A Guide to Wedding Party Duties
On Wedding Day
As a wedding party member, you may be wondering how you can help on the day-of the wedding! We’ve outlined a few things you can do to help. First things first, don’t feel obligated to do everything. Your friends still want you to have fun! These are just some common wedding party duties you can takeover to help if you have extra time.
Wedding Party Duty #1: Decorate or stock their suite with champagne.
There’s nothing better than a little surprise! Have some champagne or small decorations in their room when they wake up, or at their getting-ready location. This will remind them how special you are to them, and make the day just a little bit sweeter.
You can also offer to decorate their honeymoon suite with champagne and/or flowers. Just be sure to check in with their partner as they may have been planning to surprise each other with this.
Wedding Party Duty #2: Offer to bring any personal decor to the venue that day – transport, set up, etc.
If the newlyweds have decided to DIY some items, offer to help bring these items to the venue if you are able! See if anyone has been assigned to set these items up, too. Many times the wedding coordinator or planner will handle personal items, but an extra set of hands may be helpful. At the very least, allowing the couple to rest and not worry about getting decor to the venue before getting ready is a great way to help! This also applies if the couple will be providing their own alcohol and needs it to be transported to the venue.
Wedding Party Duty #3: Offer to gather personal decor/gifts/etc to take home at the end of the night.
Once the party starts, no one wants to step up and be responsible for personal decor. If your friend has DIY’ed anything or brought in their own decorations, offer to help either pack things up or take them home! As a friend, it’s typically easier for you to return these items to the newlyweds than having a vendor do it, as long as you live locally! You can also offer to take home leftover food, alcohol or gifts at the end of night.
Wedding Party Duty #4: Take tons of photos/videos – don’t interfere with professionals!
In today’s age, everyone loves instant gratification of seeing photos immediately. Professional photographers and videographers obviously need time to sort through the best shots and edit them, so get some behind-the-scenes to share with the couple beforehand! Setting up your phone to record special moments like the first dance or toasts is a great idea. If the newlyweds like using platforms like TikTok, consider taking short video clips throughout the day as well. Make sure you aren’t getting in the way of the professionals though. And on the topic of phones – remember to take them out of your pocket before the ceremony! They can be left behind in the getting-ready suite, or with a friend who is not in the wedding party.
However, if the couple has requested an unplugged ceremony or for guests to put their phones away, you should do so as well.
Wedding Party Duty #5: Be prepared with snacks and water.
Remembering to eat breakfast and lunch before the wedding is essential. No one wants to be hangry by the time the ceremony begins, and you’ll want something in your system before drinking at cocktail hour. Be prepared with snacks and water for the entire day. We highly recommend making sure either breakfast or lunch is a full meal, but both would be ideal! It’s also a good idea to make sure everyone is staying hydrated through the reception. Especially with an open bar, you might want to remind fellow wedding party members and the newlyweds to have a glass of water!
Wedding Party Duty #6: Check on their suit or dress/veil throughout photos.
Usually, the maid/matron of honor and best man will be on top of this, but the more eyes the better. If you notice some hair out of place, or a twisted veil, step in quickly and fix it! The couple and photographer will appreciate the extra thought, and the photos will be that much better! If you aren’t busy doing something else, offer to hang around while they do couples portraits to help carry the bride’s dress so it doesn’t get dirty between locations. You could also hold drinks or snacks for them to munch on between shots.
Wedding Party Duty #7: Personal letters or gifts
This doesn’t have to be anything big! One idea is to have the wedding party write short and sweet letters to their friend who’s getting married. Let them read them the morning of the wedding to remind them how special they are. Or maybe print out photos of them with each wedding party member and create a small album. Just to keep both newlyweds feeling equally special, it might be a good idea to collaborate with the other wedding party members to make sure each member of the couple has their own surprise.
Wedding Party Duty #8: Offer to pet or plant sit while they’re on honeymoon.
Many couples worry about their home when going on vacations. Their honeymoon is supposed to be a time to relax, and enjoy being newlyweds! Offer to pet, plant, baby, or house sit for them if you live locally. It will be a huge relief to have someone they know and trust look after their treasured belongings. If you’re unable to do so yourself, maybe help them research sitters in their area.
Last but not least, bring the energy!
One of the most important wedding party duties is to bring the energy! While many things go into creating a beautiful wedding day, a majority of the fun comes from the guests. That’s where you come in! As a member of the wedding party, the guests will look to you for direction. If you are cheering and hyping up the couple, guests will too. If you’re on the dance floor having a blast, guests will to. Set a good example for everyone else to follow!
Of course, none of these ideas are required! Being a member of the wedding party alone is a very meaningful task. If you are able and feel moved to help out with any of the above, the newlyweds would be more than grateful. Most of all – remember to have fun and celebrate love!
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