The Origin of Wedding Attendants

In Africa, and in particular among the Agikuyu people of Central Kenya, a bride used to be stolen or kidnapped by the groom and his friends and was carried arms high into her new home.

In other parts of the world like in Europe, a similar custom existed. A bride would be kidnapped from her father’s house by the groom and his best friends away from a family reluctant to let her go.

In other circumstances, a bride would be stolen away to keep other suitors who did not want her to marry her beloved. Her female friends would help her in her “great escape” into the arms of the man she would eventually get married to.

In today’s world, brides are no longer stolen nor kidnapped by the groom with the help of attendants such as best men and brides maids. The role of attendants has however persisted. They are the one’s who help a couple plan the perfect wedding day by running errands before, during and after the wedding day.