Elegant Wedding: Grooming the Groom

To help your hubby-to-be look his best for your wedding, Joe McMenamin, owner of old-fashioned barbershop Groom in Philadelphia, advises starting early. “If they’re going to get their shave at a salon, they have to do their homework,” he says. Advise your guy to get a trial shave at the salon a few days before the Big Day.

If your groom prefers to wield his own razor, McMenamin recommends the double-shave — going with the grain first, relathering and then shaving against the grain, making sure to press lightly to avoid razor-burn. This extra-close shave will fend off the five o’clock shadow. When choosing a shaving cream, opt for “anything with a good aloe or lanolin base,” says McMenamin, such as Neutrogena Men Skin Clearing Shave Cream. He also sticks with Schick’s ST Slim Twin razor with an aloe strip. “I’m not a big fan of the Mach3, 4 or 5 razors. I think it’s overkill on the epidermis,” he says.

McMenamin urges guys to keep it classic when it comes to their hair. This means no spikes or gel overload. If your groom needs a product to tame his mane, McMenamin recommends a natural-looking dry wax, such as Paul Mitchell Dry Wax.

And to keep him looking fresh all day, McMenamin swears by Jean d’Estrées Start-up Fresh Matifying Fluid. “It reduces shine on the face and is great for people with oily skin,” he says.

Groom will open exclusively for your hubby-to-be and his groomsmen on Saturdays, but you’ll have to book it about a month in advance. $125 gets you the run of the shop (plus $22 per person and $25 per haircut), and McMenamin will make sure each is clean-shaven, clean-cut and altar-ready.