The best woman for the job: Why Mark asked his mum Sandra to be his best man

WHEN Mark Reid popped the question to his girlfriend Kathryn, he knew straight away who he would ask to be his 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 is attend Mark’s stag night but she did put aside a kitty for the 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 men end up going to the bride’s hen party instead of the stag,” said Sandra. “Mark is my best friend but it still came as a surprise that he asked me.

“He was the same with my dad, 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 home in Lanark. They met through a shared involvement with local junior football team Lanark United, with Mark on the club committee and Kathryn, 33, the team’s physiotherapist.

Romance blossomed after Mark plucked up the courage to ask Kathryn out to the cinema after knowing her for several years.

Kathryn was as surprised as Sandra when Mark told her what he was planning but agreed it was the perfect choice. “When I was a student I worked as a waitress at plenty of weddings but I had never seen anything like this,” she said.

“He’s always had a great relationship with his mum and I couldn’t ask for anyone better, plus I knew that at least his tie would be straight.

“It’s important when planning a wedding to have it the way you want and our day was perfect, I wouldn’t change anything.”

Natasha Radmehr, editor of the Scottish Wedding Directory, said plenty of couples are making tweaks to the traditional wedding service these days.

“Couples nowadays are much more comfortable with breaking with tradition to make their wedding unique and personal to them,” she said.

“I’ve seen everything from bridesmen instead of bridesmaids to flower dogs in place of flower girls. It’s your day, so why not do things your way?”