Most of the time, wedding mornings are pretty laid back for the groom. You don’t have to worry about hair and make-up, and all-in-all, it’s pretty stress-free. But there are definitely some things that grooms need to consider for the morning of the wedding day to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. So today I’m sharing 12 tips for a stress-free wedding morning and wedding day for YOU, the groom!
Know how to tie your tie, or bowtie.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve watched Youtube videos with the groom and groomsmen the morning of the wedding. You’d think by now I could tie a tie but I can’t…. so make sure you and your groomsmen practice before the big day! OR get a clip-on! No worries on the boutonniere though. I got that!
Have all of your details ready to go.
Have all your details ready when myself or the second photographer are set to get there. If you want them photographed as a still-life layflat detail shot, then don’t have them on! When I (or the second photographer) arrives at the groom prep location we’re going to want to photograph your details first. Before you’re wearing them. Have your belt or suspenders, your tie/bowtie, your cufflinks, your shoes and your pocket squares ready for us to photograph. Additional things I love to have to tell the story are your gifts to the groomsmen (If applicable) and your gift from and to your fiancé (if applicable). Even better: if you can put them all in a bag with handles that I can carry around to find the best location to photograph them.
Make sure everyone is present.
Make sure your attendants are all present and ready. When we arrive, your attendants should be fully dressed except for their suit jackets and ties. (They’ll probably just get too hot if they put them on for the whole day!) They should have their shoes, pants, and shirt on when we arrive so they’re ready to help you and everyone looks spiffy during prep photos. If you have any groomswomen, they can be fully dressed if they’re wearing a dress. Once we’re done photographing the details, everyone can finish getting ready.
Don’t get drunk.
Keep the drinking to a minimum. One drink or beer to cheer with your side is plenty for the morning. We do groom prep pictures pretty quickly and don’t want the whole focus to be the alcohol. Additionally, your spouse probably won’t enjoy the first kiss smelling like whiskey, and the wedding day is a marathon, not a sprint. We have a long day ahead with cocktail hour and 4 hours of dancing so make sure to pace yourself and your attendants.
Leave the extra stuff behind.
Don’t bring the non-essentials with you. Wedding days have us traveling all over the place and give you lots of places to lose things. If you don’t need your wallet or phone, leave them somewhere safe or with one of your attendants. And when we go to take pictures, EVERYONE WILL NEED TO TAKE THE STUFF OUT OF THEIR POCKETS. No phones, no wallets, no keys, no packs of gum or mints, no sunglasses. It’s a time-suck when I have to keep reminding everyone to remove the contents of their pockets, then they have to find somewhere safe to set everything. If you’re not riding in a bus/limo, I suggest bringing a tote bag for everyone to dump their pocket contents into that we can keep close by.
Have an emergency kit.
Pack an emergency kit. Keep the essentials: bandaids, a razor, gum, double-sided tape, safety pins, Tide pen, superglue, hairspray. You get the idea! Oh, and water!
Make sure your wedding day attire fits… BEFORE THE DAY OF THE WEDDING
This is a big one: Everyone needs to make sure their suit or tux fits BEFORE THE MORNING OF THE WEDDING! Try it on at the store when you pick it up so alterations or exchanges can be made right away. Remind your guys what color suit or tux and vest and tie they should have so they can double check that when they’re picking it up. Have your suits pressed the week of, not the morning of. There have been a few times where the groom or groomsmen are frantically ironing their suits and their ties. FYI, ironing a tie will ruin it, so make sure it doesn’t get wrinkled in your bag! We want your morning spent hanging with your friends, not ironing stuff or panicking about a suit or tux that doesn’t fit!
Have the appropriate socks.
Make sure you have black socks or colored socks to match the attire of the wedding….just whatever you do… don’t wear white socks! If your pants are too short, just about the worst thing would be seeing those glaring white socks in the pictures!
Belt or suspenders, not both.
Choose one: belt or suspenders. They do the same job so you don’t need both. I personally LOVE how suspenders look on a wedding day. I think it gives such a timeless look, especially when wearing a tux or just having really cool-looking suspenders. They make you look super suave, I promise.
Don’t forget the rings or the marriage certificate!
This pretty much says it all. Don’t forget the rings or the marriage certificate. ESPECIALLY the marriage certificate. I should also mention that you have to obtain the marriage certificate a few weeks ahead of time from your local county office (just Google it). Your officiant does not have, like, a prescription pad of marriage certificates.
Eat!
This goes without saying usually, but if you don’t eat in the morning or before the ceremony, you’re going to have to wait a long time until your next meal. Make sure you eat plenty and stay hydrated so you can endure the hours of partying ahead.
Have fun!
And most importantly, HAVE FUN! If you want your photos to look like two people having fun, then you need to ACTUALLY have fun. If you’re stressed and miserable, then that’s going to translate to your photos. So let go of the little shit. Tell the toxic people to zip it. And focus on you and the person you’re marrying. Because this day is about the two of you, and no one else.
The morning of can truly make or break your wedding day timeline and your stress levels, so be sure to follow these simple steps for a stress-free wedding morning with your friends! This is truly a special time for you, your friends and your family. Enjoy the time together!
You can also check out these Timeline Planning Posts:
14 of the Best Wedding Day Timeline Planning Tips
13 Helpful Tips for a Stress-Free Wedding Morning for the Bride
3 Helpful Tips to Make Your Wedding Portraits Enjoyable
