As one half of two videographers, on a wedding day my morning typically starts with the groom, capturing the action as the groom and his groomsmen don their ties, put on those cufflinks and get ready for the day. Hanging out with the boys in the morning is usually a lot of fun with a great sense of camaraderie often evident between close mates on such an important day. But after spending so many mornings with the boys I’ve come to realise there’s one or two things that you maybe haven’t thought about before the big day….jpg)
- First of all, if you were planning on getting ready on your own I would highly recommend inviting your best man and ushers to come and get ready at the same place. The morning of your wedding should be every bit of fun as the rest of the day and having your closest friends around you as you prepare really makes the occasion and prevents you from getting too nervous or anxious about the day. It’s also great for photos and video so where possible it’s great to get your photographer/videographer to come along too…
- This may seem obvious but if you are going to have a photographer/videographer present for the getting ready shots then make sure you’re not completely ready before they arrive. Mostly they’re there to capture the atmosphere and maybe a few shots of you putting on your ties, cufflinks and jackets but if you’re unsure then talk to your photographer/videographer before the big day so that they can time their arrival right for you. Oh and speaking of ties…
- Make sure you’ve worked out and practiced the type of knot you want to do your tie with before the big day and make sure everyone else knows how it’s done too. This is particularly the case if you’re wearing a cravat as, depending on the type, these can be quite different to tying a normal office tie.
- Bring some scissors. When you come to put on your suit you will often find that the pockets are stitched up in order to hold the shape and that somewhere a label will be stitched to the outside of the suit. Having witnessed some innovative but occasionally risky approaches to getting these done ranging from nail clippers to cigarette lighters to pulling at the stitching and hoping for the best, a pair of scissors is definitely a must have item!
- Pocket squares. There are a range of ways to wear a pocket square/handkerchief as you can see on this link: http://www.samhober.com/howtofoldpocketsquares/pocketsquarefolds.htm but make sure that you’ve decided on the look you’re after before it comes to folding it and once again practice to make sure you can recreate it on the day. Oh and pocket squares are worn on the same side as the buttonhole – the left.
- Buttonholes are another oft confusing aspect. As already mentioned these should be worn on the left and, theoretically, through the actual buttonhole and pinned behind (although formal wedding suits normally have a loop of fabric behind the lapel to hold the buttonhole in place. If your flower is designed to show off the stork though you may need to pin it fully rather than put it through your lapel. To do so start from behind go through the lapel over the front of the flower and back through the other side.
- Ushers – use this chance to check your responsibilities with the groom. If they’re expecting you to help people find their seats check whether anything more than the front row needs leaving free for the wedding party and whether or not they have a specific side for guests of the bride or groom to sit on.
So chaps we hope these few little tips will help you to get ready stress-free so you have time to stop off for a pint on the way… sorry I mean time to relax and contemplate how wonderful your wedding day is going to be.
P.S. it’s probably best if the best-man holds onto that hip-flask, you don’t want it showing through your pockets!
