Whether you are a metrosexual or a rugged sort of guy, when you are getting married, you will want to pay attention to your appearance.
It is not only the bride who should get spruced up for the wedding day.
Every groom needs a little pre-wedding grooming as well.
There are a few basic categories for men to keep in mind when it comes to grooming.
The first is hair.
Schedule your haircut for one week before the wedding date.
That way it will be fresh and neat for the rehearsal dinner and wedding, but will not have that raw look that a brand new haircut.
sometimes has.
Stick with your usual haircut - this is not the time to try anything new.
One thing that you might not think about is the state of your teeth.
Many guys do not give much thought at all to the appearance of their pearly whites, but you will want them to look good for the wedding pictures.
To make sure that you put your best smile forward, plan to whiten your teeth shortly before the wedding.
If you are a smoker or drink a lot of coffee, you may need the special whitening trays from a dentist; otherwise the white strips from the drugstore will do just fine.
With your teeth in tip-top shape, your happy "just married" smile will look even better.
Another area that many grooms do not consider is the state of their hands and nails.
Many men will have pretty beat up looking hands, whether it is from work, hobbies, or sports.
If you are like most guys, you have probably think that your hands look just fine, even if they are splattered with paint, have grime under the nails, or have been chewed down to the quick.
Your bride, however, may see things a little differently.
Your wedding is the one day of a man's life that people will be looking at his hands, because they will want to see your wedding ring.
A very common wedding photo is a close up picture of the bride and groom's hands together, especially during the cake cutting.
Be certain that your hands are ready for their close up.
You may even want to consider getting a no-polish manicure to smooth away all of the rough edges and torn up cuticles.
When you are thinking about pre-wedding grooming, it is not only the hair on your head that should be cared for.
Take a careful scan of the body hair situation.
If you have hair sprouting from your ears, or even worse, your nose, by all means deal with it! And for all you hairy bears out there, please be certain that no chest hair will be crawling up from the top of your shirt collar on the day of the wedding.
A final part of grooming to plan for is your wedding jewelry.
If you will be wearing a special piece of jewelry for your wedding, such as cufflinks, make sure that they are polished and shiny.
Silver cufflinks or antiques might need a quick trip to your local jeweler to be brightened up.
If you are wearing a high polish wedding band, a quick wipe with a soft cloth will remove any fingerprints or smudges.
Although his regimen will likely be much less complicated than the bride's, the groom should take extra care with his grooming for the wedding.
Even though a lot of your efforts will be overshadowed by your beautiful bride, she will notice the effort you put into looking your best for her.
And every woman appreciates when a man goes to special trouble for her.