What is the difference between usher and groomsmen

When escorting a couple, you will offer the lady your right arm and let the gentleman follow behind. Guests usually start with the bride's mother or hostess , who greets them with a handshake or kiss and a few words. In turn, the bride and groom thank the guests for coming and make any necessary -- and brief -- introductions to the others in the line. Whether the groom and his groomsmen are buying new tuxedos or suits or renting for the occasion, his family is traditionally responsible for paying for that outfit Note: In many modern weddings the groomsmen pay for their own outfits.

Yes, the groom can have two best men —it's particularly common if a groom has two brothers, or if there are two grooms. However, since the best men may be handling responsibilities as a team, it's important to make sure that the chosen best men get along and can work well together.

Duties of the Best Man The best man may be tasked with duties such as organizing the bachelor party, collecting money and purchasing a gift for the groom , and helping the groom and groomsmen to pick out what they'll be wearing to the wedding.

For a formal wedding with over two hundred guests, the suggested number of groomsmen is between six to ten ; aim for one usher for every fifty people or so. Informal weddings can get away with half of that. Of course, you need to strike a balance between the number of groomsmen and of bridesmaids. What is the difference between groomsmen and ushers? Asked by: Mr. Watson Rempel. Can you have 2 best men? Is being an usher at a wedding an honor?

Who walks the mother of the groom down the aisle? Where do ushers sit during wedding ceremony? Who walks down the aisle first? Do ushers dress like groomsmen? Does the best man count as a groomsman? Ushers should be the first smiling face your guests will see upon arrival at your wedding. The usher is typically a close friend or family member of the couple who is given a role and responsibilities to perform at the wedding. The job of an usher at a wedding is to greet guests, distribute programs, and escort people to their seats.

They may also help with ceremony preparation, including handling tasks such as arranging chairs or testing the sound system, or any of those other essential last-minute tasks that would be of help to the couple on the big day. While both roles signify a close bond with the happy couple, the groomsmen are typically the people who have a closer relationship to the couple than the ushers. The ushers are sometimes not included in pre-wedding events such as the bachelor party and maybe dressed slightly differently than the groomsmen.

Both ushers and groomsmen should be given boutonnieres to help guests identify them. Luxury wedding and event planner Kristin Banta, owner of Kristin Banta Events says couples should be looking for someone who knows a lot of the wedding VIPs. They should be someone who is "able to greet people in a charming and gregarious fashion," she says. Meet the Expert. It short, no, not exactly. While most weddings won't necessarily require an usher you can always put the bridesmaids or groomsmen to work the morning of the wedding greeting guests if necessary , you may want one if you have a more specific need to designate the two sides of seating arrangements.

Or you may need one if there is an issue with reserved seats that isn't made clear. There's no right number of ushers to have, but generally, at larger weddings, there will be more ushers.

A common rule of thumb to use is one usher per every 50 guests. Ushers can be of any age. If it's family, that could be younger brothers.

There's really no age that is appropriate. As a member of the wedding party , the usher should be dressed according to the ceremony. Whether that's a matching suit or dress, or just correlating with the wedding colors. Ushers will have more responsibilities at formal or high guest-count ceremonies. These celebrations often require a larger team of ushers. At a traditional ceremony, the usher is the one to greet guests upon their arrival.

That being said, it's important that the usher is well mannered, cheerful, and hospitable. If there is a printed wedding program , the usher is generally tasked with ensuring each guest gets a copy.

Usually, they will be passing these out while they are greeting the guests. The main role of an usher is to escort guests to their seats, whether they arrive alone, in a couple, or as part of a family or small group.

Seat guests according to the couple's respective side or, if seating is open, ask if the guests have a preference of which side they sit on. They'll also have to keep in mind any reserved seating, like the front row for certain family members. In a less formal setting, ushers will likely have a little less responsibilities.