When children find true love, parents find true joy.
Here's to your joy and ours, from this day forward.
~ Anonymous

Parents have many hopes for their children. They hope they will grow up healthy, happy and free of worry. They hope they will find decent and loyal friends, enjoy and get good grades in school, go to college and launch fabulous careers. They hope their children will love them and stay in touch. And, one of the biggest hopes parents have for their children is that they will find true love and make a good marriage. 

I Now Pronounce You Husband and Wife

In planning one's wedding with all the details and pre-wedding flurry it's easy to lose site of the main event: the actual ceremony in which the bride and groom say, "I do." It's the instant in which two people confirm the course of their lives together. Therefore, one of the major and earliest decisions you need to make -- in addition to the venue and date and time of the wedding ceremony -- is your choice of officiant. This is the key member of your wedding party who will orchestrate your ceremony from the words, "We are gathered together," to "I now pronounce you husband and wife." It's important to note that an officiant's calendar can fill up as rapidly as a venue's, so booking a year in advance is not unusual.

 "'You...must remember to always be polite and patient
and calm during the wedding,' Mommy said.
'I know, Mommy," Sophie said, "I'll be super-duper good.'"
~ The Most Special Flower Girl Ever, by Linda Griffith (illustrator)
"David wasn't sure it would be as much fun as the zoo,
but he trusted Uncle Andrew."
~ The Best Ever Ring Bearer by Linda Griffith (illustrator)

There is nothing quite so charming and heartwarming as young children in a wedding processional. It's also worth noting that there is nothing quite so challenging as managing young children in such circumstances. For that reason, you should select little ones who are at least three years old to be flower girls or ring bearers, and slightly older is even better. Tinier attendants sometimes decide to take a detour into the congregation or audience, become confused or frightened, break into tears and want mommy or daddy, or forget what they're supposed to do and literally sit down on the job -- right in the path of the bride!

I am happy to be here tonight.
When [insert name of groom] wanted a best man,
he asked the smartest man he knew. When he said no,
he asked the best looking man he knew.
When he said no, he asked the most popular man he knew.
And, finally, after being asked three times, I agreed!
~ Popular and Humorous Paraphrased Example of Best Man's Toast

As the groom, choosing your best man is as important as the task of your bride-to-be choosing her maid of honor. The best man will be your honor attendant on whom you can lean throughout the wedding planning process, and especially on the day of the wedding. Therefore, he should be someone who you know well, with whom you are comfortable and on whom you can depend. If you do have the leeway to do so, ask someone who is mature, reliable, outgoing and a take charge but not overbearing type; that way, things will get done in a timely, smooth and proper manner.

My best friend is marrying the love of her life.
I just got my hair and makeup done and I look incredible. 
I figured out how to hide tissues in my bra. Maggie looks radiant.
The photographer just took the best picture ever of us
laughing and hugging.
I've never seen her look as happy as she does looking at Tim right now.
This is the best day ever.
~ The 25 Emotional Stages of Being A Bridesmaid ~ Cosmopolitan

Once the bride-to-be has chosen her honor attendant(s), she'll decide whether she also wants to include bridesmaids in her wedding party. As stated in previous entries, the bride may choose to have any number of attendants or no attendants at all. If she wishes to have only one or two attendants she will usually designate both as honor attendants (maids/matrons of honor).

“I look for someone who has a sense of fun…Someone who’s audacious, who is forthcoming, who has politics, who has even a small scrap of passion for the planet. Someone who is decent, has a sense of justice, and thinks I’m worthwhile.”
~ Lily Tomlin on Women’s Friendships - TEDBlog

One of the most exciting and emotional moments for the bride-to-be is when she asks someone special in her life to be her maid or matron of honor (the former being unmarried and the latter being married). But the choice of this particular honor attendant is also a key strategy to keeping the bride-to-be sane and organized; thus, it is worth all the time and effort invested to select the right person.

Bing Images

LILLIAN So you’ll be my Maid of Honor...
ANNIE Oh god, of course I will.
LILLIAN We’ll have so much fun. We can plan everything together.
ANNIE ...planning a wedding.
LILLIAN Are you sure you’re up for it? I know it’s a lot to ask and put on your plate. You’re going through a tricky time, it’s a lot to ask...
ANNIE Stop. It’s fine and I’m more than happy to do it. It’s not too much.
~ From the script of Bridesmaids (2011)
 Starring Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph

The question and the champagne have been popped. The engagement ring is on the finger. The announcement has been made, the date set and the venue selected. You've now reached another milestone in your wedding planning. It's time to assemble the wedding party.