Right from the start, a few days after you have proposed :
- Choose a wedding date
- Pick out a reception location: Places get booked up very early. Especially if your wedding is in the summer months, you to book at least 6 months before you wedding or even earlier if possible.
- Choose your Best Man, Groomsmen and Ushers.
- Start working on the guest list.
- Meet with a Minister, Priest or Rabbi ect, the choice is yours.
- Choose the music: a band or DJ. Get references from friends. Meet with around 3 – 5 have them perform for you,  you need to feel comfortable with their personality.

6 Months Before.
- Plan for your honeymoon: Apply for a passport if needed
- Shop for wedding rings
- Finish up the guest list
- Check county/country requirements for your  marriage license
- Think about transportation to the ceremony and reception if needed

3 Months Left.
- Tuxes for the Grooms, Best Man and Groomsmen.
- Book your honeymoon.
- Meet with the person performing the ceremony to finalise details.

30 Day Countdown.
- Buy your bride a wedding gift. Make sure it’s personal and memorable gift.
- Schedule final fittings for tuxedos, and make sure all wedding attire has been ordered.
- Purchase gifts for Best Man, Groomsmen and Ushers.
- Take care of any legal affairs, your brides names change, adding her to any policies etc

2 Weeks.
- File for your marriage license with your bride-to-be.
- Stag Do, no later than 2 weeks before your wedding day!

7 Days.
- Pick up the tux
- Make sure Best Man and Ushers get their wedding attire
- Reconfirm all honeymoon reservations. If flying, make sure you have the plane tickets
- Make sure your attendants  know their duties
- Make sure your Ushers are aware of special seating arrangements

The Wedding Day.

Congratulations!

- Make sure your luggage is in the car or Hotel where you’ll stay on your wedding night
- Get dressed. Start at least one hour before the ceremony.
- Give the Best Man the bride’s wedding ring.
- Prepare the official’s fee or gift in an envelope, and hand it to the best man so he can present it after the ceremony.

Fast Tube by Casper

Poor guy, nobody wants this! Here are a few marriage proposal do’s and don’t to keep your proposal from being a complete disaster!

Do:

• Talk about the possibility of getting married, Make sure it’s something that you both want, and agree on major issues such as children. You don’t want her to be taken completely off guard, as this may lead to a hesitating yes, if not a, “I’ll have to think about it.”

• Even though you have discussed getting married, the marriage proposal itself should still be a surprise. Find a moment and a way that she won’t be suspecting.

• Practice! It might feel silly, but saying the words ‘Will you marry me’ out loud a few times will really help people usually find themselves tongue tied. You might also write down exactly what you’re going to say, to make sure you come off as smooth and confident.

• Find The Right Engagement Ring,  since wearing an engagement ring is a lifetime commitment, make sure it’s the right style. You might find an opportunity to window shop for rings when you are walking past a store, or bring it up in conversation. You can also ask her mother or best friend to help choose the ring. Take a look at ‘Choosing her engagement ring‘ for advice.

• Incorporate your personality, favorite things, foods etc. into the proposal.

• Do Pick a Personal Spot Think about your favorite romantic places — choose a meaningful spot to pop the question. It could be as simple as in your living room, or as complicated as whisking her away for a weekend in Paris.

• Talk to her parents, there is still something nice and respectful about asking for the parents’ blessing.

• Get down on one knee as there is something extremely charming and romantic about a man on one knee asking the love of his life to marry him. Even if you’re not a traditional guy, it will add to the seriousness and lovingness of the proposal.

Don’t:

• Don’t Make it Public, as if the video above didn’t put you off anyway!   Unless she’s said she wants a splashy proposal, make it an intimate and personal thing. Most brides would prefer to have that special moment be just the two of you.

• Don’t Propose Too Early in the Relationship wait until your relationship is stable and your  sure you really know each other, and what each other wants from a marriage.

• Don’t hide the engagement ring in food, as romantic or suprising as this may seem, you don’t want to end up in the emergency room!

• Don’t wear a shirt straight out of the packet, make sure you get it washed and ironed, so that it feels less stiff.  Get this done the day before the wedding.
• Make sure that any young ushers know what they are doing on the day and what they are suppose to be wearing.  Unless you are hiring suits, meake sure that they know what is smart and what isn’t!
• Wear your new shoes a little before the wedding, to allow you to wear them in and scuff the soles  a little so that they have a better grip, especially for those polished floors and your first dance!
• Don’t wear  short sleeved shirt underneath your jacket, no matter how warm it is.  It will look informal, when you remove the jacket later on.
• Make sure you wear your Boutonnieres (buttonhole) on the left hand side!
• Get your hair cut a couple of days before hand don’t try a new look, just in case it goes horribly wrong, just get things tidied up.
• Treat yourself to a professional shave!
• Get an early night, don’t go out on a drinking session the night before your wedding! You want to look and feel fresh and awake!

The Boutonniere is an important part of the grooms formal ware and is as important as the brides bouquet.  They are usually single flowers and is often a Carnation, however as the groom you and your groomsmen will need to co-ordinate with the rest of the theme.  The grooms boutonniere should however be slightly different to the groomsmen, perhaps using a flower from the brides bouquet.

Here are some ideas of boutonnieres.

Unless you are both going ring shopping together there are three things which you need to ask yourself before you buy anything

1. What is her ring size?

2. What colour would she prefer? Whit or yellow gold?

3. What is her personal style, would she prefer something simple or something a little more extravagant?

These questions most likely can be answered by taking a look at the jewellery that she already has.   Look through them to determine what kind of style she would prefer, most of her “gold” jewellery will be the same colour, whether it is whit or yellow gold.  Is her jewellery quite simple or does she have a lot of big extravagant things?  You should also be able to tell what type of ring to choose depending on her personality; if she is quite quiet or laid back, chances are she is not going to want a big flashy ring on her finger.

If your still unsure ask a close friend or family member to be there with you when go ring shopping.

Before your ring shopping begins, you will need to look into diamonds a little bit more try to learn the four C’s:

Carat  – The diamonds weight.  The larger stones are much heavier and much more expensive!

Clarity – Diamonds should brilliance and clarity will increase the value.  Any imperfections will give a cloudy appearance.

Cut – The style and shape of the diamond, different shapes will suit different fingers.

Colour – The colour of the diamond is down to personal choice, to be on the safe side, go with white.

Remember set a budget for your engagement ring, you don’t want anything too cheap as she will be wearing this ring everyday for the rest of her life, but at the same time don’t bankrupt yourself!

Averell