Wedding Day Advice | Wedding Planning

Although your Wedding Day is one of the most important and memorable days of your life, remember that, for your Fiancé it is even more so. It is after all her day, that she has been planning for a very long time!  So by following these top 12 Do’s and Don’ts, you will successfully be able to navigate the minefield of pre wedding planning and be the ‘Knight in shining armour’ on the day.

Pre-Wedding Do’s

• Be supportive of your fiancés wedding planning requests, if she wants you to help her decide on what colour icing for the cake or asks you to go shopping with her to find favours for your guests, then make a concerted effort to help her. Yes, choosing colours is not your thing and shopping for trinkets for your guests is just a waste of money and definitely not on top of your ‘To Do’ list, but remember that her special day only happens once and she will love and appreciate your efforts for years to come.
• As the groom, you will have your own responsibilities and decisions to make for the wedding. Ask your fiancé for a list of your responsibilities and get them completed ahead of time. Wedding planning is stressful, so by doing your bit, you will be taking a lot of the pressure off her shoulders.

Wedding Do’s

• When you see your bride walking down the aisle towards you, it will likely be the first time you’ve seen her that day. Give her a warm, heartfelt smile, this will instantly put her at ease and remind her why she’s marrying you.
• Make sure you tell her how beautiful she looks and how gorgeous her dress is, remember to compliment her on how well everything has been organised, she has worked hard to make this day perfect for the both of you.
• As the groom, you will be required to make a speech, make sure that you prepare your speech ahead of time, nothing good ever comes from ‘just winging it’. Remember to include in your speech the following-
  • Welcome the guests and thank them for coming to your wedding
  • Thank the bride’s parents
  • Most importantly tell your bride how radiant and beautiful she looks
• If you have hired musical entertainment for your reception, then try and get your groove on as opposed to sitting on the sidelines. If you are not a particularly great dancer, then invite your wife to the dance floor, hold her tight and sway a little while whispering sweet nothings into her ear, nobody will be the wiser.

Pre-Wedding Don’ts

• The Bachelor party- a contentious issue amongst many couples. If your groomsmen are organising one for you, it is safe to say that-
  • It must not be organised a day before the wedding – a hangover or still being inebriated, does not sit well with a nervous bride about to commit her life to you
  • There should be absolutely no ‘hired’ female entertainment
  • You should organise a responsible friend to make sure that you get home safely

Wedding Don’ts

• Don’t be late for the ceremony, get there at least 15 minutes before the wedding is due to start. Traditionally, it’s the bride’s job to keep you waiting at the altar for a little while.
• Don’t forget the wedding rings; give them to your best man to keep safe. Ask him before you leave for the ceremony, to place the rings in his pocket or somewhere safe on him.
• During the cake cutting ceremony, don’t assume that you can pound your wife’s face with cake and icing (as seen in the movies), remember she has spent lots of money on her make-up and hair and will probably not appreciate the gesture. If in doubt, ask her ahead of the wedding.
• Once the reception has started and the formalities are over, don’t lose touch with your wife –  It’s easy to get distracted with all the guests vying for your attention. By all means mingle with each and every guest (that is expected of you anyway), but you can do it together as a married couple.
• The most important ‘don’t’ of any wedding, is don’t get drunk – there is nothing less tasteful than a groom and his friends falling about and making a fool of themselves in front of family and acquaintances. Drink and have a great time, but know when enough is enough. Remember that at the end of the reception, you will be required to perform one final ‘duty’, which becomes increasingly more difficult the more alcohol you have in your system.