Three Valentine's Day Proposal Tips Guys Will Love (Okay, Like A Lot)

If youÍ'e planning to get down on bended knee and ask that special girl to get married, ValentineÍs always a romantic day to pop the question. You'll be in good company; more than 10 percent of engagements take place on February 14th, itÍs the busiest month for love. Celebrities are also included in the February engagement frenzy, much to the delight of fancy diamond jewelry stores on both coasts. Famous guys like resident ER television doctor Noah Wyle to famous shock-jock Howard stern have both become engaged on ValentineÍs Day along with numerous other stars. Stern, never one to use discretion, announced his engagement to model Beth Ostrosky on his Sirius Satellite Radio Show and let us in on all the details including the strip show, the sex, and the diamond ring (it must have been a big diamond, thatÍs all we can say). For us regular Joes who are just scraping together enough for a decent-sized engagement ring and hoping that she doesnÍt blow the budget by ordering the ïsurf and turfÍ for dinner, there are lots of considerations to plan for when proposing on ValentineÍs Day. Here are three tips to keep on your radar before for the event. Expect to Pay A Premium. Restaurants and florists are sure to boost up their fees on Valentine's Day, youÍll need to work this into your budget, especially if you are counting pennies or have splurged on the big diamond ring. An alternative is to prepare a home-cooked meal and surprise her with the proposal when sheÍs least expecting it. A fun idea; use a monogrammed steak brand featuring her future married initials (like the steak irons we sell for groomsmen gifts) and see if she gets the hint when she cuts into her steak. If your words are half as dazzling as the ring, she wonÍt even notice that youÍve taken the frugal route. Wine and Dine Wisely. If you do decide to cough up the bucks for dining out on ValentineÍs Day, make sure to secure your reservations long in advance. On February 14th and even the nearest Friday and Saturday nights, the wait to get into a hip and happening spot can take hours, if you can even get in at all. If she has a favorite dessert, entr_e or drink that youÍre planning to incorporate into the proposal, make sure that the restaurant will be serving it that night. Often, a special menu will be offered with no variations. Now, if youÍre planning to put the ring IN her dessert or champagne glass, beware! WeÍve heard too many stories of emergency room trips to retrieve a ring out of hungry girlÍs gut. Another warning; if you do indulge in wine, champagne or other spirits; make sure to have a safe ride home. Getting pulled over for drunk driving is no way to start ñhappily ever after.î Celebrate with a Surprise Party: After youÍve intimately popped the question over dinner on ValentineÍs Day, really win her over with an impromptu gathering of family and friends _assuming that you know sheÍs going to say ñyesî! After dinner, tell her youÍd like to go to a dessert bar, coffee shop or back to your house where youÍve set up a surprise engagement party. ItÍs a sweet way to include the other people she loves into the memorable life event. SheÍll be thrilled to share the good news (and show off her new rock) and youÍll win points with her parents in the process. So, help a fellow out, share your proposal ideas for ValentineÍs Day. We want to hear everything, from the cheesy jumbo-tron proposals to your thoughts on reciting poetry. Let us know in the comments below.

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Where-Oh-Where to Wed

Choosing a wedding venue can be a stressful decision, maybe not as life-altering as actually popping the question, but a decision of significance for the groom nonetheless. If youÍve followed convention when it came to asking her to be your wife, youÍve most likely already made challenging decisions about the perfect engagement ring and the ideal wedding date. Since itÍs typically the brideÍs thing to spend countless hours picking out the dress, flowers and other fussy touches, thereÍs not too much else for the guys do than pick out the perfect groomsmen gifts for their buddies and plan a respectable rehearsal dinner to bring the two families together. However, there is another important decision that the groom should be involved in, and that is helping to decide ñwhere to wed.î When deciding on a wedding venue, it would be nice to have the bank account of a movie star. You could get hitched anywhere in the world and not have to worry about sparing any expense or detail For example, when Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner got married in 2005, they were able to seclude themselves in luxury at the Parrot Cay Resort in Turks and Caicos. It was an idyllic island wedding with a ñno flyî zone to keep the paparazzi helicopters away. But, since most of us guys donÍt have those kind of deep pockets and wonÍt be hiding out from a throng of crazed fans (unless you have some past girlfriend stalkers), weÍre just typically looking for a nice, respectable place to host family and friends for a special event. There are plenty of places to hold a ceremony and reception, and with a little advance-planning, youÍll be able to book a venue that will impress all the future in-laws. Wedding ceremony and reception locations fall into a few categories, each with their own pluses and minuses. Religious Venues:Many couples having a traditional wedding opt for securing a house of worship for their ceremony (with a reception often held elsewhere). Allow plenty of time to book a church or temple, because this can often be an ordeal if you are not already a member. I was fairly new to my city when I got married and hadnÍt yet established myself as part of a religious congregation, although I had been a member of a church elsewhere before I moved. While I was not required to become an official member of the church where I married, I was required to have a long-standing member vouch for me and also undergo a 6-week marriage class. While the financial expense was minor, the commitment was just greater than just booking a hotel ball room. Outdoor Venues:Nature-centric couples always jump at the chance to have an outdoor wedding. If this sounds like itÍs for you, make sure you understand all the variables at play. As beautiful as it is, any outdoor space will require set-up and tear-down of chairs, tables, dance-floors, tents and the like. Serving food will be harder for the caterers without an indoor kitchen (although food trucks are becoming a trendy option). Also, donÍt forget about the biggest factor at play in an outdoor wedding, the weather! YouÍll need to be monitoring the forecast and have a back-up plan for any weather situations that go awry. Hotels and Event Locations:The great thing about booking space at a hotel or event location is that they are extremely familiar with hosting wedding receptions; they will even allow you to have the ceremony on-site as well. This means that choices in d_cor, food, and music may all fall under the umbrella provided by the location rather than the bride and groom having to seek out each vendor individually. Many of these venues even have a designated employee to serve as the wedding planner, making the whole experience easier. Even ñpublicî places like museums, libraries and historic buildings are all often used as ceremony and reception spots. Make sure to scout out and secure your location early, many of the popular spots can be booked a year or more in advance. Destination Locations:Do you dream of an exotic beach wedding or a snow-capped soiree? Destination weddings are becoming more popular as couples choose to combine the wedding ceremony, reception and honeymoon all into one spot. The drawbacks to this type of location can be the hassle of getting the guests there. Will you be footing the travel and hotel bills, or will they? You could consider the wedding attendantsÍ expenses part of a generous gesture in bridesmaid and groomsmen gifts. Yes, the tab can quickly add up, but if you are loaded like a Hollywood A-lister, why not enjoy this (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you could choose to get married anywhere and expense and logistics were of no consequence, what spot would you pick? From the swanky Plaza Hotel in New York City to your own backyard, we want to hear what you think in the comment section below.

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Get-Fit Groom Plan

With the holidays coming to a close, many men are looking to get fit for the New Year, especially the grooms out there! If youÍve spent the last month overindulging on eggnog, fudge, and tenderloin with all the trimmings, it might be time to make a new healthy game plan so that you look and feel your best on the wedding day. ThatÍs right, itÍs not just the brides who are worried about showing themselves off in the best light to their prospective spouse and wedding guests, the guys are worried too these days. Whether you have one month or six months left before that walk down the aisle, itÍs time to get after it and do some hard work _ the results will be well worth it. ItÍs a gift for the groom that only you can give to yourself. HereÍs a straightforward plan to get you started. Eat less, eat healthier. Take a good look at what youÍre eating and donÍt kid yourself _ is it really healthy. Low-carb, high-protein, low-fat, Paleo, The Zone, plant-based, whatever; there are a million diets out there and weÍre not advocating a specific one. But, just be mindful about what youÍre putting into your body versus how much energy you are expending. Just because you are working out, doesnÍt mean you can reward yourself with tons of extra food, especially if your goal is to lose weight. Also, remember to drink plenty of water; not only is it hydrating but can help turn off your hunger signals between meals. Carry around one of our personalized water bottles; also a great choice in groomsmen gifts. Burn calories with cardio three to five times per week. Whether you are running, cycling, boxing or jumping rope, do some form of cardiovascular exercise every other day for 30 minutes, at a minimum. And no, golf really isnÍt an endurance sport. If this seems like a chore, enlist the help of your buddies to keep you company and pass the time away while you are pounding the pavement. Pick up our sports bag for yourself and to give as groomsmen gifts; itÍs a great way to pack your gear if you are heading to run or bike after work.

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Hef is a Groom Again

Still chasing the girls like a young whippersnapper, the 88-year-old Hugh Heffner is once again set to tie the knot with his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Crystal Harris. This makes “The Hef” our Marrying Man of the Month, although we’re not entirely sure the nuptials will go off without a hitch. You see, Heffner and the 26-year-old playmate are engaged to each other for the second time around; the first engagement was broken off by the bolting bride-to-be just days before the wedding which was originally set for 2011. However, in recent months, Harris has moved back into the Playboy Mansion and the two have reportedly been spending more time together. Despite the 60+ year age disparity, Harris has mentioned in the past that “she is the one keeping up with Hef.” Sources confirm that the May-December romance will culminate with a wedding at the Playboy Mansion this New Year’s Eve with family and close friends in attendance. So, if Hef were to have a posse of groomsmen, what kind of groomsmen gifts do you think he’d give? Here are our top picks: Personalized Zippo Lighter: This is such a classic, old-school personalized groomsmen gift. We could totally see a smoking-jacket-clad Hefner passing these out to the guys. Plus, it’s pretty symbolic – the flame is guaranteed to never go out. Cigar Humidor: Think back to the days of the old Playboy Clubs; the sophisticated members would all be sitting around drinking their martinis and enjoying fine stogies. The aficionado of cigars will really appreciate having a fine-looking and highly functional storage spot to keep his smokes fresh and crush-free. Engraved Barware: We know the Hef drinks, we’ve seen him shuffling around many times with an adult beverage in hand, probably trying to self-medicate over the stress of juggling so many women. He’s done ads for Stoli and Bavaria, so he must like both vodka and beer. Presenting groomsmen gifts like engraved flasks, sets of shot glasses, or even retro cocktail shakers would be oh-so sophisticated in that rich, wrinkled, “I’m an octogenarian player” sort of way.

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When a Groomsman Goes Feral

In any big group of groomsmen, it always seems like thereÍs one who stands out as the loud, obnoxious drunk. Maybe he was this way in college, and you should have thought twice about asking him to be in your wedding. Or, maybe heÍs turned into a kinda-funny, yet still slobbering stupid fool later in life and you didnÍt see it coming. Either way, itÍs too late to yank his groomsmen credentials once the wedding is in play. The only thing you can do is deal with the situation like the grown up he isnÍt. DonÍt reward him with attention. Keep the groomsmen in question away from the microphone at all costs. A few minutes before it is time for best man and groomsmen speeches, divert this guyÍs attention elsewhere in the venue. For example, have the hotel lobby page him out of the ballroom and up to the front desk. DonÍt let him hog the dance floor, badger the bridesmaids or slobber all over your new mother-in-law. Do whatever it takes to make sure he doesnÍt take center stage! Try to limit the amount of his alcohol intake. If you give him that go-to groomsmen gift (an engraved flask), make sure it isnÍt filled with the hard stuff! If things havenÍt completely gotten out of hand yet, secretly ask the bartender to pour him weak drinks. You really canÍt effectively police a grown manÍs alcohol intake, but you can remind him of times heÍs overindulged and made a fool of himself. Hopefully that will slow down his rowdy behavior. If possible, offer him a place to sit down and enjoy a coffee or glass of water; heÍll thank you in the morning, everyone will thank you tonight! A great idea is to replace his drink with a personalized canteen filled with water. Get the other groomsmen to help. You have a ton of responsibilities on the wedding day; dealing with a tanked friend will take away from meeting all the other guests, like your new great Aunt Myrtle. YouÍll never hear the end of it from your bride if you are tending to a plastered friend; in fact, there may be some guilt by association. Make sure to thank the responsible friends who have stepped up to chaperone your ñgroomsmen gone wildî with extra nice and thoughtful gifts for groomsmen such as engraved cufflinks or a fine leather wallet.

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Can I Have More Than One Best Man?

A question that comes up more frequently than you’d think is whether it is “okay” to have more than one best man in your wedding. Most guys are too embarrassed to come right out and say they are having trouble picking between their buddies, assuming that having multiple best friends is kind of girly in a “like OMG you’re one of my BFFs” sort of way. So, before you down your which-guy-to-pick stress with the help of a flask, we’ll set the record straight. While it is “traditional” to have one best man, there is no reason why you can’t have multiple best men in this day and age. Heck, some guys even have women as “best men.” Just remember, that if you really do have more than one best man, you’ll need to give them all the duties and honors that go along with it (including presenting nice groomsmen gifts), otherwise, they’re really just still be groomsmen. There are reasons why you might want to have more than one main wingman buttoning up his best man cufflinks in your wedding. For example, imagine that you became friends with a group of two or three guys at the same time (such as grade school, college or wherever) and each has provided the same level of friendship to you over the years. It would be too awkward to delegate one to become a mere groomsmen; pick them all. Or, imagine that you are super tight with your best friend, but you also have a brother. He could be a pesky little brother or a controlling older brother. While you may not have the same friendship with your brother, family ties last forever. So it’s a good idea to put him in the spotlight alongside your friend. This leads to another question. If you have multiple best men (and this even pertains to the groomsmen), how do you line them up? You could choose the coveted spot right at your side by a coin toss, or in terms of “seniority.” This means, the first person standing next to you should be the person you’ve known the longest; this is undoubtedly going to be a brother, if you have one. If you have more than one older brother, you’ve known them both the same amount of time – since birth! Give the oldest of the older sibling seniority. Next, younger brothers and then friends in the order of how long you’ve known them can be lined up. Another twist is when the bride wants her own brother to be one of your groomsmen. If you’re not buddy-buddy, stick him at the end, but make him feel important by carrying your note cards or something. Don’t forget to give each an important role and responsibility in the wedding and thank them with a token of your appreciation, such as with personalized best man gifts suited to the personality of each.

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You Know a Groom Planned the Wedding When . . .

. . . . instead of tuxedos and bowties, the male wedding entourage shows up in casual Friday attire. And by casual Friday attire, we mean casual Friday at the gym – sweatpants, sneakers, and yesterday’s whiskers. Those with more groomed whiskers may have used their newly acquired shave sets (great groomsmen gifts) and sculpted out some mutton chops or a Fu Manchu especially for the occasion. . . . . to satisfy the bride, the event is decked out in a unifying color theme; a color theme that suspiciously resembles that of the groom’s Alma mater or favorite football team. Another dead giveaway is that beverages are being serving in personalized beer mugs with NFL logos. . . . the sit-down reception dinner has been replaced with a buffet of beef jerky, nachos, pizza and all-you-can-drink beer from a keg, or better from aluminum cans. Many of the guys are enjoying their useful groomsmen gifts, a Joe Six-Pack beer belt which will hold a half-dozen vessels of the precious liquid conveniently on person. … Instead of having the traditional “Here Comes the Bride” playing as the wedding processional, the groom requests AC/DC’s “A Whole Lot of Rosie,” or something else completely awesome but oh-so inappropriate. . . . . rather than passing out traditional groomsmen gifts that recipient’s would take home, the groom offers a standing invitation (much to the bride’s horror) to his wedding attendants to drop by his man cave anytime of the day or night to take shots from their personalized flasks and shooter glasses that will be permanently housed at the newlywed’s home. . . . . wedding invitations are not engraved on heavy cardstock, do not feature fancy salutations, or bear romantic “Love” stamps. In the name of efficiency, a group email or text would be issued a few days before the Big Day. Or maybe just a Facebook status update. . . . instead of after dinner waltzing and assorted line dances, the groom and his buddies will have the dance floor turned into a basketball court, mosh pit or wide open are for some other testosterone-infused entertainment. . . . .rather than throwing rice, birdseed or blowing bubbles as the newlyweds make their getaway, the groom will have planned an impressive pyrotechnics show. Hey, sometimes you have to go big.

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Grooms, Make the Rehearsal Dinner Yours

ItÍs pretty obvious the wedding is about the bride; that is, if you listen to most people. Phrases like ñitÍs the brideÍs dayî and ñall eyes on the brideî make it seem like the groom is quite expendable and should take a backseat in the decision-making process. It seems like all guys get to do are order the tuxedos and pick out the groomsmen gifts. Women get bridal showers (although couple and groom showers are catching on), get to wear something out of the ordinary, and basically get treated like queens through the whole wedding process. If you are a guy getting married stand up and make a statement that your opinions count to, and that it is ñthe groomÍs dayî too. The rehearsal dinner is one event that you can plan and execute how you see fit. Especially considering that itÍs the groomÍs parents and/or the groom who pays for and hosts the event. The rehearsal dinner is traditionally held the night before the wedding and is a good way to give the two families a chance to get to know each other. Also, itÍs a place where the groomsmen and bridesmaids can mix and mingle and meet the families too. What a great opportunity to celebrate with your family in friends in the way that you see fit! If that means at a sports bar over burgers and beer or on the beach with a blazing bonfire, youÍll feel great knowing youÍve shown your genuine personality and style through the festivities. Of course, if your bride likes to take control over everything (sheÍs a planner, and thatÍs a good thing), discuss with her about backing off this one evening. However, donÍt take over planning the rehearsal dinner without talking to her first. Two-way communication is always the best way to start off and continue a marriage. Assure her that the affair will be a relaxed, fun event where the ice will be broken and stress will be relieved. And, even better for her, she doesnÍt have to worry about anything or lift a single finger. YouÍve got it covered! Here are some things youÍll want to consider when planning your rehearsal dinner. Book the venue about 4 months from the wedding. DonÍt assume that the bowling alley party room is going to be available for you on a momentÍs notice. Decide on the menu (based on your budget) and decide if you will be hosting a sit-down dinner, just appetizers and drinks, or having foods catered to your location (like barbeque in a barn). Notify the people you would like to give toasts at the rehearsal dinner such as your parents, the best man, the groomsmen or whomever! Give them enough time to get their thoughts together and practice if needed. Put together a little audio-visual material. Although this is optional, guests always love seeing pictures of the happy couple when they were very young. You could make a slide show, movie or even just a poster board display. Mail invitations about a month ahead of time. If it is a very small or casual rehearsal dinner, you could get away with emails, phone calls or online invitation services. Other unique ideas including sending an edible cookie card or scrolling up your invitation and sticking in a beer mug! Order flowers, props, personalized napkins or take-home favors for your guests about one month ahead of time. Purchase groomsmen gifts and decide if you would like to present them at the rehearsal dinner, before the wedding ceremony while all of you are waiting together, or later that night at the reception part. Please tell us any unique ideas you have for rehearsal dinners _ from venues and food to favors and ice-breaker games. Use the comment section below.

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How to Balance Bowl Games and your Bride

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

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An Indestructable Man Cave

Along a desolate stretch of South Florida lies what could possibly be your ultimate man cave and one heck of a place to host a bachelor party! Of course, youÍll have to have deep pockets and a fondness for decorating because this utilitarian underground abode is on the market for nearly five million dollars and (to put it mildly) needs an overhaul of epic proportions to make it comfortable enough for a hangout. Originally built in 1967 by AT&T as a corporate bomb shelter, this sprawling complex was intended to support up to five people (including state-of-the-arts communications systems for the era) for 30 days in the event of a nuclear disaster. ItÍs the bomb! A graduated block faade with blast-proof doors is what you see from ground up, but underneath the mound of 30-inch concrete walls is a doomsday hideout decked out with all the must-haves to survive an atomic event. This includes decontamination showers upon entry, 200-kilowatt generators, massive air-intake tunnels and a custom ventilation system. Even though the structure has been abandoned since the 1980s, the pantry shelves are still stocked with cans of sugar and milk solids. Okay, you might want to toss those along with everything else! But even though none of the power or equipment works, sellers insist that this space could make the transformation into the most deluxe of bachelor pads. If you donÍt mind dropping a ton of dough and expending some elbow grease on this fixer-upper, then you definitely could have one of the coolest man caves ever. Just imagine having a hang-out where not many people could track you down; itÍs the ultimate escape! So, how would you decorate this 7,000 square-foot fall-out shelter? Here are some of our ideas: Add a rich, mahogany pool table to encourage friendly competition with your buddies. Playing pool can really pass the time if you are whiling away the hours until the radiation clears, or just having a guyÍs night! A personalized sign for billiards should most definitely be hanging on the nearest wall. Install an epic bar area where you can treat guests to any and every drink they could possible imagine. Stock assorted barware (personalized with your monogram of course) such as martini glasses, beer mugs, shot glasses, wine glasses and more. Set up a massive big screen television for watching sports games, action movies and video game contests. If you should prefer a little old-school entertainment, retire to the poker table and break out professional-grade poker supplies, perfect for wheeling and dealing way into the wee hours. Even a personalized domino set makes a nice diversion when stuck underground. This sort of man cave is also perfect for the enjoyment of cigars. Stock the finest in your collection in a top-of-the-line cigar humidor to ensure that proper moisture levels are maintained and leave about handsome cigar ashtrays to make sure the floor isnÍt sullied with ashes. DonÍt forget about cigar cutters, Zippo lighters and all the other necessary supplies. Hint, if youÍre getting together with your friends before the Big Day, any of these cool man-cave supplies also make excellent groomsmen gifts. And, since most can be personalized with an initial, monogram, name or special message, they make thoughtful keepsakes from your bachelor event. Come on guys, do you have any other ideas on decking out this man cave? Share them in the comments below.

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Three Seasonal Drinks for your Holiday Bachelor Party

If you are getting hitched in December or January, it’s time to celebrate. Whether it’s a bachelor party, guy’s weekend away, or the rehearsal dinner, serving up delicious drinks inspired by the winter season are sure to put folks in a festive mood. Forget about the old and overdone drinks, such as eggnog or hot toddies; we have three unique options (and the appropriate glassware) that will have the groomsmen and guests toasting your good tastes. Oh, and here’s a little hint; a set of personalized barware or engraved beer mugs always makes a welcomed choice in groomsmen gifts. Christmas Snow: This drink is rich, creamy and sure to satisfy everyone in the crowd. In a cocktail shaker, add 1 ounce of light Puerto Rican rum, 1/2 ounce Galliano, 1/4 ounce Rose’s unsweetened lime juice, and 1 ounce of heavy cream. Shake well with ice cubes and serve in claret or large cocktail glass. If desired, sprinkle chopped pistachio nuts on top. Three Wise Men: This is a seriously stout drink that will sprout a little more hair on your chest. Not much to mixing this shooter up, just mix together equal parts of Jack Daniels, Jim Beam and Johnnie Walker whiskey into a large shot glass and slam. The Royal Winter Martini: Mix together 2 ounces of Crown Royal and 1 ounce of Dry Vermouth in a martini shaker filled with ice. Add lemon zest to a classic martini glass and pour cold martini into barware. Enjoy! To create the right ambiance, hang our martini lounge personalized sign nearby (and give others as groomsmen gifts).

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Study Says Curved Beer Mugs Increases Quantity Consumed

They say if you use a smaller plate, youÍll eat less. You would think the same theory probably holds true for the size of your glass. But, a new study of British beer drinkers has found that drinking beer from a curved glass dramatically increases the speed at which a person ñswillsî _ that is, to ñdrink or eat freely, greedily, or to excess.î The hypothesis tested assumed a beer glass, which can give the appearance of different amounts of beer depending on the shape, might additionally distort the perception of the total amount of alcohol being consumed. One hundred and sixty participants were quite easily recruited from a nearby college and divided into eight groups and screened to confirm they were only ñsocial drinkersî and not alcoholics. The study made a point of trying to exclude people who were just ñdrinking to get drunkî and would skewer the results by downing their beer. Then the participants were served either soda or beer while watching a neutral nature documentary so that they would have a diversion other than just drinking for drinkingÍs sake. They were not aware of the point of the research being conducted. Secretly, researcher timed how long it took for the drinkers to finish their respective beer or sodas. One group consistently drank much faster than the others, the group drinking a full glass of lager out of curved flute glasses. On average, the people drinking out of ñstraight glassesî consumed basically 12 ounces (354 ml) of brew in 13 minutes while the group drinking the same amount in ñcurvedî glasses polished it off in 8 minutes! The researchers believe that social drinkers pace their drinking (maybe without even realizing it) by how long it takes to reach the halfway point in a glass or beer mug. When shown photos of half full glasses in varying shapes, the participants repeatedly misjudged the levels of remaining fluid in curved flute glasses, thinking more was actually left than there was. If you and the guys enjoy an icy, cold beer every now and then, GroomStand.com has many great options in barware. Frankfurt Tall Boy Beer Mug: Unlike shorter, squattier beer mugs, this elongated vessel provides more than expected. Able to hold not just one pint but 1 _ pints of ale, lager, or other favorite brew, this mug serves straight-up style. DonÍt worry, if you believe the ñswilling studyî then you wonÍt overindulge with this personalized beer mug _ the middle point is easily identifiable! Personalized Sports Pilsner: For the guys who like to combine sports with suds, this shapely beer mug is a great choice. Treat the guys on your wedding team with these useful gifts for groomsmen. Able to hold up to 20 ounces within its curvaceous confines, you and the groomsmen may not realize how fast youÍre drinking. A practical solution to know the half-way point is to pour in 10 ounces from another cup and mark with a rubber band or piece of tape. Custom Glass Football Tumbler: If your buddies are comfortable with a football in their hands, these engraved beer mugs will feel like second nature. The contoured shape of these sporty beer mugs resembles that of a genuine NFL pigskin _ thatÍs why these tumblers and beer drinking go hand-in-hand. Fill with 23-ounces of ale, lager or preferred brew and get the party started. So, do you think itÍs true that guys unintentionally drink faster from curved beer mugs? What kind of glass do you like to use to enjoy beer _ flutes, mugs, tankards, pilsners, steins or just straight out of the bottle?

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