In a nutshell, the best man is expected to organise the stag do, give a best man's speech, keep the wedding rings safe and hand them over during the ceremony, and organise the other ushers.
A best man's duties include planning the bachelor party, making sure the groomsmen attire is ordered, organized and to the couple's preferences, delivering an epic best man speech at the reception, being a model wedding guest (RSVP-ing on time, reserving travel and hotel with the room block early) and so, so much more.
Great question, one that many couples often wonder about as they start to put together the wedding budget. Traditionally speaking, yes, the Best Man does pay for things as a part of his duties for the wedding.
The best man traditionally speaks at the wedding reception following the maid of honor, though some couples may schedule the speeches during the rehearsal dinner instead. How many speeches does the best man give? The best man gives one speech either at the wedding reception or, less commonly, the rehearsal dinner.
Get the Party Started
After the first dance has taken place, it's traditional for the best man to dance with the maid of honour (again, if there is one) and encourage everyone onto the dance floor.
The best man is also expected to mingle at the reception and ensure everyone is having a great time. They may even dance with the bride, the maid of honor, the mother of the bride, and the mother of the groom during the reception. The best person should be ready to emcee in a pinch.
It's believed that the “best man” role originated with 16th century Germanic Goths, as the groomsman who kidnapped the bride. The best man then stood next to the bride during the ceremony to prevent other suitors or family members from taking her—and to make sure she didn't run away.
Finish your best man speech with congratulations and a toast. This is a foolproof way to end your best man speech. Conclude by congratulating the happy couple on their big day and offer a toast to their lifetime of happiness. The toast can be personal, witty, or a quote.
He then thanks the guests, the bride's parents (if they're hosting the wedding), and his own parents and best man. He may say a few words about his beautiful new wife, and then – traditionally – finishes with a toast to the bridesmaids, although this is becoming less common and an alternative toast may be preferred.
However, many couples also choose to have the groom escorted down the aisle with both of his parents, who then sit on the right side of the aisle in the front row. Best man: The best man then either walks in from the same side that the groom came from, or walks down the aisle alone.
The Best Man – starts his speech on behalf of all the aforementioned, thanking the Bridegroom for his kind toast and then at the end of his speech, propose a toast to THE BRIDE AND BRIDEGROOM.
In recent years, it has become more and more common for the best man and the rest of the stags to cover the cost of the groom. Have a chat with the guys and, if it's affordable, it can be a great gesture.
In addition to being present at the wedding, the best man is expected to either purchase a gift for the groom or coordinate a group gift from the groomsmen. It's yet another responsibility for you to take on as best man.
Best Man Speech Structure: The Basics
Read out telegrams and messages from friends and family who can't be there – the messages are real but the telegrams are usually joke. Tell funny anecdotes and stories about the groom, traditionally at the groom's expense (you can use a prop/stunt here) Offer advice to the ...
Once down the aisle, the groomsmen will line up at the altar next to the groom, and the bridesmaids will stand next to where the bride will stand for the wedding ceremony. The best man follows the bridesmaids and groomsmen and can walk down alone or with the maid of honor.
A groom's speech should focus on thanking everyone who has helped make the wedding day special including the mother and father of the bride (or equivalent), the guests, his own parents, the best man, the bridesmaids, ushers, and anyone else who has contributed to the wedding.
Traditionally, the father of the bride is the first to speak in the wedding speech sequence, especially if he has contributed financially to the wedding. The bride's father's speech should include; — A welcome to all the guests, and an expression of gratitude for their attendance and participation in the wedding.
You don't want to get the best man a gift for $300 and your groomsmen gifts for $20. You can go from under $20 to close to $100. Remember that it's rare to spend more than $100 per groomsmen unless you're very comfortable with that kind of money or you just really want to say thanks, pal.
Give Him a Different Look
The first way to make your best man stand out is visually. If all of the groomsmen are wearing ties, maybe he can wear a bow tie. Another fun option is to gift him a unique pocket square that's a different color or pattern than what the other groomsmen are wearing.
Acting as both a moral compass and logistical helping hand, the best man, and maid of honor are considered honorable and responsible roles to fill.
The best man's gift should be something more special. Cuff links, key rings, card cases and silver pencils make good gifts, and it's a nice custom to have them engraved with the recipient's initials and the date of the occasion. As the best man, your gift should be for the bride and groom.
According to modern wedding tradition, the best man is a close friend or family member of the groom's who organizes the bachelor party, helps the groom prepare for the wedding, and stands beside him at the ceremony.
Often the Best Man or the Maid of Honour can MC if they have the right characteristics. If you don't know someone appropriate for the role, the reception centre often has a member of staff who can take on the responsibility. Or you can hire a professional MC or ask the DJ to double up as MC!