5 Great Groomsmen Gifts!

I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving and survived Black Friday. The only shopping we did yesterday was online - and at Red Robin for dinner!

Well, in honor of one of the biggest retail weekends of the year, we're going to touch on the subject of gift buying...for the boys, that is. If your groom is like mine, purchasing thoughtful gifts is as confusing as it is painful. How does he thank his friends for giving up a Saturday to dress like a Maitre D' and make small talk with his extended family? Check out these 5 ideas from The Knot and run them past your hubby-to-be. You'll score points by taking the guesswork out of it and making it look like he put a TON of effort into his purchases ;-)Just click on the image of the gifts that catch your eye to be linked to their page with more info. Each of these gifts range from $7.50-$24.95 and can be combined for a really great "Thank You" package!

1. Flasks. OK, I'll be honest. I only know one person who carries around a flask - but the idea is so cool...especially if your ceremony drags on and gets really boring - just kidding! These flasks can be personalized with his buddies' monograms and are all under $25!







They've even got a few for the girls, as well!





2. Cigar Paraphernalia - Pair a couple of high quality cigars from Old Town Cigar or Cigar Chateau with a personalized cigar cutter, single holder, or humidor!




3. Personalized Beer Mugs or Glasses - Attach a 6-pack of each groomsman's favorite microbrew!





4. Personalized Money Clips - Since girls carry purses filled to the brim with our wallet, make-up, datebook, gum, etc. we don't ever really "get" the idea of a money clip. But guys don't carry a purse and sometimes a wallet is just too bulky or heavy for dress pants. They can stick a few bills and a credit card in their clip and be good to go for the night.




5. Pocketknives - Boys love guns and knives. That's all that needs to be said.

More Wedding Cake Toppers...from Wal-Mart?

So, on Saturday I was at Wal-Mart for nail polish remover. Recently, my WM has undergone a major overhaul: virtually everything has moved to the most inconvenient and unintuitive location they could possibly imagine. However, as I wandered aimlessly through what used to be the cosmetics section (now home to bath towels and shower curtains) I spotted it. The wedding section. A couple of years ago, Wal-Mart was still one of the leading cheesy wedding crap distributors in town - but now it seems they've realized the potential for matrimonial parafanalia. Their products are still inexpensive, but many of them are REALLY cute! In fact, they've got an entire line of Martha Stewart DIY projects, accessories, and stationery!

Anyhow, what truly surprised me were two cake toppers. Read some of my thoughts on wedding cake toppers here. The first one is from Wilton, the famous cake decorating company.
See how fun non-tacky toppers can be???

Then there was this one from Martha Stewart. I admit, I don't quite get it. A bell hanging from a flowery branch? Whatever. But it's different, and that's what I appreciate. That and the fact that all of Wal-Mart's cake toppers are super inexpensive - not a one was over $30! Here's a link to all of their wedding cake toppers - some are even able to be personalized.

Cold Feet?

What's worse than being dumped via text message? This.

Cool Winter Themed Wedding Favors

Yes, that was a pun. And, yes, I’m just as bad as Target rolling out my Christmas wares in October – but the truth is that if your wedding is in the Fall, you’ve already made arrangements for your favors. This is for you winter brides looking for the perfect little token of appreciation for your guests:


First up, the Personalized Winter Mint Tins. Recently featured in InStyle Magazine, this adorable favor comes filled with heart-shaped peppermints and is sure to remind your guests of the fabulous time they had at your nuptials. Tins may be customized with your names and wedding date or even for another wedding event (“Audrey’s Bridal Shower”).



Next, these precious Mini Felt Winter Mittens come in a set of 6 and are hand stitched in blue with a tiny silver jingle bell. Obviously, winter wedding are perfect for a Tiffany Blue color scheme, and these favors fir right in! I wouldn’t say that these favors are necessarily useful for anything though, unless your guests hung them as ornaments on their tree.



Finally, these "Icing on the Cake" Winter Wedding-Cake Candles
are also, too cute. They come in a set of 4 and, once again, are perfect for a blue/white/silver theme. Looking good enough to eat, the ice-blue wedding-cake candle, delicately decorated with white snowflakes, rests on a porcelain platter encased in a winter-themed gift box and matching “For You” tag, all accented with a sheer organza bow.

One more thing worth mentioning: if you don’t yet have your guest book, take a peek at this Snowflake Winter Wonder Guest Book and Pen Set
. When I got married, I skipped the guest book altogether, because I HATE having to stand in line and sign my name like I’m there to vote or get my driver’s license…but post-nuptials I learned why it’s so important. There were 250 people at my wedding. I probably had time speak with 75 and recognize an additional 50 faces – so now I have no record of who was kind enough to give up the evening of June 3, 2006 to share with us. Consider yourselves warned ;-)

Wedding Music: Do It Yourself!

DIY projects are all the rage right now, but they can be more trouble than they're worth, especially if you don't have time for hot glue, ribbon, and wax seals. If you can't afford a band and are hesitant about hiring that tacky DJ, give this approach a try.

Expedia - Up to 50% Off Hotels

The husband and I are currently editing our Maui slideshow for its premiere for the parents this weekend. As a little nudge to those of you who are behind on planning your honeymoons (or those who just want summer to last a little bit longer), check out: Expedia Hotel Sale: Up To 50% off Hotels - but hurry! It expires on 9/30/08!