Thursday, June 14, 2012

one more thing.

(If somewhere in the midst of this blog, my writing starts to sound like shameless promotion for my friends and their awesome idea, it's because that's exactly what it is. Deal with it.)

Of all the wedding advice I could've given you in Parts I and II, I cannot believe I may have forgotten the best one --

DO always look your best.

Before you say something ridiculous like, "Why does it matter? It's not my wedding!," let's get real -- once we enter adulthood, proms, homecoming dances and college formals are over. Unless you join an adult frat or manage to snag yourself a date to an adult frat party, which I've been known to do, the opportunities for dressing up, drinking for free and getting loose on a dance floor are really are limited.

So why wouldn't you want to look your best when the opportunity arises?

For ladies, the possibilities are truly endless - statement necklaces, asymmetrical hemlines, funky shoes - fashion may be the only reason I'm glad I'm a girl. So many pretty things to chose from!

For guys, it's not as easy. Suit. Shirt. Tie. Shoes. Bo-Ring.

That is, until now.

Much to my surprise and delight, I recently discovered that one of those pages I hastily "liked" on Facebook - Brackish Bow Ties - was actually the brainchild of my friend Ben.

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For his wedding, Ben, an avid hunter and fisherman, decided to make custom bow ties out of turkey feathers for himself and his groomsmen. The bow ties created a buzz at the reception and people wanted to know how they could get one of their own.

If you've been around this blog for a while, you may remember that it was Ben who taught me how to smoke a cigar all those many months ago when I was still doing new things in preparation of my 30th birthday. Clearly he's classy guy. While I was at first surprised to find out he had created Brackish Bow Ties, I'm so impressed with his creativity and the product.

It's a bow tie made out of turkey feathers. What a uniquely awesome idea, and one I happily endorse.

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Like pin stripes, from a distance the Brackish Bow Tie is neutral -- and looks like your ordinary bow tie. Up close, however, the bow tie is completely different from anything I've ever seen before. It's cool in a not-trying-to-be-cool kind of way.

Wouldn't you like something better to talk about at a wedding then your sucky job? And wouldn't you like to know that your bow tie is made by a person (one really nice, cool person named Ben whose wife just had a baby) and not in some sweat shop in a country you can't pronounce?

That's what I thought.

Check out Brackish Bow Ties here. Like them on Facebook here. Follow them on Twitter here. Read their hilarious blog, written by my friend Jeff, here.

Have a great weekend everyone. I'll be back next week to tell you about my girls' weekend in Athens. It. Was. Epic.

Friday, June 8, 2012

wedding tour, part two.

The second stop on Wedding Tour 2012 happened just one week after my trip to Santa Rosa for Emily's pre-wedding festivities. Maribeth and Scott's celebration at the Solarium in Decatur was a great time - it has also provided me another opportunity to bestow upon you more unsolicited advice about how to hit the wedding circuit in style.

So here we are, Wedding DO's and DON'Ts from a self-proclaimed professional, Volume II.

DO get married at the beach with just your immediate family and then have a party one month later to celebrate the nuptials, a la Maribeth and Scott.

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Two parties means two opportunities to wear your beautiful dress. DO it.

DO take advantage of what professional photographer's call the "Golden Hour" -- the last hour of sunlight that provides optimum lighting conditions for pictures.

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DON'T expect anyone else to care about the "Golden Hour."

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DON'T underestimate the power of a spray tan.

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DO admire the band's singer's sequined cityscape vest. DO NOT touch it without his permission.

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DO make sure the bride has her own tambourine.

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DO make a dance circle with your girlfriends when the band plays Journey. It's super cliche and dorky, but I'm pretty sure it's un-American not to.

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DO Roll on the River. Trish can show you how.

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DO make new friends.

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But definitely DO keep the old.

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When you fear the wedding might be winding down, DO make plans to go somewhere afterwards. Once you arrive there, DON'T let anyone but your friends use the jukebox.

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DO cheer loudly when a new person arrives to the after-party. And if the spirit moves you, welcome him with hugs.

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And whatever you do, DON'T stop taking pictures until the very end.

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I am so happy for you, Maribeth and Scott! Congratulations!