Most men would think that being the best man is a compliment, which of course it is. But a lot of men don’t really know what being a best man involves, and don’t realize that it’s up to them to make sure they do it well! So here are five steps to being a great best man. It’d be a good idea to read these before you agree to be a best man in the first place – there’s quite a bit of responsibility.
Talk to the groom. If the groom is your buddy or your brother, you might think you know exactly what makes him tick. But this is his special day, and he’s bound to be nervous. You might be used to having a good laugh with him, but him getting married might bring out a side in him that you and his other buddies don’t see much of, so it’s worth sitting down and seeing what you can do to make his special day that little bit better.
Talk to the bride. If there’s a stag party, it’ll be your job to organize it, and on top of that, how the best man acts can set the tone for the reception or even the wedding itself. Stag parties can tend to be a bit raucous (and that might be putting it mildly…), so although a lot of grooms relish their one last chance to unwind, it’s asking for trouble if you get up to any antics that the bride would be uncomfortable with. Sit down with the bride before the stag party and make sure you plan a stag party that she’ll be happy with.
Keep yourself organized. Any luxury wedding is a joyous occasion that will involve a fair bit of partying and enjoying yourself, but remember that the bride, the groom, the family, the guests and everyone else is looking to you to make the ceremony go smoothly. You’ll have to keep the bride’s wedding ring, attend the rehearsal, organize formalwear hiring, and when it comes to the wedding itself, sign the marriage licence and perform a lot of other small duties which add up to making the wedding into a special, magical and memorable occasion for all concerned.
Help out wherever you can. A luxury wedding ought to be fun for you and all the other guests, but you’ve got responsibilities too, and most wedding parties will see the best man as their main go-to guy for any problems that come up. Remember you’re there to help out, and the day is about making sure that the bride and groom have a wonderful occasion to remember forever. No luxury wedding ever goes absolutely according to plan, so you might be asked to do all kinds of strange jobs at the last minute – by the bride, or the groom, or anyone else. Help out with a smile – you won’t regret it!
Look sharp! Unless it’s going to be a very unorthodox wedding, you’ll have to get fitted for formalwear of some kind, and it’s also up to you to get the groom fitted out properly. Everyone dressed beautifully is an essential part of any luxury wedding, and making sure the groom is well-groomed is one of the best man’s most important duties. You’ve also got to get him to the ceremony on time, which in many ways is your most important duty of all!