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1904 Byrd Avenue, Suite 317 P O Box 11364 Richmond, Virginia 23230-1364
Fax: (804) 353-8350
Ruby: (434) 409-1668 Ruby@rubiesandpearlsllc.com
For The Bridal Party
Click on the consultant to learn more.
Information for each Member of the wedding party, etiquette, tips on cost cutting, and much more. Under construction!
For the Bride:
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Personal stationary (thank you notes, guest book)
- Gifts for her attendants
- Her own medical examination and blood tests
- A gift for the groom
- The groom's wedding band
- Beauty appointments for her attendants and herself
The Bride's Family
- Engagement party
- Bridal dress, veil, going-away outfit
- Music/soloist for church and reception
- All photography (this includes engagement AND wedding photos)
- Wedding invitations (plus enclosures, envelopes, stamps, etc.)
- Church rental or rental for location of the ceremony if other than a church
- Flowers for decorations and bridesmaid's bouquets (not the bride's)
- Rehearsal dinner (although the groom's family will sometimes offer to pay for this)
- All reception expenses (catering, decorations, wedding cake, beverages, tips and gratuities to staff, etc. - however, sometimes the groom's family will opt to pay for the beverages)
- Transportation to and from the church to the reception
- Their own wedding clothes
- Any newspaper notices
For the Groom:
Your Roles and Responsibilities:
- His wedding attire
- The bride's engagement ring and wedding band
- Gift's for his attendants
- The marriage license
- His medical examination and blood tests
- A present for the bride
- The bridal bouquet and corsages for the mothers
- All boutonnieres for the ushers, fathers and himself
- Accessories for his attendant's (ties, etc.), not including formal wear
- All honeymoon costs
The Groom's Family
- Traveling expenses for themselves and the groom if needed
- Wedding present for the bride and groom (often a donation of money to help with expenses)
- Their own wedding clothes
- The rehearsal dinner (optional, as noted above)
- All beverages at reception (optional, as noted above)
For the Hostesses:
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Arrives at church promptly 15 minutes prior to wedding rehearsal
- Attends rehearsal dinner
- Arrives at church at least 30 minutes prior to wedding ceremony
- Leaves for reception immediately following ceremony
- Provides assistance during wedding reception
- May be introduced at wedding reception
- Registers guests as they arrive for the reception
- Receives gifts from guests
- Distributes favors to guests at reception
- *Monitors children during the reception
- Directs members of wedding party to their positions as they are introduced
- *Cuts wedding cake to be served to guests after bride and groom share first piece
- *Helps serve food to senior guests
For the Bridesmaids:
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Pays for wedding attire
- Assists bride with errands and tasks
- May assist maid of honor with, or co-host a shower or luncheon for bride
- Arrives at church promptly 15 minutes prior to wedding rehearsal
- Attends rehearsal dinner
- Arrives at church at least one hour prior to ceremony
- Precedes maid of honor, in order of height, during processional
- Is escorted out by groomsman, to his right, following maid of honor during recessional
- Is introduced with wedding party at wedding reception
- At reception, urges all single women to join in bouquet-tossing ritual
- May help transport gifts after reception to designated location
For the Special Family Members:
Roles and Responsibilities:
Mother of the Bride
- Helps bride prepare guest list
- Helps arrange details of ceremony and reception
- Keeps father of bride and parents of groom informed of wedding plans
- Helps the bride select her gown and accessories, wedding colors, attendants’ attire, and trousseau
- Selects wedding attire according to formality and color of wedding then consults with mother of groom on style and color
- Does not host a bridal shower for bride, but is invited to all showers
- Scouts out reception sites, photographers, florists, caterers, musicians, and other wedding-service professionals
- Makes accommodations for out-of-town guests
- Keeps track of incoming gifts
- Arrives at church promptly 15 minutes before wedding rehearsal
- Attends rehearsal dinner
- Arrives at church at least one hour prior to wedding ceremony
- Is last person to be seated before processional begins
- Sits in the left front pew to the left of bride’s father during ceremony
- Is the first person to be ushered out by bride’s father, to his right, immediately following last bridesmaid and groomsman during recessional
- Serves as official hostess at wedding and reception
- Joins newlyweds on dance floor with bride’s father during the first dance, then dances with groom while father dances with bride
Father of the Bride
- Assists with wedding arrangements and services
- Attends wedding rehearsal
- Attends rehearsal dinner
- Rides with bride to the ceremony
- Escorts bride down aisle, to her left, during processional
- Gives bride away and offers blessing
- Sits on first pew on bride’s side of the aisle next to bride’s mother
- Escorts bride’s mother out of church, to her left, immediately following last bridesmaid and usher, during the recessional
- Will be introduced with wedding party at wedding reception
- Dances with bride after “first dance”
- Toasts couple after best man’s toast
- Usually last to leave reception and bids guests good-bye
Mother of the Groom
- May host an engagement party after bride’s family host one, tea party, or luncheon
- Consults with bride’s mother on the proper wedding attire (length of dress, style, color, etc.)
- Arrives promptly 15 minutes before wedding rehearsal
- Host the rehearsal dinner
- Escorted to right first pew just before entrance of grandmother of the bride
- Lights right side of unity candle as you enter church
- Will be introduced with wedding party at wedding reception
Maternal Grandmother of Bride
- Attends wedding rehearsal
- Attends rehearsal dinner
- Lights left side of unity candle before being escorted to seat
- Sits on first pew on bride’s side (left), next to bride’s father
- Is last person to be seated right before processional begins
- Will be escorted out of church after last bridesmaid and groomsman leaves during recessional
- Will be introduced with wedding party at wedding reception
Maternal Grandmother of Groom
- Attends wedding rehearsal
- Attends rehearsal dinner
- Sits on first pew on groom’s side of the aisle
- Will be introduced with wedding party at wedding reception
Paternal Grandmother of Groom
- Attends wedding rehearsal
- Attends rehearsal dinner
- Sits on first pew on right side of the aisle
- Remains in seat after recessional to take photos
- Will be introduced with wedding party at wedding reception
For the Maid/Matron of Honor:
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Pays for wedding attire
- Traditionally hosts a shower or luncheon for bride (or couple)
- May attend all pre-wedding parties or showers
- Arrives at church promptly 15 minutes prior to wedding rehearsal
- Takes note of Officiant and Wedding Assistant’s instructions
- Attends rehearsal dinner
- Arrives at church/venue at least one hour prior to ceremony
- Precedes ring bearer and flower girls in the processional
- Stands to left of bride and slightly behind her during ceremony
- Helps adjust bride’s veil and train during ceremony
- Holds bride’s bouquet and groom’s ring during ceremony
- Is escorted out by best man, to his right, following ring bearer and flower girls, during recessional
- Is introduced with wedding party at wedding reception
- At reception, helps bride with gown, and may offer a toast to the couple
For the Flower Girl:
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Parents pay for wedding attire
- Arrives at church promptly 15 minutes prior to wedding rehearsal
- Attends rehearsal dinner
- Arrives at church at least one hour prior to ceremony
- Follows ring bearer and precedes the bride and bride’s father during processional
- Carries a basket (or pulls a wagon) of stem flowers to be handed to guests during processional
- Stands behind maid of honor during ceremony, facing officiant, or may sit with parents
- Walks beside ring bearer following bride and groom, during recessional
- May be introduced with wedding party at wedding reception
For the Bestman:
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Pays for his wedding attire
- Helps organize or host a bachelor party for groom
- Supervises groomsmen and ushers, making sure they are on time, properly dressed, and know their duties
- Arrives at church promptly 15 minutes prior to wedding rehearsal
- Attends (hosts) rehearsal dinner
- Arrives at church/venue at least one hour prior to ceremony
- Makes sure groom is dressed and arrives at church on time
- Enters with minister and groom prior to processional
- Stands to the left of the groom, facing the guests, during processional
- Stands to right of groom and slightly behind him during the ceremony, facing officiant
- Holds bride’s ring during ceremony until it is needed by officiant
- Escorts maid of honor, to her left, following flower girls and ring bearer, during recessional
- Presents officiant, soloist, musician, and others with fees or honorariums
- May witness the signing of or sign the wedding certificate
- Will be introduced with wedding party at wedding reception
- Offers first toast to bride and groom at reception
- Helps groom change into going-away clothes
- Escorts bride and groom to limousine after reception
- Makes sure all formal wear is returned to rental shop
For the Ushers:
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Pays for wedding attire
- Arrives at church promptly 15 minutes prior to wedding rehearsal
- Attends rehearsal dinner
- Arrives at church at least one hour prior to wedding ceremony
- Has a list of special seating for relatives and special guest
- Asks guest if he or she is a guest of bride or groom (bride’s guest left side, groom’s guest right side)
- For couples, offers your right arm to female guest as male guest follows slightly behind.
- If a group of women, offers your arm to oldest woman, others follow slightly behind
- Maintains equal number of guests in left and right pews, if possible
- Distributes wedding programs
- Lights candles about 15 minutes before the ceremony begins
- Escorts designated family members and friends to reserved seating
- Escorts mother of groom and mother of bride to reserved seating
- Unroll aisle runner, just before flower girls enter
- Check church to see if any items are left after ceremony
- Will be introduced with wedding party at wedding reception
- Encourage single men to participate in the garter-throwing ceremony
- Assist with transporting gifts from reception
For the Ring/Bible Bearer:
Roles and Responsibilities
- Parents pay for wedding attire
- Arrives at church promptly 15 minutes prior to wedding rehearsal
- Attend rehearsal dinner
- Arrives at church at least one hour prior to wedding ceremony
- Immediately precedes flower girls, during processional
- Carries a small satin pillow with a ring tied to it (after ceremony, pillow should be turned upside down before walking down aisle)
- Stands behind best man during the ceremony, facing the officiant
- Walks alone or with flower girls immediately following bride and groom, during the recessional
- Will be introduced with wedding party at wedding reception
For the Groomsmen:
Roles and Responsibilities:
- Pays for wedding attire
- May attend bachelor dinner or party
- Arrives at church promptly 15 minutes prior to wedding rehearsal
- Attends rehearsal dinner
- Arrives at church at least one hour prior to ceremony
- Assists with seating of guest prior to ceremony
- Leads the processional in order of height
- Escorts bridesmaids out, to her left, following maid of honor, during recessional
- Will be introduced with wedding party at wedding reception
