The Ultimate Best Man Wedding Morning Checklist

Your friend is getting married and has asked you to be his best man. It is a huge honour, but also a big responsibility.
There will be a lot to do between now and his big day and you don’t want to drop the ball in the final quarter of the game. To help you out, here is our ultimate checklist for the morning of the wedding.

1. Get him to the church on time

Plan to meet the groom two or three hours before the ceremony. Check to make sure he has everything needed to get him through the wedding, ceremony and honeymoon already prepared.
You don’t want your newly married couple arriving at the airport without their tickets or passports. Arriving early will give you time to take care of any last-minute details or issues that may arise.

2. Check with the bridal party

Make sure you have a contact other than the bride. She’ll have enough going on. The best person for this is the Maid of Honour, your equal counterpart in this endeavour.
It’s a quick way to hash out any problems or just ensure everyone is in sync on both sides. Keep your phone handy until the ceremony begins, always on guard.

3. Secure the important things

Do you have the ring in a safe location on your person? How about envelopes with the payments for any vendors that will need to be paid up front?
If you are charged with buttonholes for the groom’s party, don’t leave them behind in the fridge. Make lists of everything you’re in charge of and check them off, one by one.

4. Get everyone dressed

You and the groom have made it to the wedding venue and are decked out to the nines. Now, make sure the rest of your party is, as well. Do they all have on their ties neatly and buttonholes in place?
Give them the once over once they are dressed and again before the ceremony starts, especially the ring bearer. Kids can get messy quick! Make sure you still have the ring.

5. Get all your ducks in a row

By ducks, we mean ushers, of course. Make sure they know their duties and how to arrange the guests they will be walking in for seating. Get the groomsmen in order for their parade down the aisle.
If there is a ring bearer, make sure he understands the importance of his precious cargo once it is handed over to him.

6. Stand by your man

You are his rock, at his side as he takes this huge step in his life. Make his day as easy as possible so that the man waiting for his bride is cool, calm and mostly collected.
You are his “go to” guy and at his beckon call. Let us remind you to check on the ring, always know where it is.

7. Celebrate your victory at the reception

Once the hard work is done and the newlyweds have walked back down the aisle as a couple, you’ll want to make sure they aren’t walking into chaos.
Make sure all the guests have directions to the reception and help with any transportation needs they may have to get them there safely. Get yourself there in a timely manner so you can introduce the new couple as they arrive.

8. Wow them with your toast

Be prepared. Take your time to write a brilliant toast to the new couple that will stay with them for years to come. Unless you are a seasoned speaker, you’ll want to plan well for the occasion and perhaps try it out in front of a mirror or friends beforehand.
If you are a natural speaker, at least make some notes to guide you through a seamless delivery. Maybe tell them how afraid you were that you’d lose the ring.

9. Dance like no one is watching

Though the hard work is over, you’ve still got a few things to tend to before you call it a day. Among these is showing off those slick dance moves you usually reserve for nights at home in your living room by whirling around the dance floor with the maid of honour.
Traditionally, you’ll be expected to join the bride and groom about half way through their first dance to get guests moving onto the floor. Stay off your partner’s toes.

10. Leave them with a smile

At some point during the celebrations you will won’t to venture out to honour that time held tradition of decorating the wedding car. Exercise good taste and don’t go overboard by creating a potential problem that might hamper a couple headed directly toward the airport.
Your aim is to make them laugh and enjoy their not so sexy new ride, despite what you’ve done to it. Don’t risk a frown by holding up their escape or creating foul odours for their trip.
Now that you’ve completed your wedding day duties, you can relax. Do stay and help with any matters you’ve been asked to attend before heading home to breath a huge sigh of relief at having fulfilled your role as the perfect best man.
By Amy Naves, Excalibur Press

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