The Entourage and Their Roles - Wedding Articles | BridalBook

On your wedding day, your entourage members will play supporting roles for the ceremony. Before you start giving out roles to your family and friends, check out the members' tasks to ensure that you're assigning the right person.

Primary Sponsors

Legally speaking, the primary sponsors are entourage members you cannot do without, since they will sign your marriage contract. Traditionally, couples choose the same number of ninongs and ninangs, but there is no rule specifying that clause. Your primary sponsors will serve as your godparents, so choose people that can give good advice on your marriage. Find sponsors whose marriages you want to emulate as you grow older.

Secondary Sponsors

The secondary sponsors are composed of the candle, veil, and cord sponsors. They play roles according to Christian practices incorporated in the wedding ceremony. The candle sponsors will light the candles beside you; the practice symbolizes God's guidance. The veil sponsors will place the veil over your head and the groom's shoulder to signify that you are clothed as one, while the cord sponsors will connect you with the cord to symbolize the binding nature of your marriage.

Maid of Honor or Matron of Honor and Bridesmaids

During the ceremony, the maid of honor--or matron of honor if she's married--will assist you with your gown's train, bouquet, and other needs. She could also sign as a witness of the ceremony. However, the role entails other tasks prior to the wedding. The maid of honor--ideally--will help you accomplish other wedding-related tasks like coordinating with the suppliers, organizing the bridal shower, packing for the honeymoon, and many other miscellaneous to-do's. The bridesmaids could help the maid of honor with the tasks. To see other tasks assigned to the maid of honor, click here.

Best Man and Groomsmen

When your groom gets cold feet on the wedding day, it is the best man's duty to calm down the groom. He could also sign wedding documents as a ceremony witness. Another important task of the best man is to safeguard your wedding rings until you use them for the ceremony. The other responsibilities prior to the ceremony are planning the bachelor's party, and coordinating with the other groomsmen. The groomsmen help the best man accomplish his tasks. To check other tasks for your best man, click here.

Flower Girl

The flower girl's role is to simply shower the aisle with petals. As simple as this may sound, you still need to be discerning with this choice. Young members of the entourage could be fickle, and you never know when they'll have their tantrums.

Ring Bearer

The ring bearer holds on to your wedding rings, but asking a kid to guard your rings is a risky idea. Don't give your wedding rings to the bearer until he is about to walk down the aisle, or he might lose your rings. Another alternative is to have him carry fancy rings, and ask your best man to hold on to the real wedding rings for safekeeping.

Coin Bearer & Bible Bearer

The coin bearer carries the arrhae, which in the Pinoy culture stands for the promise of providence of the groom for his wife and future family. The bible bearer is present in secular ceremonies; he holds the bible aloft during the processional.