Want to spice up your wedding day look? If more formal, traditional accessories just aren’t your style (here’s looking at you, ubiquitous silk ties), we recently discovered a unique and contemporary tie collection that can help you and your groomsmen can stand out from the crowd. Consider adding a little texture to your wedding day ensembles with these stylish knitted ties from DQT, a UK-based company that services the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Perfect for more casual, rustic, handmade-inspired and cooler weather weddings, DQT’s knitted ties feature a nice chunky texture and a modern squared tip. The ties are available in a wide range of solid colors and striped patterns to fit your wedding’s style, color palette and season.

We love the idea of branching out from the traditional mold and having a little fun with your wedding style, and these handsome knitted ties really fit the bill while still creating a classic wedding day look.

Is your wedding day style more unique or traditional? Let us know in the comment section below.

Thought the groomsmen jumping photos from your friend’s wedding were cool? They’ve got nothing on these guys. With a little creativity and a lot of Photoshop, one crafty wedding photographer — Louisville, KY-based wedding photographer Shane Elliott — took these groomsmen photos from typical to next level. Check out the amazing before and after shots, first discovered here.

Grooms, if you’re looking for a fun way to incorporate your favorite hobby, movie, artist or photo your wedding, this could be a great way to pull it off. Why not inject a little humor into some of your wedding photos?

See any other amazing groomsmen photos recently? Share them with us in the comment section below.

Weddings can sometimes be a tough scene for singles (minus plus ones) to navigate. You’ll have to deal with myriad supposedly “well-meaning” family and friends asking extremely personal questions, such as: Are you next? Are you dating anyone? When are you getting married? What do you think about your younger brother getting married before you? Well-meaning, my….

If you find yourself in this tricky situation, try to sit back and relax, enjoy the free food and open bar, and let those thinly-veiled insults roll right off your bullet-proof back. Otherwise, you could end up like this poor brother of the groom, and find yourself having a meltdown in the men’s room:

Thanks to sketch comedy group Local Empire for sharing this gem.

Ever witness a similar meltdown at a wedding? Tell us in the comments section below.

You popped the question and she said yes. The two of you take a big breath together, and the planning begins.

Next up: Popping the groomsman question to your chosen friends and/or family. Sure, it’s not quite as earth-shattering as the question to your future bride, but it’s still one worth serious consideration and perhaps even some creativity. Here are six unique ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

photo credit – etsy

“Will You Be My Groomsman?” Whiskey Label If you and your future groomsmen are whiskey-loving men, this is both appropriate and fun. The personalized labels, which sport  a “Will you be my groomsman?” message, fit onto bottles of Jack Daniels whiskey. It’s tough to imagine a better way to celebrate than with a toast and a good ole fashioned shot. To top it off, continue the whiskey theme on the big day by gifting your groomsmen mini whiskey barrels, so they can create their own custom whiskey blends using Jack Daniels, Jim Beam or their poison of choice.

Cuff Links Although gifting at this stage of the game is not a necessity, it can be a nice gesture to help show your appreciation. Popping the question with Best Man, Groomsman and Usher cuff links helps seal the deal in a classy and thoughtful way. Your pals can then wear their designated cuff links on the big day, looking sharp and uniform.

photo credit – etsy

“Will You Be My Groomsman?” Card If you’re a man of few words, this mini card (or one like it) is a thoughtful and personal, yet still wonderfully simple way of popping the groomsman question. Giving a card makes the statement that having your buddy stand by your side means the world to you, while also keeping it casual and comfortable.

A Professional Shave An afternoon of pampering isn’t just for the ladies. Taking your future groomsmen out for a professional shave makes for a relaxing day for your soon to be “well-groomed” groomsmen. Your buddies will appreciate the gesture, and it will help get the wedding planning off to a refreshing start.

A Good Old Fashioned Beer  Let’s be honest, you just can’t go wrong with taking your future groomsman out for a drink at your favorite watering hole. If you and your buddy spend a good amount of time together hanging at a bar, it makes perfect sense to pop the question at a place that has sentimental value to your relationship.

Hobby It Up Do you and your future groomsman have a shared hobby such as golfing, fishing or video gaming? Keeping it simple and asking your pal to be your groomsman while the two of you are on the golf course or at a baseball game is a great approach. Consider buying him a hot dog and a beer, and then pop the question upon delivery. Or perhaps ask him to be your groomsman after a day of ultimate Frisbee. Most importantly, pick an activity that represents a solid aspect of your relationship to show your future groomsman you value his friendship.

There are ultimately many, many ways to ask your main men to become your groomsmen. Getting creative should be fun and personal. Make sure to give the idea some serious thought beforehand, so your future groomsmen know you truly appreciate their support. After all, the wedding day is also a time to celebrate the closest friendships in your life.

How will you be asking your best man, groomsmen and ushers to join the wedding party? Chime in with a comment below.

Asking friends and family members to serve as members of your wedding party can be a very rewarding experience. However, location, money and other external factors can sometimes put the groom in tough spot when it comes to these decisions. Today we tackle a question from a reader who’s struggling to assemble his groomsmen.

Q — What do I do if I have no one to ask to be a groomsman?

Believe it or not, this situation isn’t as uncommon as you might think. Whether your top choices for groomsmen can’t make it to the wedding because they’ve moved away or are serving in the military, you’re an only child or your sibling passed away or you’ve had a falling out with your buds in the last couple of years, sometimes choosing the members of your wedding party isn’t so easy. If you don’t have any obvious choices for your best man and groomsmen, such as close friends or brothers, don’t sweat it. First, there’s no rule that says you have to have more than one groomsman, or any, for that matter. But if you prefer to have at least one person standing beside you on your wedding day, consider these options for groomsmen: your father or grandfather; your fiancée’s father or grandfather; your fiancée’s brother or best guy friend; a cousin, uncle or other extended family member; college roommate; neighbor or church friend. There’s also no rule that says your groomsmen must be men. If you have a close female friend or family member, she can serve as your best woman or as a “groomsperson” and stand on your side of the altar during the ceremony.

Another great choice: man’s best friend. Why not have your dog serve as your best man for the big day? Spike, donning a tux, can either sit near the altar, rules permitting, or be walked down the aisle by a family member or friend. Either way, he’ll be there to cheer you on.

If these ideas aren’t quite your style, another option is to forgo groomsmen and bridesmaids altogether. There’s nothing wrong with an intimate wedding day focusing on just the two of you. Feel free to skip this tradition and do whatever works best for you and your bride.

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Are you struggling to find wedding party members? Tell us about it in the comment section below.