Grooms Get More Involved In Wedding Plans

Posted on June 7, 2011 Written by 5 Comments

 

By Paul Pannone

Gradually and over time grooms are more involved with wedding plans than ever before. For various reasons many are choosing play a greater role in planning the day. In the past the groom had very few responsibilities beyond getting himself and his men fitted for formal wear. But that is no longer the case and respected eWedNewz wedding experts tell why.

“Men are creatures of habit and like things simple,” says wedding analyst, Christine Boulton, of  Think Like a Bride. These days Boulton is thinking more like the groom. In her latest article, Marketing to Grooms, Boulton writes,”Much of the marketing we do aimed at women can best be summed up as ‘wooing’. We strike her emotions and become her friend. She buys the team, he buys a commodity.”

Boulton discussed the changing role of the groom with other experts in the Wedding Water saying, “Men are by nature, different than women. They tend to fancy themselves the “protectors”.  They also tend to see themselves as more knowledgeable. Now that they are entering an arena that is new to them I predict that they will try to “masculinize’ the process. so yes, their behavior will appear to be ’groomzilla” in style. In reality, they are only doing what comes naturally. It will be up to us, as the wedding professionals to see it for what it is; just a different style of doing business, and respond accordingly.

 

Celebrity Planner, Samantha Goldberg, recently covered the topic in the New York Times.  ”I wrote the article for the NY Times on Groomzillas. Add to Christine’s vocabulary “customerzillas” too. Men want things that are unique to them and their personalities. Last year I actually had ten weddings where the groom hired me. I did not see the bride until the wedding. I asked some if there really was a bride, lol,” says Goldberg.

 

Efficient ways of speaking to the needs of the groom discussed, including participation in bridal shows, reveal the he is no longer asked to just “show up”. New addition to the group, Anthony Commisso expressed some concerns saying, “ As a professional, I want both buying decision makers in front of me. I don’t take orders or register people with money at my booth, I simply want the appointment.” Commisso told the group, ” If the groom isn’t present, the bride rarely makes the appointment without him. Occasionally she’ll reach out to him by cell or text to get approval, but again if he’s not there, then she’ll take our collateral materials; you then have to go into follow-up mode,” according to Commisso.

 

 Wedding expert, Sheryl Davies, gave her insight regarding bridal shows. ”We have seen the men increase at bridal shows for the past 4 years. Again, it is the couple’s money that is planning the wedding and men have historically not been a part of the wedding organizing. Today, they are equal partners and in some cases the groom is doing the load of the work himself while his bride-to-be is too consumed with work or school.

In an industry that has always been “women only” it is a new reality for the wedding professionals. I have had one planner tell me there is the potential for groomzillas- as they mark their territory in this ever-changing business,” says Davies.

 

Groom involvement in wedding plans is skyrocketing, according to recent information provided by The Great Bridal Expo.

 

Bridal show expert, William Heaton of Great Bridal Expo was a major reason for today’s modern-day bridal show format. Heaton’s career spans over four-decades in the bridal show business. Heaton’s participation in the discussion group offers unique insight in both experience but also where the future of bridal shows is going.

Heaton too agrees, the role and impact of the groom’s decision to become more involved is turning heads. “We are presently seeing an all-time high of up to 40% Grooms in certain cities of the US at GBE shows. These are major media markets and it is exactly for that reason that we been looking refine show formats to address areas of special interest’ to the men in attendance. From our perspective this is a highly favorable development, and, perhaps for the  Bride too!” according to Heaton.

 

Discussion group members helping one another with this project, providing outstanding information, data and solutions for the male part of wedding planning. eWedNewz continues to watch the group’s progress and will report the findings in the weeks and months ahead.

We welcome your thoughts; post them here or contact me at 516-312-0090 or Paul@ewednewz.com

eWedNewz

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2011

Filed Under: bridal, Bridal Shows, General News, The Groom, wedding industry Tagged: , , , , ,
  • http://twitter.com/storymixpro Ariane Fisher

    I concur with these insights. We had assumed that brides would be making the decision or purchase for our My Flip Wedding product 95% of the time. After working with The Man Registry we had our eyes opened and are seeing close to 20% of grooms being the primary driver to making an order. Now we are adjusting our marketing efforts to appeal to guys too (see http://wp.me/p1oDYa-8A).

    Guys are looking for a way to have their voice and perspective in the wedding video – and they should! Most pros have been conditioned to only consider the bride. Showing fun clips of their buddies or behind the scenes moments is what the wedding is about for them. Men look at it as a party and want the video to reflect that. So let’s give them what they want too!

  • http://twitter.com/SophGroomMag Sophisticated Groom

    Sophisticated Groom magazine has seen the trend and knows it will continue to grow. Men know the wedding is important for the growth of the couple and want to be involved for several reasons. Our surveys and discussion with readers has shown that men want to know everything from wedding colors and trends to fabrics and patterns to a broad relationship tips beyond the wedding day. Take a look at how Sophisticated Groom is reaching these involved men at http://www.SophisticatedGroom.com.

  • Cap Capello

    Dear Paul,

    Your article’s content does address a change in the typical methods of wedding day preparations however it is no way as broad scoped as the article leads to believe. Most of the supporting reasoning is far too general for any wedding business to consider changing business practices other than recognizing there’s background mumbling (the male’s point of view) which will rarely hold water in the final decision process.

    Women have not changed to be as liberal with wedding day power sharing and as the female sector of the self-empowered millennium generation steps up, she will “allow” him an opinion or two in processes that are important to her, but her say will nonetheless always be the final decision.

    One reason why guys are seemingly more involved is that brides are older than in the past, have moved away from house and mother, probably are cohabitating with the groom-to-be, they may even own property together, and perhaps have a child (or two).

    It has been observed, however, that she will “give him” the responsibility for obtaining the entertaiment and “give in” to his music choices. God help him and her on that one. When he chooses his favorites that must be played, and the reception thus tanks because only he and his drinking buddies know who the artist and trashy non-danceable song is, and as people begin leaving two hours before the reception’s scheduled end, she is going to kill him. No matter what was spent on anything, when the music and entertainment choices stink, people leave the garbage and go home.

    His (the Groom’s-to-be) wisest move during the whole adventure is still to say, “Yes, dear!”

    Happy wife, happy life.

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