With so many things to be done, it’s helpful to know who should be doing what! I’ve narrowed it all down for you in this nifty wedding duties list. Please remember that we have come a long way since the days our parents got married. There’s a lot more planning involved and fewer rules too. You can have your wedding your way. Who says the bride has to plan everything on her own? And who says her parents have to pay for it all? If that’s the way you want to do it, then go for it! But if you want to shake things up a little, do it on your terms.
The list below is a helpful suggestion to point you in the right direction!
The couple
As the couple, your major role is to show up and get married. There are lots of wedding decisions to be made along the way and my advice is to try and make as many of these decisions together as you can. You are a team, after all.
- Create a budget
- Select your wedding date
- Settle on the style of your wedding
- Find your dream venue
- Book suppliers (we can help you with that!)
- Choose your wedding party
- Host an engagement party (you can co-host with your parents)
- Ask your parents if they’d like to invite anyone
- Write wedding vows (if you want to!)
- Send out Thank-You notes after the wedding
The parents
The suggestions below are just that… suggestions. We’ve come along way over the years! Historically, the bride’s parents were once left with the whole wedding bill, but these days, the wedding costs are shared between both sets of parents and often the couple will fit the whole bill themselves.
- Help with the wedding planning
- Bride’s father walks her down the aisle (here are some other ideas if you’re not into this)
- Bride’s father usually does a speech
- Contribute financially
- Stay till the very end and settle any outstanding bills at the venue
Maid of Honour
Out of all the bridesmaids, the bride will rely most heavily on her Maid of Honour. Brides, discuss your expectations with your Maid of Honour if you’d like her to be in charge of anything on this list below (tips here).
- Coordinate the bridesmaids’ activities
- Spearhead the planning of the hen party
- Help with the wedding planning
- Assist the bride in getting dressed on the wedding day
- Arrange veil and train before the bride walks down the aisle
- Hold the bride’s bouquet during the ceremony
Best Man
Similarly to the Maid of Honour, the groom will rely mostly on his Best Man to get things done.
- Spearhead the planning of the stag do
- Coordinate groomsmen’s outfits
- Make sure the groom gets to the ceremony on time
- Make a speech at the reception
- Get the getaway car ready, with luggage inside
- Return rented suits
The wedding party
As a person who has been a bridesmaid many times, here are a few things you should think about doing:
- Be a good friend and offer to help with wedding planning tasks
- Be at dress/suit fittings
- Help plan the hen/stag party
- Make yourself available to run errands
- Set aside time to help set up decor the day before the wedding
- Buy thoughtful gifts for the engagement party, hen/stag party and wedding
- Help coordinate family photos on the day
- Mingle with guests at the wedding
- Be sober for the photos
- Get on the dance floor and keep the party going
- Take care of the wedding gifts
- Help pack away decor
Main image credit: Andrew Kilfeather
