I mentioned the manshower a few issues ago and I thought I would re visit it, cause it has so much potential. So…lets the obvious themes out of the way shall we? The scotch bar, the tequila bar, the vodka, gin, and any other booze related bar theme. While these are all good and fine to use, I want to suggest some more creative themes you can have for your Mighty Manshower. I made a reference to a signature drink theme which you can check out on the She said, He said blog. And if you missed the original Manshower article, check it out right here

Spuds For All

I grew up in England and in England there was a little food place called “Spud U Like”, it was a shop that sold huge baked potatoes and you could put whatever you liked on them (I know England isn’t known for its food, but this was a great place)This is a great theme and relatively cheap as well. All you need are big ass spuds. When you send out the invite to your Mighty Manshower, let the attendees know that this is what you’re doing. They have to bring their favorite topping for a baked potato, simple right. Well this goes well beyond cheese and bacon bits. Think chili, baked beans, gourmet cheeses and a variety of really good meat. Imagine a baked potato smothered in Blue cheese and steak strips. The toppings are endless really. This also works for hotdogs.

It’s A Manly Man, Man, Manshower

As guys we love sports…I know whenever I can, I head to the bar with my friends and watch the UFC fights. Good times. You can have a sports themed Manshower. Get each of your friends to pick their favorite sports team, wear that jersey and bring a dish that is well known for the city that team hails from. Philly is known for steak sandwiches so you better hope you have a friend who likes a team from Philly. Chicago is known for deep dish pizza, New York for its thin crust, of course you run the risk of your buddy who loves the LA Lakers to show up with sushi…but you get the idea. Get some great hi-lite DVD’s and some beer and there ya go! Don Cherry’s Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Hockey is always a crowd pleaser.

You’re The Don, The Godfather, The Big Canoli

The Sopranos may be off the air and Michael Corleone is probably sleeping with the fishes by now, but that’s no reason you can’t dig into a great plate of pasta “just like mamma used to make”. The mafia themed manshower is so good, anyone who snitches about it will be fitted with concrete shoes. All your guys come as their favorite gangster, try to think past the obvious ones and get creative. The Simpsons have a whole mafia family to draw inspiration from. Have them write down who they are, they must stay in character the whole night and you get to guess who they are. Onto the food, pasta of course and plenty of red wine. Put some classic Mob films into the DVD changer, push play and enjoy.

Simon’s Gutsy Groom Advice

First and foremost, if you’re having booze at the Mighty Manshower, don’t drink and drive. Make sure you have places for your guys to crash or get cabs or Keys Please. I always love a party with a good theme, I live for my annual Halloween parties. So put your head together with your best man and come up with one kick ass theme for your Mighty Manshower. Remember, this has nothing to do with your stag. It’s a shower like the one your fiancé has. Gifts are up to you, but if she’s getting stuff I honestly believe you should as well.

Stags can be expensive for all involved, if you go to Vegas or the Playboy Mansion (Next party is on June 6th, details to follow) I had a groom head down to Carnival in Brazil for his stag. The Mighty Manshower can be hosted at a friend’s place or even your place. I suggest having a large space, preferably with a rec room and/or dedicated TV room. And hey, if you’re worried about the clean up, you can always have your buddies chip in to hire a house cleaner for the next day.

And if you guys want any more advice or ideas on your Mighty Manshower, you can get me at simon@gutsygroom.com

Now go the theatre and buy a ticket for “I Love You, Man

In planning your wedding, you, like many others, may be wondering if wedding favors are a necessity.  Well, the answer to that is really just a matter of opinion! 

In a poll done on www.theknot.com, the results were a complete split.  Those for wedding favors all said that it was the least a bride and groom could do to say “thank you” to their guests for sharing their special day with them.  Those against said that good food and a nice time should be enough to say “thank you,” and that unless they are edible or a donation to charity, they are a waste of time.

Using your wedding favors as a way to give to charity is a great idea.  It can make your special day even more grand.  Here are some ideas of ways you can give.

You could plant a tree in the name of each guest who attends.  It’s very easy to do- just go to the donate-a-tree section on www.arborday.com and do it all online!  The cost is 1$ per guest.

Another easy way to give back is to donate to the victims of crime and disaster.  For example, in memory of the victims of September 11, you could donate to the Twin Towers Fund. 

Other great ideas if you are looking to donate to a national cause are SavetheElephants.com, Sierraclub.org, or GreenpeaceUSA.org.   You can also check out the IDo Foundation.  Don’t forget, too, that there are probably many local causes in your area that could use your support as well.

If you do decide to make a donation in the name of your guests, make sure to let them know!   A simple card placed on the tables for guests could explain the donation and thank your guests for sharing the occasion with you.

Of course, there are endless amounts of other ideas for wedding favors.  Kate Aspen has tons of favors to choose from that reflect your your style, your personality and your vision of the perfect wedding.

As you may have noticed, it is becoming more and more common to receive a Save the Date card in the mail before the actual wedding invitation.  Does this mean, now that you are engaged, that you should be sending out Save the Dates?

It’s not a bad idea!  If you are planning a destination wedding, or if your wedding will take place during a holiday, Save the Date cards are especially helpful.  But, no matter what kind of plans you have for your wedding, your guests will appreciate the advance notice.

Save the Date cards can be mailed out as early as you want, but make sure you have given your guest list some thought first, and make sure you mention that an invitation will follow.  Then, make sure that everyone who gets a Save the Date card also gets an invitation. 

Keep your Save the Date cards very simple.  All you really need to include are your names, date and location.  One fun idea is to send out magnets with the information printed on them.  That way, a guest can put it on their refrigerator so they don’t forget!

My husband Simon loves to troll the blogs and he always sends me the coolest stuff to make me laugh. And did this ever make me laugh hard!!

Rachel Hadiashar of Merge Weddings made the group photo interesting again by getting everyone to wear a mustache!! Even Gramma wore one and the results are hysterical and definitely worth a look. You can view all her photos of this stache’tastic wedding by clicking here.

If you want your very own stache filled wedding you can purchase the oh so wearable staches here.