Alas, Grooms' Week on Bridal Musings is coming to an end.
But what a week it's been, from style to speeches to cake, and ideas on how to be the best, best man, and how to put a masculine stamp on your special day.
Oh and don't forget our awesome giveaway with Bows ‘n Ties.
And, we have one last treasure trove of tips for you guys… with our guide to grooming, for grooms.
Photo by Pierre Atalier via Le Journal Du Marie
Many grooms will already be au faux with cleansers, moisturisers and hair products, they might spend hours styling their hair and shaping their beards. But for others, a shower and a shave is pushing the boat out for a big event.
Either way, you want to be looking, and feeling, your best for your big day, whether you're bearded, mustachioed, or clean shaven, have long hair, short hair, or hair all over!
So from when to trim, to what to trim, to how to hide a hangover, we've got the info you need, with our guide to being well-groomed on your wedding day.
20 Great Grooming Tips for Grooms
Photo by David Newkirk via Trendy Bride
1. Wash Up
This may seem silly, but from the moment you get engaged, start washing your face. Properly.
Not just soap and water, invest in a good cleanser and a weekly exfoliator and you'll soon notice an extra polish to your complexion.
2. Drink Up
Water doesn't just replenish your insides, it works wonders on your skin as well.
Start a regular eight glasses a day water workout ahead of your wedding and your skin will be clear, clean and an have enough blush to rival a bride, in time for your big day.
Photo by Trent Bailey Photography via Style Me Pretty
3. Seasonal Skincare
Do you go really red in summertime or does your skin get dry and flakey in winter? Think about when you're having your wedding and plan accordingly.
Wear sunscreen ahead of a summer wedding to avoid looking too flushed in the snaps, or avoid the usual onset of winter skin by introducing moisturiser well in advance.
4. Regular Rules
We're all for guys embracing a new skincare regime ahead of a wedding, moisturiser, night cream, face masks? All awesome – but just keep it regular.
Stopping and starting a regime will mess with your skin, and whatever you do, don't start trying out new products right before your wedding.
Photo by Studio 1208 via Bridal Musings
5. Pick of the Products
So you know you have to moisturise, but unless you're a long time groomer, it's hard to know what you need. Read up online, talk to a facialist, or visit a department store and chat to consultants at a couple of different counters to see what's on offer.
You may need something matte to reduce shine, something medicated to treat acne, or something mild to ease onto your sensitive skin. Get a few testers, and see which product works best for you before you make a purchase.
6. Practise Makes Perfect (Stubble)
Do you love your look on Day 3 of beard growth? Or was it day 5? Trial and error is the only way to assess your beard growth if you're going for that handsome stubble look for your wedding day.
Try shaving a few times to take note of how long, on average, it takes for you to get to optimum wedding day stubble.
Photo by KT Merry via Once Wed
7. Timeless ‘Tache
If a handlebar moustache is your signature look, by all means wear it for your wedding, same applies if you're a Mo Bro getting married in November.
But if the latest look for facial hair among your friends is full on ‘Fu Manchu chic', please don't go copying them until after the wedding.
8. Sharper Shave
Why not get together with your guys and go for a hot towel shave ahead of your wedding?
A straight razor gives the cleanest shave, so if you're after a sharp, clean look for your wedding day, book in for a professional lather with your barber of choice.
Once again, talk to your barber about whether you'll need to do this the day before or day of your wedding, depending on your growth, and proneness to irritation.
Photo by Apryl Ann Photography via Style Me Pretty
9. Beautiful Beard
We love a beardy groom, but if yours is unruly, wiry, or unclean looking, no one is going to want to lean in for a smooch.
Trim your beard weekly in the lead up to your wedding to get it into great shape.
There are lots of great products available for blokes with beards, so invest in something like a beard oil, soap or conditioner, that keeps your full facial hair groomed and glossy.
10. Brow Down
Okay so evil, finely plucked brows are not what you want to see in the mirror on your wedding day, but neither is an angry unibrow. Pluck any stray hairs between your eyes a couple of days before your wedding. Avoid plucking over the brows or inside the inner or outer eye lines.
Ditto on ridding yourself of any rogue ear or nose hairs too – but don't pluck, invest in a trimmer for pain-free tidying.
Photo by Tessa Barton Photography
11. Cut to Countdown
Unless you plan on getting something drastic (do that at least a month before the wedding!), or you keep your hair tightly shaved, book your last hair trim one week before your wedding.
This will give you time to let the style settle and not look too-done, but still be neat and sharp.
12. Spray Your Strands
Have you tried hairspray? Gels and waxes might be more common among gents, but if you're looking for a softly styled look for your wedding day, a spray might give you a better hold without looking stiff or shiny.
Try it out ahead of your wedding to see how it looks and holds.
Photo by Byron Loves Fawn via White Magazine
13. Fresh Blade
A disposable big brand blade is at its best the second time you use it.
Be sure to have fresh set of blades ahead of your wedding, and never use the same blade more than five times or it will cause irritation to your skin.
14. Hands and Feet
Does your other half constantly harass you over rough hands or unkept toenails? Put the man in manipedi and treat them to polished talons and soft skin on your wedding night.
Book an appointment a few days before your wedding, if you're nervous about venturing into a regular salon, you'll find a gentlemen's groomers in most big towns and cities.
Photo by Pierre Atalier via Le Journal Du Marie
15. Manly Massage
Wedding budgets and table plan politics stressing you out? Why not book in for a massage? Or rope in your guys and spend a few hours at a swanky spa.
De-stressing before your wedding will not only leave you feeling great, but it will show on your face, and in your posture, too.
16. What About Waxing?
So plenty of guys see a regular all over (and we mean all over) wax as no biggie. For others, the idea of anyone taking to their intimate areas with a bowl of hot wax is like something out of a horror movie.
There's no right or wrong, go with what works best for you.
If you know your other half has always (quietly) hated your bushy back hair, it might be a nice gesture to give it a shear before the wedding. But only do so at a reputable salon, be prepared to wince (just a tad) and pay extra attention to any aftercare instructions – and stick to them!
Photo by Brian LaBrada Photography via Bridal Musings
17. Pearly Whites
You're (hopefully) going to be smiling a lot on your wedding day, and if you're a coffee drinker, smoker, red wine enthusiast, or simply someone prone to discolouration, you're going to want your teeth looking their best for the big day.
Start using a dentist-approved whitening toothpaste a few months ahead of your wedding and schedule a professional clean before the big day.
If you have a really discoloured teeth, consider a professional whitening treatment, but leave yourself a few weeks between it and the wedding (your teeth can be really sensitive after a treatment, and you want to be able to enjoy your wedding cake, right?)
Oh, and don't forget to have mints on standby on the big day.
18. Subtlety in Scent
The scent of a man is so important, so whether you stick to your signature cologne, or choose something special for the occasion, don't forget to wear a fragrance on your wedding day.
Just be sure to keep it light, your guests at the back don't want to be wondering what that smell is as you step up to the altar.
Photo by Laken Fulton Photography via Bridal Musings
19. Hangover Cure
If you hit the bar a bit heavy the night before your wedding, it will show in your face. Put cold packs on your eyes (cucumbers or sandwich bags of peas will work too) and use some really rich moisturiser to try to put a little sparkle back into your complexion.
20. Power Tools
A bad workman might blame his tools, but so will a poorly groomed groom.
Whether you splash out on professional cuts, shaves, facials, massages or mani-pedis ahead of your wedding, or do it yourself at home, do your research. (There's no shame in looking into tanning products and men's concealers too.)
Invest in good quality tweezers, trimmers, razors and products, or check the reviews and go to a reputable men's salon.
A little extra time and money can make all the difference.
Photo by Bryce Covey Photography via Style Me Pretty
Pretty handy tips in there, right? Don't forget to share this with the groom in your life, so he can look, and feel, his most polished, well-groomed self on his wedding day!
Got any grooming tips for grooms of your own? We'd love to hear them! Leave yours in the comments below.
Follow the rest of our Grooms' Week Musings here.
