Article Supplied by Guest Blogger, Amy McFlowers

Role of the Best Man

Being asked to be best man at a wedding is a great honour and can be a lot of fun. Being best man means you have an important role to play at the wedding and some responsibilities which should be taken seriously.

First and foremost, the best man is there to act as a support for the groom in the run-up to his wedding day. The best man can expect to be called-upon at any time to lend a hand with the arrangements or simply provide a listening ear over a pint. The months leading up to a wedding can be a stressful time for both bride and groom - just being there for the groom is one of the most valuable things you can do.

In terms of specific duties, here are some of the most notable:

Stag Party

One of the most important (and most enjoyable) roles of the best man is organising a stag party for the groom and his friends. Some grooms have specific ideas of what they would like to do on their stag party, but very often the best man will keep the details secret from the groom. The best man will usually be responsible for inviting friends and family which the groom wants to attend and organising where and when to go.

Suit Hire

The best man is often responsible for collecting suits from the suit hire company for the groom`s wedding party. He will also be responsible for picking them up after the wedding and taking them back to wherever they were hired from, which can be a challenging task the day after a lively wedding party!

Wedding Day

When the day finally arrives, the best man plays an important role in ensuring everything goes smoothly. First and foremost, the best man is responsible for ensuring the groom arrives at his wedding on time and in good health. He is also responsible for looking after the wedding rings and presenting them to the groom at the appropriate time during the service. The best man stands next to the groom during the service to provide reassurance and support.

Best Man`s Speech

The best man`s speech is often hotly anticipated by wedding guests. The speech is expected to give wedding guests an insight into the groom, especially for friends and family of the bride who might not know the groom very well. Writing and delivering a best man`s speech can be a nerve-wracking experience. If you are not comfortable with speaking in public, the best advice is to keep the speech short. Try to inject some humour without being rude and bear in mind that close family members will be present.
 
Gifts

The best man is sometimes responsible for taking care of gifts that are brought to the new couple at the wedding reception. Keeping them safe is an important responsibility especially if the reception takes place at a busy hotel or public place. Nobody wants to get home to find that an expensive clock or digital photo frame has gone missing, so arranging a safe place to store gifts is always a good idea.