Gents, it’s likely that your future spouse has been thinking about your big wedding day for some time now. Planning all of the details, picking out color schemes, and all the communication that are going to bring this special day together add up to a lot of responsibility.
Your role is to help make the job of planning easier for your partner. There are some things you might only help with and other tasks you might take over completely. This is the perfect time to show your support and interest in your wedding day and show that you’re involved since it is your day too!
Photo by Cling/Peck Photography.
Traditional groom’s duties before the wedding are usually all about providing support. Whether those traditional roles are how you two want to plan is up to you, but if you decide to leave most of the planning to your partner, you should still plan on taking on your share of pre-wedding planning. Things like helping refine the guest list, picking your wedding party, and picking out a first dance song that’s unique to the two of are a few things you probably want to be involved with.
Even though every wedding is different the list below will give you a good base of things you should plan on doing:
#1 Getting your attire professionally tailored – It’s easy to rent a suit and just go with it but don’t be that guy. Put the time into getting your attire professionally tailored and getting a suit or tuxedo that’s going to make you stand out. In fact, all of the gents in the wedding party should be sure to do this!
#2 Talk to your partner about your facial hair – Silly? Maybe. But these photos last a long time! Decide about keeping the beard or ‘stache vs. shaving. And don’t wait to do this until the morning of unless you’re confident you won’t end up bleeding or sporting small cuts in your wedding pictures. Again, this goes for all of the gents who’ll be involved on the big day!
#3 Plan your nail grooming – Even though nails are traditionally more of a focus for the ladies, and your nails are often forgotten – they are something you want to take care of. You’ll be shaking hands with lots of people, your hands will be photographed with your fancy new jewelry, etc. Get yourself a mani/pedi before the big day, even if it is the only one you’ll ever have!
#4 Get some thoughtful gifts – There are lots of gift-giving responsibilities that go along with the big day. Wedding party, parents, your new spouse… typically you’ll need gifts for all of these folks at a minimum. Plan ahead for this, especially if you’re having something custom made or with engraved names. Some unique gift ideas could be sports tickets, subscriptions to services like Hulu/Netflix/Spotify, or some of the ideas we’ve got gathered on our YNI pinboards for parents and groomsmen.
#5 Don’t forget the details – Having a nice, straight collar makes a big impact on your overall appearance. Use collar stays to keep the tips of your collar straight. No matter how relaxed or how fancy your wedding may be we suggest upping your game and wearing some cufflinks. It’s a small detail to add to a suit but it makes a big difference in the way your look comes together! Make sure your shoes are nicely shined. Shined shoes with great socks step up your whole look like the icing on the cake.
#6 Avoid this simple mistake – Avoid having anything in your pockets. Completely empty them. Not your phone, or a mint or a cough drop – nada! You’d be surprised how many times a photo looks amazing except for the outline of a cell phone in the pocket. Not cool, man.
Everything else is about making sure your partner feels special and is taken care of. It’s both of your big day and the focus should be about the both of you enjoying the moment. Keep these things in mind and stay sensitive to the needs of your partner and you can’t go wrong!
About the author: This post is a collaborative effort with Wesley over at iManscape. If you’d like to see his other posts please check out his website!