Wedding Favors
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Wedding Etiquette for the Best Man, Groomsmen, and Ushers
   
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Creating & Maintaining A Gift Chest
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Undoubtedly, the groom will want to choose a few good menoften his You have permission to reprint this article in its entirety in
your newsletter or on your website, as long as my byline stays
intact. If you do use this article, please email me .....
brothers, college buddies, and best friendsto carry out all of the
responsibilities traditionally assigned to the guys. Once your fianc has
picked his team, hell have to give them a few pointers on just what their
roles and responsibilities are, so heres the lowdown.
A Friend in Deed
Lets start with the best man (the head groomsman) since his role is so
crucial. The best man is an all-purpose kind of guyfriend, organizer,
coach, confidantwith a lot of responsibilities.
In general, he must make sure that the wedding goes off without a hitch.
When the groom feels stressed, he is ready with encouragement and a
good sense of humor.
Traditionally, it is the best man who is in charge of organizing the
bachelor party and making all travel arrangements for the bride and
groom. He makes sure the groom and other groomsmen get fitted for
and pick up their formalwear. He is also expected to supervise the other
groomsmen and ushers, serve as an official witness to the vows,
safeguards the ring and marriage license just before the wedding, and
pay the clergymans fee (which the groom quietly slips to him before the
ceremony).
After the ceremony, he makes sure the wedding party lines up properly
for the "wedding parade" through town, if one is planned. At the
reception, he serves as the master of ceremonies, proposes the first
toast, and remains on hand to ensure that all subsequent speeches are
both short and sweet. His final duty is to return all the rented tuxes.
INCIDENTALIn case it should happen that several notable
people would like to offer a toast, here is the order of the speakers: best
man, grooms dad, brides dad, groom, bride, maid of honor, grooms
mom, brides mom, other friends and relatives.
And a Few Good Men
Of course, the other groomsmen or ushers are also important members
of the wedding party. The are, in effect, the couples hospitality
committee. Although groomsmen often do double-dutyserving as
ushers before and after the ceremonyin may cases, at large weddings,
for example, there are two sets of men: groomsmen and ushers. (The
general rule is one usher for every 50 guests.) In these instances, it is
the ushers who seat the guests, and it is they who make the first
impression on guests as they arrive.
Ushers greet the guests and escort them on the proper side of the
church. As tradition would have it, when a female guest arrives (whether
she is alone or not), one of the ushers should step forward, extend his
right arm, and escort her to her seat, followed by her spouse or date. (I
am in favor of the more modern sentiment which suggests that this
approach is incompatible with the whole concept of marriage and that
the husband should not be relegated to trailing behind this temporary
pair.)
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Before walking toward the pews, the usher should ask which side of the Looking for an unusual and memorable gift? Why not preserve a slice of history by creating a time capsule for your loved one?
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church she would like to be seated on, the brides or grooms. Generally,
the right side of the church is reserved for the guests of the groom. Her
relatives and friends are usually escorted to the right.
In a Jewish ceremony, this seating arrangement is reversed. And if one
side appears to be filling up and the other side has noticeably few
occupants, then this rule should be abandoned for the sake of
appearances.
Incidentally, in keeping with the spirit of the occasion, ushers should not
escort guests to their seats in total silence, as if this were a solemn affair.
This is a time for a few casual and friendly, yet dignified and quiet
remarks.
Pews are filled from front to back, leaving the first several reserved for
family members and close friends of the bride and groom. Just minutes
before the ceremony is scheduled to begin, two of the ushers should
escort the grooms mother and then the brides mother to their seats.
After the ceremony, they escort these ladies down the aisle.
It is the groomsmen who should be available to assist the brides mother
with any last minute details. Just before the bride makes her entrance,
they should unroll the aisle runner. Another important duty of these men
of chivalry is to arrange for transportation of the bridesmaids to the
wedding site.
Theology, Hollywood Style
After the ceremony, as everyone heads off to the reception, it is their After years of watching TV shows and movies, I think I have finally gotten a grasp on Hollywood's theology and it's not a pretty picture (pun intended). It should come as no .....
responsibility to ensure that no one is left behind. And, because they are
largely responsible for making sure that a good time is had by all, they
are expected to introduce guests to each other.
Modern day armor
What the groomsmen wear is largely determined by the formality or
informality of the ceremony, and to a lesser extent by considerations
such as location and time of day.
These days, most grooms, groomsmen and ushers rent their formalwear.
The groom and his men should order their tuxes at least three months
before the wedding. If possible, they should select a local shop, just in
case last minute alterations are needed.
Save The Date Etiquette: Everything You Need To Know
Save the Date Cards are announcements that inform your guests of your future wedding in order to keep your special day free. They are .....
The groom and his men usually wear the same attire. To set himself Save the Date Cards are announcements that inform your guests of your future wedding in order to keep your special day free. They are .....
apart, the groom may select a different colored tie, vest, pocket square,
or boutonniere.
Sometimes the groom will present a memorable gift, such as cufflinks,
studs or, if he can afford to splurge, monogrammed shirts, to be worn by
these men of honor at the wedding. Given all that they are expected to
do, the groom should indeed go out of his way to show his appreciation,
even in advance, for a job well done.
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