A groomsman or usher is one of the male attendants of the groom in a wedding ceremony and is responsible for delivering the first wedding speech. Typically, the groom chooses close friends and family members to serve as groomsmen, and it is an honor to be chosen. Typically, the groom selects one of his groomsmen to serve as best man. For a wedding with many guests, the groom may also ask other male friends and relatives to serve as ushers without otherwise participating in the ceremony; their sole responsibility will be to direct guests to their seats prior to the ceremony. Additionally, ushers may be hired for very large weddings.
In the wedding of a military officer, the groomsmen are replaced by the swordsmen of the sword honor guard. They are typically close friends of the groom who have served alongside him. They are responsible for forming the traditional saber arch for the newlyweds and their guests to walk through. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first recorded use of the term ‘groomsmen’ was in 1698, whereas both ‘bride’ and ‘groom’ date back to Old English. The most visible responsibility of the groomsmen is to assist guests in locating their seats prior to the ceremony and to stand close to the groom during the wedding ceremony. In addition, the groom may request assistance with planning celebratory events such as a bachelor party, also known as a stag-do or buck’s night; making the wedding pleasant for guests by chatting with people who are alone or dancing with unaccompanied guests or bridesmaids, if there is dancing at the reception; or providing practical assistance with gifts, luggage, or unforeseen complications. Groomsmen may also take part in regional or local customs, such as decorating the newlyweds’ car.
