Venue? Check. Officiant? Check. Someone to marry? Hopefully, also check. Beyond the bare essentials though, you can add a few things to spice it up. This isn’t your former bachelor pad with your bare walls, whiskey bottles for decoration and curious carpet stains. This is a day where you have to put yourself together and accept you no longer get to live in your musky studio apartment, so you might as well look the part. Below we list our top 10 accessories every man needs on his big day.
1. A Good Watch
Yeah, the gold bands you two picked out look great. However, a wedding ring shouldn’t be a solo act. Even if you aren’t David Beckham-level stylish (which you aren’t because no one is), you’re gonna dial up your look with a good watch.
Pro tip so you look like you actually know what you’re doing: match your metals. Yes, technically, you don’t need to match your metals completely. It is a bit of an arcane rule. However, if you aren’t sure what you’re doing, it’s best just to match them. If you’ve got a few style tricks up your dress shirt sleeve, feel free just to pick a complimentary watch. We think that looks better than straight-up matching, but do what you’re comfortable with.
2. Tie
Unless you’re Tommy Bahama (which we assume you aren’t), you’re likely wearing a dress shirt at your wedding. While the whole casual suit thing comes and goes as a trend, you should probably put on a tie for your wedding day. It’s really not that much effort.
While you’re at it, get yourself a tie clip if you don’t already have one. It’s practical and stylish, so win-win. Make sure it complements the other metals you’re wearing, though.
3. Grooming Gear
Whether this means a straight razor or your favorite beard balm, make sure you’ve got the gear you need to look your best. This is especially important if you aren’t near your house. Whether you’re across town or across the world, your grooming gear might as well be on another planet if you forgot it and you’re getting married in two hours.
For men with facial and/or scalp-based hair, do not get a trim the day before your wedding. No. Resist the urge. You want to get your hair cut at least a few days before. Probably no more than a week out. This gives you time to fix a bad haircut and give a good haircut a couple of days to grow in and fill out perfectly. All the same apply if you’re getting a professional beard trim.
4. Pocket Square
And in case we have to hold your hand and say it, your pocket square should not match your tie. Say it with us. I will not match my pocket square to my tie. This isn’t the prom, and you aren’t 16 anymore (hopefully). You want your pocket square to complement your tie. When you do that, it looks awesome. When you don’t, it looks like your parents are putting you into a musty limo to head to the venue.
5. The Ring
We’ll mention it just in case this something slipped your mind. How you decide to hold onto your couple’s wedding bands is up to you. Whether you give one ring to the best man and one to the maid of honor, both rings to one of them, leave the rings with the officiant or whatever you’re doing is up to you. Just make sure you don’t forget them. That’s all you have to do.
6. Cufflinks
Big boy stuff here. Will you ever wear these cufflinks again? It’s unlikely, though not impossible. However, cufflinks do look cool, and you should wear them. This is especially true if you ever expect to be at a fancy party in your life. It’ll up your bourgeois street cred. As we mentioned before, make sure they complement or match your other metals.
7. Belt
No good outfit is complete without a belt. Unless you’re wearing those tuxedo pants that have the little side adjuster things, you should wear a belt. Make sure your belt matches (or at least nearly matches) your shoes. While you can do some fun complementary color stuff in casual wear, it’s best to keep your belt and shoes as close to each other as possible in formal wear.
8. A Solid Best Man
Admittedly, this isn’t technically a wedding accessory. At least not in the strict sense. Maybe an accessory in the legal sense, but so be it. Consider him an accessory to your wedding’s success. Genuinely though, you want to choose well here.
If his nickname at any point in life was “Beefer” or something adjacent, spin the wheel again and look for someone else. You’re entrusting him with your matching set of couple’s wedding bands, so he better be solid — for your own sake, if nothing else.
9. Wedding Emergency Kit
Also, not technically an accessory here. More of an accessory than a best man, but so be it. Think of this as your “break glass in case of emergency” kit. Lost a button? Extra button and a travel sewing kit. Hungover? Advil and electrolytes. Nervous? More alcohol. Maybe take a deep breath and get a pep talk instead, but you get the idea. You can buy these kits pre-made or put together your own.
10. Something for the Groomsmen
This isn’t strictly an accessory either, but it’s something you want to make sure you have. Whether you give them out at the bachelor party or the morning of the wedding or some other time is up to you. Just make sure you get them some sort of manly knickknacks and show your appreciation.
As you’re getting this list together, make sure everything is in order at least a few weeks out. A month or two out would be better, especially if you’re marrying one of those type-A people. Just, whatever you do, don’t forget the rings.