Bridal Party Roles & Responsibilities - Who Does What?

Choosing your bridal party can be a difficult task. For some its easy, brothers or sisters fill the roles of your groomsmen and bridesmaids. For others, its your best friends. The size of your bridal party is purely up to you and your budget. The average size of a bridal party is 3 bridesmaids and 3 groomsman, but there have been many bridal party's a lot larger and smaller. The size of your bridal party will determine the roles and responsibilities each person has.

Here is a summary of the Bridal Party Members:

Traditional roles of the bridal party include:

• Helping with the planning of your wedding and running any errands for the bride and groom.
• Organising the Hens or Bucks party
• Assist the bride and groom to get ready and to calm any nerves leading up to and on the big day.
• Accompany the bride or groom to any dress, robe or suit fittings.
• Stand by the bride and groom as they take their vows.
• Join the bride and groom to take formal photos after the wedding ceremony and or during the reception.
• After the bride and groom dance, the bridal party joins them on the dance floor to kick start the party

Specific roles for each member of the bridal party will vary on the needs of the bride and groom. Popular roles for members of the bridal party include:

• Delegate a member of your bridal party to ensure things run smoothly, such as times allowed to set up at the venue, wedding cake transport, flowers transport and arrival etc . This job is usually for the Bride, Parents of the Bride and Groom and/or the Maid of Honour.
• The Maid of Honour has one of the most important jobs. She must sssist the bride with any errands, planning and dress fittings. The Maid of Honour holds the bouquet at the ceremony and signs the marriage certificate. At the reception the Maid of Honour helps the bride with her wedding train and also going to the toilet.

• The Best Man and the Maid of Honour prepare speeches for the wedding reception.
• The Best Man is the grooms biggest form of support on the big day. He is usually a family member or a best friend. He is the one who organizes the Bucks party and also organizes the groomsmen with their formal attire fittings.
• The Best Man dances with the Maid of Honour on the dance floor after the bridal waltz.

• The Parents of the Bride and Groom may decide to discuss the cost and budget of the wedding and offer to pitch in with paying for part of the wedding.
• The parents of the Bride and Groom will often assist the bride with errends leading up to the wedding. If it is an outdoor wedding, they will often assist with the organisation of chairs, aisle runners, drop off zones, archways and/or decorative flags around the ceremony.
• The Father of the Bride walks their daughter down the Isle and gives her away.
• The Father of the Bride is often the last to leave the reception, ensuring he has said goodbye to all the guests and making sure everything has been settled such as the bar tab.

• The Bridesmaids assist the Maid of Honour with the wedding planning. they are also ones to organise the Hens party and cover any costs/ decorations and props etc.
• Wedding Dress shopping with your Bridesmaids and Mother.
• The Bridesmaids and Maid of Honour may also pay for their own attire. As so the Groomsmen and Best Man.
• The Bridesmaids and Groomsmen walk up the isle in a train and back down in reverse. 

• On the Wedding Day, the Groomsmen should arrive early to the ceremony to meet and greet the guests.
• Ring bearers have the important job of keeping the rings safe for the ceremony and are called upon during the exchange of vows.

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PF x Images supplied from Pinterest.

By: Melissa Wilkinson
Melissa is the founder of Personalised Favours. She is commonly sought for comment on all things wedding related and has worked closely with thousands of couples to create invitations, gifts and wedding favours that are truly unique.