A Groom's Specific Tasks

With us so far? Good. There are also a number of jobs that are specific to you. Just as it's important to work together on the above items, it's equally important to show initiative and handle your groom-ly responsibilities in advance. Here's a quick list of responsibilities that will almost certainly fall on your shoulders:


* Choose your wedding attendants (best man and groomsmen)
* Select wedding attire for you and for the men in the wedding party (she may want to help)
* Get groomsmen measured up for tuxedos early, and no matter where they may be
* Arrange transportation to the ceremony for the bride, the father of the bride, the bridal party, the best man, the groomsman, and yourself
* Arrange transportation for the entire wedding party from the ceremony to the reception (Why two types of transportation? You'll be arriving separately, but leaving as a couple. While you can take a taxi or hitch a ride to your wedding, try to find something nice for afterwards)
* Arrange for accommodations for out-of-town guests
* Purchase gift for your bride-to-be
* Purchase groomsmen gifts for your groomsmen
* Obtain a marriage license
* Plan the rehearsal dinner
* Prepare a toast for the rehearsal dinner
* Prepare a speech for the reception

Some of these tasks, such as obtaining a marriage license or planning the rehearsal dinner, can be done with your fiancée, but you should seriously consider (and offer) to handle them yourself. They are fairly painless ways to arrange major parts of the wedding experience and avoid putting all the pressure on your fiancée. That's one way Bridezillas are born!
Things for the groom and bride to do, together

There's a whole host of things that you and your fiancée can do together. You should always feel free to do more - it's your wedding, too, after all, and seeing how involved you are in this event is sure to make your fiancée glad she picked you - but if nothing else, work with her to do the following:

* Set wedding budget and size (put your spreadsheet powers to work!)
* Finalize a date, time and location and book it (sounds simple, but think again)
* Select the officiant, if you are not having a religious wedding
* Book reception site
* Settle on a wedding theme and style for your reception
* Book entertainment
* Draft a guest list (this will take lots of time)
* Select and order invitations
* Mail out invitations
* Plan the reception menu
* Hire a photographer and/or videographer
* Create a gift registry
* Plan the honeymoon

Being a groom can be nerve-wracking. There's a lot expected of you, and a multitude of tasks to check off the list. However, if you only had one job throughout this entire process, it would be this: no matter how crazy things get, never forget that you love each other and that the hectic preparation period is just one stop on the road to your life together. Get involved, have your say on the floral arrangements, and get your marriage started on the right foot!