How to Pick Your Groomsmen and Best Man

“How to pick your groomsmen,” we’ve talked about this sometimes touchy issues before on https://branddepot.com/collections/groomstand But, in the scheme of wedding planning for a guy, it’s a pretty big deal, maybe one of the biggest responsibilities you’ll be charged with (along with selecting groomsmen gifts for them), so it’s well worth rehashing and elaborating upon. Long before the wedding day, it’s time to start mulling over who you’d like to be your best man, groomsmen and ushers. Identifying the family members and buddies you want to support on your big day is an important decision for many reasons. The first is you’ll be creating memories that will be shared with everyone in the wedding party until the proverbial “until death do you part.” Before you start making your list, check with your fiancée and follow her lead on numbers of people you’ll need and when on the calendar to ask them. Traditionally, the number of groomsmen matches the number of bridesmaids. So, for a small and intimate wedding you may just have one or two while for a mega-event, the numbers of bridesmaids and groomsmen sometimes reach into the dozens. According to various statistics on the internet, the average number of groomsmen is four and the world record for the largest number of groomsmen is 47. Whether “too many” or “too few,” it is rare that a groom agrees with the bride that the proposed number is “just right.” Some men find it intimidating to request a favor of such magnitude from so many men while other guys have trouble narrowing down the field of friends. Unlike the bride, a man also has to consider that for larger weddings, a number of ushers are also par for the course. The standard ration for this job role is one usher per 50 guests. Before impulsively asking every guy you’ve ever grabbed a beer to join your wedding day roster, take time to consider who is meaningful in your life, who will be meaningful in your life and who will take the responsibilities seriously. Here are some good places to start your recruiting: Brothers: Brothers are typically very close; this is why the marrying brother almost always asks the other brother – the alleged role model -- to be his best man. It’s also okay to have more than one brother be your best man; we would want anyone to be in the awkward position of leaving a brother out of this experience. Stepbrothers, especially if you’ve grown up together, will be another natural choice for your lineup of groomsmen. Sometimes in a group of brothers, there is no jockeying for position (rare, I know). In this event, have them flip a coin to determine who is best man – and if they still can’t decide, let them know their groomsmen gift will be better! Brothers of Fiancé: In terms of proper etiquette, including your bride-to-be’s brothers in your wedding is a thoughtful gesture. Not only is it a good way to get your marriage off on a good start from your bride’s point of view, it gives you the chance to build a stronger relationship with your new, legally-sanctioned sibling and welcome him into your family. Friends: For those guys with just few close confidants, it’s obvious that these should be your groomsmen. However, especially in situations where the bride has a huge entourage of bridesmaids, it can be more difficult to pick and choose among other “layers” of male relationships. Whether you know the buddy from pre-school or university or have connected more recently on the job, the biggest checkmark for the guys you select is the bond you share. Other Family: Cousins, nephews and other family members, even distant ones, can also make fine picks for your groomsmen, ushers and other wedding party members. Younger male family members can be made to feel “grown up” by being charged with special roles such as ring bearer, junior groomsmen or helpers at the reception. Remember to thank these men for supporting you through the years and on your big day with a special choice in groomsmen gifts. Your best man, groomsmen, ushers and ring bearer will especially appreciate personalized gifts for groomsmen – these groomsmen gifts show that you’ve though specifically of them. At https://branddepot.com/collections/groomstand, there are many best man gift ideas that will convey your thanks for years to come.

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Tuxedo Time _ How to Wear it Well

If you want to look sharp in your tuxedo, you need to make sure it fits perfectly. Even the most expensive formal wear can look sub-par if it doesn’t fall just so over the wear’s physique. Without a doubt, fit is the most important factor in a tux regardless of if you are renting or having one custom-made. Remember to give yourself enough lead time when securing your tux, keeping into mind that tuxedos take time to alter – it can’t just be done while you stand there and wait. Make sure all the groomsmen know about this too! Also, if you can afford to, it is a very nice gesture to pick up the rent tab on the groomsmen tuxedos – in addition to their groomsmen gifts. Share the following fit tips and every one in your wedding party will look good and feel good on the big day. The Jacket: A tuxedo jacket should always fit comfortably around the neck and shoulders, regardless of the style. Also make sure you can easily fasten it and there is no straining at the buttons. Also, sit down wearing the jacket buttoned to make sure it’s not too tight. Hold your arms overhead to make sure that the chest and should offer enough room for mobility – there should be no pulling in the front or stretching across the back. The jacket sleeve should end where the thumb meets the wrist, showing ½” of the shirt cuff. Also make sure that the bottom hem covers your rear and the back vent doesn’t pull open. Tuxedo jackets with tails should fall to the back of your knee. The Trousers: The pants must button with ease, you don’t want too snug of a fit and risk popping off a button during the vows. The pant crease should fall in a straight, unbroken vertical line to the bottom hem. The pants should hit the top of your shoe tops, falling slightly to just above the laces of the shoe. If you are looking to slim your silhouette, choose flat-front pants over pleated pants. The Shirt: Whatever the color, choose a shirt that fits comfortably around the neck, shoulders and waist. As mentioned earlier, cuffs should pop out to ½” from the jacket sleeve. The collar should lie flat around all sides of the neck and not gap in any way. If you are wearing a traditional tie instead of a bow tie, a tie clip may be worn. The Vest: You may or may not be wearing a vest, but if you are, make sure it covers the waistband of the pants and is worn completely buttoned up. Use the adjustment straps on the sides or back for a perfect fit. Shoes: Tradition dictates black shoes and can be whatever style you like, from wingtip to loafer to boot. Some grooms may choose to show their independent spirit with another footwear choice – like black Converse sneakers. Cummerbund: The cummerbund is the pleated fabric belt that is worn around the middle, covering the waistband of your pants. Remember to face the pleats upward for the official look – some have said to think of movie ushers sticking ticket stubs in the cummerbund to remember the orientation of the cummerbund. Socks: Again, tradition dictates black socks but bright, colorful socks are a modern way to add personality to your tuxedo look. You can keep fun color and not look like a clown! Jewelry: Many grooms and groomsmen choose to wear cufflinks on their tuxedo shirts. French cuff style cuffs don’t have buttons and need an alternative way to fasten – hence, cufflinks. Cufflinks also make a great choice in groomsmen gifts and way to unify the look of all the gentlemen in your wedding party. Groomstand.com has a large selection from traditional engraved cufflinks with a monogram to novelty cufflinks (such as skulls or dice) that can represent the personality of the recipient. Are you and your groomsmen dressing up in tuxedos? Or, are you opting for the anit-groom, casual look? Let us know your wedding day attire in the comments below.

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How to Keep a Groom From Vomiting at the Altar

What’s the worst that could happen at your wedding? As the groom, you could bumble through your vows, maybe forget to put gas in the getaway car, or realize that an uninvited ex-girlfriend was brought as someone’s date. But, what if you vomited at the wedding; right there kneeling at the altar alongside your bride, with the entire congregation looking on? Ah, fun times. That exact thing happened to the turning-green groom in this video and probably thousands of other grooms out there have had near miss situations. This is no way to start off a lifetime of happiness, so read on to find out how to keep from puking your guts out at the wedding ceremony. Don’t get wasted the night before. You’ve heard it before, but we’re saying it again. Don’t have the bachelor party the night before the wedding, it’s just asking for trouble. It gives you no recovery time to bounce back from too many drinks . . . or have that tattoo laser-blasted off your head. If the logistics of having your party posse come in from out of town necessitates a night-before shindig, then you’ll need to pace yourself on the drinking. Avoid consuming hard liquor shots and mixed drinks (remember the saying, liquor’s quicker) and drink a full mug of water in between each alcoholic beverage. As a reminder to everyone, get the guys personalized beer mugs (filled with water, natch) as their hydrating groomsmen gifts. Cure your hangover quickly and thoroughly. If you do wake up with the dreaded hangover, hopefully you don’t have a morning ceremony to rush of to. If the event is in the late afternoon or evening, you’ll have some time to work on bouncing back from your queasiness, dehydration and pounding headache. First, you’ll want to keep drinking water, preferably even an electrolyte drink, throughout the day to get your body back in balance. Keep water by your side at all times in a refillable container, like our personalized water canteen. By the way, these vessels make excellent groomsmen gifts with hangover prevention in mind. Next, take a shower to wash off the debauchery and jump-start your day; use cold water if that’s what it’s going to take to liven you up. A shave wouldn’t hurt either. Next, eat something healthy, not that greasy hamburger and fries that you crave. A fatty diet will churn up your gut for a potential disaster. Finally, if the nausea continues try an herbal remedy. Peppermint and ginger are both known to combat queasiness. Make tea with one of these natural helpers or at least suck on a hard candy until your stomach is feeling better. Get over your nerves. Doctors back the fact that excitement and anxiety can make a person puke, even though it’s usually just little kids who vomit with this type of anxious anticipation. However, getting married is probably one of the biggest life changes a guy faces in his life to date, and that can make you revert to unexpected behaviors. To calm a stomach that is flip-flopping and freaking out due to anxiety, there are a few tricks to try out. Engage in a little exercise like light jogging or a brisk walk. Exercise releases endorphins, those feel-good neurotransmitters that will help regulate hormones and reduce adrenaline to control anxiety. Deep breathing is another method that can help reduce any stress that may be causing your discomfort. Take slow, controlled breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth; by the end of 10 breaths you should be feeling better. Finally, eating something light and healthy will keep your stomach digesting properly and feeling up par on your wedding day. The worst thing you can do is skip a meal because you are nervous, this will only worsen the way you feel. Are you getting anxious about your wedding? What are you doing to stay calm? Let us know in the comments below.

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How to Balance Bowl Games and your Bride

Guys who love collegiate football as much as their lovely brides-to-be (errr, almost as much as their brides-to-be), typically find themselves in a conundrum if wedding festivities are scheduled in late December and early January. From the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego on December 20th to the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, TX on January 4th (and 33 other bowl games in the lineup), whatÍs a die-hard fan to do? 1) Steer clear of wedding festivities on the biggest bowl game days, December 31st and January 1st. Or, boldly declare these two days your bachelor party weekend, gather up the guys and go on a football-watching binge! Gear up your viewing party with college football accessories to give as groomsmen gifts such as this NCAA logo steak iron, a sizzling way to show your team affiliation. 2) If at all possible, create a football-themed wedding. Yes, itÍs been done and the two of you lovebirds will look sensationally sporty walking down an aisle of green Astroturf. Of course, a gridiron groomsmen cake, bowties and cummerbunds in the teamÍs colors, and football gifts for groomsmen are all sure to be big-time winners. For the groomsmen gifts, check out our personalized collegiate football signs that will make your wedding attendants feel like MVPs. 3) Or, make a deal with your bride. For every hour of football watching during the lead-up to your December or January wedding, you will double the time to put towards chores on a ñhoney-doî list. Or, tell her that your football time is a way to distress and keep your feet from getting cold; who knows, maybe sheÍll even join you for the football festivities.

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How to Handle a Drunk Wedding Guest

It’s happened at almost every wedding I’ve ever attended – the intoxicated wedding guest. Whether it is a rowdy groomsmen or notoriously boozing uncle, there is always one guy (or gal) in the crowd that sees the open bar as his invitation to overindulge. Even if you are serving limited drinks at your wedding, you can still find yourself with a guest two sheets to the wind. Consider offering plenty of non-alcoholic libations to keep over-drinking at bay. Read on to find tips on handling a wedding guest that has had too much to drink. Notify the wedding planner or venue coordinator immediately. This person is versed in hospitality issues of all kinds, good and bad, and most likely has experience handling an inebriated person. The groomsmen and bridesmaids can also help out a tanked guest of the respective gender. Remove the drunken guest to a less crowded part of the party, from the back of the room to the lobby. If they need to lie down, many restrooms in nicer hotels have couches and lounges that will be out of pubic sight. This keeps the attention off the antics of the guest on rightfully on the bride and groom. Offer the guest food and water. Getting a little food in the stomach can help to slow down the absorption of alcohol and water will help counterbalance dehydration. But don’t push him to gorge, it may backfire. Immediately escort the guest to the restroom if they appear to be nauseated. A bride is not going to be happy seeing her reception splattered with vomit. Take the intoxicated guest’s car keys and try to find the people he or she came with, if applicable. Suggest the person call a taxi or stay overnight in the hotel. Hosts of the wedding should be aware that guests who cause a drunken accident after leaving the event can be held liable for damages, not just the driver. For more tips for your wedding day (and plenty of awesome choices in groomsmen gifts), check out Groomstand.com.

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How To Get Rid Of Bachelor Party Hangover

No one likes a hangover; however, they’re often part of the morning or all-day after experience when drinking too much. Sufferers can expect a headache, nausea, sensitivity to light and noise, general malaise, gastro-intestinal troubles and thirst. Even when trying to “be good” and pacing drinks throughout the night, many guys find that they’ve overindulged at a bachelor party. This can put a damper on the next day’s events and that can be a real disaster, especially if it’s the wedding day. If you or your buddies find yourself in this woozy predicament, read on to find out some remedies that can help you recover – that is unless you’ve woken up to a Mike Tyson-inspired face tattoo, and there’s no quick solution to that! Hydrate: Drinking too much alcohol makes a guy dehydrated; you’ll end up with a parched mouth and dry skin in the morning. Speed up your recovery by drinking a glass of water before you go to sleep (or pass out) and then another as soon as waking. Keep sipping on water or electrolyte drinks to help bring body fluids back into balance. Get the guys off to the right foot by giving them hydrating groomsmen gifts, such as a personalized water canteen. Eat: After a drinking binge, your stomach may not be in the mood for food, to put it mildly! But a well-balanced meal will get you back to normal; but make sure that it’s quality food such as whole grains, lean protein and fruits and vegetables. Greasy foods may sound good, but they’ll just make you sicker in the end. Remember to wash down the meal with lots of liquids for rehydration. Supplements: Before you hit the sack or as soon as you wake up, take in a multi-vitamin to regain the right level of vitamins and minerals that may have been leached from your body during the wild bachelor party rumpus. The supplements coupled with water and enough sleep will heal your body in time for big event. Give the guys a handsome leather toiletry kit for groomsmen gifts, they can stash away their hangover vitamins inside. Cold Shower Shock: If all else fails, step into the shower and turn it on full-blast to cold water. The shock to your system may just jolt you back into the living. Why do you think they throw cold buckets of water on people in the movies?! Although the results may not be the total cure, it may just be invigorating enough to keep you on your feet for any important duties you have for the day.

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How to Keep a Groom From Vomiting at the Altar

What’s the worst that could happen at your wedding? As the groom, you could bumble through your vows, maybe forget to put gas in the getaway car, or realize that an uninvited ex-girlfriend was brought as someone’s date. But, what if you vomited at the wedding; right there kneeling at the altar alongside your bride, with the entire congregation looking on? Ah, fun times. That exact thing happened to the turning-green groom in this video and probably thousands of other grooms out there have had near miss situations. This is no way to start off a lifetime of happiness, so read on to find out how to keep from puking your guts out at the wedding ceremony. Don’t get wasted the night before. You’ve heard it before, but we’re saying it again. Don’t have the bachelor party the night before the wedding, it’s just asking for trouble. It gives you no recovery time to bounce back from too many drinks . . . or have that tattoo laser-blasted off your head. If the logistics of having your party posse come in from out of town necessitates a night-before shindig, then you’ll need to pace yourself on the drinking. Avoid consuming hard liquor shots and mixed drinks (remember the saying, liquor’s quicker) and drink a full mug of water in between each alcoholic beverage. As a reminder to everyone, get the guys personalized beer mugs (filled with water, natch) as their hydrating groomsmen gifts. Cure your hangover quickly and thoroughly. If you do wake up with the dreaded hangover, hopefully you don’t have a morning ceremony to rush of to. If the event is in the late afternoon or evening, you’ll have some time to work on bouncing back from your queasiness, dehydration and pounding headache. First, you’ll want to keep drinking water, preferably even an electrolyte drink, throughout the day to get your body back in balance. Keep water by your side at all times in a refillable container, like our personalized water canteen. By the way, these vessels make excellent groomsmen gifts with hangover prevention in mind. Next, take a shower to wash off the debauchery and jump-start your day; use cold water if that’s what it’s going to take to liven you up. A shave wouldn’t hurt either. Next, eat something healthy, not that greasy hamburger and fries that you crave. A fatty diet will churn up your gut for a potential disaster. Finally, if the nausea continues try an herbal remedy. Peppermint and ginger are both known to combat queasiness. Make tea with one of these natural helpers or at least suck on a hard candy until your stomach is feeling better. Get over your nerves. Doctors back the fact that excitement and anxiety can make a person puke, even though it’s usually just little kids who vomit with this type of anxious anticipation. However, getting married is probably one of the biggest life changes a guy faces in his life to date, and that can make you revert to unexpected behaviors. To calm a stomach that is flip-flopping and freaking out due to anxiety, there are a few tricks to try out. Engage in a little exercise like light jogging or a brisk walk. Exercise releases endorphins, those feel-good neurotransmitters that will help regulate hormones and reduce adrenaline to control anxiety. Deep breathing is another method that can help reduce any stress that may be causing your discomfort. Take slow, controlled breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth; by the end of 10 breaths you should be feeling better. Finally, eating something light and healthy will keep your stomach digesting properly and feeling up par on your wedding day. The worst thing you can do is skip a meal because you are nervous, this will only worsen the way you feel. Are you getting anxious about your wedding? What are you doing to stay calm? Let us know in the comments below.

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How to Balance Bowl Games and your Bride

Guys who love collegiate football as much as their lovely brides-to-be (errr, almost as much as their brides-to-be), typically find themselves in a conundrum if wedding festivities are scheduled in late December and early January. From the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego on December 20th to the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, TX on January 4th (and 33 other bowl games in the lineup), whatÍs a die-hard fan to do?   1) Steer clear of wedding festivities on the biggest bowl game days, December 31st and January 1st. Or, boldly declare these two days your bachelor party weekend, gather up the guys and go on a football-watching binge! Gear up your viewing party with college football accessories to give as groomsmen gifts such as this NCAA logo steak iron, a sizzling way to show your team affiliation.   2) If at all possible, create a football-themed wedding. Yes, itÍs been done and the two of you lovebirds will look sensationally sporty walking down an aisle of green Astroturf. Of course, a gridiron groomsmen cake, bowties and cummerbunds in the teamÍs colors, and football gifts for groomsmen are all sure to be big-time winners. For the groomsmen gifts, check out our personalized collegiate football signs that will make your wedding attendants feel like MVPs.   3) Or, make a deal with your bride. For every hour of football watching during the lead-up to your December or January wedding, you will double the time to put towards chores on a ñhoney-doî list. Or, tell her that your football time is a way to distress and keep your feet from getting cold; who knows, maybe sheÍll even join you for the football festivities.

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Guy Wedding Registries: Ask & Ye Shall Receive

While the wedding to-do list may seem like a chore for most guys, there is something that may just grab your attention more than picking out centerpieces or talking about up-do hairstyles -- and thatÍs wedding registries. WeÍre not talking about wedding registries where you aimlessly follow your betrothed around in the kitchen and linens section of a department store and where the only thing you have to look forward to is the little scanner gun. Think bigger, better and let out a caveman grunt and make your own wish list at a store that stocks home improvement, electronics, and even outdoor recreation items! While youÍre shopping around, you also may just find the perfect something to give as engraved pocket knives, or even an exotic vacation is another way to get what you really want.

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The Helpful Groom (You Can't Just Be Handsome)

Many guys think that after picking out the ring and popping the question, his work is done in terms of the wedding planning. But, after observing the way many brides passive-aggressively operate, weÍve come to realize that the best way to keep a fianc_ happy is to get involved in the process. But the key to being involved is to actually help in the process, not hinder. Here are some great tips about being the involved groom she wants you to be. Ask what you can do. With or without a wedding planner, the sheer number of tasks and chores involved in pulling off a once-in-a-life-time day can be daunting. As soon as planning rolls into full swing, collaborate together to come up with a ïhisÍ and ïhersÍ list on what needs to be done. Having the to-do list in print will reduce any confusion or assumptions that might later arise, as in a shrieking ñhoney, I thought 'you' were picking up Aunt Edna from the airport! Have an opinion. If all the minutia of wedding planning is really not your thing, you certainly donÍt need to have an opinion of every last thing. WeÍre sure you really donÍt care on the exact shade of the bridesmaidsÍ eyes shadow as much as you do best man gifts. But do tell the bride what you like about major parts of the wedding such as how many guests, location, and food choices. Pick your battles. Know when to step in and know when to retreat. DonÍt let little things become major issues in your wedding planning, the two of you are about to be a lifelong team and should start acting so as soon as possible! But if you have a core issue that is being tested during the planning process, speak up now or forever hold your peace. Pull your weight. There are certain tasks that are traditionally bestowed on the groom, make sure you are doing them! If you pick up an etiquette book, you'll find out that some of these duties include, picking groomsmen, purchasing groomsmen gifts, arranging for wedding attire, planning the honeymoon and anything else the bride requests. If you'd like cross off one of your chores, head on over to

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How to Handle a Drunk Wedding Guest

It’s happened at almost every wedding I’ve ever attended – the intoxicated wedding guest. Whether it is a rowdy groomsmen or notoriously boozing uncle, there is always one guy (or gal) in the crowd that sees the open bar as his invitation to overindulge. Even if you are serving limited drinks at your wedding, you can still find yourself with a guest two sheets to the wind. Consider offering plenty of non-alcoholic libations to keep over-drinking at bay. Read on to find tips on handling a wedding guest that has had too much to drink. Notify the wedding planner or venue coordinator immediately. This person is versed in hospitality issues of all kinds, good and bad, and most likely has experience handling an inebriated person. The groomsmen and bridesmaids can also help out a tanked guest of the respective gender. Remove the drunken guest to a less crowded part of the party, from the back of the room to the lobby. If they need to lie down, many restrooms in nicer hotels have couches and lounges that will be out of pubic sight. This keeps the attention off the antics of the guest on rightfully on the bride and groom. Offer the guest food and water. Getting a little food in the stomach can help to slow down the absorption of alcohol and water will help counterbalance dehydration. But don’t push him to gorge, it may backfire. Immediately escort the guest to the restroom if they appear to be nauseated. A bride is not going to be happy seeing her reception splattered with vomit. Take the intoxicated guest’s car keys and try to find the people he or she came with, if applicable. Suggest the person call a taxi or stay overnight in the hotel. Hosts of the wedding should be aware that guests who cause a drunken accident after leaving the event can be held liable for damages, not just the driver. For more tips for your wedding day (and plenty of awesome choices in groomsmen gifts), check out Groomstand.com.

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How To Stay Awake on the Big Day

LetÍs face it getting married is a tiring experience. There is a hustle and bustle of activity for the groom in the weeks leading up to the ceremony from tuxedo fittings, shopping for unique groomsmen gifts away from the wedding. Delegate responsibilities. Pick responsible wedding attendants and make good use of them! You can have your groomsmen, ushers and family help with many of the wedding errands and chores. When you delegate tasks such as having buddies pick up out-of-towners at the airport or allow family members to wrap

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