The Groom’s Guide To Preparing For A Wedding

11 – 12 Months to Go…

Ask Her Father First.

Some blokes get caught up in all the fanfare of proposing to her and forget all about the step that comes before popping the question, which is, popping the question to her father first, politely asking for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Remember, the quickest way to lose a father’s respect in his future son-in-law is to deny him the customary right to give you an unimpressive once-over, before giving his daughter away.

Ask Her Second.

Although we’d love to fit you with your perfect suit right away, going to any of our 8 Frank Casey stores with anything less than a resounding ‘Yes’ is a little too keen. So, now is the time to ask her the big question.

Agree On The Kind of Ceremony You Want.

Do the two of you want a church wedding or a civil ceremony? Decide if the wedding ceremony will be held in a church or at a Beach, Vineyard, park or at home or something more exotic like bungy jumping or underwater.

Decide On a budget and who will pay what.

Make sure everyone agrees on the wedding budget and how costs will be handled and paid. Work out the total cost allowed for the wedding and decide how many guests will be invited to stay within your budget.

Will your parents be contributing or paying or will you pay for it all yourselves?

Note: If you are having a Maori or Pacific Island wedding, guest numbers become harder because some of your relatives will come whether you invite them or not. Fortunately, you can ask your Sister, Mum, Aunty or Nana to keep them in line – They are a wedding day godsend! 

Choose the Wedding Day.

Make a visit to a variety of places that your wedding and reception may be held. If planning an outdoor wedding in Auckland, be sure there is a backup plan when if the weather is bad on the big day.

Book your Minister or Officiant.

This is the person that is going to do the legal marrying of the two of you, so make sure you book them in if they are not there you can’t have a wedding.

Choose A Photographer.

The best wedding photographers and videographers are always booked well in advance. So unless you want your cousin, Dave, to be filming the proceedings from his iPhone, book them as soon as possible. This will ensure you have photos of your wedding day and reception, your wife will be thrilled with.

Plan the Reception.

Search for the best caterers in your price range. Also look into DJ and band options. Many reception locations will offer a list of recommendations for good wedding entertainment so be sure to ask.

9 – 10 Months to Go…

Choose Your Wedding Party.

The best man and ushers will help you keep it together on the wedding day so choose reliable friends that are on time. Work out what roles they will each play on the actual day of the wedding so nothing is left to chance and no one feels left out.

Visit Frank Casey Formal Suit Hire.

Exploring suit options at Frank Casey early, will give you the time needed to look at different options available for yourself and your party and will allow Frank Casey’s to make a suit for you if you want to keep yours. Set a date for everyone to come in and be fitted. Ensure your suits are booked anytime between now and three months before the big day, at the latest.

Start Researching Honeymoon Options.

Discuss with your fiancé where the two of you will go for your honeymoon and how long for, arrange time off work.

Organising the Cars.

Hiring transportation for the wedding party, family members, and you will ensure that everyone will arrive where they need to be at the appropriate time.

Tell Your Guests.

Telling them to save the date will let people plan for your wedding and make any necessary travel arrangements.

Choosing the Caterer and Menu.

Most caterers offer a taste testing session on available menu options. Order the alcohol and decide on the budget for guests. If there is a bar, be mindful of hidden costs associated with providing alcohol.

Agree On Who Will Speak At The Reception.

Give them notice now so they have time to panic ahead of the big day. Once over the shock of having to speak publicly, they will have plenty of time to plan a nice speech.

7 – 8 Months to Go…

Plan The Wedding Ceremony.

Decide what will be read during the wedding ceremony. If you are having a civil ceremony, decide if you would prefer poems instead of traditional readings.

Hire an organist for your church wedding or find a singer who will provide lovely music during the ceremony.

Finally, you’ll want to confirm the guest list.

Plan Your Honeymoon.

Planning now for any extras on the honeymoon will help guarantee that everything goes smoothly during the honeymoon. Planned activities such as spa treatments or special day trips need to be booked now and if travelling overseas, ensure you have all the necessary travel papers prepared well in advance.

Finalise the plans for the ceremony.

Speak with the Minister or Officiant about how you would like the ceremony to proceed.

Now is the time to order the wedding invitations. Order the place cards for the table and the order of service now to match the wedding invitation.

Choose Your Wedding Cake.

Options abound in wedding cakes and you need to book them surprisingly early, make sure you do the taste test.

Take your best man out for a talk.

Tell him exactly what you need him to help you with through the next few months and on the wedding day. Make sure he knows it is his job to get you to the wedding ceremony on time – This is where choosing someone reliable, is really important (helps if he’s afraid of your wife too).

5 – 6 Months to Go…

Book Your Wedding Night Hotel Room.

Arrange for the room to be stocked with flowers and champagne (or grape juice for non-alcoholic drinkers). Arrange transportation to take you and your new wife to the hotel after the reception or to the airport if leaving straight away for your honeymoon.

Check & Recheck Your passports

If you’re off overseas for your honeymoon make sure both of your passports are up to date. Renew them if they have expired.

Contact hotels near the reception venue to see if they will offer group discounts to people attending your wedding, and send out information on this with the invitations.

Register for your wedding gift wish list.

Many stores make this very easy for the bride and groom and will gladly help them choose items to add to their wedding gift list.

Buy the wedding rings.

Buying them now allows for engraving or sizing to be done in plenty of time.

Honeymoon Outfit.

As for the honeymoon Outfit, we don’t mean your bedroom outfit fellas. Rather, any clothes more appropriate for the climate of your honeymoon destination. Beachwear or ski wear will need to be purchased for those types of locations.

3 – 4 Months to Go…

Return to Frank Casey.

Bring your Best Man and Groomsmen into a Frank Casey store to choose the appropriate wedding outfit for everyone to wear.

Don’t forget the Father of the Bride and Groom & the Ushers they all need to dress for the wedding.

Talk to your best man about your stag night party.

Tell him what you have in mind and possibly set limits on the evening. Actually, DEFINITELY set limits on the evening. If possible, have the more conservative of your friends keep an eye on you just in case your best man watched ‘The Hangover’ a little too many times.

Now is the time to learn to dance.

You do not want to fall flat on your rear while taking the first dance with your wife. Take a few dance lessons, so you can dance well enough to not embarrass yourself in front of all of your guests and ensure your wife doesn’t spend her wedding night with an ice pack on her foot.

Book Buttonholes.

Speak with your florist about the bride’s bouquet and colour scheme to ensure they will match. If your fiancé is organising it all, be sure to inform your best man so he knows what is going on.

Post Your Wedding Invitations In The Mail.

Make a list of acceptances and regrets for the wedding. This will allow you to give your caterer a more accurate headcount.

Purchase thank you gifts for everyone who is a part of your wedding.

Plan the wedding rehearsal and dinner.

This usually is done within a few days before the wedding and everyone involved in the ceremony needs to attend the rehearsal.

2 Months to Go…

Double-check All Bookings and Reservations.

Save yourself a headache and double check all venue and honeymoon reservations. This final check could save unnecessary pain on your wedding day.

Drive from home to the wedding venue then to the reception venue to work out how long it will take on the day.

Finalise The Seating Plan For The Reception.

Take the opportunity to do some friendly match-making with friends or relatives. It’s probably the one occasion when you’ll be completely untouchable!

Obtain any needed currency for your honeymoon.

Check around to find the best exchange rate possible. Be mindful that Currency Exchange Kiosks located within Airports can sometimes be more expensive than your local bank so look into costs thoroughly as every dollar counts.

Check how many people are coming

Inform your caterer of the final number of guests attending. This includes any special meals made for guests with allergies or special dietary needs.

Plan a post-honeymoon night out.

Your new wife and you may feel a little bereft after returning from the honeymoon and the whirlwind of planning for the wedding ceremony. Planning a special night at the theatre will give you both something special to look forward to after the honeymoon.

One Month to go… and counting down

Go On Your Stag Night/Weekend.

Attend your stag night party, making sure you allow yourself plenty of time to recover and sober up.

Collect Your Frank Casey Wedding Outfit.

Pick up your wedding suit one or two days before the ceremony. This allows for any last minute alterations before the big day.

All of the guys should try their suits on when they collect them to make sure everything is perfect for you and staff will be on hand to make sure you know how to make it all work.

Secure Wedding Rings and Marriage Licence.

Give the wedding rings to your best man to hold the ceremony. Make sure these and the marriage license are stored in a secure place (this does not include the best man’s glove box compartment).

Have Your Haircut.

Have your hair cut the week before the wedding so you look nice and sharp on the day.

Freak Out About Having To Give A Speech.

Read our tip on writing the perfect speech and relax as the big day plays out with fantastic success.