Best Man Responsibilities and Best Man Gifts

When you think of the duties of a best man one naturally thinks of the 'bachelor party' (aka 'stag do') and the speech he will give at the wedding reception. The best man's speech is one of the most memorable moments in most UK weddings. However, the best man has a lot of responsibilities and roles to perform before he can make a toast to the groom.

The Bachelor Party:

One of the first tasks for the best man is to organise the bachelor party; this can be as simple as a local event followed by evening drinks, or as complicated as organising a long weekend trip abroad which would entail booking flights, accommodation and events. You will need to consult closely with the groom to work out both the guest list and what kind of party he would really enjoy and appreciate.

Helping the Groom:

In the planning of the wedding the groom will have a lot to think about and plan and it's likely he can get extremely busy so the best man should be there to help with anything - whether it's just advice or practical organisational help. Be sure to keep the communication channels open and make the groom feel he has a helping hand wherever he needs one. The best man can also help communicate closely with the groomsmen, page boys and other key members of the wedding party.

Wedding Attire

The best man may be involved in helping to choose and organise purchase or hire of wedding attire for the men in the wedding party. It's likely the bride or groom will co-ordinate this but the best man should be available to help. He may choose to offer organise some thematic accessories such as wedding cufflinks. The best man may also be called upon to arrange collection of hired wedding attire as the big day draws near - at least you will need to ensure you collect your tuxedo or suit.

Transportation

It is traditional to decorate the bride and groom's wedding day vehicle; this may be floral or ribbons and can often involve tieing cans to the back of the vehicle and having a sign with either 'just married' or the couple's names. It is not unusual for the best man to be involved in organising this, which may also require the decorating to be done the night before the wedding. The best man is also sometimes given the responsibility of driving the groom to the reception, and perhaps also paying for any hire costs.

The Groom's Best Friend

Leading up to the wedding you may be called on by the groom, as possibly his closest friend, for conversations relating to the step he is taking. As best man you have a key role in calming any nerves and offering a stable viewpoint and sound advice.

Get to the church on time!

It goes without saying but things happen quickly on the wedding day and as best man one of your priorities early in the day is getting the groom to the ceremony on time! You can assist this process by helping the groom to get dressed in his wedding clothes and making phone-calls or any small things that may take the stress out of the schedule.

At the Ceremony

It is customary for the best man to be in charge of the wedding rings so make sure you have these in a very secure place. The best man will also escort the maid of honor down the aisle out of the church. The best man is often responsible for making a donation to the clergy person after the ceremony, along with tipping any other individuals such as the organ player or alter boys. Last but not least by any means - the best man will witness the marriage by signing a certificate.

At the Reception

The best man will escort the maid of honour into the reception where it is customary that they first greet all the guests, and also dance together to honor of the wedding couple. Another of the best man's duties will be to be in charge of collecting presents and cards for the bride and groom.

Best Man's Speech and Toast

The wedding party always has a great deal of anticipation for the best man's speech. The speech can be a challenge if you are not an accomplished public speaker so the adage that practise makes perfect is very relevant here. You may wish to consult the bride and groom as to what vein of speech he would be most happy with; whether or not he is comfortable in giving you a free reign. Remember that if you make the younger generation laugh but the older generation wince then you may not have delivered the speech you want to be remembered for: it's certainly a skill to write a speech that will entertain all generations. Ultimately you should probably stick to a speech with a style and manner you are comfortable with; after all the groom will have chosen you carefully for your personality and character qualities. The best man will traditionally complete his speech by toasting the couple.

To surmise, the best man will make a large contribution to any wedding and will have a variety of roles to perform to the best of his capabilities. It is always an honour to be chosen to be best man though, and it is a day to enjoy as well as remembered.