Why do grooms have a best man?

The risk of a runaway bride must have been around for quite some time, because the best man’s former duty was to make sure the bride didn’t escape during the ceremony.

Sometimes he was even asked to kidnap her in advance and bring her to the ceremony.

On occasions when the parents didn’t approve of the marriage, the best man was tasked with ensuring the groom was able to take his bride away regardless of how her father felt. 

No, the term “best” was added to the title because that person had to be the strongest and most capable when it came to using a sword or weapon to fight off enemies and rival attackers during the ceremony.Oh, and the best man wasn’t just picked because  he was the groom’s best friend or brother.           

And you thought the job of remembering to bring the wedding rings was hard.  Lucky times have changed.

Now the most stressful part of a best man’s duties is delivering a speech that is insightful and entertaining – but hopefully not embarrassing for anyone.