Home Run Weddings

Well before you met your beautiful wife, you and the guys shared a love for baseball in all its glory. From playing together as children on the little league team to many winning seasons of hitting and fielding balls for the high school squad, you and your now groomsmen were always revered as the quintessential boys of summer. Now that your baseball experience may have been sidelined to the fan stands, it doesn't make the love of the sport any less authentic. Just because you're getting married doesn't mean that you have to strike the sport out of your life. You can incorporate your fondness of the "diamond" into your upcoming wedding in many fun ways - even if your wife-to-be won't let you have the actual ceremony in the stadium. First, put together a wedding weekend baseball game where you, the groomsmen, father of the bride and other men involved in the Big Day can gather for casual yet still competitive match up - think the "bride's guys" against the "groom's guys". Of course, serve roasted peanuts, popcorn beer and all the other tasty treats you'd find at the baseball concession stand. Have baseball jerseys printed up with each guy's name on the back and after the last inning, pass out personalize miniature baseball bats as groomsmen gifts - sure to be a big hit! A tasty way to incorporate your love for baseball into the wedding is to have a baseball themed groom's cake. A groom's cake is a southern tradition (thankfully now appreciated around the country) that is often a gift for the groom from the bride - so drop a hint that you want a baseball groom's cake. Served at the reception or sent home in slices as party favors, a groom's cake can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. With the popularity of cake shows like "Ace of Cakes" and "Cake Boss", the groom's cake has become very elaborate. Sports-themed cakes often take on a 3-D shape of the entire stadium or can feature cake sculptures of players and gear. Yum!

Read more

Groom Gives Future Bride Winning Lottery Ticket

Now this is a great gift from the groom to the bride - a winning lottery ticket. If you want to know how marriage changes your life and want a really unusual answer, just ask Missouri couple Robert Russell and Tracie Rogers. For an early wedding gift, Russell presented his betrothed with your standard scratch off card. However, the only thing that wasn't standard about this $10 lottery ticket was that it was a winner - a big $250,000 winner. Think how your heart would start pitter-pattering and your cheeks would become flushed at the sight of a quarter million dollars - it would be just like love! The couple could really use the money as he's been laid off from a welding job and she is unemployed as well. The bride and groom, who've been together for 12 years, plan to keep their wedding simple and use the windfall to help pay off the mortgage on a house so that the marriage can start off without the stress of debt. Why not treat your bride-to-be with a couple lottery tickets in honor of your big wedding day, it's not a sure bet by any means, but just some good,light-natured fun. If you win, imagine the awesome honeymoon you could plan or the wild reception you could throw. And, if you lose (which is the likely scenario), you've only tossed a few dollars down the drain. Even the buddies standing at your side would be thrilled to receive lottery tickets as part of their groomsmen gifts - especially if they are the winning ones!

Read more

Tuxedo Guide: How To Tie a Bow Tie

Men about to get married need to know how to tie a bow tie - and so does their posse of groomsmen. Tying this men's accessory into a dapper, little bow isn't really as hard of a task as it appears. But, because men rarely wear this type of neck embellishment except at formal events, this may be your first time tying one on! If you are a newbie to bow tie tying, never fear. Just check out this video from GQ style correspondent Brett Fahgren and Howdini's Jennifer Morris, and you'll be wedding-ready in mere minutes. Steps To Tie a Bow Tie 1. Lay the bow tie around your neck so both ends fall evenly on your chest. 2. Cross the right end of the bow tie over the left end. Next, loop the right end under to form a simple knot. 3. Tug on the tie so that the knot is fashioned snuggly against your neck and rest the top end on your left shoulder. 4. Pick up the other end of the bow tie and fold it across the knot. Now it is starting to look like this could actually turn into a bow tie! 5. Take the top end (that is resting on your left shoulder) and pull it down in front so that it crosses the center of the bow shape. 6. Firmly set your left finger on the front of the bow tie to keep it securely in place and reach behind with your right index finger to find the hole where the free end of the bow tie will slip through. 7. Important: do not thread the tip of the free end through the hole. Rather, use your left index finger to push the part that is closest to the center of the bow through the hole. 8. Initially, it may feel like the whole bow tie is going to fall apart, but it won't. Pull enough through to make even with the opposite side and adjust as needed. 9. The process is almost complete. Pull the bow down towards the front and tighten, tidy up and flatten as required to look sharp. If your bow tie doesn't look perfect, don't worry. Run and get the wedding planner and she'll surely be able to fix you up quick! Before you walk down the aisle, give your wedding attendants any help they may require with your newly acquired skills. To complete the dashing look that a bow tie brings, give your buddies a pair of cufflinks as groomsmen gifts that will complement their tip-to-tail formal flair.

Read more

Palin Baby Daddy Making It Legit

Redemption and forgiveness, those are good old-fashioned family values -- values you would expect from a sound and solid Marrying Man of the Month. Apparently Bristol Palin, daughter of past VP candidate Sarah Palin, is applying these moirés of morality by taking back her baby-daddy, Levi Johnston after they'd been separated since the birth of their baby. You heard it here first (okay, maybe not first), but Levi is still our Marrying Man of the Month! Apparently, the newly-happy couple had been keeping the news of an engagement from the ex-Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, but decided recently to give her the scoop via the phone. Most of America knows that since the birth of her grandchild, Sarah Palin as mocked Levi for a number of foolish endeavors - posing for Playgirl Magazine being the most obvious. However, Bristol reports to US Weekly that she thinks it is just a matter of time before her mother will "jump on board." Romance blossomed again as the youngsters took 18-month-old Tripp out for a stroll about three months ago. Despite their previous indiscretions, the soon-to-be-married kids have announced that they are abstaining from sex until after the wedding ceremony. The big day is allegedly going down in about 6 weeks or less! Bristol is sporting a little sparkler on her hand and Levi has had her name tattooed around his ring finger - now that's a sign of lasting love. Sure to be one of the biggest social events of the year in Wasilla, we wonder how hard it will be to score an invitation. Wondering what to get the couple for a gift for the bride or a gift for the groom? They may not be wanting for much since it is reported that Bristol can command $15,000 and more for a speaking engagement (on teenage pregnancy, we assume) and the two are rumored to be shopping for a reality television show.

Read more

Parent's Fault Groom Can't Recognize Guests at the Reception

At your wedding reception, when your mother is giving you disgusted looks for not recognizing great-aunt Bessie, a lady who you haven't seen, let alone had your cheeks pinched by, in the last 25 years, you can blame it on your genes. And, if we understand biology correctly, there's a pretty darn good chance those genes were inherited straight from good ole mom or dad. As soon as we are born, humans are hard-wired to perceive and respond to faces and studies have shown that we prefer to stare at faces over inanimate objects - people even see faces in things and places where there aren't any (hey, the Man in the Moon). However, some of us just aren't as good and recognizing and classifying faces as well as the next guy. Usually this is just because we are too busy or distracted to take in all the details to remember the person at the next encounter. But, in extreme cases, this inability to recognize faces is called "prosopagnosia" and is mostly inherited, although it can be caused by an injury to the brain. During several separate studies on twin siblings, scientists have made a link that correlates this cognitive problem to an inherited gene. So don't fret when Mrs. O'Neil walks over to congratulate you on the nuptials and her face doesn't register at all even when she says, "I'm little Johnny's mother, you played together in the first grade." You can feign a headache by putting your hand up to your temples and tell her you've been suffering from a rare case of prosopagnosia that you caught from your parents! On the other hand, if you're worried that your friends are going to forget who YOU are, consider presenting them with memorable groomsmen gifts -- a snapshot of your smiling mug displayed in a keepsake photo frame makes great gifts for the guys.

Read more

When Beer Drinking Really Bites and Groomsmen Gifts to Help

When the weather warms up, the great outdoors becomes a popular wedding reception venue for new couples. From feeling the sand under your toes to hearing the breeze lightly waft past your ears, there's nothing like celebrating with hundreds of your closest friends, family - and mosquitoes! Those pesky little insects that literally multiply exponentially during the summer months don't mind and are even giddily lead by their appetites to crash your wedding. The bad news for you, especially if you and the groomsmen are beer-lovers, is that mosquitoes are scientifically proven to be more attracted to people who've been drinking some suds. Apparently, to mosquitoes, the body odor of a beer drinker is just much more tantalizing than that scent of a tee-totaller. Or, perhaps they're looking to catch their own buzz by slurping alcohol infused blood! So what's a guy to do about this nagging, biting problem which could put a damper on the festivities? First of all, encourage your guests to wear light colored clothing; mosquitoes seem to prefer dark colors because the trap in body heat - really all the guys need to do is take off their tuxedo jackets once the party starts. Second, ditch the dirty socks. Studies have also shown that these nasty insects also like smelly socks (along with perfume, soaps smells and other strong aromas). Perhaps you could treat the guys to a nice pair of clean pair of socks as one of your groomsmen gifts or treat them to a grooming kit and instruct them to use it before they show up! And lastly, you can switch out the beer for some other equally refreshing libation like mugs of ice-cold water or sweet ice tea (yeah, right). Or, here's another way to look at the mosquito vs. beer predicament - the more beer you drink, the less you care about being bitten, so no worries (until the morning)!

Read more

A Show-Stopping Marriage Proposal

Engagements, they're not just for bumbling, fumbling, nervous boyfriends anymore. Gone are the days where pulling out a little velvet-covered box during dinner was the impressive way to ask a girl to be your wife - or even using the Jumbotron to deliver the message at half-time. Today's high-tech, social media-loving, gadget freaks who aren't afraid to step into the limelight are popping the question in choreographed statements of style, having buddies film the event, and then sitting back and waiting for it all to go viral on the Internet. One recent proposal that will make you chuckle and wonder why you didn't think of it first just went down in MadisonSquarePark in New York City. Like an epic Broadway production, this marriage proposal featured an unsuspecting girlfriend, a crazy clown-school graduate boyfriend, filmographer friends, a chorus line, unicycle riders, confetti tossing and more! We want to know how the groom-to-be and his friends practiced for this big moment without anyone, especially the bride-to-be, getting suspicious. For any guy who's thinking about popping the question, you've now have big shoes to fill --clown shoes, that is! If you've got a multi-man show planned for your wedding proposal, you're going to have to thank the cast of characters for their hard work with fitting groomsmen gifts. A keychain or picture frame is just not going to cut it when these men have risked hard-earned Joe-cool reputations out there kicking up their heels - you'll need some awesome groomsmen gifts. How about a cool leather case to hold iPhones and a journal, this way your friends can remember "crazy you" each time the check out the proposal shenanigans on YouTube.

Read more

What's the Deal With Cummerbunds?

ItÍs not too often that you see a man sporting a colorful swath of fabric around his waist; that is, unless heÍs performing under the big top, trekking through a Middle Eastern desert or, perhaps in your near future, walking down the aisle in a wedding ceremony. In the Western world, the ñcummerbundî is an accessory to menÍs clothing that is most often worn with a tuxedo at formal events. The first cummerbunds worn by Europeans were part of the British military uniform during time spent in India and were inspired by the bright scarves tied around the loose tunics worn by indigenous men. Entomologically speaking, the word ñcummerbundî has roots in the Persian language, translating into ñto enclose the waist.î The pleats on the cummerbund also have a back story. In India, men used the cummerbund more for function than for fashion, pointing the pleated front upward to serve as cargo area for small items. In todayÍs formal dress, the cummerbund is simply a statement of style, so you donÍt have to worry about which way to orient the pleats. But, itÍs nice to know that you could point them up and stash away your credit cards, to-do lists and even to hide the brideÍs wedding ring. If youÍre heading to opening night at the opera or some other black-tie society event, youÍll most likely see plain black or white cummerbunds worn with tuxedos. However, at weddings, grooms often like to express their individuality by wearing a colorful cummerbund that matches the bridesmaid dresses, an alma matter school color, or even prints of paisley, plaid and polka-dots. Give your formal look even more flair with a matching bow tie and pair off dashing engraved cufflinks punctuating your French cuffs. Perfect as groomsmen gifts, too _ you can give all the guys a formal makeover.

Read more

Vegas Wedding: Sure-Bet Stress Buster

If the bride is about to crack under the pressure of planning ñtheî wedding event of the year, whisper this sly little suggestion in her ear _ ñletÍs just scrap the shin dig and get hitched in Vegas, baby.î Kitschy, perhaps. Clich_, maybe. Stress-relieving, you bet! Getting married in Las Vegas, Nevada is an easy way to get hitched; heck, more than 110,000 marriage licenses are issued each year in this party city. You can literally rent the tux and wedding dress, pull strangers off the street to serve as witnesses, and even drive through the service in a decked out white Cadillac convertible. One of the most popular places to get hitched on the Vegas Strip is the Graceland Chapel, home of the original Elvis wedding ceremony. For more than 50 years, this little, white clapboard chapel has seen countless brides and grooms walk down the aisle including many celebrities. Musicians such as Bon Jovi, Billy Ray Cyrus and Aaron Neville have all said ñI doÍsî to their respective wives here as have socialites, Blaine and Robert Trump, and television personality, Jay Leno. So, put on your blue suede shoes, trim up those mutton chops and shake up your wedding Vegas-style. With all the money you save on an expensive wedding reception you can be a big spender at the black jack table. Bring your buddies along for the weekend and make a bachelor party out of it, too! If the bride agrees, sheÍs a definite keeper. Vegas-inspired groomsmen giftswill get the party started -- try personalized poker sets, bachelor party t-shirts or beer mugs all emblazoned with the iconic Las Vegas ñWelcome Sign.î

Read more

The Tennis Match That Would Never End

If youÍve ever played tennis, you may have finished a match in less than an hour, four hours or, more likely, somewhere in between. It really just depends on how quickly you knock out the match set and how good (or bad) the competition is. My neck is sore just remembering, but a recent Wimbledon match logged an 11 hour and 5 minute match that was played out over three days! American John Isner battled it out over the long haul with Nicolas Mahut, to win in the 5th set _ score, 70-68. Isner was able to backhand the ball just a hair out of the reach of the Frenchman, Mahut. Both dropped to the ground in exhaustion, the crowd roared and, I imagine, also began massaging the cricks out of each others necks! There is no arguing that these two guys were amazingly matched in skill and endurance, both waiting for the other to crack under the prolonged pressure.     If you love tennis, this surely was a much-talked about event over coffee or warm-ups for a good portion of the week. The event did break 12 standing records in the Guinness Book of World Records. Celebrate the love of this time-honored sport with a personalized pub sign with a tennis club theme. Hang it in your personal ñlocker roomî, in a home bar or give to those loyal tennis partners who are standing up for you in your wedding. In fact, these pub signs make such great groomsmen gifts that it will cause a big racquet (of happiness) when the guys open their pub signs up.  

Read more

Green Gets the Fox

Marrying Man of the Month has been busy keeping up with all the celebrity wedding and engagement news that has been buzzing about. Most recently, Us Weekly magazine reports that actress Megan Fox is engaged to her long-time, on-again-off-again boyfriend, Brian Austin Green of " Beverly Hills 90210" fame. The news has been confirmed by the actorsÍ reps and Fox teasingly told E! Entertainment News tonight that the two will marry when ñthe stars align.î The now-happy couple had been engaged for 2 years before, breaking it off in 2009. So, hopefully the second time is a charm and the two lovebirds will stick it out all the way to the chapel. But, first they need to find the engagement ring! Witnesses to the proposal at the Four Season Hualalai hotel on the Big Island in Hawaii reported that although they saw Fox giddily jumping up and down in response to the big question, Green apparently lost the 2-carat bauble sometime before the romantic event. After staff spent hours searching in the sand and around the venue, it never turned up. Make sure losing the engagement or wedding ring never happens to you by presenting your fianc_e with a pretty and practical gift for the bride that she can use to safely hold the ring when itÍs not being worn _ if she ever dreams to take it off! A little leather travel case, silver keepsake jewelry box or soft, drawstring pouch personalized with her initials are all great choices in gifts from the groom for the bride.

Read more

Is it Halo Heaven? A Video Game Wedding

Just because youÍre getting married doesnÍt mean that you have to give up on your favorite hobby. And, if youÍre anything like the typical guy, you love video games. According to the Entertainment Software Association, a video game player is typically male and is, on average, 35 years old -- playing for the last 13 years! So, itÍs shouldnÍt be surprising to learn that some die-hard video game fans are incorporating a love for this type of entertainment into the biggest day of their lives. From the family-friendly Mario franchise of video games to the more combat-oriented genres, video game themed weddings are sure to get guests talking. If fact, one couple in Orlando, Florida recently planned their whole marriage around the explosion-filled video game, Halo. While the couple wore traditional wedding garb, the man uniting them in a matrimonial bond was outfitted in green amour and a helmet, just like the gameÍs hero -- Master Chief. The couple feels that ñlife should be funî and decided that a video game wedding was definitely for them. After the unusual exchanging of vows, the couple was introduced as ñteammates for lifeî and the guests partied all night at the ñRock Bandî video band jam. The event, largely paid for by a video game development festival called Otronicon, also featured a Halo-inspired wedding cake and the theme music from the soundtrack of this wildly popular pastime. As wedding gift, Halo developers from creator Bungie Studios, presented the newlyweds with a virtual gift for the groomand bride, the ultra-rare Recon amour that is coveted by game-players everywhere. Cool, dude!

Read more