Can Fido be Your Best Man?

He's man's best friend, but is it OK for a dog to be your best man? Remember, this furry little friend is your roommate, dinning companion and nature exploring partner. He's always listening, and only interrupts when it's time to pee. Maybe you've had your dog forever, or he was the first addition between you and the fiance. Either way, he's a big part of the family, and https://branddepot.com/collections/groomstand is here to help your pooch get in the wedding, with dog-friendly groomsmen gifts and few helpful tips.   Including your dog in the Wedding So, the bride-to-be gave the OK. Now, consider how the dog will react to your wedding. Good questions to ask are: Will my dog attack or freak out any of the guests? Will the accommodations allow my dog to enter their building? Can my dog actually get through the wedding without drooling, biting or leaving his mark on anything wedding related? Special helper to the dog Since you'll be doing other things... like getting married and groomsmen gift shopping, you'll need to arrange a special helper to the dog. This can be a personal friend or a professional, but it's going to take a lot of time and practice to make sure the dog is comfortable in his role. This helper will be responsible for anticipating potential hazards like plants or loose objects, scouting out close and discreet bathroom spots, or he might have to stand in if your dog isn't cooperating at the moment. Since this will take some effort and skill to make your best man look good, make sure you show your appreciation for your best buddy's helper with a well set of engraved cufflinks or other groomsmen gifts. Wedding venue + dog = ? Find out if your location is cool with a dog in the ceremony. It is common for churches or temples to put the kabosh on the four-legged friends, which means you'll have to be creative. One option is to have an outdoor activity, like a group picture before entering the building. You can also have a ceremonial wedding party walk that makes your dog the center of attention for one wedding activity. Grooming the groomsman Make sure you send your dog to your local pet groomer before the wedding. It's a good idea to keep the dog's wedding attire to a minimum, and easy to wear. A simple collar and bow tie will go a long way. If your doggie is a good boy, make sure he has a steak with his name on it with GroomStand monogrammed steak brand.

Read more

Buying the Engagement Ring

What you need to know before you start shopping Every groom-to-be knows the engagement ring is the most important aspect of the proposal. It summarizes - in all its minuscule and shiny expensiveness - every angst-ridden, frustrating, and agonizing element of getting married. At least to you it does. Unfortunately, an engagement ring encapsulates the exact opposite emotions in your fiancee-to-be. Think about it. That's why you need to be ready for some obstacles when you begin shopping for the perfect ring. Here's some common feelings you need to be ready to confront and cope with: Bewilderment: Prepare yourself to be utterly confused on how much to spend. It ranges from a couple hundred to a few million. Here's some help, your ring will likely be somewhere in between those two prices. Indecisiveness: Staring at all those little shiny hoops will only make your decision harder. Which will mean you'll have to do way more shopping then you'd originally anticipated. Maybe this whole marriage thing just isn't for you after all. Financial punishment: Ultimately, when you do decide on a ring, it's going to cost you. So suck it up and get ready to go back into debt. Second thoughts: All of the emotional triggers above will accumulate into one simple pervading sensation: Doubt. But don't let that get in your way. After all, it's not like you'll be stuck with this person for the rest of your life. OK fine, maybe buying a ring isn't as grueling and terrible as we're making it out to be. Nonetheless, shopping for wedding bands can be difficult. Just ask any guy who's had to do it. Buying a ring is expensive, confusing, and downright terrifying. At the very least, take the time to shop for an assortment of rings long in advance and you'll be making your life a whole heck of a lot easier.

Read more

Beyond Groomsmen Gifts: 5 Marriage Missions Every Man Must Complete

Operation: happy groom. Your mission if you choose to accept it is to get ready to walk down the aisle. Bonus points if you can find groomsmen gifts before finishing these five missions. Mission One - Global Boys Only Bash Operation: Get out of town with the boys. Vegas, South Beach, Cancun, or any party destination. Take the liquor undercover with these camo flasks and equip your guys personalized pub signs or travel accessories as groomsmen gifts. Stat. Mission Accomplished: When you stagger back to the hotel room and are still talking about the trip months later. Mission Failed: If you get arrested or do anything outside the realm of good fiance behavior. Mission Two - Groomsmen Clean Up Operation: Clean up your groomsmen before the wedding. Give your boys groomsmen gifts this shaving set or these grooming accessories as groomsmen gifts and give them the order to "scrub up." Mission Accomplished: When you have clean-shaven, dapper groomsmen by your side. Mission Failed: If anyone looks like "the Dude" from The Big Lebowski. Mission Three - Be the Perfect Fiance Operation: Assist the bride. Don't let her carry the weight of the wedding on her shoulders. Help her with the seating charts, invitations, and anything on her "honey-do" list. The only materials you'll need for this mission is a winning personality and this perfect husband guide book. Mission Accomplished: A smiling bride. Mission Failed: If you make her shop for groomsmen gifts for your boys because you "never got around to it". Mission Four - Schmooze with Future Father in Law Operation: Impress the father of the bride. Plan an outing, just the two of you. When shopping for groomsmen gifts, pick him up a personalized putter and take him to the local country club. Let him know how much you appreciate his daughter. Mission Accomplished: When he puts his hand on your shoulder and calls you son. Mission Failed: If instead of swinging the golf club at the ball, he swings it at your head. Mission Five - Live Like you Never Lived Before Operation: Make a "bucket list" of things to do before your single life kicks the bucket. Use this blog as an example. Go cliff diving, jump out of a plane, or learn to hang glide. Walk around the house in your underwear and drink straight out of the milk carton. Play video games or poker with your friends until the sun comes up. Blog about your experiences as you complete each task. Mission Accomplished: When you're ready to say farewell to the single guy inside. Mission Failed: If you ever say, "Before I was married, I wish I would have ....." Success! You completed our five missions and none ended in a trip to the hospital. Now that you're ready for marriage, shop Groom Stand for groomsmen gifts or pick up something to congratulate yourself for a job well done.

Read more

Avoiding Wedding Day Disasters

If you live in Turkey you can count on one thing, your wedding will likely not be boring. Instead of focusing on what groomsmen gifts you'll be either giving or getting, depending on whose wedding it is, you might be just lucky to escape with your life. The Asian Times Reports: "It is traditional for men and sometimes young boys to express their exuberance by firing into the air. If the weapon of choice is a shotgun, injuries are limited because pellets come down to earth with relatively little momentum." The article goes on to say that mostly they fire hand guns that have bullets and not pellets, which makes about as much sense as groomsmen gifts of Barbie dolls. Bullets, if you didn't already know, come down about as hard as they go up. And that's really, really hard. They've had multiple deaths and for some kooky reason the government doesn't want to shun tradition and outlaw this extremely dangerous rite of passage. The article continues... "...at another wedding Sezin Akoy was hit by a bullet fired by one of a 17-strong gun crew. She fought for her life but was delivered home in a coffin." 17-strong gun crew...that's a lot of celebrating, and if each of them had 6 bullets, you're talking more than a hundred rounds all speeding back down to the ground. Guess what folks? Someone's bound to get killed!! Let's keep the guns at home and celebrate in the OTHER traditional way, with groomsmen gifts of flasks full of liquor! Technorati Tags: groomsmen gifts, middle eastern weddings, wedding day disasters

Read more

An Unforgettable Wedding Night

This article is written expressly for those few, but existing grooms-to-be that are still virgins. We've all seen the "40 year-old Virgin", so we know there are certainly Andy's out there, and chances are if they waited this long to lose it, there will most certainly be a barrel full of pressure on them once the ceremony's over, and it's the evening after the big day. Nina Callaway in her "Sex Tips for Virgins on their Wedding Night" article writes that: "The pressure of the wedding night can be too much for any man...if things aren't working, try to change up the mood..." We have some ideas as to how to change up the mood. Starting with a nice bit of libations for both bride and groom to settle the ole nerves. Sometimes the best way the guys can say thanks for getting great gifts is honoring the main man of the night. Especially if he's an Andy. Perhaps a nice smoke and drink with the gifts you got them is just what the doc would order in a case of wedding night jitters. Whatever the case may be...we recommend lots of patience, lots of kissing and hugging...and our best wishes for a wonderful, life-long union! Technorati Tags: groomsmen gifts, wedding stories, flasks

Read more

An Insured Wedding - Sleep At Night

The idea not only has merit, but when you read the headline, you automatically wonder why no one has pushed for wedding insurance in the past. According to a Media Post Publication article, less than 5% of weddings in the U.S. are insured, and the average cost of a wedding is at a pricey $27,000! With so many potential things that can go wrong, you can actually cover yourself with plans that include coverage for severe weather, lost deposits, vendors who don't do their job, military deployment and others. All this peace of mind for a non-deductible few hundred bucks? Seems like a real no-brainer. I wonder if there's a policy if the bride-to-be runs off with the best man or one of the groomsmen (no groomsmen gifts for him!). I'll have to check into that as these things do happen, you know. Not saying it ever happened to me, but I see it in the movies all of the time. Here's an additional example of how the coverage works. If your large wedding party, groomsmen, bridesmaids, families, etc, all show up and the photographer for whatever reason, dies, or flakes out and never delivers these pics, the coverage would pay the cost of getting the families and wedding party back to take the photos again. Listen, I've seen some of those wedding photographers out there. Many are great, but that scenario is definitely NOT out of the question. For more information on this awesome concept, visit www.protectmywedding.com. Technorati Tags: wedding insurance, protect my wedding

Read more

After Wedding Battle Plan

You and the fiance have every little detail in order. The colors are picked, the cake is made, the tuxedo is ready to go, and you handed out the groomsmen gifts. Yet, one of the let downs of "the big day" is that it's only one day. You make all these wonderful plans. Have a few laughs. Poof! It's all over. Now you're stuck with a ton of one-time use wedding goods (unless you're getting married again sometime soon, but that's a different problem). GroomStand is on the scene to give you a heads-up on how to make an efficient and effective battle plan for the day following your wedding. Wedding Keepsakes Make a list of all the stuff you (or the future ms.) want to keep. Traditionally, this list includes: Toasting Flutes Top layer of the cake Unopened liquor Wedding favors Guest book If you're being whisked away to the honeymoon directly after the reception, it's a good idea to designate one of the groomsman to collect the items. Make sure to give that groomsman a special groomsmen gifts to show your appreciation for all the extra effort. The Wedding Dress When it comes to the dress, your bride is going to have a few options. Preserving the wedding dress takes some time and effort, but it is the symbol of the wedding day that she can hold onto for the rest of her life. Another trendier option is to donate the dress. This green alternative allows the dress to have new life in another wedding, and since these programs are ran by charitable organizations, your donation is tax-deductible. Look to Brides Against Breast Cancer for more information. Also, be sure to spread the word to the bridesmaids and groomsman. Those extra tuxedos and dresses are widely accepted at high schools as formal wear for low-income students. All Your Other Stuff Get some return on your investment. You know there is a market for all of your white napkins and tablecloths because you bought it in the first place. Instead of throwing all that stuff out, there are many wedding minded Craigslist type forums to unload all of your unwanted goods. As for food, seek out a local food rescue program. Food banks are also an option, but you might not have as much luck because most wedding food is perishable, and food banks tend to only deal with non-perishable food (e.g. canned food). To locate your local food rescue program, visit Feeding America. If you're real savvy, set up an arrangement between the food rescue program and your caterer before the wedding to avoid any of the mess. Flowers are always beautiful, and no one cares if they've been used. Great donation spots for your flower arraignments and centerpieces are hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living centers. Visit www.nursinghomesinfo.com or www.assistedlivinginfo.com for more information. Your wedding vows are forever, but your wedding materials are a one-time thing. Take the effort to plan your wedding recycling program, and you will feel great about reducing waste, and you might create an opportunity to earn some of your money back. GroomStand Hint: If your groomsmen have a ton of stuff they don't use, give them tickets to a game or event as groomsmen gifts to reduce their impact.

Read more

A Guide to the Wedding Speech

Guiding you through the groomsmen wedding speech The groomsmen toast is dreaded by most men. The goal is to have a speech that fits in nicely with the wedding you're attending. You don't want a memorable speech, because you'll only be remembered if you screw it up. Don't freak out quite yet. No one expects you to make this wedding by dishing out an incredible speech. That said, you sure as heck can 'break' this wedding by delivering up a turd for a speech. Remember to be cool, you had to do something good to be a groomsmen. A good start is avoiding the lure of an open bar and staying off the topic of the bride's unusual feet. Still, if you'd prefer to go one step above complete bedlam, we've got a few tried and true pointers to keep in mind if you're groomsmen duties include a toast. Follow these tips to avoid some of the most common pitfalls that groomsmen face when they're asked to speak at a wedding. Be brief. Everyone loves a speech that gets to the point. If it's too long to memorize, it's okay to put your speech on notecards for reference, but try not to read directly from your notes. It looks tacky. That said, the best groomsmen speeches are outlined in advance. Keep this in mind, and stay curt. If you're audience is dozing off, you've taken too long. Even if you're planning to do the rest of your speech ad-lib (not recommended), have a few opening lines memorized before you stand up to speak. This should include a brief introduction of who you are and how you know the bride and groom. Focus on a theme and you'll be able to transition from that to an amusing anecdote and then your main point. Do not hunch over. You're doing it wrong if your posture looks like The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Focus on standing tall, and you'll be better off. Do not loosen up with booze. Using alcohol to ease your nerves is a one way ticket to an enormous mistake. Nothing terrifies a bride more than a hammed groomsman with a microphone. Nothing. Balance it out. The entire toast can't be about the groom. Even if you barely know the bride, create the illusion you do by talking about how the groom improved by being with such an incredible woman. Don't agree with that last statement? Make something up. Safe topics include his eating habits, the way he dresses, his apartment, or skipping the big playoff game to take care of her when she had the flu. Do not go beyond a PG rating. And we mean it. Your speech needs to be cleaner than Mr.Clean's shiny bald dust-free head. Just because the little kids can't spell out profanities doesn't mean the 90-year old grandma in the front row can't either. Don't incite nanny. Engage your audience. The best way to do this is by gesturing to the bride and groom whenever you mention them. Try to make eye contact by glancing casually from left to right as you speak. It'll make the crowd feel more included, and they'll be more engaged as a result. Also, be aware of how fast you're speaking. Since you're not Tony Robins, you'll likely be nervous. Nervousness makes us all tend to talk too quickly. Remember this, and focus on slowing down. Get personal. As a groomsman, you've got a bundle of great stories to pick from. So find the best ones while avoiding all the caveats mentioned above. Do not mention the groom's ex'. Even if you're trying to draw a nice contrast, it's never a good topic. Just act like the bride is the only girl he's ever known in his meek existence. Conclude on a good note. You want to end your speech with something that leaves the crowd happy and smiling. After all, this is a wedding. Remember, this isn't about you. You're there to honor the bride and groom, so don't try to steal the show with an especially clever or funny speech. Most importantly, try not to get nervous. If you stay PC, the worst that can happen is a ballroom of temporarily bored guests. They'll still clink their flutes and applaud when you're done. And everyone will return to the cake, the dancing, and the drinking eventually. So calm down, keep it simple, and have fun. Groomstand.com is your one stop online wedding store for groomsmen gifts. Our competitive prices and fantastic selection make us just the place to look for those gifts that men appreciate.

Read more

9 Surefire Ways to Tick Off Your Future In-Laws

Your father-in-law weeps uncontrollably at the reception. Her mom stopped serving you freshly baked cookies a long time ago. Her big brother, who bears an incredible likeness to Tony Soprano threatens to take care of you. (This is why you don't buy tough guys pocket knives for groomsmen gifts). What did you do? It could have been a long time ago. Maybe you waited nine years to propose. Maybe you hit her dad up for cash to buy those groomsmen gifts. Whatever you did, it takes years to get back in their good graces. Even if you're the perfect gentleman, you're still the guy who stole their little girl away. If you want to subject yourself to a life of misery, use this guide. Here are nine surefire ways to tick off the future in-laws: 9. Burp, fart, or lick your knife at the dinner table. In most families, piggish behavior from outsiders is not tolerated. Even if her family burps the Star Spangled Banner on a regular basis, don't join in. Nothing shall rip, slip, or roar while eating with the in-laws. That is, unless you want to be known as the numbskull son-in-law who burped in Grandma's meatloaf. 8. Make a crass remark about your fiance's weight. Sure, her thunder thighs might be a running joke between the two of you, but if you dare make a weight joke in front of her family, start running. FAST. It's a sensitive topic and makes you look like a grade-A jerk. GroomStand's words to live by: What's funny under the covers is not always funny in public. 7. Get sloppy drunk. You bought her brothers pilsner glasses as groomsmen gifts, now it's time to get sloppy drunk right? Wrong. No one wants to think of their sister, daughter, or friend as married to a guy with a drinking problem. Avoid keg stands when you're with the in-laws. Also, consider this: Your favorite libation could liberate you to do the eight other things on this list. 6. Don't honor the father and mother. Simply don't bother. Don't sign birthday cards. Refuse to ask any of her male family members to stand up with you on the Big Day. Skimp on everyone's groomsmen gifts. Turn her mother down when she asks for a dance at the reception. 5. Make a sex joke. If you want to really tick them off, make several. Keep in mind, once you turn into Andrew Dice Clay, there's no going back. GroomStand hint: If your best man decides to do his best Dane Cook impression during the toasts, your in-laws will think you share the same sentiments. Even if you don't. Point him towards the Perfect Toast and hope for the best. 4. Invite her father, brothers, or cousins to your bachelor party. In Vegas. With "dancers." Even if they look like they're having a good time (and they might very well be) they'll get a glimpse of you in a morally altered state. That impression hangs around like a foul stench. And sometimes that bachelor party ends up on a daytime talk show. Trust no one. The vision of you partaking in salacious bachelor party acts lingers long after the guys open their groomsmen gifts. Trust us. Solution: Host a board game night with her relatives as a decoy bachelor party. 3. Ask her Dad to barrow a few bucks. He might give it to you. He might look at you with kind eyes and tell you "things will get better, son." But from this point on, you'll forever be known as the guy who had to ask his wealthy father-in-law for cash. In other words, that no-good son-in-law who can't take care of Daddy's precious little girl. GroomStand hint: If you're short on cash for groomsmen gifts, get a paper route. 2. When your father-in-law's favorite football team loses, spike a football in the living room and scream "in your face." No one likes a sore winner. If you get penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct during the game, smooth it over with a personalized sports sign that depicts his favorite team. Even if you think they're losers.1. Misplace a treasured family heirloom. When her fathers gives you an heirloom, like her grandmother's engagement ring to propose with or her grandfather's pocket watch, lose it. Store it in your pocket and let it slip out and fall into the street. When her father asks you where it went, respond with a cavalier attitude and shrug of the shoulders. He might cry. Or rip out his hair. Or rip out your heart. If you do any of the above, you're in-laws will surely despise you. And likely stop dropping by unannounced. All joking aside, treat your in-laws the way you wish to be treated. That goes the same for your groomsmen. Find gifts for groomsmen, attendants, and family members at GroomStand.

Read more

"His" Mother Knows Best

Many times, the mother of the groom can feel left out of the loop when it comes to the details of the wedding. With very few responsibilities leading up to and on the big day, it’s no wonder she may feel like a guest at her own child’s wedding. However, there are many ways to honor the groom’s mother, beginning as early as the beginning of your engagement. Read on to find out how to make her feel more included in the planning and party. It’s always a great idea to work on having a good relationship with your future mother-in-law, the sooner the better! Include her in the wedding planning. Naturally, your mom is the first person you may think of when looking for help and advice about the wedding. However, the rules aren’t written in stone about who is allowed to assist with the tasks involved in getting the event ready, from looking for venues to planning the reception details. It’s always welcomed to have someone else to share the work with! One personal way you can include his mom is to invite her to come along on one of the wedding dress shopping trips. Or, at a minimum, you can ask her what style of dress she wore to her own wedding and share with her what you are thinking. This is also a good time to coordinate what your mother and her mother are wearing so that they won’t show up looking like twins. Find out her talents and use them! Does your future mother in law have a beautiful singing voice, is she an excellent cook or is her penmanship off the charts? Performing a wedding song, making appetizers for a pre-wedding party or even addressing the wedding invitations may all be ways your man’s mom can be involved with the wedding. She might be a genius gift wrapper; if so, let her help your fiancée wrap up his groomsmen gifts. However, this isn’t an inclusive list; she could be skilled in any one or more of a number of areas. Is she a wine expert? Let her help you choose the pairings for your reception. Is she a master negotiator or bargain hunter? Let her help you score big deals on your big-ticket wedding purchase. There are so many ways the groom’s mother can help in the wedding. The best way to find out where her talents lie is to take the time and get to know her – invite her to lunch or a day at the spa, just the two of you, to find these things out! She can assist with out of town guests. While you are tending to many last minute wedding details, your future mother-in-law can help guests coming in from other cities make travel arrangements. Several months before the wedding, ask her to research nearby hotels and secure a block of rooms at a group rate for your party. If she lives in the same town as the wedding, she can also come up with an information sheet that informs guests of nearby restaurants and attractions they can visit during your wedding weekend. Also, you can work with her to help make hospitality gift bags to leave in your guests’ hotel rooms that include various items to help them feel comfortable during their stay – consider maps, snacks, and a bottle of wine with a pair of personalized wine glasses. You also need to put her on the task of making sure that your guy has purchased and tied a bow on all his groomsmen gifts. Hostess the Rehearsal Dinner. Traditionally, it is the responsibility of the groom’s family to throw a dinner party after the wedding rehearsal. At this time, the two families and important guests can mix and mingle, getting to know each other better before the big day. With your input and guest list, she is in charge of selecting a venue, menu and organizing the flow of activities. Do remember that since she is typically paying for the event, she may have strong opinions about the evening. Let her decide if dinner should be steak or chicken, pasta or rice! She might also like to put a family touch on the even by having barware engraved with the family’s last name letter. GroomStand.com has lots of personalized barware, from personalized beer mugs and wine glasses to personalized coasters to set them on! While you certainly can share your feelings about how the night should go down, remember to act tactfully and let her feel in charge of this special night. Ask in what ways YOU can help HER. Create mother of the groom traditions. For example, after you and your father share the traditional dance at the wedding reception, share the spotlight by having her do the same with her son. This is a great way to honor her role as a parent who is having a child leave the proverbial nest. Don’t spring the dancing on her spur of the moment, she might feel embarrassed. Instead, ask her if she’d like to include this dance at the reception and then let her pick out the music and practice beforehand. Other mother of the groom traditions could include creating a special photo book for her, featuring one of her signature recipes at the wedding reception, and having her read a special scripture at the ceremony. The possibilities are unlimited.

Read more

Wedding Celebrations Leading Up to the Big Day

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.

Read more

Hiring a Wedding Planner For Your Big Day: Pros and Cons

Hiring a wedding planner: pros and cons Make up your mind about a wedding planner early on. auchard / Foter.com / CC BY Hiring a wedding planner may take a lot of weight off your own shoulders. Ideally it would mean not having to worry about the nitty-gritty on that special day and the days leading up to it. It would also mean having everything done on time and someone else taking responsibility for it, while you and your partner set your heart and mind entirely on what lies ahead. Here are some more advantages to having a wedding planner take the lead. Pros: A good wedding planner will take into account all your preferences and requirements and will make sure they're accomplished. You will not have to trouble yourself with logistics, and if you do then it'll be a matter of giving your approval or disapproval. Having someone else plan the wedding will save you time... and nerves. He or she will be the main point of contact with vendors, the venue, the catering and limo service. And they'll also make sure to find the best wedding gifts for the groomsmen or bridesmaids, instead of you having to spend time thinking about this. While paying the planner will be an addition to your wedding costs, their expertise will probably save you money elsewhere. Most wedding planners, especially if they've been around for a while, work with other companies and get discounts, deals and special offers. Chances are, you won't get these if you organize your wedding on your own. A wedding planner will take care of emergencies. Any last-minute decisions or unexpected events - if your planner is experienced, they'll take care of them with confidence. On the other hand, there are also, though few, a number of disadvantages or considerations to bear in mind before hiring a wedding planner. While it may save you time and stress it might, if you're not careful, create some as well. Cons: A wedding planner can be costly. And if your budget does not allow it or if you're simply having a small, modest and local wedding, maybe you don't really need to hire a professional for the job. If the venue has a planner you might be able to have them help you out with part of the logistics on the day. That way, especially if you're not having a big wedding, you'll have fewer things to worry about and the planner's service will probably be included in the bill for the venue. Maybe you simply prefer to take charge yourself? Or you even enjoy planning and taking care of all the details together with your partner, as part of the experience? While that is not a disadvantage of wedding planners per se, it is a noteworthy consideration. Lest you end up being dissatisfied with the organization. Furthermore, there are plenty of other people around - friends and family - who will probably gladly extend their support. Finally, it is important to make sure you're dealing with a professional. Don't settle for someone you don't trust. Trust is vital when you're working with a wedding planner because you'll be assigning them with the task of planning one of the most important days in your life. They better know their job, right? Their qualifications and preparedness may mean the difference between a perfect and a failed wedding. Lastly, if you're still not sure about whether you need a planner for the whole wedding, you could instead opt for a 'day-of wedding planner'. You'll do the planning and they'll take care of it all once the big day arrives.

Read more