WEDDING  PLANNING TIPS:

Duties of Wedding Party

The wedding party is comprised of the attendants (bridesmaids, groomsmen, Maid/Matron of Honor, Best Man, Flower Girl, Ring Bearer, and whoever else you have stand by your side during the wedding ceremony), greeters, ushers, MC's, guest book attendant, etc. who help with the wedding and play special roles during the day's events. After you ask these individuals if they would like to participate in your wedding, they undertake various responsibilities. These responsibilities vary from family to family and culture to culture. Here are some suggestions for these responsibilities to get you started. Some may not apply to your wedding or you may have other responsibilities to delegate.

Best Man

• Spread the word about where the couple is registered
• Give groom bachelor party (plan, invite guests)
• Pay for rental of own tux
• Ensure groom arrives on time at the ceremony
• Keep bride's ring until minister asks for it on day of wedding
• Help groom get dressed before wedding
• Help groom remain calm prior to ceremony
• Stand beside groom during ceremony
• Make first toast at the reception
• Offer to return the groom's wedding attire to the formalwear store

Maid/Matron of Honor (A Matron of Honor is married; a Maid of Honor is not.)

• Help bride choose a wedding dress
• Help choose the bridesmaid dresses
• Buy own bridesmaid dress and accessories
• Assist bride with wedding plans if asked
• Help the bride address invitations, if she needs it
• Spread the word about where the couple is registered
• Give bride a bridal shower and be present at any other showers that may be thrown for her
• Help bride get dressed before wedding
• Help bride remain calm prior to ceremony
• Keeps groom's ring until minister asks for it on day of wedding
• Stand beside bride during ceremony
• Rearrange the bride's wedding gown train during the ceremony as necessary
• Hold the bouquet and possibly gloves during the exchanging of the rings until after the kiss
• Help the bride get out of her gown and into traveling clothes, if the bride and groom are leaving for their honeymoon right after the reception
• Help the bride's mother get all the wedding gifts to the couple's new home while the couple is on their honeymoon

Groomsman

• Spread the word about where the couple is registered
• Pay for rental of own tux
• Stand beside best man during ceremony

Bridesmaids

• Help choose the bridesmaid dresses if possible (geographically)
• Spread the word about where the couple is registered
• Buy own bridesmaid dress and accessories
• Stand beside maid of honor during ceremony

Ring Bearer

• Walk down the aisle carrying the rings (or fake ones) secured to a satin pillow
• Stand beside groomsmen during ceremony

Flower Girl

• Precedes the bride, tossing paper flowers or fresh flower petals down the aisle (ask if your ceremony site allows fresh flowers to be dropped)
• Stand beside the bridesmaids during ceremony

Ushers

• Pay for rental of own tux (or they could just wear suits)
• Greet all guests at the ceremony, then ask which family they represent and seat accordingly (optional - traditionally bride's family/friends on left and groom's family/friends on the right of the center aisle; however, if it is expected that this seating arrangement will be very uneven, the ushers can seat guests wherever)
• Unroll the aisle runner after the bride's mother is seated
• Usher mothers and grandmothers out after ceremony and dismiss guests aisle by aisle (optional - guests can be left to dismiss themselves too)

Guest Book Attendant

• Stand by guest book for people to sign prior to ceremony
• Give out favors and birdseed roses at reception

Readers

• Read scripture, poetry, or prose selections during the wedding ceremony

Greeters/Host and Hostess (Reception)

• Pick up the guest book and pen at the end of the ceremony and put at entrance of reception hall
• Make sure reception area setup looks OK (cake? band/DJ there? centerpieces set out?)
• Greet guests as they enter reception and tell them where party, gift table, and guest book are

Mistress of Ceremonies

• Make sure attendants know what they're doing, where and when at the rehearsal
• Ceremony duties:
  • Help florist give out corsages; ensure everyone gets a flower that should
  • Ensure centerpiece flowers, unity candles, pew bows, etc. are in place
  • Get lighter from minister for unity candles
  • Put guest book and pen at church entrance
  • Make sure videographer/photographer are set up OK
  • Give programs to the ushers
  • Tell family members to hang around for quick pictures immediately after the ceremony
• Reception duties:
  • Try to ensure that no one leaves with disposable cameras
  • Bring basket of birdseed/bubbles/etc. and give to person who will hand them out
  • Help mother of bride stay sane and get everything to take home afterwards

MC (Reception) -- family member, friend, DJ, or band leader

• Announce wedding party when they arrive at reception
• Do announcing of the dances, garter and bouquet toss, and final dance

Personal Attendant

• Help bride get dressed
• Carry bride's emergency kit to the reception
• Give out favors and birdseed/bubbles/etc. at reception
• Give emergency kit to bride's mom at the end of reception

Parents of Bride

• Put couple's luggage in limo
• Bring home items from ceremony (flowers, leftover programs, unity candles, etc.)
• Bring home items from reception (toasting glasses, cake knife and server, gifts, disposable cameras, leftover birdseed roses and favors, centerpieces, cake topper, top layer of cake, etc.)
• Ensure caterer puts food basket in limo at end of reception for couple to eat at hotel