Over the years, I’ve learned that the groom + groomsmen never really know what to expect when it comes to the “getting ready” photos on the wedding day.  And more often than not, we’re actually waiting on the guys to finish getting ready on the wedding day… so in an effort to better educate my clients, keep everyone informed of what to expect, and to keep everything running on schedule, I wanted to write a blog post with some tips for the guys!

#1 – When choosing a getting ready location for the guys, it is best to find a location that is full of natural light and not too small, so that the guys have plenty of room to hang out and get ready together.  If there is an unused room at your wedding venue or a light-filled lobby at the hotel where the girls are getting ready, we can always photograph the groom putting on his finishing touches in one of those locations instead of a standard hotel room!  The groom + groomsmen (or just the groom) can just meet my second shooter at a more photogenic location prior to the First Look for some quick detail + getting ready photos – and the getting ready photos will blend in much better with the rest of your wedding photos this way!

#2 – The groom + groomsmen should plan to have their shirts + pants on when my second shooter arrives.  All shaving + showers should be done by this point and everyone should be pretty much ready to rock and roll!

#3 – Please send all of your details with your bride in the morning so that I can photograph the groom’s details where the girls are getting ready.  My second shooter will bring everything over to you later in the morning, when she goes to photograph you + the boys getting ready.  Groom details generally includes:

• Shoes – yes, even if they are rental shoes!
• Fun socks (if applicable)
• Cologne
• Cufflinks
• Tie/bowtie
• Boutonniere
• Watch
• Belt
• Pocket Square
• Sunglasses
• Anything sentimental being used on the wedding day

#4 – Try to keep the area near the windows and the room as clutter-free as possible.  I know it can be hard in a small hotel room, but even hiding luggage and bags under the bed or in the closet will help create a clutter-free environment for my second shooter to grab those getting ready photos!

#5 – If you’re wearing real bowties (not pre-tied), please please please practice tying them prior to the wedding day.  Believe it or not, tying a real bowtie is NOT easy and the YouTube videos are not easy to decipher.  This is the #1 reason why the groom + groomsmen run late on the wedding day, so please plan ahead and/or have someone present to help tie them during this part of the day.

#6 – Empty your pockets!  This applies to the groom and groomsmen.  If you must carry your wallet, cell phone, etc. with you on the wedding day, tuck them into your back pockets or inside your jacket liner.  This will ensure that there are no unsightly bulges in your photos.

#7 – Make sure to eat something before getting dressed!  Arranging to have a platter of sandwiches or something delivered to wherever you are all getting ready is a really important thing to remember since you most likely won’t have another chance to eat until dinner time.

#8 – This might sound a little crazy, but it’s actually become something I’ve noticed that a LOT of grooms + groomsmen forget… be sure to hit the potty one last time before heading out for photos!

I hope this post was helpful and gives a little more insight into the getting ready portion of the day for the guys.  It’s pretty quick + painless… as long as all of your details are together in one place when my second shooter arrives, she’ll just come in and get right to work with those.  When it’s time to get dressed, my second shooter will give gentle direction and let you know where to stand.  Breathe easy – we’ve got you guys and promise to make things as painless as possible!