Free Tuxedo Or Suit Rental From Men's Wearhouse

Men's Wearhouse is the quintessential location for renting tuxedos for a wedding. With so many locations around the United States, it's so convenient for everyone. Plus, the groom can get a Free Tuxedo Or Suit Rental From Men's Wearhouse, which helps stretch your wedding budget.

For more ways to stretch that, check out all of our ways to save money.

Affiliate links are included in this post and A Bride On A Budget may make a small commission if you use them.

A woman picking out her wedding dress is a really long process. At least, for most women. I know there are some brides who bought the second dress they tried on, but the majority of women I've spoken to have tried on many dresses before finding the one.

For men, it's a little easier. You are pretty much restricted to a couple stores, one of which is Men's Wearhouse (the "brother store" if you will, of David's Bridal).

At the beginning of planning, I told Pete that no matter where he gets his suit, he needs the ties and pocket squares from Men's Wearhouse because my bridesmaids got their dresses at David's Bridal and so the colors will be identical.

And then, on the first mail day after that conversation, a coupon for a free tuxedo or suit rental from Men's Wearhouse came in the mail.

Free Tuxedo Or Suit Rental From Men's Wearhouse

Of course, the mailer from Men's Wearhouse was addressed to Pete, but he was sitting right by me when I was going through the mail, so I opened it.

Inside was a card to bring to Men's Wearhouse when you book your wedding party tuxedos. There was an offer for a free tuxedo rental for the groom and $40 off every tux rental for the wedding party.

That was in 2014.

The offer is still around, just a little different in 2024. I'm not sure if you need get a coupon in the mail, but you can just mention it when you go to Men's Wearhouse.

With six fully paid rental packages (a coat, pants, shirt, tie, and jewelry, which is cufflinks), the groom will receive a coupon for $250 towards a rental or purchase. When the six are paid for, it will generate the groom's coupon, which will be mailed 14 days before the event.

Originally, Pete didn't want to wear a tuxedo. He was set on a suit. But when we got this card, we noticed the photos of the men that accompanied the coupon card didn't look like they were in a tux.

"Maybe the tuxes look like suits?" I wondered.

And they do, actually. We we told that the only difference is a little silk on the lapel and silk buttons.

So if your man is on the fence, it's definitely worth a trip to the store. Pete actually went with a tuxedo, in case you were wondering.

When we booked in 2014, we had an offer for $40 off each rental package for your wedding party with coupon as well.

I don't see that offer now, in 2024, but there is a referral offer where your friends will get $20 off their rental, and, when they rent, you get $20 off. So that's the $40 total, just split up.

Honestly, I would do that. Any little bit of money that you can save really adds up.

If you're wondering, we did actually get Pete's tux rental for free with this offer. That was a great way to keep our wedding budget in check.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Did you groom rent a suit or tux?

Confused about tuxedo rentals?
Check out Pete's post about How To Rent A Tuxedo for tips about choosing a tuxedo, measuring, and everything else you need to know.

This The Best Wearable Groomsman Gift Ideas post is sponsored.

My favorite color, for my entire life, has been purple. So when I was picking our wedding colors, it was a no brainer. I wanted eggplant, and I'd add in lilac and silver just because you're really supposed to pick a trio of colors instead of one.

I wanted my girls to wear champagne-colored dresses -- and then I realized that if my color scheme was purple, their dresses should be purple. Pete didn't care, just as long as I didn't pick black.

These are all the little things that you have to decide. No one comes up you and says, "These are your wedding colors. Here are dresses for the bridesmaids and matching ties for the groomsmen." But once you finally do decide on the women, it makes picking items for the men easier.

Some of those items, you can actually give as gifts. I actually think wearable groomsman gifts are great ideas, especially if the gift is something they can wear on the wedding day and in the future.

The Best Wearable Groomsman Gift Ideas

A tie

There's a good chance your groomsmen are going to wear ties with their tuxedos. Pete wore a bow tie and his groomsmen wore long ties. It was a nice way for him to stand out while wearing the same outfit as everyone else. 

You can shop online where you can shop by color, pattern, size, and more. That's a great way to assure you are choosing a tie that will fit into your color scheme. If your groom has a favorite sports team, you can also pick up sports ties. Or ones with comic book heroes.

Try to add a little personality into your wedding, but make sure to pick something the groomsmen can wear after the wedding is over.

Purchase here.

A watch

I wanted to say ... watches are so timeless, but man, what a bad, unintentional, play on words. I do love a watch as a groomsman gift idea though.

If you're giving them, you want something really classic, like this Sanford Mezzo Watch from TrendHim. It's a completely modern silver watch, one that's dissimilar to anything we've seen before. The clock face is affixed to the glass front, and the hands spin behind it. It's gorgeous.

Pete was actually gifted this watch and he wears it every chance he gets. He is obsessed with this watch (even more than he is with the watch I gifted him for his birthday a couple years ago) and keeps telling me it's one of the best gift he's gotten.

So this definitely is a good wearable groomsman gift.

Purchase here.

A belt

Belts are so useful. I used to wear a different one every day, just to accessorize. I stopped when my style changed a little, but that means Pete has inherited my excessive belt collection. He combined it with his, and now he has a ton to choose from: including the one he wore on our wedding day.

Some of his groomsmen wore belts too, but I'm not sure if they all did.

You can assure they all do by picking out a belt as a groomsman gift. They'll be sure to wear that for years, especially if you pick up a black or brown belt.

Purchase here.

Sunglasses

We are big fans of sunglasses. I can't even begin to try and count to figure out how many pairs we have between the two of us. One of Pete's favorite pairs is actually made from a skateboard deck. They're so cool. Pick up a few really cool pairs as groomsmen gifts and they'll be sure to wear them all the time.

And, sunglasses are perfect if you're having an outdoor ceremony. That way, the groomsmen can all match and they can still all see what's going on.

Just be sure to prep your photographer if you choose sunglasses with mirrored lenses. Those will all reflect everything that's going on at all times (including the photographers, if they don't get out of the way), so you want to avoid that at all costs. 

Purchase here.

Monogramed Men's Socks

Pete loves funky socks. I buy him a pair every year for Christmas, he permanently borrows mine, and he wore a really fun pair on our wedding day. I wish that we had gotten cool pairs for all his groomsmen.

You can actually pick up monogrammed men's socks in a variety of colors. You should definitely purchase ones to match your wedding colors, then gift them and ask the groomsmen to wear them on their wedding day.

They'll be sure to wear them after, as well. Because who doesn't want a pair of socks with their initials on them (or a three letter nickname ... even if it's inappropriate like all the three letter names we put into video game high score boards growing up). Pete would love this gift, and so will the groomsmen in your wedding party.

Purchase here.

Shoes

When we got married, we told the groomsmen they could wear any shoes as long as they were black. Pete, however, wore lilac Converse -- and of course, I wore them to match.

It was such a cute touch. (You can read all about that here.) He wears those shoes every time he wears his suit now, which is every time we go to a wedding.

If you want your groomsmen to have a little more style, picking out shoes for them is a great gift idea. You can even personalize them with text on the back like we did. Just be sure to get their shoe size as soon as possible so you have time to design and order the shoes.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these wearable groomsman gift ideas is your favorite?

Personalized Wine Decanter Groomsmen Gift Idea

This Personalized Wine Decanter Groomsmen Gift Idea post was sponsored by GroomsShop.

Your groomsmen are so important to your big day. They're the ones who are going to stand next to you while you make the biggest change of your life.

Of course, you're going to want to thank them. A handshake is nice, a pair of socks is practical ... a personalized wine decanter is our choice right now.

Personalized Wine Decanter Groomsmen Gift Idea

Let's talk wine for a minute. It's very fancy. It's not hoity toity or inaccessible, but it is a bit of a step up from doing shots all night long.

And so, when you and your friends were in college, there's a good chance you had a shot glass collection on display. But, honestly, the adult version of that is a wine decanter.

Hear me out.

A wine decanter sits out at all times, filled with wine. The decanter introduces oxygen to your red wine, and that adds flavors and aromas. It takes a couple hours, so what you traditionally do is slowly pour the wine into the decanter and then leave it out.

We actually have one (that we got as a registry reward) and it is on our kitchen table at all time -- even when it doesn't have wine it is. It's just pretty to look at and adds a little bit of class to our table.

It's not as beautiful, though, as the personalized wine decanter I found at GroomsShop.com. The name is a little bit of a misnomer. The decanter itself isn't personalized. It's etched with the word "WINE" across the front.

The decanter holds 750mL, which is a full wine bottle. But the stopper is the standout of this. It's a cork ball that just sits atop the decanter. It's so pretty and modern ... and makes for a beautiful table decoration.

It also comes with a pair of stemless wine glasses and those can be personalized with either two lines of text, a single initial, or three ways to display an initial and name.

So, you have a couple options with these.

For the most part, if you're giving your groomsman two wine glasses, he won't be drinking alone. So putting just his name on it doesn't seems like the best idea. Instead, what I would suggest (if he's married already), would be to write his last name and Est. with the year of his wedding under it. That makes it really special for him -- and for his wife. Because, as you will learn during and after wedding planning, happy wife, happy life.

The set comes in a gorgeous wooden display box. I personally wouldn't keep it out on the table like that, but it does dress it up when you're giving it to your groomsmen. And that really helps. It's all about presentation.

I've actually never seen this anywhere before -- which shocked me, to be honest, because I spend a lot of time looking at wedding and bridal party gifts. I'm always trying to find something unique, so I am really happy about this.

If you're planning on buying this, now is the time to do it. Enter your email address in the pop up on GroomsShop.com for $5 off your order.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What would you engrave on this Personalized Wine Decanter Groomsmen Gift Idea?

Best Man Packing List

Are you the best man in a wedding? For a maid of honor, she gets stuck with a ton of wedding planning tasks, like stuffing wedding invitations. As the best man, your roll is a bit more fun. Basically all you really have to do, pre-wedding, is plan the bachelor party.

On the day of, you have a little bit more to remember. Like packing everything that goes with your tuxedo. And the wedding rings, if you're in charge of them.

Don't worry. We're here to help.

I put together a printable best man packing list. You can print it out and then check off everything you need as you go. That way, you won't forget anything.

Best Man Packing List

• Tuxedo - shirt, undershirt, jacket, vest, tie, pants, pocket square, cufflinks, buttons
• Shoes
• Socks
• Accessories - watch, jewelry
• Hair brush
• Deodorant
• Wedding rings
• Wedding card
• Speech
• Phone
• Wallet

Now, about that printable.

All you need to do is right-click the image below and save it to your computer. When you're ready to use it, just open the file and print it!

Are you the maid of honor for a wedding? You have a lot to remember too, even more than the groom. Be sure to check out our maid of honor packing list too.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What else would you add to our best man packing list?

5 Gag Gifts For Groomsmen (who love to drink)

A Bride On A Budget received one of these items for review. Additional items were selected without compensation or relationship with the brands(s).

I think William Shatner and I would be good friends, despite our decades age difference. When I was watching Better Late Than Never (which was fantastic, if you didn't catch it), I laughed the entire series. But often, I laughed at William Shatner's jokes. Even the one were no one laughed with him.

He laughs a lot, but takes life very seriously too. And that's me. Especially when I was wedding planning. Grooms, though, they're so much more relaxed. I guess it has to do with the fact that they don't spend too much time worrying over napkin colors like brides do.

So gag gifts for groomsmen work so much better than ones for bridesmaids. If you want to get your groomsmen something more relaxed to say thank you -- and they like to drink -- this list is for you.

Five Gag Gifts For Groomsmen (who love to drink)

1. FlaskTie
2. I'm With The Groom Bottle Opener/Keychain
3. Personalized Beer Holster
4. Medicine Flask
5. Sunscreen Flask

FlaskTie

The FlaskTie is exactly what you think: It's a tie with a flask inside. Well, not exactly a flask. It's actually a "tie bladder" that holds 8oz. of liquid. The FlaskTie is a clip on, with the back of the tie as the straw. You unscrew the bladder and find your favorite -- or handiest -- beverage. It's such a good concept. I mean, a tie that holds alcohol?

The tie does get a little heavy, though, so keep that in mind. Pete wore it during my brother's wedding rehearsal but took it off before the dinner because it was weighing him down. It still looks like a regular tie, despite the tie bladder being filled, which is great. Someone suggested making a mixed drink and then funneling that into the tie ... although that wasn't something anyone thought of until after it was filled. Straight bourbon probably wasn't the best choice.

The tie comes in many colors, which you can on Amazon. These would make really great groomsmen gifts, especially since ties are a pretty common gift idea. This is a lot cooler than a simple tie ... and it's one the groomsmen will probably wear again and again and again.

Purchase here.

I'm With The Groom Bottle Opener Keychain

So often, we see "I'm with the bride" stuff -- bachelorette party shirts, koozies, etc. -- but couldn't we use more groom stuff? That's who the groomsmen are with, right? Well, check out this I'm With The Groom Bottle Opener/Keychain. It's a keychain with a bottle opener on the back, which is actually brilliant. I've been at too many parties where people are looking for bottle openers. If there's one on your keys at all times, well, that just makes life easy.

Purchase here.

Personalized Beer Holster

We watched The Three Amigos recently and there is a great duel in it. Of course, they should have been dueling with beer instead. Well, your groomsmen can. Get your groomsmen a personalized beer holder as a thank you. It can hold a can or bottle (of beer, soda, whatever) and you can have it personalized with initials or a nickname or, well, nothing at all.

Purchase here.

Medicine Flask

So this list used to have the boo booze first aid flask on it, and that was my favorite. But it is currently unavailable. No worries. This Medicine flask is just as good. Anything in that flask can sure cure what ails you ... or your groomsmen.

Purchase here.

Sunscreen Flask

This one is so funny. You can actually pick up this sunscreen flask for your groomsmen. It would probably be best if you were having a destination wedding -- and if your groomsmen were packing luggage. I'm not sure this would work in a carry on.

Purchase here.

BRIDAL BABBLE: What would you fill the FlaskTie with?

Looking for more groomsmen gift ideas?

Check out our Top Ten Groomsmen Gift Ideas post.

Wedding Toasts: Yay Or Nay?

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

We've all been to weddings. You're sitting at a table surrounded by people -- some of which you know, some you don't. You stick your fork into a piece of filet, and as you raise it to your mouth, you hear the sound of a glass clinking emanating from a nonspecific location. It starts with one, then three, then 12, then pretty soon everyone starts turning their heads aimlessly, trying to find where and who is about to make the next toast.

Oh toast, you are not just a delicious food item. You are not just a noun, but a verb. Yes toast, the old wedding tradition. Like many things in the world -- be it technology, film, literature, etc. -- the potential for good or bad lies within. It all depends on the person delivering it.

I think anyone who has been to a wedding can attest that toasts run the gamut from boring, mean, drunken, or spiteful to hilarious, engaging, nostalgic, or inspiring. With that being said, today's topic is: Wedding Toasts, yay or nay?

Wedding Toasts: Yay Or Nay?

When considering whether or not to even have a toast in the first place, I think several things need to be considered:

1. The couple.
Is either the bride or groom (or both of them) introverted? Shy? Sensitive and easily offended? If you answered "yes" to any of these, then you probably shouldn't even do a toast. The last thing you'd want to do is ruin the bride's special day that she's been dreaming about since she was a little girl. You'll never hear the end of it, and in her mind you'll always be the jerk who ruined her special day. If, however, you would actually like to have that title, then go ahead and bust out with a surprise toast, resplendent with dirty jokes and awkward, embarrassing stories.

2. The guests.
Think about the people who will be at the wedding, the best man and maid of honor in particular. Do they even feel comfortable giving a toast? In general, I don't think most people even want to do a toast. 

3. Willingness.
If nobody even wants to do a toast, don't force them. Keep in mind they may already be silently annoyed at themselves for agreeing to be in the wedding in the first place.

So if the couple has a sense of humor, aren't uptight or easily offended, and/or embarrassed, and you have a person willing to do a toast, then it's safe to proceed to consider if the person is someone who you think will actually give a good toast. Make sure you trust the judgement of the person you pick and that is someone you know will nail it in the way you want it nailed. Keep it short, sweet, funny, and engaging.

Asked to give a toast? You might want to check out this book for tips!

BRIDAL BABBLE: Are you planning on having wedding toasts at your wedding?

Top Ten Groomsmen Gift Ideas

A Bride On A Budget received two of these items for review. Additional items were selected without compensation or relationship with the brands(s).

Coming up with a groomsman gift idea is so hard. I don't really know why it's so hard, honestly, but every bride I know gets stumped. And yes, this does end up falling on the brides' shoulders often. So, in case you're trying to come up with groomsmen gift ideas, don't worry. I have you covered. I spent so much time thinking about ours so you don't have to. To make your life easier, I put together a list of our Top Ten Groomsmen Gift Ideas.

Top Ten Groomsmen Gift Ideas

1. Travel mugs
2. Monogrammed Soft Side Cooler
3. Personalized Beer Tasting Set
4. Personalized Leather Watch Case
5. Hand Forged Cap Opener
6. Personalized Wall Mounted Bottle Openers
7. Matching Tie & Cuff Links
8. Custom Tie Bars
9. Engraved Drinking Glasses
10. Groomsman Stein

Travel Mugs

1. Travel mugs.
I figured the best way to start this list off would be with the groomsmen gift idea we actually decided on. We got each of Pete's groomsmen an engraved travel mug with a Starbucks gift card inside.

Our wedding was a destination wedding for everyone but us. All of the groomsmen had to travel to us, plus they had to travel home. A travel mug was perfect. We had their initials engraved on them, stuck the gift card inside, and that was that.

We got them ones that are all silver, so they all matched. If you want the travel mugs above, click that link.

Purchase here.

Monogrammed Soft Side Cooler

2. Monogrammed Soft Side Cooler.

My backup idea was to get the groomsmen a monogrammed soft side cooler. We go to the beach all the time (beach season is basically March til September here), and we are always packing a cooler. Plus, we have a pool in our complex so we pack a cooler to go to the pool for a couple hours when it's nice out. A monogrammed cooler is something that I know we would get a lot of use out of, so I figured Pete's groomsmen would too.

And then I realized all but one of them lived in New York. And the beach is not close to our New York home, so this might not get as much use out of it as another gift. If you have groomsmen who are always tailgating at sports games or concerts, or just live close to the beach, this is a great idea. Plus, you could fill it with your groomsman's favorite drink.

Purchase here.

Personalized Beer Tasting Set

3. Personalized Beer Tasting Set.

Speaking of favorite drinks, does your groom have a favorite beer? So many people are really getting into the craft beer movement. Pete's a big fan of them and even brews his own beer. It's very cool. Many breweries that have their own beers will offer you a flight (basically, a tasting of a few of the beers so you can see all the brewery's offerings). My brother actually bought a few whiskeys when he came to visit and him and Pete did a whisky flight in our apartment.

So how cool would it be to jump on that movement and get the groomsmen a personalized beer tasting set? It comes with the wooden paddle (which is how many flights in breweries come) and four spots for glasses. Each glass should be filled with a different beer, so it would be so cool if you mixed and matched four different craft beers to go with this.

Purchase here.

Personalized Leather Watch Case

4. Personalized Leather Watch Case.
Watches are a very cool groomsmen gift idea. It's a great groom's gift idea too (so great that I actually posted about it here). Many grooms decide to give their groomsmen watches, sort of in the way that brides give their bridesmaids jewelry so they are all coordinated on their wedding day. The only little trouble that the groomsman might run into after the wedding is that he now has more watches than space for them.

So remedy that solution before it even happens. You can pick up this personalized leather watch case. This one comes with one case and ten cushions. Place the watch on one of the cushions and present it to the groomsmen this way. It's fantastic.

Purchase here.

Hand Forged Cap Opener

5. Hand Forged Cap Opener.
Can we just stop for a moment and talk about how that photo of the Hand Forged Cap Opener from Groovy Groomsman Gifts is quite possibly my favorite photo I've ever taken in my life? After I took it and looked at the screen, I said, "That a-freaking-mazing." To myself. Or maybe to my cat that was looking at me from the window. There's no filter or edits on it. It's just the raw photo. And I'm in love.

I'm also really in love with this cap opener. It has a really nice weight to it and is branded by an artisan blacksmith, which is definitely a job you never hear about anymore outside of Westerns. So that makes this gift so unique. Plus, it is made from recycled metal and handforged when ordered. You can add up to fifteen characters on it, but I had this one just branded with MIKE for my brother. After I received it, I wished I wrote MICHAEL on it. Not that anyone calls my brother Michael, but it would just have upped the cool factor on this ... if that's even possible.

This comes in a gift box with a ribbon around it and you can pair it with some homebrew or a really rare craft beer. This bottle opener definitely deserves a better pairing than some run of the mill cheap beer.

Purchase here.

Personalized Wall Mounted Bottle Openers

6. Personalized Wall Mounted Bottle Openers
I was on Stumble Upon recently and came across a site called Capcatchers that sells personalized wall mounted bottle openers. I was instantly intrigued. See, we had gone to a BBQ at one of Pete's groomsmen's homes a half decade ago and he had a bottle opener mounted to his cooler. Oh, it was such a brilliant idea. Open the cooler, grab a beer, and pop the top right there. No hunting around for an opener. I immediately wanted to buy it for every man I knew. And Pete and I actually looked into getting my dad that cooler, but it was so expensive. So we passed and I forgot about it.

And then I stumbled over Capcatchers and the brand's reasonable prices and the idea hasn't left my mind since. You can personalize the opener with up to three lines of text and have it mounted on wood. You can get a plastic or leather catcher -- which, okay, here's the best part: it has a snap at the bottom that you unsnap to get the caps out. I think that's brilliant. Because, actually, you can mount the outdoor one on a tree and really, can you imagine trying to pull this off a tree (or turn the tree upside down haha) every time you want to empty it. You can get a magnet on the back to stick it on a fridge, screw it to a tree or wall, or add an adhesive mounting pad that will stick to (basically) any surface.

You can add a gift box when you're ordering, which I would absolutely suggest doing, because the last thing you want to do wedding week is hunt down boxes that are 10.5x3.5. Instead, just hunt down a few craft beers with bottle caps.

Purchase here.

Matching Tie & Cuff Links

7. Matching Tie & Cuff Links.

When you get married, you are (most likely) going to ask all the groomsmen to wear the same tux or suit. Sometimes, the rental will come with a tie and cuff links. But those can end up being plain and maybe not exactly what you want.

To get exactly what you want, you might have to buy a matching tie and cuff links. And if you do, that's an instant groomsmen gift idea. If you click on the link, you'll get a link to five different tie and cuff links sets. If those don't do it for you, you can always shop around. And, if you're really getting coordinated, look for a set with a pocket square too.

Purchase here.

Custom Tie Bars

8. Custom Tie Bars.

I absolutely love custom tie bars. If your groomsmen work in an office, they'll get a lot of use out of these. Plus, they will look amazing in your wedding photos too. You've gotta love any sort of gift than can do double duty.

These ones are hand stamped, so they will take a little more time to process than other gifts so you can't order them last minute.

Purchase here.

Engraved Drinking Glasses

9. Engraved Drinking Glasses.
We have a lot of glasses, but I can't say we have too many. I don't think there's such thing as too many glasses. Too many cups, maybe. But not glasses.

So I really like these engraved drinking glasses as a groomsmen gift idea. They come in a set of four, which is nice. You can add a bottle of your favorite soda or drink mix with this too, just to customize it a little.

Purchase here.

Groomsman Stein

10. Groomsman Stein.
If glass is a little too fragile and dainty for you, check out these groomsman steins. They're really heavy duty and come with a ton of different design options. We actually planned on getting mini steins for our ring bearers but I couldn't actually find them. Sounds like a good business idea.

Purchase here.

BRIDAL BABBLE: Which of these groomsmen gift ideas is your favorite?

Don't forget about the bridesmaids!
Check out our Top Ten Bridesmaids Gift Ideas post.

This Groomsman Gift Idea: Homebrew & Personalized Mug post, which is sponsored, is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

I'm arguably the worst at thinking of gift ideas for people. Actually, let me clarify that: I'm the worst at thinking of gift ideas for women.  I usually wind up just cooking a meal Lisa likes or just buying her a functional gift, like a bag of socks or a three pack of undies or something, you know, that you actually need.

When it comes to guys though, buying gifts is insanely simple: Booze. That's it. Pretty much every guy on Earth loves beer and has a favorite brand and style. This applies to liquor as well -- most guys have a favorite -- mine is bourbon ... just sayin', in case anyone wants to buy me booze for no good reason.

This leads me to today's topic: The groomsman gift.

Beer is the perfect gift for any occasion -- birthday, anniversary, Christmas, Flag Day, Arbor Day, or just any random day of the week just to celebrate the fact that you woke up to live another day. The greatest words ever spoken were by the person (rumor has it that it was Benjamin Franklin) who said "Beer is proof that God loves us."

And it is also proof that you love your groomsmen, you know, like, in a brotherly way.

There are a bunch of ways to do this -- from the pedestrian (giving each groomsman a 6-pack) to the original (actually brewing something special for the occasion).

You could also find a middle ground between the two and buy each groomsman a 22 oz. bottle of something special. If you go that route, I'm assuming you already know what each of your buddies favorite beer style is. If you don't, then find out. You can then go to your local bottle shop or beverage distributor and get a different bottle for each groomsman.

Brewing beer for your groomsmen is the most involved option and not a last minute idea. If you know how to brew, then you already know it takes three to four weeks to make a beer that's drinkable and fully carbonated.

If you don't brew, and you have a friend who does, perhaps he/she can brew up a batch for you.

A friend of mine just got married and his brother-in-law brewed three different beers, put them in pony kegs, and drove them down from New Jersey to North Carolina for the wedding. They were a hit!

You could also take a trip to your local microbrew pub and buy a couple pony kegs filled with deliciously fresh and dreamy craft beer. Ah man!

All this beer talk making me crave a fresh one ... hold on I'm going to the fridge.

Nice! I popped open a new beer I've never tried -- Starry Hill Boxcarr Pumpkin Porter. Been trying to stray away from IPA's for a little while.

Anyway, back to this groomsman gift idea.

While beer is the best thing ever in the history of the world, it's even better when drank out of a hilarious beer glass.

Groomsman Gift Idea: Homebrew & Personalized Mug

Lisa had a personalized mug made for my dad that had a caricature of him drawn on it, so every time he reaches to pick it up he gets to look at a hysterical cartoon picture of himself. Have one made for each of your groomsmen, and hand it to them with their beer one at a time, waiting long enough to give everyone else a chance to crack up before handing out the next one.

The mug Lisa got for my dad is the aptly named Mug on a Mug from Groovy Groomsman Gifts. You email them a photo and any text you want on the mug (a name, nickname, date of your wedding, whatever) and their artists work their magic. The mugs are free-handed and take about four weeks (the same time as your beer), so this is definitely a gift you have to think about ahead of time.

The photo we sent it for the mug is on the left. The proof sent back from Groovy Groomsman Gifts is on the right.

These mugs hold 15 oz. of liquid, so keep that in mind when you're figuring out how much to brew and gift. They're heat treated to help with durability, but the company does suggest hand washing. Placing this in the dishwasher or soaking it in a sink for an extended period of time may shorten the lifespan of the mug. Since the beer you brew won't last that long, you want the mug to last as long as possible.

We were so impressed when we got the Mug on a Mug. It looks so much better in real life than in the photo they sent over (and the photo was pretty good). In real life, you can really see the details and shine ... and the face does look just like my dad.

As far as timing goes in regards to how to best unveil this gift for maximum effect, I'd probably do it the morning of the wedding, when it's just the guys getting ready and drinking beers.

Before anybody has a chance to crack their first freshie you can say "Wait! I've got something very special for all of us to drink!" Hystericalness will then ensue.

Personalized Groomsman Gift Beer Mugs Alternatives

Like I said above, these take about four weeks to get to you. So, if you're searching for groomsman gift ideas now and love this idea but don't have four weeks, it's okay. You can't get this one, but you can still get the ones below instead.

• Personalized Frosted Beer Mug with Your Custom Photo
• Personalized Beer Stein Mug Custom with Your Photo
• Personalized Engraved Wine Glass

More Groomsman Gift Ideas

If you're still not sold on these, we have a few other groomsman gift ideas that might interest you.

• 6 Wearable Groomsman Gift Ideas
• Top 10 Groomsman Gift Ideas
• 5 Gag Gifts For Groomsman Who Love To Drink

BRIDAL BABBLE: Would you give this homebrew personalized mug groomsman gift to your groomsmen?

Planning A Last-Minute Bachelor Party

This post is written by Pete. For all his posts, check out this link.

As I'm typing this, I literally just got back from a friend's bachelor party, so I figured I'd write about the ins and outs of how my buddies and I implemented a last-minute bachelor party. I apologize for any grammatical errors I may make and any irrelevant tangents I may go off on. The keys on my laptop appear to be moving around on the keyboard. I think I drank enough whiskey and beer to do some brain damage. I probably won't be back to "normal" until Wednesday ... just in time to fly to Florida to see some friends and enjoy another weekend. I'm my own worst enemy.

We planned this last-minute bachelor party in under two weeks. It's possible, but you do need to follow my three simple steps to pull it off.

Planning A Last-Minute Bachelor Party

Step 1: The first thing we did was ask my buddy "So whadaya feel like doing for your bachelor party?" It's always fun to try and do an activity that's unique to the area where you're having the party. You also want to consider the time of year. Like, if you live by a large body of water and you're planning a summer bachelor party, you can have a boat bonanza -- water-skiing, jet skiing, or just lounging on a boat and drinking delicious booze. As far as the specific individual who is "supposed" to plan the bachelor party, "they" say the best man takes the lead (Side note: Ever wonder who this "they" is that says everything?). We didn't do it that way because we didn't have time and the best man lives in California and wasn't coming to the bachelor party anyway. Instead, we (the guys who were going) all threw ideas out, did some research, and kept it simple. You could also decide who the most reliable person in your group is and ask him if he wants to handle the planning.

My buddy decided he wanted to go to Myrtle Beach, stay at a hotel on the beach, and play golf Saturday morning. We accomplished the first two, but we went completely overboard Friday night so golf never happened. Dammit. And we made a pact before we went down that we were gonna take it easy Friday night.

Step 2: Start a mass text with everyone who you plan on inviting to the bachelor party. You can do a mass email too, if that's your thing. Doing this makes planning infinitely easier. You can all decide on a date that works for everybody, and you can exchange information as the planning progresses.

Step 3: Book everything -- quickly. Once we knew what we wanted to do, it was time to get it done. We looked at hotels by proximity to where we were golfing and to where all the fun nightlife stuff was located -- in this case Broadway at the Beach. We didn't want to book a hotel that was light years away just because it had the lowest price. I used Google Maps to look for reasonably-priced hotels on the beach that were close to Broadway at the Beach.

(Lisa's note: You can use a site like BookIt.com or Hotels.com to compare prices and find the lowest one. To make it even sweeter, go through a cash back site like Top Cash Back to get a percentage of your spending back. I always go to Hotels.com through a cash back site when I'm booking to save a couple bucks.)

We found a winning hotel that was going to be lucky enough to be graced with our charming brand of non-family friendly behavior. One of our buddies knew a good golf course that was close to the hotel (which didn't matter in the end). And Broadway at the Beach was a five minute cab ride away. Bingo, bang-o, blast-o!

BRIDAL BABBLE: What tips do you have for planning a last-minute bachelor party?