Where did the tradition of best men and best men gifts come from?

The tradition of best men has been accepted as a normal part of any modern wedding day however the idea of a best man is far from normal. Best men dates back centuries and is thought to come from Germany.

Back then it was normal for the men of the village to marry the women of the village. However sometimes there were not enough women to go round so the man would have to visit the closest village to find himself a bride.

Once he had found the women he wanted he would ask his best friend, best man, to help him kidnap her and take her home to his village for the wedding. The best man would also have the job of standing next to the couple until the wedding service was complete, as the family would often come to the service to try and rescue the bride to be. As a thank you for his service the best man would be given a best man gift or best man present.

This tradition of gifting has also now spread to usher gifts as well as page boy gifts. Despite the fact there is no history in giving usher or page boy gifts it is done as a thank you for their service during the wedding.

So next time you hear a best man moaning about having to write a speech, tell them they should be pleased all they have to do in this modern age is write a speech not help with kidnap!