In ancient times, most marriages were arranged, and so the groom wasn’t always the bride’s first choice.
The man she favored would often swear to carry her off before or during the wedding.
To avoid this, the groom stood on the bride’s right to keep his sword arm free and would enlist a warrior companion to fight off the rival if he showed up.
This companion was, in fact, what we call the “best man” today.
