The Maid of Honor is usually the bride's closest sister. Otherwise, she could be the bride's cousin or best friend. Sometimes the bride's sister or best friend will be married and thus would be called the Matron of Honor instead of the Maid...
http://www.weddingbasics.com/attendants/moh.asp?SUBJ=Ma...
Having both a maid of honor and a matron of honor or two maids of honor (or two matrons) is the "in" thing the last few years. The bride is free to decide what she wants to do at her wedding as long as she keeps it tasteful.
www.foreverwed.com/articles/weddingparty/156548k.html
You mentioned both a maid and matron; is one woman married and the other single? If so, this takes care of ... But whether it's two maids or a maid and matron, *practically* speaking, there are a couple other considerations with having two honor attendants. The main distinctions of the maid/matron of honor are that she: ~
www.foreverwed.com/articles/duties/1a.html
One thing is for sure, the bride's mother should not be the Matron of Honor. The bride's mother is the hostess and should not be in the wedding party. Having Both a Maid and Matron of Honor; Sometimes the bride will decide to have both a Maid of Honor and a Matron of Honor.
www.atlantabridal.com/attendants/moh.asp
However, tradition demands a certain set of duties from the lucky person who is chosen to be maid/matron of honor (we'll refer to the role as MOH). The following steps outline the essential responsibilities even the most traditional bride could expect ... Since hosting a shower entails a certain amount of both work and cost,
gardenwed.tripod.com/MOH.html
Yes, it is absolutely acceptable to have both a maid of honor and a matron of honor in your wedding party . In fact, it is quite an old tradition that is just now finding a resurgance with modern couples. A wonderful benefit of having both ...
http://countryweddings.com/weddingparty/faq.shtml
A. Actually, it's quite an old tradition to have both a maid and matron of honor, where appropriate. In your case, it seems like a natural choice. It is important to decide ahead of time who will be responsible for which duties, but other than that, it is an easy and logical way to honor both of these important people.
www.foreverwed1.com/articles/weddingparty/156548I.html
Need some expert wedding planning advice? usabride and our wedding planning newsletters can help! ... Your Maid of Honor should be your closest friend - many times, a bride will choose her sister. Some brides will choose to have both a Matron of Honor (a married woman) as well as a Maid of Honor (an unmarried woman).
www.usabride.com/wedplan/a_moh.html
Wedding ceremony participants - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wedding ceremony participants , also referred to as the wedding party , or the bridal party , are the people that participate directly in the wedding ceremony itself. Depending on the location, r...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_ceremony_participants
I've been a married attendent without being the matron of honor. I was listed as a bride's maid. Of course, if your daughter wants both women to be honor attendents, I don't see anything wrong with having both a maid and a matron of honor.
ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/wedding/msg1217155019777.... ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/wedding/msg1217155019777.html