A best man’s role in a wedding is more than planning a bachelor party and making a toast during the wedding reception. In fact, a best man actually has several responsibilities, which is why we’ve put together this official guide to all the typical expectations and responsibilities that come with the role of best man.
FAQs About Being a Best Man
Before getting into the actual duties of a best man, here’s the answer to some of the most frequently asked questions about being a best man.
What is the Role of a Best Man?
The best man is a man (or woman) who will function as the groom’s right-hand man during the wedding. This person often functions as a witness to the ceremony and is there to support and assist the groom in any way possible before and during the wedding.
The best man also helps the maid of honor in ensuring that everything runs smoothly on and before the couple’s wedding day. The best man is often in charge of the groomsmen, plans the bachelor party, and helps them stay organized for the wedding. He will also typically lend a hand during pre-wedding events, during the ceremony, and during the reception.
Who is Usually Asked to Be the Best Man at a Wedding?
The best man is often the groom’s closest relative or friend. This may be a brother, childhood friend, cousin, or sometimes the groom’s father. There are no rules around who the groom can and cannot choose.
Where Does the Best Man Stand During the Ceremony?
The best man typically stands the closest to the groom at the altar during the ceremony. If you have more than one best man, you might choose the one you are closest to, to stand nearest to the groom.
Now that you have a better understanding of who the best man is and what they do, here’s some additional best man duties you should be aware of:
Act as Head Groomsman
As the best man, you’re essentially the head groomsman, this means you’re main job to help alleviate the groom’s stress. This might be answering their questions, running interference, organizing group activities, collecting money, sharing the schedule of events, ensuring everyone gets the correct wedding attire, and so on.
Help With Getting Formalwear
Once the happy couple has chosen the men’s attire, the best man will often take over the responsibility of ensuring the rest of the groom rent or buy their wedding attire, get their measurements if needed, and pick up their attire on time.
Plan the Bachelor Party
This is probably the most obvious task and the one people are most familiar with when it comes to being a best man at a wedding. When it comes to planning a bachelor party be sure to discuss expectations with the groom first to get an idea of what they’d like to do.
Help Out at Prewedding Events
Other than attending the engagement party if they have one, you should expect to attend the ceremony rehearsal and rehearsal dinner with the couple, their families and the wedding party. This is a great time to get to know the rest of the people in the wedding party and also the time to help out with any last minute wedding tasks that need to be done.
Help Out on the Wedding Day
When the wedding day finally arrives, you should expect to be the groom’s right hand man both before, during, and even after the wedding. This includes transporting items to the reception site, seating guests during the ceremony, standing next to him at the altar and hanging onto the wedding rings until it’s time to exchange vows, signing the marriage license as a witness, collecting envelopes from guests, paying and tipping vendors, and doing anything else the happy couple might need.
