The changing role of the best man

More than just a ring-barer. The traditional role of sole best man is dying out as grooms seek more than one friend to take on different parts of the role.

The traditional role of sole best man is dying out as grooms seek more than one friend to take on different parts of the role.

From organising the stag do to looking after the rings and giving a “hilarious” speech, the best man has taken on a weighty responsibility on the big day for many decades.

But new figures suggest that grooms are increasingly seeking to split the various burdens among two or three of their closest relatives or friends.

A poll by menswear company Jacamo showed that 32 per cent now choose at least two men to carry out the task while among 20-to-30-year old husbands-to-be the figure rose to 46 per cent.

Among younger men thinking about forthcoming marriage the trend becomes even more marked, with 40 per cent of men aged 18 to 20 saying they would want four “best men” at their ceremonies.

Having more than one best man can have some practical benefits, enabling the responsibilities to be shared, while such a move also enable a groom to avoid making a tricky - and potentially upsetting choice of one good friend or family member over another.

However, couples preparing to go down the aisle are advised to think carefully about the numbers involved in the ceremony before inviting too many people into the key role.

Another additional feature of the modern wedding is the increasingly popular best woman, the poll found.

The traditional role of the best man has always extended beyond the day of the wedding - including the responsibility of organising a stag do, sometimes with a well-thought out prank at the groom’s expense thrown in.

Nowadays the task is even more complicated since the party is often extended over the course of a weekend abroad –so an extra person to help out with the logistics could also help.

There would also be two people to carry out the all-important task of making sure the rings were in a safe place when the big day comes along..