Plan a Wedding, Save a Penguin...

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Plan a Wedding Save a Penguin

Grooms, this post is more for you!

Groomswear has come into a whole new age over the last couple of years, and I recently got to see firsthand how far it’s come when I connected with an amazing company called Menguin!

Nathan, the owner, and Grayson, a store representative, got in touch with me to share how it all works. Not gonna to lie, I was a little skeptical that an ONLINE company could do a better job getting accurate measurements than a storefront company.

The process starts at the Menguin home page where you decide which tux you would like for all of the men in the party. They offer lots of stylish, quality options, and you can customize everything down to the socks! (Or if you’ve decided to give the men personalized socks as a gift, you can simply select the “No Socks” option.)

Your next step is to create your profile! After you have created a profile on Menguin, the company will get in touch with all of the guys you’ve listed in the system to get their measurements added. Sizing goes from 3T to Big and Tall, so they’re not leaving anyone out!

Now, let’s talk about measurements. Mengiun has developed a proprietary fit algorithm that allows them to guarantee the perfect fit. This guarantee means they will send any replacement items for free if something does not fit to your desire. They have six distribution centers strategically placed throughout the United States for any last-minute fixes with trained representatives available 24/7.

Another thing that really impressed me was that the tuxes get sent to each gentlemen’s DOOR over a week in advance of the wedding. Menguin even goes as far as asking about travel schedules in case there is any question whether the tuxes and accessories will get to someone’s home before he travels to the wedding. So forget about trying to organize all of the guys to get together to go to a storefront the day before the wedding! Between greeting out-of-town guests and enjoying rehearsal activities, you all can just focus on having fun. (Returns are as easy as putting the tux back in the box, adding the prepaid return label, and dropping it off at the hotel or UPS—done!)

And how can you not love a business that benefits penguins?! For every tux or suit rental, Menguin donates to a nonprofit that helps save, clean, and relocate penguins that have been victims of oil spills. Bonus: You can even enter to win a trip to visit the adopted penguins in Chile!

So, grooms, this cool company is definitely an option you can bring up to your fiancées to keep the task off of her to-do list. Beyond taking care of the menswear, if you want to get a little more involved in planning, here are four other areas that you could take on or assist in researching for her:

Work with your DJ to build a playlist

Most DJ companies have an online profile for each of their couples to create different lists and choose songs for all the special moments. Obviously, you don’t have to do all of these, but you may want to select music for these times:

  • Bridal party entrance
  • Newlyweds’ entrance
  • Cocktail music (Often if you give your DJ a desired genre, he can go from there)
  • Cake cutting
  • First dance
  • Father/daughter dance
  • Mother/son dance (More recently, I have seen a combination of father/daughter and mother/son)
  • Anniversary dance
  • Garter toss
  • Bouquet toss
  • Last song of the night

Select beverage options and bar items

Typically, venues and bartending companies will have a range of packages that you can choose from, but they will have you select the specific types of wine and beers that you would like, along with whether you would like a specialty drink of some sort.

Set up your wedding website

The wedding website is SO important, especially for out-of-town guests. Weddingwire and The Knot.com have a variety of templates available, so you can simply select one and incorporate your personalized information. The main items that need to be included on your wedding website are: the ceremony and reception venue’s names, addresses and time of ceremony and reception; a note if it is an outdoor ceremony/reception; hotel accommodations and special instructions on how to reserve a room; any specially arranged transportation; and places that you have registered. And I highly suggest adding a picture of you two so that guests know they are in the right place!

Organize wedding day transportation beverages and snacks

Be sure to check with your transportation company first, but most companies will allow for alcohol as long as everyone on board is over 21 years old. Some school bus companies also require the beverages to be in aluminum or plastic. A couple things to keep in mind: Don’t have too many options of beverages—one beer and one cider or wine is typically just fine; soft coolers are easier to transport and move around; add a trash bag or two for empties; include snacks that are not too messy (so no Cheetos :-) ); pack some waters, a wine/bottle opener, and some clear plastic cups!

There are many times between your engagement and your wedding day when you’ll see a look of “Oh my goodness, this wedding planning stuff is a lot of work!” in your dear fiancée’s eyes. In that moment, offer to take over or help out in one or more of these areas. You’ll relieve a little of your future bride’s stress and contribute an extra personal touch. Getting involved in the planning—however you choose to do so—will make your big day that much more special!

X♥X♥,

Christine M. Darden