Groomsmen Gifts

Like everything guys do, choosing groomsmen gifts was a project that took about four seconds of Mr. B's time.
He ordered monogrammed beer mugs from the Pottery Barn.

Pub Beer Mug, Pottery Barn

They're a pretty solid groomsmen gift, after all what guy doesn't like to drink beer? These ones in particular are a nice heavy weight, and the monogram is a nice, deep engraving. I know the boys will love it.
I also wanted to highlight one other cool groomsmen gift idea, something I bought for Mr. B and his brother. Etsy seller HandySam makes really cool, well-designed wall mount bottle openers:

(Personal Pic)
 

You pop the top off your beer and the cap goes into the cool vintage can, and to empty, you can just twist the can upside down. So cool!

Closeup of the opener

The seller was unbelievably fast (I got these three days after ordering them), and also offered me a discount (full disclosure, I asked for one. I always ask if I'm buying multiples of an item. I've never been denied).

Combine these with some cigars or a nice bottle of liquor (or just do them by themselves) and I think you have a very nice groomsmen gift!

What did your guy do for his groomsmen?

Tuxzilla

I have to admit something. The entire tux shopping experience has been a very Bridezilla one for me.


It started with actually getting the time to go and try on some tuxes. Mr. B's schedule is extremely hectic; he works close to 70 hours each week. So it goes without saying he doesn't have a ton of free time, but I kept reminding him that tuxes needed to get done.


And reminding him.


And reminding him.


I started to get really frustrated because I just wanted to check it off the to do list, but he didn't seem to be all that concerned. I knew that this was his job and his call, since it was his outfit, and I tried to stay out of it, but in the end I couldn't deal and called the tux shop and his family to book everyone for a Sunday about a month after I'd brought the subject up.


But you know what? The tux shop we wanted to use told us that the town prom was that weekend, and we were just in time to get stuff booked.


So I win that round.


Lost the next round though, the more important one where we actually pick what the tuxes look like. This is incredibly cheesy to admit, but my original inspiration was James Bond:

Source

I envisioned the guys in a sharp black tux, with a white pleated shirt, black bow tie, and a nice cummerbund. Something classic, gentlemanly, hot, and most notably, NOT a vest. I cannot describe my hatred of vests with a tux. To me, there is nothing that says "cheesy prom rental" like a vest, no matter what color you pick it in. Mr. B agreed with  me, and I was relieved, and expected a smooth experience.


Except when everyone tried tuxes on, guess what they liked?

THE DREADED VEST. My dad looks like a waiter in this thing. Or like he walked out of the 1800s. Ugh.


Seriously people, for comparison, check out my dad modeling the cummerbund look:

ITS SO MUCH BETTER. Classier. Less prom-y. Sharp. Sophisticated!


Yeah, no one liked it.


I have to admit I didn't handle this all that well. We were there with our parents and siblings, and I may have quoted the Men's Wearhouse commercial, saying something along the lines of, "Omg Mr. B, don't you know what they say? When everyone's looking at her she's looking at you. Do you really want me to look at you and see a vest?"


Yikes. Not my proudest moment. I was really struggling with the concept of something in the wedding not being exactly my vision. Mr. B's let me do whatever I want so far, and I was having a hard time with the idea that this time, I might not get my way.


Selfish, shameful, I know. Especially since I want to marry him even if he's standing up there in a Weezer tee.


We compromised on neither a vest nor a cummerbund, though Mr. B did order vests to have on hand, just in case he wanted it at the last minute:

I wish I could say I felt good about the compromise, but honestly I wish he'd ordered the "just in case" cummerbund too and let me convince him into wearing it. I don't know why, but I really love that look!


Okay, I'm going to try to give up the control freak tendencies and chill out. My mom gave me an earful about this situation, believe me. But please tell me I'm not alone- where have you had a serious Bridezilla moment?

For the Boys

Mr. B and our groomsmen are rabidly into music. Collectively, they play the guitar, bass,  piano, drums,  melodica, and harmonica. They’ve had some incarnation of a band since before they were old enough to drive, and I used to love to go follow them around to clubs to watch.

 

Just getting started, rehearsing in Ben's garage- ps the date on this photo is not right! This was early 2000s, before I met any of them!

The most recent incarnation, playing in the East Village. That's Mr. B front and center!

Now that we’re a little older and all working fulltime, the band is defunct, but they’re intensely devoted to their favorite musicians, who mainly include Weezer*, Ozma**, Tally Hall, and Pearl Jam. The boys travel all over to see their respective favorites, from flying to Wisconsin for PJ to camping out in line in NYC to see Weezer or Ben Folds play shows three days in a row. I think I personally have been dragged to at least four Weezer shows in the past year alone, and now there’s rumors of, God help me, even more of them. 

The other day, Mr. B mentioned he wanted to wear an Ozma pin on his wedding tux.  I loved the idea, and it hit me that we could attach the pin to the boutionnieres!  I think it would make them a little more original, while showcasing a lot of Mr. B and the boys’ rocker personalities.

Unfortunately, Ozma pins don't exist, since they were never a huge band. But a few years back, I bought a set of Weezer pins that Mr. B, GM Ben, and I wore on our bags. I still have some, so I figured we could use those, and then maybe get some PJ ones for GMs Josh and Phil. Of course, this leaves out our two brothers, both of whom aren’t super into music, and definitely aren’t into Weezer. But maybe they can represent Brad by wearing the Weezer pins anyway, or maybe the Based God has pins.

One of the pins clipped to my bag

Anyway, here is a rudimentary Photoshop mockup of what I’m thinking:

 Original bout picture source

I think my mom thinks this is trashy but I am completely obsessed with the idea. It's not even that noticeable. Also, I’ve yet to see it on a wedding blog, which makes me feel like I invented something cool. I can’t wait to see if our florist can make this happen!  I know the boys will really love this!

*I realize I'm yapping on about their great taste in music and Weezer has some of the worst music out there- that's only their new stuff! The stuff from the 90s is really what we like to hear.

**Listen to them.