From exquisite florals to stunning centerpieces, to breathtaking details, your wedding day is destined to be a beautiful expression and culmination of your wedding dreams. It’s true, the budget, style, theme and details will all be chosen by the two of you. But, to ensure a smooth and blissful day it’s vital you have the right people by your side… and that you’ve delegated the right job to the right person. Your wedding party can (and often want to) be a huge help. So let’s assign some wedding party duties.
But whose job is it, anyway? If you’re asking yourself the question, you’re not alone! Engaged couples everywhere stumble over knowing what to delegate, and to whom. While there’s no hard and fast requirement for roles and responsibilities, there are some traditional and logical tasks your wedding party should gladly fulfill. It might be tempting to jump on trend and give your wedding party a “pass to party” all day, but before you do, consider what duties are customary for the wedding party and whether or not you’d like to enlist their help.
MAID OF HONOR DUTIES
First up on the roles of wedding party duties is the maid of honor. The maid of honor role is typically filled by a sibling of the bride or her closest friend. Accordingly, maid of honor wedding duties are varied and usually include responsibilities and tasks throughout the wedding planning process, as well as specific wedding day tasks such as:
- Make sure the bride has food and water throughout the day
- Make sure hair and makeup are finished on time
- Help the bride with her dress and shoes
- Hold the bride’s flowers as needed
- Pay attention to (and fix) the bride’s hair, makeup, dress, veil, and train as needed
- Help keep the bridesmaids and bride on time
- Serve as official witness and sign the marriage license
- Give a toast or speech at the reception
- Make sure the bride’s things are collected and make it into the departure vehicle
In addition to wedding day duties, the maid of honor is often responsible for accompanying the bride to shop for the wedding dress, planning the bridal shower and bachelorette party, helping to tackle any special projects such as centerpieces, guest favors, etc., and generally being a reliable, intuitive support to the bride throughout the months, weeks, and days leading up to the wedding.
BRIDESMAID DUTIES
Bridesmaids may not be the headliners, but bridesmaid wedding party duties are strikingly similar to maid of honor duties, albeit a bit more low profile. Bridesmaid duties include wedding day tasks such as:
- Be punctual and prepared
- Offer specific help as needed
- Help the bride and groom with any day-of errands
- Provide help to the maid of honor as needed
- Dance and enjoy the reception, and help guests enjoy it, too!
Leading up to the wedding day, bridesmaids should be available to attend wedding dress shopping, bridesmaid dress shopping, help with any DIY projects, help address invitations, help the bride make decisions as requested, help plan and host the bridal party and bachelorette party, and be generally available to support the bride and groom as needed. Although, they aren’t the maid of honor, bridesmaid still hold an important role within wedding party duties.
BEST MAN DUTIES
The second most important role on the list of wedding party duties: the best man. The best man is the groom’s counterpart to the maid of honor, and this role is usually filled by a sibling of the groom or his closest friend. Best man duties include a variety of responsibilities throughout the wedding planning process, as well as on the wedding day. Best man wedding day duties include:
- Make sure the groom has food and water throughout the day
- Help the groom and groomsmen get ready and arrive where they need to be on time
- Keep the wedding rings and provide them to the officiant at the ceremony
- Serve as official witness and sign the marriage license
- Give a toast or speech at the reception
- Collect gifts and cards from guests
- Decorate the couple’s vehicle
- Make sure the groom’s things are collected and make it into their vehicle
Prior to the wedding, the best man may be responsible for helping to pick up the attire for the groom and groomsmen, organizing the bachelor party, helping the groom with any wedding planning duties as needed, and providing general support to the couple as needed. Sometimes, this can include picking up relatives or wedding party guests from the airport, delivering welcome baskets to the hotel, or delivering items to the couple’s home after the wedding.
GROOMSMEN DUTIES
Groomsmen are similar to bridesmaid duties in that in addition to celebrating and witnessing the union of two people they love, their wedding day duties largely revolve around keeping things running smoothly and helping the couple enjoy their day. Wedding day tasks include:
- Be punctual and prepared
- Offer specific help as needed
- Help the bride and groom with any day-of errands
- Provide help to the best man as needed
- Dance and enjoy the reception, and help guests enjoy it, too!
Throughout the months before the wedding, groomsmen are responsible for being available to help the groom with any special projects he has for the wedding, assisting the best man with his duties and responsibilities, and being a positive support for the couple. The guys have to show up and show out for wedding party duties, too!
No matter what you choose to delegate, and to whom, don’t forget that your wedding day is the first day of your forever. Long after the champagne is gone and the strains of the final song have drifted away, you and those you love will cherish the memories you make together on this unforgettable day. By taking a few things off your shoulders and enlisting the help of your wedding party, you’ll help carve out some breathing room for the two of you…and provide them with a way to show you both some love.
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