Five Tips for Groomsmen on Wedding Day
One: Be On Time
There are a lot of moving pieces on wedding day. Avoid adding stress to the Bride and Groom by making sure you, and anyone else you may be responsible for, are on time throughout the day! You could even ask for a copy of the wedding timeline so you aren’t dependent on other people telling you the details of the day. Make sure you do not allow little details to delay you that could have been seen to in advance. For example, make sure you know how to put on your tie, start getting ready with ample time, and if you have to travel to a different location for pictures or the ceremony leave early. If you want to be everyone’s favorite groomsman in the whole entire world you could even learn how to pin on a boutonniere before wedding day!
Two: Be Helpful
While a wedding is time for celebration and enjoyment it is ultimately about your friend’s marriage and not the free party. As a member of the bridal party you have been given both a great honor and responsibility. If people have questions that you know the answer to, or can find the answer to, be helpful by providing those answers so the Bride and Groom don’t get pestered. If you know about tough family or friend dynamics be the guy who runs interference to ensure the Bride and Groom get to enjoy their day. Sometimes being helpful also means delegating. If something is needed but the day is getting busy, do not leave to get it yourself! You can ask the Wedding Planner or Day of Coordinator to send someone to get it. Even if you are trying to be helpful everyone is going to be stressed if it comes time for bridal party photos and you are missing. Likewise, if the Bride or Groom need an errand to be run, and the timeline allows, be quick to respond and take on that responsibility to help their day go smoother.
Three: Pace Your Alcohol Consumption
Hold yourself and your buddies accountable when it comes to alcohol consumption during the wedding weekend. For the bridal party alcohol oftentimes starts flowing the afternoon of the rehearsal dinner and will continue without abate through the evening of the wedding day. Be mindful of how much you are consuming because you don’t want to be THAT groomsman. Trust me, there is always one guy in the bridal party who has gone to hard on wedding weekend. Your goal for wedding day should be to make sure that you and your buddies are still clear headed with bright smiles through the ceremony and the bridal party photos. Once those two things are complete if you want to go hard be my guest. Just make sure you are still being respectful.
Four: Respect the Photographer
When you are hanging out with the boys it can be hard to remember that there are going to be several times when you need to get serious. These times will almost always involve a photographer. Our goal is to help you get through any necessary pictures as quickly and efficiently as possible. However, our ability to do that depends heavily on you. When it comes to bridal party photos remember that its time to be quiet and listen. This will shave a solid twenty minutes off of the bridal party pictures.
Five: Write Your Speech Early
If you are responsible for giving a speech make sure you have it done at least the day before the rehearsal dinner. It’s not cool to be the groomsmen that is still trying to write his speech on his phone the day of the wedding. Inevitably, everyone will know if you do this. Your speech will be too short, too long, or too self centered. As someone who has listened to hundreds of best man and groomsmen speeches, just trust me on this. Finish it early! Bonus points if you share it with someone else and get feedback! Also, please do not introduce yourself using the phrase “For those of you who don’t know me…” this is so overused and it sounds tacky. Instead try something along the lines of “For those I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting my name is…” everyone in the audience will thank you!
If you have read this far then I am sure you are going to make a great best man or groomsmen because you are already going above and beyond for your friends. My final piece of wisdom for you is keep your eyes up as you walk down the aisle. It looks better in pictures than you looking at your feet.
