Wedding blogs and magazines are filled to the brim with helpful advice for the happy couple. Some of it’s great, some of it’s good, and some of it makes your eyes roll round in your head. But, good or bad, nearly all of that advice is targeted to the happy couple. While that’s largely as it should be (after all this IS their big day), there are other members of the wedding party who could easily benefit from some helpful advice and a few tips for the wedding day. One of the main members of the wedding party is the Best Man, and he has some pretty important responsibilities. But quite often, when a fellow is asked to be his friend’s best man, he has little idea of what his duties will entail. So here is a short primer designed to get the best man ready for his best friend’s big day.
Before the Wedding
Many people make the mistake of thinking that the best man’s main job before the wedding day is to organized the bachelor party. But there’s more to being a best man than simply throwing a big party. In addition to planning the bachelor party, the best man is also responsible for organizing the apparel of the the groomsmen. This will mean choosing matching tuxes, and arranging for fittings. If any of the groomsmen or ushers are coming in from out of town, it is the best man’s job to find them accommodations close to the wedding venue, and to help them settle in when they arrive. The best man is also in charge of organizing a gift from the groomsmen to the groom, which is typically presented at the bachelor party.
The Rehearsal
During the wedding rehearsal, the best man needs to follow the ceremony closely, so he his prepared to help others to remember their places and responsibilities on the wedding day itself. It’s not unusual for members of the wedding party to get flustered during the actual ceremony, and it falls to the best man to keep things running smoothly.
The Day of the Wedding
On the day of the wedding the best man’s job really kicks into gear. First, he is responsible for helping the groom dress for the ceremony. A good tip for the best man is to prepare an emergency kit (containing a needle and thread, scissors, tissues, breath mints, etc.) just in case there are any last minute emergencies before the ceremony. Once the groom is dressed and ready to go, the best man should take charge of the rings, and store them somewhere safe. Prior to the wedding, the best man should also prepare any pay envelopes for the caterers and entertainers, and should have checks ready for the wedding planner and the representatives of the hired venue.
The Ceremony
Before the ceremony commences, the best man should make sure that all of the groomsmen are present and properly dressed, and that they all have matching boutonnieres. At the start of the ceremony the best man should act as escort for the maid of honor, and should then take his place at the groom’s side. Finally when the time comes, have the ring ready to present to the groom. After the ceremony is over, the best man should be prepared to escort the happy couple to the reception.
The Reception
The best man’s job doesn’t end with the ceremony. At the reception, the best man’s job is to act as the host. He is in charge of the speeches and toasts, and should be prepared to coordinate with the caterers and entertainers so that everything goes according to schedule. After the reception, the best man should deliver all of the pay envelopes that were prepared earlier in the day, and help the groom change clothes and get ready to leave for the honeymoon. The best man should also have arranged for the couples transportation. The car should be decorated, and the couple’s luggage should be stowed safely in the trunk.
As you can see, there is a lot more to being a best man than simply throwing a bachelor party. There is a lot of work involved, and the job carries a lot of responsibility. But then, that’s why the groom always turns to his most dependable friend to be his best man.
