The Best Man - More Than a Favor to a Friend

Lets face it, the best man usually gets away without having to do anything other than just being there for a good friend, but being a best man means more than just planning the bachelor party. The best man has suggested responsibilities just like any other significant person in the wedding party, and if you happen to be committed to being the “best” best man you can be for your friend, then here are some great ideas on how you can not only be helpful, but also take your job seriously.

1.) Plan and host the bachelor party. This is usually the first responsibility of the best man, and it just happens to be the responsibility that everyone is familiar with.

2.) Help the groom choose and purchase a gift for the bride to give to her on their wedding day.

3.) Make sure the groom has the bride’s wedding band and the marriage license with him on the day of the wedding. It is your responsibility to hold the bride’s wedding band during the ceremony.

4.) Perform any tasks or errands the groom or the bride’s mother may have for you on the big day, even if they seem minuscule, it is important that you perform them promptly and to the best of your ability.

5.) Help the groom dress for the big day (assist with his tie, cuff links, etc.) Remember: He’s going to be nervous, so he’ll need your help with a lot of things.

6.) If there is a ring bearer in the wedding, it is the responsibility of the best man to make sure the child knows his responsibilities and where to stand on the big day. Remember small children have stage fright, so do what you can to put the child at ease and assure him that you’ll be at the end of the aisle waiting for him.

7.) Confirm that all the men in the wedding party have their boutonnières and that they are pinned in the right place on their jacket. The boutonnière is usually secured on the left lapel with the stem down.

8.) Stand in the receiving line after the wedding or at the reception to welcome/thank all of the wedding guests.

9.) You will usually be asked to give the first toast at the reception, so be sure to have one prepared. You can find great tips and sample speeches online. So don’t sweat it!

10.) Traditionally the best man signs the marriage license whenever the officiate asks, whether that is before or after the ceremony.

11.) Assist with post-wedding luggage and travel arrangements to help the bride and groom make a hassle-free getaway. This includes making sure both of their luggage is in the car, and that the groom has all the necessary travel papers (hotel confirmation, directions, passports, etc.)

12.) Return the groom’s tux to the tuxedo shop post-wedding, or if belongs to the groom, you should make arrangements to take it to the dry-cleaners. It is also polite to offer to pay for the dry-cleaning as a possible gift idea for the groom.

As you can see being the best man is a huge responsibility and it isn’t all fun and games. It is important that you take your job seriously and do whatever you can to help out, especially by keeping the groom calm and worry-free on his big day. Remember you are the one who will be with him the whole day, so it’s important that you assist in making his day go as smoothly as possible. If you are feeling overwhelmed, remember, your friend wouldn’t have asked you if he didn’t believe you could handle it.