Wedding Invitation News, Etiquette & Planning Blog » groom

Fun Ways for Grooms to Spend the Big Day

Katie — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:37:40 +0000

Many grooms choose to head out for a round of golf with their groomsmen and male relatives on the morning of the big day, but that doesn’t mean golf is the only activity available to the groom and his buddies. Here are a few other ideas that will make the day even more memorable:

Play a sport. From touch football to soccer, softball and tennis, there are plenty of team sports that are guaranteed to be a good time. Just make sure to plan ahead so that everyone comes prepared (and don’t let the groom get tackled!).
Get into games. Host a video game marathon or challenge the groomsmen to bowling, billiards or poker for a little friendly competition.
Book a massage. What better way to help everyone look relaxed and glowing than with an hour-long pre-wedding massage?
Be adventurous. Check out a local rock climbing gym or race go karts together. Trying something new is a great way to have a blast before the wedding!

Grooming the Groom: Men’s Wedding Hairstyles

Katie — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:27:41 +0000

From our experience, brides will scour the web, flip through dozens of magazines and tirelessly Photoshop new hairstyles on themselves in the search for the perfect wedding hair. Grooms, on the other hand, tend to roll out of bed in the morning, shower and call it a day.

We know some men won’t be too excited about their grooming options, but a man who takes care of his skin and hair before the wedding gets a thumbs up in our book! We encourage you to talk to your guy about making an appointment at a spa or dermatologist before the wedding to consider his skincare options.

Popular spa treatments for men include:

Gentleman’s facials to cleanse and exfoliate the skin
Microdermabrasion to remove scars and fine lines
Eyebrow shaping for a natural appearance
Polish-free manicures to make sure his nails are in top shape

Plus, when it comes to hairstyles, conservative cuts with texture tend to come out on top. He shouldn’t sacrifice any of his style, but he might consider growing out that buzz cut or trimming his long locks for the big day. Here are a few of our favorite groom’s hairstyles:

Link Love: Wedding Resources for Men

Katie — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:59:54 +0000

A friend forwarded me this article from the New York Times yesterday, and I wasn’t really surprised by what it says. Men are getting more involved in the wedding planning process these days, meaning that they want to help their future spouses to create a special occasion for all of their guests. This doesn’t mean they necessarily want to spend hours picking out flowers or satin ribbon, but they might be interested in the style and color of your invitations, groomsmen attire and event décor.

If you are looking for great online wedding resources for men, we recommend a few of the links below:

GroomGroove offers everything a guy needs to play his part with finesse. Find tips for making speeches, hosting a rocking reception and even a checklist of the groom’s duties.
Looking for gifts tailored to grooms, with a little advice thrown in for good measure? The Man Registry is the site for you. They have everything from personalized beer steins to tips for writing vows that will leave her teary-eyed.
Is all of this a little much for you? Find a place to read about a groom who is even more skeptical than you at The Grumpy Groom. It might even inspire you to start your own blog!

Rant or Rave: Fancy Footwear for Men

Katie — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:09:43 +0000

One of our staffers recently saw this pair of flashy footwear in a Saks Fifth Avenue sales email, and sent them around to some of the divas in the office. They raised an interesting question among our wedding experts—what would you do if your groom wanted to wear these to the ceremony?

Although most brides tend to focus on their own attire for the big day, we’re wondering if you would sit back and let your groom take the reins when it comes to his wedding day style (and that of his groomsmen). Where would you draw the line? Embroidered shoes? Kilts? Top hats?

If your groom wanted to take a fashion risk on your wedding day, would it make you want to rant or rave?

To throw or not to throw the garter.

Contributors — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:08:08 +0000

The garter toss stems from an ancient tradition that said that taking a bride’s clothing would bring good luck. Today, brides often choose to wear a blue garter as a way to add “something blue” to their attire. The garter is often tossed by the groom to his single male friends. The lucky guy who catches it sometimes wins a gift card or money tucked in the garter and like the throwing of the bouquet, symbolizes that he will be next one to get married.

I opted not to do this or have the bouquet toss out of consideration for my single friends. There are definitely pros and cons to sticking with this long-time tradition. If you decide to do it, however, make sure to sit at an angle where you won’t be flashing your guests. And another tip? Either take the garter off yourself or ease it down a bit so its not so high on your leg. And if you have sensitive and conservative guests, I’d say avoid having your groom taking the garter off with his teeth.

Sources: Wikipedia

Blue bow garter from Victoria’s Secret.

Honeymoon Review

Contributors — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:23:40 +0000

Well I’m back and I have to say it was a wonderful honeymoon! Lots of beautiful things to see and experience and so worth all of the headache it took to get there. I did learn a few valuable lessons along the way. One thing I wish I did was pack lightly. Since we were in Europe and traveled to several cities in a short amount of time, I had to lug my suitcase with me, plus a backpack everywhere! Did I really need to pack 4 dresses and 4 pairs of shoes?

One thing that I’m glad I did was pack one light jacket and one heavy jacket and an umbrella. Though we checked the weather a few days before we left, even the weather report couldn’t predict the sudden cold shift that affected a lot of Europe. While we were expecting sunny skies with 60-70 degrees weather, we got rain and temperatures up to 51 degrees. Without my one warm sweater and an umbrella, I would have been so cold.

Another thing that I would advise is to put together a little toiletry see through kit and keep it in one place. I had my toothbrush in one bag and my soap in another and it drove me crazy! Keep everything together and remember to pack things like toilet paper and seat covers just in case.

And if you get motion sickness and are crazy enough to ride boats, plane and trains like me, either pack motion sickness medicine or one of those special wristbands. Try sea band or the psi band which prevents sickness and nausea by pushing down on an acupressure point on your wrists.

I had a memorable trip and I’m sure you will too! Just remember it’s easy to get lost in the romance of your honeymoon but coming prepared will make everything all the more better.

Fun Finds: Honeymoon Finds

Contributors — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:57:11 +0000

1. Pottery Barn just introduced its luggage collection, and I’m so excited! Check out their new stylish collection.

2. If you have trouble sleeping in new places, check out the new alarm clock everyone’s talking about. Brookstone’s Travel Tranquil Moments alarm clock is a clock, sound machine and voice memo recorder all in a compact style so that you can take with you where ever you go.

3. Tired of all those distorted, squished photos of the two of you? Bring along the Gorillapod so you won’t have to worry about who’s going to take your picture. Just attached your camera to this funny looking but useful tripod. (L.L. Bean, $22)

4. Planning on bringing home a ton of gifts for friends and family? These chic, reusable shopping bags fold up into a tiny little pouch that’s great for packing them up and taking them out to fill with all those great gifts!

Inspiration Board: Black and White Wedding

Contributors — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:55:28 +0000

Black and white are a classic pair that can easily transform any wedding into a modern affair. Add them to your wedding decor for a simple and easy way to bring glamor back to your special day!

Camilla canisters from Pottery Barn are showing up in Halloween fashion but they also make your candy bar modern and sweet. Pottery Barn Black Candelabra and stylish Flip Video Camera meld fun and function to make this black and white event complete.

This Two-Tone dress from White House Black Market and this handsome MW tux from Brides will keep your wedding in style. And I love this black tie bouquet from Martha Stewart!

Invite them to this contemporary gathering with Dotted Floral Wedding Invitations. This Black and white round cake (photo from Brides) is a work of art, almost too pretty to eat!

Groom’s Cakes

Contributors — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:34:06 +0000

Groom’s cakes date all the way back to the Victorian Era in England and then found its way to the United States where it gained popularity in the South. It was believed that if a young woman slept with a slice of this cake under her pillow, she would dream about the man she would one day marry.

Today, they are a part of weddings everywhere. In contrast to the typical wedding white variety, groom’s cakes “take the cake” with its often creative and unique styles and flavors. Here are a few I found that may be right for the man in your life.

1) For the guys who love video games, this Game Cube from Brides.com would be a sweet dream come true.

2) These Cheeseburger and Pepsi designs from Pink Cake Box bring wedding cakes to a whole ‘nother level!

3) For those grooms with a sweet tooth, how about trying this Pez dispenser Wedding Cake? (Photo from the Knot)

4) This one’s for the fisherman. This cake from Sugar, a Northern Oklahoma bakery, depicts a fisherman’s fresh catch in a very creative cake.

(Information about Groom’s cakes from: Martha Stewart Weddings and Wikipedia.com.)

Fabulous Finds Friday

Contributors — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:36:47 +0000

Beautiful and relatively inexpensive this Kissing Hearts necklace from Fossil make a charming gift for you or your bridesmaids.

Show off pictures from your honeymoon and wedding in these designer frames by Umbra.

Bobbi flats from Kate Spade are stylish and comfortable and will take you from your wedding day to the honeymoon and beyond.

This salad server set from Designer Things is modern and chic. It’ll make even the most mundane activity, serving salad, an act of style.

Invite guests with Letterpress for a look of luxury! Vintage Swirls Wedding Invitation.