How Prepared Are You? Check Yo’Self Against The Official Groom Guide Checklist
Everything you need and more before the big day
Yeah the wedding day is gonna be one of the best days of your life. And you've done at least a year's worth of planning so it's time to kick back, relax and reap the rewards right?
Hold the fort: one last little checklist is required for the morning of the wedding. Tick this off and you're laughing.
Speech
This is NOT something to leave till the last minute. We repeat, NOT something to leave till the last minute. Too many good soldiers have fallen at the last hurdle, last seen in an absolute flap the morning of the wedding. Don’t do it to yourself lads. Not worth it.
Socks and Jocks
Keep the jocks dark (see the point on safety pins below) and a good fit, you don’t want anything to mess up the lines of your beautifully tailored suit. And the socks – always a good idea to do something with them to cement the occasion.
We advocate a pair of official wedding socks with your initials monogrammed on them, or matching socks for you and the groom's party.
Spare Socks
Although it is nice to have a special pair of wedding socks – for luck, for superstition, for the ritual, but there’s a chance you could crack a hole, sweat through them or maybe they simply go missing during the dance-off.
So have a spare pair to hand. Just in case
First Aid Kit
Nurofen Plus, Dioralyte, plasters, Lucozade Sport – you’ll scoff now and thank us later. Headache tablets to kill a hangover, Dioralyte to rehydrate you, plasters for an accidentally shaving nick or stubbed toe...or beer can cut...
Hipflask
With a lil' brandy – who could begrudge a groom a wee nip for luck before the main event?
Thank You Gifts
The best man or one of your groomsmen will keep an eye on the gifts for you, but don’t forget to organise them.
Most likely your bride will be all over this - you’ll have a gift/some flowers for the mothers, possibly something for the fathers, and maybe something for the wedding planner.
Cufflinks
Most likely the cufflinks will be meaningful. A hand-me-down from your Pops, a special gift from your bride or maybe they’re a key part of the suit theme.
Whatever it is, they’re integral – and one of the easiest things to misplace the morning of the wedding. Have a designated zone for them and keep them there.
Tooth-pick
Last thing you need a bit of canapé stuck in your tooth for the wedding pictures. Those damn canapés are always full of colourful, fiddly bits, just ripe for getting wedged in between your front teeth.
Love Letter
This is just a nice thing to do and sets the right tone for the day. It’s a private little love letter to leave in her room the morning of the wedding. Hand it to her chief bridesmaid and she’ll sort the right place to leave it.
It’s a special little communication between the two of you to let her know how excited you are to see her in a few short hours.
Thoughtful gift for your bride-to-be
Again to leave with her the morning of the wedding. In fairness, she’s probably done most of the wedding planning. We are modern men these days, but there is only so much decorating, favour-planning and colour swashing we can digest.
This is a little acknowledgement of all her hard work, plus something to get her excited and calm any jitters. A monogrammed dressing gown is great (see Brown Thomas) or an initial necklace or watch (see Chupi)
Phone Charger
Phone, charger, extra charger, extra-extra charger – even though your best man should be in charge of the running of the day, it is inevitable that there are a few last-minute things that you might need your phone for – one last double check with the caterer or the band.
Or there might be a few candid moments you want to capture, between yourself and your bride.
Deodorant
It’s a sweaty day, that’s all we can say lads. You’ll probably have walked 10 miles off yourself before the actual ceremony (a mixed bag of nervous walking and last minute errands) and that’s before the speeches – and what about the dancing?
Safety-pins
For a split arse, split shirt, split cummerbund, waistcoat or a busted bow-tie. The after-dinner dancing can get exceptionally rowdy. Which brings us to...
Dance Moves
Have you got any? If not, stock up. It’s vital for the groom to bust a move at his wedding. Swing lessons if you’re really committed, practice the Running Man or Gangnam Style if not.
Playlist
These days it’s plenty common for the after-dinner music to take the shape of a Spotify playlist. Sometimes it’s a favour from your music-obsessed best-mate, sometimes your groomsman.
Or maybe it’s something you and your bride-to-be have decided to do together to escape some of the more tedious aspects of wedding planning.
Remember ALWAYS HAVE A BACK UP. So you don’t have to subject your guests to the terrifying prospect of Random: a musical journey from Abba through to Counting Crows, Enya, Venga Boys and any other embarrassing guilty pleasures you might have.
The Rings
Technically not your responsibility but sure it’s no harm to double-check with your best man or page boy.
Card Pile
Decide in advance where you store the cards and gifts handed to you by your guests.
It’ll be the best man looking after this task, but guests will inevitably hand something to you or your bride, so make sure you have some idea or where the loot is stored in case you need to do a drop-off.
Speech
Have you doubly, triply checked you have it? Did we mention it was important?
