"Thanks for the serving bowl!"

By Guest Blogger: OneWed.com

You want to be polite. You want to write your thank you note in a timely manner, but the fact is that after the fifth serving bowl, you’re kind of out of personal ways to say thanks.

Here are some quick tips for writing a good thank you note:

1.    Keep a list of the gifts – No really, there are people who don’t know that you need to write down every gift and its giver in one place, then cross them off after you’ve written the note.

2.    Space them out – Do a few thank you notes each day, and you won’t get writer’s block and the task won’t take over your life.

3.    Start early – Don’t wait until after the wedding. If you get a gift now, say thanks now.

4.    Buy stamps and return address labels – Not being able to mail the notes right away will just make the task seem bigger.

As to the note itself, keep it short and simple. Mention the gift, mention how happy you are the giver came to the wedding (or sad that they couldn’t make it), mention how much it means to you that they thought enough of you to give you a gift. If the gift is cash call it “your generous gift” and consider mentioning something you might put the cash towards.

Sound good? You’re welcome!

By Guest Blogger: OneWed.com

“But why do we have to create a wedding registry when what we really want is money?” It’s a frequently asked question on OneWed’s advice column. There’s a two-part answer:

1.    Just because you want money, doesn’t mean that’s what you’re going to get. A lot of people do not like giving money as a present, so it’s better to tell them what you want, then to have them guess at it.

2.    Sometimes, gifts are meaningful. If you get money, I’m sure you’ll spend it wisely. You’ll pay for your wedding, your honeymoon, maybe even put a little in savings. Or, maybe you’ll pay some bills with it. But when you look at your honeymoon photos will you really remember who helped pay for that experience? Sometimes a gift can be meaningful. You probably won’t remember who gave you every last towel, glass, or dish, but you’ll be amazed that sometimes you’ll look at a vase, or even a glass or dish and remember that it came from a friend you haven’t talked to in a while, or a loved one no longer with you.

In all likelihood, you will be given money as a gift. I seriously doubt that there’s ever been a bride or groom who hasn’t been given money. But, don’t overlook the value of a few well-chosen gifts as well.

We are honored to announce our partnership with the Save the Ta-Tas Foundation.

All of us here at TheManRegistry.com along with hundreds of millions around the globe have been personally touched by this horrible disease. We want to do our part to help find a cure – so starting today, a portion from each sale at TheManRegistry.com will be donated to The Save the Ta-Ta’s Foundation. We think it’s important to share our success with such a valuable and necessary charity.

Save the Ta-Ta’s is committed to fighting cancer at every stage, including education, prevention, research, community outreach, and emotional support for those struggling with the disease. They’re motto is “Laughter Heals” and they’ve had great success establishing a very creative brand with a serious and important mission that TMR is proud to be a part of.

To learn more about Save the Ta-Ta’s and how you can get involved, click the button below.

In the wise words of Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor, there’s nothing wrong with a little “more power” or with doing things “the man way.”

AAAAOOOGGGHHH (or whatever that sound he always made was)

But, does doing things the “man way” end on the wedding day? Many grooms say that their #1 fear associated with marriage is that they’re going to become “domesticated sissies” (their words, not ours). Is this a legit fear? Will grooms be forced to put their buffers, sanders, and grinders into storage and learn how to knit? For you future grooms reading this – rest assured. Your manly days are not over. We’ve got one very important phrase for you to get used to: Honey-Do List.

Not familiar with the honey-do list? Here’s a sample:

• - Clean the gutters
• - Stain the new bookshelf
• - Install the new ceiling fan in the spare bedroom
• - Clean up the empty beer cans scattered throughout the backyard (from when you last mowed the lawn)

As you can imagine, this list never stops growing. We recommend getting prepared for these duties by planning a home improvement wedding shower so you won’t be attacking this honey-do list empty handed. You can even create a guy-friendly wedding registry to fill in the gaps in your tool collection. Some popular gifts at home improvement showers are drills, saws, wet dry vacs, and power paint equipment. Oftentimes, groups of friends or family will go in together on tool sets and tool storage chests.

Any great home improvement shower stories or suggestions out there? Let’s hear ‘em!

Sorry guys, we don't have cool registry scanners to play with at TheManRegistry.com. But, we do have the web's only wedding registry for the groom.

With the growing popularity of man showers and couples showers – it’s never been easier for the groom to bring in some serious loot off of a groom-friendly wedding registry.

Traditional wedding registries are great for items like monogrammed bath towels, dishes, and bedding, but there are certain items that groom should handle — or at least have a hand in — selecting. After all, the man is half of the wedding equation. Plus, your guy friends will want to give you something they know you’ll enjoy. It’s important to take inventory of what’s important to the bride and groom as a couple. Do you enjoy being outdoors, staying home and entertaining at your home bar, or grilling out on the patio every night?

Here are some major gift categories and gifts that lend themselves to groom involvement:

Electronics Wedding Gifts

* Flat-screen TV – parents or groups of friends may go in on something like this together
* Video game system – we recommend the PS3 for its Blu-Ray disc capability
* Camcorder
* Digital camera – waterproof ones often come in handy on the honeymoon
* Flat-screen TV mount
* DVD tower
* Party games for get-togethers – Nintendo Wii, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, etc.
* TV screen cleaner
* iPod speakers
* DVD or Blu-ray discs – must own movies or TV season sets
* HDMI Cable

Tools & Home Improvement Wedding Gifts

* Tool chest
* Tool set
* Stud finder
* Paintbrushes
* Ladder
* Dependable flashlight
* Lawnmower/weed whacker
* Ladder
* Electronic Level

Kitchen and Grill Wedding Gifts

* BBQ Grill
* Cedar planks for the grill
* Grill tools
* Grill cover
* Steak knife set
* Deep fryer
* Grilling (or guy-friendly) cookbook
* Quesadilla maker
* Meat grinder
* Speciality hot sauce or BBQ sauce

Home Bar Wedding Gifts

* Kegerator
* Wine rack
* Wine chiller
* Bartender book
* Drink kits – mojitos, margaritas, martinis, etc.
* Pub Table
* Bar Stools
* Can Coozies

Game Room Wedding Gifts

* Dart board
* Poker table
* Poker chip set
* Beer pong table – OK, this one is iffy, but nothing beats revisiting those college nights!
* Board games

Outdoors Wedding Gifts

* Tent
* Outside patio space heater
* Hammock
* Horseshoes or bags game
* Lawn chairs
* Cooler
* Binoculars
* Camping equipment

Sports Team Wedding Gifts

* Wall art or framed memorabilia
* Appetizer bowls
* Glassware, beer steins and coffee mugs
* Shot glasses
* Travel mugs
* Lamps or neon signs
* Flag or yard sign
* Blankets or pillows

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Non-wedding link of the day – We’ve been wondering why men are often referred to as “idiotic” or “moronic” by many women. I think we’ve finally found the answer with this great video fittingly titled ‘Why Women Stay Single.’

Cheers!