Wedding party roles: couple exchanging rings at their wedding

Before the big event and on the day of the wedding, there are some people that step in to play a special role. The members of your wedding party are an integral part of your celebration — but what wedding party roles should you have, and what do they typically do?

In this guide, we’re sharing the most well-known wedding party roles. We’ll talk about what their roles and responsibilities are, as well as some tips on how to choose who to fill those important roles and how to help them work together.

13 of the Most Popular Wedding Party Roles

Ready to get the low-down on the main wedding party roles? Discover what each role involves and what you can expect from that person before and during your big day.

Note that we’ll be reflecting on some of the traditional wedding party roles, but there’s no rule saying you must have any of these at your wedding. Some of the roles are traditionally gendered, but they don’t have to be — swap the flower girl for a flower child, or a best man for a best woman. It’s your big day, so it’s completely your choice whether you stick with traditional roles or mix and match to create the right feel for your celebration.

1. Person of Honor

The honor attendant (or person of honor) is a key role within the bridal party, and one that involves helping the bride (or brides) with the wedding planning. They might plan the bachelorette party, help with choosing the wedding dress or bridesmaid dresses, and make sure that everyone on that guest list RSVPs by the deadline.

Traditionally, this role is filled by a maid of honor (or a matron of honor, if they’re married) but there’s no reason you can’t have a man of honor or person of honor instead. Make a maid of honor proposal to your closest friend or family member — someone that can be relied on for practical and emotional support before and during the big day.

2. Best Man or Woman

Wedding party roles: groom and his best man laughing while holding their glasses

While a bride typically has a maid of honor, the best man is a role assigned to the groom’s (or grooms’) best friend or closest family member — like a brother. The responsibilities are very similar, with the best man (or woman) organizing a bachelor party, assisting with pre-wedding prep, and offering wise thoughts to the groom-to-be.

3. Groomsmen or Groomswomen

The groomsmen (or groomswomen) are a collection of close family members or friends of the groom, and it’s their responsibility to support them (and the best man or woman) to help the day run smoothly and offer emotional support.

Although traditionally a role for men only, there’s no reason you can’t have a mixed gender party of friends by your side as you get married. Enlist their help in other areas too — like greeting guests, handing out programs, directing guests to their seats, or getting people out on the dancefloor. Thank them for their service afterwards with a thoughtful groomsmen gift.

4. Bridesmaids or Bridesmen

Bride and bridesmaids smiling at the camera

Just as grooms have groomsmen, the bride can call on her party of bridesmaids (or bridesmen, or both!) to rally around her with love, support, and joy on the special day. Send a bridesmaid proposal to your favorite people and get together before the big day to plan the bridal shower, finish those last-minute pre-wedding preparations, and brainstorm how they can help you and your guests to have an amazing time.

5. Flower Girl or Flower Boy

A younger member of the family is often called upon to act as a flower girl or flower boy. This adorable role involves walking down the aisle with the wedding party and sprinkling flower petals (or something else of your choosing) down the aisle as they go.

6. Page Boy

A page boy is often a close family member or family friend that walks down the aisle either with the flower girl, holding the train of the dress, or holding a sign. It’s traditionally a young boy that fills this role, but there’s no reason you can’t have a page girl instead.

7. Ring Bearer

Ring bearer carrying 2 wedding rings on a small pillow

The ring bearer has an essential role — to deliver the wedding rings to the officiant so the two of you can be happily married. While this can be a standalone role, it’s often taken up by a younger member of the family like a page boy or flower girl. That’s not a must-have, though — the best man, maid of honor, or officiant can hold the wedding rings as well.

8. Ushers

Not every wedding day features ushers, but for larger weddings they’re highly valuable. Ushers are usually family friends or close friends of the happy couple, and their main responsibility is to direct wedding guests to where they need to be — whether that’s a seat in the aisle or their table at the wedding reception.

9. Officiant

There’s one key role that’s usually not taken up by someone you know well, and that’s the officiant. It’s their role to preside over the ceremony as you say your wedding vows and take care of all the official paperwork, like the marriage license. In some ceremonies, the officiant may be a religious leader. In others, you might even have a loved one that wants to get ordained just so they can play the role of officiant on your special day.

10. Father of the Bride

In a traditional wedding setting, the father of the bride is the person tasked with paying for most of the celebrations. These days, that’s less common, which takes some of the weight off this person’s shoulders. Instead, the father of the bride can look forward to potentially walking his daughter down the aisle and enjoying the first father-daughter dance with the newlywed bride out on the dance floor.

11. Mother of the Bride

If the bride is close with their mother, they’ll often play an integral role not just on the day but with the wedding planning process too. The mother of the bride may help with decisions like which caterers to choose or how to style the space, and help the bride get ready on the big day. Lots of folks also have their mom walk them down the aisle.

12. Mother of the Groom

This role mirrors that of the father of the bride, only the other way around. The mother of the groom may have an active role in planning the wedding and supporting the groom with their decision-making in the lead up to the big day. Although it’s less talked about, there’s also that first mother-son dance to prepare for too.

13. Father of the Groom

The father of the groom role is similar to that of the mother of the bride. It’s traditionally the father’s role to support their son through this big life moment with emotional and practical support, advice, and wisdom. A father of the groom (or any parent) might also give a speech, lead a toast, or do a reading at the ceremony.

How to Choose Your Wedding Party

Whether you stick with traditional roles or throw out the classic rules in favor of your own, choosing your wedding party is a big deal. Your wedding party should be filled with close friends and loved ones, but how do you decide who fits which role?

The best way to decide is to think about who you’d like in your party overall, and then you can narrow down the roles. Some are more obvious — like the mother/father of the bride/groom — but others could be held by anyone. Ask your closest friend or family member to act as your maid/man of honor or best man/woman, with the others filling out your wedding party.

Think about who’d be good in each role, and assign specific responsibilities to different groomsmen or bridesmaids. Some friends are excellent at organizing and planning, while others can help you put together some incredible online invitations for your big day. Consider why you love your friends and family members and how their unique gifts can enhance your wedding ceremony and reception.

Tips for Helping Members of the Wedding Party Work Together

It’s not always possible, but ideally you want your wedding party members to meet each other ahead of the rehearsal dinner or wedding day so they can get to know each other and help you out more easily.

Here’s how you can get everyone acquainted and working at their best together:

  • Plan and host a pre-wedding event to introduce everyone (or do this at your engagement party)
  • Set up a group chat for your wedding party
  • Give everyone a defined role so they can contribute in the best way possible
  • Ask your maid of honor or best man to act as a host
  • Set deadlines, manage expectations, and encourage everyone to communicate openly

Working together to make a wedding day special is a lot like collaborating at work or on a project. Ask your wedding party to bring their best project management and problem solving skills to the moment, alongside their unique talents and gifts!

Surround Yourself with the Best People on Your Special Day

Your wedding day is an exciting moment within your love story, and it makes perfect sense to have your loved ones standing by your side as you say your vows.

If you’d like your wedding party to help you out with save the dates, wedding invitations, and thank you notes, you’ll love Greenvelope. Our wedding collection has everything you need to send stunning, customizable, online invitations and cards to your loved ones before and after your big day.