The Best Mans Duties - Beach Wedding Article
Organizing the bachelor party
The bachelors party is regarded the sheep in wolf clothing of the wedding experience. Your last chance to taste the single life and to kick your heels up..well, not really! But the bachelor party should be an opportunity to enjoy an evening with close friends and family members who have seen you through life’s rites of passages. Not so much a farewell as a bidding of fortune the bachelor party gives friends an opportunity to wish the groom well and to offer support through the trials and tribulations of married life. Modern day bachelor parties tend to take the grooms favourite hobbies into consideration, for suggestions on a bachelor party in the tropics, see our stag party suggestions here.
Groom’s Valet
Its the responsibility of the best man to act as valet to the groom on the wedding day. As well as acting as companion, confident and a tower or strength you will be expected to ensure that he is dressed and that all eventualities are pre-empted...if this means carrying a travel sewing kit with you on the day, so be it. Traditionally the best man also takes responsibility for the rings and for the holding the clergyman’s fee.
Speeches and Announcements
The second most important duty of a best man is to prepare a speech for the wedding day. This is probably the most nerve wrecking part of your duties and the one that will require the most thought and attention...you might well have been chosen for the job based upon your speech giving talents! One saving grace with a beach wedding is that your speech will be more casual and you will probably be allowed the odd hiccup. The speech should be lively, fun and light and should include a thank you for the bridesmaids and a toast to the bride and groom.
The Best Man will also make the announcements for cake cutting, first dance and the bride and groom leaving, at the reception. You will also read any cards, apologies for non attendance and telegrams sent to the couple at the reception.
Manage the Ushers
You will need to make sure that ushers arrive at the venue on time and all have boutonnieres. The best man should make a list of special seating arrangements to pass on to the ushers. This might include being sensitive to divorced parents attending the wedding or disabled grand folks who might have problems getting to the ceremony site.
Bridesmaid care
The best man will escort the Matron of Honour or Chief Bridesmaid to the ceremony alter and dance with her at the reception. You will give thanks to the bridesmaids in your speech.
Get the Groom to the Church on time
You will have to assess the local transport on the island to decide the best way for the groom to travel to the ceremony site...in the islands this can take the form of taxi, boat, horse and buggy, or a simple walk accompanied by ushers and the grooms family. It is wise to get the groom to the church/beach/ceremony site 20 minutes before the ceremony is due to start.
Photographer Assistant
You will act as the photographers assistant in ushering family members into photo frames as their turn comes up.
Travel Agent
The best man should ensure that all the preparations have been made for a successful honeymoon and first wedding night. With a destination wedding, these duties have been largely taken care of as the groom is most usually already in his chosen honeymoon spot.
Post Wedding
Apart from decorating the leaving mode of transport for the bride and groom, you will need to make sure that any rented clothes are returned to the vendor in question, ensure wedding presents are securely stored, reception freebies are taken home, stored with the reception venue or distributed to guests (ie. flowers, left over champagne, cake etc)
