Choosing the Ushers is the job of the Groom, albeit with a little input from the Bride.
As a guide, there should roughly be one Usher to every fifty guests (traditionally they are also unmarried, but this tradition has now largely died out) and it is often the case that a minimum of two are appointed – one to ‘look after’ the Groom’s Guests and one to look after the Bride’s guests.
Ushers don’t have to be close friends of the Groom nor do they have to be over eighteen – younger relatives (cousins etc) are often given Ushering duties and it is commonplace for the Bride to have an opinion on who (at least one) Usher should be – likewise the Groom can influence the choice of the Bridesmaids.
One recent modern trend of interest is that the role of Usher is longer a solely male domain – Groom’s with close friendships to members of the fairer sex are appointing them to the position, and who better than a woman when it comes to organising things (a man, I guess you could argue!).
A top-notch Usher should have good organisational skills, an air of confidence, the ability to cope under pressure and perhaps most importantly, have a good sense of humour – a Groom surrounded by guys who are quiet and dull is not a good idea!
There are no pre-requesites for who to choose when it comes down to the Ushers, so take your time and make sure the best guys (or gals!) for the job are chosen.
|
