The day the vows are exchanged is rarely the only celebration of a marriage. Most cultures have a variety of other traditional parties intended to honor the happy couple. Some require the planning of the bride and/or groom while other events are hosted by friends and family – all you need to do is show up. Here are some great reasons to party like you’re getting married – hey, wait, you are getting married!

Engagement Party: This celebration lets everyone know that you have made it official and asked her to get married. Traditionally, this shindig is held by the bride’s family to formally announce the betrothal to society. However, today, anything goes! Have a party for yourself, invite all your friends and serve delicious food and drinks in custom barware monogrammed with your last name initial (which will soon be hers too)!

Wedding Showers: These pre-wedding parties were often just hosted for the bride as a way for her be gifted with items she might need to set up house. Today, many wedding showers are co-ed, including both men and women in the fun. Couple showers can be a great time for friends and family to mingle and have fun, enjoy great fun and drink – all while celebrating the upcoming nuptials between the happy pair.

Bachelor Parties: Many guy’s think of bachelor parties as being old-school, wild events that include lots of drinking, carousing and quite possibly even exotic dancers. Today, the bachelor party has evolved – it could be a day of golf followed by a good steak dinner, Or, it could be a guys’ trip to Las Vegas or a relaxing fly fishing trip. It really just depends on the groom’s temperament and desires. Our bachelor party t-shirts are a fun way to announce that your group is ready to get the party started! Also, some grooms find this to be a great time to present their buddies with groomsmen gifts. Also, just know that if you are having a bachelor party, it’s pretty certain your bride-to-be will be having a bachelorette party too!

Rehearsal Dinner: Traditionally, the groom’s parents have hosted this dinner the night before the wedding. Usually, all the close family, bride and groom, and wedding attendants convene practice the “roles” of the wedding day and then just relax over good dinner and great company before the big day. There may be toasts, so you may want to prepare a few words – or have a professional toast written – just to be ready.

Of course, the actual wedding ceremony and wedding reception are so common place, they don’t really need detailed explanation. However, there can be other pre-wedding (and post-wedding) events that you may want to consider – these could include sight-seeing tours for out of town guests, a post wedding brunch the next morning in the hotel where guests that spent the night, If the wedding takes place at the end of a weekend, schedule a golf tournament for the men and a museum or shopping trip for the ladies.

For all you gift needs for a wedding, whether shopping for groomsmen gifts, best man gifts, gifts for the bride and groom or thank you gifts for the host of a wedding celebration, check out GroomStand.com for a unique selection of personalized gifts.