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103:, also called a stag do or buck's night; helping make the wedding pleasant for guests by talking with people who are alone or dancing with unaccompanied guests or bridesmaids, if there is dancing at a wedding reception; or providing practical assistance with gifts, luggage, or unexpected complications. Groomsmen may also participate in local or regional traditions, such as decorating the newlywed couple's car.
266:
wedding, dinner parties at his home would always be presided over by his wife in her role as hostess. In recent times this practice has evolved. In many cultures, it is a customary practice for the groom to bear all the expenses of his bachelor party. This tradition highlights the groom's role in hosting a final celebration with his friends before his marriage.
198:, a best man is expected to lead processions both at the wedding, and at preliminary events. This includes pre-wedding dance rehearsals, at which the best man is always expected to be in attendance, and usually is expected to give an outstanding and outlandish dance-performance on the actual wedding-day.
147:
In most modern
Anglophone countries, the groom extends this honor to someone who is close to him, generally a close friend or a relative (such as a sibling or cousin). During a wedding ceremony the best man stands next to the groom, slightly behind him. This means that the four people present at the
265:
was typically scheduled for a convenient evening during the week before the wedding. A type of farewell dinner, it was always hosted, and therefore organized and paid for, entirely by the groom. The dinner was seen as the groom's last chance to entertain his friends as a single man; after the
65:
For a wedding with many guests, the groom may also ask other male friends and relatives to act as ushers without otherwise participating in the wedding ceremony; their sole task is ushering guests to their seats before the ceremony. Ushers may also be hired for very large weddings.
148:
altar are the officiant (such as a civil celebrant, priest, rabbi, minister, or other religious figure), the bride, groom, and best man. This is common in some western countries, although in others the best man and bridesmaid participate on an equal footing.
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in different parts of the world. In many areas, this dinner is now most commonly organized by the best man; the costs can be shared by either all of the participants or all of the participants except for the groom, who becomes the guest of honor.
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in exchange for returning the bride, usually by paying money (which was given to the bride) or by doing something embarrassing. The custom is less common nowadays due to frequent conflicts arising from the differences in the expected sum of
241:, the best man is responsible for guarding the bride during the wedding festivities. In a traditional wedding, when he or the groom stepped away, the bride got "kidnapped" or had a shoe stolen. Then the groom or the best man had to pay a
205:, a best man is expected to guide the newlyweds in the ways of marriage. This means that ideally a best man must be married, preferably to one wife, and should be in position to give sound, tried and tested advice. A best man must be a
234:, or religious sponsor. The koumbaros (or koumbara, if a woman) is an honored participant who crowns the couple and participates in circling the altar three times. Sometimes, this person also pays for most of the wedding expenses.
58:
ceremony. Usually, the groom selects close friends and relatives to serve as groomsmen, and it is considered an honor to be selected. From his groomsmen, the groom usually chooses one to serve as
109:
formerly had important duties. The men were called bride-knights, and represented a survival of the primitive days of marriage by capture, when a man called his friends in to assist to "lift" or
80:
The first recorded use of the word ‘groomsmen’, according to the Oxford
English Dictionary, was as recently as 1698, although the words ‘bride’ and ‘groom’ both date back to Old English.
216:, the best man presents himself at the wedding as a ceremonial guardian to both bride and groom. Thereafter he entertains the guests, sometimes for several hours.
187:
The best man is not a universal custom. Even in places where a best man is customary, the role may be quite different when compared to other areas of the world.
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The most visible duty of the groomsmen is helping guests find their places before the ceremony and to stand near the groom during the wedding ceremony.
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144:
comes from 1782, observing that "best man and best maid" in the
Scottish dialect are equivalent to "bride-man and bride-maid" in England.
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336:
73:. They are usually picked as close personal friends of the groom who have served with him. Their role includes forming the traditional
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is the chief assistant to the groom at a wedding. While the role is older, the earliest surviving written use of the term
34:
Three groomsmen stand to the left of the groom and three bridesmaids stand to the right of the bride in this wedding in
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Additionally, the groom may request other kinds of assistance, such as planning celebratory events such as a
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In a military officer's wedding, the roles of groomsmen are replaced by swordsmen of the sword
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While the best man's required duties are only those of a friend, in the context of a western
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Act as a legal witness to the marriage and therefore sign the marriage certificate, and
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In the
Anglosphere, it is traditional for the best man to give a short speech.
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450:. Oxford University Press. The citation comes from Sir John Sinclair's
436:. Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 528.
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506:"Best Man Speech | Examples, tips, pointers, templates, samples"
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The
Origins of Popular Superstitions and Customs (Forgotten Books)
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and be discreet about the details he shares with the new couple.
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Keep the wedding rings safe until needed during the ceremony,
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Etiquette in
Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home'
454:. The related term "best maid" has an earlier attestation.
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Prepare a "best man's speech" to be read at the reception
448:"Definition of Best Man at Oxford English Dictionary"
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357:
77:for the married couple and guests to walk through.
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557:"Essential Guide to Ukrainian Wedding Traditions!"
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121:"Best man" redirects here. For other uses, see
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132:A best man and a maid of honour with newlyweds
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172:Stand next to the groom during the ceremony,
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27:Participant in Western wedding ceremonies
618:(5 ed.). London: Collins. pp.
594:. Funk & Wagnalls Company. pp.
420:
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92:The groom, his best man, and two ushers.
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29:
14:
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269:Common slang names for this event are
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364:. Forgotten Books. pp. 100–102.
313:"Groomsmen Gifts – History & FAQ"
50:is one of the male attendants to the
452:Observations on the Scottish Dialect
414:
400:. Omnigraphics Inc. pp. 61–62.
159:Assist the groom on the wedding day,
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339:from the original on 5 March 2016
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183:In various countries and cultures
398:Manners, Customs and Observances
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532:"International Wedding Customs"
512:from the original on 2013-11-08
155:, the best man will typically:
615:Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette
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1597:Wedding ceremony participants
358:T. Sharper Knowlson (2008) .
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227:, the best man is often also
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464:: CS1 maint: postscript (
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123:Best man (disambiguation)
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1526:Maiden and married names
1452:United States and Canada
521:Best Man Speech Examples
433:Encyclopædia Britannica
396:Leopold Wagner (1995).
271:bachelor party, stag do
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1168:Wedding videography
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768:Bachelorette party
758:Wedding invitation
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1556:Knobstick wedding
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1103:Jumping the broom
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861:Black lounge suit
733:Banns of marriage
723:Marriage proposal
480:"Best Man Duties"
407:978-1-60506-798-8
371:978-1-60506-458-1
261:In the past, the
16:(Redirected from
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1379:Vőfély (Hungary)
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111:kidnap the bride
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1199:Cookie table
1189:Wedding cake
1143:Unity candle
1051:
1005:Participants
996:Wishing well
976:Wedding cord
943:
925:Opera gloves
910:Evening gown
898:Bridal crown
893:Contemporary
804:Gretna Green
614:
604:
590:
580:
569:. Retrieved
565:the original
560:
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540:. Retrieved
536:the original
526:
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484:the original
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376:the original
360:
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341:. Retrieved
327:
316:. Retrieved
307:
275:bucks' night
274:
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230:
223:weddings in
186:
150:
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141:
137:
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106:
105:
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68:
64:
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1432:Philippines
1384:Zoroastrian
1243:By religion
1123:Polterabend
1113:Money dance
1093:First dance
1078:Ahesta Bero
1047:Flower girl
1018:child bride
851:Semi-formal
711:Pre-wedding
692:Handfasting
610:Post, Peggy
586:Post, Emily
162:Organise a
71:honor guard
1394:By country
1245:or culture
1234:Place card
1229:Loving cup
1071:Traditions
1037:Bridesmaid
1025:Bridegroom
728:Engagement
682:Collective
571:2021-01-17
542:2008-06-20
516:2013-11-06
490:2012-07-27
382:2010-11-30
343:12 January
318:2021-08-11
299:References
293:Bridesmaid
75:saber arch
1521:Elopement
1487:Honeymoon
1442:Sri Lanka
1267:Ayyavazhi
1062:Officiant
1052:Groomsman
1042:Bridesman
966:Las arras
920:Debutante
915:Ball gown
856:Black tie
839:White tie
809:Las Vegas
792:Locations
687:Elopement
288:Bridesman
231:koumbaros
207:confidant
44:groomsman
1591:Category
1536:Newlywed
1465:Scotland
1427:Pakistan
1402:Ethiopia
1374:Timorese
1329:Mandaean
1299:Catholic
1108:Lychgate
1057:Page boy
868:Informal
818:Clothing
697:Same-sex
671:Weddings
612:(2006).
588:(1922).
510:Archived
460:cite web
337:Archived
282:See also
142:best man
138:best man
117:Best man
60:best man
18:Best man
1477:Vietnam
1470:history
1447:Ukraine
1412:Iceland
1354:Punjabi
1344:Persian
1314:Islamic
1287:Chinese
1224:Korovai
1133:Pyebaek
961:Chuppah
955:Objects
937:Garters
620:183–184
239:Ukraine
56:wedding
1437:Russia
1369:Shinto
1359:Quaker
1334:Mormon
1324:Jewish
1304:Hajong
1148:Walima
945:Casual
834:Formal
626:
404:
368:
246:money.
243:ransom
225:Greece
214:Bhutan
203:Uganda
196:Zambia
84:Duties
1509:Other
1417:India
1309:Hindu
1118:Music
1013:Bride
905:Dress
702:White
598:–337.
273:, or
54:in a
52:groom
48:usher
1339:Odia
1319:Iyer
1262:Ayie
1257:Arab
873:Suit
624:ISBN
466:link
402:ISBN
366:ISBN
345:2016
229:the
136:The
596:335
237:In
219:In
212:In
201:In
194:In
46:or
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