New Year's Resolutions for the Groom To-Be

When the ball drops at midnight, an estimated 1 million couples will say "2010 will be the best ever!" because they're celebrating an engagement during the most popular proposal moment of the year. New Years Eve is the perfect time to reflect on the past, and more importantly, look forward to a bigger, brighter future. Now that you're finally ready to take the plunge, here are a few New Year's Resolutions to make 2010 a great year for your wedding, without making it the year dominated by your wedding.

Ten Future Groom New Year's Resolutions for 2010

10. Form an Opinion about Your Future Wedding

You know that feeling when you walk into Victoria's Secret and all the foofy undies and lotions manage to suck every ounce of masculinity out of your soul? That's what it will feel like every day for the next year if you don't give some input on your future nuptials. It sounds like work, but it's not as hard as it sounds. Set up Google Alerts for phrases like "weddings," "tuxedos" or maybe even "groomsmen gifts" and you'll be up-to-date on the latest wedding trends within weeks.

9. Schedule One Night a Week to Plan Your Wedding

It's healthy for couples to have at least one date night a week. Since you just broke the piggy bank for a ring and you've got a massive wedding bill on the horizon, why not stay in and make that date night into a planning night. Crack open a bottle of wine and get down to business. Ahem - wedding business. Before you know it, your guest list will be final, your caterer will be ready to go and your venue will be in the bag well in advance of your big day.

8. Schedule One Night a Week Free of Wedding Planning

So much so, on this special night you both can only refer to your wedding as "the day that shall not be named." This might seem easy at first, but as the weeks pile up, you'll need a night free of saying yes to dresses, little people wedding magic or whatever multiple-birth wedding mayhem the TLC network slops onto your TiVo.

7. Spend More Time with Family

You should make this resolution every year, but this year especially. Weddings are a celebration of two families coming together, and it's your chance to take advantage of your loved ones willingness to celebrate - by putting them to work. Including your friends and family in your planning will create lasting wedding memories, and the more they help means more chances for them to pick up the tab on an item or two.

6. Learn Something New

What better time to learn something new than when you're planning on entertaining 100 of your closest friends and family. It's true that you're going to be learning enough about a-line dresses and wedding cakes to write a 12-page essay, but take the time to learn about some great conversation starters. One of the favorites at GroomStand is the Wedding Origin Stories - bet you don't know why they call it a honeymoon. Find out now, and you'll have a gem of a story tucked away in your back pocket.

5. Be More Environmentally Conscious

From wedding announcements to flowers and food, your day of love will create a ton of garbage. Be a forward thinker in 2010. Send more electronic messages than paper ones. Use biodegradable utensils and plates whenever possible. Create a compost of extra food and flowers to make a wedding garden. Bold GroomStand Moment: Convince your soon-to-be wife that wearing a pre-loved wedding dress is a more economical, earth-friendly gesture.

4. Spoof up Your Wardrobe

If you haven't noticed, a wedding covers more than just one night. There's engagement parties, professional pictures, rehearsal dinners and after wedding brunches. You need to look awesome (and adult) at all these events - so invest in some big kid clothes. Add a set of personalized cufflinks to your kakis and a blazer or two and you should have a timeless biz casual look for all your extra events.

3. Do Something Nice for Others

Weddings waste a lot of food. Instead of throwing all that delectable grub away, wouldn't it be nice to give it to people who really need it most? You can donate all of your non-perishable food items to your local food bank. As for your reception leftovers, contact Feeding America to find your local food rescue program. Remember all your friends and family that selflessly volunteered to make your dream wedding a reality. Reward their efforts with handsome groomsmen gifts. A personalized triangular flask is the perfect way to give thanks by ushering a futuristic style for the new decade!

2. Have Fun Planning Your Wedding

You're only going to plan a wedding once, so make these moments count. Try all the wedding cake you can. Bust out a James Bond pose when you don the tuxedo. Pick out your dream car for your wedding getaway ride to the airport. When the stress of the moment starts to get you down, ask yourself if you're going too far out of your way to please the wedding etiquette mafia, or are you doing it for yourself. Remember, this is your future wife and your big day. Do whatever makes you two happy.

1. Don't go into Debt Over a Wedding

The average wedding in 2009 cost $30,860. You don't have to have the "average wedding" if you don't want to. It's easy to watch a four hour marathon of Say Yes to the Dress and think a $5,000 dress is reasonable. Never forget that your wedding is yours and it should only meet your standards. No one else (Besides your bride. She might still want that $5,000 dress).