Etiquette and Duties of the Bridal Party at a Traditional White Wedding
The white wedding is supposed to be the best day of the bride’s life. Many couples having a white wedding wish to follow tradition and etiquette. The bridal party, also known as the wedding party is anyone directly involved in the ceremony. Each member of the bridal party has their own duties and responsibilities at the ceremony, and for some individuals, before and after the actual wedding ceremony too.
It is traditional for the happy couple to show thanks and appreciation to the wedding party by presenting each person with a wedding thank you gift. Parents of the bride and groom are usually given a gift also. Traditional gifts for the male party are pocket watches and tankards whilst the females are given trinket boxes, crystal or glass keepsakes.
One of the most important traditions for the bride is the wearing of her wedding dress.. She may also wear a veil and carry a bouquet of flowers. In the western world the bride usually wears “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue” as the famous saying goes.
A bridegroom or grooms clothing on the day in the western world is a formal suit and servicemen may marry in their military uniform. A suit may be a morning suit for the ceremony followed by a tux in the evening.
The bridesmaids are members of the brides wedding party. Usually bridesmaids are young women who are close friends or sister of the bride. Bridesmaids attend to the bride on the day of the wedding ceremony. Bridesmaids over the age of 18 may be legal witnesses who sign the marriage license after the ceremony.
The head bridesmaid is known as the Matron of Honor if she is married or chief bridesmaid if she is unmarried. In the United Kingdom, the Maid of Honor originally referred to the female attendant of a queen. The Matron of Honor is the female equivalent of the best man.
The activities of the Matron of Honor may be as many or as varied as she allows the bride to ask of her. They usually include duties at the wedding ceremony, such as acting as an official witness to the marriage, organization of the wedding itself and the invitations, organize the hen party, also known as a bachelorette party. She may be asked to make a toast to the newlyweds at the reception.
A groomsman or usher is one of the male attendants to the bridegroom in a wedding ceremony. The term groomsman is more common in the United States, and usher is more common in the UK. Usually the bridegroom selects his closest friends and relatives and it is considered an honor. One of the groomsmen will be best man.
The best man has lots of duties to perform
1. Organizing the Stag Night or Bachelor party
2. Ensuring that the groom arrives on time to the wedding venue
3. Organization of the Groomsmen and Ushers
4. Taking care of the wedding rings until they are required at the service
5. Witnessing thes. signing of the register
6. Issuing of buttonholes and Orders of Service
7. Church fees paid on behalf of the groom
8. Escorting the matron of honor or chief bridesmaid down the church aisle
9. Arranging transport from the ceremony to the reception and sometimes decoration of the wedding car
10. To make Best man toast at the reception
11. Organizing clothing and changing areas for the bride and groom at reception and if required for honeymoon departure
12. Arranging to have the wedding presents collected
13. The old tradition of the first dance with the chief bridesmaid after the bride and groom have danced.
A flower girl is a participant in the procession. The flower girl walks in front of the bride during an entrance processional. She may spread flower petals on the floor before the bride or carry flowers. The flower girl can then sit with her parents or for older girls if they want to they may stand with the wedding party at the alter.
If the bride and groom decide to, they may have more than one flower girl, particularly if the bride has several young relatives and does not want to leave any of the girls out. This practice is popular British royal weddings, and at Victorian style weddings but it is a decision to be made by the bride and groom. The flower girls male equivalent is the page boy who is a young male attendant at the wedding ceremony. The page boy usually carries the brides train. A page is often seen at British royal weddings.
A ring bearer is not always selected. Usually the best man will carry the rings safely up the aisle. The ring bearer would carry a large satin pillow on which imitation rings are sewn, while the real wedding bands are kept in the safekeeping of the best man. If the real rings are used, they are secured with thread to prevent their accidental loss.
Ring bearers are usually between 4 and 10 years of age and may be male or female. If the couple have had children before marriage, then one of their own children may be the ring bearer.
Wedding gifts like bridesmaid gifts and best man gifts are even more special when they are personalized with the receiver’s name, role, alongside date and location of wedding. The best gift is one which suits the individual rather than buying the same gift for each female and the same gift for each male member of the wedding ceremony.