CELEBRANT-DIRECTORY-ARCH-white

Wedding Planning – what are the roles and responsibilities?

Wedding planning
Your fiancé has gotten down on one knee and asked you the most important question of your life. You (probably) cried and said yes! You’re so excited to spend the rest of your life with your best friend. Now you get start planning the wedding you’ve always dreamed of! But you have no idea where to begin. Don’t worry, we’re going to break it down so it’s not so overwhelming.
  

Bride

Brides tend to think they need to plan everything and all at once. This is a good way to get a little overwhelmed and risk going into “bridezilla” mode. This doesn’t need to happen! In fact, the bride could have the same number of tasks as the groom. The bride is usually responsible for picking out and asking her bridesmaids, finding her fabulous dress and buying the groom’s ring.  But obviously at a wedding there is a lot to do, so they can choose whatever else they want to be involved with as well!
 
Wedding planning1

Groom

Just like the bride, the groom is usually responsible for picking out and asking his groomsmen, finding his wedding attire, buying the bride’s ring and her wedding gift.  Grooms, you should make sure you’re involved in whatever needs doing! The phrase “Happy Wife, Happy Life” definitely begins with wedding planning.
 

Couple

Marriage is between two people. The same goes for the wedding day, so the couple should plan it together. While it doesn’t sound exciting, the most important (and the first) task the couple needs to plan together is deciding on the budget. Make sure you are on the same page when settling on the finances of the wedding. This includes finding out if parents, friends or any other distant relative are going to contribute anything to the wedding fund. You really don’t want to start your marriage with any surprises.
The couple should also decide on a photographer, venue, caterer and the decor together.  Grooms, picking out colours may not seem like the most exciting thing in the world, but you don’t want to be questioning the colours when you get you’re ready to send your invitations in the mail. Traditionally, the groom would decide on the DJ and the bride would choose the florist, however, it is becoming more common for the couple to decide on these vendors together.
Planning the ceremony is also a task completed by the couple. You’ll want to take into account any religious beliefs and family traditions. Asking your Celebrant is a great way to make your ceremony unique and exactly how you want it because they are familiar with different ceremony styles.
 
Wedding planning2

Bride’s Family

Traditionally, the bride’s family was responsible for paying for the whole wedding. Now it’s much more common for the total wedding cost to be split between the couple and both sets of parents. Weddings can be expensive! The bride’s mother usually accompanies the bride to dress fitting appointments, and the bride’s father makes a speech at the reception. The bride’s father usually escorts her down the aisle, however it is ultimately up to the bride. You can read more on how to decide who escorts the bride on the day here.
 

Groom’s Family

The groom’s family plans the rehearsal dinner and the groom’s father makes a speech at the reception. It is becoming more common for the bride to include the groom’s mother in more aspects of the wedding planning including décor, flowers and wedding attire. It gives a great chance to bond!
 

Wedding Party

The wedding party is there to help the bride and groom in any wedding planning duties, make the wedding day run smoothly and be available for pictures on the wedding day. Dancing the night away is also on their “must-do” list. 
 

Maid/Matron of Honour 

The Maid/Matron of Honour is responsible for planning the bachelorette party and the bridal shower. She helps the bride on the day of the wedding with her dress, vendors and corralling the wedding party. You don’t want to be in the middle of taking pictures and realize bridesmaid #3 is missing. On the day of the wedding she signs the marriage license and gives a toast/speech at the reception. While it’s not on the list, she will probably cry a lot seeing her best friend so happy.
 

Best Man

The Best Man is responsible for planning the bachelor party, making sure the groom has everything he needs on the day of the wedding (including warning off any cold feet), signs the marriage license, and gives a toast/speech at the reception. He also has the daunting task of not losing the rings until they are needed during the ceremony. 
 
Wedding planning
 
Every wedding is different. Some brides follow every wedding tradition and others find many different ways to make their wedding unique. You want that Cinderella dress in black? You go girl! Ultimately, this is your wedding. You decide who plans each aspect of the wedding. You decide who’s there and whom you want to involve. There are many brides who want a wedding planner to handle everything and just as many brides who want to plan everything themselves. Whatever you decide it will be perfect because you are marrying your best friend.

subscribe

drop us your email and we'll send you beautiful ideas to inspire your perfect celebration

Please enter your name.
Please enter a valid email address.
Please check the required field.
Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

If you enjoyed this, check these out...

Handfasting cord colours: Meaning & Symbolism
The Handfasting cord colours you chose for your handfasting ceremony can hold particular meaning or symbolism for you and your partner, and since there's no rules on which colours to...
Read more > about Handfasting cord colours: Meaning & Symbolism
Modern Handfasting Ceremonies Explained
Modern handfasting ceremonies are more than just a pretty throwback to ancient Celtic traditions. They're an exquisite expression of love, commitment, and unity, infused with rich symbolism and personalized rituals...
Read more > about Modern Handfasting Ceremonies Explained
The Art of Handfasting: A complete guide to handfasting ceremonies
In the tapestry of wedding traditions, few threads shimmer with such ancient magic as handfasting. This captivating ritual, with its roots in Celtic and pagan customs, transcends mere ceremony. It's...
Read more > about The Art of Handfasting: A complete guide to handfasting ceremonies