Grooms in Cornwall and Devon
Groom's Wedding Planning Guide
Get your groom involved in the W-Day prep with our rundown of the top ten responsibilities for the man of the moment (with a little help from his fiancee)
While you're feverishly busy with bouquets, buttonholes and bridesmaids, have you had time to consider your other half? Though most brides-to-be would like to think they involve their h2bs in all aspects of wedding planning, if you're honest, has he simply turned into a 'yes man' and do you actually hear him when he says maybe dove grey would be better than eucalyptus green? If he's simply nodding along with your plans, it may be time to delegate some of the W-day planning his way. Let's be honest here though, we're never going to relinquish responsibility entirely, so here's how to keep him busy, happy and productive in the run-up to your big day, all while you keep a watchful eye over proceedings, of course...
1. The finances OK, spreadsheets are never going to be sexy but they are intrinsic to the planning of your whole day so hand over control of the purse strings to your soon-to-be Mr. Give him the job of keeper of the wedding budget and he'll feel immediately involved with all aspects of the day, will appear in control (even if you know better!) and will certainly have his work cut out for him - does he have any idea how much favours cost? He soon will.
2. The wedding website If you've chosen to have a W-day website, suggest he takes charge of the running of it and the coordination of any gift list or honeymoon add-ons (IT geeks and web design bods will be in their element). He can build, customise and share it with your nearest and dearest - just make sure he's fully on board with the guest list so it doesn't go out to that embarrassing university acquaintance you 'accidentally' left off the list.
3. The stag do If the stag do is spiralling in terms of location and cost, sit down and work out some clear boundaries for his boys in terms of what might and might not be within acceptable limits. If the budget's getting tight, Vegas with a 15-strong crowd might be pushing it, but Europe via EasyJet with a handful of his closest lads? A little more purse-friendly.
4. The speech Deep breath. OK, all us girls want is for him to be nice, right? Like, really nice. So, boys, tell it like it is - that you love her. And then do some more gushing, and a little bit extra for good measure. She looks wonderful, she is wonderful, hell this is the best day of your life and don't you forget it! Is that clear?
5. Favours (for the boys) Maybe don't put him in sole charge of the gifts for the girls but for his lads he can do as he pleases - well, within reason. Perhaps keep the stag night gags to himself and go relatively mainstream on this occasion, though: we're thinking whisky, cufflinks and the like. It wouldn't be great to have comedy lads' gifts sitting next to the mother-in-law's Jo Malone perfume now, would it?
6. Afternoon lawn games Giant Jenga, croquet or even Twister - watch him have fun organising the outdoor entertainment. If your man's a big kid at heart he should enjoy booking - and bouncing on - that inflatable castle and leaping around your venue on the mighty spacehopper (citing the enjoyment and fun of any children you invite as the reason for his intense amusement, obviously).
7. Evening entertainment One groom we know took it upon himself to book an all-girl band for his wedding with the most unfortunately rude name, which didn't go down too well with the in-laws. However, with a clear brief he shouldn't be able to go too far wrong. Just agree on a loose playlist first if you can: R&B and funk when you wanted Rat Pack-stylee can be a bit of a let down.
8. The booze An old bath filled with cans of Red Stripe? It might not be to everyone's tastes and, OK, he may not be a connoisseur of Veuve Clicquot but point him in the direction of your venue's sommelier and he should come up trumps with cocktails on the lawn or a mojito masterclass as part of your reception.
9. The honeymoon Leave the Kuoni tab open on your chosen destination or send him the link and he can't go far wrong on your Maldivian/South African or Hawaiian break, right?
10. The romance Honeymoon extras alert! Tell him about the turndown service your friends received or the rose petal baths you've read about; the night your friend was whisked away to a remote sandbank for champagne and oysters and tales of midnight safaris surrounded by the call of the wild - and if these hints don't help, drop the hotel a line yourself...
words Elizabeth Chester
Copyright Wed magazine 2016
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