Planning Makes Perfect
cut out and keep
The BestMan I
f the bride is the star of the wedding show, the bestman is the kingpin of a successful wedding
day, so make sure your groom chooses him with care. However tempting itmight be to choose the joker who’s the life and soul of every party, you’re far better off with someone who will take his responsibilities seriously, keep all the organisation under control and leave you to enjoy your day without any niggling worries about how many guests have been stranded at the church. The part that worries most best men is the speech, but that should be the least of their problems. The best man’s job, in a nutshell, is to support the groomboth in the run-up to the wedding and on the day itself.
Before the wedding, the best man should:
• Make sure he keeps himself up to date with all the arrangements, liaisingregularlywiththegroomand the bride’s family
• Check the hiring, cleaning or collecting of suits for himself and the groom
• Check the ordering of the flowers for the bride and her attendants, sprays for the two mothers and buttonholes for himself, the groom and other immediatemembers of the families
• Check theprintingandcollectionoforderof service sheets and make sure that the ushers know what their duties are
• Check arrangements for the first night and honeymoon are in place and that necessary passports and visas are in order
• Organise the groom’s stag night - preferably some daysinadvanceof thewedding-andmakesurethe groomgets home safely afterwards • Check the rings have been collected
• Check the transport for the bridal party both to the ceremony and fromthere to the reception
• Organise accommodation for the groom and himself the night before thewedding
• He might also be asked to help with accommodation for guests and to liaise with live musicians or disco both before and during the reception.
• Liaise with the toastmaster or, if there isn’t one, assume those duties himself - these include announcing the speeches and the cutting of the cake
• Reply to the groom’s toast to the bridesmaids with a brief, polite and - if possible - funny speech before reading out the cards and telegrams
• Announce the newlyweds’ departure from the reception and ensure they have all their tickets and luggage • Make sure all the guests have transport to their accommodation • Arrange for any wedding presents taken to the reception to be taken home • Take the groom’s wedding clothes from the reception and, if necessary, return hired suits.
PHOTO BY GARY BAKER PHOTOGRAPHY
On the day • Take the groom’s going away clothes to the reception venue
• Checktheservicesheetsaredeliveredtothechurch for the ushers to hand out to guests as they arrive
• Make sure the groom arrives for the ceremony in good time
• Holdthe ring(s)until the appropriatemoment inthe ceremony when they should be handed to the groomor theminister
• Payall thechurchfeesonthegroom’sbehalfbefore the ceremony
• Sign the register as awitness to themarriage • Get the bridal party together for photographs • Make sure the ushers arrange lifts to the reception for any guestswho need them
• Escort the bride and groom to the bridal car and then escort the bridesmaids to the reception
The chief bridesmaid
The bride’s equivalent of a best man also needs to be chosen with care as it is she who will support the bride in the run-up to the ceremony and on the day itself. Though her duties aren’t as arduous as those of hermale equivalent, they’re every bit as important in ensuring the bride has aworry-free day.
THE CHIEF BRIDESMAID:
• Arranges the hen night andmake sure the bride gets home safely
• Arranges for the bride’s going away outfit and honeymoon luggage to be taken to the reception venue
• Helps the bride to dress for the ceremony PHOTO BY
THOMAS FROST PHOTOGRAPHY
• Makes sure the flowers and bouquets have arrived on schedule
• Supervises the other bridesmaids and attendants and assembles
themat the church ready for the arrival of the bride
• Arranges the bride’s dress and veil before the procession down the aisle
• Takes the bride’s bouquet at the start of the wedding service and carries it to the vestry ready to give back to the bride after the signing of the register
• Keeps an eye on young attendants during the reception
• Helps the bride change fromher wedding dress into her going away outfit
• Arranges for the wedding dress to be returned home
2 8 • D R E A M W E D D I N G S I N B R I S T O L , S O M E R S E T & W I L T S H I R E
The speech When it comes to the speech, all the advice is: Resist the temptation to tell
any juicy storieswhatsoever fromthe couple’s past. The escapadesmay have been hilarious, but nowis not the time for embarrassing reminders about past romances or past quarrels between the happy pair. Because the best man’s speech is generally regarded as the prime entertainment at the reception, getting it together can be a daunting prospect - but don’t panic. If you can tell jokes - clean ones, please - that’s fine, but a short, polite and sincere speech wishing the couple every happiness will fit the bill just as well. Unless you’re experienced at this sort of thing,write down exactly what you want to say and practise it. Don’t be tempted to wing it onthe day. The three essential parts of the speech are to thank the groomon behalf of the bridesmaids for his kind words about them, to read the cards and telegrams that have arrived and to announce the cutting of the cake.
THE USHERS
wedding is due to start. Their principal job is to hand out the order of service sheets to guests as they arrive and show them to their seats - friends and family of the bride on the left of the aisle, friends and family of the groom on the right. They should make sure one of them pays special attention to the groom’s parents and the bride’s mother as they arrive and escorts them to their places. They should also help the best man organise lifts to the reception for guests who may need them.
C
hurch weddings normally have three ushers who should arrive at the church about 40 minutes before the
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56