Grooms guide to weddings
Being a groom, a best man or a groomsman comes with a lot of fun, but also a lot of responsibility. You may assume that you’ve got an easier job than the bride when it comes to ‘wedmin’, but that’s a thing of the past. More than ever, grooms are sharing the role split and organising details for the big day. From the accessories you wear to the speeches you make, a bit of forward planning and consideration will make sure that the day goes smoothly and that you and your team look your most refined.
To make life a little easier, we have pulled together our guide for groom and groomsmen accessories – plus a few helpful tips when it comes to your duties.
Groom Accessories
At Alice Made This we specialise in groom and groomsmen accessories. From our wedding rings to our cufflink gift sets, we have a collection of contemporary gifts for the groom himself, your ushers, groomsmen and the wider wedding party.
Whether it’s just for you and your best man, or your full team (including a gift for your witness or a gift for your MC) our jewellery is the perfect choice.
Arguably the most important accessory of all, your wedding ring is a piece of jewellery that will truly stay with you through life. That’s why you want to choose a quality wedding band in your favourite material, the perfect size and with a story behind it.
At Alice Made This, our men’s wedding rings are cast in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter by our expert Silversmith before being delicately finished by hand. Stamped with our unique hallmark by the UK Assay office, our made to order 2mm and 4mm wedding rings are available in 18ct gold, 18ct rose gold, 18ct white gold and platinum. With an engineered and simple form, the squared edge and curved underside celebrates the utmost comfort and minimalist, timeless design.
Our bespoke wedding bands are also delivered in our precisely designed gift box and are paired with a pocket size ceremony box for you to use on your wedding day. All of our men’s wedding bands can be made in a range of sizes to fit you perfectly. Simply choose your band width, your material and your finish!
Groom cufflinks
After your wedding ring, cufflinks are next on the list when it comes to groom accessories. After all, a refined and honest pair of cufflinks will finish off your suit beautifully.
Available in a choice of metals and our signature or specialist finishes (polished, matte or patina) you can either choose a pair of cufflinks unique to you or a pair to match your groomsmen.
Our studio favourites for grooms include our Bayley patina series, Oliver rose gold, Elliot gold, Bancroft silver, James rhodium and Thomas rose gold cufflinks. Whatever your personal style or the vibe of your wedding, we have a pair to suit.
Other accessories to consider
Shoes: Keep them leather and keep them black. Plus, make sure they’re comfortable for dancing!
Belt: Again, if you want to wear one, go leather and go black. It is ALL in the details but with belts less is definitely more, as with all groom accessories. We would also recommend having your trousers fitted correctly instead.
Tie/ cravat: Pick a colour that coordinates with your suit and matches the palette of the wedding party. You can consider texture here too. A twill or knit could make a lovely attention to detail to highlight the season of your wedding.
Lapel pin: Adorn your button hole with a refined lapel pin, in a metal to match your cufflinks.
Watch: Whether your preferred timepiece is a family heirloom or a gift from your bride, a classic watch is the perfect groom accessory.
Pocket square: Folded precisely, a pocket square in a material to match your tie is a timeless touch.
Groomsmen Accessories and Gifts
Now that you’ve organised your own accessories, it’s time to think about your groomsmen. A pair of cufflinks is the perfect gift for your team to wear on the big day, and to wear again and again for years to come. You could give each member of your wedding party a different pair of cufflinks, unique to their style and character, or opt to have them matching. The choice is yours!.
Made in Britain, by our factory that specialises in making airplane parts, our groomsmen cufflinks are minimal, warm and unique. Delivered in a beautifully designed gift box, we offer 15% savings on purchases of 4, 5 or 6 pairs of cufflinks to make your preparations as smooth as possible.
Choose from our Oliver brass, Oliver steel or Edward copper cufflinks, or mix and match your metals with our mixed material gift set. Whichever design you choose, our groomsmen cufflinks have a flat face which is the perfect surface to engrave on to. Thanks to our in-house personalisation service you can add that special touch and engrave your groomsmen cufflinks with their initials or a special message. Just email hello@alicemadethis.com and we’ll be happy to discuss your plans.
It’s a lovely touch to have a gift ready for your bride on your wedding day. Choose something precise and considered that she can cherish and wear for years to come. You can get one of her bridesmaids to keep it safe for you in the morning and have it ready for when she wakes up.
We recommend opting for a simple necklace or an elegant pair of earrings that will become her new wardrobe staple. Whether she prefers gold, silver or rose gold, we have a collection of minimalist jewellery to suit any style or occasion. Our Mia necklace and earrings are a particular studio favourite, with circular silhouettes that go with any outfit.
Plus, thanks to our in-house engraving service, many of our pieces can be engraved with her initials, the date of your wedding or a special message for that added personal touch. Just look out for ‘engrave me’ on our products.
Bespoke pieces for your wedding.
Your wedding is also the perfect the moment to choose something completely unique to you. We love working with couples to create something bespoke for their big day, from cufflinks to necklaces. If this is something that is of interest then please email hello@alicemadethis.com to discuss your ideas. We would be delighted to chat to you.
Read our Wedding Accessories testimonials here
What are a Groom’s duties before the wedding?
Get a list of guest addresses
When did you last send your friends or relatives a letter in the post. Ages ago? Thought so! In our digital world, do you even have an address book anymore? It’s time to go analogue and get collecting those postal addresses ready for the big invite send out!
Honeymoon logistics
Of course, you’ll likely be planning the honeymoon together, but if you take care of the booking then you can add a few surprises along the way. Plan a special activity, book a beautiful restaurant or upgrade your room or plane tickets. It’s the little things that will make your trip extra relaxing.
Book the transport
Booking the wedding cars is a great task for you to handle. Pick the transport you’d like and get it secured for your dates.
Give the guests accommodation choices
Compiling a list of accommodation choices for your guests is a really useful bit of organisation to cross off your list. Even if your venue has accommodation, providing other options in different price ranges nearby will make sure that everyone knows where they are going once the dancing stops.
Research the music
Prioritise this task as the most popular wedding bands get snapped up quickly. Whether you want a live band, a DJ or to coordinate the playlist yourself, you need to think this one through and consider the types of songs that are going to appease everyone and get the party started.
Sort the cash
Many suppliers will need to be paid fully or partially on the wedding day Have cash payments organised in labelled envelopes to get rid of any unnecessary money worries.
Look up photographers
Spend time browsing photographers and videographers, finding a style that suits your theme, aesthetic and your vibe.
Make sure the bar is stocked
Whether you need to order wine, beer or plan a cocktail menu, you’ll want to make sure that everyone has enough to drink and that your choices match your personality.
Help your bride-to-be every step of the way
Remember this is a day for both of you. Share the duties, make choices together and be involved throughout. Take the initiative and give your fiancé time to relax when you can see she needs it. Your engagement should be a time of love and joy and your wedding should be just the same so try and fill the planning stages with laughter rather than bickering.
Speak up about the things that matter
If there are things about your day that really matter to you, make sure you give your opinion. If you want to have an input in the menu or the table arrangements, then speak up. It’s an old-fashioned cliché that weddings are for brides. It’s half your party and half your marriage remember.
Arrange the marriage license
A crucial, but sometimes overlooked detail. Get your legalities in place!
What are a Groom’s duties on the big day?
Take it all in (and don’t drink too much)
Wake up early, control your drinking and take in the day This is one of the most memorable days of your life so you want to take in as much as you can. Stay off your phone, spend time with your loved ones and celebrate with your bride. Make the day feel as long as you can, it’ll be over before you know it!
Give the thank-you toast
The groom’s speech is nice and simple. Express your love to everyone who has come to celebrate with you and use this opportunity as a chance to thank everyone who has been involved along the way. This toast isn’t about humour. Thank the wedding party, the guests, your parents and, of course, your beautiful bride.
What are the duties of a groomsman before the wedding?
Keep the peace
One of your main responsibilities is to keep the groom calm and collected before and during the ceremony. Keep your friend or family member relaxing, and the nervous drinks to a minimum.
Get ready with the groom
Share a toast, take a few pictures, have some snacks and a few drinks. Get ready with the groom and make sure you have your suits and accessories organised. Treat getting ready as a special moment for the groomsmen and have a meaningful morning before you head to the ceremony.
What are a groomsman’s duties on the big day?
Direct guests to their seats
Help guests find their seats and get comfortable before the ceremony begins. Make sure everyone is sitting down and ready before everything starts.
Familiarise yourself with the venue and interact with guests
Familiarise yourself with the details of the venue and learn important locations (like bathrooms and cloak rooms). If you’re in a groomsman sui then you’re a prime target for questions. Make introductions and keep an eye on the room to make sure everyone is having a good time.
Dance!
Bridesmaids and groomsmen are usually some of the first to dance. Don’t be shy! Get yourself on the floor and encourage others to do the same.
Send off the couple
As proceedings come to and end, make sure the couple are properly sent off to their hotel or the honeymoon. Make sure all gifts have been collected and that everything is wrapping up accordingly.
Dos and Don’ts for giving the best man’s speech
- Do make eye contact
- Don’t feel pressured to make the speech a laugh a minute
- Don’t be drunk
- Do use cue cards (paper rather than a phone)
- Don’t include too many in jokes
- Do practice
- Do read the room
- Don’t insult anyone
- Do control your nerves
- Do control your nerves
- Don’t forget to mention all the important people
- Do have a closing remark
For more inspiration, you can view our full collection of wedding accessories here and our wedding bands here.
You can also follow us on Instragram @alicemadethis. We’d love to see how you are wearing our pieces on your big days. Tag your snaps with #myamt #alicemadethis and if we repost or reshare your photo, you’ll win a voucher to spend in our online store.