Wedding Responsibilities
The Bride
- Budget discussions with your fianc�, your family, and his family on size and cost of the wedding Budget discussions with your fianc�, your family, and his family on size and cost of the wedding .
- Choosing the wedding date, style, and site
- Visiting the ceremony officiant with the groom to discuss ceremony style
- Choosing maid/matron of honour and bridesmaids and advising them of their wedding responsibilities
- Shopping for "thank you" gift for attendants
- Discussing first song selection with groom
- The Bride chooses her own gown, as well as the attire for the bridal party. Often times she plays a large role in selecting the formalwear as well.
- She often chooses the flowers and the invitations as well. (We will note that the Groom usually accompanies the Bride for all of these selections)
- Traditionally, the Bride's only financial wedding responsibilities are the ring and gift for the Groom, and the gifts for her attendants. Accommodations for out of town attendants is optional.
- Standing in the receiving line with your new spouse
- Dancing to pre-selected first song with groom
- Sending thank-you notes
Head Bridesmaid Duties or Matron of Honour
To be asked to serve in this capacity is a very special
honour that caries big wedding responsibilities. The maid or matron of honour is a person who the bride trusts and feels she can
rely on to ensure that everything on her wedding day runs smoothly. The most
important thing to do is offer support and assistance during a very stressful time. The
maid or matron of honour carries more responsibility than the other bridesmaids.
Wedding Responsibilities and bridesmaid duties include:
- Helps bride to select her wedding apparel
- Helps to address invitations click here
- Supervises and organises all logistics with the other bridesmaids for their wedding apparel, including arranging the date for bridesmaid gown fittings.
- Inform the bridesmaids about bridesmaid duties
- Holds bridal shower click here
- Attends all pre-wedding parties and rehersals
- Assists in wedding day plans and preparation
- Picks-up last minute items for bride
- Handles all last minute logistics for bride
- Keeps bride on schedule and assists her throughout her wedding day
- Assists bride in dressing for the ceremony
- Witnesses the signing of the marriage license.
- Holds the groom's ring wedding ring until the exchange of the rings, if there is no ring bearer.
- Holds the bridal bouquet during the ceremony
- Adjusts the bride's veil and train before the processional and the recessional
- Following reception, helps bride to change from wedding gown
- Informs bride's parents when bride and groom are ready to leave
Bridesmaid duties
Bridesmaids are usually the bride's closest friends and select family members.
Bridesmaid duties and Wedding Responsibilities include:
- Assists maid or matron of honour with her duties
- Assists with bridal shower
- Attends all prenuptial parties
- Assists the bride throughout the wedding planning process
- Picking up bouquets at bride's house about an hour before the ceremony, unless flowers are delivered to the ceremony site
- Assists the bride throughout her wedding day
Groom
Your duties include more than just turning up:
- Discussing the budget for the wedding with your future wife, your parents, and her parents
- Making sure her family's guest list is compiled early
- Researching and comparing services of wedding professionals
- Visiting the ceremony officiant to discuss ceremony style
- Choosing best man and ushers
- Working with your parents from their role in hosting the rehearsal dinner
- Paying for flowers chosen by the bride for her and her wedding party and special guests
- Shopping for wedding rings
- Shopping for a gift for the bride
- Arranging for marriage license and any other documents needed
- Making reservations/arrangements for honeymoon
- Reserving block of hotel rooms for out-of-town guests
- Supervising contracts for one or more aspects of the wedding (band, liquor, catering hall, etc.)
- Standing in the receiving line at the wedding with your new wife
- Being formally announced by DJ or master of ceremonies
- Dancing the first dance to a pre-selected song with the bride
- Responding to the best man's toast
- Taking some time alone with your parents prior to leaving the reception
- Helping with the "thank you" notes
Best Man
The groom selects his Best Man. He plays a very important role. It is typically his brother, father, a close relative or friend. In the case of a second marriage, he can even choose his son to be his Best Man. Wedding Responsibilities are varied but may include:
- Coordinates and oversees all ushers' activities and duties
- Coordinates all logistics (rental and fittings) for ushers' wedding apparel
- Picks-up and returns all rented wedding apparel for the ushers and the groom
- Organises bachelor dinner or party
- Organises purchase of groom's gift from ushers
- Organises purchase of couple's gift from ushers
- Attends all prenuptial parties
- Helps with honeymoon travel plans
- Attends all prenuptial parties
- He must make sure that all the men are properly dressed and at the church on time. This includes the Groom, the Groomsmen, and the Ushers.
- Drives groom to ceremony
- Witnesses marriage license signing
- Brings marriage license to ceremony
- On wedding day, pays any and all service providers as per groom's instructions (i.e. officiating authority, photographers, musicians, etc.) Groom is to provide money.
- If there is no organised transportation, drives bride and groom to reception
- He proposes the first toast to the newlyweds at the reception.
- If there is no ring bearer, holds bridal ring until needed
- Collecting any congratulatory telegrams or faxes.
- Assists groom with changing his clothes after ceremony
- Along with the Maid of Honour, he should transport the gifts to the Bride and Groom's home for opening
- He usually takes care of the Bride and Groom's luggage until they are ready to depart for the honeymoon
- Responsible for making sure all the formalwear rentals are
returned on time.
Ushers
Ushers are usually the groom's closest friends and select family members. Wedding Responsibilities include:
- Supervising parking
- Escorting guests to their seats.
- Rolls and unrolls aisle carpet
- Assists best man with bachelor dinner or party
- At ceremony, provides guests with wedding programs and maps to reception
- Decorating the bridal couple's going-away car
- Transports bridesmaids to reception
Flower Girl
- The flower girl precedes the bride down the isle scattering rose pedals, rice or confetti in her wake. Or she may simply carry a small bouquet, basket, or wreath of flowers.
- Attends rehearsal dinner
Ring Bearer
- The ring bearer is traditionally a young boy who either precedes or escorts the flower girl down the aisle. He carries an embellished pillow on which the wedding rings are tied. Nowadays the rings attached to this pillow are symbolic and the honour attendants are charged with carrying the real rings.
- Attends rehearsal dinner
Bride's Parents
- When engagement announced, notify groom and groom's parents to congratulate them
- Holds engagement party for bride and groom
- Prepares guest list for bride
- If necessary, coordinates all lodging arrangements for brides' out-of-town guests
- Provides bride and groom with special gift
- Provides groom with gift
- Serves as host and hostess of reception
- Mother helps bride choose her wedding gown
- Mother selects her own wedding apparel
- Mother helps bride to keep track of gifts received
- Mother is last person to be seated at ceremony
- Mother stores top layer of wedding cake for bridal couple while they are on honeymoon
- Mother arranges for wedding gown to be dry cleaned and preserved
- Father coordinates his wedding apparel with other men of the wedding party
- Father rides to ceremony with bride in transport ie hotair ballon ect
- Father gives bride away at ceremony
Groom's Parents
- When told of engagement, notify bride and bride's parents to congratulate them
- Hold tea or party to introduce bride to family and friends
- Prepare guest list for groom
- If necessary, coordinate all lodging arrangements for groom's out-of-town guests
- Organise rehearsal dinner (This is one of the most important wedding responsibilities for the groom's parents)
- Provides bride and groom with a special gift
- Provide bride with a gift
- Mother coordinates wedding dress with bride's mother
- Father gives "toast" to bride at rehearsal dinner
- Father coordinates wedding apparel with other men in wedding party
Guests
- The Guests are also obliged to show up, provided they said they would.
- The guests should bring a gift for the newlyweds as well. (Note: One gift is fine. A family of four attending the reception does not need to bring four gifts. Likewise, if there are two wedding receptions, you are not required to bring two gifts.