Wedding & Anniversary Grooming Tips for Men

Whether you’re the main attraction (groom) or a trusty sidekick (groomsmen), wedding days call for men to look their best. And even if your wedding is a thing of the past, you’ve always got anniversaries to deal with. Here are some men’s grooming tips to handle both the wedding and everything that comes after (or any formal event you are invited to). Grooming Tips for Men * Looking good takes some work and time, so begin a basic skin care routine of cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing early to get the greatest results. Once a day (or twice if you have oily skin), wash with a liquid cleanser to remove debris and clear pores. Follow with a high-performance moisturizing product to keep skin smooth, hydrated and looking great. Two to three times a week, exfoliate with a face scrub to remove dead skin cells and improve skin’s surface. * If you’ve never spent time on a skin care routine before, consider purchasing a kit that contains all of the products you will need to get started. It takes the guesswork out of figuring out what products to use for what (and can make excellent groomsmen gifts, too!). * Treat individual problems, such as under-eye circles, fine lines and acne, with products specifically formulated for them. * For superior shaving without irritations like ingrown hairs, use products that are gentle and don’t contain irritants such as fragrance, menthol or alcohol. Avoid foamy products, as these do not lubricate skin adequately. Change your blade after 4-5 uses to keep from going over the same place more than once due to a dull blade. If possible, shave in the shower as the steamy air will open pores and allow hairs to be shaved closely. * For super-smooth shaving the day of the big event, skip shaving the day before and then shave in two steps: First, shave with the grain with very light pressure. Second, reapply a thin coat of shaving cream and shave against the grain for smooth results. * Regularly wash your hair with a gentle shampoo that will remove dirt without stripping away natural moisturizers. Make sure to get a haircut or trim a few days before the wedding or anniversary, but don’t opt for a new style the day before since this could turn out to be a disaster. * Nails & Hands: With all the hand-shaking and hand-holding going on, it’s a good idea to make sure nails are clean and trim, and hands are moisturized and free of grime. Why not splurge for a manicure? More and more men, from businessmen to movies stars, are getting them these days, and trust us: Sparkly polish will not be involved. * Wedding and event planning begins months, and sometimes years, ahead of time, so take advantage of the wait by getting fit with a nutritious diet and a regular exercise routine. * Don’t stink up the place: Make sure to wear deodorant. Keep breath mints handy for those slow dances. * Some wedding experts recommend men skip cologne at weddings, citing the fact that there will already be a lot of perfume in the air, as well as scent from the flowers. If you choose to wear cologne, keep the scent light and the application to a minimum. * For anniversaries, gifts don’t have to be elaborate or expensive. Plan a getaway weekend somewhere, even if it’s only two towns away. Book a spa appointment for the two of you and spend a day relaxing. Or instead of an expensive dinner, try revisiting a place you ate at when you first started going out, or a place you two have always wanted to try. The point is to celebrate your marriage any way you see fit.

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Planning Weddings is a Team Effort

Behind every amazing wedding, there's probably an amazing wedding planner. I found this the case when my wife-to-be and I were putting together our journey to the altar. Now I have to admit that prior to getting hitched, I had never really been the type of person who hired event coordinators or planners even for corporate events. I just didn't believe I needed a specialist to make my life work. Oh yeah, sure, there was a housecleaner every now and then, but I was the type that cut my own grass, changed my own oil, and worked out without the benefit of a personal trainer yelling in my face. However, when I got a sense of the unchartered wedding waters we were getting into, it didn't take much nudging from my fiancé to hire a wedding coordinator--and this, by far, turned out to be the smartest decision of my life... well, besides marrying my wife. The wedding planner, Helena, walked in our door and immediately impressed us with her knowledge of how to coordinate a wedding celebration that would be special and unique to our wants and needs. She explained that a true event planner is like a management consultant. It is her job to deliver a complete wedding concept based on an analysis of the bride and groom--who they are, their ideals, their self-images--so that the nuptial experience reflects the soon-to-be married couple and is a once in a lifetime special occasion. After our preliminary discussions, Helena set up dates and times to meet the potential wedding vendors--the photographer, the cake maker, the deejay, and the caterer. I look back at the experience and realize how much time and effort was saved on our part by not having to search and book the vendors. This is a BIG advantage during a time when things like seating charts, who gets invited, and wedding vows dominate your every minute of the day. The first photographer our wedding planner brought by was late and had forgotten some of his sample portfolios. Easy decision: We pass. The second photographer was on time, had everything in order, and had a collection of black and white altar photos that just oozed wedding day emotion. And just that quick we had found our photographer. The deejay picking was not as easy. The best way to get a feel for these vendors is to actually experience their work. After a couple of weeks of dropping in on other people's special events and weddings, we were a bit ragged. But we persevered and on the third weekend we found a deejay who had a personality beyond the glitz. He was fun to talk to and we immediately felt at ease with his music and his style. (Thanks for hanging in there with us, Helena.) The next notch on the wedding coordinator's vendors-to-pick list was the cake maker. In an afternoon we dropped by Helena's top three picks--a fun, five hours of cakes, icing, and the smell of yummy baked goods. Although every cake creation we looked at was amazing unto itself, the man behind the batter who impressed us was Jean-Paul, an innately endearing full-time chef who walked us through his loft/bakery as if we had just put a down payment on the place. Jean-Paul cleared off a table beside a stack of sugar flower cake toppers that went from floor to ceiling and we began our "perfect wedding cake" search. I was blown away by the creativity that went into wedding cakes these days. Forget the white, round, tiered edifices that you've seen on every TV sitcom. Jean-Paul made unique wedding cakes that looked like busts of the bride and groom, cakes that resembled English castles, and even a cake that looked like a set of designer luggage. This was our man. Beyond the creativity, we felt we had met a kindred spirit. He was a person who cared more about the personal connection than the business deal. In the end, we realized that not only was a wedding planner worth her weight in gold, but her patient guidance helped us find wedding vendors who represented what we wanted in ourselves. We wanted to be clever and sharp and resilient like Helena. We wanted to be organized with a hip edge like our photographer. We wanted to be different and push-the-envelope of weddings a bit like our cake maker, Jean Paul. All in all, our wedding was a wonderful and amazing day. We exchanged vows and committed, with love, to living and sharing our lives with each other. We danced and partied with our friends. We laughed and hugged with our family. And, most of all, there was not one moment that we wished we had done differently. Thanks, Helena. And a tip of the hat to all those wedding planners and event coordinators out there who will help the brides and grooms of tomorrow.

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