Bells N Whistles, the creators of amazing events with style, have dedicated this month to the groom… fondly renamed Groom June! Founder and director of Bells N Whistles, Jennifer Kennedy, shared with Modern Wedding some tips to help grooms get more involved in planning their own wedding and increase the pre-wedding day groom-volvement. They also took some cheeky snaps of a world where women act like groom & groomsmen.

Well, lets face it, without the groom, there’s only half a wedding.  Yet grooms don’t get half the attention.  Brides can dominate the wedding planning and wedding day.  Groom June is all about celebrating amazing men and encouraging them to be more involved in their BIG DAY.

Men can and should get more involved in their wedding planning. They are 50% of the couple, therefore being more involved in the planning means that the day will reflect both the bride and groom’s personalities and interests.

Choosing flowers might not be a guys most favourite way to spend a Saturday afternoon – however there are tons of ways to involve your groom.

1. Photography: Choosing a photographer can be an experience.  There are so many wonderful photographers out there – so encourage your groom to research photographers that suit your style, budget and personality and schedule consultations 12 months before the big day. Photographer Tony Potts recommends you meet with at least three photographers face to face before making a decision.

2. Flowers: Susan Avery says that it’s important for a groom to feel 100% comfortable with his appearance .so drag him along to floral appointments so that he can choose his own boutonnière!  Knowing how to put one on, properly, is also so important!  Click here for a step-by-step process of putting one on. 

3. Suits: Whether you are buying or hiring, “shopping” should happen as early as possible, trying on suits to compare the cuts, colors and styles. Staff at Peppers Formal Wear are trained to help not only with the fit, but the style as well, this is a trip that can be undertaken with the best man as well.

4. Transport: Have your groom take care of the wedding day transports, this is his chance to test drive everything from a Porsche to a Vintage Rolls Royce.

5. Is he handy? Ask him to help design and create props and furnishings for the wedding that he will be truly proud of. Items like  signage, photo booths or props for the photbooth.

6. Catering: Task your groom with taking care of the food and beverage choices for the wedding, or have him arrange an outing for you and the bridal party to sample the menus. Working with a bartender to create a signature cocktail is another way to stamp his style on the big day.

7. Budget: If he never failed a math test, managing the wedding budget is the perfect task for him. Use a spreadsheet to manage, update and keep tabs on your costs and for outstanding payments – use an online calendar to remind you to pay your suppliers.

8. Music: Encourage your groom to research bands and DJs and send you samples or arrange viewings and have him create a playlist of all your must have dance floor tunes.

There are so many other little hints and tips that we can offer and like to share with our clients, says Jennifer Kennedy from Bells N Whistles Events.  The key is to ensure that our grooms are actively involved in their weddings, rather than leaving it to their bride and turning up to their own wedding, only to be surprised!

Look out for our next blog post – about the wedding day preparation, which will be live in a couple of weeks.

For the month of June, Bells N Whistles Events are giving Grooms 15% off our whole range of packages from marriage proposals to full wedding planning (and styling).  The only condition is you need to book by June 30^th 2013 and the groom must be the one to engage our services.

Credits:

Photography Tony Potts – Tony Potts Photography Flowers Susan Avery – Susan Avery Flowers and Events Hair Bernadette Abood  - Exquisite Bridal Hair Makeup Julie Elton – Julie Elton Makeup Creative director Jennifer Kennedy – Bells N Whistles Events Suits Belinda – Peppers Formal Wear Venue Watsons Bay Hotel

MW x