Sharon Naylor
Sharon Naylor is the author of over 30 wedding books, including 1000 Best Secrets For Your Perfect Wedding, 1000 Best Wedding Bargains, Your Special Wedding Vows, Your Special Wedding Toasts, The Mother of the Bride Book, Mother of the Groom, The Groom's Guide, The Essential Guide to Wedding Etiquette, The Complete Outdoor Wedding Planner, and more. She has appeared as a wedding expert on Nightline, Lifetime, Inside Edition, ABC News, Fox 5 News, and on hundreds of radio stations nationally and internationally. Read more about Sharon Naylor here. Sharon is also happy to asnwer your wedding-related questions in her forum.
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Congratulations! You’ve been asked to be a Best Man, which is one of the greatest honors a man can receive from his brother, best friend, or cousin. You’ll stand next to him during the wedding ceremony, and you have a few extra duties to fulfill until that point. The following list outlines your duties and responsibilities as the groom's "right-hand man."
• Attend pre-wedding parties, such as engagement parties or co-ed bridal showers.
• Plan and pay for your transportation and lodging for the wedding weekend
• Help plan a co-ed bridal shower, and give the couple a gift.
• Help the groom to select a style of tuxedo for himself and for his men
• Orchestrate the collection of the groomsmen’s size cards and deposits, and provide your own
• Plan to pick up and return everyone’s rented tuxedoes, accessories and shoes on the wedding day.
• Organize the bachelor party together with the groomsmen, including getting safe transportation such as a limo or party bus, planning for dinner and entertainment, and organizing the groomsmen’s payments for the party
• Assist with any pre-wedding tasks the groom requests, such as helping to coordinate guest transportation
• Attend the rehearsal to learn your roles during the ceremony
• Attend the rehearsal dinner to celebrate with the couple and their guests
• Arrive early on the wedding day to get dressed and ready for pre-wedding photos
• Help the groom get dressed and ready
• Pose for pre-wedding photos with the guys
• Attend to the groom as he waits for the ceremony entrance, or participate in the processional as instructed by the bride and groom
• Hold the bride's wedding ring during the ceremony, and hand it to the groom when instructed
• Participate in the recessional
• Gather the bridal party for post-wedding photos
• Sign the marriage license as a witness
• If asked, make sure the vendors receive their payments
• If asked, hand out the pre-filled tip envelopes to the couple’s vendors
• Have a supply of cash on hand in case something comes up
• Participate in special bridal party dances
• Offer the first toast to the bride and groom at the reception. For information on giving toasts, visit our Toasts/Vows/Poem section.
• Participate in the garter toss, if single
• Help the bride and groom with any post-wedding tasks or responsibilities, such as transporting their gifts to their car or home