Duties of groomsmen and groomsmen at a wedding

One of the most long-awaited and exciting days for both the groom and the bride is the wedding. A lot needs to be prepared, thought through, organized, and many are haunted by the fear of not being able to do something in time or doing something wrong.

First, you need to calm down and correctly distribute responsibilities, and not put all the hassle on yourself. And then the celebration will go smoothly and positively.

It has long been customary to invite friends (witnesses) to a wedding. But now not everyone knows what they are for, who can become them, what their function is during the wedding bustle, and is it worth looking for them at all?

It’s worth it, because you can shift a lot of the troubles onto them. Of course, it is better if these are close and loved ones. But try to take into account that they will have a very big responsibility.

It is advisable that they know each other, or you should introduce them in advance. The best option is if they are sociable and cheerful people, then you are guaranteed a well-executed, bright and cheerful wedding.

What is needed for marriage

To formalize a marriage, it is important to meet a number of conditions. These include the following:

Mutual consent of the spouses to formalize the relationship. No one will be forced to register a marriage.
Age of majority of the parties. There are exceptions to this rule. It is possible to get married at the age of 14, but there must be good reasons. To formalize such a union, permission from local authorities is required.
No other marriage. Bigamy is prohibited by Russian law. Therefore, in order to enter into a new marriage, the previous one must be dissolved.
There is no blood connection between a man and a woman. This also includes the impossibility of a union between the adoptive parent and the adopted child.

Registration is carried out only in the personal presence of the newlyweds. It is impossible to register a marriage through third parties, either by power of attorney or by any other documents. Because the fact of entering into a marriage union is certified only by the signatures of the future husband and wife. The signature of the civil registry office employee authorized to carry out registration actions is also affixed.

Thus, the presence of witnesses when registering a marriage is not a necessary condition. The bride and groom decide for themselves whether to involve them or not. But still, this tradition is still actively supported by young couples, especially during lavish celebrations.

Wedding witness duties

What should a witness do at a wedding - rest or work? Get ready to be in charge of preparing and hosting the bachelor party. It is usually held the day before or 2-3 days before the wedding. Your friend says goodbye to his single life; he should remember this day forever. Take care of the bachelor party scenario in advance. The newlywed should not know anything about the program; everything on this day should be a surprise for him. Invite the groom’s best friends, women and girls he doesn’t know, to the bachelor party, drink and have fun.

Hold the party in such a spirit that by the morning your friend, exhaling, says: “That’s it! I've had my fill! I want to get married soon!” Don’t forget that by the wedding day, the witness and the groom should have a good rest and sleep, because the main thing is not the bachelor party, but the wedding. Both of you will have a lot of trouble, pleasant and not so pleasant competitions and tasks await you. How much does a bride price cost? Everything a witness should do at a wedding should look beautiful and relaxed. Remember where the nearest flower shop is. You will have to go there with a friend to choose bouquets for the bride and bridesmaid. Show your generosity and subtle taste.

The appearance of the witness is selected according to his taste. This could be a black suit, white shirt and tie. A white suit will also look quite formal; a bow tie will be a suitable accessory. Although, given what the witness has to do at the wedding, a dark-colored suit would be preferable. Shoes are matched to the color of the suit. The outfit should be beautiful and elegant, because the witness is the second person in the wedding after the groom. And the presence of a charming witness nearby obliges you to look excellent.

Do not forget that the witness is the right hand, support and support of the groom. He simply must be the most cheerful, inventive, know exactly what witnesses should do at weddings, know wedding customs and traditions. Your responsible mission is to ensure that everything goes according to plan, it begins with the preparation of the bachelor party and ends with the departure of the last guest from the wedding.

Give a (short) best man speech

What does a witness do at a wedding? Perhaps one of the most visible (and anxiety-inducing) responsibilities of a best friend: the celebratory toast.

The good news is that it's much easier than you think. Think back to any wedding you've ever been to: do you remember the best guy speech? Probably only if it was inappropriate and created an awkward mood.

So don't worry and follow these super simple guidelines to give the perfect short speech at your best friend's wedding:

Be brief.

Your speech is probably one of several that everyone may be looking forward to. Pick one great story and tell it well.

Be careful.

If you think you're funny, get three confirmations of it, and then add a few more jokes. But don't overdo it. Forced jokes are always worse than calm but loving speech.

What to take to a wedding

Since one of the main tasks of the witness is to monitor how the bride looks, who, as a rule, does not carry a purse with her during the celebration, she needs to take everything necessary for this - a comb, a mirror, a minimum set of cosmetics (necessarily lipstick or gloss for lips), several hairpins or hairpins, hairspray, spare tights or stockings, powder, matting and wet wipes, adhesive tape, painkillers. If you are planning a wedding, be sure to take a headscarf as well. Many newlyweds choose boutonnieres or ribbons for witnesses so that they stand out among the guests; they need to be worn at home or taken to the registry office.

The witness must take care not to forget anything for the ransom ceremony. To do this, you need to take small change, bills, champagne, wine, sweets, fruits; this is a standard set and usually it is enough to pay the presenters. It will be necessary to stock up on all this in case the bride or her shoe is stolen. Also, the witness should take champagne, a towel, rings and passports from the car before registration; if after the painting it is planned to shower the newlyweds, you need to take everything necessary for this - grain, rose petals, sweets. It is also advisable to buy a bouquet for the witness. In addition, witnesses must be patient, self-possessed and in a good mood.

Wedding walk

It’s difficult to do everything in one day, so you need to clearly allocate time. It is better to organize a walk after visiting the registry office. If you plan to visit several beautiful places in the city, you need to create an optimal route to save time. A wedding walk in winter is best spent in a cozy cafe or photo studio.

Witnesses accompany the newlyweds everywhere. They make sure that the guests are not hungry, that everyone has glasses of champagne and sweets. The bridesmaid constantly monitors the bride's dress and helps to make it beautiful. She should have napkins, threads, a cosmetic bag, and spare stockings in her purse.

What does a witness do at a wedding?

Energetic, serious, and, most importantly, organized people are appointed as witnesses, because they are the ones who will take care of the troubles of preparing the holiday, and at some point replace the toastmaster and even the parents of the newlyweds. They watch the elegant costumes of the young people, entertain the guests, and also participate in competitions and quizzes. Often, a best friend or a reliable and decent comrade is chosen as a witness. If this is not the case, then they choose a work colleague or any other relative. Be sure that your loved one will provide you with maximum support, so do not hesitate when choosing. At the wedding table he will sit next to the groom, but his duties include guarding the bride.

It is very important that the witness should not be married, and must be suitable for the age of the witness. The friend acts as a manager and makes cheerful toasts and wishes

He is obliged to remember all the little things, monitor the organizational part, and maintain order and comfort at the wedding. He should turn any conflict or incident into a joke in order to smooth out all the rough edges. In addition, there is another difficult mission - he needs to protect the bride’s shoe. The groom’s groom’s agenda is to organize a bachelor party, which he arranges a day before the wedding. It is on this day that a group of best friends gathers to congratulate the groom on the upcoming serious step, and relax together for the last time. On the wedding day, he is responsible for passports, money, champagne, if the script includes a bride price, and draws up a plan for a walk after the wedding. It may be needed at any moment to create a minute-by-minute scenario for the wedding day, for example, driving along the agreed route with the groom, and recording the travel time. He orders cars or a bus for those invited, and introduces the drivers to the route. The day before the special event, he distributes ribbons, rings and jewelry so that you can decorate your car.

Who could it be

From the bride and groom's side, 1 person is chosen for the wedding. I wonder who it could be? Witnesses at weddings used to be chosen seriously. There were a lot of rules to follow. It is already clear that one best friend should be chosen from the bride’s side, and one best friend from the groom’s side. They will be witnesses.

Previously, it was believed that only single people could be boyfriends and boyfriends. Those who have not yet married at all. And it was considered a good omen if the witness and the witness started a relationship and liked each other. This supposedly served as a symbol of the friends' strong marriage.

The history of the tradition

Since ancient times, being a witness has been an honorable thing. The choice always stopped at a true friend - a person who will help the family in difficult times. It was a boyar or friendship.

He had to help with the organization, lead some rituals, and be the host of the table.

Nowadays in Russia, wedding traditions that have been going on for centuries are respected, so it is a great honor to become a witness. But at the same time, it is also a great responsibility, many responsibilities.

Clothing style and behavior

For a girl who is a witness, it is better to choose a dress. It is feminine and elegant.

The main thing is to find a dress that will look great, otherwise you can ruin even some wedding photos, thereby upsetting the newlyweds.

Witnesses, as well as newlyweds, are talked about for a long time. You need to approach the question of what kind of fame you will gain with all responsibility.

The wedding of your friends is your big responsibility. You must conduct yourself in a manner befitting the duties assigned to you. Do not drink excess alcohol, do not leave the bride and groom, monitor the behavior of the guests and the script.

Responsibilities of witnesses and witnesses

Such an honorable role imposes certain obligations that are not limited to one day.

The period before such an exciting event is very stressful.

Choose wedding dresses for the groom and a dress for the bride.
Compose and deliver invitations to guests. This is quite a labor-intensive task, because, as a rule, there are many invitees. You need to start doing this early.
Think over and implement the decor of the wedding car.
Take care of the decorations of the premises where the wedding and subsequent banquet will be held.
Draw up a ransom script (for a witness).
Collect banknotes and banknotes of different denominations for the bride price (for the witness).

There is also a tradition of organizing a bachelor and bachelorette party a few days before saying goodbye to single and unmarried life.

It is up to the witnesses to think through the scenario and make the farewell memorable. The main thing is not to overdo it, keep an eye on the bride and groom, ensure they feel great and are in a great mood on the day of the celebration.

Wedding day

What should be done?

Help put on wedding clothes. Everything must be flawless!
Do not allow annoying guests to approach the newlyweds at the most inopportune moments.
Make sure everyone arrives on time, control guests, tell you your current location - be on the phone.
Organize bride ransom. As a rule, the witness draws up the script, but the witness must redeem it. To do this, be sure to have money with you.
At the registry office, at the right time, put your signatures on the act, thereby certifying the marriage.
Treat guests with champagne, accept flowers and gifts, monitor the seating of guests in cars, and then at the festive tables.
Ensure perfect photography experience. Have with you the necessary equipment for this.
Gather all the guests to where they should be according to the wedding scenario.
During the banquet, communicate with guests and newlyweds.
Entertain everyone. If necessary, participate in all competitions and activities, thereby activating guests.
Come up with and say toasts.

After the wedding

If we talk about short-term responsibilities, then you need:

Ensure that all guests arrive home safely. If necessary, call a taxi and seat them in cars;
Make sure that the newlyweds can easily reach their next destination - the venue of their first wedding night;
Deliver gifts to the newlyweds' home.

In addition, the responsibilities of witnesses include long-term tasks. By witnessing a marriage, you become the guardians of the family. We need to help young people solve their problems, guide them on the right path and take care of them.

Creating the image of a witness

Of course, the bride should attract the attention of guests on this day. But the witness should not be too lost against her background and should be different from the other guests. The image of a bridesmaid should be thought out as carefully as the image of the bride herself.

Bridesmaid hairstyle for wedding

In our country, unlike Western countries, bridesmaids do not have their outfits and hairstyles chosen. Here the girl herself thinks through everything. But don’t do everything quickly, take time and think over your image.

The hairstyle should not overshadow the bride. If the young woman decided to stick to elegant and simple curls, then the witness should not do her hair with a lot of pins. Work with your hair without using a lot of rhinestones, extensions, hats and combs.

Last throughout the day. Complex shapes and clutter on the head are not our way. You will have to take an active part in competitions and dances, and help young people. Therefore, depending on the length of your hair, use hairspray and 1-2 accessories.

The witness's dress should be simple, but at the same time beautiful, not too flashy. You can consider a white version, but not floor-length and not made of satin/tulle, a lace version is acceptable.

Do not choose too revealing outfits - a deep neckline and open back are not acceptable.
It is better to use a pastel-colored outfit in which the use of rhinestones will be kept to a minimum. Avoid options with gold trim and other pronounced decorative details.
We advise you to avoid heels, as you will have to run.
If dresses of the same color are chosen for all bridesmaids, then the main one should choose a lighter option, this will allow you to stand out from the rest.

The witness should be beautiful, but still the background of the main character of the evening.

Tips for the Groom to Reduce Costs

You should always add 20% to the total amount for unforeseen expenses.
Paying for gas for friends who have cars will be cheaper than renting cars from an agency.
You can make decorations in the form of bows, flowers and other decorations yourself.
The cost of a designer dress at an astonishing price from an expensive boutique can also be reduced by having it made to order. The bride can create the dress of her dreams, rather than choosing an outfit from someone else's fantasies.
Typically, a restaurant or cafe manager doubles prices when ordering a wedding menu.
Rent a hall, a chef, service staff - these expensive services can be reduced if you have a private house. The wedding is celebrated outdoors, hiring a couple of cooks and buying food yourself.

A creative approach will help reduce costs and make your wedding an enjoyable and unforgettable event.

Organization of a bachelor party

In addition to all sorts of worries during the wedding, the duty of the witness is to prepare a fun, bright, memorable bachelor party the day before. This event symbolizes the farewell of the future spouse to single life, so all participants need to have a blast. Before you start thinking through the program, it’s still worth asking your betrothed in hints what kind of bachelor party he would prefer. Perhaps the hero of the occasion wants to spend time quietly: with a glass of beer in the company of friends.

Usually the organization and scenario of the event is kept secret from the groom, but the witness should think three times whether the future spouse will be happy to invite a stripper if he himself did not ask for it. In the case of such a pastime, the betrothed’s friend should take into account in order to hide such a program from the bride, who is unlikely to be delighted with such an idea. You should not invite her close friends, girlfriends, and especially not to take memorable compromising photos.

Surely the bachelor party participants will drink a lot. Even if the witness chose a racy event such as an evening at a strip bar, he should not get too drunk. On the contrary: the groom's friend should allow the hero of the occasion to have a good rest, but at the same time his duty is to ensure that he does not do anything stupid and does not commit actions that he will regret. You need to organize a bachelor party a week before the official celebration, so that your betrothed does not suffer from a hangover on the wedding day.

Responsibilities of a witness at a wedding

In ancient times, the most perky and daring friend of the groom was invited to act as a witness at a wedding. At the wedding they called him friend. It will be wonderful if the groom adopts this old tradition and calls a close friend with a good sense of humor, a ringleader and a mischief maker as his witness.

However, do not forget to take into account when choosing a witness that this honorable role also requires responsibility and seriousness. The best man at your wedding is the groom's right hand, his assistant and advisor.

A good witness and close friend of the groom is simply obliged to take charge of organizing the bachelor party. This can be done by agreement together with the groom, dividing all responsibilities in half. But unexpected surprises for the groom at the celebration of farewell to bachelorhood are also welcome.

The main thing is to thoroughly know the tastes and preferences of your friend, so as not to accidentally shock the groom with your surprise in the form of a naked and beautiful, but stranger, beauty. Be sure to make sure that the groom moderately indulges in strong alcoholic drinks, especially if the bachelor party is organized right before the wedding day. The witness's task is to deliver the groom to the wedding safe and sound, without swollen red eyes from a sleepless stormy night and without a headache.

The witness should come to the groom's home on the wedding day even earlier than agreed. The witness must examine the groom from head to toe, help tie his tie, put a handkerchief in his pocket, and simply pat his friend on the shoulder. Try to create a light, pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, because grooms are also nervous before the wedding! Therefore, it would be better to take such important things as passports, wedding rings and a bouquet of flowers for the bride into your own safe hands.

When you arrive at the bride’s house, the witness must be prepared for the fact that the bridesmaids and the witness on the bride’s side will not simply give up their friend, but will demand an appropriate ransom. On this occasion, the witness should prepare champagne, wine, sweets, small souvenirs and some money in order to get his beloved for a friend. It would be ideal if the witness knew in advance how to pay him off. So that the bride ransom ceremony is a spectacular performance, and not a noisy bazaar.

At a wedding banquet, the witness always stays close to the newlyweds, makes sure that the guests' glasses are filled, jokes and entertains the guests, participates in competitions and does not forget to show signs of attention to his significant other on this day, that is, the bridesmaid, her witness.

Further…

How to choose a witness for a wedding or the agony of choice
Briefing for the witness
Witnesses for rent to make the wedding noisy
Bridesmaid dress

What are they needed for

On the wedding day, the groomsman helps the bride with her wedding dress and throughout the entire celebration monitors the bride’s appearance, adjusting her veil and, if necessary, makeup. And the friend must keep an eye on the bride’s shoe so that it is not stolen, and help the groom buy it back if this happens.

What should a witness do?

The witness, or in other words the best man, is one of the first to know about the wedding, because he is not just an observer, but an active participant in the celebration. It is advisable to inform him about this personally and immediately express your wishes and explain what the witness should do.

So, his responsibilities include:

moral support of the bride and groom;
drawing up the image of the groom (helping to choose a suit, get dressed, maintain a formal appearance until the end of the appointed day);
organization of a bachelor party and a wedding celebration (choose and order a cafe, help prepare the text of the oath speech, etc.);
preparation of attributes for the bride price and active participation in this stage of the wedding;
storage of all documentation and rings;
participation in competitions.

The main thing that the witness should remember is that his friend’s wedding day should be the happiest.

Showing your creativity, making an original surprise, and maintaining a cheerful mood in every possible way is the direct responsibility of the best man. The witness should help him with all this.

Therefore, it is worth meeting her in advance and discussing the details of the wedding. Joint scenes and congratulations look original

In this case, it is important to rehearse everything and learn the words. The possibility of a witness touching alcohol before the couple arrives at the restaurant is not great, especially if he is driving

Clothing options

Identical suits . In the classic version, all friends wear suits of the same model and color; sometimes only identical jackets are enough.
Shirts with the same print . Checkered shirts look original.
Vests will help you create a stylish, elegant look.
You can distinguish the groom's friends from the crowd by resorting to using accessories of the same style and color:
Unusual headdresses. Hats, top hats, and caps can highlight the individuality of each friend and create a unique, unified image.
Ties or bow ties will turn your friends into gallant gentlemen.
Cufflinks, tie pins – small stylish details.
Boutonnieres will immediately indicate that you belong to the groom’s team.
Shawls . You can use original neckerchiefs or scarves, the corners of which neatly stick out from your jacket pocket.
Belts or suspenders can also attract attention. Suspenders can create a light and slightly naughty look.
sunglasses are perfect for a summer wedding .
socks with an unusual pattern look quite original . In this case, a complete match in color scheme is not necessary, the main thing is that everyone has a cheerful print.

Witness - the bride's right hand

The witness is the first assistant at the wedding. The bride chooses one of her unmarried close friends as a witness, hoping that the girl will help her prepare for the wedding, and will also support her during the wedding ceremony and festive feast. First of all, the witness provides moral support. The newlywed’s “right hand” should not leave her alone for a long time; help may be needed at any moment.

The witness should be aware of how excited her friend is before and during the wedding, and help organize the celebration. Also, the responsibilities of the witness include planning some organizational aspects at the wedding. For example, she plays a leading role during the ransom, goes to the registry office with the newlyweds, and is also nearby during the wedding procedure. Although witnesses now do not always put their signatures in the registry office, without them, as before, the wedding is not a wedding.

Observers

There are many important people at our celebration today. Who could it be? Witnesses at the wedding! The point is that the role of these people used to be extremely important. Witnesses confirmed the fact of mutual consent of the loving couple to enter into marriage. It was necessary to nominate one person from the groom's side and one from the bride's side.

Read also: How to knit a turban with knitting needles

Now witnesses are the most ordinary observers. In the modern world, their significance is not so important. But when the registration takes place at the registry office, these people put their signatures in a special book. This is how they confirm the marriage of the bride and groom. Witnesses are far from the most important people for marriage. But the tradition of their choice has still been preserved. With these persons, the wedding usually takes place according to all the rules and traditions.

Sample Responsibilities of a Witness

Before the wedding

Help organize a bachelor party and not tell anyone about what happened at it.
The groom will choose the suit, tie and shoes himself, tea, not the boy, but if anything happens, help!
Help with all organizational issues: restaurant, cars, meetings with people who will work at the wedding, and so on.

At the wedding

Decorate cars with friends, if they are not decorated by a hired agency.
Actively assist the groom in ransoming the bride. Before this, take from the car a bottle of vodka, wine, candy, chocolate, money, in general, everything that greedy girls consume in huge quantities. Try to get by with “little blood” and don’t forget to return the leftovers to the groom
Hold in your hands until the registry office the rings, passports of the newlyweds, an invitation to the registry office.
Be prepared for the groom’s send-off, which friends may want to arrange, that is, always have a bottle of “white wine” and a bottle of “Tsimlyanskoe” (wine), glasses, drinks, and a light snack on hand.
Make sure that no one “goes too far” before the registry office. Then - okay, it’s useless to follow.
Be in “shape” yourself before the end of the banquet! This point should have been number one. And here “no fools”! We saw a witness fall out of the car when approaching the restaurant...
Monitor the groom's appearance at least until the restaurant.
At the registry office, accept bouquets that guests give to the newlyweds. Don't forget to put flowers in the car that will go to the restaurant. Leave a few bouquets for a walk after the registry office to lay them on monuments. (Has this already happened somewhere?).
Take with you everything you need for a walk after the registry office: alcohol, disposable tableware, snacks, napkins. Be ready to take it all out of your pocket while walking (that is, don’t forget to take it out of the car at stops).
After the registry office, help seat guests in their cars. Monitor the work of drivers, indicate to them the places where the wedding procession should move, if part of the walk does not include travel by car. Discuss with the driver of the pilot car the route to the next point.
Upon arrival at the restaurant, organize the unloading of the bodies... Uh, no. Everything you need in the restaurant and that you forgot to bring right away: leftover alcohol, drinks, prizes for competitions, and so on.
Help seat guests at tables. Ask the photographer and videographer if they would like to eat, check that there is a table for them and that it is fully set.
During the banquet, be active, help the host, don’t fall asleep, don’t stare at the girls, because the guests are waiting for your affair with the witness, even if you’ve been married at least three times! Come on, play along or at least pretend!
Don't oversleep the bride and all the details of her dress! Take the rap!
When presenting gifts, have a bottle of “red” and a bottle of “white” with you. There is, you know, in some places the custom of giving extra food to guests after a congratulatory speech. But let them take their own glasses, we believe in guests, but no one has yet canceled the rules of hygiene.
Always be ready to solve organizational issues: run for forgotten “props”, monitor the work of waiters, help those fighting, call and cancel Philip Kirkorov’s performance at the banquet, you never know!
Prepare your congratulatory speech in advance. You are a witness, you must be “cooler” than everyone else!
Help end the banquet on a high note. And also organize the loading of guests into cars, find out from the restaurant administrator about the completeness of the payment (or vice versa, take the money if something goes wrong!). Don’t help clear the leftover Olivier salad from the tables—it’s not a man’s job.

Dear witnesses, if you complete all this at least 50%, you will get the right to go home to the newlyweds even at five in the morning, at least every day!

Like that. Be strong!