Now that the wedding season is upon us. You may have received a few invitations in the mail or even been asked to be your friend’s or brother’s best man.
Being asked to be the best man in a wedding is a great honor. We don’t get bestowed with the title “best” very often in our lives. It shows that your friend or family member holds your relationship in great esteem. You’ve been his go-to guy in life; now he needs you to be his point person during this weighty rite-of-passage. So don’t just shuffle through your role; instead, help your buddy through the most important day of his life by stepping up and fulfilling your duties with competence.
But, as you’re preparing to take on your best man duties, make sure to take note of these eight things you should avoid doing on the wedding day.
1. Wing your speech.
Even if you think it’s best to give an impromptu speech at the wedding, writing and rehearsing your toast beforehand is always the way to go. When the nerves kick in and you’ve already had a few drinks, you will feel more at ease if you have a pre-written speech.
2. Take too much advantage of the open bar.
Just because the free shots of Vodka are eyeing you from the bar doesn’t mean you have to take full advantage of them. As the best man, you’ll be setting an example that the other groomsmen will follow. So avoid the shots — at least until later in the night.
3. Change out of your tuxedo.
Even if you find yourself getting sweaty on the dance floor, leave your tux on for the night. Remember, you’re not at a Club Quilox party, you’re at an elegant affair — and there will be pictures taken throughout the night. No one wants to see a shirtless or disheveled groomsman in photos.
4. Hit on the bridesmaids.
You’ll be spending a lot of time with the bridal party, so treat them with respect. Otherwise you *may* earn yourself the title of ‘the creepy best man.’
5. Get the groom drunk before the ceremony.
It may be tempting to feed the groom a few shots before the wedding to help calm his nerves and start the party early, but as the best man, one of your main jobs is to make sure the groom walks down the aisle — sober. Keeping him as sober as possible pre-wedding will make your job a whole lot easier.
6. Go Missing In Action.
Be sure to have the groom’s back on his wedding day and try not to leave his side. Even if it seems like you have a lot of downtime before the wedding and you want to search for the nearest bar or spot to eat, make sure you don’t disappear on the groom.
7. Show up late to anything.
The last thing any groom wants to deal with on his wedding day is a best man that’s an hour late. A good rule of thumb is to be 10 minutes early for every wedding event.
8. Take over the dance floor.
It’s great to be the Best Man who is the life of the party but tries not to steal the show. Remember who the center of attention should be that night (hint: the bride and groom).