said, other people can always offer to o host parties if your sister/MOH cannot or does not offer herself, or help her if she does.

aerinpegadrak

Too young is when they're not able to define their role in their own words.  I'm pretty sure a 17 year old can manage.

banana468

I think it's a fine age. 

aragx6

My sister will be 17 at the time of our wedding too and she's a BM. It's totally fine.

mbcdefg

Well, there's two ways you can go about this, whether it's your first wedding or your tenth wedding:

1. "Sister, you're the closest person in the world to me, so I would like you to be my Maid of Honor."

2. "Sister, normally I'd ask you to be my Maid of Honor. But I think you're too young to handle all the duties and responsibilities that the wedding industry says a Maid of Honor should do for the bride, so I'm going to choose someone older and better able to do this stuff to be my MOH. Hope there are no hard feelings!"

What do you think sounds like the right thing to do?

ceceibson

Mu daughter is my maid of honor.  She's be 13 1/2.  Iowa does require signatures, so I'll have one of FI's adult daughters do thar.

Stormz

My best friend is going to be the Matron of Honor so I figured she could help her with her dress and that kind of thing.

I really do not expect much outside of her being there. Anything else I talked to my friend about helping her with and I think it will be fine. I dont really want a shower or anything like that. And my friend already said about doing a day at our favorite amusement park for our prewedding festivities which is definitely 17 year old appropriate.

I am just nervous about this whole thing.

Thanks ladies.

julibug86

I was 19 when I was my sister's maid of honor!  It turned out just fine.  I threw a brunch at my parents house for the shower and worked hard on food (although I did cheat and buy tea sandwiches). My only regret is that I wasn't able to do anything too crazy for bachelorette party.  Now that I'm getting married, my sister is my Matron of Honor and wants to throw an epic bachelorette party (she's already been plotting with my best friend).  Ultimately, we are each others only sisters and I'm closer to her than anyone else.  It only made sense to choose each other and there's no one else I would want next to me on my day.