‘Why I asked my mum to be my BEST MAN!’
Most grooms pick their closest friend, someone who has stood by them throughout their lives and can be relied on to get them to the church on time and deliver a great speech.
In that respect, Mark was no different. It just so happens that his best friend is his mum, Sandra Reid.
“She has always been there for me,” said Mark, 26. “I had the idea as soon as we got engaged. People have said to me it’s really unusual but my mind was made up, we have always been really close and as far as I was concerned there wasn’t anyone else in the running.”
Mark had originally hoped his grandfather David Bryson would act as his best man but when he died in July 2015, he knew there was only one person for the job.
Already on a high following the news of her only son’s engagement, Sandra was thrilled to be asked to be his best man.
Although she was initially unsure about what exactly it would entail, the 58-year-old, of Lanark, South Lanarkshire, rolled up her sleeves and got stuck into the role.
She wrote a speech, kept the rings safe and made sure Mark got to the ceremony at the Strathaven Hotel on time.
The only thing she didn’t do iss attend Mark’s stag night but she e did put aside a kitty for thee groom and his ushers to have a night out on her and instead went to Kathryn’s hen party.
“I can’t imagine many best t men end up going to the bride’s’s hen party instead of the stag,” ,” said Sandra. “Mark is my best st friend but it still came as a surrprise that he asked me.
“He was the same with my dad,d, and he always said he would have had his papa as his best man. I always say the day he was born was the best day of my life but this was the second best, I absolutely loved it.
“I know people would find it unusual but as I said in my speech, why not me? I’ve known him for 26 years and who else can do a better job of making sure he looks his best for his big day?
“There were a few stories in the speech but I decided not to embarrass him too much.”
Having just returned from their honeymoon, Mr and Mrs Reid are settling nicely into married life at Sandra with son Mark and his new wife Kathryn at their
wedding.