Why is there a Best Man?

The history of the Best Man is one that is steeped in violence and intrigue.  Various sources report is beginning with the Goths in Germany or the Scots in Scotland; however, the basic story is still the same.

In small villages, the eligible men were expected to marry a girl from within the village.  If the eligible women were few, a man would often choose a woman from a neighboring village. Once chosen, she would be kidnapped by the potential groom, brought back to his village, where he would marry her.

As you can guess, the kidnapping of a woman was not a one-person task.  The Groom would select a man from his village who was strong and skilled in combat to help him “abduct” the chosen woman.  This often resulted in the abducted woman’s family trying to rescue the woman.  During the ceremony, the best man, fully armed, would stand next to the groom and fend off any of the woman’s family members who were trying to “rescue” her.

Additionally, the best man stood guard at the door of the couple's wedding chamber to prevent any of the bride’s family members from rescuing her before consummation could occur. Today, the role of the best man is much more sedate, for the most part.  Often, the best man is responsible for planning and executing the Bachelor Party, along with being the groom’s right-hand person for all things dealing with the wedding.

Sometimes, today, the term “Best Man” may be a misnomer.  It is not unusual for a groom to have a “Best Person”.  Generally, someone of the opposite sex takes the place.