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5 Dos and Don’ts for Grooming the Groom
Posted on March 28, 2019 by New Jersey Bride
Typically, all eyes are on the bride on the wedding day, but there is no excuse for the groom not to present his best self on the big day. Afterall, he is the man of the hour! Every bride needs her perfect complement—and on the wedding day that can be best displayed through a well-dressed and well-groomed partner.
A bride often spends countless hours at the gym, bridal boutique, hair salon and aesthetician’s office in order to look her best on the wedding day, so gents, it is important that you don’t just show up! You must put some thought into your entire look, which includes what you wear in addition to your grooming (hair, nails, skin and cologne).
To give you a head start on thinking about your grooming for the wedding day, the Co-Founders of The Groomsman Suit, Diana Ganz and Jeanne Foley, have prepared 5 Do’s and Don’ts for Grooming the Groom.
1. DON’T push it off until the last minute.
Just like most things leading up to the wedding day, planning is key. Whether it’s a facial, manicure, teeth-whitening session or haircut, do not push off booking your grooming appointments until the last minute. The last thing you want to hear right before your wedding is that your barber is booked and you’re going to have to entrust arguably the most important haircut of your life to someone who doesn’t fully understand your hair. Call to book your appointments at least one month in advance, and schedule each appointment the appropriate number of days in advance of the wedding as directed by the professional. Typically, you do not want to get facials the day before the wedding and also, depending how your hair grows, you may not want to shave your beard or mustache on the wedding day because of possible skin irritation. Do it a day or so before your wedding (if you can) to let any cuts or ingrown hairs fade.
2. DO invest in good product.
Whether it is for your hair, skin, nails or wedding-day fragrance, if you don’t already have specific regimens and products in place, you certainly want to do some research a few months out from the wedding day. Using the right companion products during your skincare, shaving or hair-styling routines can eliminate common grooming woes. Consider investing in a good facial cleanser, facial moisturizer and a pre-shave oil to soften hairs before applying shaving cream (and ensure a smoother glide and less ingrown hairs). Top off your shave with a post-shave balm to moisturize your skin, minimize rashes and irritation, and help any cuts heal faster. As for your hair, if you have straight hair, smooth flyaways and cowlicks with a styling wax for minimal shine and a good hold. If you have curly or textured hair, consider a styling cream to highlight your hair texture while taking care of frizz.
3. DO consider going to a professional.
If it’s not your style to perform your facial, hair and shaving services at home, then by all means, hire a professional. Even if you typically do these services for yourself and just want a different look or professional touch. Make a consultation with a barber a few months in advance of the wedding to discuss and even consider testing out different shave types and possible hairstyles. By hiring a professional you won’t have to worry about any self-shave mishaps and you’ll be able to pay close attention to how your skin reacts and how fast your hair grows after so you can time your hot-towel shave perfectly right before your wedding day. Another part of men’s grooming is selecting a signature scent. Whether it be for just the wedding day or every day, a man of style should also give some consideration to wearing cologne. Similar to facial, hair and shaving services, if you are not so sure on what to do or purchase, certainly enlist the help of a professional. Head over to a local department store or cosmetics store and ask for some assistance with selecting your signature scent. Become familiar with your preferred fragrance notes and spending budget, and surely the professionals will be able to guide you toward the best fragrance.
4. DON’T make a drastic change.
Now’s not the time to be innovative and try something new (like your first handlebar mustache). Remember, you and your partner want to cherish your wedding photos for years to come, not wince when you look back at them. You want to look like yourself on your wedding day, just polished to the max. That doesn’t mean you need to be clean shaven necessarily. If people are used to seeing you in a beard, keep the beard by all means!
5. DO practice a little.
Just like the saying goes, “practice makes perfect,” so if you decide that you are going to be an expert DIYer make sure you get some practice time in before the wedding day. Practice the timing and technique of your shaving routine and haircuts. Does your hair look best grown out for two weeks, or one? Nail down the beard or mustache shape and length too to see what looks best on you. Also, begin testing out your skincare products to make sure there are no unexpected skin reactions or irritations.
-all photos are from The Groomsman Suit’s real weddings section
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