Just a year ago, I was also in your shoes. As a guy, all i knew about getting married was buying a ring (which is a whole wonderful journey in itself), and then getting on one knee and popping the question.
Last week, one of my friends recently got proposed to, and she was also at a loss on how to proceed with the planning.
So here are some pearls i learned along the way.
1. Make sure you get a good caterer. Everyone wont remember the ceiling arrangement, nor the wrapping on the wedding souvenirs. But they will remember if the food was bad. (Yes, shallow, but is reality).
2. Get Godparents which you know will guide you on the path to being better partners. And dont forget them after the wedding, make sure to talk to them and ask for guidance.
3. If you are planning on getting photographers, try to see their work. Alot of budding photographers are out there. I know the named ones are quality work, and that is what you are paying for. If you cant afford them, dont go broke trying to.
4. Down the road, your wedding will be a distant memory of happiness. Alot of people will tell you to save on the wedding, and spend on your lives instead. As a guy, its up to you if you want to fulfill your fiance's dream wedding, and noone should force their opinions on you. :)
5. If you are going to have a pre-nuptial wedding shoot, try to get the makeup artist and the photographers that you will use on the wedding. at least you get to try out if they are fun and easy to work with, and if their work is worth it.
6. Now number 6 is a BIG issue. The bridal wedding dress. If the bride wants it, it is in my humble opinion to let her have it. It's a once in a lifetime event.
7. Now i splurged on a manservice grooming thing. I got a barber to come to my room and give me a haircut and shave and ear burning. Yes, he got fire and burned my stray hairs. hehe heck, if the bride is spending on hair and makeup, and if you feel bad on all the expenses of the bride, or if the bride feels guilty on her expenses, try the service and help unload some of her guilt. hehe
8. I was lucky with the wedding rings. my wife's ninong sponsored it. hehe even got myself a stone. but try and plan ahead. youre going to wear that ring for your whole life.
9. One of the worst preps is the guest list. oh the dreaded guest list. You must really give this alot of thought. you need to check with the venue you want, with the capacity they can take. i had a guest list of 200. it was supposed to be a small wedding. both parents will want to turn it into a reunion of their peers, so expect the uncles and aunts from waaaay long ago to suddenly reappear. i actually had a falling out with my close friend from med school about this, where he suddenly didnt want to go since i was going to cut our other buddies from the list. Try to invite friends who mean something to you, and not because they might give a good gift. What i did, i halved the guest list between me and my wife, then gave my parents the space. expect they will do alot of serious inviting.
10. Fireworks - You dont really need them. they last for few seconds, cost you a few thousand, but make for excellent pictures.
11. Coordinators - you dont need coordinators, but they will make everything EASY. you dont want to be stressed on the day of your wedding. unless you have experienced relatives or friends that will do it, its easy to leave your problems in the hands of the coordinator. in my wedding, my wife really wanted to have the coordination services of Tuesday Vargas. I have to say, things were a breeze with her team.
12. Wedding suit: There are many reputable tailors in the metro. I have a regular tailor, where he does excellent fittings. but since it was a wedding, i thought i would try Kingsman tailors. Besides the awesome name (like the movie), they did a good job. a real master feel when you are in their shop. make sure to time the suit and time of finishing the suit before the wedding. but not too long before the wedding, as you may gain weight and cause the suit to tighten.
13. The pre-wedding seminars. We almost had to cancel the weddings due to them. Apparently, you need to attend pre-wedding seminars, or pre-caina seminars prior to weddings. and the schedules are sometimes extremely full! and when you get the certificate, you need a few weeks allowance to pass the certificates, also! and some churces are extremely strict about where you attend. and some are pricey. please do research on it.
14. Venue to stay before and after the wedding night: Some photographers take photos and videos in the grand lobby or staircases of hotels. Not all hotels are free about using their places to take pictures in. consider that, too. i got an extra room for the night before just incase some friends would be flying in or something. :)
15. Please do feed the crew/staff/photogs/coordinators good food. Jollibee is good, but please do take in mind they most probably eat that ALOT. Ask around, my coordinator suggested a good crew meal supplier. Ask around lagi, its free to ask. :)
16. Wedding day Emergency bag
- Now the prepper in me comes alive. haha bring a bag on the wedding day (well not you as the groom or bride, maybe a family friend or relative), where you have a bag of stuff for emergencies. Gum, mouthwash, Loperamide, pain relievers, duct tape, pin, marker, pen, paper, tissue, and most importantly, snacks! I attended a wedding recently, where the groom suddenly became diaphoretic while kneeling at the altar, ended up being so since he skipped lunch in a rush to get to the church.
17. Honeymoon: Face it, its really just an excuse to vacation. :) haha
18. Make sure to assign a relative to take care of the gifts, as they may sometime vanish. :(
19. Be sure to thank everyone for coming and taking time out of their busy schedules to attend your wedding. :)
20. Dont forget to enjoy! you did prepare ahead of time so that you can enjoy your special day. :)
Tags:
Wedding prep preparation
How to get married
how to prepare to get married
How to prepare for wedding
