Best Man

The best man is the chief assistant to the groom at a wedding and the (along with Maid of Honour) is the third most important in attendance after the Bride and Groom. In most modern, English-speaking countries, the groom extends this honor to someone who is close to him, generally his oldest and closest male friend. When the groom wishes to give this honor to a woman, she may be termed the best woman or best person, or may still be referred to as the 'best man'. The bride's equivalent of the best man is the bridesmaid, or the maid/matron of honor. A gender-neutral term is honor attendant. During a wedding ceremony the best man stands next to the groom, slightly behind him. This means that the four people present at the Altar are the religious attendant (such as a Priest), the Bride, Groom and Best Man. This is common in some western countries, although in others the best man and bridesmaid participate on an equal footing.

While the best man's required duties are only those of a friend, in the context of a western white wedding, the best man will typically:

• assist the groom on the wedding day,
• be in charge of the ushers
• keep the wedding rings safe until needed during the ceremony,
• stand next to the groom during the ceremony,
• act as a legal witness to the marriage and therefore sign the marriage certificate, and
• prepare a "Best Mans speech" to be read at the reception.