Roles of each Wedding Party

Maid or Matron of Honor

To be asked to serve in this capacity is a very special honor. The maid or matron of honor is a person who the bride trusts and feels she can rely on to ensure that everything on her wedding day runs smoothly. The maid or matron of honor carries more responsibility than the other bridesmaids. Responsibilities include:

• Helps bride to select her wedding apparel
• Helps to address invitations
• Supervises and organizes all logistics with the other bridesmaids for their wedding apparel
• Holds bridal shower
• Attends all prenuptial parties
• Coordinates purchase of bridesmaids' gift to bride
• Coordinates purchase of bridesmaids' gift to couple
• Assists in wedding day plans and preparation
• Picks-up last minute items for bride
• Handles all last minute logistics for bride
• Keeps bride on schedule and assists her throughout her wedding day
• Assists bride in dressing for the ceremony
• Witnesses wedding license
• If there is no ring bearer, she will hold the groom's ring until needed
• Holds the bridal bouquet during the ceremony
• Adjusts the bride's veil and train before the processional and the recessional
• Following reception, helps bride to change from wedding gown
• Informs bride's parents when bride and groom are ready to leave

Bridesmaids

Bridesmaids are usually the bride's closest friends and select family members.

Responsibilities include:

• Assists maid or matron of honor with her duties
• Assists with bridal shower
• Attends all prenuptial parties
• Assists the bride throughout the wedding planning process
• Assists the bride throughout her wedding day

Best Man

The best man is the groom's right-hand man. He plays a very important role. Responsibilities are varied but may include:

• Coordinates and oversees all ushers' activities and duties
• Coordinates all logistics (rental and fittings) for ushers' wedding apparel
• Picks-up and returns all rented wedding apparel for the ushers and the groom
• Organizes bachelor dinner or party
• Organizes purchase of groom's gift from ushers
• Organizes purchase of couple's gift from ushers
• Attends all prenuptial parties
• Helps with honeymoon travel plans
• Attends all prenuptial parties
• Helps groom to dress on his wedding day
• Drives groom to ceremony
• Witnesses marriage license signing
• Brings marriage license to ceremony
• On wedding day, pays any and all service providers as per groom's instructions (i.e. officiating authority, photographers, musicians, etc.)
• If there is no organized transportation, drives bride and groom to reception
• Conducts "toast" to couple during reception
• If there is no ring bearer, holds bridal ring until needed
• Assists groom with changing his clothes after ceremony

Ushers

Ushers are usually the groom's closest friends and select family members. Responsibilities include:

• Seats guests at the ceremony
• Rolls and unrolls aisle carpet
• Assists best man with bachelor dinner or party
• At ceremony, provides guests with wedding programs and maps to reception
• Head usher seats mother of the groom and bride at the reception
• Transports bridesmaids to reception

Flower Girl

• Carries basket with rose pedals, rice or confetti to be thrown before bride's path during processional (Flower girl may carry a bouquet instead of the basket)
• Attends rehearsal dinner

Ring Bearer

• Carries pillow with rings attached ( If young child, you may want to attach "mock" rings so that the actual rings do not get lost)
• Attends rehearsal dinner

Bride's Parents

• When engagement announced, notify groom and groom's parents to congratulate them
• Holds engagement party for bride and groom
• Prepares guest list for bride
• If necessary, coordinates all lodging arrangements for brides' out-of-town guests
• Provides bride and groom with special gift
• Provides groom with gift
• Serves as host and hostess of reception
• Mother helps bride choose her wedding gown
• Mother selects her own wedding apparel
• Mother helps bride to keep track of gifts received
• Mother is last person to be seated at ceremony
• Mother stores top layer of wedding cake for bridal couple while they are on honeymoon
• Mother arranges for wedding gown to be dry cleaned and preserved
• Father coordinates his wedding apparel with other men of the wedding party
• Father rides to ceremony with bride in limousine
• Father gives bride away at ceremony

Groom's Parents

• When told of engagement, notify bride and bride's parents to congratulate them
• Hold tea or party to introduce bride to family and friends
• Prepare guest list for groom
• If necessary, coordinate all lodging arrangements for groom's out-of-town guests
• Organize rehearsal dinner (This is one of the most important responsibilities for the groom's parents)
• Provides bride and groom with a special gift
• Provide bride with a gift
• Mother coordinates wedding dress with bride's mother
• Father gives "toast" to bride at rehearsal dinner
• Father coordinates wedding apparel with other men in wedding party

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Bride and her Family

• Engagement photo
• Engagement party
• All stationary including invitations, announcements, thank-you cards, printing, etc.
• Bridal gown and related apparel
• Photographer and photographs
• Videographer
• Bridal bouquets and reception and ceremony arrangements
• All decorations
• Ceremony music
• Reception music
• All ceremony expenses
• All reception expenses
• Wedding guest book
• Groom's wedding ring
• Groom's wedding gift
• Bridesmaids' gifts
• Lodging for bridesmaids
• All transportation of bride, groom and wedding party to and from wedding ceremony and reception
• Bridesmaids' lunch and dinner
• Medical exam and blood tests

Groom and His Family

• Bride's engagement ring
• Bride's wedding ring
• Bride's gift
• Marriage license
• Wedding apparel
• Gifts for ushers
• Fee for officiating authority
• Bride's bouquet
• Bride's going away corsage
• Boutonnieres
• Corsages
• Rehearsal dinner
• Honeymoon
• Ushers' accessories
• Medical exam and blood tests

Maid/Matron of Honor and Bridesmaids

• Own wedding apparel and accessories
• Bridal shower
• Bride's gift
• Couple's gift

Best Man and Ushers

• Own wedding apparel (groom pays for accessories)
• Bachelor dinner or party
• Groom's gift
• Couple's gift
  

(From: wedding shops online)

Not knowing the role of the maid/matron of honor before posting this, I have already decided to have 2 matron of honor and 1 maid of honor and no bridesmaids. I know that my FI will have @ will have 2 best man and 2 groomsman. If you noticed that our wedding party is not at all symmetrical and we both don't really care much.
We have both made a solution to this dilemma, our wedding partner will not walk by pairs but in single and they would be carrying certain items pertaining to the ceremony. I will post about the details of my wedding ceremony incorporating both of our cultural traditions.