Behind every great wedding is a dedicated group of people working hard behind the scenes to make it all happen. They don’t get paid, it’s not their day job, and they do it purely out of love, excitement, and support for the happy couple. This blog will look into the wedding party, along with the roles and responsibilities commonly designated to them.
The wedding squad, the bride tribe, the entourage – whatever you choose to call them, each member of your wedding party plays a significant role in both the lead up to your day and the running of the day itself. So it’s important to acknowledge the different roles they are going to play throughout the whole experience.
The Wedding Party – Common Roles
So, who’s who when it comes to the members of your wedding party? Your wedding party should essentially consist of the most important people in your life who you just can’t imagine not standing by your side on the big day.
It might only be a very small selection of your nearest and dearest, or a larger group of your favourite people, but traditionally a wedding party will include the following roles:
- The maid of honour, matron of honour or chief bridesmaid
- Bridesmaids
- The best man, or chief groomsmen
- Groomsmen
- And of course the bride and groom! (Or bride and bride, or groom and groom!)
Maid Of Honour
Also known as your right-hand woman and wedding sidekick, your maid of honour will probably save you from tearing your hair out on more than one occasion! Whether it’s your sister, cousin or closest friend, your maid of honour is there to be your support system during the lead-up to your day.
The title ‘maid of honour’ refers to an unmarried woman, so if your right-hand woman is already married then her title will become ‘matron of honour’. Some brides choose to have both a maid and matron of honour – the choice is completely up to you!
- Providing general assistance and advice when it comes to wedding planning decisions. Think of her as a sounding board for any wedding-related questions or thoughts!
- Being responsible for the duties of your bridesmaids. She can also delegate tasks to your bridesmaids and oversee any decisions that the group needs to make, like bridesmaid dresses and accessories
- Taking charge of planning any pre-wedding events that involve the bride, like a bridal shower or hen party. She’ll also be responsible for hosting the events and helping to cover the costs involved
- Being the emergency contact number for any wedding vendors to call with any problems, and communicating with them to solve last-minute dramas. Basically, making sure you are completely oblivious to any hiccups that might be happening and helping to resolve them!
- Signing your marriage certificate as a witness
Bridemaids
Whether it’s one or two close friends or ten of your favourite girls, your bridesmaids are going to play a pivotal role in your wedding experience.
Cherish these ladies because they will generally assist with the following tasks:
- Contributing to the decision-making process for details like bridesmaid dresses and accessories, and help with scouting for the items
- Being a calming influence in the morning as you get pampered and ready for the big day
- Helping with the organisation of pre-wedding events and chipping in to cover the costs for any extra festivities like your hen party. Along with attending these events, of course
Best Man
Even the most chilled out groom needs a buddy to rely on, and his best man is going to be a life-saver when it comes to wedding preparations both before and during the day!
The best man will generally have the following tasks on their to-do list:
- Managing the rest of the groomsmen and delegating tasks where necessary
- Organising any pre-wedding events like the bucks party, and being the host for the event itself
- Holding your ring on behalf of the groom until required during the proceedings.
- Signing your marriage certificate as a witness
Groomsmen
Last up, but certainly not least, the groomsmen. Even if they are a loud and lively bunch, the groomsmen will definitely provide some much-needed support and assistance for the big day. Don’t dismiss these guys!
The groomsmen are generally held responsible for the following tasks:
- Attending suit fittings and helping to make decisions regarding suit style, colour, shoes and accessories
- Assisting with moving any heavy or bulky items that need to be relocated after the ceremony, like an arbour or chairs
- Keeping the groom calm under pressure, and making sure he eats and stays hydrated. It may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised to how many grooms forget
Suit Your Own Needs
Although these notes are a helpful guideline to follow, you can definitely tweak them depending on what you and your wedding party are comfortable with!
We recommend having an upfront conversation with the members of your wedding party, to ensure everybody has a clear idea of their roles and responsibilities both before and during the day.
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