As we approach the spring wedding season, this year’s trends are starting to come into focus. Our personal favorites are food truck catering and video save-the-dates…but those just scratch the surface. We’ve gathered up four of our favorite people in the wedding industry to share their thoughts on this year’s groom trends.

2012 wedding season is upon us. What’s your favorite groom-oriented trend for this year? If you don’t have a one, suggest one for us.

IAN (Founder, A Groom’s Diary)

My favorite trend is that I’m finally seeing grooms get their balls back.  We’re in an era of mixed bachelor/bachelorette parties, ornate first dances and guys going for mani/pedis with their groomsmen the day of the wedding.  This year testosterone seems to be bouncing back.  I got invited to a bachelor party where the description was “I’m renting a house on the lake and buying a ****load of booze.  Let me know if you can make it.”  It was incredibly refreshing.  More basic black tuxes instead of over-thinking color-coordinated suits.  More scotch, less mojitos. More steak, less salmon.  I may sound like I just walked out of my cave, but it is good to see guys acting like guys again!

HANA ABAZA (Founder, Wedding Republic)

In general, grooms have been getting more involved in the wedding planning process and 2012 will be no exception. We’re going to see grooms injecting some of their own personality into the big day. Weddings are beginning to shift from being solely bride–centric to more couple–centric. Some great examples of this include the rise of groom cakes, a little more personality incorporated into grooms’ attire, and as we’ve seen at Wedding Republic, more grooms are actively participating in the planning process such as setting up a couples wedding registry. But fair warning… an increase in groom involvement will likely go hand in hand with a rise in Groomzillas!

KARA HORNER (Blogger & Media Director, The Man Registry)

Extreme bachelor parties. Whether it’s the residual Hangover effect or the need for some macho male bonding time, more and more grooms are going big when it comes to their bachelor parties, and they’re taking their entire wolfpack (AKA, groomsmen) with them. Why hit the local bar or strip joint when you can make a manly weekend of it by traveling to a cool destination within driving distance or a quick nonstop away? Beyond the tried and true, such as boozing it up in Vegas, think golfing at Pebble Beach, rock climbing in Utah, fly fishing in Montana, skiing in Colorado or white water rafting in Tennessee. Word to the wise: If you hear banjos playing in the distance, it’s time to head back–fast.

AZURE NELSON (Editorial Director, OneWed)

We all know what “zilla” implies—irrational, stressed to the brink, micromanaging the hell outta things…you get the idea. And thanks to one jilted groom filing suit  against his wedding photographer 6 years (and one divorce) after his I Do’s, and a piece on Good Morning America about the trend of grooms taking a greater interest in the wedding planning process, the term “groomzilla” was born. But the rise of the groomzilla is not our favorite groom-oriented 2012 trend. In fact, we think calling interested, engaged, involved grooms THIS, crazy zillas, is totally unfair! The relationship between a bride and groom, husband and wife, should be equal, so the 2012 trend of grooms taking an equal interest in the wedding planning is one we celebrate and embrace! Just don’t expect to see the word groomzilla on OneWed anytime soon…

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Now it’s your turn to chime in. Leave a comment with your favorite groom trend for the upcoming wedding season. Don’t have one? Suggest one. Leave your comment below!

Today, we are honored to have Michael Andrews guest blogging on the top 5 men’s wedding attire trends for 2011. Michael is Founder and CEO of Michael Andrews Bespoke – New York’s Designer Custom Tailor that crafts high-end yet affordable menswear with a modern flair.

The 2011 Groom: Coming Soon to a Wedding Near You

Michael Andrew Bespoke’s Top Five Groom’s Attire Trends for 2011

1. For formal weddings, we are seeing a real trend toward slim fit one-button midnight blue tuxedo with peak lapels.  Dark blue looks richer under evening light and provides a better contrast against the black satin on the lapels.  When the jacket is cut trim through the waist, the peak lapels help accentuate the shoulders for a flattering silhouette.

2. We are also seeing a strong trend toward less formal weddings.  Roughly half of the wedding outfits we make are suits instead of tuxedos.  For destination weddings and daytime summer weddings, we see a lot of cotton and linen suits. For evening weddings, we are doing a lot of charcoal grey and midnight blue suits.

3. We are also seeing very few tuxedo shirts with traditional pleats or a bib front.  Most guys are opting for a more simple, updated style.  The most popular is a classic spread collar shirt made in a rich piqué fabric that gives the shirt a more luxurious and formal appearance. The hidden button front offers a clean, formal look and eliminates the need for tuxedo studs.

4. A return to the bowtie.  For the past few years, long black ties had eclipsed the traditional bowtie in popularity, but we have seen the bowtie come back strong this year.  Opt for an oversized velvet bowtie to make a statement.

5. The perfect groomsman gift: matching custom shirts and ties.  It gives a degree of consistency to the wedding party while still being personalized to each groomsman.

To learn more about Michal Andrews Bespoke and to browse their collection of suits, dress shirts, overcoats and more – visit their website.

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How do you feel about Michael’s picks for 2011 groom trends? Anything that you’d like to see on the list that isn’t? Let us know in the comments.

Guest Blogger Profile: Jennifer Napier of OneWed.com

The groom's growing involvement in wedding planning is a 2010 wedding trend.

Over at OneWed we recently released our list of Top Ten Wedding Trends for 2010. We wanted to make sure that you, the men in our lives, knew about one of the biggest trends: It’s the rise of the groom. Fight it all you want, but today’s groom is expected to stand up and make his opinions known (editor’s note – just ask The Groom Says & Ben the Groom). Of course, that also goes along with standing up and pitching in with the work. The pay-off is totally worth it though, a wedding day that revolves around the two of you, not old-fashioned opinions about what is and isn’t appropriate. So enjoy, you are officially trendy!