Guest Blogger: Natasha Scaramuzzo, Head Planner and Owner of Events by Natasha [1], has experience planning, consulting, directing, and coordinating events for weddings, social events, and corporate functions. Her passion truly lies in planning weddings. Weddings allow Natasha to provide her brides with the “worry-free planning” that they deserve, and it also allows her the opportunity to use her creative ideas in re-creating a bride’s dream into a reality. No event is big or small; brides on a budget seeking a lavish affair can count on Natasha’s passion and creativity to create a spectacular experience. She has hand-selected each vendor that she works with who have proven to be thorough and knowledgeable in the industry.
Wedding advice is always given to the bride, but what about the groom? He is the reason you're walking down the aisle, after all. In my experience, most grooms tend to just agree with everything the bride wants to keep her happy, but what the groom should be doing is getting more involved with the planning — your wedding is for both of you, not just the bride! Here, some tips for the handsome grooms:
Have an Opinion
You don’t need to help pick out the color of the bridesmaid dresses or choose the floral arrangements, but you should be providing your input for the major planning (like the venue). This will help your bride feel like she is not alone in the planning process; having someone else to help make decisions will de-stress her. It also helps you to feel like your personality and taste are included in the wedding. Some grooms let their bride choose everything — the same grooms later complain to their friends and family that the wedding reflected more of the bride. Don’t be this groom!
If there is something that you do not like or do not agree with, speak up. If you always keep quiet just to keep the peace, tension may build up. Don’t be a pushover groom; letting your bride know how you feel about certain things will help make sure that you are both on the same page. The bride wants your opinion. As much as she wants her dream wedding, she also wants your personality and taste in it as well.
Take on Some Tasks
Love traveling? Take the lead on planning the honeymoon. Are you a foodie? Select the menu. Obsessed with music? Work on finding the DJ and planning the playlist. And help your bride with the little tasks, like your wedding registry. Don’t forget to add in some items that you really want!
Choose your own tuxedo and arrange the purchases/rentals for your groomsmen. If you're having trouble picking out the right suit, take your best man along — he's there to help!
More than anything, provide moral support to your bride. When she has to vent, let her! Hear her out, but never bash the people she is venting about. And if she's overly stressed and is having trouble planning the wedding, suggest hiring a wedding planner. Your planner will help the both of you with all the details for your wedding.
Attend Bridal Shows
Today, I see more and more grooms attending bridal shows with their brides — which is a great thing! It's also a good idea to join the bride when meeting prospective vendors so that you can help compare prices and companies. You might have different questions to ask that the bride hadn't even considered.
Work on Your Toast
Many couples offer a toast to their guests on the wedding day, and this is one place where the groom can really take charge. But planning words that are sentimental and meaningful can be tough, especially if you are not the type of person who is emotional in public. Take some time to brainstorm ideas. Make a list of all the people that you need to thank in the toast — you don’t want to miss anyone. Start writing your toast a few months before the wedding so you can edit it as much as you want. Take about 10 minutes each day to recite it to yourself in front of a mirror. This will help you to not be as nervous on your wedding day; it will also help you with your editing. Make sure you recite it in front of a number of people (your bride, groomsmen, best man, parents) so they can let you know what you should add or omit.
Keep the Romance Alive
On the day of your wedding, send your bride flowers or a love letter to read while she is getting ready. Remind her of how you are the luckiest man in the world to have her as your wife. At the reception, why not pull the videographer aside and record a romantic message to her? She won’t see it until your video has been edited and complete, and it'll be such a sweet surprise!
Happy planning, grooms!
—Natasha Scaramuzzo
Photos courtesy of Events by Natasha
Links:
[1] http://www.eventsbynatasha.ca/