Sure, the Best Man is responsible for planning a killer bachelor party, writing a humorous heartfelt toast and keeping track of the ring — but what else can he do to really leave his mark as BEST Man?

I was recently invited to guest blog on this very topic over at  Every Last Detail. You can check out my post on “5 Unexpected Ways the Best Man Can Help” here.

Cheers!

Guest Blogger Profile: Simon Daykin

Your Best Man is the one guy who you can count on to stand with you when all others will not.  He is unwavering in his loyalty to you.  That being said he will not stand by and not voice his opinion.  He’ll offer the facts, let you know what he thinks and then NO MATTER WHAT you decide he will stand by you.  In short, if your life was a zombie film, he’s the guy you want to have watching your back.

You’ve Chosen Him Before You’ve Chosen Her

Usually you know exactly who your best man will be even before you have asked or even chosen the girl you want to marry.  Yup, the bond can be that strong.  I knew who my best man would be before I met my wife.  We live 3000 kms apart but we’re still tight and chat every chance we get.  This is a man I would die for.

He Tells It Like It Is Even If You Don’t Like It

So make sure you have that bond, you know he’ll give you straight up answers without worrying about offending you.  Sometimes the thing not said is the worst thing NOT to say.  You need to be comfortable with each other.  Way back in the day, the best man’s job was to spend the night with the groom the night before his wedding and make sure he didn’t make a run for it.  Strange but true.  The night before my wedding, my best man and I got a case of beer and sat around reminiscing and writing our speeches.  Well, in truth, he wrote his speech, I watched a movie, drank most of the beer and ad-libbed the whole thing the next day.  It went surprisingly well.

Best Man Etiquette

Make sure he knows he is YOUR BEST MAN.  Ask him to stand by you in private.  You can ask the wedding party as a whole, but ask you BM in private.  Here are some things that will make him stand apart from the rest of your bridal party:

* Make Him Unique- Have his tie or boutonniere differ from yours AND the wedding party’s so people know he is unto himself.

* Let Him Know His Responsibilities- He’ll be making a speech, so make sure you can count on him for that.  He should know not to tell the Mexican hooker story, but some people get caught up in the moment, or the bottle…if you have the bond I mentioned earlier this will not be problem. But he won’t be offended if you run him through some rules you’d like him to follow.

* He’s Your Party Planner- This man will also be the driving force behind your stag party as well.  Another good reason to pick a guy who knows you.  There is nothing worse than showing up and finding out it’s the old “donkey show” and you went and invited both your dad and the bride to be’s father.  Stag parties take on many different faces these days.  The strip club trip, while not a thing of the past, is no longer the be all and end all of the stag experience click here for information on Gutsy Groom’s Stag packages. If there is something you REALLY WANT to do, don’t be afraid to ask to work with him on the Stag.  Or at least let him know if there is anything you 100 percent do not want.

Simon’s Gutsy Groom Advice

Always pick a guy you know will stand by you.  This may offend or upset other friends but try to incorporate them into the wedding party or the wedding in some other way.  Real friends will understand why a certain person will be chosen to be your Best Man.  Treat him well, when picking wedding party gifts, get your best man a little something extra.  He deserves it.

If he has to travel a long distance and you can swing it, pick up his tux rental, send a kick ass car to get him from the airport or take him out for a great dinner.  He came all this way to stand by you so let him know how much that means to you.  Always be open to any questions he may have.

I have a lot of friends and I consider myself lucky enough to have quite a few good friends. But guys I would ask to stand by my side on the most important day of my life, well I can count those guys on one hand and I’m sure you can too.  It’s pretty bloody overwhelming to be a Best Man if you do it right.  And I want every man, standing next to you on that special day to be the Best Man they can be.

Brian from The Groom Says stops by today with a guest post on popping the big question to that special guy in your life.. The Best Man

You’ve got the best and worst out of the way, haven’t you? You hitchhiked cross-country to ask her parents’ permission. You flew to Serbia to locate the perfect diamond. You booked a private jet for Rome and got down on one knee in front of the Trevi Fountain, tossing three coins into the shallow pool as the local band you’d hired played a broken English version of her favorite song, Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight.

Go you.

Only your job isn’t quite through. You’ve got one more person to swoon: the person who will surely be finding your socks, ironing your shirt and snapping you back to reality on the morning of your wedding. It’s time to win over the Best Man.

But be relieved. No one’s expecting romance or surprises or fireworks. Your best man won’t be sharing the news with his girlfriends for the next few months, bragging about where and when and how you did it. Still, that doesn’t mean that you (the Groom) shouldn’t put a little thought into it. After all, memorable can be manly.

the where

I decided to pop the question one evening at a local bowling alley (for you Los Angelenos, that would be the Lucky Strike lanes in Hollywood). My Best Man and I would retreat there occasionally, shedding our significant others for some much-needed man time. Pins. Balls. Beer. Billiards. Lebowski one-liners. It’s the perfect refuge, and it was the ideal location for us.

If you’re looking for something less public (or less commercial), consider a day hike, canoe trip or a drive out to your favorite getaway. The key is to put some thought behind it, and when he says, “I knew something was up,” take it as a compliment. He’s glad you care.

Tell him if he's lucky, you just might pin your button on him..

the when

Pony Express may have been the preferable method in the mid-1800s, but it was important to this groom to pop the Best Man question in person. And sans fiancee. You might need a month to recover from the engagement — take it. If he’s the right person for the job, he won’t care when it happens. And if you’re a good groom, you’ll avoid the 10-cent text:

hi jim, jerry’s phone died but he totally wants u2b his best man. yes?!?! yay!!! -jess

the how

Why this guy? Do you really trust him to be your go-to guy for the next 12 months plus? Will he be the one who scrapes you off of the bathroom floor the morning after your bachelor party, cleans up your stink and doesn’t judge you at any (mis)step along the way?

Then it’s important to express how he’s the only guy you know who could do this job and do it well. It may not need to happen over the loudspeaker at the local roller rink, but be sure to tell him how pumped you are about the next year, and let him know that he’s the only worthy wing man.

And don’t forget … memorable can be masculine. So throw on some rib-eyes at that campground grill, and then throw on the charm. We won’t tell.

Custom Las Vegas Bachelor Party Packages from Firefly Events

Vegas Baby, Vegas

These are three of the most magical words that any Best Man can say to the Groom. A Vegas bachelor party is monumental. It’s the King of Bachelor Parties. And fortunately for the Best Men out there planning a bachelor party: we’ve got huge news.

FireFly Events, one of the coolest companies going right now, has just announced three brand new Las Vegas Bachelor Party packages. These trip packages are custom designed and flawless.

Check ‘em out:

The Hangover – Package includes: Limo, Dinner, Beer, Nightclub (Pure) & Strip Club (Sapphire) (read more)

Last Supper – Package includes: Limo, Dinner, Beer & Strip Club (Sapphire) (read more)

Pure Nightclub – Package includes: Table w/ Bottle Service (read more)

Bottoms up boys!

Have you been asked to be Best Man in an upcoming wedding? Congratulations – it’s quite an honor, but you’ll need to remember that this is about a lot more than giving a speech and planning the bachelor party. While both of those jobs are important, it’s the little things you do for your buddy that he’ll truly appreciate. The groom will be under a tremendous amount of stress in the weeks and days leading up to the wedding. Here are some of the big things you can do that will ease the Groom’s mind and solidify your position as Best Man.

Learn your responsibilities and you may just end up earning this patch.

Organize the Bachelor Party – No brainer here. Giving the groom a memorable last night out with his buddies is one of the most important things you’ll do. Check beforehand on the groom’s thoughts regarding strippers and heavy drinking. If you’re planning on dinner before the party begins, it’s always nice to include the fathers and younger siblings who wouldn’t otherwise get a chance to be a part of the party. Another growing trend is holding a grooms shower earlier in the day.

Write your speech – Let’s face it: We’ve all seen some “interesting” Best Man speeches in our lifetimes. Your goal is for your speech to be remembered for its classiness, rather than for the number of many embarrassing stories you can share with the groom’s unsuspecting family and loved ones.

Assist the Groom with wedding planning tasks – Help the groom and his family decorate for the rehearsal dinner, arrange the wedding transportation, and help out-of-town guests with directions. This might not sound very fun,  but it’ll be a huge help to the bride and groom.

On the day of the wedding, be the groom’s right-hand man – From the time he wakes up; you need to be at the groom’s side, keeping him focused and on task. If the wedding is later on in the day, you may have time to take him out for breakfast or a quick nine holes. In the hours immediately prior to the wedding, help him get dressed, drive him to the church, and give him a pep talk. He’ll undoubtedly thank you for calming his nerves.

Remember your Best Man duties – Keep the rings safe and sign the marriage license as a legal witness to the nuptials.

The Reception – We all know how much fun you can have at a wedding reception (especially one with an open bar). After you give your speech, you’ll surely want to let loose – but remember that it’s important that you’re able to help a little after the party is over. You may be asked to drive the couple to the hotel or to the airport. If not, the bride’s family is always appreciative of extra help in cleaning up and packing gifts into cars.

Your final job – If the bride and groom are bolting early the next morning, you’ll be needed to return the groom’s tux to the rental shop.This is a great gesture and one that will surely solidify your standing as BEST MAN!

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Create a grooms registry, purchase groomsmen gifts, and get advice for grooms at TheManRegistry.com