Ushers are male relatives or friends and are also called Groomsmen. Their main role is to welcome guests to their seats on arrival at the wedding ceremony venue.
If there is a risk of rain, ushers must be prepared with umbrellas to assist the bride, the bridal party and guests, when entering the ceremony and reception venues.
Guests should be seated in this order:
Guests of the bride on the left side of the church, facing the altar, while guests of the groom on the right side.
The first seats are reserved for the parents, grandparents, Best Man, Maid of Honour, bridesmaids, witnesses and other bridal party members.
Where the number of guests of the bride is much higher than the number of guests of the groom (or viceversa), the ushers should take care to seat them in a way to balance the two sides. Therefore, in this case, some guests of the bride may be seated on the groom’s side. This should be done upon the guests’ arrival and not after having been seated!
Ushers have to distribute the ceremony programmes to the guests after they have been seated and then collect them once the ceremony is complete.
They should also make sure that the red carpet is in place and that it is not possible for the bride or any other person to stumble over it.
Usher also should be available to help the Bestman as necessary.