Would you please put some pants on? I feel weird having to ask you twice. (courtesy of geektyrant.com)
Firstly, if I can provide any ease of mind to a nervous bride-to-be dreading her soon-to-be man’s bachelor party, it’s that men – as a whole – are pretty sad planners. No offense dudes, but many of you demonstrate lackluster skills at best when it comes to gathering and executing a well oiled plan. And after seeing firsthand how my Mister’s bach party debacle developed slowly only to and unravel quickly, I feel safe to say that the notion of poor planning is one explanation how many of these testosterone driven myths are crushed.
The other? The chivalrous men attending said bachelor party, duh! (See, fellas, I knock your planning skills, but totes believe in gentleman mojo!) Of course when movies like the Hangover (part I and II) or the 80′s classic Bachelor Party are setting the standards, it’s easy to see why so many soon to Mrs. get their undies in a bunch beforehand. But fear not, my little chick-a-dees, for there is hope beyond the Hangover!
According to an MSN report on Bachelor Party Myths, here are 10 Myths every bride should know about their man’s last fling before the ring:
Myth #1: The party must take place in Vegas. As much as most men would probably love to celebrate in Vegas, it’s not always fiscally possible. So, they will often times opt to make merry a little closer to home. Some party it locally at their favorite hot spots. Some take it back to nature for a manly weekend of roughin’ it and not showering. Still others will even choose a night in playing cards and drinking brews with their best bros.
Myth #2: Strippers are always involved. Believe it or not, ladies, some men simply don’t enjoy strippers. Shocking, right? But it’s true. Many men feel – especially as they age – that strippers aren’t a necessary part of having fun. In fact, they can think of several other things they’d rather use their moolah on than a half naked, uncomfortable dancer.
Myth #3: Everyone will get severely intoxicated. Speaking from experience, not everyone can party like a rockstar. (Especially one who’s been outta the college game for 5+ years. Oy vey.) Plus, most men have responsibilities. Even if they don’t have a wife and kids waiting for them at home, they more than likely have jobs, bills and chores or their own. All of which become increasingly harder to do when you’re milking a two-day hangover.
Myth #4: The groom-to-be will fool around with the “entertainment.” Okay, am I the only person that thinks this “myth” is too ridiculous to even be considered a myth at all? Maybe I’m just naive, but I can’t think of one guy friend, family member or otherwise that even took this into consideration. I mean, doesn’t that completely negate the point of getting married? And if that’s his interest, why propose in the first place? Silly.
Myth #5: The event is exclusive. Often times, wedding guests have to be cut to solve other issues – the budget’s too big; the venue’s too small; etc. But that doesn’t have to be the case for the bachelor party! If you’re a groom who’s only inviting family to the big event, it’s not necessary to only include them on the BP invite list. Most dudes branch out, especially if there were people knocked off because the wife-to-be wasn’t a fan.
Myth #6: Guys will lose a ton of money gambling. Again, just like Myth #1 was busted for not always being fiscally responsible; the same goes for Myth #6. Not every bachelor has dollars burning a hole in his britches, but even if he did, he’s not always willing (or wanting for that matter) to spend it on gambling. It’s a total preference thing.
Myth #7: The group will show up at a club and throw money around. Does anyone else see a pattern forming? Haha! Not all BP’s are high roller events, and even the ones that are, aren’t going to necessarily make it rain $20 bills just because they can.
Myth #8: Guys don’t do anything buy drink and ogle women. While drinking and some ogling may be standards at some, not all bachelor parties feel the need to only do that. In fact, some won’t do either at all. While my cousin’s bach party had booze, they definitely didn’t have women. They spent a whole day on a golf course playing teams and vying for King of the Green. (Go ahead, be jealous – haha!)
Myth #9: A guy only goes to the party to get out of the house. Um, I’m not even justifying this myth with a response. Everyone knows there’s 1000′s of reasons :)
Myth #10: Guys don’t miss their significant others. Aww, how sweet is this myth?? It’s true! Most dudes out on the town do at least at one point or another miss their lady half. In fact, many would even admit to sending sweet messages here and there just to remind them how much they mean. Love love love this one! See, how much nicer is it to believe in the good of guys, rather than they’re all cheating, drunk lunatics who steal, gamble or otherwise destroy their lives in one night? Much, muuuuch nicer :)
Who said you have to spend a fortune to get a bundle? Um, not this pretty little lady – that’s fo sho! Here at Marilyn’s Keepsakes, we make it a point to serve up trend-tastic goods for the budget savvy bride! After all, does anyone really want to ‘shop til they drop?’ Eeesh. Sounds painful.
Instead of dropping – be it physically yourself or things off your list in order to save – why not simply spend smarter and get more bang for each one of your hard earned bucks?? Ha! I knew you’d be on board!
I know one area that snuck up on me (and added up SUPER fast) was the inevitable rush for attendant gifts… It’s not that I ever had an issue about spending moolah on the beautiful people me and the Mr. love the most, but I just felt like we put it off until last minute; so, when we started factoring in bridesmaids gifts, groomsmen gifts… gifts for the mothers and grandmothers, the fathers and grandfathers, the flower girls and ring bearers… ushers, guest book attendants… I think you see where this is going… I started to panic juuuuust a touch.
Obviously, being partial to all my ladies, I wanted to get them something fiercely fabulous, while still leaving a little somethin’ somethin’ for the all the dudes – haha! Good thing I work at a place that could provide me just that!
<Enter Stage Right> Personalized Bridesmaids Gifts Under $25! Unheard of, you say? Too good to be true, mayhaps? Nope :) Priced with you in mind and personalized free of charge, our entire line will have your wallet looking up and asking, “Does this custom gift make me look fat?” Yes, wallet, it does, and we couldn’t be happier :)
Happy shopping, ladies, and cheers to many MANY years of happiness!
Call me sentimental or even a celebrity stalker… really it makes no matter to me, hehe! Buuuut, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that Katy Perry’s performance at that 2011 Grammys wasn’t the highlight of the show!
For cereal, the girl can perform – no doubt, but when she paired her high flying performance of Not Like the Movies with moving pictures from her and Russell Brand’s wedding day, I was swooning in my seat!
There’s just something about seeing a happy couple on their wedding day that will always give me with the warm and fuzzies: The way a groom eagerly awaits for his soon to be wife at the other end of the aisle and the way the she glows from the inside out as she makes her way to him… (Sigh)… Idk. I just la-Louvre it!
So, once I saw the pictures shine behind Katy Perry’s beautiful lyrics, I couldn’t help but a little misty-eyed. After all,
“Just like the movies.
That’s how it will be.
Cinematic and dramatic with the perfect ending.
Oh! It’s not like the movies.
But that’s how it should be.
When he’s the one,
You’ll come undone.
And your world will stop spinning.
And it’s just the beginning.”
Ha! Don’t act like you’re not impressed with my all star quarterbacking skills. Okay, okay, so I’m no Peyton Manning, but I am from the city where he hones his skills, which I fig allots me some QB talent based on proximity alone. Yes? No? Maybe?
Anyhoot, with Super Bowl XLV closing off the NFL season this past weekend, I couldn’t help but catch a little football fever and wrap myself up in the frenzy of it all. I’m a HUGE (American) football fan. Not that I don’t love European football / soccer as well, but there is just something about watching dudes in tight pants and shoulder pads battling for field position that gets my blood moving!
Mayhaps it’s my love of the game or my love of a wedding day… either way, I can’t seem to get enough of NFL themed weddings! I mean, themed weddings are already a ball, but pair it with the fun of fall tailgates, cold brews and hot athletes and what’s not to love?
Of course, to make NFL themed weddings go off without a hitch, it doesn’t mean you have to force the entire bridal party into eye black, helmets and jerseys; you can take a more subtle approach and simply play up your favorite NFL teams’ colors.
You can incorporate hue-inspired team spirit into everything from your bouquets and boutonnieres to your bridesmaid dresses and centerpieces; you may even venture into football shaped groom’s cakes, color coordinated candy bars or hand out Terrible Towel or horseshoe shaped favors.
It really is up to you! I’ve seen brides and grooms have NFL and football themed cake toppers, wedding garters, car decorations and candy coated favors. I’ve seen and even participated in a makeshift bridal party football scrimmages to be immortalized in the fun photography Hall of Fame.
From tasteful to tacky, NFL inspired nuptials can be as restrained or unhinged as you see fit. Finding your balance is half the fun! And for inspiration, please direct your attention below for weddings spun around Super Bowl Champions, the Green Bay Packers (green + yellow), the NFL’s second place finishers, the Pittsburgh Steelers (black + gold + white) and because I gotta show some love for my boys in blue (+ the most popular wedding color too!), the Indianapolis Colts (blue + white).
photo courtesy of coreyann.net/blog
photos courtesy of w-weddingflowers.com
photo courtesy of craigphotography.wordpress.com
photo courtesy of jessicaclaire.net
photo courtesy of christinamontemurrophotography.com
photo courtesy of weddingcreativoblog.com
photos courtesy of chelseaelizabeth.com
photos courtesy of mintsflower.com
photo courtesy of paperpassionista.com
photo courtesy of flickriver.com
photo courtesy of flickr.com
photos courtesy of schiemerentertainment.com
photo courtesy of simplyperfectweddings.blogspot.com
photos courtesy of redboxpictures.com
photos courtesy of truephotography.com
photo courtesy of firstfloorfilms.typepad.com
Ha! And this last one is from my wedding reception… My father-in-law, a huuuuuuge Colts fan, is surrounded by his daughter and son-in-law from Chicago… Bears fans. Haha!
In lieu of reports from the Washington Post that Prince William is suspected to wear a “custom-made, ceremonial military uniform, as his father Prince Charles did when he wed Lady Diana Spencer in 1981,” I can’t help but <sigh> at the sheer thought of it.
Like any other, red blooded, American woman, it’s no surprise that I find the notion of a groom in uniform, especially a Royal one, finger-licking lovely. (I ask in advance that you forgive any offense or vulgarity that may slip through my lips and into my keyboard, because ladies, I simply can’t help myself… Also, Tanner, I love you – hehe!)
For serious, is there anything more attractive than a man in uniform? I think not. I don’t care if a sport’s jersey, striped socks, fire proof pants or policeman pleats; there is just something about a man in uniform that easily turns this refined, young lady into this howling character…
photo courtesy of dir.yahoo.com
Oy vey.
But alas, I digress. Because while a slick uniform can turn any male up from a 6 to a 10, there is no kind of uniform that does this quite as well as the military. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard… you name it; I love it. So, even though Veteran’s Day has already come and gone, I would still like to salute all the military grooms and the lucky photographers who got to capture ‘em on film :)
photos courtesy of artfuljoy.com
photo courtesy of unitedwithlove.com
photo courtesy of atlasweddingphotography.com
photos courtesy of jessicafreyphotographyblog.com
photo courtesy of davidettinger.photoshelter.com
photo courtesy of lanierstar.com
photo courtesy of allantuan.info
photos courtesy of catiesphotography.com
photo courtesy of swuchererphotography.blogspot.com
Rent the Runway is an online store that allows customers to rent designer clothing – worth thousands in paper cheddar - for mere pennies on the dollar. Born out of New York City, Rent the Runway gives solution to the age old anomaly: “closet full of clothes, but nothing to wear,” and I have to admit, I’m rather impressed :)
Created by two Harvard Business School Jennifers - known to their friends affectionately as Jenn and Jenny – Rent the Runway houses countless name brands that you can rent out and wear on special occasions without the dramatic depletion to your checking account. With over 95 designers to choose from, they will gladly send you two sizes of the dress (or accessories) of your choosing at up to 90% off the retail cost… they even take care of the return shipping!
My girlfriend Rachel – holler, Rachie! – did this for our friend’s Lauren’s NYE wedding, and she looked absolutely fabulous! Already a b.e.a.uuuutiful girl, she rocked the reception in a Milly Kimono-me dress which retails at $445 for the low, low price of $50. See below:
Rent Here:
Wear Here:
Showin' off the duds at an NYE wedding!
With the newlywed, Lauren Lou, and yours truly! (my dress was from the 75% off rack @ JCP - boo yeah!)
**Work it out, Rach!** Rent the Runway has been featured in just about every fashion magazine, television program and most recently, they expanded their line into weddings! Whoo hoo! Now, brides have the opportunity to rent from the BEST designers the wedding world has to offer for themselves and/or their bridesmaids! Love this idea, not only for brides on a budget, but any ladies lookin’ to feel fabulous and retain savings! Check it out below:
I’m always excited when we get in new products. There’s just something refreshing about bringing in new trends to our line that gives me the warm and fuzzies, and every now and again, there comes along something that really stands out… and today, my dear brides to be, I’m happy to announce, is one of those things!
Available in several different designs, these distinctive guest book alternatives put a creative spin on what is otherwise a plain, time honored tradition. Crafted of custom printed canvas, framed with love and personalized at absolutely no cost to you, this interactive art is just the breath of fresh air every bride can look forward to!
No longer are the days of standard guest books that are all too often put away and never thought of again. Instead, hang this signature piece proudly in your home and create a brilliant conversation piece, as well as a beautiful reminder of the day you said “I do.”
**Sets include custom printed canvas, black veneer wooden frame and plexiglass covering. Click Here to view all our available styles and let the fun begin!
Can’t even believe it’s 2011 already… for serious, where did 2010 go? With the New Year comes new beginnings, new resolutions and my personal favorite, new trends! I love love love looking forward to what a new year will unfold, and from what I’ve seen, it doesn’t look like this one will disappoint!
With all the in’s and out’s of the wedding world, sometimes it’s nice to have an overview. So, this week, I’d like to give you an insider’s look into some of the latest and greatest the wedding industry has to offer – from trends and traditions to stats and spending!
As a member TheWeddingReport.com - a research company that specializes in gathering and reporting wedding industry trends, facts and information – Marilyn’s Keepsakes gladly receives firsthand knowledge about where the wedding industry’s been and where it’s going. Below are some of 2011′s latest breakdowns and forecasts based on studies, polls and research in the US :)
This section will mainly focus on the nuts and bolts of wedding spending…
Number of Weddings: How many People will Take the Plunge in 2011?
While the recent recessive struggle of years past has pointed more couples to simply walk the co-habitation line, there are still others who gladly forge forward and venture down the aisle to say “I do.” While still slightly lower than numbers from just 5 years ago, there is still an expected 2.1 million weddings set to pop off in 2011… looks like marriage is still one of the cool kids :)
Average Cost: Because Love Can’t be Measured
Like the amount of weddings since 2005, the amount spent on weddings is also down… but it’s not out! The average amount estimated for 2011 weddings will fall somewhere between the $23,000 – $25,000 range. Of course this encompasses all wedding from the outrageously lavish to the DIY dandies!
Average Age: How Old are Brides & Grooms
It’s all about first-timers! 2011 has a much greater percentage of first-time brides and first-time grooms saying “I do,” which also accounts for the slightly lower ages than past years. With about 91% of brides and 87% of grooms getting married for the first time, the average age of the bride is around 27, while the groom is slightly older (but not necessarily wiser – hehe!) at 29.
Number of Guests to Impress
It’s no secret that the economy is still all kinds of icky and because cutting the guest list is one of the #1 way for most couples to save money, the amount of people brides and grooms have invited to their big day have been on the decline for several years. However, there is a slight rise to the average from 2010 to 2011 with the average for this year falling anywhere between 140 – 150 guests!
Month to Marry: At Least there’s Only 12 Choices!
It looks June and September are the most popular months to marry; while January and February will round out the bottom two!
Haha, that play-on-words title perhaps could use a little tweaking, but instead of fannying about with the subject line, I figged it’s waaaay more important to share with you the MEAT of this post…
If you haven’t heard of this little dream come true, hold on to your hats, friends! Because when I first learned about the deep-DEEP discounting email list from my former wedding photographer, Jessika Feltz, via her Facebook fan page, I’ve been amazed! Groupon.com is essentially an email subscription list driven by consumers, localized by cities and empowered by a “no holds bar” attitude of discounting. Here, I’ll let them explain:
Groupon negotiates huge discounts—usually 50-90% off—with popular businesses. We send the deals to thousands of subscribers in our free daily email, and we send the businesses a ton of new customers. That’s the Groupon magic. (Groupon.com)
While I can’t say that I’m amazed each and every single day by the coinciding deals – namely because they don’t always pertain to me, I have to admit in the very next breath that when they do pertain to me, it provides this pretty little lady with more than a bountiful benefit. Within the last week, I’ve had offers for 52% off of house cleaning services, 72% off Zoom teeth whitening, 65% off gallery canvas wrapped prints, 60% Windsor Jewelry, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Hence why this “deal of the day” provider is so great for brides-to-be! Because you’re wedding is a once in a lifetime event, why not support it with a whole bunch of once in a lifetime deals??? Maybe 75% off car washing supplies isn’t up your wedding alley, but what about 80% off spa treatments or limo services! Or how about 75% off formal wear and personalized gifts?? That’s what I thought!
So, do yourself a favor, check it out and see what kind of budget busting savings are waiting for you!
Who needs Black Friday Sales when you can Shop with Us and save year round??? Happy Thanksgiving to all our fabulous customers and many blessings to all the couples looking forward to tying the knot in the New Year!
**Now, let’s raise our glasses in honor of our soon-to-be newlyweds**
May you treat each day as if it were your last, and each night as if it were first. And cheers to many, MANY years of happiness :)
