Once you've picked out your bridesmaids, ushers, best man and maid of honour, it's good to know what their wedding party duties and responsibilities are, both during the planning process and on the wedding day itself. Here's a handy list for each of them...
Bridesmaids
Before the wedding
- Help the bride to shop for her wedding dressÂ
- Help the maid of honour to organise the hen party
- Attend bridesmaid dress shopping appointments and fittings
- Help with any wedding planning or DIY if the bride asks
On the day
- Keep the bride calm and happy in the morning
- Travel in the ceremony car with the mother of the bride and other bridesmaids
- Accompany any flower girls or pageboys down the aisle at the ceremony
- Walk down the aisle either before the bride and her father (American style), or after the bride and her father (British style)
- Potentially perform a reading or be the witness at the ceremony
- Help the bride negotiate the bathroom at the reception!
Maid of honour
Before the wedding
- Help to organise the other bridesmaids when it comes to events
- Help the bride to shop for her wedding dressÂ
- Organise the hen party
- Attend bridesmaid dress shopping appointments and fittings
- Help with any wedding planning or DIY if the bride asks
- Potentially stay with the bride the night before the wedding
On the day
- Make sure that the bride has breakfast, and lunch if the ceremony is later in the day
- Keep the bride calm and happy in the morning
- Carry a clutch bag with emergency supplies for the bride
- Adjust the bride's train and veil at the end of the aisle so that it looks neat for photographs
- Take the bride's bouquet to hold during the ceremony
- Travel in the ceremony car with the mother of the bride and other bridesmaids
- Potentially perform a reading or be the witness at the ceremony
- Accompany the best man back down the aisle at the end of the ceremony
- Bring the bride and groom drinks and canapes during the drinks reception if necessary
- Potentially perform a speech at the weddingÂ
- Start the dancing at the evening reception, either with a partner or the best man
- Help the bride negotiate the bathroom at the reception!
Ushers
Before the wedding
- Attend suit shopping appointments and fittings
- Help the best man plan the stag do
On the day
- If not staying with the groom the night before, arrive with plenty of time to get ready in the morning
- Help younger ushers or page boys with outfitsÂ
- Keep the groom calm in the morning
- Arrive at the venue early to help direct people to parking and to the ceremony venue
- Hand out orders of service
- Help seat guests for the ceremony
- Escort the mother of the bride and mother of the groom to their seats
Best man
Before the wedding
- Attend suit shopping appointments and fittings
- Plan the stag do
- Help pick up any hired items the day before the wedding (including menswear)
- Potentially stay with the groom the night before the wedding
On the day
- Help the groom get ready, including sorting buttonholes
- Hold on to the wedding rings until the ring exchangeÂ
- Make any announcements to the guests pre-ceremony, such as asking people to turn phones off
- Potentially perform a reading or be the witness at the ceremony
- Accompany the maid of honour back down the aisle at the end of the ceremony
- Announce the arrival of the bride and groom at the wedding breakfast, if there is no master of ceremonies or toastmasters
- Give a speech at the wedding breakfast
- Start the dancing at the evening reception, either with a partner or the maid of honour
- If the bride and groom are leaving for the honeymoon the next day, decorate their carÂ
