All Your Groom Needs to Know About Groom Traditions

Congratulations, she said yes! Now that the proposal has gone off without a hitch, you may be wondering what other wedding-related duties you should be aware of. Although wedding planning is a combined effort, there are certain traditions that the groom has historically taken charge of. We’ve outlined all of the major traditions and tasks that grooms typically handle leading up to, and after the wedding.

Bridal Shower

Swooping into the party at the end of the bridal shower with a bouquet is a time-honored groom tradition! Although the shower is typically a women-only event, the groom can show their support by gifting the bride with a “surprise” bouquet of flowers towards the end of the party. Oftentimes they even stay for a few last-minute games!

Wedding Day Gift

It’s traditional for the bride and groom to share a gift either the day before the wedding, or on the wedding day. It’s up to the groom to pick out a gift that he knows the bride will love! Try to stick to something timeless that the bride can cherish for a lifetime.

Groomsmen Gifts

In order to thank your groomsmen for standing by your side on your wedding day, it’s traditional to present them with a gift! You typically give the men these gifts at the bachelor party or on the wedding day. These can be anything from a personalized flask to a tie-sock combo to wear at the wedding.

Wedding Toast

A tradition you’ll need to prep for ahead of time is the wedding toast! Typically, the groom wraps up the toasts by thanking the wedding party, guests, parents, and ultimately leading a final toast to the marriage. Put together a few words ahead of time to make sure you don’t leave anything essential out!

Honeymoon

Traditionally it’s up to the groom to plan the honeymoon, however, many modern couples are opting to plan the trip together. Discuss whether your bride wants to help plan the trip ahead of time, so you know whether or not to include her in the decision making. Regardless of if it’s a solo or combined effort, be sure to consider lodging, travel, and activities for the trip!Marriage License

Another groom tradition that is being shared by modern couples. Historically, it’s been up to the groom to obtain and pay for the marriage license. Whether you’ll be handling this, or you and your bride plan on working together on it, be sure it gets done in time. After all, this is the point of the wedding!

Dances

As the groom, you’ll be expected participate in two dances during the wedding. The mother-son dance typically comes first and is followed by the first dance between the couple. If you want to take lessons or learn any choreography, be sure you give yourself plenty of time to do so before the wedding, especially if you have two left feet!

Thank You Notes

This tradition is typically split between the bride and groom. You’ll work together to write thank you notes to everyone who gifted you with something for your wedding. This can be a daunting task, especially if you had a larger wedding, so divide and conquer! Check out our Thank You Note blog here for guidance on the who, what, when, where, and why of thank you notes.

Many modern couples are tossing these roles out the window, so feel free to adjust the traditions to whatever works for you and your partner. Be sure you talk to your fiancé about your responsibilities early in the planning stages to make sure nothing falls through the cracks!