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Everyone is excited about your wedding plans and wants to help. Who in your wedding party traditionally does what? Since you are able to only choose a select number of besties to be in your wedding party, you may want to delegate other duties to others you may trust in areas of their expertise. These are traditional breakdowns, yet may be renegotiated when communicated with those involved. Financial obligations are also traditional, and sometimes may revert to those most capable.
BRIDE
- Sets wedding budget with groom and parents
- Pays for wedding ring for the groom
- Chooses Maid of Honor, Bridesmaids, Flower Girl, and their attire
- Delegates duties
- Plans bridesmaids' luncheon
- Gives wedding party thank-you gifts
- Buys gift for groom
- (Optional) pays for her wedding party accommodations
- Send handwritten thank-you notes for all gifts
GROOM
- Sets wedding budget with bride and parents
- Pays for engagement and wedding rings for the bride
- Makes sure his family compiles a guest list
- Chooses Best Man, Groomsmen, Ushers, Ring Bearer, and their attire
- Pays for his attire
- Gives wedding party thank-you gifts
- Buys gift for bride
- Plans and pays for honeymoon
- Pays for bride's bouquet, corsages for moms and grandmothers, and boutonnieres for best man and groomsmen
- Pays the officiant
- (Optional) pays for his wedding party accommodations
MAID OF HONOR | MATRON OF HONOR | MOH
- Assists bride in planning
- Arranges or hosts a bridal shower
- Supervises bridesmaids and may help organize bridesmaid fittings
- Prepares bridesmaids for wedding day duties
- Pays for her attire, accessories, and transportation
- Attends pre-wedding parties, ceremony rehearsal, and rehearsal dinner
- Helps the bride get ready for ceremony on time
- Arranges bride's train and veil during ceremony
- Holds bride's bouquet during ceremony
- Holds groom's ring during ceremony until ring exchange
- May sign as bride's witness on marriage license
- Sits at a place of honor at the reception
- Proposes toast after the Best Man
- Buys gift for couple
BRIDESMAIDS | JUNIOR BRIDESMAIDS
- Assist MOH when necessary
- Pays for her attire, accessories, and transportation
- Attends pre-wedding parties, ceremony rehearsal, and rehearsal dinner
- Buys gift for couple
FLOWER GIRL
- Parents pay for attire and accessories (which Bride approves), and transportation
- Carries a nosegay or pomander or basket of flower petals (depends on if ceremony location approves tossing of floral petals)
- Attends the ceremony rehearsal
BEST MAN
- Assists groom in planning
- Arranges or hosts bachelor party
- Supervises groomsmen and ushers and may help organize their measurements and fittings
- Prepares groomsmen and ushers for wedding day duties
- Pays for his attire, accessories, and transportation
- Attends pre-wedding parties, ceremony rehearsal, and rehearsal dinner
- Helps the groom get ready for ceremony on time
- Holds bride's ring during ceremony until ring exchange
- May sign as groom's witness on marriage license
- Sits at a place of honor at reception
- Proposes first toast
- Coordinates tux and suit returns
- Buys gift for couple
GROOMSMEN | USHERS
- Assist Best Man when necessary
- Pays for his attire, accessories, and transportation
- Attends pre-wedding parties, ceremony rehearsal, and rehearsal dinner
- Seat guests at ceremony
- Escort bridesmaids down the aisle (if walking together)
- Buys gift for couple
RING BEARER
- Parents pay for attire and accessories (which Bride approves), and transportation
- Attends the ceremony rehearsal
- May walk alone or with flower girl carrying fake rings (never have him carry real rings) on ring bearer pillow
BRIDE'S PARENTS | MOTHER OF THE BRIDE (MOB) | FATHER OF THE BRIDE (FOB)
- Pays for wedding planner
- Offers moral and financial support with wedding plans
- Pays for engagement party (optional)
- Pays for bridesmaid luncheon
- Pays for cost of ceremony (location, musicians, and decor)
- Pays for entire cost of reception (location, food, beverage, wedding cake, music, gratuities, decor, lighting, and gratuities)
- MOB helps bride in wedding gown selection (have had calls from moms in tears when the Bride thought this wasn't important)
- Pays for bride's wedding gown and accessories
- MOB assists in compiling the guest list and sending out invitations
- MOB serves as official hostess at the reception
- MOB chooses and pays for her attire (which Bride approves) then informs Mother of the Groom
- FOB chooses and pays for his attire (which Bride approves) then informs Father of the Groom
- Pays for engagement and wedding photography and videography
- Pays for save-the-dates, invitations, enclosures, maps, calligraphy, and mailing costs
- Pays for transportation for the wedding party on the wedding day to the ceremony and reception site
- FOB escorts the bride down the aisle, and may include MOB
- Pays for wedding gift for couple
GROOM'S PARENTS | MOTHER OF THE GROOM (MOG) | FATHER OF THE GROOM (FOG)
- Provide a list of agreed upon number of guests to the couple
- Consult with bride's parents on attire
- May contribute on some wedding expenses, communicate with couple
- Traditionally host and pay for the rehearsal dinner
ADDITIONAL ROLES
- Guest Book Attendant
- Flower Distribution
- Photographer's Assistant to Assist Rounding Up Family and Friends for photos
- Gift Table Attendant
- Program Distribution
- Reader at Ceremony
- Security of Gifts, Marriage License, Cards, and Personal Items before, during, and after (recommend one person in charge so you don't have someone thinking someone else has the item, and it is misplaced).
