“Will you marry me?”

Those are the sweetest words any to-be-bride can hear. It means an opening to a world full of love, family, life, and sweet expectations of happily ever after.

But in between this Cinderella story and your current singlehood, is the rather dreaded period of planning for your wedding. And if you and your fiancé are not careful, then this period can be marred with constant fights, disagreements, and the possibility of a botched wedding.

But not if you have the right tips and tricks. More precisely, what can you do as a groom? Read on.

1. Let Your Voice Be Heard

Sadly, grooms have historically had little concern with wedding planning. But in the recent past, that has changed. And that means, your voice as the groom needs to be heard all through the wedding planning process.

So, what can I be concerned about?

Take responsibility for the music. What of the photoshoot? Your fiancé might also appreciate a bit of word about which bouquet she should take for the bridal party.

Actively participate in all these. Voicing your opinion not only allows you to ease the burden on your bride but also give you an idea of what your wedding day is turning out to be.

2. Actively Manage Affairs On Your Family’s Side

Your wedding will carry a lot of family wishes coming from both your side and your bride’s side. While it may seem intrusive to directly handle your bride’s family, take some time to actively manage the politics from your side.

Is your mom disgruntled about the bridesmaid’s dress choice? Are your cousins actively vouching for the groomsmen’s positions? Take some time and handle each request carefully.

More importantly, make sure you consult with your fiancé over any matter your family might raise. The goal of doing this is to ensure no tensions build towards the big day.

3. Set the Budget with Your Bride

Create an open forum early enough where you can discuss the budget with your fiancé. Discussions about the wedding budget are usually tough since they involve understanding what you desire versus what you can afford and choosing your compromises.

That’s why these discussions should be held with your loved one close. More importantly, you should do it before jumping into the rest of the planning.

4. Try Personalized Gifts for The Wedding Party

By wedding party, we are referring to the maid of honor, best man, father and mother of the bride, your parents, bridesmaids, groomsmen, and other special people that will have graced your event.

While giving them a general gift works well in most weddings, personalized gifts make these people feel more special. Therefore, they hold the memories of your wedding day closer.

But how easily can I get one?

Well, personalized gifts are getting more popular by the day. You can get some ideas from a vendor like GroomsmenGiftSource.com to see what the general options of personalized gifts for the wedding party are like.

5. Master How You Operate

Do you carry out tasks without reminders? Or are you tuned to using to-do lists to keep track of how far you’ve carried out the important tasks you were supposed to do?

Understanding how you operate within your normal schedule will go a long way in ensuring tasks are completed on time. Additionally, it will help reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed, given your wedding planning will be coinciding with other normal duties.

6. Don’t Miss the Tastings

Food, cocktails, and cake – the things that power a groom’s soul. Food, cocktail, and cake tasting is by far the most favorite bit of the wedding planning process for most grooms. So don’t miss it!

And apart from the sheer satisfaction you’ll get from tasting the wide variety of niceties that will make way into your wedding menu, your input on the selection will be very helpful to the bride. Remember, she has the tough job of deciding what your family and friends will eat.

7. Prepare Your Wedding Registry

The list of gifts the wedding party can bring on your wedding day is endless. And it’s important that you avoid getting swarmed with items that you already possess or have in plenty.

So, how do you control the crowd? By building a wedding registry.

Sit down with your bride and prepare a list of items you would want as gifts. Do you feel like your current Smart TV won’t be big enough for an extra pair of eyes? Add a bigger one to the registry. Did you have limited cutlery thanks to the bachelor’s lifestyle? Let the guests swarm you with variety.

8. Avoid Being a Pushover

Yes, she might be head over heels with that pink curtain that you feel strongly compromises your manhood. But instead of openly turning down her wishes, you should be open to a bit of compromise.

While her likings may not suit you, find a way to meet halfway. This will be important when deciding on key things such as the wedding theme and decoration.

9. Ask for Help

Going to work, attending to other everyday duties, and planning a wedding can be a hectic experience for a soon-to-be couple. And if you feel like the pressure is too much, then ask for help. From who? A wedding planner.

This professional has all the time and space to make sure your wedding day is a success. You can have him/her deal with the cake delivery, sourcing potential venues, designing invitation cards, and finding the right gift vendors. [Editor’s note: I have a list of favorite wedding planners I can send you — just ask me and I can email you my preferred vendors list!]

10. Be Sentimental

Your fiancé will need all the love and attention she can get through the wedding planning process. And a simple way of ensuring her spark doesn’t die off amid the hustles and activities is by sending a few sentimental notes and messages her way.

A little “I love you,” or “You’re special to me” will go a long way in calming down her anxiety, and reducing fatigue. Even better, on the D-day, you can have the videographer tape something special from you to her. These extra thoughts and gestures will keep the love flowing right to the final day.

10 Must-Read Tips for the Groom While Planning Your Wedding