Having made the decision to get married, the newly betrothed need to assemble an army of helpers to make sure the day goes without a hitch. This army are often the bridal party, close family and friends to whom you can delegate some of the responsibilities. First on the list is the best man and maid or matron of honour.
Best Man: Among the best man’s responsibilities are organising the stag party, get the groom to the church, act as a legal witness to the ceremony, look after the ring and pay the fee for the service and any services or suppliers to be paid on the day, this should be with money previously given to him in marked envelopes. He also organises the ushers, gives a speech at the reception when he would thank the bridal party and has the first dance with the chief bridesmaid.
Maid of Honour: The maid of honour or chief bridesmaid starts working immediately with the bride-to-be, helping to choose outfits, assisting with invitations and checking arrangements with photographers, florists and caterers. Responsibilities on the day, she will assist the bride-to-be in getting dressed and will sometimes travel with her to the church. The chief bridesmaid would traditionally also hold the groom’s ring if he is to be given one, and look after any younger bridesmaids and pageboys in the bridal party.
The Bride’s Parents: The mother of the bride is traditionally the hostess at the reception and head of the bridal party, all the guests are introduced to her first by the ushers, or she may introduce the guests herself to the happy couple. Her main responsibilities are to support her daughter and help her with choosing the dress and the wedding venues, and liaising with the groom’s family. The bride’s father takes on most of the funding, although these days the cost is usually spread between both the families, and the couple often take on a large part of the expense as well. The bride’s father has the pleasure of escorting his daughter down the aisle to give her away. He has the dubious pleasure of making the first speech at the reception. The Couple with the brides parents will often be one of the first groups your photographer will want to take.
The Groom’s Parents: As the bulk of the costs were traditionally borne by the bride’s parents and the groom, the groom’s parents had little to do in the organisation of the wedding. They are expected to meet with the bride’s parents to help decide on a suitable date, provide a list of guests from their side of the family, and welcome the guests in the greeting line prior to the wedding breakfast . Nowadays they often have greater involvement in the expenses, and are generally on hand to help with most aspects of the wedding. The Grooms parents will often be asked by your photographer to join the brides parents for the second group photo before the brides parents are asked to move away allowing a couple and grooms parents photo to be made.
The top table is traditionally seated by the bridal party as a way of thanking them for their help and support and carrying out their responsibilities to make your wedding day run smoothly.
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