If you have ever attended a wedding, you can see a man or a group of men always walking with the groom. They look after everyone and everything to make sure nothing goes wrong at the wedding.
They are known as groomsmen or a best man. But, what is a best man or groomsmen exactly? A best man is a person who assists the groom at the wedding and leads the groomsmen to make a perfect wedding. Groomsmen are especially relatives or close friends and one among them is the best man.
If you ever get a chance to be a best man or a part of the groomsmen, you need to know your responsibilities at the wedding. You probably know what a best man does, right? Even if you don’t, we have prepared the best man or groomsmen responsibilities checklist so you don’t need to worry much.
Page Contents
Best Man Duties and Responsibilities
Marriage is one of the promising moments in one’s life. And as a best man, your responsibility is to make the wedding perfect and as successful as possible. To do so, here are few of the responsibilities you’d definitely want to go through.
Before the Wedding
A best man has responsibilities not only at the wedding but before the wedding as well.
Plan a bachelor party
Soon the groom will not be a bachelor anymore. He will have many responsibilities to fulfill after the wedding. He might not have as much freedom as he had before. So it is your responsibility to plan a bachelor party and make it the most memorable one for the groom for one last time.
Groom might have already picked a place. If not, select a fantastic site and plan the bachelor’s party. It should be the most epic party for the groom.
Help the groom to choose the wedding suit.
A groom needs to be at his best on his wedding day. So, you need to help him to look the best. Help him choose the best suit for the wedding day. He should be the star of the day, and everyone should be amazed by the groom’s attire.
Help the groom to choose a wedding ring.
A wedding is incomplete without the wedding ring. A groom needs to choose the best wedding ring. He might not need your help to choose one but be ready for anything, just in case. If you have no idea whatsoever, then do some research. You can find every information online.
Get to know other groomsmen and lead them.
You are the leader of the groomsmen. So, it is obvious you’ll have to build a bond with the other groomsmen. Hang out with them, try to know them better and assign their responsibilities. Without doing so, the wedding might not go well. And who is to be blamed?
Catch up with them and get acquainted.
Prepare a gift for the couple.
You might get busy planning for the wedding and forget about the wedding gift for the couple. It is essential to congratulate the newlywed couple and give them a gift.
If you already have one on your mind, that’s great. Otherwise, plan what to give them. Just a thoughtful and beautiful gift is enough instead of an expensive one.
Purchase suits
Not only the groom, but you all should look perfect at the wedding as well. So, you need to decide whether to buy or rent suits for you and other groomsmen. Along with the groom’s attire, you need to look good in your attire as well.
Be in the rehearsals.
You need to be present for the rehearsal that takes place before the wedding day. It helps you to prepare for the wedding day. It will also give you an idea of what to do and what not to do on the wedding day. It will help you to be more confident about the responsibilities you hold.
During the Wedding
Now comes the wedding day, where you need to do your best to not embarrass the groom and yourself.
Arrive on time at the venue
The best man has to arrive on time on the big day and check everything beforehand just to be safe. Not only you, but every groomsman should also be on time and prepare for the wedding. Everyone should suit up and be ready for the wedding.
Know yours and other groomsmen duties
As the best man, you need to know your and your groomsmen responsibilities. So that everyone knows their responsibilities, gather them around, and revise what you need to do and what not to do. This way, everyone will know when to arrive at which spots.
Make the groom ready
What if the groom is late for his wedding? Sounds weird, right? As the best man, it is your responsibility to make the groom ready for the wedding and arrive at the wedding on time. You need to help him suit up and be at the wedding place in one piece.
Prepare a schedule for the big day
A wedding becomes perfect when everything finishes on time. And it is the responsibility of the best man to oversee if everything is on time. If anything goes south, the best man should resolve it as quickly as possible and ensure that nothing hinders the wedding.
Walk with the groom
As the best man, it is your job to walk with the groom. You are the right hand of the groom, so you need to be with the groom every time. You need to lead him to the wedding place, greet the guests, etc. You should stand next to him during the time of exchanging vows, ring ceremonies, etc. You need to stick wherever he goes, whatever he does, literally.
Help the groom to be calm
It is a big day for the groom. He might get nervous and stressed out due to the ongoing ceremony. As the best man, it is your responsibility to calm him and help him relax. Keep supporting and encouraging him until the wedding finishes.
Keep the wedding ring safe.
You need to keep the wedding ring safe until the ring ceremony. You need to know where you keep it and hand it down when the ring ceremony starts. Since it is with you, don’t lose it no matter what. Trust us; you don’t want to be in that situation.
Give speech
You probably have to give a speech as the best man on the wedding day. Now, it is your time to shine at the wedding. Be calm and give the speech confidently. Show them why you are the best man.
If you are not up for it, prepare your speech and practice in advance. Make your speech short and exciting. Please don’t take it lightly. Show your gratitude to the guests and end your speech wishing the couple for the bright and prosperous future ahead.
Greet and escort guests
The best man’s duty isn’t only to look after the groom but also the guests. Greeting and escorting the guests is a part of the groomsmen responsibilities. You need to help them to get to their seats, engage with them, and keep them informing about the events. Handout the event schedule, to the guest to keep track of events.
You should make sure that everyone is ready so that the wedding ceremony starts on time.
Gather information about the venue
You and the groomsmen should be knowledgeable about the wedding venue. What if someone wants to go to the washroom and ask you the direction? You need to help them here as well. So, it is essential to gather information about the venue to assist guests and the couple.
Stand next to the groom.
Like said earlier, you need to be with the groom until the wedding ceremony finishes. You are the best man because you need to be with the groom and assist him in every way possible. Most importantly, you need to stand next to him at the altar during the vows exchanging and ring ceremonies.
Dance
Ceremonies without dance are boring. So, be the first at the ceremony to dance to make the wedding more lively. Sometimes, probably after the newlywed couple and their parents. Don’t hesitate and be shy to dance and urge other guests to dance as well. You, as a best man, should make sure that every groomsman dances.
Pose for pictures
You will always be with the couple, and obviously, there will be cameramen to capture every beautiful moment. Never be tense, make yourself comfortable, and always smile to capture perfect photographs and videos. Never make others wait for you, so always be available during the photo session.
Sign the marriage license as a witness
Without the marriage license, the wedding isn’t complete. To make the wedding legal and official, signing the marriage license is crucial. As a best man, you need to be a witness when the couple signs the marriage license. If required, you need to pen your name on the marriage license as a witness.
Decorate the gateway car
As a best man, you need to decorate the gateway car and send them off. You need to make sure that the gateway car is decorated beautifully and the couple loves it.
Escort couple to their destination
If the couple hasn’t hired any vehicle or don’t have their car on the wedding day, it is your responsibility to escort them to their destination. It is also possible that you’ll be required to hire a vehicle to send off the couple.
After the wedding
Some of the responsibilities after the wedding for a best man are:
Escort guests
Not every guest at the wedding can be from the same town. They can be from out of town. The groomsmen might need to escort the guest to the station or the airport.
Host the reception
The best man’s responsibilities aren’t limited to wedding ceremonies only. The best man should host the reception as well. You need to make sure that the reception is entertaining. Also, you need to take care of the guests and ensure that they are having a good time. If someone is having some problems, be at the place and resolve them as quickly as possible. Reception should keep moving and be lively.
Keep the gifts safe
It is a given that there will be gifts for the couple either on the wedding day or the reception. You need to stand in the receiving line, collect the couple’s gifts, and keep them safe. You need to make sure that the presents are loaded into the couple’s vehicle. Every gift should be properly organized and should not be damaged.
Help to pack things
Even after the couple are on their way, you need to help the couple’s parents pack things up and load them on their vehicles. Stay till the end and see if anyone needs your help.
Return clothes and items
If you have rented your suits or any items, you need to return them. You also need to make sure that the groom’s clothes are kept safe that he left behind at the wedding event. Moreover, return the groom’s clothing if they are rented.
Take care of the expenses.
You might need to take care of the expenses as well. Don’t worry. You don’t need to pay every payment from your own pocket. Sometimes, the groom might be too busy or exhausted, so he might ask you to clear the expenses. You need to understand who to give the payment to clear.
If you ever get a chance to become the best man, now you know your responsibilities to make a perfect wedding. It will be much easier for you as a best man if you know what to do and what not to do. Take your responsibilities seriously, but don’t forget to enjoy the wedding and the reception as well. Energize yourself with confidence, suit up, and make the wedding perfect and the best.