Tuxedo bootcamp

The groom may feel like a prop compared to his lovely bride, but he (and his groomsmen) has still got to dress the part. And while brides have it easy because they know from the start that their wedding dress will cost a fortune and be impossible to find, it's not easy for the groom to navigate cummerbunds, bowties, ascots, morning coats and all the other foreign words associated with wedding attire for men. So let's get into it.

What the groom and groomsmen wear to the wedding depends entirely on the occasion itself and what the bride wants the groom to wear. The good news is that the bride has been visualizing her wedding for a long time, be it an ultra-formal, ultra-traditional white tie event, a morning wedding or a beach wedding. Each of these types of weddings require different wedding wear for the groom and groomsmen. Our aim is to show you that not every wedding needs to be black tie, and that even if you're doing something very traditional, there's room for a bit of creativity within the bounds of that slightly itchy, chemically-treated, rental tuxedo you're contemplating.

Of course, we begin with one the groom's duties: get his groomsmen suited up for the wedding. It's a vastly more important task than figuring out the differences between a long tie, bow tie or ascot. Why? Because it's the groom who will have to deal with "Paul", his groomsman, who's habitually late for events, forgetful, and likely to forget to bring his rented bow tie. Sound familiar? The groom will be able to ease some his bride's anxieties by learning a bit about the ins and outs of wedding attire.

* How to get the groomsmen outfitted in tuxedos, painlessly
* An intro to formal wear for the groom:
o Tuxedo Jacket
o Pants
o Shirts
o Ties
o Cufflinks
o Shoes (and socks)
o What the hell is a cummerbund and do you need one?
o Boutonnieres (aka the only flowers a groom needs to think about)
* Morning coats
* Wearing a suit instead of a tuxedo
* Whether to buy or rent a tux
* If you're buying a tux, whether to get it custom-made or off the rack tuxedo
* Beach wedding attire (you lucky bastard!)

Get fit groom

Dear Groom. You may be fit. You may be fat. But wherever you're at, everybody who is important to you is coming to the wedding, and you'll be the center of attention on your wedding day. Better to be in the best shape of your life because your friends and family will notice and wedding photos will not lie. It's time to Get Fit, Groom!

How grooms can shed a few pounds before wedding day

Whether you have one month, three months or six months to go before your wedding, you can make some great gains in terms of your body shape and ability to properly fit into your tuxedo. The pace of the program and the gains will differ depending on how much time you have.

To get trim, you need to do four things differently:

• Eat less food, every day.

• Perform cardiovascular activity at least three times per week, but only for 30 minutes of intense training.

• Strength training with weights at least twice per week concentrating on your back, chest and shoulders.

• Pick up the intensity of training. Don't take breaks.

You do not need to spend a ridiculous amount of time in the gym to see results. In fact, you should spend no more than 30-40 minutes of high intensity training. For example, hit the gym with a goal of doing ten pushups followed by five pull ups with no break in between. You will be using your core muscles (lower back and abdominals), chest and triceps to perform a pushup. You will be using your core muscles, back and biceps to perform a pullup. While pulling up, your chest takes a break.

You'd be amazed just how much eating less is critical to a groom's success in losing a few inches before wedding day. It is the most important factor. "I'm working out," grooms may think. "I can certainly go to the Olive Garden and have an extra helping of rotini ." Wrong.

Finally, why the back, chest and shoulders? These large muscle groups are likely to show the most gain. Working your biceps is pure vanity, but it's your chest, shoulders and back that will really create total buffness!

The Groom's Tuxedo

A word of advice for the prospective groom: If you embark on any fitness plan, be sure to save your tuxedo fitting until closer to your wedding day. If you get measured for a tuxedo in December, for example, and then diligently work out for the next 3 months, be prepared to have a different physique by March. You will be trimmer, your shoulders will be larger and your waist will be smaller. In short, you'll look great, but you will need to be re-fitted for your tuxedo. Granted, that is a small price to pay for a buff bod, but you can avoid all that trouble by getting fitted later on in the process.
A Groom's Diet

To keep your metabolism in high gear (which means that your body will burn calories at a rapid rate), grooms ought to eat six mini meals throughout the day, rather than "breakfast, lunch and dinner." Instead of gorging yourself on a huge chicken and pasta dinner, have a smoothie at 3pm and a smaller helping at dinnertime.

You will want to eat plenty of protein to build muscle as well as hearty portions of carbs to fuel your cardio workouts. The goal is to tailor your daily meal plan to your daily activity level so that you consume more protein on days that you strength train and more carbs on days that you cardio train.

If your body gets used to eating the same amount of calories each day, then your metabolism will slow down (i.e., becoming more efficient at using the calories you consume) and your weight loss will plateau. The worst part is that if your metabolism becomes sluggish and you go on a 3-day eating bender, then your body won't know how to burn the excess calories that you have consumed. The result: Your body will store the calories as fat.

But weight loss isn't just about caloric intake, it's about the quality of the food you eat, as well. Our bodies are not made to digest hydrogenated oils, "FD&C Yellow #5" or any other man-made food substances. As a general rule you should try to avoid foods that are overly processed.

Where we met...

We met in a cafe-bar called Havana. Almost every day after we met, for more than two years, we went there. It became our place. People knew us , so we could go there at 8 a.m. and be welcome. Then came a time when we changed our place. I don`t know why we stopped going to Havana. After 4 years, today be came back. I had butterflies in my stomach. The place was the same, we were the same but married, now. It was just like I turned back time, but then I looked at my wedding ring. Yeap, it's real, we are married!

Have a great bachelor party...with the in-laws

Picture it: Surprise, Surprise - you were "kidnapped" by your best man and have arrived at the previously undisclosed location of your bachelor party. You meet up at the hotel with your best buddies from high school, college and work. You're ready to hit the town. You crack open a beer, relax on the sofa and who walks in? Your FATHER-IN-LAW and BROTHER-IN-LAW to be. Can you still have a great time with these spies watching your every move? GroomGroove.com and Montreal VIP have some tips for you.

Have a Plan

First and foremost, get rid of that "deer in the headlights" look you've got. It is going to be ok. As soon as you know that guys from your fiancée's family will attend your bachelor party, discuss a plan with the organizer to maximize comfort, if they haven't thought of this already. Consult your best man and other groomsmen. Ideally, they will have split the bachelor party into two distinct flavors, just like salsa: Mild, and Hot.

Mild- The Steak Dinner

Chances are, your evening will start with a decent meal. Dinner at almost any bachelor party will be fairly tame, and for your sake, you may want to make sure that this is the case. Take this opportunity over dinner to connect with your future in-laws. They will understand that this is your day and that you're going to indulge a little. You certainly don't need to tell them that. To be on the safe side, pace yourself during the first leg of the journey because with a good bachelor party, there's always more to come. Your future in-laws may shake your hand and call it night after dinner. Unless you happen to be very close with them, and feel entirely comfortable, this would be the ideal scenario. Worst-case scenario, you'll have to go with the flow.

Hot - A Lap Dance or Three

If there is a trip to a gentleman's club planned for later, you'll want to know about it. If your future brother and/or father-in-law decide to join you for the hot portion of the evening, while you don't need to warn them, somebody has to do it. A great candidate for that task is your best man. He should have a chat with the guys to lay out where you are going, and, above all, to state the obvious: that what happens at your bachelor party, stays at your bachelor party. Her Majesty will never hear a word about it. At the club, it will be impossible to escape the attention if scores of friends are pointing to you and announcing to the world that this is your last night as free man. However, it's your night out. Put on your blinders, and party.

When the Party Winds Down

If your future in-laws attend, you will likely feel a bit restricted as to what you can say and do at your bachelor party. If you think about it, that may not be such a bad thing. Because of their presence, you might dodge such cringe-worthy traditions such as having choice phrases scrawled across your flesh with permanent marker, or waking up in a pool of sweat and a dress. That's reason enough to welcome your soon-to-be dad and brother into this fraternal fiesta.

The Secret to Success
Montreal VIP and GroomGroove.com believe the secret to enjoying your last night out as a free man is to plan ahead. Whether you have a role in the planning of the party or you're just innocent victim of a kidnapping courtesy of your best man, there's nothing wrong with covering all the bases with the organizers. You'll feel more at ease and your future in-laws will feel comfortable as well. Above all else, you are the guest of honor and are duty-bound to have a great time. Plan on it!

Bachelor party guide for grooms

You're the groom facing the prospect of being roasted by your closest friends and family members. You probably have vague memories of tormenting your best friend at his bachelor party. (What was it that you wrote in permanent marker on his chest?) Whether you're pumped about a night on the town with the boys, or trembling in your boots at the thought of surviving your bachelor party, this guide is for you.
Who's in Charge?

Usually, the task of organizing the bachelor party falls to the best man. While you, as the groom, should be involved to some extent, you shouldn't have to do the bulk of the organization. After all, the whole point of the bachelor party is to show you a good time, not to test your planning skills. Aside from putting the whole shindig together, the best man is responsible for ensuring that you don't do anything that will jeopardize your impending nuptials. Whenever there is a combination of guys and alcohol, peer pressure comes back like a high school ex-girlfriend, so the best man needs to be on the ball to make sure you don't do anything too crazy. As if that's not enough, the best man is also in charge of making sure everyone is included and having a great time. It's a lot of responsibility, but it doesn't mean the best man can't have fun, too. After all, it is a party.
When to have it?

In the Spring or Summer. On a Leap Day or a Sunday or cold Tuesday in January. Any day at all, but under no circumstances will you allow your bachelor party be held the night before your wedding. Typically, the bachelor party is held 2-3 months in advance or on the Thursday night prior to a Saturday wedding.

Mild versus Wild

Long before the bachelor party, the groom and the best man should take some time to discuss the tone. With this guide, you, as groom, are merely along for the ride. Defining the tone in advance is important since it will not be possible to do so on the night of. At the end of the party, you want a party that's going to be a blast for you and keep you out of the dog house with Her Majesty. Keeping in mind that your best man isn't likely to know all of the attendees, setting the tone will also help the best man give guests a heads-up in terms of what to expect.

A mild bachelor party and wild bachelor party are likely to start out the same. While your day may involve a poker tournament, golf or go-carts, you and the boys will invariably go out for a nice dinner. (FYI: Luckily for you, the groom never pays for himself.) What happens after dinner distinguishes this bachelor party from any other. We're going to leave it to your imagination. GroomGroove.com provides information here on planning a bachelor party for your best man.
The Guests

You and the best man should also sit down and hash out the guest list. As a general rule, twenty is a good number. Anything more than that, and it will be too difficult to control if things get out of hand.

One of the easiest ways to coordinate the bachelor party is with an E-vite. That way, the best man can let everyone know what's on the agenda for the party. E-vites also help the best man keep track of who will be attending and print out the guest list, a vital, but often overlooked item.
Keeping Costs in Line

No matter where your bachelor party takes place, you've got to keep in mind that not all of the attendees will be able to drop cash on a bottle service if they've forked over money to the airline just to attend. The same goes for golf, dinner, hotels and whatever else your best man has got planned. If he's a spendthrift, don't expect everyone else to be.

A good way to cover the costs associated with the bachelor party is to sell tickets to the guests. Not only does this help pay for the event, but it also gives the guests an idea of what they can expect to spend for the evening or weekend. The price of the ticket should pay for some activities (e.g., a round of golf or admission to a club) and a meal. However, guests should be responsible for covering the cost of their own drinks.

You're the Groom, Get a Room!


Whether you are having a mild or wild bachelor party, GroomGroove.com highly recommends that you not return to your actual home after the late partying. Spend an extra $200 and get a room. The next morning you can convalesce on your own, without having to worry about what your bride will think. It's a critical but often overlooked piece of advice.
Speaking of the Bride...

Nothing will ruin a wild bachelor party like loose-lips Larry blabbing all about it to his girlfriend who is best friends with your bride. What happens at the wild bachelor party stays etched in memory alone. It's an unspoken rule. And even if she wants to know, don't you dare tell her a damned thing about how it all went down. She's only looking to feel jealous.
Being a Good Sport

One of the best parts of planning a bachelor party is keeping the groom in the dark about some of it. Once the best man and the groom have laid out the ground rules for the night, the best man will feel free to plan some surprises within that framework. You didn't specifically say that you won't dress in drag and beg hot chicks for smooches? Too bad for you. You need to be ready to dive in and roll with any surprises that come your way. Grooms need to be good sports. A good bachelor party is as much a roast as a celebration.

Staying Out of the Doghouse

GroomGroove.com has heard more than its share of stories about drunken grooms stumbling home to their bride, or worse, their future mother-in-law. A good best man will have a plan laid out to prevent a situation that could best be described as "awkward." That said, you are a man. If there is something that you don't feel comfortable with, you should express it to the best man in advance of the bachelor party. And if the situation arises during the bachelor party itself, there is nothing wrong with passing off the "fun" to another of your friends.
In Sum

You're only going to get one shot at having a bachelor party. Get ready for the ride!

Choosing your groomsmen

The Usual Suspects
Picking the groomsmen can be more difficult, even though you have several slots open. This is because guys tend to have a group of really awesome friends from high school, college or work. However, if you're unfamiliar with wedding etiquette, here are the "usual" rules for including groomsmen in your wedding party:

Your Family

No matter what your family or friends say, there aren't people who "must" be in the wedding party. Be sure to pick buddies you're close with - not guys you feel obligated to ask. If you loved beating up your brother, but he's not your "best man", don't let your mother force your hand. However, family typically comes first when it comes to the groomsmen. Unless there are some unusual circumstances involved (such as, for example, you aren't on speaking terms), if you have brothers, they're in the wedding party. That's one slot down, a few more to go.

Her Family

The same goes for her brothers. The two of you are going to be family soon, and including her brothers is a great way to start things off. This should be based on mutual agreement with your fiancee. If she is trying to force your hand and by picking her slightly annoying and boring brother, you are within your rights to ask Bridezilla to back off. It can be more challenging if your bride has two brothers who are equally qualified to be groomsmen. GroomGroove.com suggests that you either pick neither of them, or leave it for your bride to figure it out. There is no point in starting off on the wrong foot.
Closest Friends

Your closest friends are great choices. But, remember, they have to be responsible guys. Just because you love to go out drinking with a guy on a Friday night doesn't mean he can handle the responsibility of being in the wedding party. He might be a great guy, but if he's going to show up late to the tuxedo fitting session, he's going to be a pain to keep in line. Let's face it: some guys just aren't wedding party material. If the first image that pops into your head when you think of a guy is him passed out and covered in permanent marker, he's probably not the right guy for the job.

Great Expectations
When you begin asking your friends to stand up in your wedding, be sure to explain what is expected of them, and importantly, how much it is going to cost.

The basics include:

* Travel and accommodations
* Attending the rehearsal and dinner
* Renting tuxedo and shoes and attending tuxedo fittings (or buying a suit and tie)
* Planning and attending the bachelor party
* Seating guests at the wedding
* Walking down the aisle with a bridesmaid (maybe)
* Dancing with same bridesmaid
* Wedding gift (unspoken requirement, of course!)

If this is manageable for your buds, then you're in business.
A Short Word About Wedding Costs

Weddings can be expensive affairs. You need to keep in mind that not everybody in your wedding party will have the financial means to buy a brand new suit with matching navy blue tie that you've picked out. Further, if a groomsman (and his wife and kids) are flying in from California and staying at a hotel, these costs add up. You are likely to be asking your groomsmen to shell out at least $250, not including transportation.

And Finally...

At the end of a smooth flight with a smooth landing, a cabin full of passengers will sometimes applaud. If you choose the right co-pilot and crew for your wedding, that allows you to focus on what you need to do to reach that altar, expect applause at the end of this flight.

Selecting your men

Important things to know about choosing the guys in your wedding party...
An airplane full of passengers needs more than just a pilot to make for a safe and pleasant flight to any destination. That pilot needs a co-pilot, and those pilots need a crew. A wedding is no different; you are finally the pilot and so it's your task to choose your co-pilot (best man) and crew (groomsmen) carefully if this trip to the altar is going to be a successful one. GroomGroove.com is here to help.
Two by Two: Groomsmen for the bridesmaids

Just as the groom is an "extra" when paired with his bride, the groom needs to find two to four men to act as "extras" to be paired with the maid of honor and bridesmaids. You'll need to tap one guy to act as your best man, and he'll be paired with your bride-to-be's maid of honor. The other men are paired with bridesmaids. You need to think long and hard about the candidates amongst your friends and family to find just the right gents to go with her ladies. Your wedding and your bride's memories aside, the matchmaking often leads to other weddings for you to attend down the road! As a groom, you'll want to put some effort into knowing who to pick, and who to leave in the seats.

The Best Man for the Job
This is the big one. It's also typically the easiest choice to make. Take a short trip down memory lane, and it becomes obvious. It could be the younger brother you used to beat up (and, though you would never admit to it, is a much better basketball player than you.) It could be your college roommate (and former wingman). It could be your best friend from high school. The choice is very personal, but probably obvious to you. You can only pick one best man.

That being said, you need to pick someone whom you can trust through and through, because this guy will have to do a whole lot more than just planning your bachelor party. In fact, the lead-up to the Big Day will present many tasks for this person.

The best man will:

* plan your bachelor party, but also keep you in line
* lead the groomsmen and make sure they arrive on time
* hold the wedding rings for the groom on the day of the ceremony
* make sure you get to the ceremony on time
* assist you through the wedding day jitters you are going to have (trust us, they're not just a myth)
* act as legal witness to your wedding
* make a wedding toast (at minimum) or speech (better yet)
* take care of the turbulence at 30,000 ft. (like your drunken Uncle Larry) so that you (and your bride) don't even notice

You and your "Best" will be in constant contact, and since he has some serious responsibilities, it might be helpful (though not critical) for you both to be in the same city.

A Groom's Specific Tasks

With us so far? Good. There are also a number of jobs that are specific to you. Just as it's important to work together on the above items, it's equally important to show initiative and handle your groom-ly responsibilities in advance. Here's a quick list of responsibilities that will almost certainly fall on your shoulders:


* Choose your wedding attendants (best man and groomsmen)
* Select wedding attire for you and for the men in the wedding party (she may want to help)
* Get groomsmen measured up for tuxedos early, and no matter where they may be
* Arrange transportation to the ceremony for the bride, the father of the bride, the bridal party, the best man, the groomsman, and yourself
* Arrange transportation for the entire wedding party from the ceremony to the reception (Why two types of transportation? You'll be arriving separately, but leaving as a couple. While you can take a taxi or hitch a ride to your wedding, try to find something nice for afterwards)
* Arrange for accommodations for out-of-town guests
* Purchase gift for your bride-to-be
* Purchase groomsmen gifts for your groomsmen
* Obtain a marriage license
* Plan the rehearsal dinner
* Prepare a toast for the rehearsal dinner
* Prepare a speech for the reception

Some of these tasks, such as obtaining a marriage license or planning the rehearsal dinner, can be done with your fiancée, but you should seriously consider (and offer) to handle them yourself. They are fairly painless ways to arrange major parts of the wedding experience and avoid putting all the pressure on your fiancée. That's one way Bridezillas are born!
Things for the groom and bride to do, together

There's a whole host of things that you and your fiancée can do together. You should always feel free to do more - it's your wedding, too, after all, and seeing how involved you are in this event is sure to make your fiancée glad she picked you - but if nothing else, work with her to do the following:

* Set wedding budget and size (put your spreadsheet powers to work!)
* Finalize a date, time and location and book it (sounds simple, but think again)
* Select the officiant, if you are not having a religious wedding
* Book reception site
* Settle on a wedding theme and style for your reception
* Book entertainment
* Draft a guest list (this will take lots of time)
* Select and order invitations
* Mail out invitations
* Plan the reception menu
* Hire a photographer and/or videographer
* Create a gift registry
* Plan the honeymoon

Being a groom can be nerve-wracking. There's a lot expected of you, and a multitude of tasks to check off the list. However, if you only had one job throughout this entire process, it would be this: no matter how crazy things get, never forget that you love each other and that the hectic preparation period is just one stop on the road to your life together. Get involved, have your say on the floral arrangements, and get your marriage started on the right foot!

Duties of the groom

Start your marriage off on the right foot and have some fun getting involved in wedding planning. Believe it or not, there are plenty of tasks that are perfectly cut out for you!
Just think about planning a wedding. Let your mind lock onto the first image that pops into your head. If you're like most guys, you're picturing your fiancée happily picking out floral arrangements and place settings with her best friend or her mother at her side. You may not even be in the picture at all. That's okay- that's often how it is. Your bride-to-be has probably been dreaming of her wedding since she was a little girl. She may have a much clearer picture in her head of what she wants the wedding to be like than you do. This production, however, is no one-woman show. You've got to do more than just "pitch in" because you can help alleviate her stress and earn some points in the process by stepping up. The wedding is something your bride will be talking about for a long time to come.


Planning a wedding is a massive undertaking. It requires patience, dedication, and plenty of hard work. If you're not the most aesthetically-minded guy, it's okay to leave things like the flowers, wedding favors, and decorations to her. There's no shortage of other things you can do with her.
The Budget

Major decisions like the budget and size of the wedding, or key elements, such as figuring out a date and location are things that should not be decided by just one person. Sit down with your fiancée and talk these things through to see what you both have in mind. Trust us, if you have these conversations right up front, it will save you both a lot of headaches down the road.
Religious Matters

Another big issue is whether or not you're planning to have a religious service. Again, be sure to take the time to work this out with your fiancée from the start. Don't make the mistake of assuming she'll know what you want or vice versa. It is not uncommon for people who haven't even been inside a house or worship in years to insist on getting married in one. If you're a mixed-faith couple and you both want a religious wedding, you may have to get creative. It gets particularly tricky when trying to find a clergyman to officiate the ceremony. Some clergymen won't perform mixed-faith weddings, others have no problem with it. Choosing - and, if possible, meeting - the officiant together is critical to ensuring that you will have a wedding that you are both comfortable with. Religion can be a sensitive issue for a lot of people, so be sure to talk openly and honestly with your fiancée from day one.

Maids Of Honour Cakes Recipe

Recipe dated from 1525 AD when Henry VIII tried on at his court.

Ingredients

* 1/2 pint whole milk
* 2 tablespoons fine dried bread crumbs
* 4 oz butter; melted
* 2 ounces ground almonds
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 3 large eggs
* 1 lemon zested
* 2 dozen round puff pastry shells (1 to 2 inches in diameter)


Directions

1. In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine milk and bread crumbs.
2. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the bread mixture, butter, almonds, sugar, and zest; mix well.
4. Preheat oven to 350^F.
5. Fill each pastry shell with a tablespoon of filling.
6. Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
8. Garnish with powdered sugar and serve.