10 ways to “man up” your wedding

Your husband-to-be may not care about creating floral arrangements or picking the perfect invitation font, but there’s a good chance he still wants a say in the wedding plans. Unfortunately, he may assume there is no room for a masculine touch.

Check out these 10 ways to add manly flair to your wedding so the groom feels just as much a part of the day as the bride. After all, the day is for both of you!

1

Order a grooms’
cake

Although the wedding cake is supposed to be for both the bride and groom, the end result is usually flowers and frills. Make your man feel better by ordering a special groom cake that reflects his hobbies and interests — like golf or guitar. Check out places like Sweet Grace Cake Designs in New Jersey for groom cakes.

2

Organize a pre-wedding golf tournament

Since most grooms don’t have a bachelor party the day before their wedding (sorry if you thought The Hangover was a realistic movie), this is a much more relaxed way to encourage some male bonding before the wedding. If your wedding is being held at a golf course, it makes it even easier!

3

Elect him leader of the DJ/band search

This is one of the few aspects of the wedding planning that doesn’t involve decor, and he can listen to cool DJ mixes as he weighs the options. Once you choose the DJ or band, enlist your fiancé to create a song list (you have veto power, of course).

4

Rent a classic
car

Ride into the sunset in style with a classic car. Your man can cruise the internet for rental options while listening to that DJ mash-up. Companies like Something Vintage Something Blue offer classic car rentals for the big day, like ’37 Buicks and ’34 Plymouths.

5

Customize cufflinks

Custom cufflinks add a special touch not only for the groom, but also for his groomsmen. Nothing says manly like a pair of mustache cufflinks or golf club cufflinks.

6

Put him in charge of the money

Whether it’s tipping, negotiating prices or handling the budget, it’s likely your fiancé will take pride in managing the wedding fund. If he likes spreadsheets and math, you’re in luck!

7

Have a cigar
bar

What’s more symbolic of a celebration than a cigar? Add stogies to the reception and watch men’s eyes light up with glee. You can go the extra mile with an on-site cigar roller such as On-Site Cigars Entertainment. Just make sure you know the smoking rules at the venue before you make any decisions.

8

Add a masculine accent color

Instead of choosing two hyper-feminine colors for the wedding decor (like peach and rose), consider a more masculine accent color like dark gray, hunter green and chocolate. In addition to choosing masculine colors, you can incorporate masculine textures like wood into the wedding decor.

9

Show off his
craftsmanship

Hand your man a hammer and nails and ask if he can make things for the wedding like wooden boxes for centerpieces, or if he’s really handy, an arch! But before you approach him, know his limits. If you think this will be a fun (and feasible) project for him, go right ahead. But if he doesn’t have a carpentry bone in his body, steer clear of this suggestion or you could create a pride-crushing experience.

10

Serve craft beers or custom cocktails

Men and beer go together like strawberries and chocolate, peanut butter and jelly… you get the idea. Putting your man in charge of a creative drink menu will make him forget about the endless array of table linens you had him choose from. An added touch to the beer supply: Order customized wedding beer labels.

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