If you’re in the middle of planning a wedding, you could probably use a good laugh. So if you can step away from bridal magazines for a minute, check out this list of fun ideas grooms have for weddings. It’s sure to remind you of exactly why you’ve decided to take over most of the wedding planning, and hopefully it’ll make you laugh a few times, too.
So we all know that most guys are clueless about weddings, and especially the fact that throwing a wedding is nothing like throwing a frat party. It’s great when the groom has suggestions on what to include in the wedding; it’s just that his ideas may not always be the most practical or elegant. On the other hand, who knows, you might also think of something so extravagant that you just can’t resist including it on your big day.
If you did a survey of 100 grooms, about 98 of them would say that the part of the wedding that interests them the most is the food. When it’s time to visit the florists, your fiancé may be nowhere to be found, but let the words “cake tasting” pass your lips, and he’ll be in the car before you have a chance to! grab your bag! The only thing is, a lot of guys, when left to their own devices, would make some pretty weird choices for the wedding reception menu. Some of the funniest groomsmen suggested menus I’ve heard include: nacho cheese platter, buffalo wing bar, a “cake” made from meatloaf (eeeeeeewwww!), and a taco truck. So unless you’re planning on showing “Monday Night Football” during your wedding, you might want to keep the groom away from the caterer.
Many grooms think that the wedding should be as much a platform for their interests as for those of the bride. This is a good idea in theory (and sometimes in practice too), unless the groom is a sports fanatic. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Diner,” you know exactly what I’m talking about. For those who haven’t seen it, rent it some night, and you’ll see that your own fiancé isn’t half as sports-crazy as you thought he was. (Hint: a wedding decorated in the colors of a football team.) Another not-so-good idea: custom tuxedos in team colors. Those of you who saw the green and gold Green Bay Packers tuxedos on “That 70s Show” are with me on this.
Some of the groom’s ideas may stem from a general unfamiliarity with wedding customs and etiquette. Being a boy, he should be excused for this. It’s the bride’s job to politely inform you that she can’t text wedding invitations next to her on the guest list. She should also be sure to let a budget-conscious groom know that while saving money on the wedding is an admirable goal, there are some ways she shouldn’t do it. For example, if you suggest cutting costs by skipping gifts for the bridesmaids and groomsmen, you should tell him that the purpose of these gifts is to thank each groomsman and bridesmaid for bringing them to the wedding, and which are actually required. Another cost-cutting idea I’ve heard proposed by a clueless groom was to have an open bar just for the wedding party and a cash bar for the rest of the guests. Was he planning on handing out wristbands to A-listers?
It’s fun to gently tease how little most men know about weddings, but the truth is that most grooms go to great lengths to make their bride’s dream wedding happen. So if her fiancé suggests something really silly (like Darth Vader performing the marriage ceremony), she tries to politely let him down and hold her laughter until she’s out of the room. And really, you should be thankful, because half the fun of planning a wedding is in all the fun memories you’ll end up having.