Being given the title of Best Man means you have responsibilities from the second you receive the honour til after “I do.” Your part in helping the groom during all the different phases of the wedding will get him through one of the most stressful, yet wonderful, times of his life. Both before and after the ceremony, there are plenty of ways you can support your friend and help facilitate a positive wedding experience for him and everyone involved.
Check-in on the groom’s well-being throughout the process
The weight of deadlines, tension from balancing a wedding budget, and exhaustion that comes with planning can surface as symptoms anywhere from headaches to hair loss. Check-in on the groom’s health throughout the process and advise him to seek professional help in the form of remedies for chronic pain or prescribed hair loss treatments when he won’t seek help himself. As the best man, you have the responsibility of lightening a load of wedding planning in any way you can, so step up when times get tough and put the groom’s health first when he neglects to.
Make sure the groom brings along the necessities
The groom will undoubtedly have a ton of things he has to remember on the morning of the wedding. It’s likely that he’s already nervous about the ceremony, so chances are he’ll need you to help him remember anything he might overlook amidst the day’s chaos. Talk to the bride, create a list of things the groom cannot forget and check them off as the day goes on. Keep in mind that whether or not you remember critical items like rings or vows can make or break the entire experience, so be sure you have them with your wedding checklist.
Write the perfect speech
If you’re one of the many people who cringe at the thought of standing in front of a huge audience and delivering a speech, you’ll need all the help you can get in making sure that the speech is up to par. The finest best man speech will entertain your guests with a good balance of seriousness accompanied by a little bit of humour. Incorporate some funny stories or marriage advice, and always remember to thank the couple for making you an important part of their big day.
Keep the groomsmen under control
One thing the groom shouldn’t have to worry about on the big day is the groomsmen. Your job as best man is to ensure that each of the men is fully aware of where they need to be and when. They should know what to do, what they’re wearing and should have perfected their roles as groomsmen for the ceremony and beyond. Though it is always fun to hang around with the boys, things can get crazy when friends get together, so make sure you keep the group contained and collected.
Choose a meaningful gift
Though you’re helping in various different aspects of planning the wedding, you can’t get so lost in helping out that you don’t take the time to get a meaningful gift for the couple. Use both your friendship with the groom and history with the couple to choose a gift that you know they will love. Take some time out of helping the groom and find a gift that will stun the couple, like a customized wedding box or a bride and groom toasting flute set. Get them a heartfelt present they will actually use and want to keep and remember.
While a large part of the wedding planning is done by the couple, the best man can have a huge impact on the groom’s experience as a whole. When he’s stressed, you’re there to take some weight off his shoulders. When he needs a second set of eyes and ears, you can be that for him. Regardless of how you contribute, the groom will surely be grateful that he chose you as his best man when looking back on the day he married the love of his life.
