A Groom Should Express His ñTastesî at the Reception

Although many say the wedding is the “bride’s day,” most wedding receptions do take into consideration the groom. After all, isn’t food and drink a specialty of men?! Brides like to fuss and fret about many of the “visual” elements of the wedding, such as the dress, the flowers and the venue. However, men seem to be more interested in expressing their opinions on matters of “tastes”! Here are some areas that the groom should put in his two cents worth before the bride takes over: Reception Food: It may seem hard to reach a menu decision when the bride prefers delicate spa food while the groom prefers barbeque. Ultimately, many of the food choices are tied to the atmosphere of the venue. However, the tastes of a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy can be catered to without upsetting the bride’s ideas too much by adding a steak plate for a sit down dinner or a prime-rib carving station at a buffet. Consider using a personalized steak brand (also a favorite pick in groomsmen gifts) to add a unique look to the wedding meal! Drink: Serving beer at a wedding reception is a very popular choice with men. For causal events, serving beer in bottles or cans may be acceptable. You can even provide personalized koozies as wedding favors. However, at more formal affairs, beer can be tapped and poured into a “formal” beer mug such as a Ferdinand mug or a stemmed beer glass. Also on-trend at wedding receptions are scotch and whisky stations where guests can sample fine aged liquors in moderation. To serve these liquors in style, consider using our sophisticated shot glasses. Groom’s Cake: Serving a groom’s cake at the wedding, alongside the classic wedding cake, is a tradition that began in the South. As an alternative to the typically white bride’s cake, the groom’s cake is often chocolate. For years, a chocolate cake with chocolate-covered strawberries was a top choice for obvious reasons. But, since the popularity of all the “cake” shows on reality television, the options for groom’s cakes are now only limited by the imagination. Many of these edible masterpieces are decorated to pay tribute to the groom’s favorite hobbies such as fishing, golf, or a particular sports team of choice.

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Grandparent Wedding Advice Gone Viral

Sometimes the younger generation tends to act like they know everything; but, almost always, our grandparents and others in that generation tend to have some of the best advice. They’ve lived through many experiences, learned by trial and error and are a source of great wisdom. When it comes to marriage, those about to be married for the first time can only imagine what it would be like to live with someone day in and day out. But, those who have shared many anniversaries really know what the union is all about. These types of tips and pointers from older, wiser folks can really considered a gift for the groom and bride. Take internet sensations, Selma and Kenny, who after nearly 72 years of wedded bliss shared their advice on marriage through a video they made for their grandson and his new bride. Talking frankly, teasingly and even arguing a bit, the older couple doles out their nuggets of wisdom and never expected the toast would go viral. This is probably the most touching and funny groom gift any guy received from his grandparents. Their tips for a successful marriage include being good to one another and not bickering; a comical statement because they good-naturedly argued through the whole video. They also instruct to always go to bed together after fighting, because you’ll be so tired from arguing! Also, pick up after yourself, even if you make a mess unwittingly and keep the refrigerator stocked up "because you do not want to be hungry or starve” We think that Kenny probably had his own man cave. Selma also suggest travelling together, anywhere and everywhere; except maybe to Italy where they sunbathe topless – apparently Kenny had a little incident ogling a sunbathing beauty. Really, the take away from the cute video is that, while marriage has ups and downs and a lot of monotony in the middle. If you stay light-hearted, don’t take things too seriously and acknowledge each person has flaws, and don’t obsess about perfection, you will succeed. To end the video, the couple shares a passionate kiss before breaking out into uncontrollable giggling. Sheez, you’d think they were teenagers.

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Wedding Toast Advice for the Groom, Best Man and Groomsmen

No matter how much you try and avoid the situation, giving a toast is pretty much a given if you are involved in some significant way in a wedding. Whether groom, best man, father of the groom or some other special guest, toasting opportunities abound at wedding events. From the engagement party and wedding showers to bachelor parties, rehearsal dinners and, of course, the wedding reception, guests will be waiting with anticipation for your words of humor, wisdom, and love that ends with a lifted champagne glass. To ensure the best impression, learn how to gab effortlessly in front of a crowd with these simple tips. Planning: Even if you consider yourself an extroverted, natural-born talker, it is still imperative to put pen to paper and write out, at a minimum, an outline of your talking points. If you do plan to write out the entire speech, remember not to read it directly from the paper – the audience will feel disconnected. When planning out what to say, aim for about 4 through 6 minutes of content, which has been proven to be the optimal length for the audience’s attention span. Writing: There are many styles of toasts; some are knee-slappers that are intended to be a good-natured “roast” of the honoree. Before you try this type of speech, you need to know the honoree very well, have a feel for the audience, and know that this won’t turn into an embarrassing situation. Other toasts are very sentimental and can be real tear-jerkers, as can be expected at an event as momentous an emotional as a wedding – heartfelt toasts are great, just don’t make it a downer. Most toasts given by men at a wedding event include introductions, acknowledgements of thanks, anecdotes and stories, quotes or readings and advice. Delivering: When the time comes to deliver your toast, remember to speak clearly, slowly and loudly enough the back of the room can hear you. If you need notecards to keep you on point, remember not to read entirely from them – glance around the room and try to make eye contact with the bride, groom and other guests. Do not give a toast if you are inebriated, both your slurred words and impromptu comments may embarrass you the next day. After the toast, it is a thoughtful gesture to provide the honoree with a copy of the speech that they can keep forever. If you are worried about coming up with a wedding toast on your own, ThePerfectToast.com can help you develop a custom speech that will capture your feelings with the perfect words. A toast-writing service can really make your moment in the spotlight and huge success – with so much less stress on you!

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Rehearsal Dinner Behavior_ Groom Edition

Out of all the elements that go into wedding planning, most seem to fall under the purview of the bride. Admit it, do you really want to make the decisions on what the “colors” should be or if raspberry filling is just “too sweet” for the cake? However, there is one significant part of the festivities leading up to the wedding that the groom is responsible, other than getting the tuxes and groomsmen gifts, for and that is the rehearsal dinner. Traditionally, the rehearsal dinner is held the night before the wedding and is paid for by the groom’s parents. It’s a great way to break the ice between the families of the bride and groom who may have never met before. To make sure that the whole event goes off without a hitch (and the bride is still talking to you in the morning), follow these tips to ensure success. Behave: Because you may be making plenty of first-impressions at the rehearsal dinner, make sure that you are on your best behavior. This means, no cursing, bawdy stories, wandering eyes or disrespectful behavior in any way – remember to tell any groomsmen you have invited to follow the same rules. If you’ve purchased engraved flasks to give them as gifts for the groomsmen, don’t fill them up with the hard stuff! Introductions: During the course of the event, make sure that you have enough background information on guests (on your side) that you might not actually know too well, like thrice-removed cousins, far-away aunts and uncles, and friends of your parents that you aren’t acquainted with. Make sure everyone at the dinner gets, at a minimum, a handshake or hug and short conversation. Consider your job for the night as host with the most and chief introduction maker. Bride: With all the stresses of the dinner, making sure everyone is happy and such; don’t forget to make sure your bride is happy too! While you may both be busy, going in different directions to keep guests busy, it is essential to check in with each other a couple times throughout the night to get status updates. And, before you leave, remember to steal a kiss – it may be the last time you see the bride until the wedding aisle. Gifts: Many grooms find the rehearsal dinner an appropriate time to present groomsmen gifts. Typically these key players in your wedding party have been invited to the event, and it’s a more formal way to stand up and say, “Hey, thanks for being a great friend” than just tossing a groomsmen gifts at them after the fact. If you’re stuck as what to get the guys, Groomstand.com has a wide array of personalized gifts for groomsmen that will show your heartfelt sentiments.

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Embrace Your Inner Groomzilla

Who says guys donÍt care a flip about weddings? Wedding planners across the country say they are seeing an increase in the number of discerning and demanding soon-to-be husbands out there and, for a lack of a better name, are calling them ñgroomzillasî after the so-old-news-theyÍre-out ñbridezillasî that have taken the wedding industry and media by storm. If a guy can be a ñmetrosexualî, totally straight yet concerned with the aesthetics of everything, then why wouldnÍt this logically apply to planning a wedding as well. Aside from wanting to express personality through style and fashion, there are other reasons why a normally mild-mannered guy might turn into a groomzilla. ThereÍs that whole ego, competition thing that guys have with other guys. If a buddy had two meat carving stations at his reception, then the one-upper groom may insist on three or more. Suddenly 100 guests and a DJ on the dance floor don't sound as grand as a party for 500 with a performance by the hottest band in town. WhoÍs footing the bill may also have something to do with a guy going all groomzilla during the wedding planning. According to the Fairchild Bridal Group, nearly one-third of newlyweds paid for their wedding in 2005 instead of a parent. Traditionally, when the femaleÍs mother and father are paying, then the bride is the final authority on all wedding purchase, but when the groom is financially responsible or the couple is chipping in together then the man has a much larger role in decision-making. So, if you feel like selecting the font for the wedding invitations, picking out both the groomsmen gifts and the bridesmaid gifts, or tasting each and every filling for the cake, donÍt be afraid to stand up for yourself. ItÍs the biggest day of your life, too! So get out of the way, Miss ñitÍs all about meî _ groomzillas are here to get their fair share of the spotlight.

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Plan for the Worst on Your Wedding Day

FYI - This post contains Mad Men spoilers Your wedding day is supposed to be perfect. When it's supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life, how could you plan for the worst? Sure, forgetting a groomsmen gift for the best man isn't ideal, but what if something catastrophic happens? A family death? A natural disaster? In the latest episode of Mad Men, you'll find out that there are just some things you can't plan for when it comes to your wedding day. Ever since the second episode of season three, Mad Men fans were waiting in anticipation for the Sterling wedding set for Nov. 23, 1963 - one day after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. While the episode shows the fictional Sterling family at their half-empty wedding reception, this New York Times article shows how some couples found the strength to marry on Nov. 23, 1963. One bride to marry on the day after this American tragedy was 21 year-old Wanita Handal (now, Wanita Dehney). Mrs. Dehney never thought twice about putting a halt to her big day. When guests arrived for the reception at the Waldorf-Astoria, their spirits were not as bright. Mrs. Dehney says, "We thought it would be awful... I'll tell you, after a few drinks it didn't really matter." The average couple picks out their wedding date 17 months prior to the wedding. Just about anything can happen when you're planning a celebration a year in advance. Mrs. Dehney's wedding was after one of the worst catastrophes in American history, but everything came out all right. In fact, the Dehney wedding went so late, they had to pay the band extra to finish out the night. Still, if you'd rather not force your wedding through adverse conditions, there's no reason to worry. Use these precautions to ease stress on your perfect day. Wedding Day Plan B's Wedding insurance - it sounds like a scam, but would you go through with your wedding if it happened on 9/11? Wedding insurance protects against sudden cancelations like severe weather or illness, and protects against lost rings or a damaged wedding dress. Wedsafe.com gave a quote of $871.00 for a fictional wedding on Oct. 10, 2010 with liability insurance of $500,000 and cancelation insurance of $175,000. Plan for rain - no matter what the farmer's almanac says, you need to plan for terrible weather. Don't brush off the weather by thinking "oh, we'll just bring everyone inside." I went to a wedding in the desert last summer and they were sure it wasn't going to rain - It freakin' poured. It rained so much puddles formed in the grass and covered everyone's shoes in mud. At the very least, designate a group of umbrellas for guests as they dash out of their cars. Keep large sheets of plastic ready at the doorway for muddy shoes. And, always make sure you have an indoor option for all of your events. Grab the personalized flasks - if there's ever a moment to take a nip off some whiskey, it's when a major event over shadows your big day. Look on the bright side. You're with friends and family, and you're celebrating your love with a future wife. If you can't call off the wedding (or you just don't want to) break out the personalized flasks as groomsmen gifts and make the best of the moment.

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Embrace Your Inner Groomzilla

Who says guys donÍt care a flip about weddings? Wedding planners across the country say they are seeing an increase in the number of discerning and demanding soon-to-be husbands out there and, for a lack of a better name, are calling them ñgroomzillasî after the so-old-news-theyÍre-out ñbridezillasî that have taken the wedding industry and media by storm. If a guy can be a ñmetrosexualî, totally straight yet concerned with the aesthetics of everything, then why wouldnÍt this logically apply to planning a wedding as well. Aside from wanting to express personality through style and fashion, there are other reasons why a normally mild-mannered guy might turn into a groomzilla. ThereÍs that whole ego, competition thing that guys have with other guys. If a buddy had two meat carving stations at his reception, then the one-upper groom may insist on three or more. Suddenly 100 guests and a DJ on the dance floor don't sound as grand as a party for 500 with a performance by the hottest band in town. WhoÍs footing the bill may also have something to do with a guy going all groomzilla during the wedding planning. According to the Fairchild Bridal Group, nearly one-third of newlyweds paid for their wedding in 2005 instead of a parent. Traditionally, when the femaleÍs mother and father are paying, then the bride is the final authority on all wedding purchase, but when the groom is financially responsible or the couple is chipping in together then the man has a much larger role in decision-making. So, if you feel like selecting the font for the wedding invitations, picking out both the groomsmen gifts and the bridesmaid gifts, or tasting each and every filling for the cake, donÍt be afraid to stand up for yourself. ItÍs the biggest day of your life, too! So get out of the way, Miss ñitÍs all about meî _ groomzillas are here to get their fair share of the spotlight.

Read more

Plan for the Worst on Your Wedding Day

FYI - This post contains Mad Men spoilers Your wedding day is supposed to be perfect. When it's supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life, how could you plan for the worst? Sure, forgetting a groomsmen gift for the best man isn't ideal, but what if something catastrophic happens? A family death? A natural disaster? In the latest episode of Mad Men, you'll find out that there are just some things you can't plan for when it comes to your wedding day. Ever since the second episode of season three, Mad Men fans were waiting in anticipation for the Sterling wedding set for Nov. 23, 1963 - one day after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. While the episode shows the fictional Sterling family at their half-empty wedding reception, this New York Times article shows how some couples found the strength to marry on Nov. 23, 1963. One bride to marry on the day after this American tragedy was 21 year-old Wanita Handal (now, Wanita Dehney). Mrs. Dehney never thought twice about putting a halt to her big day. When guests arrived for the reception at the Waldorf-Astoria, their spirits were not as bright. Mrs. Dehney says, "We thought it would be awful... I'll tell you, after a few drinks it didn't really matter." The average couple picks out their wedding date 17 months prior to the wedding. Just about anything can happen when you're planning a celebration a year in advance. Mrs. Dehney's wedding was after one of the worst catastrophes in American history, but everything came out all right. In fact, the Dehney wedding went so late, they had to pay the band extra to finish out the night. Still, if you'd rather not force your wedding through adverse conditions, there's no reason to worry. Use these precautions to ease stress on your perfect day. Wedding Day Plan B's Wedding insurance - it sounds like a scam, but would you go through with your wedding if it happened on 9/11? Wedding insurance protects against sudden cancelations like severe weather or illness, and protects against lost rings or a damaged wedding dress. Wedsafe.com gave a quote of $871.00 for a fictional wedding on Oct. 10, 2010 with liability insurance of $500,000 and cancelation insurance of $175,000. Plan for rain - no matter what the farmer's almanac says, you need to plan for terrible weather. Don't brush off the weather by thinking "oh, we'll just bring everyone inside." I went to a wedding in the desert last summer and they were sure it wasn't going to rain - It freakin' poured. It rained so much puddles formed in the grass and covered everyone's shoes in mud. At the very least, designate a group of umbrellas for guests as they dash out of their cars. Keep large sheets of plastic ready at the doorway for muddy shoes. And, always make sure you have an indoor option for all of your events. Grab the personalized flasks - if there's ever a moment to take a nip off some whiskey, it's when a major event over shadows your big day. Look on the bright side. You're with friends and family, and you're celebrating your love with a future wife. If you can't call off the wedding (or you just don't want to) break out the personalized flasks as groomsmen gifts and make the best of the moment.

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Is Having a Pet in Your Wedding a Good Idea?

It would be strange not to have your best friend at your wedding. If he's not at your side up at that alter, there had better be a damn good reason as to why not (and complaining about not getting enough groomsman gifts is not a good excuse). But what happens when your best friend is man's best friend? What happens when your choice for best man happens to be your bull dog? You're in luck! Having your pet at your wedding is not as wacky as your fiancee claims, even though some prim mothers-in-law might put up a fuss. If Adam Sandler did it with his two dogs, why not you? There are problems. Introducing a four-legged friend into the festivities is introducing a wild-card. It is the equivalent to inviting a very forgetful guest who doesn't speak English, has no concept of social customs, and is very easily distracted. And who walks on four legs. In addition, I'm not sure your Chocolate Lab is going to appreciate a set of engraved cuff links as much as your other groomsmen. Don't worry, Groomstand is here to help. What to Watch For When Your Wedding Goes to the Dogs Make sure there is a place in your wedding for your type of pet. You love your horse very much, but is it really feasible to have a pony promenading down the aisle? Having an out-of-the-box wedding can be cool, but certain animals are more socially acceptable than others (which is why dogs are the most popular four-legged wedding guests). Cats, boa constrictors, birds, ferrets, hamsters. These animals can all make great pets, but may not be the ideal members of your wedding part. Is he ready for the spotlight? Unless your pet is a trained service animal, large groups of people, flashing cameras, and the instructions to not eat the rings might be overwhelming. There are going to be some pretty peeved attendees if there is a dog jumping up and ruining their formal wear. As Groomstand has advised before, be ready to accept that your pooch just might not be up to the job. Check to make sure the important parties are okay with your pet's presence. That means knowing ahead of time if the venue, the photographer, the justice-of-the peace, and your guests are going to be comfortable. If your flower girl is terrified of Dobermans, or one of your groomsmen is severely allergic to cat hair, you might want to reconsider. I don't think there are enough groomsmen gifts in the world to make up for puffy red eyes in all of your wedding party pictures. Having a backup plan means thinking of all the things that could go wrong with your pet. Think of scenarios where pet mishaps might pop up, and figure out fast fixes. Consuming the rings is only one possible problem. What about barking during vows? Chewing on your bride's train? Burying all the groomsmen gifts? Defecating on the aisle? Practicing with your pet is a given, but make sure you know what to do when the big day isn't as smooth as the dress rehearsal. The Perks of a Pet-Filled Wedding In general, people love pets at a wedding. It makes for a unique experience, and the photo opportunities are priceless. Besides, it's a great excuse to dress up your dog in ridiculous wedding garb without being that guy.

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10 Wedding Themes That Are Worse Than Yours

Themes are tricky. And they usually aren't your idea, we understand. But no matter how roped in you are to your fiancee's vision of a butterfly tea party garden wedding, be comforted. We have compiled some of the worst wedding themes that have actually happened -- for real. Tea parties suddenly don't seem so bad, do they? The Hunting Wedding The epitome of redneck celebrations, a hunting wedding runs the gamut from camo tuxes to animal-head decorations, fluorescent- orange accents to mossy centerpieces. For the hyper-dedicated, you can incorporate antlers into the bride's tiara and tie shot-gun shells to the back of a four-wheeler as you drive away to your honeymoon in the hunting lodge. Hey - stop liking this idea! It's not cool. Best groomsmen gift ideas: smoked venison jerky, personalized trucker hats.   The Vampire Wedding I hate to say it, but with every lady absolutely bonkers for Twilight, the realm of vampire weddings is evolving... in some ways for the better. Gone now are the coffins, black lace, frilly shirts, and Gothic candelabras, replaced by a hunky, youthful aesthetic. On the other hand, you will be forced to whitewash your face and cover yourself in glitter. And forever be held to the standard of a teenage vampire who doesn't really exist. Best groomsmen gift ideas: vials of your own venomous saliva, black satin capes.   The Clown Wedding This is really only acceptable if you are actually a clown in an actual circus marrying another clown in a circus during a circus. Otherwise leave the over-sized shoes and clashing patterns at home, in your closet. You're traumatizing your guests. Best groomsmen gift ideas: flowers that squirt water, a dog trained to hop on one foot.   The Duct Tape Wedding There were always those screw-ball kids at the high school prom who sought to reject the conventions of expensive tuxes and, well, fabric for the more subversive use of tape. You will notice that none of those kids will grow up to repeat this at their weddings. Because they realized twenty minutes after donning their tape attire, they were sweating, chafing, and couldn't really bend over. Because it's tape. And tape doesn't breathe. Or move. Best groomsmen gift idea: individualized duct tape wallets.   The Naked Wedding I promise, promise, promise nobody wants to see that. Save it for the honeymoon. Best groomsmen gift ideas: body oils, personalized dumbbells.   The Bagel Wedding The tale began one day in a Yahoo Answers forum: A couple met at a bagel shop, so they decided to have a bagel-themed wedding. And not just serving bagels at the reception, which is a perfectly acceptable and a cool way to bring personality to your wedding. They are decorating with bagels: bagel centerpieces, bagel napkin rings, bagel wedding favors. Bagel wedding rings? Best groomsmen gift idea: a lifetime supply of flavored cream cheese.   The Medieval Wedding A wedding theme for those stuck in the past... way in the past. To make your wedding as authentically medieval as possible, try not showering for the three months leading up to the ceremony. Have your guests squat over latrines rather than modern bathroom facilities. Eat your turkey legs with your hands! It's so romantic! Best groomsman gift ideas: personalized scabbards, codpieces, ale tankards.   The Pirate Wedding Johnny Depp did it (kind of...) so it must be okay, right? Eyeliner, satin vests, and long beards with dangling beads a delightful wedding make. Especially if you are on a boat. The only problem? Unless every single one of your wedding guests is also as into pirates as you, there is a pretty good chance that you will be dressed like an idiot and everyone else will look normal. And they will laugh at you. Best groomsmen gift ideas: gold hoop earrings, personalized eye patches.   The Cartoon Wedding The problem here is that you have to convince two of your guests to dress up in full Disney costume. You had better get your best man a groomsman gift to beat all groomsmen gifts for this one. I mean, seriously. He is dressed like Mickey. Best groomsmen gift ideas: Disney autograph book, personalized hip flask. The Compromise Wedding Sure you think you are being very mature when you and your fiance decide to make each other happy and combine wedding themes. And maybe you are being mature. But your wedding is going to end up ridiculous. Best groomsman gift ideas: whatever you want. You obviously think your ideas are the best. Congratulations - your wedding is totally normal! Embrace the butterflies, rejoice in the gardens. And find tones of awesome groomsmen gifts at https://branddepot.com/collections/groomstand

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Earth to Groom - Make Your Wedding Destination Outer Space

Your soon-to-be wifey says she wants a destination wedding. And you say, "How about the final frontier, baby!?" She may huff a little, call you an idiot and tell you to get serious, but little does she know, you are serious. Because starting as soon as 2011, Virgin Galactic hopes to provide space travel to the public, including you, your fiancée and your wedding officiant. Sure, it's going to ding ya a cool $200,000 each, but for 2.5 hours of stratospheric nuptials, room on board for your parents, and a chance to truthfully say you have cruised through space is a vessel called the Enterprise ... it's almost worth it. Right, honey? 4-Out-of-This-World Groomsman Gifts Fitting your entire wedding party on board an 8-man space cruiser is not going to happen. Don't let them feel left out of your intergalactic ceremony. These 4 space-age groomsman gifts will give them a lasting taste of your wedding amongst the stars.A personalized triangular flask. Futuristic, sleek, and shiny, this could just as well be dangling from the waist of Jean Picard's jumpsuit as your Best Man's cargo shorts. Gunmetal rectangular engravable cufflinksTake your groomsmen to the dark side with a groomsman gift that is one part Sith Lord and two parts bad ass. There may not be a place for engravable cufflinks on their Darth Sidious robes, but these bad boys will help keep the Force with them on an average day at the office. A personalized sterling silver plated USB flash key chain. Your groomsmen will be transporting and transferring their data faster than Data himself with this ultra-modern USB flash drive. Some personalized deCapper bottle openers. The future of bottle-opening. These deCappers will pop the tops off a six-pack of cold ones faster than a wookie pulls arms off droids. Craving to consume the cosmos as well? Find an out-of-this world space cake, and a whole slew of other geeky wedding cakes, to flesh out your stellar celebration.

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A Christmas Wedding is the Worst Gift You Could Give

What if you combined the most important day of your life with the most magical time of the year? A Christmas wedding! Think about how easy it would be. You'll deck the halls with holiday delight. Your guests will be on vacation waiting to party. And since it's not wedding season, it's time to save, save, save! WRONG. Put down the eggnog and wake up from your winter slumberland. A Christmas wedding might sound like a dream come true, but it will put you on the naughty list of everyone from grandmas to groomsmen this holiday season. Why a Christmas Wedding is a Bad Idea: You think it will be a magical winter wonderland: Did you forget what winter looks like? It's wet. It's dirty. And snow isn't so magical when 100 guests have to drive in it. Outside pictures - forgetaboutit. It will take a Christmas miracle to match some spiffy snow boots to your future wife's dream wedding dress. You think your guests will be on vacation: It's the holidays. Your guests want to be with their families. Not yours. And there's no amount of groomsmen gifts that will change their mind. Try competing with the Christmas travel rush, and holiday tradition will trump your big day faster than Santa falls down a chimney. GroomStand Guilt Trip: For those who do come, will your wedding day really be that special knowing you pulled all these people away from their families? You think it's not wedding season: You're a clever one, planning a wedding during the off-season. But the truth is the only thing you'll be saving money on is a Personalized Lock-Back Knife as one of your groomsmen gifts. Churches are booked solid, and if you dream of your reception in the "most magical place on Earth," plan to reserve that spot years in advance. Not only do you have to compete with corporate holiday parties, you'll have to pay top dollar to win out a reservation over other crazy couples with this Christmas wedding idea. Bottom Line: A Christmas wedding sounds like a splendid idea, but it has massive bust potential. The combination of inflated prices with unpredictable weather just isn't practical. And besides, you'll be asking too much of your guests. Unless you have years of planning or less than average wedding expectations, I suggest capturing the magic of Labor Day weekend instead.

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