Top Tips for Being a Groom

Kevin Meyers Photography

As the groom, sometimes it is hard to know what your role is.  Many times the bride's role is clear as she is the one who does most of the planning and decision-making.  But grooms play a large role too! The Knot has a great article with its top tips for grooms, but I decided to do a little research of my own and ask some men who have already been through the groom process what their top pieces of advice would be for grooms-to-be.  This is what they said:

1. Sit down before the wedding planning even starts and write a list of what things are truly important to you about the wedding and rehearsal logistics. Whichever things you pick, cut them in half. If you're a smart groom, you'll have no more than one or two things you want (for instance, I wanted to write my own music for the wedding, and I wanted no alcohol at the reception). After you determine those things, only get involved when your fiance asks for help beyond those one or two things.

2. Remember that while we may have thought a lot about being married throughout single life, we've thought about the ceremony for about 5 minutes compared to your fiances' dreaming about it her entire life. Let her have the spotlight!

3. Remember that the wedding is one day, it's a wonderful celebration but put as much thought into your marriage as your wedding day

4. Listen to your bride-to-be.  You may not have an opinion but it's important to her that you care and at least listen to her wedding plans.

5. Don't let family or friends dictate what you and your bride envision your wedding being.  Take their advice, but at the end of the day it's your wedding so you and your bride make the decisions.

6. Be clear with your best man; hand off responsibilities.

7. If you don't care about a wedding plan, say "I have no preference" instead of "I don't care."

8. Get your wife a wedding day gift.

9. Organize beforehand your transportation plan for the wedding

10. Give your cell phone to your best man on the wedding day and have him field all the calls

11. Be supportive and do whatever the bride says to do. Really, it's her day anyways.

12. Make sure all the logistics for your lives together are in order to reduce stress while planning and after the wedding.