Brother of the groom cufflinks tend to be ordered by the groom himself, often with a slight lump in his throat. A friend may be best man, but his brother has been there longer than anyone. Whether he's best man, usher or simply the loudest voice in the pub afterwards, a pair designed around your shared history recognises that he's family first and wedding party second.
When the best man is also your brother
Many grooms ask their brother to be best man, which makes this gift do two jobs. It thanks him for the speech, the stag organising and the ring duty, and it acknowledges everything that came before. For this double role, combine the two in one design: something from your childhood with the wedding date beneath it. It reads as both brother and best man, without needing to say so.
If he isn't in the wedding party at all, perhaps because he lives abroad or you chose friends for those roles, cufflinks are a thoughtful way to make sure he doesn't feel left out. Send them ahead of the wedding with a note, so he arrives already wearing something that marks him out as the groom's brother.
Ideas from growing up together
Brothers' designs tend to fall into two camps, the sentimental and the mischievous. Both work.
- Matching outfits. That photo from Christmas 1998 when your mum dressed you both in identical jumpers.
- Your childhood team. The shirt you both wore for the same youth football club, or the badge of the team your dad made you support.
- The family surname. Bold capitals, maybe with the year the wedding happens underneath.
- Your shared bedroom or first car. A photo of the tiny Fiesta you both learned to drive in, or the tent you camped in every summer in Cornwall.
- His nickname for you, and yours for him. Side by side in one design; nobody else needs to understand them.
- A grandparent. A photo of the grandad you both adored, if he's no longer with you, is a gentle way of including him.
When there are several brothers
In big families, every brother might have a role in the wedding. You can give them all a matching design, such as the family name or an old photo of all of you lined up in height order, or give each his own picture. A nice middle ground is to include a shared element, like the family crest, in every design alongside each brother's individual photo. Different designs cost nothing extra when they go in the same basket.
Getting a clear image
Rummage through old family photos early, since the best childhood pictures are rarely digital. A flat, well-lit photo of a print, taken straight on with no flash, is usually good enough, and a scan is better. For modern photos, use the original file from the phone rather than a copy from a group chat, because we print from the full-resolution image. Crop so each face is large and clear, and remember that the square shape suits head-and-shoulders shots far better than full-length ones.
How it works
Upload your image and see it on both cufflinks in the live preview. Drag it into position and zoom to frame the faces, then add the pair to your basket and pay through the secure checkout. Each pair is made in our Cornwall workshop and gift boxed.
A single pair of brother of the groom cufflinks is £40, shipping included. If you're ordering for the rest of the wedding party, including other brothers, the fathers or the ushers, five or more pairs are £15 each with £5 shipping per order, so five pairs cost £80.
Worn well beyond the wedding
A good pair of cufflinks gets worn to family christenings, milestone birthdays and, one day, perhaps his own wedding. Every time, the design will bring back the day he stood up alongside his brother.