Wedding day tips for grooms and groomsmen answered by A Sweet Start, a Maine wedding officiant. Photo by Windy Hill Photography
As a professional wedding officiant, I spend a lot of time with the groomsmen right before the ceremony starts. Many times the groomsmen need my help with some last minute details like affixing the boutonnieres, tying ties, deciding which suit button to button, etc. Because these questions come up again and again, I thought I’d write a special blog post for all the grooms and groomsmen out there.
Six Wedding Day Questions Answered
Q #1: On which side of my jacket should the boutonniere be placed?
Traditionally the boutonniere is affixed to the lapel on the groom’s left side. Here are some other tips to consider when putting on the boutonniere.
Q #2: How should I button my coat jacket?
The trend right now is to only button the top button.
Q #3: What should we do with our hands during the ceremony?
I always recommend that the gentlemen either hold their hands together in front or together behind their backs. I let them decide, but suggest strongly that they not put their hands in their pockets during the ceremony (it looks a little too casual, in my opinion).
Q #4: Can we wear sunglasses during the ceremony?
No, you cannot. Lol! I usually encourage the wedding couple to decide to go sunglasses-free just for the ceremony. Unless the sunglasses are part of a fun groom’s processional or are needed to actually see, they should be set aside for the more formal part of the wedding day: the ceremony.
Q #5: What should we do with our cell phones during the ceremony?
My advice is always to leave the cell phones somewhere safe during the ceremony and get them afterwards. If the grooms and groomsmen decide they want to keep the phones with them, I suggest turning them OFF (not just on airplane mode or DND) and putting them in the inside coat pocket. A phone in your pants pocket looks odd in photos.
Q #6: How do I tie a Windsor Knot?
The Windsor knot is really popular because it’s balanced in size and shape and gives off a well-groomed vibe. I recently taught myself how to tie one because I get asked by grooms to help them tie their tie on many occasions. I used this tutorial to teach myself how to do it.
