The Wedding Date

One thing to keep in mind about dating, there are levels of importance that we put on a date. Dinner and a movie? Pretty basic, pretty routine. To women, I'm not sure there is a more important date than the wedding date. When you are faced with this prospect, there are a number of things to take into consideration, from just "how good of a friend" is getting married, to "is your girlfriend in the wedding?"

The key to having a successful wedding date is preparation. The minute your girlfriend says, "We are going to Nicole & Josh's wedding on June 27th and I have been asked to be her personal attendant," guys you have got to pay attention. First, if you had been planning on going on the University of Okoboji bike ride that Saturday, throw that idea out. Also keep in mind June 26th, there will be a rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. You are signed up for that also. Ask your girlfriend questions, "Who don't I know at this party that I need to watch out for? Is the mother of the bride stable?"

Next thing you need to find out, exactly what she expects out of you for this 48 hour period. Where is the reception at? Where are the wedding party booking hotel rooms? Get one. Are your girlfriend's parents coming? Look at the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner as a chance to meet the key players in the wedding the next day. If you don't know them, get to know them. Remember you are being sized up by everybody there, especially the women. When you're not in ear shot they are telling your girlfriend just what they think of you.

At any wedding you go to, something will go wrong. I.e. Father Brook at St. Joseph's has instructed the ushers how to usher the people out of the church. The ushers are going over this an hour before the wedding. When the mother of the bride walks in on this conversation and has a different idea of how the exit should work. Rather than offer her idea, she explodes on the ushers, throws a two minute tirade disrupting the pre-wedding photos. She storms away in disgust before the now shell shocked, extremely embarrassed ushers get a chance to explain "We were just doing what the priest told us to do." If you find yourself in a situation like this, try and help you girlfriend remain calm.

When you get to the reception, yes the open bar is great, but it is not a license to get crazy drunk before dinner. Be on the lookout for something little you can do to go out of your way and make your date feel special. Remember it is her friend/family getting married; try not to do something stupid that at the 10 year anniversary the bride & groom are still talking about what you did. Last but not least, when you get back to the hotel room be prepared. Bottle of the bubbly on ice, strawberries, Barry White on the IPod. If you don't get any, it's not Barry's fault.