While it is commonplace for brides to want to look stunningly attractive on their wedding day, grooms have started taking greater pride in their appearance and are moving beyond the basics of shaving and passing a comb through their hair to embracing more sophisticated personal grooming techniques.

Whilst it is true that many guys remain casual and un-fussed about their appearance on a day-to-day basis, the run up to their wedding can nurture a sudden desire and indeed obsession to look good and this is only fair! If you expect your fiancée to look good for you on your big day, you're going to have to say goodbye to that 'wild, unkempt look' and exude "sharp and sophisticated". And its not just about her; the better the look, the more confident you will feel and this will be reflected in those priceless wedding photos.

Contrary to popular misconception, there's nothing un-masculine about taking care of your looks. In fact ancient Indians were on to the advantage of male grooming millennia ago, long before the likes of David Beckham and Arjun Rampal cottoned on and us mere mortals started following the trend!

Along with the stylistic ritual of "Solah Shringar " for women was a definitive list of dos and don'ts for the male beautification process. This included advice on beard trimming, moustache shaping and facial massage to help define the features!

As in the past, today many men too want to feel and look good and this is especially true at the time of their weddings when they know a lot of attention will be on them. Ask any woman what qualities she likes in a man and you can bet "proper grooming habits" will top the list. No wonder men are starting to pencil in grooming salon and spa visits into their schedule alongside their gym regimes and nights out with the lads. We are n an age where macho males who do the huff and puff routine on the treadmills, lift weights and sweat it out at the gym are now also applying facemasks, having manicures and are up to scratch with the latest grooming products on the market!!

Given that Asian males are arguably the vainest species on the planet, many would be interested in sprucing up their look for the big day. Sadly though, grooming is alien to most men even today because unlike women, guys aren't automatically inducted at a certain age into the ABC of good grooming. We walk you through this fine art to have you looking like a million dollars for your wedding day. After all, who doesn't want to look their best? So take a deep breath, shed your pre-conceptions and inhibitions and read on…!

SKIN CARE & FACIALS
Perhaps the best place to start is skin care. One of the most common causes of tired, unhealthy looking skin is dehydration, both on the surface and within your body. To combat this get in the habit of drinking at least ten glasses of water a day. Using a cleanser, toner, and moisturiser routine in the run up to the wedding will work wonders for the skin. A facial cleanser will remove the excess grime and dirt from your skin, toning removes excess oil and dead skin cells and closes the pores so that new bacteria will not enter and cause spots and blemishes. Moisturisers help hydrate the skin and give it a healthy glow. Decleor and Clinique both make an excellent range of male skin care products to suit a variety of skin types from dry to greasy and combination skin. A quick skin assessment at their department store counters should determine the best products for you.

In addition to the above-mentioned regime, a series of professional facials will work wonders for you; it leaves you feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and grime-free. Though you might look red-faced for a few hours after your first facial, (have one a couple of weeks before the wedding) your skin will gradually adapt and the magic of the facial will show through.

A variety of facial treatments abound from deep cleansing, firming and rejuvenating facemasks, which work wonders on tired skin. Exfoliation treatments are also becoming popular with bridegrooms, which break down and remove the dead skin layer from your face, revealing a new layer of healthy looking skin. Your chosen grooming salon will be best placed to advise you on your skin type and the correct sequence of facials you should go in for.

A few more words of skin care advice. Always cleanse your skin before workouts. If you go to the gym with squeaky-clean skin then you'll sweat clean after exercising. This is particularly useful if you can't get to a shower immediately. The salty post workout residue will be less damaging for your face. Cleanse your face before going to bed. Consider this to be your last daily exercise. If bacteria is allowed to do its dirty work on your face overnight, you will look so much the worse in the day time. Lastly, quitting smoking is a sure fire way of restoring that healthy glow to your face.

FOOLPROOF SHAVING
A clean shave is the part of the look that brings it all together. Applying a sharp metal blade to your face cuts hairs but also removes microscopic layers of skin and can cause redness and irritation. And contrary to uninformed beliefs, you should not abuse your face to get a close shave; Here's the perfect mantra for a silken, smooth shave:

Before attacking the razor, use a facial cleanser to eradicate dead skin cells. Stubble should be wetted with warm water before shaving. Thoroughly massage shave cream into the stubble. "Shaving creams are adequate, but you'll be better off borrowing a bit of salon conditioner from your girl to truly soften up the hairs. Using a fresh, sharp blade, rinse it often in warm water when shaving and use slow, short strokes. Shave in the direction the hair grows. Shaving against the grain can cause redness, rashes, razor burn and ingrown hairs. After shaving, apply an oil-free moisturizer instead of an after-shave lotion. If you must use aftershave, get an alcohol-free one, which won't dry out your skin.

If you sport facial hair, make sure to have it professionally trimmed by a barber the day before the wedding or on your wedding day so that all those stray hairs are tidied up into a look of distinguished panache.