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Wedding Party Responsibilities. Who Does What!?

Bride and Groom : Together 

• Decide on your budget. Consult with your parents, if they are paying for or contributing to the wedding.
• Decide on and set the style, theme, date, time, and the place of ceremony and reception. Make the reservations and deposits.
• Meet with your wedding officiate and participate in any premarital counseling required.
• Order your Save-the-Date cards, wedding invitations, and thank you notes.
• Choose your attendants and their attire.
• Purchase gifts to honor your Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, and children in the wedding party (flower girl and ring bearer). Present those gifts at the rehearsal dinner or at a private gathering with your wedding party prior to the wedding.
• Acknowledge all bridal shower and wedding gifts you receive with a handwritten personalized
  thank-you note from both of you.
• Purchase gifts for your parents.
• Obtain your marriage license and any needed blood tests.
• Attends the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Attend the ceremony and reception.
• Dance the first dance at the reception.
• Greet everyone at the reception, either with a receiving line or by mingling.

 

Bride 

• Discuss your budget with parents and fiancé.
• Choose your wedding gown and hair decor.
• Select your wedding day jewelry (necklace, bracelet, and earrings)
• Book your coordinator, caterer, DJ, florist, photographer, videographer, wedding cake baker, and other wedding industry professional you need for your big day.
• Help compile guest list.
• Address invitations.
• Shop for trousseau.
• Pack for honeymoon.
• Obtain all necessary travel documents for honeymoon (i.e. passport, birth certificate, visa).
• Purchase groom’s wedding ring and have it engraved.
• Purchase wedding gift for groom.
• Complete paperwork necessary for name change on bank accounts, credit cards, insurance, etc.
• Stand to the right of the groom during the receiving line.

 
Groom 

• Help compile guest list. Present list to bride at least 3 months before the wedding.
• Purchase bride’s engagement and wedding rings and arranges engraving.
• Rent or purchase wedding attire.
• Choose all wedding attire and accessories for the male bridal party members.
• Plan and pay for honeymoon.
• Get traveler’s checks for honeymoon.
• Obtain all necessary travel documents for honeymoon (i.e. passport, birth certificate, visa).
• Assist in any and all planning of ceremony and reception.
• Purchase wedding gift for bride.
• Pay for the bridal bouquet and all corsages and boutonnières for wedding party.
• Scout out hotels for out-of-town guests.
• Send out rehearsal dinner invitations.
• Arrive at ceremony site at least 1 hour early.
• Bring marriage license to ceremony site.
• Make payments to officiate and musicians.
• Stand to the left of the bride in the receiving line.

 

Maid (Matron) of Honor 

• Assists bride in choosing a bridal gown as well as in choosing attendants’ gowns and jewelry.
• Purchase gown and accessories that she will be wearing.
• Helps bride address invitations.
• Plan and host bridal shower.
• Plan and host the bachelorette party.
• Records gifts received at showers as well as collecting all ribbons and bows for making the rehearsal bouquets.
• Helps the bride assemble and decorate wedding favors.
• Helps bride and bride’s family decorate the reception hall, if necessary.
• Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Arrive with at least 2 hours early to assist the bride in dressing.
• Organize bridesmaids and their gowns.
• Arrange bride’s veil and train before and throughout the ceremony.
• Hold groom’s ring during the ceremony if its not being carried by the ring bearer.
• Signs the wedding certificate as an official witness.
• Stands to the left of the groom in the receiving line.
• Dances when the music starts at the reception and asks other guests to dance.
• Be gracious and serve as an auxiliary hostess at the reception.

 

Best Man 

• Plan and host the bachelor party.
• Rent or purchase wedding attire that is the same as the groom’s.
• Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Arrange for transportation to ceremony for self and groom.
• Arrange for transportation of the couple as well as self to the reception.
• Arrives with the groom at least 1 hour before the ceremony.
• Helps keep the groom calm.
• Supervises groomsmen and ushers.
• Holds bride’s wedding ring if not being carried by the ring bearer.
• Escorts the Maid (Matron) of Honor during the recessional.
• Forwards payment to musicians and officiate from the groom.
• Stands to the right of the bride in the receiving line.
• Makes the first toast at the reception and reads congratulations telegrams.
• Dances when the music starts and asks other guests to dance.
• Transport newlyweds to the honeymoon suite or airport after the reception.
• Organize the return of any rented wedding attire for all men in the wedding.

 

Bridesmaids 

• Purchase gowns and accessories to wear in the wedding.
• Assist Maid (Matron) of Honor in planning and hosting bridal showers.
• Help with wedding favors.
• Run errands as needed by the bride.
• Help decorate the reception hall, if needed.
• Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Arrive early at the wedding dressing site.
• Walk down the aisle before the Maid (Matron) of Honor, flower girl, and ring bearer.
• May stand in receiving line.
• Dance and are gracious at the reception.

 

Groomsmen and Ushers 

• Purchase or rent wedding attire.
• Assist in planning and financing the bachelor party.
• Attend the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Arrive dressed at least 1 hour before the wedding.
• Fold and distribute wedding programs.
• Ensure that all family members have corsages/boutonnières before being seated.
• Seat guests as follows:
  • Single females are escorted on the right.
  • Single males should walk along the left side.
  • Escort the female of a couple on the right with her date walking behind.
  • Guests of the bride are seated on the left.
  • Guests of the groom are seated on the right.
  • Leave first few rows unseated to accommodate family members.
  • Seat the mother of the groom.
  • Seat the mother of the bride.
  • Roll out the aisle runner.
  • Light candelabras, as needed.
  • Escort bridesmaids during the recessional.
  • Check for any items left by guests at the ceremony site.
  • Collect ceremony decorative items such as baskets, pew bows, and aisle runner.
  • Dance when music starts and ask other guests to dance.
  • Decorate the newlywed’s car.

 

Father of the Groom 

• Assist in compiling guest list.
• Purchase or rent wedding attire.
• Pay for and host the rehearsal dinner.
• Propose the first toast at the rehearsal dinner.
• Arrive dressed 1 hour before the wedding.
• Stand to the left of the mother of the groom in the receiving line.
• Pay for all beverages at the wedding reception.

 

Mother of the Groom 

• Assist in compiling guest list.
• Purchase a dress that is complementary in color and style to the mother of the bride’s dress.
• Plan the rehearsal dinner.
• Arrive dressed 1 hour before the wedding.
• Stand to the left of the bride’s parents in the receiving line.

 

Mother of the Bride 

• Assist bride in the selection of wedding gown and accessories as well as the color and style of the attendants’ gowns.
• Help prepare guest list.
• Help record gifts received.
• Select a dress that will complement the color scheme of the wedding and inform the mother of the groom of the choice.
• Assist in details of ceremony and reception (i.e. caterer, DJ, photographer, etc.).
• Arrive dressed before the bride and the bridal party.
• Bring the guest book and unity candle to the ceremony and then to the reception.
• Stand at the head of the receiving line.
• Serve as official hostess at the wedding and reception.
• Gather the gifts after the reception and hold for the couple until after the honeymoon.

 

Father of the Bride 

• Assist in preparing the guest list.
• Purchase or rent wedding attire that matches that of the groom and other male wedding attendants.
• Ride with the bride to the ceremony.
• Escort bride down the aisle on left arm.
• Stands to the left of the mother of the bride in the receiving line.
• Co-hosts the reception.
• Dances second dance with the bride at the reception.
• Helps gather gifts after the reception.
• Last to leave reception.

 

Flower Girl 

• Parents pay for dress and any alterations needed.
• Attends rehearsal and, depending on age, attends the rehearsal dinner with her parents.
• Arrives dressed 1 hour before the ceremony. (If very young, 30 minute early may be more appropriate.)
• Precedes the bride and her father in the processional, while scattering flower petals in the bride’s path.
• Attends the reception with parents.

 

Ring Bearer 

• Parents pay for attire that matches or complements the groom’s attire.
• Attends rehearsal and, depending on age, attends the rehearsal dinner with her parents.
• Arrives dressed 1 hour before the ceremony. (If very young, 30 minute early may be more appropriate.)
• Precedes the flower girl in the processional carrying the wedding rings on a pillow.
• Attends the reception with parents.