We have written before about tips for the bride getting ready, but the groom's morning deserves just as much thought. Brides usually plan their morning down to the minute, with hair and makeup booked, a timeline agreed and bridesmaids briefed. Grooms, in our experience, often plan theirs around one idea, which is "we'll just get dressed and head over". Most of the time that works out fine. But after photographing hundreds of weddings across Northern Ireland since 2014, we have seen the difference a little planning makes.

The grooms who have thought about their morning are calmer at the top of the aisle, look sharper in their photos and actually get to enjoy the build up. So this is everything we would tell a groom and his groomsmen over a coffee, from the week before right up to the moment the music starts.

Groom fastening his shirt cuff and watch while getting ready on his wedding morning in Northern Ireland

This guide says groom throughout, but it is for anyone getting married who is getting ready with their own crew. Everything here applies to you too.

Groom's morning checklist

The short answer

If you only read one section, make it this one. Here is what a groom should do on the morning of the wedding.

Eat a proper breakfast, even if you are not hungry.
Shower and shave early, using a razor and products you have used before.
Get dressed around an hour before you need to leave.
Hand the rings to your best man and check he has them.
Empty your pockets of phone, wallet and keys before any photos.
Take ten quiet minutes for yourself before you leave.
Arrive at your ceremony at least 30 to 45 minutes before it starts.
Keep the drinks to a toast, not a session.

Now for the detail.

The week before your wedding

A calm morning starts days earlier. These are the things that catch grooms out most often, and all of them are easy to sort in advance.

Groom in a grey three piece suit adjusting his cufflinks before his wedding

Collect your suit early and try on the whole outfit. Not just the jacket. Put on the shirt, trousers, waistcoat, tie, belt or braces, socks and shoes together and look in a full length mirror. Check the sleeves show a little shirt cuff and that the trousers sit on your shoes rather than pooling at the ankle. If you are hiring, collect it with enough time for the shop to fix anything that is not right.

Wear your wedding shoes around the house. New shoes are stiff, and you will be on your feet for over twelve hours. A few evenings of wearing them at home will save you a lot of pain by the first dance.

Get your haircut about a week before. A haircut the day before can look a little too fresh in photos. Five to seven days gives it time to settle. If you are growing a beard, book a trim a few days before too.

Finish your speech and your vows, and print them. Do not rely on your phone. Print them out, fold them neatly and give a spare copy to your best man. If you would like tips for the big moment on the dance floor as well, we have a post on how to calm first dance nerves.

Sort out gifts and cards. If you are giving gifts to your groomsmen, parents or partner, wrap them, label them and put them in one bag. Lots of couples also write each other a letter to open on the morning, and it is one of the loveliest things you can do.

Have a plan for the rings and any envelopes. Decide who is carrying the rings and who is looking after envelopes for suppliers who need paying on the day, and tell them now rather than on the morning.

The night before

Lay out your outfit in the order you will put it on. Shirt, trousers, socks, belt or braces, waistcoat, tie, cufflinks, jacket, shoes and buttonhole. It sounds fussy, but it means nothing goes missing and nobody is searching for a cufflink under the bed at noon.

Hang your suit somewhere safe. On the back of a door, away from pets, drinks and anyone who might knock it over.

Pack your groom's kit (more on that below) and put it next to the door with the rings.

Go easy on the drinks and get to bed. The stag should be well behind you. A quiet dinner and an early night will do far more for how you look and feel in the morning than a late one ever will.

Set two alarms. Just in case.

What to pack in your groom's kit

Everything in here will be needed by somebody at some point during the day.

Close up of a groom holding his watch while getting ready for his wedding in Northern Ireland

Groom's kit checklist

The wedding rings, if your best man is not already looking after them.
Your printed vows and speech.
Your watch.
Deodorant, a toothbrush and toothpaste.
Mints or chewing gum, to be binned before the ceremony.
Lip balm, especially for winter weddings.
Tissues. More useful than you think.
A stain remover pen.
Plasters for new shoes.
Paracetamol or ibuprofen.
A spare shirt button, a mini sewing kit and a few safety pins.
A lint roller for dark suits.
Phone charger.
Envelopes for any suppliers being paid on the day.
Cards and gifts for your partner, parents and groomsmen.
A bottle of water and a snack.

Where to get ready

Black and white photo of a groom and his groomsmen raising a toast in a hotel lounge on the wedding morning

Where you get ready makes a big difference to how relaxed the morning feels, and to the photos.

A hotel room or your venue is the easiest option. You are already where you need to be, and there is no rush to travel.

Home feels more personal, especially if your parents are there. Just give yourself extra time for travel, and remember that roadworks and a slow tractor on a country road can appear at the worst possible moment.

A friend or family member's house works well if it is close to the ceremony.

Wherever you choose, spend five minutes tidying before anyone picks up a camera. Our golden rule for the bride's room applies to yours too. If it is in the room, it is in the shot. Move the empty cans, pizza boxes and suit bags out of sight, open the curtains fully and turn off the ceiling lights. Soft light from a window is far kinder than overhead bulbs.

A sample groom morning timeline

Here is how we would suggest planning the morning for a 2pm ceremony. Move everything earlier or later to suit your own start time.

The Groom's Wedding Morning

A relaxed timeline for a 2pm ceremony

Move everything earlier or later to suit your own start time.

Why so much spare time?

Something small always comes up on a wedding morning. A buttonhole that will not stay put, a groomsman who forgot his tie, a delivery that goes to the wrong room. Built in time means none of it matters.

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8.30amWake upEat a proper breakfast.
9.30amClear your headA short walk, fresh air, or the gym if that calms you.
10.30amShower and shave
11.30amGroomsmen arriveGrab some lunch together.
12.15pmGet dressedEveryone starts getting ready.
12.45pmFinal touchesButtonholes on, ties checked, pockets emptied. Photos if we are with you.
1.00pmA toastWith your groomsmen, then your ten quiet minutes.
1.15pmLeave for the ceremony
1.30pmArriveStart greeting your guests.
2.00pmCeremony

Looking your best in your wedding photos

We are wedding photographers, so this is the bit where we can help the most. These small things make a big difference.

Groom in a kilt and tweed jacket standing by a tree in the grounds of a Northern Ireland wedding venue

Empty your pockets. Phone, wallet and keys make a suit jacket bulge and hang badly. Give them to your best man or leave them in the car. This is the single easiest way to look sharper in every photo from the day.

Know which buttons to fasten. On a two button jacket, fasten the top one only. On a three button jacket, fasten the middle one. Never fasten the bottom button. Unfasten your jacket when you sit down, and fasten it again when you stand up.

Put your buttonhole on the left. It traditionally sits on the left lapel, over your heart. Ask your best man or a groomsman to pin it, because it is surprisingly hard to do on yourself.

Shave early, and do not experiment. Use a razor and products you have used before. The wedding morning is not the time for a new aftershave or face cream. Shaving earlier in the morning gives any redness time to settle.

Drink plenty of water. It helps with nerves, with a late night before, and with how your skin looks up close.

Leave the sunglasses in your pocket. Unless you want them in every photo, which is fine too. Just decide on purpose.

Relax into it. Lots of grooms feel uncomfortable in front of a camera, and that is completely normal. Our post on feeling comfortable in front of the camera on your wedding day has more tips, but the biggest one is simple. Forget we are there and enjoy your mates.

Groom style in 2026

If you are still choosing what to wear, grooms are being a lot braver with their outfits this year. These are the biggest groom style trends being reported for 2026.

Groom in a white tuxedo jacket and bow tie standing in a stone doorway on his wedding day

TextureTweed, herringbone and flannel, especially for autumn and winter weddings.
Earthy coloursOlive, sage, camel and chocolate brown are moving grooms away from the usual navy and grey.
Three piece suitsWaistcoats are back in a big way, and they look great in photos once the jacket comes off later in the night.
Cream suit jacketsThese are very popular at the moment.
A sharper fitClean shoulders, a defined waist and trousers that sit properly on the shoe.

Whatever you wear, the most important thing is that it fits well and feels like you. A well fitted suit in a classic colour will always look better in photos than an on trend one that does not fit.

The moments worth making time for

The best photos from a groom's morning are rarely the posed ones. They are the little moments in between. These are the ones worth leaving a few minutes for.

Groom in a black tuxedo reading a letter from his bride on the wedding morning

Reading a letter from your partner. If you are exchanging letters, wait to open yours until you are dressed and the room is calm. Stand near a window. If we are with you, let us know before you open it.

Your Dad, or someone special, helping with your tie or cufflinks. A tiny moment that ends up being one of the most treasured photos in the album.

Giving your groomsmen their gifts. The reactions are always worth catching.

A toast. One small drink together before you leave, and a few words from the best man.

Ten quiet minutes. Go outside, take a breath and think about what is about to happen. Very few grooms do this, and it is one of the best ways to actually take the day in.

Will your photographer be there?

It is worth knowing this early so you can plan around it. At the start of the day, most wedding photographers spend the majority of their time with the bride, because that part of the morning is longer and has more going on with lots more details to be photographed. Photographing a groom getting ready usually only takes around 15 to 20 minutes.

Groom and groomsmen in navy suits laughing together in a stone courtyard at a Northern Ireland wedding

For us, groom prep is possible when you are getting ready in the same place as your partner, or close by. If you are getting ready in different towns, we would need to leave the bride early to reach you, and that means missing moments at her end. We explain the whole thing, and why we plan it this way, in why we don't always photograph the groom getting ready.

If you would love those photos, the simplest answer is to get ready in the same hotel or venue as your partner, or somewhere a few minutes away. We will then come and see you for your 15 to 20 minutes, and we will make every one of them count.

If we are not with you, ask one of your groomsmen to take a few photos on their phone. Get them to stand by the window, turn the flash off, and ask for a mix of the whole group and the little details like the rings, the buttonholes and your shoes.

Depending on your timings, we can often grab a few photos of you and your groomsmen at the ceremony before your partner arrives, so ask us about this when we plan your day together.

Jobs to hand over to your best man and groomsmen

Your only jobs on the morning should be getting dressed and staying calm. Everything else can be handed over.

Groom and best man in dark suits chatting in the garden before the wedding ceremony

The best man

Your best man looks after the rings, keeps an eye on the time and makes sure everyone leaves when they should.

One groomsman

One groomsman looks after supplier envelopes, cards and gifts.

Another groomsman

Another greets guests at the ceremony and helps them to their seats.

Someone organised

Someone organised helps round up family members for the group photos after the ceremony, which saves a huge amount of time. Our guide to family and bridal party group photos explains how we run that part of the day.

For the full list, have a read of our complete list of groomsmen duties, and it is well worth sending it to your lads before the day.

Dealing with nerves

It is completely normal to feel nervous, even if you are someone who never gets nervous. A few things really help.

Eat. A proper breakfast and some lunch. Nerves and an empty stomach are not a good combination.

Keep busy, but not rushed. A walk, a coffee with your Dad, a round of golf if the timings allow. Something that takes your mind off the clock.

Go easy on the drink. One toast before the ceremony is lovely. More than that and it starts to show, in your speech and in your photos.

Let it out. At Emily and Tom's Tullyveery House wedding, Tom ended up in floods of tears as Emily came up the aisle, and those photos are some of the most beautiful from the whole day. Nobody ever looks back at their wedding photos and wishes they had cried less.

Think about a first look. Some couples see each other privately before the ceremony, which settles the nerves for both of you and gives you a quiet moment together. Our post on the benefits of a first look explains how it works.

Avoid these

Common mistakes that catch grooms out

Collecting the suit the day before and finding something does not fit.
Wearing brand new shoes for the first time on the day.
A fresh haircut the day before.
Trying a new razor, aftershave or face product on the morning.
Forgetting to eat.
Too many drinks before the ceremony.
A phone, wallet and keys bulging out of the jacket in every photo.
Leaving for the ceremony with no time to spare.
Not knowing who has the rings.

Groom questions

Frequently asked questions

How long does a groom need to get ready?

The actual getting dressed only takes around 30 to 45 minutes. We would still plan your morning so you are fully dressed around an hour before you leave, so nothing feels rushed.

What time should the groom arrive at the ceremony?

Aim to arrive 30 to 45 minutes before the ceremony starts. That gives you time to greet guests, chat to your celebrant, registrar or minister, and have a few photos with your groomsmen before your partner arrives.

Should the groom have getting ready photos?

If it matters to you, yes. They are a lovely record of you with your friends and family before everything starts. The easiest way to make them happen is to get ready close to your partner so your photographer can reach you. Talk to your photographer about it when you are booking.

What should groomsmen do on the wedding morning?

Turn up on time, get dressed without a fuss, look after the groom and take care of any jobs he hands them, like the rings, supplier envelopes and greeting guests.

Does the groom see the bride before the ceremony?

Traditionally no, but more and more couples are choosing a first look. There is no right or wrong answer, only what feels right for the two of you.

Enjoy it

Your wedding morning goes quicker than you think. Plan the practical things in advance, hand everything else over to your groomsmen, and then let yourself enjoy it. The laughs, the nerves, your Dad fixing your tie and your mates doing everything they can to make you smile. That is what the photos are really about.

Groom in a cream suit jacket laughing with two groomsmen outside castle ruins in Northern Ireland

Tommy and Laurene

If you are planning your wedding in Northern Ireland and want a husband and wife team who will capture your whole day as it really happens, from the nerves in the morning to the last song of the night, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch to check if we are free for your date.

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Tips for the Groom Getting Ready | The Complete Wedding Morning Guide