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Welcome to the month of July which many consider as the start of the wedding season. With that in mind, Saturday Lifestyle today has been invited to the wedding of Esnath Machagara and Admire Mukombiwa being held in Harare (venue supplied but it’s strictly by invite) but we will be bringing you images of the groom soon.

Last week we carried an article on what not to do as a groom and we have received a lot of feedback from grooms asking for more. This week we continue with part 2 of our golden tips on what not to do as a groom.

1. Do not create a wedding for others at the expense of your wishes. Focus on the kind of celebration you want, not the one other people expect you to have. Remember it’s YOUR wedding. So don’t include things that don’t matter to you.

2. Do not change your mind about who will be in your wedding party (e.g. Bridesmaids, groomsmen, etc) after you’ve asked and they’ve accepted. If you do, you deserve the resulting anger, disappointment and frequent loss of friendship altogether.

3. Never ask your attendants to do chores or run errands that should be performed by the hired help. If you need baby-sitting for your ceremony or dinner reception, do find one, but not among your wedding party.

4. Do not invite people just because you think you should. Surround yourself with people you know and care for, not those you barely recognise or know.

5. Do not question a potential guest’s reason for declining your wedding ceremony invitation.

Do not surprise guests by asking them to perform non-guest duties, like taking pictures, parking cars, playing the piano or taking care of kids.

6. The groom should not brag about his bachelor party exploits. Nothing good will come out of it. Some things should just stay at the party. Guys always remember, “A Happy Bride/Wife, A Happy Life”.

7. Never complain about the quality or value of your wedding gifts.

8. Do not use pre-printed thank-you cards in place of a personalised one. People will appreciate a custom made hand written card and it shows you care.

9. Do not forget to eat on your wedding day. Many couples are so busy entertaining their guests that they don’t find time to eat.

You don’t want to suffer from a gastric attack. If it happens it could be torturous. So take a few minutes to enjoy the food.

10. Do not spend too much time with any particular guest. Spend a few minutes with each one of them and then circle back for extra time with your nearest and dearest.

At the dinner reception, do not forget to search out the face of your bride. Share a smile and commit yourself to repeating those smiles back each day of your life together.