Cufflink Contest + E-Session News

Alright, a couple quick notes from the east coast:

1. No pressure, but we've got some great entries for out Thermometer Cufflink contest, sponsored by BridesVillage.com. Leave a sweet idea for a personalized engraving (2 lines, 15 characters per line) on either the original post, The Groom Says Facebook page, or both!

Top the other entries, and you'll walk away with a kick-ass pair of these, customized with your smart-ass engraving:


Contest ends Sunday at midnight, PST. Winner to be announced Monday.


2. As many of you know, 2Es and I own and operate our own photography business (responsible for 95% of the images you see on this here blog), and we're thrilled to announce that our most recent "Nerd Chic" engagement session is featured on THE KNOTTY BRIDE this weekend. Check out the post HERE.

3. Oh, and scroll through recent posts to read through Justin and Audrey's French wedding recap (in two parts). English speakers welcome.

Alright, I'm on vacation. No one bother me.

Have a great weekend!
brian

Groom-Friendly Giveaway: Thermometer Cufflinks!

If there's one thing men love, it's shiny jewelry ... particularly when that jewelry is functional. Real men call that "fashionable functionality."

So today on The Groom Says, we have a special treat for all the real men out there -- and for all the ladies who want to gift something to the fashion forward men in their lives. BridesVillage.com, a great resource for wedding accessories, has agreed to give one Thermometer Cufflink Set to one of our loyal readers.

(Yes, as in, there are thermometers in the cufflinks.)

(Yes, they are both working thermometers.)

[click image to enlarge]

"Wow, is it like super hot up here at the altar, or is it just me?"

The thermometers are mounted into polished silver sidewalls and are seriously bad-ass, technically speaking. And to top it off, the cuffs come with a silver-plated, lightweight polymer case that comes with custom engraving and is virtually indestructible. 

(Okay, I made up the "virtually indestructible" bit.)

The Groom Says: never lukewarm

To enter our GROOM-FRIENDLY GIVEAWAY, just leave a note in the comments section below and/or on The Groom Says Facebook page, telling us what you might engrave on the case. It can be humorous, sentimental, clever, offensive -- just keep it to 2 lines, 15 characters per line (letters and spaces are both considered characters). I'll be picking the best one from the bunch, and that person will receive a (wait for it) FREE pair of Thermometer Cufflinks (w/ engraved case) from Brides Village. 

So comment below AND/OR comment on the TGS Facebook page. Do both, and that'll give you two separate chances to win ... provided you come up with two awesome (separate) engraving ideas.

Go on. Get creative.

And once you've done that, you're entered! Reward yourself by checking out the variety of groomsmen gifts available on Brides Village ... like this 1GB USB Flash Drive Keychain (geek groom) or this Deluxe Travel Cooler (outdoorsy groom). I'll announce the winner on Monday, August 22nd.

Let the comment wars begin.

- - -

Photos by Joanna Wilson Photography

Groom-friendly giveaway courtesy of Brides Village. Contest ends midnight PST on Sunday, August 21st. In full disclosure, Brides Village has provided me with a pair of these sweet cuffs (pictured above) in exchange for this post ... so I know first-hand how bad-ass they are. They'll most likely make an appearance at the next Twitter "Meat-Up."

Groom-Approved on etsy: geek vintage cuffs

A classy cuff links collection from San Francisco-based retailer QA CREATE.

Vintage $ cash register keys

 Retro robot cuffs

Industrial steampunk gear and cog metal cuffs

 Old school Pacman arcade tokens, plus dozens of subway, metro and bus tokens from across the country and select international cities

  ---

Please note: QA CREATE is not a sponsor or in any way affiliated with The Groom Says, which means that I genuinely like their shit.

The Ultimate Groom Point: surprise gift for the bride (or groom)

As far as I know, this isn't a thing. I mean, it may have been a thing at one time or another, like a traditional thing, but it's certainly not a modern day thing or anything.

But to be sure, I snuck over to TheKnot's Q&A with Carley Roney and found both a Q and an A on that precise topic. Carley's response?

"It is an optional tradition for the bride and groom to exchange gifts -- the night before the wedding, the morning of, or once the festivities are over."

Aha, there it is. Traditional. Optional. Which means, considering all those last minute things that are not optional, it doesn't happen that often...

...but if I can reach out to the gents for a minute here: Men, here is your opportunity to shine. Chances are, unless you yourself are a wedding planner, and you're marrying a woman who lives in Antarctica with no internet access who's arriving the morning of the wedding ... she's done more work to get here. She's put in more hours, made more phone calls, visited more venues. This is your chance to say, in a very personal way, "Despite all this chaos, I haven't forgotten that this day is about you and me, and I want to thank you for everything you've done to make it happen."

Our destination wedding made things a little tricky, but with a little help, I was able to make it work. I had the gift shipped to a friend's office in New York and asked now-brother-in-law Patrick to pick up a gift bag and some tissue paper the morning of the wedding. Partway through getting ready, I sent one of my boys upstairs (the girls were directly above us, actually) to deliver the gift: a coffee mug camera lens that 2Es had been raving about for months (but hadn't bought, for whatever reason) with a handwritten note. She never expected it.

Only $24 on Photojojo. And that's not 2Es, by the way. That's just a well-lit stock photo woman with a similar tint of hair.

The mug is so authentic-looking that one of our photographers mistook it for one of his lenses -- until he realized that it was completely hollow. The gift also came with this plastic dinosaur, which became the mascot for the wedding and lives on a mantle here at the house.

Dino-myte

If your bride is into photo gear like 2Es, check out the Photojojo store for cool, cheap gift ideas (as well as sweet props for photo sessions).

Ladies -- if your groom hasn't already splurged on his attire, maybe slip him a pair of these kick-ass mustache cufflinks before he slips into his tux. (Starting at $60 from Uncrate)

As Carley suggests, it need not be extravagant. Lord knows you've spent enough money getting to this moment, so it's really not about that. It's about showing your better half that you know precisely what this day is about. And if the gift comes with a mascot, so be it.

5 Cuff Link Sets That Won't Bore You to Death

Chris Easter from The Man Registry has stopped in to clean out my fridge and rant momentarily about the impressive collection of groom-friendly cuff links that he keeps in his closet at home ... which, coincidentally, are also available at TheManRegistry.com.

Rant on, Chris:

Looking for a gift for your groomsmen that will actually be used for years to come? Cuff links are a great option. Guys can wear them and look dapper not only on the day of the wedding but at plenty of other formal or semi-formal occasions in the future. But rather than giving your guys the ubiquitous monogrammed version, why not go with something a little more interesting to let them know how much you appreciate them? Today there are many creative cuff link sets available, designed to fit the unique personality and interests of almost any guy.

Here are some options to consider:

Secret Agent Cuff Links. The name's Bond. James Bond. Give your favorite international man of mystery these tubular-shaped silver-toned cuff links, which feature a secret compartment that can be unscrewed to reveal a thank-you note or a more traditional "your mom" joke.

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna walk your mom down the aisle. Boo-ya."

Spiderman Cuff Links. Perfect for the comic book lover, the guy who's nostalgic about his childhood action figures, or your third cousin who's got a serious Andrew Garfield man-crush, these Spiderman head cuff links come packaged in an engraved silver-toned case that can be imprinted with the recipient's name or a special message, such as Thanks for being my best man - and my superhero!

Spidey's gonna shoot his web when he sees these 

American Flag Cuff Links. Whether you support the left, the right, or the Rent is Too Damn High Party, love of country is (hopefully) the one thing that binds us all. Our American flag cuff links come packaged in an attractive, personalized silver-toned case featuring the name of the recipient, making them an ideal gift for a military or any patriot.

These puppies just one-upped the flag pin

Airplane Cuff Links. It's a shame that the airlines don't give out that those plastic, clip-on airplane wings anymore. Fortunately for you, we've got the next best thing. Any pilot, airplane aficionado or world traveler will love these spitfire airplane cuff links, which also serve as a nice segue into a conversation about the mile-high club.

Interesting story about how I got these: see, I pushed the attendant call button, and my shirt somehow came unbuttoned...

Horseshoe Cuff Links. FACT: 88% of groomsmen that wear our horseshoe cuff links end up going home with a bridesmaid. The other 12% end up puking their guts out after closing down the open bar. I like those odds... 

...but I'll probably still end up in the bottom 12%.

Be sure to check out The Man Registry's engraved cuff link collection. Also, don't forget to take us up on our offer of free shipping on all orders over $149.

- - -

Chris Easter is co-founder of TheManRegistry.com -- the leading website for all things grooms. After struggling to find guy-friendly wedding resources during the planning of his own wedding, he co-created The Man Registry. The site offers a unique wedding registry for men, custom groomsmen gifts and a wealth of content aimed at helping men survive in the world of weddings.

Also check out The Man Registry's blog at GroomsAdvice.com.

Inspiration #12