As one of my readers pointed out to me recently in my article entitled What are the Duties of the Best Man, I inadvertently left out the speech, or toast the best man is expected to make at the reception. Speeches are not usually something that something that people look forward to writing, much less presenting. I remember the dreaded speech classes in high school and college. Stage fright is something that everyone feels, butterflies in the stomach, cold sweats, shaky hands, we’ve all been there. Add to that that you’re at your best friends wedding and expected to give a heartfelt speech is even worse. The fear of bombing it and having all your friends and perhaps family there to witness it could be nearly too much to bear. So, here are some great tips you can use to help you get started when writing your best man toast.

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Believe it or not, the best man does actually have duties, duties for which he is socially responsible. Granted, the list of responsibilities are nothing like the list for the maid of honor, but nevertheless you should make sure that your groom and best man for the ceremony are aware of what they are responsible for. Now, as I’m sure you know, every wedding is different and therefore your best man’s duties may be more or less complicated than this list depending on the circumstances. But here is a list of responsibilities in which the best man is in charge of handling. To help make it easier, I’ve identified three major weddings where the best man needs to step it up and get the job done: before, during and after the wedding ceremony and reception.

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Tags: best man, maid of honor, wedding, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Reception

Believe it or not, choosing your Maid of Honor and bridesmaids can be more complicated and difficult than you might think. Asking a dear friend or family member is a special honor, and it comes with a certain amount of responsibility, one that some may not be able to handle. The maid of honor is the head, chief, and main personal attendant of the bride for her wedding and wedding day. Therefore the maid of honor dress is typically slightly different from the rest of the wedding party, as is the maid of honor bouquet. Specifically, she is the primary attendant with the most honors and duties of the bridal party, and is considered the equivalent of the groom’s best man. They also have many responsibilities in this role that they may or may not realize. While each wedding and bride are different, the tasks will vary from wedding to wedding, but the basic tasks of the maid of honor are listed below.

Assistance with General Decision Making

While the bride and groom are responsible for making the majority of the important decisions regarding the wedding, the maid of honor is there to give opinions, offer support, and lend a hand wherever and whenever needed. This does not mean that she should stay glued to your hip from engagement to wedding! Phone conversations, email, and brainstorming girl’s nights are a great way to get another viewpoint without ruling your maid of honor’s life.

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Tags: best man, Brainstorming, Bridal Party, bridal shower ideas, Bridal Showers, Bride And Groom, bridesmaids, Dear Friend, duties of the maid of honor, Guest Lists, Important Decisions, maid of honor, maid of honor bouquet, maid of honor dress, Mail, Opening Gifts, Organizing Parties, Personal Attendant, Phone Conversations, Wedding Invitations, Wedding Party