Image by James Harvie Photography
Now lets get one thing straight here. This big wedding day Shabanza is not just about your stunning sexy lady right? Yea us blokes need to get in on some of the action too. So many times I come across a groom whose nerves make him as jumpy as can be and then during the ceremony they turn to a sobbing mess. Lucky you guys don’t wear mascara.
I think what happens to us boys is a last minute panic of nerves. You see your gorgeous lady has been focused on her wedding day since she was 4. Yep that cute flower girl swirling in her dress is fixated on one day becoming a bride in a pretty dress. . . And from here on she longs for that day.
But for us boys its different. Sure we have a soft side, but hey it’s unmanly to show that. We are more interested in the honeymoon, sport, surfing, footy yep the list goes on. Suddenly before you know it the wedding day is here and you’re emotionally unprepared.
So lads here is my groom wedding survival guide for getting you through the day as smoothly as possible:
1/ Everyone is here for you both.
To ease your nerves remember everyone is here for you and they really don’t care about that spot on your face. Actually they are probably more interested in the bride. So just try to chill and tell yourself…”This is my wedding… and I’m gonna lap it up … these are my friends and they want to have a good time with me.” Taking this attitude can ease the emotional burden you place on yourself.
2/ Help your bride to be.
Yes I know flower arrangements and all that fuzzy stuff can be a bit non bloke like. But the more help you pitch in with, the more relaxed you are going to feel about things being under control. Get involved with the logistics planning. Organising the music, MC, wedding venue etc.
3/ Task delegation.
As bold as it might sound a wedding is a project with many things to organise so its a good idea to put together a plan. Make a list of jobs and deadlines and delegate. Breaking all those jobs down into tasks and ticking them off as you complete them will make your wedding planning job a lot easier.
4/ Find a wedding Photographer.
You can get the search going for a wedding photographer. Select 3 whose work you like and make an appointment to see them. Help plan the day’s timings with the photographer. Research key questions to ask a wedding photographer.
5/ Organise the cars.
Blokes are generally interested in cars, so do some research here and make some enquiries. Ask to see referrals.
6/ Wedding Theme format.
Help decide on the wedding celebration format. Is it going to be a formal sit down or a cocktail evening. A formal celebration will require seating planning and a more formal structure. If you prefer a more relaxed approach then provide a cocktail theme. This generally encourages a more relaxed atmosphere and keep in mind that you will usually experience higher noise levels as guests mingle with who they want to.
7/ Music
Make a short list of music you would like to hear, research bands and styles you both like.
8/ Groomsmen
Have the groomsmen involved in the planning process. Bounce ideas off them.
9/ Suit hire
Have the boys research suit hire or dress styles. Use wedding magazines, Pinterest and bridal websites for ideas. Consider purchasing a suit which you can wear on the wedding day and for work or special occasions afterwards.
10/ Relatives
It won’t be long before you realise that everyone wants to share their words of wisdom so encourage them to get involved and put forward their ideas.
Well I could go on but I can see your eyes glaze over so lets quit right here and lets hope there are a few useful tips to help keep you in the good books. Who knows you might change careers and become a wedding planner.
Ms Gingham says: Everyone might be focusing on the bride but in a way, you are the frame to the painting and equally as important!! Take part and enjoy your day!
James says: “What I specifically like about wedding photography in Melbourne is the character of the city. The Docklands offers dynamic images and we love to use the curves and lines in our images that the many bridges of Melbourne portray. The cute laneways lend themselves to black and white contrasty images which really gives Melbourne wedding photography that artistic edge.”
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