NIGHT BEFORE TRADITIONS

The Best Man does have one obligation the night before the wedding, which is to keep the Groom from being with the Bride. It is tradition that the Groom does not get to see the Bride on the day they are married until they are at the wedding ceremony. Therefore, the Best Man must arrange or take the Groom somewhere overnight where the Bride will not be.

If the couple is living together, often the Groom will stay with the Best Man or with his parents. If the Groom needs anything from the house, the Best Man or one of the ushers will pick it up for him on the way to the ceremony. When the Groom has his own apartment or home, the Best Man should escort him to ensure he stays there and does not need anything else that night. The Groom and Best Man determine the time for them to meet in the morning, to dress, and get ready for the wedding.

The night before the wedding is often when the Best Man gets to have a little fun. For example, he may kidnap the Groom or sometimes the Bride, and leave the other stranded, fending for themselves for a few hours. The decision whether to kidnap the Bride or the Groom belongs to the Best Man. Generally, they will go to a bar and have a few shots for the upcoming celebration. Many Brides and Grooms have stumbled out of bed the morning of the wedding to find that they have quite a hangover, all because of the Best Man, and remember that all of this is done in fun and should not be taken too seriously.

The Best Man will often employ the use of the ushers the night before the wedding to torment the Groom in the middle of the night. They may stand outside of the Groom’s house, or wherever he is staying, and play loud music, taunting the Groom to “come out and play.” In general, they will do anything they can to prevent the Groom from getting a good night’s sleep.