A wedding wouldn’t be complete if the groom doesn’t have a best man and groomsmen. More than dressing up and being part of the wedding ceremony, the best man and the groomsmen have a lot of other responsibilities in a wedding.
If you will be the best man or one of the groomsmen in your friend’s, brother’s, or cousin’s wedding, we will help you fulfill your responsibilities well. Here are the duties of a best man and groomsman.
Duties of a Best Man in a Wedding
A best man is typically a male relative of the groom such as a brother or cousin, or it can also be a close friend. When you’ve been chosen by the groom as his best man, you may think that you’re just a glorified groomsman, but actually, you have other special responsibilities. You will be helping the groom come through his nerve-racking experience by being his valet and hand-holder. So, what are the duties of a best man?
Pre-Wedding Duties
Organize the Stag Party
Another key responsibility of the best man is to lead in organizing the groom’s last big night out before he gets married, and that is the stag party. The best man should check with the groom first for the names of people that he wants to attend and also the location of the party.
The best man should consider everyone’s budget for the party. Also, it should take place around three months before the wedding, so everyone will have time to recover with the hangovers from the party. When planning a stag party, the best man should think of ways in personalizing the event such as having printed shirts, masks, and creating games and challenges for everyone.
Assist the Groom in Suit Shopping
One of the best man’s main duties is to assist the groom in suit shopping. He will help in rounding up the ushers and other important male members of the wedding party to go and try on suits. He should also discuss with the groom whether the groom’s suit will be bought or hired. Usually, it is the couple who pay for the wedding suits, but if this is not the case, the best man should make sure that it is discussed openly.
Assist in the Wedding Preparation
As the wedding date gets nearer, the best man should make sure that the ushers know their responsibilities, where they need to be, and what time. He could also assist in last minute suit fittings, and as well as communicate with the maid of honor to know what other useful things are needed on the wedding day like umbrellas if ever the weather will not be good.
It’s also the best man’s duty to help the bride and groom in picking up hired items and delivering them to where they need to go like the wedding suits. The night before the wedding, the best man will stay with the groom. He can provide him emotional support, listen to his complaints and confessions, and as well as reassure him that things will go as planned. It’s the best man’s duty to keep the groom focused.
On the Wedding Day
Ensure Everyone’s On Time
On the morning of the wedding day, it’s the best man’s duty to make sure that the groom and the groomsmen will arrive on the venue on time.
Lead the Groomsmen
It’s also the best man’s duty to lead the groomsmen throughout the ceremony. He has to make sure that they are all in the right place, looking organized and presentable.
Hold On to the Wedding Rings
It is also the best man’s duty to keep the wedding rings safe at the ceremony.
Offer the First Toast
Offering the first toast to the newlyweds at the reception is the biggest responsibility of the best man. Before the toast, he should also deliver a best man speech.
Entertain Guests
The best man should also mingle at the reception and make sure that the guests are having a good time. He can also dance with the bride, maid of honor, and the mothers of the bride and groom. The best man can also collect any gifts and cards that the guest will bring to the reception.
Post-Wedding Ceremony Duties
After the wedding ceremony, it is the duty of the best man to take care of the groom’s clothes after he changes out of his wedding attire. Also, he is the one to make sure that all of the groom’s wedding expenses are taken care of and all the rented tuxes are returned on time. Sometimes, it is also the best man’s duty to coordinate the car transportation for the bride and groom when to leave the reception.
Duties of a Groomsman in a Wedding
The groomsmen also have other responsibilities aside from showing up in a tux. They are usually the groom’s close friends and relatives who support him throughout the wedding process. This is why like the best man, the role as a groomsman should be taken seriously as well. Here are the duties of a groomsman in a wedding.
Before the Wedding
- Help the best man in planning the stag party.
- Attend the suit fittings or find your own suit if required.
- Make sure that you have all the needed accessories such as tie, socks, cufflinks, and the right color of shoes.
- Always stay in touch with the groom and offer to help.
- Attend all of the pre-wedding activities such as the engagement party, stag, rehearsals, and wedding party pictures.
- Make yourself available to help the best man run errands and make pickups days before the wedding.
- Help bring some decorations and equipment to the venue and help in setting them up as well.
On the Wedding Day
- On the wedding day, the groomsmen should be with the groom while getting ready.
- Make sure that the groom will arrive to the ceremony on time.
- Groomsmen also act as ushers and greeters on the event. It’s their duty to escort guests to their seats.
- It’s also their duty to give the vendors and wedding coordinators their payment envelope as well as tips.
- Help in rounding up guests for the group photos.
- If there’s a traditional dance, the groomsmen should join and dance with the bridesmaids halfway through the bride and groom’s first dance.
- The groomsmen should also help in making sure that everyone is having a good time.
- After the wedding, the groomsmen should return the suits to the rental store.
The best man and groomsmen certainly have a lot of responsibilities, but the most important duty they have in a wedding is to be helpful and simply act as good friends to the groom and keep him calm and focused on his big day. We hope this will help you fulfill your duties as a best man or a groomsman.