Thank goodness modern bridesmaids and groomsmen don't have the duties they had centuries ago
The Notably Unromantic Reason We Have Bridesmaids and Groomsmen at Weddings
Updated on Jul. 08, 2025
What’s better than marrying your true love? Having your closest family and friends by your side when you say “I do.”
But the history of bridesmaids and groomsmen didn’t always reflect a deep emotional connection. It was simply the law. According to the Roman ritual “confarreatio,” 10 witnesses were required to be present at a wedding while the couple recited sacred verses. Although these witnesses were all men, female attendants did escort the bride to the groom’s home for the ceremony. Keep reading for more about the past and present of wedding attendants.
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The history of bridesmaids and groomsmen
The first bridesmaids appeared even before ancient Rome. In the Bible story recounting Jacob’s marriage to Leah and Rachel, each wife brought a female servant to the ceremony; they were literally the brides’ maids.
Men, however, have a much darker role in the history of bridesmaids and groomsmen. A good deal of it revolves around marriages by capture, when a bride was literally abducted from her family. (This practice started as early as Biblical times and unfortunately still continues today in many parts of the world.)
In some traditions, groomsmen were called Bride’s Knights because they helped carry the bride to the wedding. Best-case scenario: They were taking her from her disapproving relatives to be joined with the man she loved, protecting her from would-be kidnappers.
The other, more troubling scenario in the history of bridesmaids and groomsmen is that the groomsmen were the bride’s kidnappers. It’s believed that the “best man” role originated with 16th-century Germanic Goths, and the best man was the groomsman who actually kidnapped the bride. The best man then stood next to the bride during the ceremony to prevent other suitors or family members from taking her—and to make sure she didn’t run away.
What about bridesmaids and groomsmen today?
Thankfully, the roles bridesmaids and groomsmen play in weddings today are much different from that of their ancestors—namely, coordinating bachelor and bachelorette parties, helping plan the wedding and making sure the bride and groom have the best day possible. And if they happen to catch a bouquet or garter in the process, all the better.
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Sources:
- Vice: “The A to Z of Sexual History: Kidnapped Brides”
- Mental Floss: “21 Surprising Historical Duties of the Wedding Party”
