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The Complete Best Man Guide

The Premier Best Man Guide

Congra­tula­tions, you have been given the job of best man. What an honour.

We have put together the complete stag party best man guide to save you time and hassle: your best man duties, the speech, the games, and a stag do the groom will thank you for. Funktion Events has organised 12,000+ stag weekends since 2007 and is ABTA-bonded (Member No. Y6501), so the advice here comes from people who do this every day.

Take the pressure off, grab a brew and read through the lot. When it comes to the day itself, our funny stag do activities get the biggest laughs out of the group.

The Stag Do Essentials

Stag Do Pranks

15 Stag Do Forfeits

Stag Do Games

Stag Do Drinking Games

Stag Do Planning

Stag Weekend Survival Kit

Stag Do T-Shirt Names

20 Stag Do Dares

Stag Do Accessories

Costumes & Fancy Dress

Stag Do WhatsApp Group Chat Names

Sten Do Ideas

Stag Do Themes

Decorations for Stag Parties

Best Man Tips & Advice

Best Man Duties

Best Man Speech

Best Man Socks

Wedding Jokes

Usher Duties

Ways to Keep the Groom Happy

How to tie a Windsor Knot

Best Man Facts & Figures

What is a best man?

Everyone knows someone who has been a best man, but what is the job? The best man is the groom’s right-hand man and confidant through the whole wedding process, responsible for a range of duties before, during and after the day. Whatever the groom needs sorting, he comes to the best man.

What does a best man do? Your duties at a glance

Here is the job broken into the three stages that matter. For the full run-through, see our complete best man duties checklist.

Before the wedding

  • Sort the stag do: agree the budget, sort the guest list, pick the stag do destination (our rankings of all 73 make that quick) and book the activities.
  • Help the groom and groomsmen choose their suits.
  • Keep the ushers organised (see usher duties).
  • Start writing an epic best man speech early.

On the wedding day

  • Get the groom there on time, fed and calm.
  • Look after the rings until the ceremony.
  • Stand next to the groom through the ceremony.
  • Sign the marriage register as a witness.
  • Deliver the speech, and maybe crack a few mother-in-law jokes.
  • Keep the day moving and look after the guests.

After the wedding

  • Return any hired suits on time.
  • Settle any bar tabs or supplier bills the group agreed in advance.
  • Make sure the cards and gifts get to the couple.

Ready to sort the stag do?

The stag do is the biggest single job on your list, and you do not have to do it alone. Agree the dates, numbers and budget with the group first, then let us handle the activities, nightlife and accommodation.

Start with our stag do destinations (73 across the UK and Europe), browse stag do ideas for the daytime, and check the all-in stag do packages if you want it sorted in one go. You book the whole group for a £20 deposit, not a deposit per person, and everyone pays their own share online, so you are not chasing mates for cash.

Browse stag do packages »   or call the team on 0161 341 0052.

Best Man FAQs

What does a best man do?

The best man is the groom’s right-hand man through the whole wedding process. The core duties are organising the stag do, helping with the suits, keeping the ushers and groomsmen organised, looking after the rings, signing the marriage register as a witness, and giving a speech at the reception. See our full best man duties checklist for the detail.

Start as early as you can. Most best men begin sorting the stag do around a year before the wedding, and eight to ten weeks is usually the minimum to lock in dates, numbers and a destination. The speech can wait a little longer, but do not leave it to the night before.

The common ones: leaving the stag do too late, not agreeing a budget with the group, losing the rings, and writing the speech at the last minute. Agree numbers and money early, keep the rings somewhere safe, and have the speech drafted weeks ahead so you can practise it.

The groom usually does not pay for his own stag do; the group splits his share between them. The best man covers his own costs like everyone else. With Funktion Events you book the whole group for a £20 deposit, not a deposit per person, and everyone pays their own share online, so you are not fronting the cash for the group.

Keep it short. Around five minutes, or roughly 700 to 1,000 words, is the sweet spot: long enough for a few stories, short enough to keep the room with you. Our best man speech guide has structure, examples and lines to avoid.

It is traditionally the best man’s job, but you do not have to do it alone. Rope in the ushers or a deputy, agree the budget and dates with the group, then let us handle the activities, nightlife and accommodation. Browse stag do ideas and destinations to start.

On the day you get the groom there on time and calm, look after the rings, stand beside him through the ceremony, sign the register as a witness, give your speech at the reception, and keep the day running so the couple can enjoy it.

The best man leads: the speech, the rings, the stag do and the main support for the groom. Ushers support the best man, mainly guiding guests to their seats and handing out the orders of service. See our usher duties guide for what they cover.

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Cheap Stag Do T-Shirts
  1. Best Man Guide

Cheap Stag Do T-Shirts

To help you save money for your Stag Do, we’ve found our top 10 cheap Stag Do T-Shirts to help your group celebrate in style. Read more here…
Best Man Duties
  1. Best Man Guide

Best Man Duties

Need to know the duties for being a best man? This guide details everything you need to do before the wedding, during the ceremony and after the wedding.
Usher Duties
  1. Best Man Guide

Usher Duties

Get familiar with the most important usher duties you can undertake on the bride-and-groom’s big day, making sure that the whole day goes according to plan!
Stag Do Fancy Dress
  1. Stag Do Accessories

Stag Do Fancy Dress

Get your mates together for your last night of freedom and make sure you celebrate in style with some of these amazing stag do fancy dress costumes and ideas!
Best Man Socks
  1. Best Man Guide

Best Man Socks

Get ready for the big day in style and make sure all the lads are looking sharp by treating the groom’s right-hand man with a memorable pair of best man socks
Thumb Master Drinking Game
  1. Stag Do Games

Thumb Master Drinking Game

See who has the quickest reactions on your stag do with a fast paced game of thumb master. Pay attention to thumbs or prepare to drink a lot of alcohol!
Monopoly Pub Crawl
  1. Stag Do Games

Monopoly Pub Crawl

Visit all the famous locations on the Monopoly board whilst downing plenty of pints with the Monopoly pub crawl. What better way to celebrate with the lads?