Groom's People Duties: The Ultimate Guide
Groomsmen are indispensable members of a wedding party. The wedding day cannot be made possible without reliable groomsmen performing important wedding duties. The duties of a groomsman range from planning pre-wedding events to continuing to smile for photos on the wedding day even though everyone's in desperate need of a beer. It can be a daunting task to be a groomsman, but if you go in prepared, you’ll help make hectic wedding events a breeze! Do your best to check off the groomsman duty checklist on the most important day of one of the most important people in your life.
Every wedding is different, and the couple getting married might not ask you to do all of the duties we’re covering today. Some groom's people might be assigned a few tasks while others are assigned different tasks. Plus, the best man might take over the bulk of the duties or the most intensive tasks. But it’s always good to be prepared just in case! Here are common groom's people duties you want to be aware of. They’re counting on you!
Groomsmen Duties: The Ultimate Guide
Before the Wedding
Plan the bachelor party.
Along with the other groomsmen, it’s your job to plan an unforgettable (or totally forgettable, depending on how much alcohol is consumed) bachelor party for the groom. Check out these ideas for awesome mancations and unique bachelor parties if you need some inspiration.
Attend the pre-wedding events.
Bridal showers, engagement parties, bachelor parties, oh my! Oh, and don’t forget the rehearsal dinner. Many weddings don't only consist of the ceremony and the reception. You also have to show up (on time) to the pre-wedding events.
Help plan the wedding theme.
The bride and groom might enlist your help to plan the wedding theme and decorations. You’ll likely have the bridesmaids to bounce ideas off of but be prepared to brainstorm and organize.
Coordinate a groomsmen gift for the groom.
All of the groomsmen often come together to get one big gift or a gift basket of presents for the groom. Base these gifts on your groom’s favorite hobbies! Here are some affordable groomsmen gift ideas to get you started.
Tend to the wedding party’s mental health.
The bride and groom are likely more than a bit stressed about the upcoming big day. From all of the planning responsibilities to the whole concept of spending the rest of your life with one person, there are a lot of big, heavy things to think about! Be a supportive rock for everyone involved.
Answer guest’s questions.
Guests might come to you with questions about the wedding venue, the gift registry, or pre-wedding events. Familiarize yourself with the timeline so you can communicate the correct information to everyone.
Decorate the “just married” car.
Traditional newlyweds like to leave the ceremony or reception in a car that has “just married” stamped on it somewhere in bold letters. Help arrange transportation for the married couple so they can head off happily to their honeymoon.
During the Wedding
Keep the wedding party focused on photos.
Oh, the dreaded photos. Get ready to plaster a plastic smile on your face for hours while a photographer snaps photos of the bridal party all dressed up in cheesy poses. Know that everyone will be thinking about heading to the bar, but you must keep everyone cooperative until the photos are complete! Unless you’re that wild and rowdy groomsman; someone else will have the task to keep you in check.
Help direct guests and usher them to their seats.
As guests arrive at the wedding venue, you might be asked to direct them to their seats. Some receptions have very detailed seating arrangements and assignments, so make sure you know what’s coming!
Stand by the groom’s side.
On the party bus, at the altar, on the dance floor; you must stand by the groom’s side to support him on his big day! Make this day all about him and his future spouse. No matter how tired or thirsty for beer you become, you must put the groom’s needs before yours!
Make a toast.
Cheers to the beautiful bride and groom! You might be asked to share a toast or speech for the lovely couple. Come prepared with a sweet speech unless you like to wing those types of things.
Be the life of the party.
Another fun task of yours is to keep the fun, energetic party mood going! Get out on the dance floor when no one else wants to. Make jokes and dance around with the flower girl. Keep the fun going and the party moving, groomsman!
Help with gifts.
If the couple opens gifts during the wedding, help pass around their gifts to keep the unwrapping and "thank yous" moving along. You can help stack gifts in a corner and take care of the wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows. Maybe even wear them in your hair if you can sense the party needs an energy boost.
After the Wedding
Make brunch the next morning.
Alright, it’s your duty to make it to brunch the next morning. It doesn’t sound like that hard of a task, but consider how hungover you might be after a long night of celebrating…
Take care of the gifts.
After the ceremony, help move and haul the gifts to their proper location. This might mean packing the car and properly disposing of all wrapping paper and gift bags. Recycle or repurpose everything you can!
Clean up and return rented tuxedos.
There might be a mess waiting for you after the reception. If this is the unfortunate reality, help the wedding party clean up the venue. Don’t forget to return any rented tuxedos!
Help out the newlyweds as they head out on their honeymoon.
Finally, assist the sweet couple as they adventure to (hopefully) a tropical paradise. Do they need a house or dog sitter? Aid them in any way they need you so they can have a smooth getaway!