How to Pick Your Best Man for Your Wedding

Congratulations. You asked her to marry you and she said "yes" without hesitation. You know which girl you want to spend the rest of your life with. But first, there is boot camp to get through – it's called planning the wedding.

A vital step after popping the question is to pick your best man. This guy will be most involved in your wedding and carry the brunt of the responsibility of your groomsmen. Your best man will most likely throw your bachelor party, he'll hold your wedding rings on the big day, he'll convey your wishes to the other groomsmen, he gives a toast and short speech at the wedding reception, and pretty much stands by your side and keeps you from going nuts throughout the whole planning process and on the wedding day.

That being said, your best man should be someone responsible and reliable. Don't pick one of your underachiever buds for this job. You want someone that won't let you down.

A high school or college friend or roommate that has been part of your life on an almost daily level is a good choice. If you are fortunate enough to have a long-term friend, then your choice is a no-brainer. Your best friend is the obvious choice.

If you have one brother, he is also a good candidate for the best man. Your best friend could drift away after college as the years go on, but your brother will always be your brother.

If you have more than one brother, I would hope that you have a long-term friend you can pick as the best man. And then let your brothers all be groomsmen. This way you are not singling out a favorite brother and causing strife amongst the other brothers. But if one brother was the closest in age to you, got along with you the best, and spent the most time with you of all your brothers, then there is nothing wrong with picking him as a best man.

Sometimes a guy will pick his father to be his best man. This is very touching and tells the world that you and your dad are really best friends and understand each other. It's an unexpected twist and will mean a lot to your old man. Don't feel pressure to do this just because it would be you being nice to your dad. He'll be in the wedding in a tux anyway, just like the bride's dad.

You could break tradition and have a woman as "the best man". Although, a title such as "groom's honor attendant" is a better choice. This is a controversial move and may spark some gossip on the wedding day. Your bride is supposed to be your best woman friend. Several eyebrows could be raised amongst the older guests, but the younger guests may not think anything of it. If you are considering this, please be sure to discuss it with your bride-to-be. You want to make sure that all guests are focusing on you and your bride and not one of your attendants.

Whatever you do, go with your gut feelings. It's your choice and anything goes these days. You pick your best man based on who you want to be by your side as you embark on married life.

This article was provided by Lisa Gunther. Lisa is a freelance writer and product reviewer for Gunther Gifts which provides for groomsmen and engraved gift needs.

Related articles:

Choosing Your Groomsmen
How To Give The Perfect Best Man Speech
Best Man - The requirements and duties of the Best Man