Some of these are obvious, others might slip your mind on the lead up to your big day. Either way, keep this list close to help keep you stress-free and on track...
1. Set the budget with your fiancée - This one should be first to tick off the list. Pretty much everything flows from here. Traditionally, the bride's family pays for the wedding while the groom's family takes on the costs of the rehearsal dinner and the cost of transport, but today it's increasingly common to split as many costs as possible.
2. Choose your best man and groomsmen - Tradition dictates that your brother (if you have one) beats your best friend in this decision, but it’s ultimately your call. And the sooner you make your mind up, the sooner everyone knows what they’re doing and the sooner you can start to delegate.
3. Arrange the transport - You're in charge of booking the wedding cars for the day as well as arranging transport for the mother/father of the groom, the bride and the wedding party to and from all venues throughout the day. From home to the ceremony location, onward to photographs, to the reception and then home again. If your wedding is in a regional, country or far flung location where transport will be tough, you could also arrange a bus for your guests to get home at the end of the night.
4. Choose the wedding bands - It’s custom for the groom to take their fiancée out to shop for the wedding bands. You could add a surprise element, after you’ve agreed on a style, by having her wedding band secretly engraved with a special message.
5. Organise what you’re wearing - That may sound obvious but allow plenty of time to work out what you’re wearing just in case you need to have something tailor made or altered. And remember to consult with your bride as her look, and yours, should work together. Once you have your suit sorted, start working with your groomsmen as coordinating fitting times can take time, especially if they're not all living locally.
6. Organise your groomsmen - You could make your job really easy by checking if your groomsmen already have a suitable suit. If they do, that’s another job that has to be done. On the other hand, if the suits need to be bought or rented, you need to book the guys in for fittings. You may need to coordinate your dads and brothers too.
7. Delegate jobs - Find jobs for those who aren't actually in the official wedding party such as your fiancée's brothers, cousins, your family members by giving them important roles such as ushering or driving significant family members to and from the day's events.
8. Choose the master of ceremonies - This task can make or break the wedding, and that’s choosing the master of ceremonies. It’s an important role so if you’re asking a friend or family member you should make this decision together, and both be comfortable about it.
9. Book the wedding night accommodation - Sounds obvious... but add it to your list!
10. Write your own vows - Don’t save this to the last minute. Get a draft together, and continue to work on in until your big day. Try not to share your vows until the wedding day so you can surprise each other with your meaningful words and promises for the future.
11. Write your wedding speech - Again, start your speech well ahead of time - and remember to thank your new parents-in-law, your beautiful bride, your parents, your best man, your groomsmen and anyone else who has helped you out.
12. Buy a wedding gift for your bride - Obvious, but put it on your list. Get some hints from your bride – then try and get something that has meaning and some relevance to your start in life together.
13. Plan the Bar - Whether it's ordering the wine, selecting beers, or coming up with signature wedding cocktail, try to add some alternatives to the standard bar offering. Especially for those not drinking on the day.
14. Thank your groomsmen - Buy thank you gifts for your groomsmen which you can present at the ceremony rehearsal or on the morning of the wedding, pre-ceremony.
Written by our guest writer, Nikki Yazxhi, editor and creator of Bella Mumma.