In one of our recent blog posts, Catering CC explored what it’s like to be a bridesmaid in this day and age and how you can do the best possible job ever. In this post, we take a look at what it means to be a groomsman and how you can help out your best friend, the fellow groomsmen and hopefully impress some single bridesmaids.

So you’ve agreed to be a groomsmen, now what? What exactly are the duties of the job? In addition to obviously being an integral part of the wedding, there are some pre-wedding responsibilities too. These include: the bachelor party, the wedding gift, the groomsmen attire, accommodations and the rehearsal.

The bachelor party is arguably the most famous part of this pre-wedding process. Movies like Bachelor Party, the Hangover, American Wedding, The Best Man and How to Murder Your Wife have given way to incredibly high expectations for the evening. But there are more ways to experience the night than the normal repertoire of strippers, gambling and booze (although there’s nothing wrong with sticking to the classics). Many men nowadays opt for more traditional dude activities like bonding in the woods, white-water rafting, skydiving, rock climbing, Atlantic City gambling, a round of golf and a nice steak dinner, or a fancy night at a cigar bar. Whatever your tastes, there a few rules of thumb for any good bachelor party. First, decide upon the guest list. The best man is in charge of inviting friends and relatives of the groom, usually male-only. Next, pick the location, depending on which of the aforementioned themes you wanna go with. Then, schedule the date of the event. Words of wisdom: don’t do it the night before the big day. Instead, schedule the party up to a month before the wedding and, at the very least, schedule it a week in advance, preferably on the weekend. Lastly give thought to considerations such as making sure no one drives drunk, ensuring the comfort of the groom and collecting money from all the groomsmen to cover the night (which is traditional). The wedding gift (that you and the rest of the groomsmen buy together) is also usually given at the bachelor party, so cover that territory before the night gets too wild!

Other responsibilities include the groomsmen attire, rehearsal duties and accommodations considerations. After a suit or tuxedo style is chosen, it is each groomsman’s duty to get fitted and shell out the cash for the ensemble. It is also the responsibility of each groomsman to secure their own lodging during the wedding festivities. Additionally, all groomsmen must be present for the rehearsal dinner and it is advisable to help in any way you can, as your friend and his future Mrs. are sure to be stressed.

There are fewer specific responsibilities for the big day itself, but traditional duties include getting ready with the groomsmen and groom himself, helping him in any way possible, greeting and escorting guests and being sociable and (somewhat) well-behaved at the reception. This may seem like a lot to remember, but it will come naturally and be a lot of fun, especially the reception. There will be booze, friends and amazing food, especially if your groom was wise and selected Catering CC for one of the biggest days of his life.