Help! How to include friend on both sides of the wedding, without being in bridal party?

Have him give a reading? Serve as an usher? Give a toast?

Make him in your wedding party. Have him do a reading. Otherwise just invite him as a guest, it really won't be a big deal. But you have tons of time to decide

At the reception, thank him for introducing you. That's it.

He isn't that best at public speaking so that rules out several things. I think thanking him publicly would be a nice gesture. Any other ideas? He is also engaged and has asked my FH to be his best man, but my FH already has 7 other friends he is thinking of for his groomsmen... Who knew this would be so hard!?

So FH is his BM but he's not even in your bridal party? You're under no obligation but it just seems strange. Apart from bridal party, just a thank you publicly is all that's needed really, nothing more.

Ring bearer?

DH and I also invited the friend who introduced us. We had been close in college, but we don't speak often now. We just invited her and her husband to the wedding. No extra job/role for her.

With 7 GM, is one more that big a deal? Maybe it is, just wondering. Escort people to their seats and thank him in a toast... maybe even in the program.

My FH has a lot more close friends then I do, so while he easily came up with 7 guys to stand by his side, I was struggling to think of more than 3. Hence the not wanting to add more to that number. I also wanted to try to have our friend included on my side as well, as I have been friends with him for about 10 years. I think we will just add him to the groomsmen count, I just need to find a creative way to have less bridesmaids or to find some more friends by 2017! lol

Unless you're having a religious wedding that requires an ordained minister of a particular church, how about asking him to be the officiant? I'm pretty sure it's free, but I agree with the other ladies that having him do a reading is nice too

http://www.ulc.org/

I think it would be a nice gesture to ask him to be a greeter or an usher, or to just give him a special shout out at the wedding. Definitely no need to make him your officiant (especially since you said you aren't that close anymore and he dislikes public speaking). Also, I know it might feel awkward, but your FH doesn't have to include him as a groomsman just because he asked your FH.

2017???!!!! Plenty of time to make new friends! ;-)