Maid of Honor-Holds the wedding ring before the ceremony, assembles  the bachelorette party, helps the bride run errands, hosts the bridal shower, witnesses the marriage certificate signing, and holds the bride's bouquet during the ceremony.

Bridesmaids-Help with the bridal shower, help choose the bridesmaids' gowns, attend pre-wedding parties and help the bride dress for the wedding. Each bridesmaid must pay for her bridesmaid gown.

Best Man-Holds the bride's ring before the wedding, organizes bachelor party, assists groom with errands, offers first toast at wedding reception and witnesses the signing of the marriage certificate.

Groomsmen-Usher guests to their seats before the wedding, attend pre-wedding parties, help gather family members and wedding party for pictures. Each groomsman must pay for his own tuxedo rental.

Flower Girl-Walks down the aisle behind the bride, placing flowers along the runway.

Ring Bearer-Walks down the aisle and carries a pillow with the fake rings on it.

Traditionally, the bridal shower was given to help the bride and groom furnish their new home together. The bridal shower is given by the maid of honor or a close friend for the bride about 3 months to 3 weeks before the wedding. It is considered inappropriate for a close family member to host this particular shower and those invited must also be invited to the wedding (unless it is a shower for co-workers). Only guests who know the bride are invited. During the Bridal Shower, light snacks are served, games are played where guests win small prizes and gifts are given to the bride.

Bridal Showers usually have a theme such as a "kitchen shower",  "bathroom shower" or "lingerie shower".  Providing a theme helps the guests choose specific gifts for the couple-to-be.

Snacks: finger sandwiches, cookies, mints, chips.

Games: A Wedding Gown of Toilet Paper-Divide the guests into teams, give them each a roll of toilet paper and a roll of tape. Tell them to make a wedding gown and veil for the bride out of the toilet paper using one of the players on their team as a model.

Clothespin Game-When each guest enters the party, give them a clothespin to stick to their shirt or dress. Whenever someone says the bride's name, they must take off the clothespin and give it to the person who heard them say the name. Whoever has the most clothespins at the end of the shower wins a prize.

Ideas for Themes:

Lingerie -Have guests find pretty and lacy lingerie for the bride. Fun things to do for a Lingerie Theme is to have a massage therapist come to the party or a male dancer and decorate the room in lace and silk.

Kitchen:  With the shower invitations, send out a blank recipe card for guests to fill out with their favorite recipe. Along with their kitchen-type gift like an assortment of wooden kitchen spoons, aprons or other appliances and utensils that might be used to make this recipe, the guests will give the bride their recipe card. Provide a recipe holder for the bride to place the recipe cards in.

Patio Party: For the couple who likes to have friends over, this theme is a real hit. Have the shower outside with  "picnic-like" decorations and have the guests bring presents they would use to have a grill out from portable grills to patio chairs to napkin sets.

 Things to remember:

*Make sure the bride has registered for the type of gifts she would like to receive at local stores. And make sure that there are also inexpensive gifts listed for those guests on fixed budgets.

*Don't forget to help the bride with thank you cards. An easy way to make sure all the guests receive a thank you is to have blank thank you cards at the shower. Have each guest fill out their name and address on a blank envelope. While the bride is opening the present, jot the name of the present on a piece of paper and place it in the envelope the guest filled out. At the end of the shower, give the envelopes, blank cards and paper with the present written on it to the bride.

There are so many things to remember and time will seem to fly by as your wedding gets closer. Ask family and friends to make a list of things that were important for their weddings and use their lists to make one of your own. And just so you don't forget some very important events, we compiled a list of our own below:

• Choose a wedding date.

• Make a budget for your wedding, checking with parents and family members for their support with the wedding.

• Decide on the formality of the wedding.

• Choose where you want to get married and where you will have the reception. Make sure you can reserve for the date you plan to marry.

• Contact the member of the clergy or officiate who will be performing the ceremony and attend classes if required.

• Choose your bridesmaids, groomsmen, ushers.

• Choose the themed color for your wedding.

• Contact the florist and wedding designer.

• Choose the bride's gown, the grooms' and groomsmen's tuxes and the bridesmaids' gowns. Make reservations for fittings.

• Acquire the photographers, videographers and musicians.

• Send engagement picture and information to local newspapers.

• Choose and order wedding invitations and wedding favors.

• Decide on the type of wedding cake and who will make it.

• Arrange transportation and lodging for out of town guests.

• Decide where you'll go for your honeymoon and get plane and lodging reservations.

• Make arrangements for pre-wedding parties and rehearsal dinner.

• Schedule appointments for hairdressers and makeup for the wedding.

• Get blood tests if needed and apply for marriage license.

So you have to offer the toast at the reception and you're pretty sure you're going to blow it? Take some time and relax. Call up or meet with family members to find out some fun anecdotes about the couple. Not a speaker? Search some fun (and short) quotations online.

Special Hocking Hills Areas for Your Wedding:

A Georgian Manner - elegant weddings and lodging on Lake Logan.

Ash Cave - beautiful natural area for weddings. Call Hocking Hills State Park for rules and application (740) 385-6842.

Bridesmaids' Luncheon-Usually held a couple weeks before the wedding, the Bridesmaids' Luncheon is given by the bride as a thank you for her attendants' help. It can be held at the bride's home, at a restaurant or even as a picnic. It is not unusual to have dress fittings during this informal luncheon.

Bachelorette Party-Usually held a couple days before the wedding by the bridesmaids for the bride. The party is a great way for the bride to get together with her friends. Customarily, the bride is given gifts of intimate lingerie or sexy gifts.

Bachelor Party-Usually held a couple days before the wedding by the groom's friends or groomsmen. It can be wild and boisterous and is almost always informal. It is a good time for the groom to thank his wedding party with a gift.

The Rehearsal Dinner-After the wedding rehearsal, this dinner is usually held in a restaurant, rented hall or at a home by the groom's parents. All of the wedding party, family members, bride and groom and out of town guests usually attend. 

As a general rule, it is always nice for the bride, groom and their families to sit down and discuss the payment obligations of all the parties involved. Tradition has always held the groom's family pays for certain items while the bride's family pays for others. But as times change, so have the customs of paying for the wedding, receptions and parties. Here is the traditional way some wedding expenses are paid:

	Did  you know. . .traditionally, the flower girl tossed rose petals on the ground before the bride to ward off evil spirits that might come from below and spoil the wedding.