In a wedding, everyone has a job, and those jobs have one objective: to make sure the wedding proceeds smoothly. The bride may argue that all jobs are focused on making sure her big day is perfect – and she’s right. Traditionally, the groom and groomsmen arrive at the church or ceremony locale earlier than the bride and her attendants. After all, the women have gowns to arrange, hair to do, makeup to touch up, and other dressing tasks that typically take longer than men. It also allows the bridal party to make a dramatic entrance! While she’s getting ready, the usher has an important role. Let’s take a look at his duties.
The overall job description of an usher is to assist the bridal party, and he usually does this by assisting the groom, best man, and other groomsmen. The most important duty of the usher is to greet guests and escort them to their seats. This ensures that guests sit in the appropriate places, and that seats reserved for honored guests are not mistakenly appropriated. An usher may greet guests at the door and give directions or he may escort a party personally. If the latter is the case, he may either walk with them to the appropriate seats or he may offer his arm to the eldest lady in the group.
An usher seats the bride’s guests on the left side of the aisle, facing the alter or platform where the ceremony will take place. The groom’s guests sit on the right. An usher should be informed if one side’s guests will outnumber the others so he can seat people to create a more balanced look. There are generally at least two ushers for small weddings. Large weddings should have one usher for every 50 guests.
The ushers should arrive at the ceremony venue about 30 to 45 minutes early so his boutonniere can be pinned on and he can get ready to receive early guests. Remember, all jobs are geared towards making the bride happy! If there are last-minute tasks that need taking care of, such as arranging chairs, putting up last minute flowers, or checking the sound system, this can be handled by the usher so the bridal party doesn’t have to worry about them. Dashing around in a gown is not easy, so the usher should make himself available to the bridal party for instructions.
In some weddings, the ushers are an extension of the groom’s party. They may or may not be required to attend pre-ceremony functions, such as the rehearsal dinner, and they may not be as close to the groom as his groomsman. This may be a great job for cousins, old friends, or even the bride’s brothers or cousins. In today’s weddings, there is no reason why the ushers cannot be women. The most important quality for an usher is the ability to chat with guests and put them at ease.
In many weddings, the groomsmen assume the duties of the ushers. They arrive early, receive instructions from the groom or bride, and receive guests. At the conclusion of the ceremony, it is customary for two ushers to escort the bride and groom’s mothers down the aisle. Other ushers may then direct the remaining guests out of the church. In some weddings, the bride and groom greet each pew or row and then move on, releasing that row. This helps keep order and relieves the need for ushers at this point, which is great if your ushers are in the wedding party.
The usher is an integral part of a wedding and can help everything proceed smoothly.
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More Bridal Party Duties:
