Maid of Honor/Matron of Honor:  A Maid of Honor is single; a Matron of Honor is married. She must be at least 18 years of age which is the minimum age to sign a legal document.  It is OK to have a male Maid/Matron of Honor.  His title would then be "Honor Attendant."

• Provides emotional support for the bride.
• Coordinates the bridesmaids.
• Helps bride with shopping for her wedding gown.
• Helps bride choose bridesmaid's outfits and accessories.
• Assists bride and bridesmaids with making arrangements for fittings and accessories such as dying shoes, etc.
• Helps bride with other wedding tasks such as addressing invitations, recording wedding gifts, etc.
• Plans the bridal shower.
• Helps the bride and bridesmaids dress before the ceremony.
• Holds and hands the bride the groom's ring during the ceremony.
• During the ceremony, she stands next to the bride, adjusts the bride's veil and train, and holds the bride's flowers when needed.
• Serves as the legal witness of the marriage and signs the marriage certificate.
• Stands next to the groom in the receiving line.
• May offer a toast at the reception.
• Helps bride change into her going-away outfit and takes care of the wedding dress arranging for it to be put in storage or taken to a place of the bride's choosing.
• Helps to ensure that the honeymoon luggage is in the right place when the bride and groom leave for their honeymoon.

• Run errands for the bride during the wedding planning process.
• Assist in making favors and decorating the reception hall.
• Assist in addressing invitations and announcements.
• Assist Maid of Honor with bridal shower.
• They pay for their attire.
• Bridesmaids participate in bridal shower.
• They attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• May assist in caring for the flower girl or ring bearer before the ceremony.
• They march down the aisle in the processional and may stand in the receiving line.

• The flower girl walks down the aisle just before the bride carrying a basket of flowers to strew in front of the bride.  This custom symbolizes a beautiful path ahead.

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Ring Bearer:

• The ring bearer walks down the aisle just before either the flower girl or the bride carrying a pillow with symbolic rings.

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• For a very formal wedding, they carry the train of the bride as she walks down the aisle.

Candle Lighters:

• Usually children of either family who light the candles just before the mother-of-the-bride is seated.

Best Man (if Male) -- Honor Attendant (if Female):  The Best Man or Honor Attendant must be at least 18 years of age which is the minimum age to sign a legal document.

• Provides emotional support to the groom.
• Assists the bride's parents in arranging transportation for the wedding party.
• Assists with making hotel arrangements for the groom's family and out-of-town guests.
• Arranges the bachelor party/dinner.
• Coordinates the ushers/groomsmen.
• Offers the first toast at the rehearsal dinner.
• Helps the groom dress the day of the wedding.
• Drives the groom to the church.
• Carries the bride's ring and gives it to the groom during the ceremony.
• Serves as legal witness to the marriage and signs the marriage certificate.  Also holds the clergy's fee.
• Either drives or rides along with the bride and groom and maid of honor from the church to the reception.
• Offers the first toast at the reception and reads congratulatory telegrams and messages.
• The best man sits at the bride's right at the head table at the reception.
• Dances with the bride and attendants.
• Confirms honeymoon travel arrangements the day before the wedding and insures that the groom has the tickets, etc. when the bride and groom leave for their honeymoon.  He also loads the bride's and groom's luggage for their honeymoon in their car and assists with their get-a-way.
• Returns groom's and usher's rented clothing to rental facility.

Ushers/Groomsmen

• Assist groom and best man with errands and bachelor party/dinner.
• Responsible for clothing rental.
• Attend rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• The ushers should arrive at the church or wedding site at least one hour before the ceremony and escort guests to their seats, seating friends of the bride on the left and friends of the groom on the right.
  • When ushering guests, the groomsman/usher should offer his/her right arm to a woman. The woman's male guest/escort should follow behind you. If a male guest arrives alone (without a female guest), he should walk on the usher/groomsman's right. Unless the male guest has a physical handicap, the usher does not offer his arm. 
• Act as escorts to the bridesmaids.
• One or two of the ushers will escort the bride's mother and the  groom's parents down the aisle at the beginning of the ceremony.
• Pull the runner into place as the bridal march begins and pull it back after the ceremony.
• Escort the bridesmaids at the end of the ceremony.
• Escort the bride and groom's family from the church after the ceremony, then return to direct the departure of guests from the pews.
  • The Groom's parents are seated just prior to the mother of the bride at the ceremony.
• Be available to give guests directions to the reception.
• Provide bridesmaids with transportation from the church to the reception.
• Decorate the get-away car.
• Dance with the bridesmaids at the reception.

The Bride's Parents:

• The mother of the bride helps guests who ask for gift ideas.
• Assists in making the guest list.
• May accompany the bride when shopping for her gown.
• Toasts the couple at the rehearsal dinner.
• The father of the bride escorts his daughter down the aisle and stands next to the mother of the bride in the receiving line.
• The mother of the bride is the last person to be seated before the ceremony and is the first in the receiving line.
• Dances with his daughter after her first dance with the groom.