While it's not possible to give a minute-by-minute description of what every groom should be doing on his wedding day — not only because wedding times vary, but because every groom is different — this section will give you a fairly good idea of some areas of concern.

Risin' and Shinin'

If you have a date at the altar at ten in the morning, you're obviously going to want to get up bright and early. Give yourself time to have some sort of breakfast (even though you may not feel like eating, you wouldn't want to pass out in the middle of “I do.” Not exactly the wedding of your dreams — or your bride's); allow some time for touching base with the groomsmen and your parents.

If your wedding is scheduled for later in the day — late afternoon or early evening — consider allowing yourself a little leeway. Try not to be up with the birds. You're going to need every ounce of energy you can muster today — especially as day rolls into evening and the party kicks into high gear. You don't want to be hit with a wave of fatigue while doing the Limbo at your reception.

If all else fails and you just can't sleep in (many people have inner alarms that simply won't allow them to sleep past the time they normally awake), pencil in some time for a nap — or at least a little rest — for later in the day. After your round of golf or your long walk, lie down for an hour or so to recharge before you take on the task of preparing your handsome face for your wedding.

Got the Munchies?

Try not to gorge yourself prior to the wedding. Remember: You're paying top dollar for good eats later on in the day, and you don't want to arrive at the reception feeling bloated and suffering from intestinal distress due to the ten burritos you ate to stave off nerves.

Follow your normal diet — eat your meals when you normally would — and if you feel yourself wilting from hunger in the hours prior to the ceremony, try to snack before you step into your tux. It's all right to spill a little cocktail sauce on your white pique shirt at the reception — after the bulk of the professional photos have been taken. Imagine your chagrin when, years from now, you and your wife flip through your wedding album and the first thing both of you notice is the big stain on your collar.

Dressing Up

Your tux issues should have been resolved by this point, because you should have taken the time to try on your tux when you picked it up. However, on the off chance that you ignored that advice (tsk, tsk), you may discover that your cufflinks are AWOL. If you've allowed enough time for emergencies (and missing cufflinks do qualify as such on this particular day), you can send a groomsman or your sister or any able-bodied comrade over to the tux shop to take care of business.

The things you'll need to give some thought to while preparing for your wedding:

Cleanliness. If you've spent the day golfing or jogging, hit the showers — please. Even if you don't detect the slightest whiff of sweat on yourself, wash up anyway. You have a long day (and night) ahead of you.

Grooming. This is not the day to try out the new shaving cream or the new brand of razors — stick to the system that's been working for you. You wouldn't want to break out in an allergic rash from your new aftershave while saying your vows.

Last-minute business. Make sure you've got everything you need for the wedding and beyond. Who has the rings? Are your bags packed? Where's the marriage license?