The Groom Guide

Any conversation named “the chat” is never easy but it’s a good idea to let the best man know what your boundaries are and to tell him what you’d like to do.

An essential (and, these days, ubiquitous) precaution is to stagger the date of the stag do to a comfortable distance before the wedding – ideally enough time for any permeant marker moustaches to work their way off the face.

Stag nights can be like an alcoholic assault course, a marathon of pints and strange, flaming drinks that account for lost memories and missing eyebrows the following morning. So pace yourself, no one wants to explain to the fiancé that you were found asleep in a club wearing nothing but a tutu.

Given that employers, bank managers and even your gran might be able to negotiate to your Facebook page, it may be a good idea to impose a no cameras rule on the proceedings as a safety net. Unless, that is, you don’t mind people seeing you naked, handcuffed to a lamppost.

If you’re worried about being covered in whipped cream while dressed in a nurse’s uniform, suggest to the best man to have the stag night in an upmarket club or pub where such activities are likely to see you given the boot. And don’t forget, you can always skip the drinkathon and have an adventure stag weekend instead

If you are tall and broad then something like a double-breasted suit could be a great idea. It has real presence and on a large bloke doesn’t overpower them with fabric. On the other hand, a slimmer man may want to opt for a single-breasted jacket with slimmer lapels and only a couple of buttons. This has the effect of drawing the eye upwards, giving the impression of height. A result for those of us who can feel the vertical challenge.

There’s nothing wrong with a classic black, grey or navy suit. They’re the most versatile colours and can be worn with almost anything for years to come. But if you do look to choose something different a simple rule is this: do as the celebrities do. If you have grey hair, look to George Clooney. Shorter than your average bloke? Have a look at Danny Devito. These men won’t hit the red carpet without looking dapper as hell, so take a leaf out of their books.

Most suits are usually a blend of wool and silk, but think about the time of year that you’re getting married. You don’t want a heavy woollen suit in the middle of summer, opt for a bit of linen instead as it keeps you much cooler in the heat.

They say a woman can judge a man by his shoes. So it’s imperative that you don’t wear your scuffed and weathered work shoes as it will ruin your look. Keep your shoe style and colours simple. Black suit? Black shoes. Grey or navy suit? Black or brown. Try to wear them in a little bit before the wedding, so you don’t get blisters shimmying round the dancefloor.

Decide what you’re expecting and remember to plan the ideal honeymoon for the both of you rather than just yours or hers. You won’t want to disappoint her by getting this wrong so do your research into what she thinks is romantic.

After a potentially stressful year of wedding planning, why not let someone else take the strain of those nitty-gritty details such as flight transfer and hotels? You’re already a very busy man… having everything taken out of your hands for a small fee is a big weight off the mind.

For a real indulgent touch on longer trips, take your flight from standard to first class - there’s nothing like turning up at the airport expecting to sit in a cramped seat for 10 hours only to be greeted by champagne and a private reclining armchair.