Wedding etiquette for groomsmen

By Catalogs Editorial Staff

Wedding etiquette for groomsmen goes beyond showing up and behaving

Groomsmen are the guys who stand up with the groom when he?s about to get hitched. Generally, there is a best man, who often serves as the master of ceremony at the subsequent reception.

If you have never served as a groomsman before but are about to here are some tips on wedding etiquette for groomsmen.

Prior to the actual wedding day, groomsmen help the groom with wedding preparations. Be prepared to help pick out a tuxedo package or suit and anything else that the groom, and you, need to do before the nuptials.

Groomsmen pay for their own tuxes and accessories. Make sure you have the cash available to do this before committing. If you are traveling to the wedding you must pay for that and your hotel accommodations. The groom normally does not foot the bill unless he happens to be very rich and generous. Regardless of budget, the groom does give each groomsman a gift, which might be cufflinks that are worn with your dapper tuxedo.

The best man and the other male members of the wedding party plan and execute the bachelor party for the groom. Note: Don?t get carried away and get the groom in hot water. The number one tip is DO NOT get the groom or yourself sloshing drunk the night before the wedding. This never turns out well. Someone ends up passing out at the altar or throwing up. This is a debacle best avoided. The bride will not be happy if you turn the big day into a vomit fest.

If there are any other parties prior to the wedding you are expected to attend. You must also go to the wedding rehearsal and the dinner that follows.

The best man coordinates the groomsmen, making sure they are where they?re supposed to be. He informs the ushers which women are to get a corsage. The groomsmen are to make sure that the women have a flower before they are escorted down the aisle. This may involve grandmothers or other females that are important to the bridal couple.

On the actual wedding day, groomsmen serve as ushers and escorts. They walk the guests down the aisle and to their seats. Crook your left arm and extend it to the woman you are escorting down the aisle. She puts her arm through yours.

The head groomsman (best man) escorts the groom?s mother down the aisle and seats her in the first pew on the right side. The groom can choose to escort his mother. The groom?s father follows behind his wife and the groomsman. If the groom?s parents are divorced, the groom?s father is seated earlier, two pews behind his ex-wife.

The mother of the bride is the last person seated. She is escorted down the aisle by the best man and seated on the left side.

When the ceremony is finished, the groomsmen escort the bridesmaids down the aisle.

The bride and groom may request that you to go back down the aisle and escort their grandmothers out. The groomsmen then go back and escort the groom?s mother out of the wedding venue after which the mother of the bride is escorted out of the room. Once the bride?s mother has left everyone is free to get up and leave.

You will be in the wedding photos so don?t run off.

The groomsmen escort the bridesmaids into the reception area or each wedding party member enters separately, depending on the bride?s preference. You will be expected to dance with a bridesmaid at the reception and then you can dance with your wife or girlfriend.

After the best man, the maid of honor and the parents of the newlyweds have spoken feel free to give a toast.

Sometimes the bride and groom opt to have ushers that are not groomsmen and this is fine.