For the Groom: Preparing for Your Wedding

For the Groom: Preparing for Your Wedding Part 1 – The Planning Stage

So you’ve finally popped the big question, and lucky for you she said yes. The next few months of you and your new fiancee’s life will be focused around planning the most memorable wedding experience possible. If this is your first time getting married, you may not know what to expect out of this adventure. Have no fear. We are here to help you calm some nerves and let you know what to expect as you make your way toward your big day.

There are three stages to a wedding, the planning stage, the day of the wedding, and then after the wedding. You will have different responsibilities in each of these stages. This article will talk about the planning stage.

There is an old saying that the groom’s only responsibility is to just make sure they show up on time. While this is relatively true, and being on time is very important, there is going to be a little more on your plate then just that.  Yes your bride to be will handle the bulk of the responsibilities, but you should be there for her when it comes to making joint decisions on a few key details to the wedding.

First things first, together you must both decide on a date for the wedding. This should be a date that you both decide on because it will be the date of your future anniversary.  Consider the day of the week and the time of the year that you will be exchanging your vows, and come to an agreement.

The second consideration during the planning stage is location.  Most of the time weddings are held close to the hometown of the bride, but have a conversation as a couple so you can come together and mutually decide on a location. Ask yourselves things like “where are most of our guests located?” “Is there a place that is special to us (like the place that we got engaged)?” “Should we have a destination wedding?” And so forth. Having this conversation will help to pinpoint your ideal location.

Thirdly – the budget.  Tradition is that the bride’s family pays for the wedding, but times are changing and this always isn’t the case.  Have an open and honest discussion with your bride and lay out a financial plan that works. Think about all of the things that need to be paid for and don’t forget to create a budget for your honeymoon if you are going on one.

Then, there’s the venue, food, photographer/videographer, and entertainment.  Once you and your bride have decided on a date and a location, you have to have somewhere to exchange your vows, someone to capture the moment, and a place to celebrate with your family and friends, right?  So now it’s time to pick the venue, the photographer and/or videographer, the food, and the type of music you want.  Do you want a great wedding DJ or one of the top Philadelphia wedding bands? Enjoy this time. Check out a couple of different venues.  Sample some of the great food and tasty desserts that are available.  And if you like live entertainment, make sure you attend a wedding band showcase so you can pick the perfect music to make your day complete.

These are the major things that will affect your big day.  But there are smaller decisions to be made that affect you as well.  One of the smaller things you as the groom should be involved in is deciding what things to put on your bridal registry.  “What is that?” you may ask.  Well a bridal registry is kind of cool.  This is where you get to pick a store (or stores) and choose what things out of that store that people can buy for you as a wedding gift. You can pick out all types of things, from dishes and silverware to home décor and maybe even some tools for that new garage of yours.

The most important thing to remember during the planning stage of your wedding is to HAVE FUN. Try not to stress yourself or your fiancée out.  This is supposed to be an enjoyable time, so enjoy it.  The process may be new, strange, and even tedious at times, but can also be fun.  Don’t forget the reason you are going through it – to create a magical day with the one you love that you will remember for the rest of your life.