Wedding Party Roles

The first thing to do after the engagement is to pick the wedding party. Wedding party is a group of people you want to incorporate in the pre-wedding events, during the reception and at the wedding ceremony. It can be difficult to choose the wedding party – you don’t want to upset anyone by leaving them out. You might want to have no bridesmaids at all or a mixed wedding party – it’s up to you and your partner to decide who you want to participate in your big day. People in your wedding party should be your siblings, best friends and close family members. Here’s a quick guide to who is who in the wedding party and what are their roles.

Wedding Party Roles

Maid of honor (or matron of honor)

Maid/matron of honor is also known as the bride’s honor attendant. This is usually the sister or best friend of the bride. Maid/matron of honor should help the bride in all wedding aspects – from dress shopping to wedding planning. It’s also her duty to attend the dress fittings and plan the bachelorette party. She should offer emotional support to the bride during the wedding day. She should also help the bride to bust her dress and fix the veil.

Best man

Best man has many of the same responsibilities as the maid/matron of honor. The groom usually chooses his brother or best friend for this role. During the wedding, best man should stand by the groom’s side. He should also give the support that is needed during the wedding day. Best man should organize the bachelor party, give the reception speech and help with wedding arrangements.

Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids are relatives or close friends of the bride. Bridesmaids have big role in the wedding planning. They should also help the maid/matron of honor to plan the bridal shower (sometimes it is expected from them to share the cost of the bridal shower). On the big day, bridesmaids should walk down the aisle ahead of the bride. They may also show seats to the guests or give them favors.

Groomsmen

These are the male equivalents to the bridesmaids – they have many of the same responsibilities. Usually, they are relatives or close friends of the groom. They may welcome guests and show them their seats (if there are no ushers). During the ceremony, groomsmen stand next to the groom. They should also help with organizing the bachelor party and decorating the getaway car.

Ushers

Ushers are usually confused with the groomsmen. They wear matching suits – different from the groomsmen’s clothes. Ushers have fewer duties during the wedding – they should greet the guests and show them their seats. This role is usually taken by the friends of the bride and groom.

Mother of the bride

Mother of the bride has an important role in the big day. She usually spends the entire wedding day with the bride, helping her to get ready for the walk down the aisle. She should also give a speech at a rehearsal dinner or reception.

Father of the bride

Father of the bride should traditionally pay for the wedding. Things have changed over the years – these days the cost will probably be shared between both families. Father of the bride has two major duties – give a speech during the reception and participate in the father-daughter dance.

Mother of the groom

Mother of the groom should give support to her son (if he needs it). She should also host the event. In some cases, mother of the groom can also take part in wedding planning and give a speech at the reception.

Father of the groom

Father of the groom doesn’t have a lot of formal duties, but he may help with wedding organization, welcome guests to the ceremony and give a speech.

Flower girl

Not all brides and grooms have a flower girl, but this role is a lovely addition to the wedding party. Flower girl is usually a younger sibling, niece or a family friend. She should walk down the aisle with bridesmaids, dropping petals as she goes.

Page boy

Page boy is a male equivalent to the flower girl. He walks alongside the flower girl when the bridesmaids head down the aisle. This role is usually taken by a sibling or a family friend.

Ring bearer

Ring bearer is the one who is carrying the rings down the aisle. Flower girl, page boy or the best man can also carry the rings. Sometimes, the family pet takes this role.

Officiant

Whether you are having a non-denominational or a religious wedding, you should choose an officiant for the big day. This person may be a celebrant or a religious cleric. Officiant performs the ceremony. He is also responsible for the paperwork, including the marriage license.

Make sure that each member of the wedding party knows in advance what are their roles and responsibilities.

What are your thoughts on wedding party roles?

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