Most of the time, wedding mornings are pretty laid back for the guys. They 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. Last week I shared 13 Tips for the Bride and today I’m sharing 13 tips for the groom to have a stress-free wedding morning and day!

You see it time and again. Getting ready photos of the bride, but not the groom. Why? Isn’t this the story of their wedding day? Most of the time, the groom takes the back burner to the wedding planning process because let’s face it. Most grooms really don’t care what the invitations look like, what flowers are used, or what colors the wedding party is going to wear. But the groom definitely has his own set of responsibilities and although the bride certainly draws the short straw on the morning wedding prep responsibilities, the groom should definitely know what’s going on too! So here are my top tips for a great morning with the guys!

1. 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! AND! Know how to put on your boutonnieres.
2. Have all your details ready when the photographers are set to get there- and don’t have them on! When I or my second photographer arrives to the groom prep location we’re going to want to photograph your details first. Before they are put on you. 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 bride (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. 
3. Make sure the groomsmen are all present and ready.  When we arrive, the groomsmen should be fully dressed except for their suit jackets. Cause they’ll probably just get too hot if they put them on for the whole day! They should have their shoes, pants, shirt and ties on when we arrive so they’re ready to help you and everyone looks spiffy during prep photos.  Once we’re done photographing the details, the groomsmen will help the groom get ready.
4. Keep the drinking to a minimum.  One whiskey or scotch on the rocks or a beer to cheers with your boys is plenty for the morning of. We do groom prep pictures pretty quickly and don’t want the whole focus to be the alcohol. Additionally, your bride 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 5 hours of dancing so make sure to pace yourself and your groomsmen.
5. Decide on sunglasses or no sunglasses. And Make sure everyone has them if you’re going for it!  There have been so many times where we go to take groomsmen photos and someone forgot their sunglasses. Luckily I usually have my Raybans in the car and can save someone the embarrassment of being the odd man out, but it’s best to decide before hand whether you’re all having sunglasses, or no one is having sunglasses and then remember to bring them when you leave the hotel. 
6. 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 groomsmen. And when we go to take pictures, if you do have these items with you, make sure you and your groomsmen put all your items in your back pocket so they’re not noticeable in the pictures!
7. Pack an emergency kit.  The bride usually has an emergency kit and you really should too! Keep the essentials: toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving cream, deodorant, bandaids if you cut yourself shaving, a razor, mouth wash, gum. You get the idea! Oh, and water!
8. 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. I never knew you could iron a tie but it actually ruined it- so don’t do that! We want your morning spent hanging with your friends, not ironing your suits.
9. 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!
10. 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 to the groom and the groomsmen, especially when they’re wearing tuxedos or have really cool looking suspenders. They make you look super suave, I promise. These Images shot for Christy Nicole Photography.
11. If you’re getting ready in the same general location of the bride (same hotel, at the venue in different rooms) then make sure the bride has the rings and not the best man! When I get to the wedding, I usually take ring shots first and foremost and since my second photographer is with the groom, I can’t do that if the Best Man has the rings. I’ll give them to him as soon as those shots are done!
12. Eat! This goes without saying usually for the guys 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.
13. Have fun! If you make sure to handle all of these things ahead of time, you will definitely have a great wedding morning with your guys. 

So there you have it! My tips for a seamless wedding morning. This can truly make or break your wedding day timeline and your stress levels so be sure to follow these simple steps for a great morning with your guys! This is truly a special time for you, your friends and your family.  Cherish this time and have fun the morning of. These tips will ensure you do just that.

To see my getting ready tips for the bride click HERE.