The Ultimate Wedding Party Responsibilities Checklist

Planning a wedding and participating in a wedding can be a daunting task. Traditionally, wedding party members all have very distinct roles to help with the process and make life easier on the bride and groom. This wedding party responsibilities checklist can serve as a guideline to help you get a grip on who does what. Customize this list to meet the unique needs for your wedding party.

Bride and Groom : Together

• Decide on your budget. Consult with your parents, if they are paying for or contributing to the wedding.
• Decide on and set the style, wedding theme, date, time, and the place of ceremony and reception. Make the reservations and deposits.
• Meet with your wedding officiate and participate in any premarital counseling required.
• Order your Save-the-Date cards, wedding invitations, and thank you notes.
• Choose your attendants and their attire.
• Purchase gifts to honor your Bridesmaids, Groomsmen, and children in the wedding party (flower girl and ring bearer). Present those gifts at the rehearsal dinner or at a private gathering with your wedding party prior to the wedding.
• Acknowledge all bridal shower and wedding gifts you receive with a handwritten personalized
  thank-you note from both of you.
• Purchase gifts for your parents.
• Obtain your marriage license and any needed blood tests.
• Attends the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Attend the ceremony and reception.
• Dance the first dance at the reception.
• Greet everyone at the reception, either with a receiving line or by mingling.

Bride 

Wedding Jewelry

• Discuss your budget with parents and fiancé.
• Choose your wedding gown and hair decor.
• Select your wedding day jewelry (necklace, bracelet, and earrings)
• Book your coordinator, caterer, DJ, florist, photographer, videographer, wedding cake baker, and other wedding industry professional you need for your big day.
• Help compile guest list.
• Address invitations.
• Shop for trousseau.
• Pack for honeymoon.
• Obtain all necessary travel documents for honeymoon (i.e. passport, birth certificate, visa).
• Purchase groom's wedding ring and have it engraved.
• Purchase wedding gift for groom.
• Complete paperwork necessary for name change on bank accounts, credit cards, insurance, etc.
• Stand to the right of the groom during the receiving line.

Groom

• Help compile guest list. Present list to bride at least 3 months before the wedding.
• Purchase bride's engagement and wedding rings and arranges engraving.
• Rent or purchase wedding attire.
• Choose all wedding attire and accessories for the male bridal party members.
• Plan and pay for honeymoon.
• Get traveler's checks for honeymoon.
• Obtain all necessary travel documents for honeymoon (i.e. passport, birth certificate, visa).
• Assist in any and all planning of ceremony and reception.
• Purchase wedding gift for bride.
• Pay for the bridal bouquet and all corsages and boutonnières for wedding party.
• Scout out hotels for out-of-town guests.
• Send out rehearsal dinner invitations.
• Arrive at ceremony site at least 1 hour early.
• Bring marriage license to ceremony site.
• Make payments to officiate and musicians.
• Stand to the left of the bride in the receiving line.

Maid (Matron) of Honor

• Assists bride in choosing a bridal gown as well as in choosing attendants' gowns and jewelry.
• Purchase gown and accessories that she will be wearing.
• Helps bride address invitations.
• Plan and host bridal shower.
• Plan and host the bachelorette party.
• Records gifts received at showers as well as collecting all ribbons and bows for making the rehearsal bouquets.
• Helps the bride assemble and decorate wedding favors.
• Helps bride and bride's family decorate the reception hall, if necessary.
• Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Arrive with at least 2 hours early to assist the bride in dressing.
• Organize bridesmaids and their gowns.
• Arrange bride's veil and train before and throughout the ceremony.
• Hold groom's ring during the ceremony if its not being carried by the ring bearer.
• Signs the wedding certificate as an official witness.
• Stands to the left of the groom in the receiving line.
• Dances when the music starts at the reception and asks other guests to dance.
• Be gracious and serve as an auxiliary hostess at the reception.

Best Man

• Plan and host the bachelor party.
• Rent or purchase wedding attire that is the same as the groom's.
• Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Arrange for transportation to ceremony for self and groom.
• Arrange for transportation of the couple as well as self to the reception.
• Arrives with the groom at least 1 hour before the ceremony.
• Helps keep the groom calm.
• Supervises groomsmen and ushers.
• Holds bride's wedding ring if not being carried by the ring bearer.
• Escorts the Maid (Matron) of Honor during the recessional.
• Forwards payment to musicians and officiate from the groom.
• Stands to the right of the bride in the receiving line.
• Makes the first toast at the reception and reads congratulations telegrams.
• Dances when the music starts and asks other guests to dance.
• Transport newlyweds to the honeymoon suite or airport after the reception.
• Organize the return of any rented wedding attire for all men in the wedding.

Bridesmaids

• Purchase gowns and accessories to wear in the wedding.
• Assist Maid (Matron) of Honor in planning and hosting bridal showers.
• Help with wedding favors.
• Run errands as needed by the bride.
• Help decorate the reception hall, if needed.
• Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Arrive early at the wedding dressing site.
• Walk down the aisle before the Maid (Matron) of Honor, flower girl, and ring bearer.
• May stand in receiving line.
• Dance and are gracious at the reception.

Groomsman Gifts

Groomsmen and Ushers

• Purchase or rent wedding attire.
• Assist in planning and financing the bachelor party.
• Attend the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Arrive dressed at least 1 hour before the wedding.
• Fold and distribute wedding programs.
• Ensure that all family members have corsages/boutonnières before being seated.
• Seat guests as follows:
  • Single females are escorted on the right.
  • Single males should walk along the left side.
  • Escort the female of a couple on the right with her date walking behind.
  • Guests of the bride are seated on the left.
  • Guests of the groom are seated on the right.
  • Leave first few rows unseated to accommodate family members.
  • Seat the mother of the groom.
  • Seat the mother of the bride.
  • Roll out the aisle runner.
• Light candelabras, as needed.
• Escort bridesmaids during the recessional.
• Check for any items left by guests at the ceremony site.
• Collect ceremony decorative items such as baskets, pew bows, and aisle runner.
• Dance when music starts and ask other guests to dance.
• Decorate the newlywed's car.

Father of the Groom

• Assist in compiling guest list.
• Purchase or rent wedding attire.
• Pay for and host the rehearsal dinner.
• Propose the first toast at the rehearsal dinner.
• Arrive dressed 1 hour before the wedding.
• Stand to the left of the mother of the groom in the receiving line.
• Pay for all beverages at the wedding reception.

Mother of the Groom

• Assist in compiling guest list.
• Purchase a dress that is complementary in color and style to the mother of the bride's dress.
• Plan the rehearsal dinner.
• Arrive dressed 1 hour before the wedding.
• Stand to the left of the bride's parents in the receiving line.

Mother of the Bride

• Assist bride in the selection of wedding gown and accessories as well as the color and style of the attendants' gowns.
• Help prepare guest list.
• Help record gifts received.
• Select a dress that will complement the color scheme of the wedding and inform the mother of the groom of the choice.
• Assist in details of ceremony and reception (i.e. caterer, DJ, photographer, etc.).
• Arrive dressed before the bride and the bridal party.
• Bring the wedding guest book and unity candle to the ceremony and then to the reception.
• Stand at the head of the receiving line.
• Serve as official hostess at the wedding and reception.
• Gather the gifts after the reception and hold for the couple until after the honeymoon.

Father of the Bride

• Assist in preparing the guest list.
• Purchase or rent wedding attire that matches that of the groom and other male wedding attendants.
• Ride with the bride to the ceremony.
• Escort bride down the aisle on left arm.
• Stands to the left of the mother of the bride in the receiving line.
• Co-hosts the reception.
• Dances second dance with the bride at the reception.
• Helps gather gifts after the reception.
• Last to leave reception.

Flower Girl 

Flower Girl Baskets

• Parents pay for dress and any alterations needed.
• Attends rehearsal and, depending on age, attends the rehearsal dinner with her parents.
• Arrives dressed 1 hour before the ceremony. (If very young, 30 minute early may be more appropriate.)
• Precedes the bride and her father in the processional, while scattering flower petals in the bride's path.
• Attends the reception with parents.

Ring Bearer

• Parents pay for attire that matches or complements the groom's attire.
• Attends rehearsal and, depending on age, attends the rehearsal dinner with her parents.
• Arrives dressed 1 hour before the ceremony. (If very young, 30 minute early may be more appropriate.)
• Precedes the flower girl in the processional carrying the wedding rings on a pillow.
  
• Attends the reception with parents.

~ The WhereBridesGo.com Team
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