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The Ultimate Best Man Checklist: How to Pick the Right Guy to Have Your Back
So, how do you make sure your best man is the best pick? You probably have a few guys in mind for the role. Sure, you could just go with your gut and pick the one who feels right—and it might work out just fine. But remember, your best man is more than just the dude you'll be doing shots with on your big day. He's your support system, the one who delivers the speech, organizes the stag do (in Prague, wink wink), and ensures everything goes smoothly. Are you still sure your best friend from elementary school, who never responds to texts and is always late, is the best choice? Here’s how we’d approach it:
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Consider the Key Character Traits
When looking at best men, the good ones tend to share a few key qualities. They’re loyal, trustworthy, responsible, and have a great sense of humour. They also need solid communication skills (because there will be tricky situations to handle like your great uncle hitting his limit with the booze). Attention to detail is a must—they should be fully engaged with the day, not just cruising through it obliviously. Now, take a moment to think about your candidates. Who checks off the most boxes? Ensuring your best man has these qualities should be your first step before moving forward with your decision.
Do They Have Beef with Anyone?
Next, take a step back and think about how your candidate interacts with your family and friend circles. Are they good with everyone? Maybe a minor (or not-so-minor) past issue could make the whole best-man situation awkward. Ideally, your best man should know your family and friends well enough to speak with anyone comfortably and give a speech that truly resonates. It is even better if your best man is familiar with your bride’s family—or gets to know them before the big day—so that no one feels left out or uncomfortable during the celebration. Your best man should be a social butterfly. He’ll connect with many different people and groups, and he needs to make it all feel effortless. So, our advice? Go with an extrovert! (Who will also be comfortable with a task like ‘hire a stripper’ or something similar.)
Extraverted Friend or Family Member?
So, should you go with your actual brother or a “brother from another mother” (aka your best friend or a close mate)? If you pick a family member, you’ll benefit from a stronger bond and a deep understanding of your family dynamics, which can help prevent any issues on a day when you’ll already be stressed (or, let’s face it, your bride will be). The downside? They might not know your friends well enough to keep things fun and smooth for everyone. This could be a problem, especially when planning the stag night and choosing activities. Just picture them booking a beer spa in Prague, completely unaware that one of your friends is actually allergic to hops. Or something like that.
What about choosing a friend? You probably share similar interests and values and can count on each other. Great. Friends can also be more objective when handling wedding stress than family, who may be too emotionally invested. But do they know your family? If not, think twice—or plan a small get-together before the wedding. Also, friends might not be familiar with your family’s little quirks, like the nickname they gave you when you were five that still sticks but one you haven’t heard in years. Or ever.
What Does Your Fiancée Think?
This one probably should’ve come first, haha. Make sure you talk with your fiancée and get her take on your potential candidates. Even though it’s your best man, he’ll play a significant role in the wedding planning and the big day. And who’s going to want every detail under control? Yep, you guessed it—your future wife. Do they get along, or do they tend to avoid hanging out? Will your best man be able to respect all the sometimes a little crazy requirements she might have for the day? Is he ready to support both of you? Before asking your mate to take on the best man role, these are the questions you should ask yourself.
Last but Not Least: The Party!
If your best man is in charge of organizing your stag do, ensure he knows what he’s doing and comes up with the best stag do ideas. You don’t want to sit silently in a bar while on a Prague pub crawl around Prague bars, staring at your pints and feeling awkward. Being a great organizer is a must for your best man. And if he’s not the best at event planning? No worries—he can still handle it but might need some help. Ensure he reaches out to us; we can help him plan the weekend in Prague. So, be sure to slide our contact info into his DMs!
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