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You want to look your best on your wedding day. Everyone at your wedding knows this. But if there’s one thing that the thousands of men choosing to go under the knife in preparation for their own nuptials know, it’s that getting ready for the day doesn’t just mean picking out the perfect suit. It also means getting your body in prime shape for the occasion—that includes deciding what to do with your beard.
Now, tradition dictates that you should shave it off in an effort to start your married life with a clean slate, via an equally clean jawline. And if that’s what your soon-to-be spouse wants you to do, then it’s probably the way to go. But if you’ve got a choice in the matter, then maybe you’ve toyed with the idea of taking a risk and sporting a beard for the big day. Before you do, though, here are three questions to ask yourself before sporting some measure of facial hair down the aisle.
To put it another way: Does your beard tend to grow in full, or does it fall more toward the patchy end of the spectrum? Because while pairing a tuxedo with a hearty jawful of hair may look particularly dashing in that “dandy wildman” kind of way, an uneven face mane may leave you looking like you simply forgot to shave or, worse yet, like you didn’t care enough to do so. And your wedding is one day it’s definitely in your best interest to care. That is the whole point, after all.
Chances are that your wedding will be the most well-documented 24-hour period of your entire life. And for good reason; if all goes according to plan, it’ll be a day you’ll want to look back on fondly for pretty much ever. That said, should you decide to go with a beard for the big event, then you need to be willing to put in the requisite effort to keep it looking top-notch as the day progresses. (Beard oil and a solid comb should help with the endeavor.) Not feeling up to the task, though? Then might we suggest grabbing a razor and calling it a day. Trust us, it’s worth not having to worry.
This may be the most important question of all, actually. Because if you’re a man who’s clean-shaven more often than not, then why would you all of a sudden decide to change that for the most important day of your life? On the flip side, clearing the brush could very well prove jarring to the person meeting you at the altar if, before now, they’ve only ever known you with a full forest gracing your jawline. So do yourself a favor and stick with what you’re used to—at least until after you’ve said, “I do.”
