As soon as we got engaged, Trent set up a blog for us so that we could keep our friends and families updated on wedding plans, etc. As far as his contributions to the wedding planning are concerned, Trent was actually a little slow getting involved. He knows how important this day is to me, and he didn’t want to get in the way of what I wanted to see at the wedding. BUT – as soon as I asked him to help, he jumped in there wholeheartedly!

He arranged for the DJ (which isn’t an easy feat seeing as how Trent lives in Alabama and the wedding is in Oklahoma!). Trent was solely responsible for making and sending out our save-the-date magnets – which are beautiful! He has also helped tremendously with the guest list and invitations. And he’s taken over the contact with the crazy caterers…helping me get the cost of the food for the reception down to a bearable amount! And…he’s taken the responsibility of working out how we’re going to get my things moved from NYC to Alabama before the wedding in Oklahoma. That’s quite the feat!

But regardless of the wonderfully helpful physical contributions that Trent has made in terms of wedding planning, he has certainly been a HUGE support for me during this time. I’m in graduate school in New York, and things have been very stressful. Trying to finish school, plan a wedding in a different state, maintain a long-distance relationship, and live in what I find a very difficult city to live in – it’s tough. But Trent has been my rock. He’s kept me sane and grounded. He’s asked some difficult questions and made me really consider what’s truly important in life and in our wedding. He looks past the one-day event to the rest of our lives and has done so much to help us prepare for our future together.

Oh! And just this weekend, Trent arranged a surprise birthday party for me from 1,000 miles away. He flew in town, surprised me at a restaurant, and made sure that all of my friends were waiting back at my apartment for surprise #2! What a WONDERFUL man!

Maybe I’m a little biased, but Trent is the most amazing fiance. I would be THRILLED if he won the title of Ultimate Groom – and I’m sure he would, too! He certainly deserves it! Honestly, he deserves all that the world has to give!! I am so incredibly blessed to get to marry this man, and even if he doesn’t win this contest, Trent will forever be my Ultimate Groom!!

She started blogging about 6 months ago, and she’s steadily grown a sizable audience of a few thousand readers. In recent months, when she’s been sick, slammed with work, or otherwise unable to devote free time to writing, I have jumped in to keep the content flowing with guest posts, sometimes for a full week at a time. And not just half-assed work, either. Some of my posts have been thousand-word essays on serious topics like tradition & family, or about looking at a wedding from a groom’s perspective. A few posts have sparked great discussions with my fiancee’s readership. I feel great that I’ve been able to add to the conversation and provide a thoughtful, honest man’s point of view in a female-dominated arena. Even better, I’ve gained a lot of insight myself through the process of blogging and commenting on my posts, which has helped make me a better groom and future husband.

While I commend all the entrants above, I think that my serious contributions to the wedding-blog world show that I don’t just care about the trappings of the wedding, but also the bigger-picture issues and ideas associated with marriage and partnership. And that’s why I think I deserve the title of Ultimate Groom. Thanks for your consideration!

I stared down at my hands. Half-scared and half-relieved that I got it over with.

“That’s very flattering…”

“But I have a boyfriend,” Alisha reluctantly shared.

Obviously, whoever deemed honesty as the best policy had never experienced the tragic side effects of having the woman of your dreams tell you she’s making someone else’s come true.

“Well… that’s OK. I really do thank you for being honest,” I replied. #FAIL

My hands stared up at me. They held my deflated heart and probably wished I had left well enough alone.
Alisha and I had been friends for almost a year before I marshaled up enough courage to reveal my real intentions. We worked on public relations campaigns together. We attended the same church. I was good friends with her cousin. We knew the same people and went the same places. It was a losing battle.

So what did I do? I went on a love fast.

I didn’t date anyone else. They didn’t matter. Alisha and I stayed good friends and we really began to know and appreciate one another even more. I kept busy at work and spending time with friends and family. You see, once you experience fine cuisine, you can’t go back to TV dinners.

Why am I the ultimate groom? Because I waited for what I wanted and trusted for what I needed. I’m not sure if was due to faith or foolishness, but one year later and Alisha is my fiancé. Sure, I’m helping her look at venues, pick our wedding planner, look at catering options and design the wedding website. But most of all I’m just there when she needs a hug to ease the frustration. I listen when she feels overwhelmed and make her laugh when she feels misunderstood by family.

Now when I look down at my hands, I see another pair right there beside them. As I type this entry, she is at the Unveiled Bridal Show in Dallas with her mom. This evening we will sit down and discuss her ideas for center pieces and floral arrangements. I’m the ultimate groom only because she’s my one and only love.

Check out a video of my surprise proposal here: http://vimeo.com/9791654