The Money Dance is Weird, Right?

The money dance is totally funky. If you haven't been to many international weddings, you'd think this is the closest the bride ever felt to being a stripper. Sweaty men pinning globs of fives to her shoulder straps. It's what every bride dreams about for her wedding! One of the reasons the money dance is so weird to Americans is because we freak out about open cash flying around. There's something dirty about it. Cash is for tipping a person because they don't get paid enough with their current paycheck. No one wants to be reminded of that on their wedding day. Combine that with the fact that no one wants to freely admit they really need money that bad - even if they do. Just the other day, a money dance turned bad at a Florida wedding when a brawl broke out after the groom's brother 'made it rain' dolla dolla bills ya'll on the dance floor. (Looks like someone needed to wait on handing out personalized pocket knives as groomsmen gifts until after the reception). 40 people were questioned after the brawl, including the groom's 74-year-old grandmother who was put in a choke hold during the madness. The money dance might sound tackier than Donald Trump shoving ads for his golf course in his daughter's wedding invitations, but the tradition of the money dance is older than the personalized flask (Ok. Total shameless plug). Let's get down to the bottom of tossing cash at the bride and groom with another exciting adventure in Groomsmen Origin Stories. The Origin of the Wedding Dance Polish paupers get credit for the money dance. The lower-class Polish created this tradition around the turn of the century to ensure the newlyweds have extra spending money for their honeymoon. As the tradition goes, after the bride and groom's first dance, guests ask for permission to dance with each of the newlyweds by paying cash for the privilege. Guests form one line in front of the bride and one line in front of the groom, as the best man and maid of honor stand at the head of the line to help with the cash collection. You might be saying to yourself, "I saw a money dance at my ex-girlfriend's sister's wedding, and that was not how they did it." One of the reasons is because different cultures put their unique spin on the tradition based on the personalization or depersonalization of money in their customs. For instance, in Ukraine, Poland, Cuba, Mexico and Puerto Rico, it's common for family and friends to pin the money directly onto the wedding dress or tuxedo of the bride and groom. In the Philippines, the money dance is so common that guests create ornate patterns when sticking the cash on the brides. If you go to a Hungarian wedding, the bride places her shoes in the middle of the dance floor and guests fill them full of money before they dance with her. In Scotland, it's popular for the bride-to-be to trade kisses for cash before the wedding as a sign of good luck. The wildest variation of the money dance is in Slavic countries that practice the Babushka dance. Originally, the Babushka dance was a bridal ceremony where guests dropped money into her veil while forming a circle around the bride. In a variation of the dance, family members kidnapped the bride if there wasn't enough money collected in her veil. While it seems like another attempt to extort money from the guests, the groom runs around the room collecting "ransom" funds from family and friends to get the bride back. No matter what your ancestry is, the money dance is an easy and entertaining way to get your tight-wad uncle to cough up some extra dough on your wedding day. But keep in mind, this little extortion scam only works if everyone knows what the hell is going on. Unless the tradition of the money dance is deep within your family roots, don't try and create an impromptu collection agency on the spot. It's just tacky.

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Groomsmen Mindtricks: Show them the Way of the Cufflink

You want to give your groomsmen some flair on your wedding day, and personalized cufflinks as groomsmen gifts is a great place to start. The simple styling pops with a classic tuxedo, and the cufflinks themselves make fantastic keepsakes for years to come. One downfall. None of your groomsmen 'suit up.' They don't own French cuff shirts. In fact, some of your groomsmen have never seen a pair of cufflinks; much less know how to put them on. Bring your groomsmen out of the fashion rut. Handing out personalized cufflinks as groomsmen gifts isn't just an awesome memento from your wedding, it's an opportunity to add some grown up elements in your buddies wardrobes. They are your padawan learners. Show them the ways of the fashion force. The Origin and Styling of Cufflinks Back in the 17th Century, King Charles II was our equivalent to David Beckham. With every fashion gaffe, there was a triumph (oh, the foe-hawk. How you'll forever live in my heart.) Old Charlie 2 was the same way. As we can see, the king loved to show off his legs. As nice as those gams were, the whole legging look didn't catch on with the fellas, but what did was his cuff buttoning system. At that time, the puffy pirate look was in, and they tried to use a string to keep the shirt cuff around the wrist. King Charles made a fashion statement that caught on when he placed decorative buttons at the end of his sleeve to show off the lace in his shirt cuffs. Nowadays, if you want to sport the cufflink look, it needs to be a French cuff or double cuff shirt. DO NOT POKE A HOLE IN YOUR SINGLE CUFF SHIRT! It will look like hell, and people will notice your fashion faux pas. When you finally own a French cuff shirt, you'll notice all that extra material at the end of the sleeve should touch the middle of your hand. When you fold the flap over the sleeve, it should form a perfect cuff that extends beyond the sleeve of your suit or dinner jacket. Two buttonholes will meet at the outside edge of your cuff. Line the holes up, and slide the cufflink through, securing it so the cufflink design faces away from your body. If you want to make it look like you know what you're doing, only wear cufflinks that match your wristwatch or ring. Since the stainless steel/silver/platinum look is where it's at for the foreseeable future, that's the preferred neutral color for the groom to pick out his groomsmen gifts.

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The Threshold of Love: Why the Groom Carries the Bride

As a groom, it is your right - nay, your duty as a newlywed to carry your bride over the threshold. If you ranked the top masculine moments of your life, scooping up your woman and whisking her into your new home will just barely beat out the time you shared cigars and scotch with your bros after presenting them personalized humidors as groomsmen gifts. Carrying your bride over the threshold is your debonair moment of the decade. As manly as it might seem, when did all this heavy lifting start? It's not like you had treacherous floor boards put in while you were on your honeymoon - or did you? Just like most of the wedding origin stories, grooms have been practicing this fairytale moment of chivalry for thousands of years, and they don't really know why. Whether it's a fear of ghastly splinters, or just another chance for the groom to show off his brute strength, here's a list of reasons why the groom carries the bride over the threshold. The Origins of Carrying the Bride Over the Threshold 1. Anglo-Saxon a.k.a. "The Controlling Guy" Looking back at The Role of the Original Groomsmen, it was common practice in the middle ages to abduct a bride from a neighboring village, force her into marriage against her will, and get her drunk off honey wine for an entire moon cycle. Honey wine + moon cycle = honeymoon, get it? On the upside, these Anglo-Saxons class it up for this threshold tradition. During the festivities of the wedding, the groom would physically carry the bride (sometimes against her will) up to the bridal chamber to rock the casbah while guests stayed to enjoy the party. 2. Roman Misfortune Ancient times called for roads, sweet robes and crazy superstitions. It was a widely held belief by Romans that if a bride tripped on the entrance to her home, the newlyweds could be plagued with a lifetime of misfortune. As a safe guard, the groom carried the bride across the threshold. 3. Over My Slavic Left Foot Slavic tradition says that if a bride enters her house with her left foot first it could result in many years of bad luck for the marriage. We get that when the groom carries the bride across the threshold that she won't have the chance to enter the house with her left foot forward, but is there nothing written about if she lands on her left foot first. Where's the superstition bi-laws? 4. The Greek Underworld Greek superstitions don't make any sense, but they sure are fun to hear about. Back in the day, there was a lot of commotion of evil spirits from the underworld rising up and sealing the fate of young, beautiful brides. With no proton packs in sight, the Greeks turned to the next logical remedy of warding off ghosts: innocent children with flowers. They sprinkled flowers EVERYWHERE! Down the aisle. In the seats. Even on the bed. As a precaution on the house, the groom would carry the bride from the doorway to the bed to ensure her protection from the underworld. 5. Medieval Demure Not all middle ages nuptials were weddings by kidnapping. The upper class during medieval times deemed it improper for a young woman to be eager to consummate her marriage on the wedding night. To appear unenthusiastic to the groom's marital intentions, it was the groom's job to carry her away. 6. The Viking Chop Block Nobody likes extramarital spiritual baggage. Especially Vikings. They believed the bride might accidentally bring evil spirits from her old house of origin into her new one. You'd think those hats with the horns coming out of them were scary enough to keep any spirit at bay, but as a special precaution these warriors of Valhalla carried their bride across the threshold as a means of preventing any demon's access to the new home.

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Diamonds: Engagement Rings Through the Ages

Have you ever wondered why it's custom to propose with a diamond, as opposed to other gems? Curious about carat history? Our guest blogger from the Gemological Institute of America takes us through the fascinating history of the engagement ring from Roman times to the creation of the classic Tiffany mounting in the 19th century. About GIA: GIA created the famous 4c's of diamond value: color, clarity, cut, and carat weight and is considered the world's foremost authority in the grading and identification of diamonds. Engagement Rings Through the Ages The engagement ring's romantic traditions resonate throughout time. The Romans first introduced the betrothal ring as a plain, iron hoop. Among the gentry, the iron ring was worn while indoors and replaced with the more valuable gold band when outdoors. As early as the 4th century AD, inscriptions, elaborate or as simple as "honey," embellished the inside of the band. According to Macrobius, a 5th century Roman writer, the betrothal ring was worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. It was believed that from that finger a special vein ran directly to the heart. To this day, the centuries-old custom of wearing an engagement ring in this way has endured. Engagement Rings Weren't Always About Diamonds During the Middle Ages, sapphires and rubies initially adorned the engagement ring, while diamonds were incorporated in the 15th century. The earliest written record of the use of a diamond in an engagement ring was in 1477 by a Dr. Moroltinger, who was advising the future Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian to have a ring set with a diamond for his betrothal to Mary of Burgundy. Resisting fire and steel, diamonds stood for the fortitude of a lifelong partnership. Early cutting techniques caused gems to look dull and even black, according to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), which is considered the world's foremost authority in the grading and identification of diamonds and other gem material. Compensating for these lackluster stones, goldsmiths designed elaborate settings, composed of such romantic notions as rosettes and fleur-de-lis, symbolizing the bride's purity.More ephemeral than the diamond ring, the rush ring was hastily made from leaves or grass and lasted in many cases as long as the short-lived engagement. A more enduring and popular 16th century ring, the fede (Italian for faith) betrothal ring signified a marriage's immutability in its central image of two clasped hands. Diamond Discoveries Change the Look of Engagement Rings With the discovery of diamonds in Brazil in the 18th century, diamond jewelry became more readily available, and diamond cluster engagements rings were in vogue. A common cluster design consisted of small rose-cut diamonds arranged around a larger center stone. Widespread wealth, initiated by the 19th century's Industrial Revolution and the rich supply of newly discovered African diamond mines, made diamonds available to a greater public. Diamond experts at GIA also note that this period was marked by revolutionary developments in cutting and polishing, resulting in diamonds revealing a brilliance greater than any other gem. The diamond now could stand alone, and thus, the solitaire engagement ring became fashionable.The simple elegance of the classic Tiffany mounting, introduced in 1886 by Charles L. Tiffany, offered an ideal complement to the beauty of the diamond. With the diamond set high in an open, six-prong mounting, the design permitted greater amounts of light to enter the gem, allowing it to exhibit maximum brilliance. Given all the choices that are available to couples today, not only can they choose an engagement ring that represents a centuries-old symbol of love and tradition, but more importantly, a ring that is a personal expression of themselves.For more information on diamonds and other gems, and education opportunities in gems and jewelry, visit GIA at www.gia.edu, the GIA Diamond Buying Guide, or call 800-421-7250.

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A Ring for Everyone

Wedding Rings The Wedding ring is a symbol of never-ending love with no beginning and no end. The Celtic ring patterned by a use of continuous and unending lines captivates the romantic feeling of life's unending journey to spiritual perfection. The intertwined paths of this type of ring display a union of two souls embarking on this journey together forever. A ring, being by design, an unbroken circle is the very symbol of unity without beginning, middle or end. A commitment and reminder of your vows to each other on your wedding day and as once believed in Ireland, wedding rings were worn on the fourth finger of the left hand because the artery in that finger connected directly to your heart. The major focal point of the union itself has always been the rings. The engagement ring is the catalyst for the unification and the planning of the big day. Once the engagement ring has been chosen, offered and accepted, the commencement of the matrimony has started and the melding of two souls into one begins its journey. While the planning and celebrating of the wedding has an entire life of its own with the food, the drinks, the toasts and the dancing, none of it has any significance without the all important meaning of the exchange of the rings themselves and the sealing of the vows with a kiss. Yes... the ring is what the big day is all about when it comes to weddings. These symbols themselves being chosen of gold, platinum and diamonds so that they will live on our fingers for the rest of our lives, and continue on existing in their perfection long after we're gone. So embracing the time honored and celebrated tradition of the rings themselves, we offer some spherically themed possibilities for you to give as wedding gifts, groomsmen gifts or for anyone who might be in need of a gift on the big day. A great compliment to the rings themselves might be a set of our finest traditional or sports related cufflinks. Traditional cufflinks can offer the dash of elegance that provides the absolute finishing touches on a tux, or if you're a team player, a sports themed pair of cufflinks will express your personality while still offering a great level of sophistication and grace. So we have the shiny new wedding ring, the spiffy cufflinks what else could follow our theme? A watch you say? A watch indeed, but not any ordinary or even extraordinary wrist watch, instead we offer the, silver pocket watch. It is not only a popular item, but it is rich with style in addition to tradition and history. If the bride was once your girl, and now is stepping up to the altar with your best friend, there's only one thing you can do, and it doesn't involve a gun. Instead, take the high road and offer the silver friendship candle. It shows that you've moved on with your life, you are a gentleman, and it stays true to our theme. Perhaps you have a close friend that has trouble getting to places on time. Well, you've got the watch as a possibility, but wanting to ensure a prompt presence at the wedding, you might just have to implement a plan "b"...the Dalvey pocket compass. There is simply no excuse for lateness now and, of course, we are still staying within the theme, because remember, infinity, eternity, and the circle of life is a great topic to keep with such a time honored tradition as this. There are certainly a near endless supply of gifts that can play into what has been created here, but you get the basic idea. From golf ball coasters to round shaped pocket flasks and from desktop boxes to

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Cufflinks

By Howard K. Brodwin Crave some groovin' groomsmen gifts? By now, we've all been exposed to the renaissance of those halcyon days of bachelor pad swinging-ness - pork pie hats, tie pins, French cuff shirts, swing dancing, Martinis, "you're so money!" and all that other jazz. All the "cool cats and kittens" may be behind us now, but fellas, we've been left a legacy thought to be lost with pops or granddad. Cufflinks are that readily available accoutrement needed to give the razor sharp suit you're sporting a touch of subtle sparkle. So when you're pondering groomsmen gifts, keep them in mind. These miniature works of art run the gamut from small and discreet to oversized and outrageous, from traditional and refined to trendy and whimsical. Cufflinks often express the wearer's success-jewel-encrusted precious metals, dollar signs and moneybags. Exclusive social, religious and political logos, and indulgences such as cigars, cannabis leaves, playing cards, dice and liquor bottles are popular themes. Diminutive versions of carpenter tools, typewriter keys, the NY Stock Exchange logo, stamps and coins hint at one's occupation or hobbies. Basically, these versatile groomsmen gifts celebrate everything guys love! Such cufflinks look best on a French Cuff Shirt. What is a "French cuff" shirt, you may ask? This simply means that there are no buttons on the sleeves - the cuffs fold over once, doubling the material at the four matched up holes that your cufflink passes through and fastens. Men's shirts have been through numerous metamorphoses over the centuries, at one point covering not only the arms, but most of the hands as well. The sleeves were usually loose fitting, often ending with a flourish of lace ruffles. Today's French-cuff shirt wearer is likely a more devoted cufflink collector simply because he's made the decision to make his links a "necessity" rather than an "accessory." Help your other friends catch on with these gentlemanly groomsmen gifts! According to the National Cufflink Society, there is evidence of cuff fasteners in ancient hieroglyphics and even in King Tut's crypt. The introduction of the French cuff in the mid 1600's moved the cufflink from the realm of practicality to personal adornment, as royalty commonly wore these decorated cuff fasteners. In the late 1700's, new link styles appeared and were soon adopted by the middle class and tradesmen. By the 1840's cufflinks were usually found in the form of gold, silver, or pearl buttons held together by metal, often brass chain. That means guys could have been giving cufflinks as groomsmen gifts centuries ago! During the Industrial Revolution in the 1860's, the development of precious metal electroplating afforded the masses a look that was formerly beyond their means. In the 1880's, around the time removable starched cuffs and collars were introduced, George Krementz patented a device adapted from a Civil War cartridge shell-making machine that produced one-piece collar buttons and cufflinks. Almost every major U.S. business company during the first half of the twentieth century commissioned cufflinks either for advertising purposes or as gift incentives for employees or executives. The Roaring 20's were probably the height of cuff-link invention. Manufacturers created a variety of devices and designs to do one simple thing: allow a man to insert and remove his cufflinks with a minimum of difficulty and a maximum of security. Now there are a wide variety of mechanisms for open and closing cufflinks - some feature the classic flip-hinge, there are designs that twist off and some that screw apart. There are little chains that link the two sections together and the one-piece dumbbell type, in which the same design is repeated in a smaller s ize on the ball that passes through the cuff. Hey, why not get creative and set up a "speakeasy" in which to hand out these twenties-era groomsmen gifts? Cufflink use may have had its peak during the 1960s. According to Arthur Gately, a senior vice president for cufflink manufacturer Swank Inc., "In the late 1960s, we were producing 12 million pairs of cufflinks a year." Even though these were aimed at the lowest end of the market, retailing for an average of $2.50 a pair, that still adds up to a lot of men wearing French-cuff shirts. Now Swank makes about 150,000 to 200,000 pairs a year. The resurgent popularity of cufflinks in recent years inspired businessman Claude Jeanloz to open The Cufflink Museum in Conway, New Hampshire, in the late 1990's. Jeanloz, who obtained his first pair as a confirmation gift from his godmother, began collecting cufflinks in the mid 1960s. After amassing a large number of them, he decided to establish the Cufflink Museum, which features over 70,000 pairs on display in 10,000 square feet - by far the largest collection in the world. Though it's difficult to precisely date the pair, the museum's oldest links are from the late 1700s. Also on display are cufflink memorabilia such as vintage cufflink ads, photos and even album covers featuring performers wearing cufflinks like The Beatles and Bob Dylan (take a look at the cover of his 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home...) as well as photos of famous politicians, including John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev at the United Nations, both wearing cufflinks. Needless to say, this is your chance to give groomsmen gifts with some culture behind them. Perhaps the most famous and expensive pairs of cufflinks-they sold at auction for $440,000 in 1987-was a gift from Wallis Simpson to Edward, the soon-to-be king of England. As recounted by Susan Jonas and Marilyn Nissenson in their book Cufflinks, the diamonds set in platinum, with baguette diamonds forming the initials E. and W., were custom ordered by Simpson in 1935. An accompanying set of buttons and studs were inscribed with "Hold Tight." We know at this point you've forgotten all about groomsmen gifts and just want to get some cool cufflinks for yourself. If you'd like to know more about cufflinks, check out the National Cufflink Society at www.cufflink.com. Get on board with fellow "linkers" (a term that cufflink buffs often use to refer to other collectors), learn about how to start collecting, the history of cufflinks and (pardon the pun) links to sites all about, well...links! Howard lives in Los Angeles, CA and owns 4 pairs of cufflinks - his favorite ones feature a miniature 1963 MG TDC convertible.

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Worst Backhanded Compliments to the Bride

"It's not awkward, unless we let it be awkward," is not an awesome explanation you want coming out of your groomsmen. We all have good intentions when we say those little quips in an applicative tone, but sometime you can feel like you just slapped someone across the face with a gut wrenching critique. Disguising insults as praise is an easy inadvertent gaffe, so use this list of wedding backhanded compliments as a groomsmen gift to help your buddies abide by proper etiquette. Top Ten Backhanded Compliments to the Bride You clean up much better than I expected. That dress does wonders to hide your figure. Wow, I didn't know how great you look in white. I thought you were going to wear a different color. It's amazing that someone from the trailer park could throw a party like this. How on earth did you learn the Macarena so well? Those blackheads aren't that bad, they form the cutest design. Your makeup is wonderful, it really makes your nose look smaller. What I like about your decorating is that it says, "I've got better things to spend my money on." A strapless dress. You must have tons of confidence in your inner beauty It's incredible. You don't look pregnant at all!

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Wedding Traditions You Can Leave at the Alter

What makes your wedding day special? Think about it. What was going through your mind when you thought me + cute girl = awesome wedding? (Trust me on this one; it's still a good idea... I'm going a different direction). Hopefully, you came to the conclusion that your wedding is a day to celebrate your commitment to the one you love. But sometimes it's not all celebration. Sometimes you get bogged down with all of these antiquated wedding traditions. It's as if we are spoon fed all our lives the idea of what a wedding should be - which is a valid point of view. While weddings are a set of century old traditions, our values and priorities change over time. We don't want to stomp all over wedding traditions; we just want you to think about what's most important for your special day. Father giving away the bride The best example of antiquated wedding traditions is the father giving away the bride. Obviously, this tradition started before women had rights. Then Boom! Women's suffrage hit (which doesn't sound like a good thing, but totally was), and now women are not just property traded from the father to the groom. Here are some options for your own traditions: No one gives away the bride. If she's in her early twenties, she's probably been doing her own thing for a while. Plus, no one gives away the groom. Now it's even. Give a nod to both parents. It's true that this tradition recognizes the passing of the bride into a family of her own, so why not acknowledge both parents for making the bride into who she is today. Bride and groom walk the aisle together. Maybe you're hell bent on the bride walking with someone. Since many couples live together way before marriage anyway, walking down the aisle together can symbolize the new family bond. Paying for the wedding Mommy wow, you're a big kid now. If you're big enough to get married, you should be big enough to pay for the wedding, groomsmen gifts, venue, tux and all. This is a great rule to live by because when you're paying for it, you call the shots. If the parents or in-laws want to pitch in, by all means, let them. Be forewarned, the more they spend means the more they get to vote with their dollar. Make sure you make clear boundaries so no one oversteps your special day. Wedding food If you're going to hold a day-long party, you should have some food. However, food shouldn't have to break the bank. Maybe your favorite dates with the fiance were at the local Mexican joint. No one will criticize you for serving your favorite food at the reception (although you should keep presentation in mind when it comes to the enchilada). If you're not cake people, go with pie instead. Invitations Sending out wedding invites is a big hassle. With all of its tissue paper, tassels and RSVP compartments, there is a good possibility that the only thing you understand is the price. This is weary territory for the frugal. If the hand-crafted wedding invitations are a must, figure out who is most likely to save your invites for years to come. Otherwise, know your audience, and try online Evites as a free invitation option for your age-appropriate friends. Your groomsmen will not be heartbroken. They might even thank you when they can pull up the details whenever they want on their iphone. Choosing the best man Dude, you can do what you want when it comes to this category (see Can Fido be Your Best Man?) If you don't want to single out one buddy over another, say they're both best men. In fact, the best tradition you should stick with is grabbing great groomsman gifts from https://branddepot.com/collections/groomstand/ Your groomsmen are planning a sweet bachelor party and they're shelling out some dough to rent a tux, the least you can do is set them up with a stainless steel flask with cigar holder for all their trouble. Remember, wedding traditions are a right of passage, but that doesn't mean they're set in stone. Some people believe it's good for the bride to rip her dress and get a pin prick by a bridesmaid. I guess sometimes it's bad luck to believe in silly superstitions. Make your wedding day special by borrowing or invent traditions as you see fit.

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The Role of the Original Groomsmen

Nowadays, groomsmen are a set piece to the modern day wedding. Not only do they represent the unbreakable bonds of friendship and family that made the groom who he is today, they also act as an unpaid workforce that busts their butts so the wedding can go off without a hitch. We all know that groomsmen work hard to deserve their groomsmen gifts, but their role in the wedding day has gotten a lot easier over time. Take a trip back in time as Groomstand.com examines some incredible and bizarre groomsmen origin stories. Where did Groomsmen come from? So we all know that once upon a time, weddings really didn't have anything to do with two people falling in love. When we look at the Dark Ages (for all you non-history buffs, I'm talking about the Middle Ages in Europe when there wasn't a whole lot of learnin' going on), the groom would assemble a search party made up of his family and friends when there wasn't a suitable bride in the groom's village. Remember when you and the boys would go on the prowl for chicks back in the day? Well, this takes it to a whole new level as the groom's party literally went on the hunt for a bride by capturing a woman from a nearby community. It would when be up to the groomsmen to fight off the bride's family and make a clear path for the groom and his newly acquired prize to make their escape. Before you go into battle with your boys, make sure you set them up with groomsmen gifts of this Engraved Luxe Cocktail Shaker. These great gifts for men make a wonderful way of saying thanks for always having your back.

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The Origin of Why Groomsmen Dress Like the Groom

GroomStand knows that you care what you look like on your wedding day. The last think you want to do is look like a jackass in a cream-colored ruffled shirt. Come on, your wedding is the most photographed day of your life. Looking your best with everyone else Isn't it ironic then, that you make such a fuss about looking your best for your wedding even though you end up wearing the same tuxedo as your groomsmen? Maybe you can pawn this off as one of your groomsmen gifts, and give your buddies a chance to stand at the altar and share in your good looks. But the reality is, your buddies are dressing up just like you because someone told you that's what you're supposed to do. Welcome to another round of Groomsmen origin stories, where we at GroomStand.com give you our take on some of the bizarre and unexplained wedding traditions. Why do groomsmen dress like the groom? This origin story feeds off the story of the original groomsmen. Back in the Dark Ages, when a wedding party triumphantly returned from capturing a bride from a neighboring village, it was common practice for that scorned village to cast a curse on the new bride and groom. When it came to the wedding day, men and women in the wedding party would dress identical to the bride and groom so they could confuse those pesky evil demons sent from other village. It's never explained if anyone reasoned that the other people in the wedding party should have an equal opportunity of being cursed, but the logic seemed to work and it gave an outstanding cop out excuse if the couple wasn't compatible. Many different cultures have borrowed and manipulated this tradition to make it what we practice today. So you're at the altar, make sure you thank your ghostbusting groomsmen by presenting these Luxe Rectangular Rhodium Cufflinks as stylish groomsmen gifts to ensure your wedding party matches to the slightest detail.

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The Origin of the Honeymoon

The hands-down, numero uno, best part of a wedding has got to be leaving for the honeymoon. All the planning is finally freaking over, and most importantly, your awesome groomsmen gifts of the Engraved English Tavern Tankard are in the hands of your best men. Now that it's time for some relaxin', you might start to wonder what the hell moons or honey have to do with during a bride and groom love fest vacation? Well, start watching your step because https://branddepot.com/collections/groomstand is dropping knowledge on our take of all these wacky and zany wedding traditions. The origin of the honeymoon Apparently, a ton of these wedding stories started off with the groom or groomsmen capturing some poor chick from the next town over (to catch up on these origin stories see the Role of the Original Groomsmen). The word honeymoon has roots to the Norse word "hjunottsmanathr". Ok, so I don't know how to pronounce that word, but what I do know is that after the bride was captured, the groomsmen would force the groom and bride (most of the time against her will) to stay in hiding until the bride's family stopped looking for her. In the easiest sense, the word means "hiding". Where does the honey and the moon come in? Another Scandinavian honeymoon tradition says that the bride and groom should slug down this honey wine called mead everyday for an entire month (aka a moon cycle). This mead stuff is sweet and strong, which made it the beverage of choice for Vikings to go three-sheets to the wind. The idea was that mead has unexplainable attributes that increase fertility, but you can imagine after a month of being drunk and horny off this stuff, your little lady is bound to have a bun in the oven. Have some fun with your buddies after your wedding by presenting them personalized wine glasses and share a bottle of mead. If you don't end up pillaging a village, you'll help your friends get one step closer to going on their own honeymoon.

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The Origin of Smashing the Wedding Cake

It's arguable that after all the grief and torment the bride puts everyone through leading up to a wedding, there is no better groomsmen gift than seeing her face being pummeled by a piece of $300 wedding cake. The only thing that's more messy than frosting on your face is the line of logic it takes to explain this GroomStand wedding origin story. The Wedding Cake Wasn't Always Eaten The first part of this origin story is one of those things like the diaphragm; it just doesn't make sense anymore. Back in the Roman Empire, certain grains like Wheat or Barley were believed to be a symbol of fertility. Originally, it was common practice to shower the newlyweds with pieces of wheat cake, sometimes it was from above, but mostly it's described as something similar to the tossing of rice as a couple leaves the church. The odd part of the practice is how young unmarried girls were encouraged to pickup and eat the disregarded wheat cake bits to ensure their own betrothals - similar to today's bouquet toss. Over time, the Roman bakers changed the policy on throwing cake at the couple by creating what we'd now think of as the inspiration to the cupcake. Bakers would prepare a massive batch of the small sweet cakes, and stack them in a pyramid shape as high as possible. It was then believed to be good luck with a dusting of great fertility if the couple could lean over the stack of cakes and kiss without knocking anything over. That's Cake in Your Face You can already guess that if you have a short bride, it was nearly impossible to successfully kiss over a mountain of cakes. After frosting was introduced during the reign of King Charles II, it was more than common for the bride and groom to get a face full of cake and frosting on their wedding day. Nowadays, it costs too much to take the risk of toppling over a wedding cake, so the face-full of frosting is simulated by the bride and groom smashing a piece of cake into each other's faces.

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