What are the best man’s responsibilities?

Your best friend or brother is getting married and has asked you to be his best man. You’re grateful for the honor and you accept. Now what? What are the best man responsibilities? Read on to learn more about what’s required of a best man.

Duty #1 ? rent a tuxedo and go for fittings.

Duty #2 ? throw the bachelor party. You need to find a venue, pay for it, invite the attendees and plan the entertainment. To help finance the party it is advisable to sell tickets and use the money to pay for drinks and entertainment. However, some of the costs might come directly from your pocket.

Duty #3 ? hold onto the bride’s wedding ring. You may be asked to keep it until the rings are exchanged at the ceremony, or until the day of the wedding when the ring will be passed to the ring bearer.

Duty #4 ? decorate the getaway vehicle. Enlist the rest of the wedding party to help you with this task.

Duty #5 ? help decorate the reception site.

Duty #6 ? attend the wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.

Duty #7 ? help the groom prepare. Get him to the church or wedding site in time for the ceremony, which is usually thirty minutes before the ceremony is scheduled to begin.

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Bonus Hint

If the wedding and/or reception are being held outside, consider having a few black umbrellas on hand. If it rains, you will look like a hero when you whip out the umbrellas to keep the wedding party dry. Black umbrellas will also look good in the photos. The bride will love you and the groom will owe you one.

Duty #8 ? pay the officiant. Usually the bride and groom will give you a sealed envelope containing the payment. Give this to the priest/minister/officiant after the ceremony.

Duty #9 ? sign the marriage license and act as a legal witness to the marriage.

Duty #10 ? be present for photos.

Duty #11 ? sit beside the groom at the reception.

Duty #12 ? toast the bridesmaids. Thank them for their help and comment on how beautiful they look.

Duty #13 ? at the reception say a few words of welcome to the bride. Let the couple know how happy you are for them. Don’t mention any of the groom’s past shenanigans, girlfriends or drunken nights at strip clubs! While you may think it’s funny, the bride and her family will not. Speaking in front of a large gathering of people may seem intimidating, but you only need to say a few words. Tell the bride how beautiful she looks and say a few nice words about the groom. Then propose a toast. Your efforts will be greatly appreciated by the bride and groom.

Duty #14 ? dance with the maid of honor during the wedding party dance. This will usually be one of the first dances of the night.

Duty #15 ? help the maid of honor bring the gifts to the home of the bride and groom.

Duty #16 ? collect and return the tuxedos on time.

Being entrusted with the role of best man is a huge honor and the best man responsibilities are important. Your main role is to act as an advisor to the groom and to offer him your support. He may be nervous and will need his best friend to stand beside him on the most important day of his life. Good Luck and have fun!