One of the most common questions we get asked by our couples is "Who is responsible for what?" So we have put together a list of who is tradtitionally responsible for each element of the wedding. Of course a wedding is a personal event and each couple is different, so use the following as a guide to get you started and then make your decisions based on what best suits your situation. If you need any advice give us a call 01392 222421.
The Bride:
The Bride picks her bridesmaids and maid of honour and arranges thank you gifts to give to her maids. She also will normally have a major say in the planning of the wedding.
The Groom:
The Groom picks his groomsmen and the attire, he arranges the thank you gifts for his groomsmen and he would normally pay for the marriage license and officiant’s fee.
The Bride’s Parents:
Traditionally, the Bride’s parents pay for most of the wedding’s expenses. They may host an engagement party and help the Bride and Groom with writing up the guest list. Sometimes they will offer their assistance in helping to plan some of the wedding details.The Mother of the Bride will usually choose her own attire and the Father of the Bride escorts the Bride down the aisle. He is the last to leave the reception after saying goodbye to all of the wedding guests. He will normally be the person to settle the costs with caterers and other helpers.
The Groom’s Parents:
After the engagement, the Groom’s parents will most likely contact the Bride’s parents. Some may host a second engagement party. They will probably give the Bride and Groom a list of guests that they would like to have invited to the wedding. They are responsible for hosting the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding and they may contribute to some of the wedding costs.
The Maid Of Honour:
Typically, the Maid of Honour is the Bride’s best friend or sister. She is in charge of organising activities to do with the Bride and Bridesmaids, e.g. the bridal shower, dress fittings and hen do. She will help the couple with small errands such as addressing envelopes and keeping track of who sent what gift. The Maid of Honour helps the Bride get dressed on the day and will accompany the Bride to the ceremony. She may sign the marriage license as a witness, move the Bride’s veil and train to it’s correct place and is also responsible for holding the Bride’s bouquet at the alter. Traditionally, at the reception, the Maid of Honour would dance with the Best Man and afterwards, gather the Bridesmaids for formal photos to be taken. Before the Bride and Groom leave for their honeymoon, she will help the Bride to get changed.
The Best Man:
The Best Man has similar duties to the Maid of Honour but for the Groom. He will usually be the Groom’s best friend or brother. His main role is to coordinate the Stag party and the suit fittings and he is responsible for collecting the Groom’s attire before the wedding. He will normally give a speech or toast to the couple at the rehearsal dinner and at the wedding. He would normally have to be the one to confirm the honeymoon travel reservations the day before the couple would need to leave. The Best Man ensures that the Groom gets to the ceremony on time and looks after the Brides ring, holds the officiant's fee until after the wedding and signs the marriage license as a witness. He organises the Groomsmen for formal photos before the reception and then traditionally dances with the Maid of Honour. He ensures that the getaway car is ready with the couples luggage inside.
Bridesmaids:
The role of a Bridesmaid is to assist the Maid of Honour in her wedding planning duties including the bridal shower.
Groomsmen:
The Groomsmen mostly help the Best Man to plan the Bachelor party, they attend the suit fittings and help the Groom with small tasks. The Groomsmen are supposed to arrive at the ceremony early in order for them to be able to greet the guests.
Flower Girl:
The Flower Girl is usually between the age of 3 and 8. She walks in front of the bride scattering petals down the aisle. Her parents usually pay for her attire and arrange her transportation to the venue.
Ring Bearer:
The ring bearer is a boy who holds the rings usually on a cushion down the aisle. The Maid of Honour and Best Man take the rings from the cushion that they are responsible for. Like the Flower Girl, the parents of the Ring Bearer usually pay for the attire and transportation to the venue.