The Groom and The Wedding Day
Advice and help on the Groom's responsibilities and duties for the big day. The
first of which is turning up..
And here it is, the most nerve-wracking public occasion that any male faces in
his lifetime, outside of circumcision or the Football League Play-Offs.
You've probably not slept too well the night before and will doubtless wake up
with butterflies the size of Rick Waller, but please resist the urge to begin
the day with a flurry of shorts or brandys to quell that distant panic - the
Best Man is on hand to bounce your nervous energy off, whilst the vicar
wouldn't take too kindly to you passing out in the vestry later on.
If you haven't already arranged your stag do, then maybe we could help.
Hold It Together
You've done all the planning, the worrying and the recovering from the stag
weekend, so all you have to do now is.. well, quite a bit actually, we can't
kid you about that!
This is a day of timing, politeness and charm to all, smiling for photographs
galore, hitting your rehearsed marks and dazzling them with your wit and humour
at just the right moments. Oh, and then there's the speech, the dancing in
front of everyone and the little matter of pledging commitment to this other
woman in front of hundreds of witnesses and the eyes of God. Piece of cake?
(yes thanks, but save it for after your speech)
Wedding Favours
A glass of champagne "here or there" can soon add up, though there's nothing
wrong with a moderate measure of occasional bubbly as this breathtakingly fast
day gathers momentum. One minute you'll find yourself passing bricks as the
church fills up, the next minute you'll be inwardly dropping another load as
near-silence precedes your speech.. and then, before you know it, there'll be
bedlam on the dancefloor as Auntie Val and Bernie from your Dad's work jostle
for the crown of "The Oldest Swinger In Town".
There's still the occasional duty, beyond those previously mentioned, to cover
on the day, though you'll already have purchased your Wedding Favours (for the
Best Man, bridesmaids and ushers) well in advance, and merely need to pick a
convenient second to pass on both the gift and your appreciation for their help
in pulling off such a successful showpiece.
The End Of The Rainbow
Once the first dance of the evening is under way, and others begin to rescue you
from being the sole couple on the floor, you can congratulate yourself on
completing the lion's share of your groom duties with some aplomb. You've
shaken a conveyor belt of hands, posed for a huge number of snaps and kissed a
great deal of cheeks (not least of them your Great Aunt Maude, who was
particularly surprised as she was bending down to fasten her stockings at the
time), but with any luck you have also managed to appreciate a dozen or more of
those movingly personal moments that count for so much when the buttonholes and
the cake have long gone.
These are the bear hugs, the quiet asides and the soothing words of sincere
well-wishing that you receive from friends, relatives and the like - some of
whom you may not have seen for a long time, and others who you may not see for
just as long again. They are the crowning glory on a day of intimacy, and are
further proof that you did the right thing at 8.30 that morning by NOT downing
that treble vodka you poured yourself on waking!
»» Do you need any tips for the -
Groom's Speech?