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1 BCE
Kidnapping the Bride
In times where there may have been a shortage of women in a man's town, he would go to another clan to acquire a wife. Often times, the groom would take his best friend (or best man) to kidnap the bride. -
200
Guarding the Marriage Ceremony
When it became known that brides were being kidnapped, the families of the brides began to retaliate. It then became the best man's job to guard the couple during the wedding ceremony so that the couple wouldn't be attacked if the bride's family came to take her back. This meant that the best men were chosen by their level of experience with a sword. The best man was essentially the man of which could fight with a sword better than others. -
300
Keeping the Bride
As the tradition evolved, it became common for the best man to not only protect the couple, but to prevent the bride from running away. -
Period: to
Developing Into Today's Role
Throughout this time period, as morals began to evolve, the role of the best man became more civilized and became the tradition known in the western world today. -
Term "Best Man" Originated
In Scotland, the term "best man" was used for the first time.
