Choosing Your Groomsmen: No Matter What They Say, Nobody Must Be In The Wedding Party
|
Your lovely fiancée has chosen her 'maids, and now you're stuck with the task of finding just the right number of family and friends to pair them with. How do you decide who makes the cut?
The Usual Suspects
Remember: No matter what your family or friends say, there aren't people who "must" be in the wedding party. Select buddies you're close with-not guys you feel obligated to ask. If you're unfamiliar with wedding etiquette, however, here are the "usual" rules for including groomsmen in your wedding party.
Brothers-yours and your bride's-come first. Unless there are strange circumstances (if you don't speak to your brother, for instance), your brothers and her brothers are automatically in the wedding party. Next come your closest friends (some may be relatives) who are responsible-and let's get real here-financially sound. Being in a wedding, especially if travel is involved, is expensive.
The Best Man for the Job
We'd like to advise you to ignore anyone who offers input on choosing your best man, but we know this isn't entirely realistic. We will say, however, that you'll want to choose the male who is closest to you and has been there for you. Whether he's a blood relative or close friend, you'll be glad when your wedding day arrives that you picked your best friend.
Great Expectations
When you begin asking your friends to stand up in your wedding, be sure to explain what's expected. The basics include:
- Travel and accommodations
- Attend the rehearsal and dinner
- Renting tuxedo and shoes
- Attend tuxedo fittings
- Help plan and attend the bachelor party
- Seat guests at the wedding
- Walk down the aisle with a bridesmaid (maybe)
- Dance with same bridesmaid
- Wedding gift (unspoken requirement, of course!)
If this is manageable for your buds, you're in business.
Who Doesn't Make It
Keep in mind that a lot of money (whether it's yours is inconsequential) and effort are being spent on the biggest day of your life. You don't want to start your lifetime commitment with the following burdens (trust me, I'm a wife): friends who get too drunk, who are late for everything, and who have a reputation for not showing up for important events. These guys are not the best choice for groomsmen. If there's any doubt about whether your skiing buddy, "GanjaDaddy," will fulfill his duties, you probably shouldn't ask him. We suggest, based on horror stories we've heard and witnessed, that you choose your most responsible friends for this very special day.
This doesn't mean you load your wedding party with a bunch of stiffs. You know what we're saying. Keep it reasonable.
About the Author
Jennifer Baumann is editor of Wedding Gazette, the resource for real-world wedding planning that's packed with info on how to plan your budget, how to avoid killing certain family members, exhaustive theme ideas, plus tons of resources on finding favors, necessary accessories, gifts for your groomsmen, and much more.
|
|
|
Unique Wedding Reception Entertainment
The typical wedding reception entertainment scheme of pretty flowers and background music is fine for some people, but all kinds of options exist to spice it up a bit and provide a celebration that everyone is sure to remember for years to...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Wedding Cake Design Through History
The design of the traditional wedding cake has varied greatly over time. Once a sign of fertility, the wedding cake of the Roman Empire was made of wheat or Barley. The small cake was then broken over the bride's head, celebrating her fertility.The design of the wedding cake changed and it became a tradition to pile several small cakes on top of each other. The bride and groom then tried kiss over the top of the cakes without knocking them down. A successful kiss was a good omen, bringing a lifetime of prosperity to the new couple.The current traditional design of wedding cakes first appeared in the 1660's. A French Chef visiting London attended a cake piling ceremony. He was shocked at the way the cakes were stacked on top of each other, and how often they fell over, so he crea...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Planning The Music For Your Wedding Ceremony
It's safe to say that out of all the events for which you will gather your friends and family to celebrate your marriage, the wedding ceremony itself will be the most meaningful and, hopefully, memorable. In the United States, music plays many vital roles in the wedding ceremony, from providing flow and ambiance to highlighting the deeper emotional meaning. Many former brides and grooms remember the songs played at their weddings for the rest of their lives, and they can relive that romantic day when hearing those songs again.Since music is so important to your wedding ceremony, I always advise hiring one or more live, experienced, professional musicians to handle it. Qualified, well...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Why You Should Buy That Wedding Gift From The Gift Registry - Or, The Wedding Gifts From Hell!
When you come to choose a wedding gift it's no wonder that marrying couples issue a wedding gift registry. It's how to get exactly what you want; here are some true-life stories of the worst wedding gifts ever.A person was attending their cousins wedding and had not got around to buying a present, so she stopped at a drug store on the way to the wedding and bought some shower gel and deodorant. To finish it off she wrapped the gift up in a plastic bag! Needless to say she was horrified the following morning when all the family sat round and watched the bride and groom open up their presents.Lesson LearnedPlan ahead; buy the gift at least one month before the wedding. Never leave it to the last minute.How about the wedding where the mother of the bride gave the happy couples an IOU. Seriously! The m...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Building Up Your Marriage With Healthy Communication
Would you like to have a stronger, healthier, more enjoyable marriage? I am sure that you would. And yet we live in a culture where about half of all marriages will shatter and end in a divorce, leaving behind the wreckage of broken adults and broken children.
If we are to build healthy marriages, we much do so "on purpose." We c...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Wedding Planning Tips And Tricks
Planning a wedding is an exciting thing, and can be very scary. With some basic tips and tricks, you will be sure to m...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Wedding Flowers -- Determining What You Need
Wedding flowers make up a large part of the wedding decoration. When you talk about wedding flowers, you don't mean the flowers for the wedding reception only. Wedding flowers also include the bri...(related: Marriage Wedding)
How To Choose A Pearl Necklace For Your Wedding Day
The elegant beauty of a strand of pearls has fascinated brides for centuries. People believe that wearing pearls on their wedding day will bring bliss to their marriage.
Pearls are classic wedding jewelry. How do you choose that perfect pearl necklace?
Here are some tips:
There are four types of pearls:Akoya pearls, Tahitian pearls, SouthSea pearls, and freshwater pearls. Akoya, Tahitian and South Sea pear...(related: Marriage Wedding)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | Contact Webmaster | Weddings & Honeymoons | All Rights Reserved. | Marriage Wedding