Here Comes the Bride...and the Groom

Writtten by Cristina Cassidy, Videographer, Cristina Cassidy Productions, LLC, Charlotte, NC

The more you include the groom's personality in the wedding, the more memorable your special day will be.

Weddings are a storybook moment for most brides. Many have thought about it since childhood and many know exactly what they want for that special day. It's wonderful to have a vision for what you want, but it's also important to include the other member of the couple -- the groom.

Most Grooms Let the Brides Do All the Planning.

Many grooms say, "Whatever she wants is fine with me. I'll just go along with her plans." Traditionally, this is the way it's been. The problem with this kind of thinking is that it excludes an important factor in what brought you together, the individuality of each of you. You were separate people before you met and fell in love and friends and family are going to want to see both your personalities reflected in the event.

I'm not suggesting radical changes, like having the groom walk down the aisle by himself to meet his waiting bride at the altar. Or giving the guys bouquets to carry. (I'm being frivolous here, to make a point.) I am suggesting that the ways to include the groom's personality in the wedding can be fun, creative and moving.

As a videographer, I've seen a lot of weddings.Two stand out in my mind, specifically because they included the groom in unique and memorable ways.

A Creative Twist to a Country Wedding

The first was a country wedding among the rolling hills of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. It was a city girl meets country boy romance. The ceremony was held on the grounds of a quaint little country inn on a perfectly lovely summer day. The trees surrounding the ceremony location were decorated with hanging flowers and colorful streamers. The bride and groom were to stand under a flowered arbor to exchange their vows.

When the guests had settled in their seats, the sound of a tractor engine could be heard in the distance. As it got closer, the guests were treated to a rather non-traditional sight. A small tractor arrived pulling a platform that carried the groom and his four groomsmen. The young men jumped off the platform, the tractor drove away, and the groom and his groomsmen took their places. The guests loved it, it was a perfect way to prepare everyone for the entrance of the bride, and it gave the groom a personal way to arrive at his wedding.

A Tradition from the Old Country

The second memorable wedding was at an historic home in Richmond, Virginia. During the reception, right after the toast and before the cake cutting, the mother of the groom addressed the guests. She was of German descent, and there was a tradition in her family that had been passed down for ages -- the bride and groom had to drink out of a special beer stein designed so that they could do it at the same time. The tradition was that if the bride and groom didn't spill a drop, their marriage would last forever. Of course, the couple were very careful and didn't spill a drop! As everyone clapped, the band started playing Edelweiss, from The Sound of Music, and everyone started singing. The groom and his family were beaming. When the song ended, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

These are just a couple of examples of how a groom can play an important role and feel more included on what is his special day, too. The possibilities are endless. Take a moment to think about how the groom in your wedding can add his personality in ways that will be remembered by everyone for years to come.