A Groom’s Guide to Enjoying His Wedding

Weddings and many aspects involving it can end up feeling like more bride-centered. However, the wedding is also something for the groom to enjoy and prepare for as well. We’re here to help you make the most of your wedding from the day you propose, to the end of the festivities and remember it as one of the best seasons of your life. With proper planning and preparation, your wedding can be something memorable for you as well.

Your fiancee’s ideal wedding might change.

If you have discussed what your wedding might look like prior to getting engaged, don’t be surprised if her vision of her dream wedding changes from what was previously talked about. Ideas change, and being faced with the reality of planning something as meaningful as a wedding can cause her idea of the perfect wedding to change as well.

Stay actively involved in keeping track of expenditures

Planning your wedding budget and expenses is something that needs to happen before you or your bride-to-be start booking or putting deposits on anything. Try to get a sense of how much you will have to spend. Weddings are a group effort and most of the time, both the bride and the groom - and hopefully the families of both - end up contributing. If anyone contributes, make sure to go out of your way to thank them.

Being able to keep track of your expenses can help both of you enjoy your wedding more. If either of you are having trouble following your budget, make sure to communicate and try to work together to find good alternatives that fit the spending limits you have both set, or rework your budget together.

Remember the woman you love…

Especially during the stressful moments. Planning a wedding can take its toll on a bride, and it’s important to remember that she is still the woman you love and want to marry. Planning a wedding has an effect on women which can cause them to fixate on weddings while planning them. This can cause a bit of stress and anxiety for them.

Remember that the wedding is very important to your bride, as most women grow up daydreaming and planning her wedding in her mind. Your bride-to-be is still the woman you love, the one so special that you asked to marry her. The more you help your bride, by providing love and assurance when she needs it will help ease her stress and anxiety.

Choose your best man wisely

Your best man is not just someone you can trust to plan a great bachelor party. Your best man is someone who you can talk to and share frustrations with during this season. He should also be reliable enough to help you get things done, especially on the wedding day. He has to be someone who can handle you when you freak out and start getting nervous about the wedding. He also has to have your best interests in mind and be someone who is happy that you’re getting married.

Make sure to plan and draft the guest list together

In theory, planning the guest list sounds like an easy task. It seems as easy as just sitting down, determining a guest count and choosing who to invite. However, this is one task that can invite plenty of conflict. Not just between you and your bride, but even your respective families, who may expect to have influence on who to invite, especially if they are financially contributing.

Keep in mind, that this is your and your fiancee’s day, so the important influence on the guest list is the both of you. Discuss the guest list with your fiancee first and agree on it together. If both sets of parents would like to invite certain people, you and your fiancee can go over the list together and decide who makes the cut. If family members are contributing to the wedding budget, it would be wise to discover a compromise that is fair to all parties involved.

Make plans for your tuxedo or suit

While everyone will definitely be excited to see your bride and what she’s wearing, eyes will be on you as well… just not as much. This is why it’s still important for you to look your best. You want to look dashing and handsome, and your goal is to compliment your bride.

Remember not to commit to a type of wedding attire until you coordinate with your future wife, who more than likely knows what style will compliment her wedding gown. A rule of thumb is to go for classic and elegant. Some tuxedo shops might persuade you to go for a current trend that may look outrageous in 20 years. So definitely plan to wear something that will look good decades from now.

Consider your wedding location and the weather at the time of your wedding as well, and make decisions according to it. You don’t want to wear a suit with so many layers during a summer wedding under the hot sun as it may land you in the hospital.

Try to get involved in other aspects of wedding planning

Taking on certain aspects of wedding planning together can be fun for both of you. While your bride probably doesn’t expect you to be super involved in choosing flowers and colors and decorations, you can be involved in choosing wedding entertainment (DJ or band?), wedding photography and videography, and helping put together the gift registry.

Buy the wedding rings

This is one other thing you can take off of your bride’s to-do list. This can be fun because you’re getting a bit of bling for yourself as well. You can choose to pick out rings together, but you can take responsibility for picking them up. Pro-tip: buy at least six weeks before the wedding, and make sure they fit.

Make sure you get your marriage license!

Another wedding responsibility you can take on is making sure all your wedding documents are complete and ready to go. Take it upon yourself to make sure all the wedding paperwork is ready. Your officiant or wedding planner can advise you on what is needed and may even provide assistance in getting the documents for you. Just make sure it’s complete and signed on the wedding day.

Keep the romance alive.

Wedding planning isn’t easy, and chances are your bride is tired and needs a break from thinking about the logistics of the occasion all the time. It’s also easy to lose track of the little things when planning a major event. Make sure both of you are reminded of exactly why you’re getting married. Go on dates, buy her flowers, and spend quality time together and agree not to talk about wedding stuff during these dates.

Write down your vows

Discuss what vows should be with your fiancee and officiant. When writing vows, it’s important to keep them meaningful and focus on your partner’s positive qualities. It isn’t the right time to poke fun at your fiancee and vice versa. Finally, when it’s all done, make sure to practice in private so you aren’t tongue-tied and stammering when all eyes are on you.

Plan the honeymoon

This is another wedding task that traditionally falls on the groom’s hands. When planning your honeymoon, make sure you know what your fiancee wants, and what the both of you would enjoy. It’s also easy to do your research online on great locales and honeymoon dates these days. Make sure to consult with your fiancee as well, so you’re sure that it’s a trip both of you will have fun on. Also, honeymoons aren’t a double-date trip or a family vacation, so don’t invite anyone else.

Bachelor Party

Your bachelor party is one of those things where you get to do exactly what you want. So whether it’s a steak dinner, camping, or a night out with the guys, speak up and make sure your best man knows. You should also let your best man know exactly what you don’t want. Also, make sure the bachelor party doesn’t happen the night before the wedding, as you don’t want to be exhausted the next day.

Remember to steer clear of anything that can compromise your marriage, regardless of how much your friends push. If you think doing something might ruin your engagement or bring it to a halt, then for sure it’s something you shouldn’t do.

Weddings seem like events focused largely on the bride, but the groom plays a very important role in the wedding planning process. Our tips above can make your entire wedding less stressful for everyone involved. It can even end being a lot more fun and relaxed than you anticipated!