•  Best Man's Duties - Before The Wedding
  Organise the stag party.
  Order Buttonholes for groom, himself, bride & groom's immediate family and sprays & bouquets for the mothers.
  Organising transport for bridal party.
  Organising/hiring of morning dress, kilt or other clothes for himself and the groom.
  Organise the printing and collection of the service sheets.
  Book accommodation for himself and the groom the night before the wedding.
  Collecting the wedding rings and deliver them safely to the ceremony.
•  Chief Bridesmaid's Duties - Before The Wedding
  Help the bride choose her dress, the bridesmaid's dresses and going away outfits.
  Keep track of acceptances and presents as they come in and help with the general planning of the wedding.
  Confirm details with church, florist, caterer, etc.
  And of course, organising the hen party!
•  Best Man's Duties - On The Wedding Day
  Ensure that the groom and of course the wedding rings, get to the church on time.
  Organise the ushers at the church, making sure they have the service sheets and that they know what there doing.
  Paying the fees for the service.
  Sign the marriage certificate as a witness.
  Accompany the chief bridesmaid from the church.
  Act as toastmaster if desired.
  Making a brilliant speech at the reception.
•  Chief Bridesmaid's Duties - On The Wedding Day
  Help the bride to dress.
  Double check passports, traveller's cheques and check honeymoon luggage are delivered to the wedding night hotel.
  Check the flower girl has her flowers and that she knows what to do and how to behave.
  Arrive at the church before the bride, so you can greet her and help her arrange her dress and veil.
  Hold the bouquet during the ceremony and return it to the bride after the ceremony.
  Ensure the going away clothes are delivered to the reception and help the bride change.
  Try and ensure that everyone is kept happy at the reception and that the children behave. All the bridesmaids should do this where they can.
•  Ushers - On The Wedding Day
  Ushers should help the best man keep things running smoothly.
  The chief usher should escort the groom's parents and the bride's mother to their seats.
  The ushers should arrive at the church early to greet and seat the first arrivals.
  Check if the guests are with the bride or the groom. Guests of the Bride sit on the left hand side and guests of the groom on the right hand side.
•  Big Day Speeches
  Speeches generally tend to follow the meal (wedding breakfast) and are traditionally given in the following order -
  The Father of the Bride (or whoever gave the Bride away).
  The Bridegroom.
  The Best Man.
  In some modern weddings other guests and even the bride herself can make a speech if she desires.
  The Toastmaster (Master of Ceremonies) - He or she can be employed to announce the guests at the reception and introduce speakers but at less formal weddings the Best Man should introduce speakers.

Some people find making a speech easy but people who are perhaps a bit shy think it is a nightmare scenario, but try to remember you are among family and friends. No one will think less of you if you sound nervous or even make a mistake.

Remember to include the basic contents listed below and avoid touchy subjects like feuds, arguments or things that people find offensive. You can practice your speech on a couple of friends if you are unsure about how it sounds. You can also obtain a book of sample speeches if you are really stuck. This can be obtained from most good bookshops, or your local library.

As a last resort, if you find the thought of making a speech absolutely terrifying, you might want to think about appointing another member of the family to make it for you.