WEDDINGS ARE FULL of etiquette and tradition - but who is supposed to do what - and when? Rather than expect people to know what they're doing, it's much easier to ask your friends and family to take their traditional roles!
The groom
Helping organise and pay for the transport
Organising the corsages and thank you bouquets for the two mothers
Giving the best man ready cash to pay for services on the day
Organisation of the honeymoon, including a car to take them to the airport
The best man
To help the Groom keep calm and relaxed
To carry the rings
Paying the honorarium to the minister after the ceremony
To pay the musicians, including the piper!
To deliver the completed marriage schedule back to the Registrar's Office after the wedding day.
He also delegates jobs to the other groomsmen, including helping to organise the stag party
The bride's father
Escorting his daughter down the aisle
Escorting the grooms mother out of the church
Paying the caterer
The groom's father
Escorting the mother of the bride up the aisle (after ceremony)
Helping to supply/pay for the drinks at the reception
Chief bridesmaid
Liaise with bride to ensure any needs are met (before, during and after the wedding!)
Delegates duties to the other bridesmaids (one for train, one for dress, one to look after flowergirl)
To lift the veil after the bride says her vows
Leads the wedding party back up the aisle
To ensure that the hair stylist and beauty therapist are paid (or that arrangements have been agreed upon)
Bridesmaids
To carry bouquets and ensure bride is looking fabulous
Helping the bride throughout day with whatever she needs
To carry a small bag with mascara, tissues, touch up powder and mobile phone (switched off during ceremony!)
Ensuring that everyone gets a piece of the wedding cake, or to give a piece to take away for a relative that could not attend
To distribute table decorations, if required, to the chosen ladies.
Mother of the bride/groom's role
Offering support to the bridesmaids
Introducing people at the wedding (officially, she is the 'hostess')
Having the wedding gown cleaned and stored
Gift storage (looking after the gift list and liaising with shop)
Ushers
Underneath
the general melée of a wedding, the ushers should each have been given
a specific job to do and there's more to it than handing out the order
of service sheets and showing guests to their seats. They are also your
crowd control when the guests leave the service and your personal PA
system. The key to a good wedding is to have a team behind the scenes
who can help it run to time and to plan. When the bride and groom are
to be alone with their photographer, it's up to the ushers to keep the
guests in one space. Whether it's an extra seat or a handkerchief
that's required, the ushers are there to ensure the guests are not left
unsure what to do.
- Usher 1 - to greet the guests as
they arrive, issue an order of service sheet and know all that is
happening afterwards. When the guests come out of the church, to ensure
that all guests can get to the reception or get a chance to speak to the bride and groom before leaving the wedding.
- Usher 2 - to seat the guests according to family group (keeping top pews/chairs free for immediate family). The mother of the bride who arrives alone should be escorted personally to her seat.
- Usher 3 - If it is raining or special instructions are required, to greet guests as they alight from their transport - with an umbrella, if required! This usher can also signal the piper as to when the bride and wedding party is arriving.
- Usher 4 - As they leave the ceremony, usher 4 can
guide guests as to where to go and what has been organised for them.
With the help of the others, they can assist the photographer to locate key guests they need and ensure the guests are not impinging on his work.
- Usher 5 - They can also help if there is a formal reception line to be taken before the meal by informing guests.
