1.Wedding preparations can be stressful but there are things that can be done to alleviate this. Sometimes all it takes is a weekend off, or even better a weekend away – but don’t replace the stress of organising a wedding with the stress of organising a complicated trip. Keep it simple.

2.It's important to compromise.  You might not be able to afford that Vanquish to take you to the church. Or those Cuban cigars you want to give out as favours. But don't go to the other extreme either -  where any old saloon will do and the favours are cheap plastic toys.

3.Remember, it’s your day too.  So give your opinion when asked about the colour scheme. After all, something that you are wearing will have to match.  And the flowers - you will be wearing a boutonničre, (a floral  decoration worn by the groom, typically consisting of a single flower or bud. It's worn pushed through the lapel buttonhole on the left side) so choose something that you’ll be comfortable wearing.

4.Go to see the potential venues of the wedding and reception – it’s also another important decision that you’ll need to have some input on.  Even if all you’re concerned about is the price of the alcohol, have a walk around, talk to the representatives – after all, the nicer you are to them, the more accommodating they may become.

5. When choosing a suit for the day, you don't always have to hire them - remember, at the end of it all, the bride goes home with her dress, why shouldn't you go home with your suit?  If you find a style that you like, try to find a suit that you can purchase off the rack.  It can cost over Ł100 to hire each suit and the rest of the ensemble, but there are lots of suits out there that can be purchased, and if necessary, altered for about the same total cost.

6.Ring, no ring? At the end of the day, it really is down to personal preference.  Your profession may dictate whether or not you wear a ring on a day-to-day basis, but you can still have one.  The number of times you envisage wearing it could also be a bearing on what you’re willing to pay for it too.

7.Choose your entourage wisely. There's no point in selecting a friend as your best man who will fall to bits under pressure, or similarly one who needs a four pack of special brew to cope with the speech.  It's not fair on either of you. They can still be involved as an usher for example.

8.Unless you're an actor who specialises in monologues, no one is going to expect you to remember your entire speech. Split a number of record cards into two sections, with a chunk of the speech at the top and a bullet list of key points from the same section at the bottom. Try to use the bullet points and embellish them - it will sound more natural, but you can use the full text if you get stuck. Oh, and practise.

9.Even if she says “no” when you ask, get her a present that you give to her on the wedding day itself.  Not flowers though, as there will be an entire florists’ worth available to her during the day and also there isn’t much point to a bunch of flowers looking pretty, in a vase, on your mantelpiece, when you’re both on honeymoon.

10.If you're still not keen to get involved there are other "more manly" activities that can contribute to the planning effort. If there are things that need to be purchased, have a go at making them instead. If there are things that need sourcing,  embrace your 'hunting instincts' and go find them. But, if after reading all of this you still don't want to involve yourself, think about your wife-to-be and all that planning that is currently resting on her shoulders. Why not give her a hand and call in some experts...or at the very least give her some chocolates, compliments on her efforts or a nice massage.

*Leigh Payne is the owner of luxury management consultancy myriad genii

A groom's guide to wedding planning
You may want to loitre in the background but it's best to give your wife a hand in preparing for the wedding. Leigh Payne of myriad genii* gives his top suvival tips for the groom ahead of the big day

It may be easy to leave the groom out when planning a wedding and although he may actually prefer it, it could prove quite useful to get him involved.  The carrot dangled in front of me was the promise of beer and that the sooner it was done, the sooner I could have my beverage.

This bribe was only offered once at the start.  When I got involved with planning our wedding, I couldn’t stop - I was hooked.  (I had also found where the beer was hidden).

Here are a few tips to help get you, the groom, cope before you tie the knot: