The Best Men’s Wedding Hairstyles

There are fairly set rules on how the groom should dress for the wedding, but understanding hair or beard styles for marriage is a bit more difficult. Knowing whether or not to go clean-shaven or how to style yourself can take a lot of anxiety out of the pre-wedding prep for the groom. No matter what, you want to be comfortable on the big day, so try not to overthink it too much. Get input from your significant other and go with what puts you most at ease.

You’re Still You

Your groom hairstyle should be your hairstyle, regardless of the day. You want to look like you.  This is not the time to try something unusual, unique or weird. If it’s not something you’ve done before and you can’t see yourself doing it again in the future, it’s not the thing to be doing for your wedding. You should be recognizable as, well, you, in all the pictures.

So. Many. Pictures.

Remember that you’re going to be photographed thousands of times on the big day. From your formal photographer to your great Aunt with her iPad, there’s not much you’re going to do on your wedding day that won’t be immortalized. These pictures will be printed, posted and passed around, so you’re going to want to be comfortable with how you look. People will capture you from every angle possible and you want to look great in all of them. That means no detail should be overlooked. You want every hairline to be well-groomed and every hair in place.

Timeline

Men’s wedding haircuts and facial hair grooming should happen no less than two weeks before the wedding and no more than a month before the big day. You want to look good, but not like you just stepped out of the salon. The freshly-shorn look is usually pretty obvious for at least a week after you get a haircut and two weeks gives you a change to work on different ways to style your hair or figure out any fixes if the cut wasn’t exactly what you were looking for.

To Beard Or Not To Beard

Men’s facial hair styles and mustache styles tend to be trendy and of a moment, so seriously consider what look you want to convey and how that look will age in few years’ time. If you’re someone that always wears a beard, there’s no reason to shave yourself clean for the big day. Your beard or mustache is part of your whole look and is basically an accessory to whatever outfit you decide on that day. Your facial hair or hairstyle should complement your outfit just like you want your belt and shoes do. If your wedding outfit is super streamlined and classic, a big lumberjack beard may end up distracting from the look you’re trying to achieve.

Make Friends With A Barber. A Real One.

In the months leading up to “I do,” find yourself a local barber and make friends. This means a professional salon well-versed in men’s cuts, not the strip mall chain down the street. Get set up with a facial care regimen. Taking care of that skin and the hair of your beard will make a world of difference on how you – and it – look that day. Do a practice run with the barber a few months in advance where you clean up your look with tight lines and shaping of your beard or mustache. You’ll be amazed at what an impact a good, sharp shave from someone with the best equipment, who knows what they’re doing can do.

Know Yourself

What beard or mustache look you go for will rely a lot of the shape of your face and your body type. A guy with a thin, narrow face and jaw probably isn’t going to look his best with a big, bushy beard. Likewise, something super structural could be unflattering to a guy with a bit more under-chin skin than he’d like. There’s a beard or mustache style out there that suits most everyone, so do some research and practice growing out different options so you’ll be at your best for the wedding.

Big Beard, Short Hair

Beard styles for men with short hair can be tricky – you don’t want the beard to take over your face or overshadow the rest of you. As a general rule, the bigger and bushier you like to wear your beard, the more streamlined your hair should be. While a buzz cut and beard is a great look, it’s not the only way you can get away with a Viking beard. If you’re hoping to keep some length on top your head, consider keeping the sides and back short with the hair on top longer. A side part can help define longer hairstyles and help you manage longer, more unruly hair on top.

Short Hair Everywhere

Captain America has shown how devastating a close-cropped beard and impeccably kept hairstyle can be. Your beard and hair don’t have to be at odds with one another. You can keep a short beard or artfully maintained scruff alongside a short haircut and still look amazing.

Long Hair, Don’t Care

The biggest thing you need to worry about is finding a style that will stay looking nice all day long. There’s a reason many brides wear up-dos and you see guests putting their hair up in a bun or ponytail before the day is done. In summer, especially, you’ll deal with being warm or if any part of your day is outdoors, having hair blow in your face all day long. It can be near impossible to keep your locks looking sleek and tamed, but hair products are your friend. Hair shine serum, defrizzer and hairspray are imperative, as is treating your hair well in the weeks leading up to the event. An oil treatment or hair mask is a great way to make sure your hair is super healthy for the big day.

Beard And Flow

You absolutely can pull off facial hair with long locks, but beard styles for long hair can be a bit trickier. The most important thing is to make sure that you don’t get lost behind all that hair. You want to wear the styles, not have them wearing you. Take your cues from Jason Momoa and Chris Hemsworth for looks that can be casual or red-carpet worthy.

Slick It Back

Guys with any sort of length, from a few inches to past their shoulders, should at least consider slicking their hair back and out of their face. The look can be difficult to achieve the first time, as there’s a fine line between slicked back and greased back, but not having to worry about it for the rest of the day can be very appealing. This style also makes your face the focal point and could complement a beautiful beard really well. Think Tom Hardy, David Beckham or Jake Gyllenhaal. The hair doesn’t need to be plastered to your head, just pushed up and back to be out of your eyes.

—Nicole Haase