Wedding duties: Who does what?

The Bride

- Chooses the wedding date, theme and her dress.
- Chooses her attendants and their outfits.
- Informs the bridal party on colour themes and dress codes.
- Writes thank-you notes for wedding gifts and to the attendants.
- Buys a wedding present for the groom.

The Groom

- Works out the budget.
- Buys the wedding rings.
- Arranges the outfits of the male members of the bridal party.
- Arranges the honeymoon and the wedding night accommodation.
- Buys gifts for the best man, bridesmaids and ushers.
- Makes a speech at the reception on behalf of himself and his new wife.

The Best Man

- In consultation with the groom, organises the stag do.
- Picks up his and the groom's hire wear and returns them after the wedding.
- Arrives at the venue early with the ushers to organise seating and parking.
- Makes sure that ushers have order of service sheets and buttonholes.
- On behalf of the groom, discreetly pays the church fees, tips and bellringers' fees.
- Holds on to the rings until required during the service.
- Escorts the chief bridesmaid to the signing of the register (he is usually a witness) and from the church.
- Together with the ushers, directs the guests to the reception and helps organise transport.
- Makes a speech about the happy couple and reads out messages from those who could not attend the wedding.
- Helps transport the wedding gifts from the reception to a safe place.
- Handles any minor hitches that might occur on the day.
- Helps the couple with their bags as they leave for the honeymoon and decorates the going away car.

Chief Bridesmaid

- In consultation with the bride, organises the hen do.
- Helps the bride choose her dress, going-away outfit and the - attendants’ clothes.
- Provides emotional support for any minor hitches or prewedding nerves.
- Helps the bride get ready on the day and keep her calm.
- Checks the bride’s attire and lines up the other bridesmaids before the big entrance.
- Holds the bride's bouquet during the ceremony.
- Carries an emergency handbag containing the bride's make-up, plasters, safety pins etc.
- Escorted by the best man, attends the signing of the register (she is usually a witness).
- Helps the bride prepare if she's leaving to spend the wedding night away or go on honeymoon.
- Distribute the wedding cake to guests.

Ushers

- Help the best man organise the stag do.
- Before the wedding day, meet with the best man to work out duties.
- Will typically arrive 45 minutes before the ceremony to organise seating, parking and accessibility to toilets.
- Collect order of service sheets from the bride or best man.
- Greet guests and distribute buttonholes, order of service sheets and hymnbooks.
- Make sure all guests switch off mobile phones.
- Escort the bride's mother and elderly guests to their seats.
- Assist the photographer and/or videographer in organising people for group shots.
- Help best man organise transport for the guests to the reception.
- Look after a couple of tables each at the reception to check on a regular basis that everyone is happy.
- Get guests applauding during bride and groom's first dance, and then get everyone up and dancing.

Bride's Mother

- Places engagement/wedding announcements in the press.
- Helps compile the guest list in consultation with the groom's family.
- Sends out invitations and receives the RSVPs.
- Makes a list of the guests for the ushers.
- In the absence of the bride's father, she may give the bride away.
- Attends the signing of the register.
- Sends cake to those unable to attend the wedding

Bride's Father

- Travels with his daughter to the ceremony.
- Escorts the bride down the aisle and gives her away.
- Toasts the happy couple with a speech at the reception.