Role Call
You and your fiancé have got each other. But you also have a lot to do before you tie the knot. Thankfully you have a group of friends and family known as your wedding party. Each person, be it a bridesmaid or an usher has a job to do and with the knowledge that each task is in good hands, you and your fiancé can breathe a little easier. Here is a quick reference to bridal party roles and expectations.
Maid of Honor/Matron of Honor
The bride chooses an honor attendant, either an unmarried woman, known as a maid of honor or a married woman known as a matron of honor. A maid of honor has many duties. Before the wedding, she is often the person to organize the bridal shower and/or bachelorette party and she coordinates the activities of the other bridesmaids. On the wedding day, she helps with the bride’s dress and bouquet during the ceremony, and she often gives a toast at the reception. At the end of the night, she often helps with the packing up of certain items—extra favors, flowers, etc.”
Bridesmaids
Bridesmaids mainly comprise a support system for the bride. They are a source of friendship and encouragement to the bride. In preparation for the wedding, they may host and attend showers, parties and help the bride in various planning stages, such as packing up gifts or preparing favors.
Best Man
The best man acts as the right-hand man for groom. Usually the best man is a relative or a close friend of the groom. He troubleshoots problems for the groom and oversees the rest of the groomsmen. Before the big day, his job is to help the groom and the groomsmen with the formal wear fittings. The best man coordinates the bachelor party. The best man must be dependable since he is responsible for providing transportation for the groom to the ceremony, signing the marriage license and holding the rings and presenting the first toast at the reception. The best man may help pack up at the end of the night and he assists with the picking up and return of rented tuxedos.
Groomsmen/Ushers
Groomsmen and ushers are part of the groom’s support network. On the wedding day they pass out programs and escort special guests such as grandmothers and aunts. Prior to the wedding, they attend the bachelor party and help the groom with errands if necessary.
Father of the bride
The father of the bride traditionally foots the bill for the wedding of his daughter’s dreams. While that may or may not be a modern reality, many fathers are still traditional in that they walk their daughters down the aisle and twirl them around the dance floor at least once on the wedding day. Other fatherly duties include riding with the bride to the ceremony, making a toast to the bride and groom at the engagement party and rehearsal dinner. And since fathers of the bride are considered hosts of the reception, they typically stay until the party ends and the last guest leaves.
Mother of the bride
The mother of the bride chooses her outfit after the bride has selected a color scheme for her attendants. The groom’s mother chooses a coordinating outfit in another color. The mother of the bride often helps her daughter make wedding decisions such as selecting a gown or picking out flowers. According to tradition, the mother of the bride is the last person to be seated at the wedding on the left in the front. Once the ceremony is over, the mother of the bride is also the first person ushered down the aisle. If there is a receiving line, the mother of the bride is usually first person in line.
Mother of the Groom/Father of the Groom
The mother of the groom selects coordinating attire after the bride chooses her attendants’ dresses and mother of the bride has selected an outfit. The mother of the groom attends all wedding showers, but never hosts one. The parents of the groom help prepare the guest list for their side of the family and they coordinate accommodations for the groom’s out of town guests. They also plan and pay for the rehearsal dinner.
Kids
Weddings are filled with joy, love and family. Many brides and grooms who include family and friends in their special day also want to include children in the blissful event. The kids can be nieces or nephews; a godchild or a family friend. But the fun, innocence and charisma that they bring to the party will amaze the bride, the groom and all the guests.
Before inviting the kids to be a part of the wedding party, consider a child’s age and attention span. Ask yourself is the child old enough to understand what will be required of him or her? If the child will not remember that she is supposed to toss rose petals down the aisle, then she is not an ideal flower girl. Next consider whether the child will get bored easily during the ceremony? Will the child have a temper tantrum during the service or will he or she remain content for an hour? Answering these questions ahead of time will help a bride determine whether children will be appropriate members of her wedding party.
As a general guideline, flower girls and ring bearers are normally between the ages of four and eight. And once the ceremony is over, the kids are pretty much done for the day. Their primary responsibility? Mainly just look cute in pictures.