GroomStand Note: Don't miss the Top 5 Mistakes a Groom Should Avoid by our expert guest blogger from GroomPower.

Top 5 Groom Mistakes

No one likes to think of the worst, but it's the most important day of your life, so it pays to be prepared! Today we're looking at common pitfalls and how to avoid them.
1. Booking the honeymoon in your wife's married name. If your wife is taking your surname then you'll probably be ready for her to start using it as soon as possible. Unfortunately, making the arrangements for your wife to have a new passport in her married name immediately after the wedding is very difficult, and in some cases impossible. So don't forget the number one rule of honeymoon planning: book the hotel in her maiden name. 2. Not giving the best man a budget for the bachelor party. Your best man is probably your best friend and naturally wants to give you a really good stag party. Sometimes best men can get carried away in trying to do a good job, and forget about the cost. If you know that your male friends will be happy to fork out, don't worry. But if some of your friends are likely to struggle, or might resent being asked to pay a lot of money, you might need to give your best man a budget per head. That way, everyone's happy. 3. Arranging to pick up your tux the day before the wedding. If you're renting your tux, you'll normally go to the shop well in advance of the big day to be measured. You'll then be asked when you want to pick up the tux. Always, always, go for the earliest possible day. It's very rare to be offered more than a week, and about four days beforehand is usually the earliest offered. Just don't plan to pick up your outfit the day before. Many outfitters keep their stock centrally and if the measurements were not quite right, or you've gained or lost a little weight, you need to leave time to get it changed. 4. Sloppy shoe polishing. Even the laziest grooms will have to polish the shoes he'll wear on the big day. But once you've polished them, grab a piece of white kitchen towel and rub it thoroughly all over your shoes. Are there black polish marks on the kitchen towel? We thought so. Are you glad that shoe polish residue isn't going to come off bottom of your wife's expensive white wedding dress when you're dancing with her later on? We thought so too. 5. Not having a drink to toast with. It's tradition for the groom to toast the bridesmaids in his speech, if he gives one. Giving a speech in front of all your guests can be daunting, but most guys do fine in the end. Just make sure you have a glass of something - anything - before you start. Lots of grooms (and for that matter best men and fathers of the bride too) get to the toast and realize they've got no glass to raise. Check before you start!
For more groom advice and tips, check out GroomPower.com.

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