The Groom...An Introduction
"...those dulcet sounds in break of day
that creep into the dreaming bridegroom's ear,
and summon him to marriage." (The Merchant Of Venice)
Are you sure you're sure?!
For any man on the verge of popping the vital question to their beloved, pay
heed to Shakespeare's eloquent summary on engagement & nagging. It would
appear that, even back in Billy's age, where tights and treason ran wild, no
sooner had a lovesick couple set the date than the unsuspecting male would find
his blissful Saturday morning lie-ins shattered by the very non "dulcet"
wedding concerns of his panicking bride-to-be: "Which hotel are we going to put
your parents in?"... "Beef or lamb for main course?".. and the unavoidably
crucial "Re the invites - horses or swans?"
Did you know: We have arranged stag weekends in over 50 locations across Europe.
The word "wedlock" derives from wedd (to pledge) and lac (to carry out an
action), so you can't really get a word that carries more commitment and
promise than that, can you? There was a time, believe it or not, when the act
of marriage involved bunging the bride's father a house or spot of land as
payment for his daughter.
Nowadays, however, a handshake and a promise to "treat her right" will suffice.
You may also have to get all blokey with him, especially in the early days, and
pay homage to his DIY abilities when he takes you for a man-to-man chat in the
garden and shows you his pond. Failing that, you may have to follow your new
in-law down to his allotment and profess undying admiration for his prize
marrows. Just go with it as it's all part of the ritual and every bit as
essential to the long-term harmony of your married home as the smoothness of
the wedding day or the naming of your children...
"I want your daughter's hand...well, both of them actually."
There are plenty of folk who will tell you that the wedding day is purely for
the bride. It may feel like that in the build-up at times, but it isn't. The
wedding day is every bit as important for you as it is for her. You'll be
pledging your troth in front of all your friends and family, and a wedding
occasion lingers long in the memory for 99% of those who attend (the 1% being
the under-5s and your permanently-pissed Uncle Jimmy).. so treat it lightly at
your peril! On the other hand, Britain's psychiatric wards are full of young
couples who've over-planned their matrimonial showcase, forgetting the
excellent advice that their parents - as your parents will - issued them very
early on:
"Enjoy the occasion, 'cause it'll be gone in a flash."
Like teenage sex and Cup Final appearances, wedding days are over before their
participants even know it, so by all means plot your day methodically and
purposefully. But never lose sight of what makes a good wedding - a couple's
love taking centre-stage against a backdrop of smiles, tears, photos, confetti,
bad dancing and cake.
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