Undoubtedly, the groom will want to choose a few good men—often his
brothers, college buddies, and best friends—to carry out all of the
responsibilities traditionally assigned to the guys. Once your fiancé has picked his team, he’ll have to give them a few pointers on just what their roles and responsibilities are, so here’s the lowdown.

The Best Man
Let’s start with the best man (the head groomsman) since his role is so crucial. The best man is an all-purpose kind of guy—friend, organizer, coach, confidant—with a lot of responsibilities.

In general, he must make sure that the wedding goes off without a hitch. When the groom feels stressed, he is ready with encouragement and a good sense of humor.

Traditionally, it is the best man who is in charge of organizing the bachelor party and making all travel arrangements for the bride and groom. He makes sure the groom and other groomsmen get fitted for and pick up their formalwear. He is also expected to supervise the other groomsmen and ushers, serve as an official witness to the vows, safeguards the ring and marriage license just before the wedding, and pay the clergyman’s fee (which the groom quietly slips to him before the ceremony).

After the ceremony, he makes sure the wedding party lines up properly for the "wedding parade" through town, if one is planned. At the reception, he serves as the master of ceremonies, proposes the first toast, and remains on hand to ensure that all subsequent speeches are both short and sweet. His final duty is to return all the rented tuxes.

The Groomsmen and Ushers
Of course, the other groomsmen or ushers are also important members of the wedding party. The are, in effect, the couples hospitality committee. Although groomsmen often do double-duty—serving as ushers before and after the ceremony—in may cases, at large weddings, for example, there are two sets of men: groomsmen and ushers. (The general rule is one usher for every 50 guests.)

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