Junior groomsmen?

AutumnEnchantment

Has anyone heard of this concept?  My fiance wants to include our son in our wedding and he'll be 8.  Getting a bit up there to be a ring bearer (plus he was one in a cousin's wedding and lost the rings...I TOLD them not to attach the real rings but go figure...so his track record isn't the best).  He initially thought perhaps he could play the role of best man but I believe there's a bit of an age requirement to sign the marriage license. 

mbcdefg

A "junior groomsman" is a groomsman. I don't know why so many people feel compelled to add the "junior" label ... I think a lot of couples fear that guests will see a young groomsman or bridesmaid and scream, "OMG, that means (s)he must have attended the bachelor(ette) party, how AWFUL!" *faints* But I can't imagine anyone in their right mind thinking that an 8 year-old groomsman would attend a bachelor party.

A groomsman's requirements are to wear the tux/suit, walk down and up the aisle as necessary (either solo or escorting a bridesmaid - and yes, it's fine if he walks with an older woman), stands quietly during the ceremony and poses for the formal photos. If you think that your son is mature enough for this, then he's old enough to be a groomsman.

He could even be Best Man if you wish. The Best Man should be the groom's closest friend, and if your son fits that description then having him as Best Man would be a lovely sentiment. It's true that the Best Man typically signs the license as the official witness, but it doesn't HAVE to be the Best Man, and that's not the duty that defines the Best Man's role. Again, he should be Best Man if he is the groom's closest friend. So your son could certainly stand up as Best Man, but you could have an adult sign the license. Even if you DID have an 18+ Best Man, you could still have someone else sign the license instead of him ... it doesn't HAVE to be the Best Man, it just needs to be an adult who witnessed the ceremony. You could ask a parent or sibling to do it, another bridesmaid or adult groomsman, or you could pluck any random adult from the ceremony audience if you wished.

SarahPLiz

IMO, mcbdefg is correct on all points.

emilyinchile

Agreed.

trix1223

ditto mbc.  Your son can be a groomsman.  He can also be your best man.  If you live in a state where the license must be signed (it doesn't have to be signed by witnesses in all states), then anyone over the age of 18 who witnesses the ceremony can sign it.

And please don't call him a junior anything.  Here's what a GM does:  wear the suit (tux), stand respectfully during the ceremony, walk out afterward, smile for the pictures.  If your son can do that, he's a GM.

bablingbrooke

Make him your Best Man.  It will be your whole family up there together and make it all the more touching.

The Best Man doesn't have to be the one to sign the license.  It just says "witness", not "best man" on the license.  

Please don't put form and style over substance here.

banana468

It's absolutely fine to make him best man.  Someone else can sign the marriage license if necessary.