our friends over at marriage.com have recently launched a fantastic new version of their site where brides and grooms can ask wedding questions and receive advice from a community of experts. today we’re sampling one of their hot topics pertaining to casual weddings. check out selected responses below from a bride and groom’s point-of-view.

Women spend days, months, and even years thinking about the details of the Big Day, and when it comes to what they’re wearing, most know exactly what they want—from head to toe (down to the color of their nail polish—yup, we’re not even kidding here!) With so much pressure to create the perfect ceremony, reception, and wedding extravaganza experience, chances are that she may have already picked out an outfit for you and the rest of your crew for the big day. From cummerbunds, cufflinks, ties, and bows, some grooms live for all the impressive wedding gear. But what if you don’t want to look like a penguin in a three-piece suit, or you’re just not a very traditional guy? What if you don’t want to follow in the footsteps of traditional weddings—literally—and want to wear sneakers? We got that very question (regarding the sneaker + wedding combo) from grooms AND brides, and went to our Marriage.com forums to see how engaged couples, expert wedding professionals and married couples were responding:

To Chuck or not to Chuck: that is the question

From a bride’s POV:

One concerned bride wrote “So my fiancée wants to wear casual shoes to the wedding, and I’d much rather him wear proper, formal shoes, but he claims this is the only thing he gets to decide! I think he should really wear nice shoes—but should I just let this go?” Surprisingly enough, most female responses were overwhelmingly in support of casual shoes for the groom-to-be. One user, Chaundra M., mentioned that the original poster should keep her fiancé’s comfort in mind—“I’ve heard dress shoes can be really, really uncomfortable,” she wrote. “You don’t want him to be limping on the dance floor. I totally can understand why he wouldn’t want to wear dress shoes for that reason. Have you tried asking him if that’s maybe the reason why he’s not too keen on formal shoes? Find out the reason WHY he’s so averse to the formal shoes!” Other users responded with “Either way, heels are just as uncomfortable! Can’t you guys come up with some way to compromise? Maybe he can wear some nicer-looking casual shoes he already owns,” and “Hey, it’s HIS day too! Sneakers aren’t as bad as you think! Just make sure they’re clean…”

We agree with our female users—comfort and compromise go a long way.  If all else fails, you and your bride-to-be could always just buy a new pair of nicer-looking casual shoes for your wedding day—(think clean, uncomplicated for a formal venue or something more bright and flashy if you two plan to showcase your bold personalities throughout the day). There are tons of comfortable shoes out there which are dark-colored, stylish, and more trendy and hip (suitable for wear more than once) rather than stuffy and boring. Looking with your fiancée online or in even in stores will create tons of possibilities. Helpful hint? Try asking the shoe salesperson for some alternatives, and let him/her know exactly what you’re looking for. The new trend for formal shoes is comfort, and the new trend for casual shoes is style—both are here to stay.

From the groom’s POV:

Grooms-to-be and wedding professionals also agreed with our casual-shoe-loving-groom. One user, James B., brought up that casual shoes are actually the trend: “…If you search around you’ll come across a lot of weddings where the groom went casual on the shoes. It’s definitely not “out there”. I’ve seen many instances where they bought Converse to match the wedding colors, etc.” James B. brings up an awesome point. If she’s not comfortable with one of your regular pair of shoes, consider the popular option of the ever-classic sneaker in one of your wedding colors—your honey may be more comfortable with color-coordination than you think. Besides, clever, personality-filled details (such as these green custom-colored Converse which the grooms AND groomsmen wore at this gorgeous destination wedding in Mexico) are cute, unique, AND memorable. Cool way to add a pop of color and a twist of personality, right?  Your bride probably already knows this, but tons of wedding blogs are featuring weddings where groomsmen were a little casual, all in the name of fun. Besides, why not wear something you feel good and look good in? As James B. put it, “Remember, it’s his wedding too and if he’s attached to the idea – at least he’s involved. =)” We agree!

In the end, we think it’s all about making your day about the TWO of you—even though the bride-to-be may have had a heavier hand in planning and coordinating all of the wedding, no one wants a grumpy groom. So hop to it: compromise, and look forward to walking down the aisle in your own style.

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Thanks to all of the wedding experts and engaged couples at the Marriage.com forum for your ideas and advice! Want to see what people are saying about this topic? Check out the conversation here and let us know your opinions in the comments section below!

Do you plan on wearing cologne on your wedding day? We’ve brought back men’s health and skin care blogger Sarah Nash to give a few suggestions on men’s wedding day fragrance. If you’re a cologne kind of guy, you’re bound to be able to find something amongst these ten that fits your style.

Oh, and be sure to scroll all the way down to see our special editor’s selection.

John Varvatos

10 – John Varvatos by: John Varvatos
Masculine, sensual, and classic-sophisticated scent.
More of a winter fragrance, the key notes are: Medjool Date Fruit, Tamarind Tree Leaves, Coriander Seed Templar, Clary Sage Flower, Indian Ajowan, Auramber, Leather essence.

'The One' by Dolce & Gabbana

9 – The One by: Dolce and Gabbana
Inviting, fresh, and soft-citrus scent.
This golden juice has hints of mandarin and peach, blooms with lily and jasmine, and ends with an inviting plum and vanilla base.

'Unforgivable' by Sean John

8- Unforgivable by: Sean John
Bold, long lasting, and masculine scent.
This fragrance is masculine and has a hint of fruit to it (according to Sean John its Sicilian lemon, champagne, Tuscan basil and rum).

Armani Code

7 – Armani Code  by: Giorgio Armani
Vibrant, sexy, and smooth.
A seductive fragrance for men, Armani Code is a sexy blend of fresh lemon and bergamot softened with hints of orange tree blossom, warmed with soothing guaiac wood, and tonka bean.

Burberry Touch

6- Burberry Touch by: Burberry
Warm, Manly-man, and rugged.
A woody, musky, aromatic fragrance that is fresh and invigorating yet spicy and warm. Top notes are Artemisia, mandarin tree leaves and violet leaves. Heart notes nutmeg, Virginia cedarwod and white pepper. Finished with dry down notes of skin musk, tonka beans and vetiver.

5- Black Orchid by: Tom Ford
Captivating, sexy-rich, and worn by some of the best!
Incredibly luxurious scent. While sultry woods and rich dark accords help to bring out the skin’s natural perfume, the jet black, art deco-inspired bottle adds to the fragrance’s overall glamour.

Prada Amber

4- Prada Amber by: Prada
Courageous, fresh, and lovely-warm scent.
Mellow and sophisticated cologne for men that would reprise the theme of their eponymous feminine fragrance, namely amber. This version highlights four stages: an amber accord predictably, a traditionally masculine fougère (ferny) accord, a fresh cologne accord, and a suede accord, by interweaving notes of citrus (bergamot, mandarin, neroli), spices & flowers (cardamom, saffron, geranium, orange blossom), balsams & warm notes (myrrh, musk, labdanum, sandalwood, tonka bean, vanilla, patchouli) and ~la pièce de resistance~ soft, supple leather.

Gucci by Gucci

3- Gucci by: Gucci
Safe yet sexy, strong & spicy, and sensual scent.
Woody spicy fragrance. Top note, ginger, heart note, and papyrus. Base note olibanum. Good fall/ winter wonderland wedding

MEN by Marc Jacobs

2- MEN by: Marc Jacobs
Fresh, light, and full-bodied scent.
Lightweight figgy-musky scent best for daytime use and spring and summer. Its notes are: Italian Bergamot, Tuscan Cypress, Cumin, Cardamom, Ginger, Fig Leaves, Rose de Mai, Cyclamen, Tonka Bean, Cedarwood, Nirvanolide Musk, Provence Fig, Indonesian Patchouli, Musk

Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier

1- Le Male by: Jean Paul Gaultier
A must have, sexy-sexy-SEX, and very playful.
Super sexy and makes them want to attack any guy who wears it. Its notes are: Wormwood, Bergamot, Cardamom, Lavender, Orange Blossom, Cinnamon, Cumin, Wood, Musk, Amber, Vanilla, Tonka Bean.

Sex Panther

BONUS EDITOR’S CHOICE – SEX PANTHER

60% of the time, it works every time.

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Do you plan on wearing cologne on your wedding day? Which of these scents sound appealing to you? Tell us in the comments section below.

A special thanks to guest blogger Sarah Nash. Check out her website at SarahNash.com.

Your bride is going to want you to have a “good hair day” on your wedding day. Do you know how to do that… because I sure as hell don’t. Lucky for both of us, we’ve got friends at Lock & Mane.

Hi grooms, hubbies-to-be, best men and all you other guys heading to weddings in the next year. We’re here to talk about something very important. Your hair. A wedding isn’t just one of the most important days of someone’s life, it is a day forever recorded in infamy. Over 5,000 pictures are taken at the average wedding. That’s five thousand chances for your hair to look wonky until the end of days. And that picture will be on the Internet so that your future children can mock you even if all that crazy hair has already fallen out.

We know you’re scared now. But it’s OK. Lock & Mane is offering 20% off all products on our site now through March 10 with the code ISW2010. This discount includes our new partnership with The Grooming Lounge purveyors of fine men’s products that focus on functionality and awesomeness.

Their Beard Master Shave Oil (so small it can travel on the plane with you!) eliminates razor burn and rashes without causing the kind of build up most shave creams leave behind causing future acne.  Their Hair Goop (which contains magic fairy dust to help you look your absolute best)  provides strong hold and low shine and fits in your pocket for a touch up during the party. For all you guys who think you don’t need product. You’re wrong. End of story. Guys are always asking us, “Do I need conditioner?” Yes you do. Thankfully Grooming Lounge created a product to make things very easy called, You Need Conditioner conditioner.

Stock up now while the getting is good and make sure you put some time and effort into looking good on the big day (whether it is yours, mine or ours).

Today, we’re pumped to welcome our first eco-friendly wedding blogger to the GroomsAdvice blog. Katie Martin is one of the world’s leading eco-friendly wedding experts. Since 1998, she has designed over 1,000 eco-friendly events and has been honored in the US and internationally.

Read more about Katie here

Herban Lifestyle Etsy

Getting ready for the big day is not only all about getting the suit and the rings – you have to look your best and maybe change your routine a little if you are wanting to green you wedding day.  You are not only marrying the love of your life, but you will have a stupid amount of photos taken of you that will be on your mantel for the next 40 + years!  You also need to smell good and start prepping your face for the shave of your life.

Weddings are, for some, the first time a man will start looking seriously into new shaving products and cologne.  While cologne is a whole different post – organic and eco-friendly shaving creams and products are essential to greening your grooming routine for your wedding day (and beyond).

The above photo is one of my favorite companies, Herban Lifestyle, that I have found using organic ingredients.  It is incredibly important to look at the chemicals that you are putting on your face and the packaging that your products come in. Herban Lifestyle does a great job of taking care of both issues.

Dr. Bronner Shaving Gel

Another amazing company that has longevity and committed followers is Dr. Bronner’s. This company is widely known for its castille liquid soaps, but they have an amazing line of other products including organic fair trade shaving gel.  The gel comes in a few different scents.  The peppermint seems to be the most popular for men.  If you have sensitive skin, go with the organic baby shaving gel (who cares if it says “baby” – if you have sensitive skin – deal with it).  They also have organic tea tree, lavender and lemongrass – in which case you might not need to get cologne and you will need to base it on what your fiance likes!  The less products you use, the more eco-friendly you are!

Organic Grooming by Herban Cowboy

Organic Grooming by Herban Cowboy has some of the best looking packaging I have seen for organic grooming products.  Their shave cream is made of organic aloe, lavender and peppermint.  It has no dyes, alcohol, soaps or synthetics.  Their packaging is also recyclable.  Their products have been used on movie sets like All Good Things and Milk as well as TV shows such as American Gladiators and Medium.

DOVO Gold Etched Steel Blade

Now, on to the tools.  If you are a classic shaving kinda guy, a DOVO gold etched steel blade is the mother of all razors.  It is eco-friendly simply due to the fact that you never really need to throw it away!  If you maintain the blade – this baby will last for generations!!  Of course, you will have to learn the real art of shaving and be incredibly careful if you have never used one of these blades before.  This one is the top of the line and retails at $300.  In the end – you are probably paying that much in disposable razors over a 2 year period if you shave every day or every other day.  Never mind the fact the amount of trash that you are reducing by not using disposable razors!

Razor Saver

If you are married to disposable razors..then extend their lives by getting the Razor saver.  The razor saver is made from recycled razors and can extend a razor’s life to 75-130 more shaves! An amazing gadget for $15!  I recommend Recycline’s Preserve® razors that are made from 100% recycled plastics (and 65% of that coming from Stoneyfield Farm’s old yogurt cups).

You don’t have to make huge changes to green your grooming routine, you just have to made educated choices.

Green it out!

~Katie Martin
CEO & Editor-in-Chief
Elegance & Simplicity, Inc. (www.eleganceandsimplicity.com)
Eco-Beautiful Weddings Magazine (www.eco-beautifulweddings.com)

Take it from a guy that’s been through this wedding thing already: it’s probably not going to be the most comfortable day of your life. Now I’m not talking about battling nerves or stage fight at the altar, I’m talking about sweat…and not the kind coming from your pits. Think about it – you’re stuck out in the heat posing for photos, sitting on leather seats in the limo or even sprinting away from the church (like your friends will tell you to). You’re going to need something to keep your crotch dry. Gentlemen, I give you Fresh Balls.

Mr. Frank Brooks and his team over at Fresh Balls invented this new antiperspirant to help fight an ongoing problem facing men: the uncomfortable sweating that goes on south of the border. Hell, it even fights odor (which should help you out on the wedding night).

Fresh Balls was designed with today’s nut-sweating man in mind. It doesn’t clump on your skin or leave a power like most deodorants. And better yet, it’s aluminum, paraben and talc-free.  In English: it won’t irritate your skin. Like most of you surely are, I definitely laughed when I first heard the concept. However, after trying it out, there’s no going back.

Check out FreshBalls.com and be sure to watch the video of Frank explaining his struggle with under-the-belt sweat issues.