These days, it isn’t uncommon for a person to be married more than once. While the goal of marriage is to stick with the same person until death, there are countless good reasons why couples decide to split. Of course, it’s hard to know this until you’ve gone through it. In fact, there are a lot of things you aren’t going to know about planning a wedding until you first make the decision to tie the knot. From proposals to figuring out who to invite, you may not have the faintest idea about making your dream wedding a reality.
Wedding customs and traditions change a lot with the passing times. If you’re a bit clueless on how couples do things nowadays, take a look at the answers to these common questions.
Does the Man Still Propose?
In the past, an inordinate amount of responsibility was placed on men when it came to matters of marriage. The weight of proposing, for example, usually fell on the man in the relationship, even though both genders should have an equal say on such a life-changing matter. As time moved on and cultural attitudes began to shift, antiquated gender roles started falling by the wayside. Men are no longer the sole decision makers when it comes to getting engaged. Anyone in the relationship can feel free to bring up the topic or get down on one knee.
Though this level of equality has been an important stride forward, more and more couples are steering away from “traditional” proposals. The element of surprise isn’t enticing to some, which has led to more couples having open discussions about engagements rather than springing into action. The best thing to do is approach a proposal the way you think your partner would appreciate most. If he or she has always wanted to be surprised with a big, showy proposal, then that’s probably the best route to take. Know your significant other and you’ll know who proposes and how.
Who Do We Invite?
You’ve never had a wedding before, so you probably have some questions about who gets invited. This is a big event and probably the largest party you’ve ever thrown. If you’re a social person, then you probably feel the itch to invite every single person you’ve ever met in your entire life. This isn’t a good idea from a practical standpoint. You need to take a step back and think about the grand scheme of your life. Should you invite coworkers? Not unless they’re people you’ve known a long time or spend time with outside of work.
Essentially, you want to invite the people who hold the most significance in your life. This typically is going to include family members and friends. Now, you also might need to invite people to appease someone else. Distant aunts and your brother’s new girlfriend might not be at the top of your list, but you’ll find it is often easier to keep the peace by inviting these random individuals to your wedding. Staying within your budget is also important. Come up with a sensible plan and only invite who you can afford to host.
Why Rehearse This?
Finally, the custom of having a rehearsal dinner before the wedding is one you can go along with or not. Some couples find it helpful to gather everyone involved with the event for a trial run, others feel like it really doesn’t add to the experience. If it gives you and your partner peace of mind to have one, then stick with the custom.
Getting married is an involved process. If you’re thinking about tying the knot and don’t know how to start, now is the best time to do your research and ask around to find the most sensible path to your future married life.
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