12 Secrets of Being an Awesome Groomsman
One of your best buds has asked you to stand by his side on one of the biggest days of his life - here are twelve ways to be the best groomsman ever
Photo: Monique Hessler Photography
One of your best buds has asked you to stand by his side on one of the biggest days of his life. It’s an honor, so do the man proud!
Here are twelve ways to be the best groomsman ever.
Help plan the bachelor party
Offer to assist the best man with planning, whether it’s researching the destination for great bars and restaurants, taking the lead in organizing an activity or two, pitching in on any deposits that may need to be put down, helping the group stock up on food and booze, or offering to take charge of any random tasks the best man may want to delegate. Do your part to make it an epic celebration for the groom!
Be prompt
The happy couple will inevitably have a lot on their wedding planning plate, so don’t give them yet another thing to worry about by waiting until the last minute to order your tux, running late to the rehearsal, or keeping the ceremony bus waiting because you weren’t paying attention to when and where you were supposed to be. Stay on top of things, and everybody will be happy!
Be inclusive
A typical groomsmen group might range from the groom’s high school friends, college buddies, and post-college pals to his brothers, brothers-in-law-to-be, and other relatives. With that mix, there’s likely to be at least one guy who doesn’t know the rest of the group well. A great groomsman will go out of his way to welcome that person and include him on the planning and fun.
Give a rehearsal dinner speech
Take the opportunity to stand up and say a few nice words about your good friend and his spouse-to-be at the rehearsal dinner. It may seem like a daunting to speak in front of a room of people, but a short, sincere speech will mean a lot. Prepare a little something and raise your glass to the happy couple!
Offer to help
Your role is to support the groom, and offering a helping hand is one of the best ways to do that. Whether it’s setting up ceremony chairs, helping call guests to dinner, loading the gifts into the car, or sticking around after the reception to help clean up, the couple (and their families) will be grateful.
Tell the bride (and bridesmaids) they look beautiful
They’ve spent a few hours primping and are sure to look gorgeous, so be a gentleman and let them know it! Not in a creepy way, of course.
Usher the ceremony if asked
It’s not uncommon for groomsmen to go double-duty as ushers at the ceremony. If the bride and groom ask you to usher, step up to the role. Don’t worry, we have everything you need to know about how to usher a wedding ceremony right here.
Act as a point person
Be able to answer guests’ FAQs, so the bride and groom don’t have to. Guests may want to know where to sign the guestbook or drop off cards, what time the shuttle bus will be departing, or other smaller logistics you may be able to help out with. If you familiarize yourself with these, you may help the event run a bit more smoothly. And if you don’t know the answer, you can always ask the wedding planner or whomever is running the show.
Get the party started
Help set an upbeat, celebratory tone at the reception! Mingle with guests, get out on the dance floor, keep a smile on your face, and have fun—everyone else will follow suit.
Pace yourself
While you definitely want to have a great time, it’s important not to go overboard. A great groomsman is one that contributes to the fun but is also able to be helpful, and overindulging at the signature cocktail station is a good way to compromise the “helpful” part of the equation.
Thank the hosts
Make sure to take a break at some point in the evening to thank the hosts for including you. Let them know that you’re enjoying yourself and that you’re honored to be a part of the celebration.
Text or email photos to the couple
The newlyweds likely won’t get their professional wedding photos back immediately, and they’ll be eager to see a few shots in the meantime. Snap some pics on your phone throughout the event, or find some guests who did, and text or email them over the next day. It may seem like a small gesture, but they’ll be thrilled!
