Guide for Grooms

Your wedding day is one of the biggest moments of your life, and standing by your side will be the guys who’ve been there through it all—your groomsmen. Whether they’re childhood friends, college roommates, or family members, these are the people who’ve had your back long before you put a ring on it. And while the wedding is a huge milestone for you, it’s also a time to show appreciation for the people who’ve helped you get here.

Choosing the right gifts can feel like one more thing on an already overwhelming to-do list, but it doesn’t have to be. The best gifts aren’t just another item to check off your wedding planning list—they’re meaningful, memorable, and practical.

Here’s how to find the perfect groomsmen gifts without overthinking it.

Make the Gifts Personal

A great groomsman gift should feel like it was chosen specifically for the person receiving it. While you could go for something generic, a personalized touch makes all the difference.

Engraving initials, monograms, or even an inside joke from your friendship turns a simple gift into something they’ll actually want to keep.

A good place to start? Personalized accessories—things like engraved watches, custom wallets, or a sleek pocket knife with their name on it. These items are stylish, useful, and make your groomsmen feel like they’re getting something made just for them.

Make the Groomsmen Gifts Functional

A cool gift is great, but a cool gift that they’ll actually use? That’s the ticket.

Some of the most well-received groomsmen gifts are the ones that fit into their everyday lives seamlessly.

If your guys enjoy a good drink together, custom barware like an engraved groomsmen whiskey decanter is a solid choice. If they’re more into coffee, a high-quality, personalized tumbler or espresso set can be just as thoughtful.

Want to get them something that they can wear during the actual wedding? A personalized groomsmen cufflinks gift set may be a great option.

The key is to think about their lifestyle. What would make their day-to-day life a little better? Do you live somewhere where you’re constantly blinded by the sun? A sleek pair of groomsmen sunglasses for the whole wedding party are an affordable and simple choice.

And if none of those strike your fancy, there’s always the functional classic…personalized socks!

Go for Timeless Gifts

Trendy gifts come and go, but some things never go out of style. Classic, high-quality gifts that last beyond the wedding weekend are always a smart move. You do want them to actually use it, right?

A great example? Personalized groomsmen watches make for everyday utility, or something like a leather travel bag—practical, durable, and something they’ll appreciate every time they pack for a trip.

Keep it Cohesive

While each of your groomsmen is unique, you want your gifts to feel intentional and tied together. That doesn’t mean they all have to get the exact same thing, but they should all feel like they came from the same place.

For example, if you’re gifting personalized tumblers, you could pair them with their favorite coffee or a set of whiskey stones. If you’re giving engraved pocket knives, consider including a sleek keychain or multi-tool to match. This makes the gift feel complete and more thought-out.

Add a Thoughtful Note

No matter what you choose, the best way to make your gift meaningful is to pair it with a personal note. A short, handwritten message thanking each groomsman for being part of your wedding—and your life—makes the gift much more memorable. It doesn’t have to be long or poetic, just something that shows your appreciation.

You can also add more personalization to each gift with things like childhood photos, their favorite snacks, alcohol nips or anything that is ‘them’. There really are no rules, so don’t get too hung up on thinking there is some perfect way to do it. Just do what is for them.

When in Doubt, Keep It Simple

At the end of the day, the best gifts aren’t about spending the most money or finding the most unique item on the planet. They’re about showing appreciation in a way that feels personal and sincere.

If you’re looking for something that checks all the boxes—personalized, useful, and stylish— check out Groomschoice for a selection of high-quality groomsmen gifts that fit any style.

Your groomsmen have been there through thick and thin—it’s only right to send them off with a gift that says, “Thanks for being part of my story.”

I always like to do a review of what is trending in the wedding world and while our style of photography and video tends to shy away from trends. (We opt for a more classic true to life look) We still like to check out what new ideas are out there for incorporating into your wedding and sharing them with you!

1.) Hometown Weddings - While destination weddings have been a thing this past decade, especially after Covid and people being cooped up for so long the prohibitive costs for traveling somewhere for the guests are starting to take their toll. Couples are starting to focus on hosting an event where they live again. And doing what feels authentic to each and every couple is very much in style! Luckily, Colorado is an amazing place to get married at so if you're a local or this is your hometown planning an amazing event within the Rocky Mountains can still give you the destination vibes!

2.) Statement Fashion for both the Bride & the Groom! Wardrobe changes between the ceremony and the reception as well's putting your personal style stamp on your outfit are very hot right now. Couples are adding color to their own outfits and sometimes doing two or three different changes throughout the day! Make sure you consider how much time it takes to do an outfit change as any time doing that is less time you can spend with your guests enjoying your party!

3.) Private Vows - I saw this a few times last year. Couples wanting to share that intimate moment where they share the promises they make to each other privately. Most of the time this is done immediately following the first look and can be very emotional. During the actual ceremony an abbreviate quick "I Do" vow is typically still said in front of the guests. It still makes a wonderful moment to capture on photo and video!

4.) Restaurant Weddings - Finding a cool, chic restaurant with amazing food not only takes the guest work out of finding a caterer, but may even be more affordable since food is prepared there on the regular. The past couple years I've covered a few events where the couple chose to elope first either a year in advance or possibly just a few months earlier on a beach somewhere or someplace fun like the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Then they came back to Colorado and had a very relaxed reception with close friends and family at a restaurant or chic venue. Some couples still incorporated some wedding traditions like cake and toasts, while others just wanted a laid back get together with none of the regular traditions.

5.) Changes in the Wedding Party - Couples have been restructuring wedding parties for a while. Gone are the days of just bridesmaids and groomsmen. Bride's are having their best male friend stand up beside them. Groom's are having their sister act as their "Best Man". Grandma is now the flower girl or maybe you chose some fun comedic guys to be "Flower Boys". For some couples who've already had the expense of being in someone else's wedding they are opting to not have a wedding party at all. This not only saves you and your friends money, but also can cut out a lot of drama associated with pleasing a bunch of other people! This doesn't mean you can't still have photos with your friends. It just means they don't have to buy expensive matching outfits or plan bridal showers and bachelor getaways.

6.) Drapery is making a comeback! Using fabric to cover up unsightly building flaws has been a magic tool for wedding planners for years, but using it purely for it's atheistic value is very much "in" right now. Some couples are using draping fabric for backdrops and others are into draping entire ceilings. The effects add an element of luxury to any event!

What is Definitely on It's Way Out......

1.) Neon Signs - What used to be a way to customize your wedding had its moment and is defiantly on the down trend.

2.) Bouquet & Garter Toss - This one has been disappearing for a while... couple are waiting to tie the knot until they are a bit more mature and singling out the few friends that are still not married seems a bit taboo.

3.) Bow embellishments.... Yes, this looked great on a runway, but I don't believe it ever really took off for the common wedding.

4.) Champagne Towers - Who wants to spend money and waste that much booze just for a photo! Think about a champagne wall instead or fun signature cocktails!

5.) Wedding hash tags.... they were only popular for a hot minute! Couples are now providing a QR code to scan and upload the photos the guests are taking with their phones. I recommend saving sharing your code at the reception so you can still have an unplugged ceremony. You'll want your guests truly engaged and then your photographer doesn't have to work around the people holding phones.

6.) Eliminating wedding favors. This is a great way to cut an expense as well. As a photographer who has been to many weddings I can tell you that most favors get left on the table at the end of the night unless it is food or something that can create a memory like a photo-booth print. Nobody wants an item engraved with the couple's name and wedding date on it to display in their home. So go ahead and cut these items from your budget! But if it's something you've dreamed of doing think about it from the guests experience and what they would want to take home.

If you've just started planning your wedding you are probably feeling a little overwhelmed about all the options for every service available for weddings. How do you know who to trust? Who is going to show up and do a great job for you on your wedding and who is just a snake oil salesman? This is a valid question, especially when it comes to choosing a photographer and/or videographer for your event. There is no set of licensing that can tell you if a photographer is a professional or not and since anyone can purchase a camera and start selling themself as a photographer it can be hard to tell who is legit or not. But there will be signs, some not as obvious as others. Here is my list for vetting photographers for your wedding ~

1.) Is this company registered as a legitimate company in the state they are doing business in? The Secretary of State in every state keeps a meticulous record of those who have filed the correct paperwork to be in business and are paying taxes. The first step is to utilize their online features to check and see if the company you are considering using is registered with the state! Someone skirting the law about businesses practices should already be taken off your list.

2.) Pricing! Photography is usually going to be one of the higher ticket items for weddings. Usually if a company is advertising their service at way below the market price in the area there's a reason for it. Either they haven't been in business very long or they are booking quantity over quality. What I mean by quantity over quality is that they are booking more events then they can safely handle by themselves and thus sending others to cover the work under their business name which can mean you could be getting someone without a lot of experience covering your event. There have been quite a few horror stories lately in the news about couples having their photographer cancel last minute, not showing up at all or delivering subpar photos or none at all. Typically, someone charging closer to the going rate for the area is going to be in business for the long haul and know what it costs to stay in business and charges accordingly. They are also going to have more of a stake in providing an excellent product so they can continue staying in business.

3.) Online reviews and/or a client list that you can speak to. While we all know that online reviews can be faked a company with no reviews or very poor ones should defiantly be a red flag. A company with a lot of really great reviews or just a few bad ones are usually legit. Reviews can for sure make or break a business. If the company does have some bad ones it might not mean they are horrible, it just means that they are not able to please everyone 100% of the time. Look at how they respond to those bad ones. Do they offer up solutions or make excuses? Use how they handle bad reviews as another good judgement of character.

4.) Do you like the quality and style of their work? If you like the price, but haven't gone through sample images that they provide and you end up surprised when you get the images back about what they took or how they edited them, you can't be surprised if they look exactly like samples on the company's website. Most companies are going to post work that will be very similar to the quality they will provide. The exception would be someone starting out who steals images from another photographer, uses stock images etc. This unfortunately does happen! I'm a follower of a person that has a whole blog committed to exposing people who steal other photographer's work and try to pass it off as their own! One way to check if the images are the photographer's or not is to do a reverse image search on google. By doing this you can see other sites that the image is being used on the internet. Sometimes the photographer uses it on different sites for advertisement. A red flag would be if the images on the site are attributed to a photographer with a different name or business. Either their images are being stolen or the photographer is the one stealing them. A photographer using "watermarks" (their company logo) on the photos is usually doing this to ensure you know who created the images so that they get credit where it's due.

5.) Ask to see a full wedding gallery! Why is this important? Because photographers usually choose their best images to put on the portfolio pages of their website. The ones to draw you in. I guarantee even the worst photographer can come up with one or two images that are portfolio worthy for their website. The key is to make sure that they can still deliver amazing photos from an entire event. Now I'm not saying every photo is going to be awesome! But I am saying they shouldn't be afraid to show you an entire event so that you can get a really good sense on what types of images you would be receiving from a whole wedding. Bonus points if they have shot at your venue or a very similar one!

5.) Have a conversation with them! The last thing I would do is narrow down the top two or three choices in your budget and reach out to them to set up a consultation. An in person meeting is always the best, but next to that a zoom or phone call to discuss logistics and what you are looking for. Ask about equipment (do they mention that they have back-up gear) ask about plans for emergency coverage and anything else pertinent to the event. This is a really good idea on how to gage the photographer's personality and how they will handle things on the day of your event.
Red Flag answers:
- I only have one camera body and don't see the need for an additional one (translation: I don't have enough money or I haven't been in business long enough to invest in more)
-I'm a natural light photographer I don't ever need to use a flash (translation: I don't know how to use a flash which is always needed at some point for indoor and night time events)
-I don't like taking group photos so I spend as little time doing those as possible (translation: I'm only going to focus on the fun candid photos, I don't like to direct people so you probably won't get the important group photos you need)
- Or the opposite - The group photos are going to take 2+ hours (translation: I don't know how to do these quickly and efficiently and these photos are more important to me than you getting on to your party, there is a happy medium!)

Here is a list of questions that you may want to ask during your interview:

1.) Take me through a typical wedding day and your process. What does a full day of wedding coverage with you look like?
2.) How would you describe your photography style (e.g. traditional, photojournalistic, fine-art, moody)?
3.) If your style is mostly candid, will I still get formal, posed portraits (and vice versa)?
4.) Are you the photographer who will shoot my wedding? If so, will you have any assistants/second-shooters with you on that day?
5.) What type of equipment do you use? Do you have backup equipment?
6.) What about a backup plan if you are unable to shoot my wedding for some reason?
7.) How will you (and your assistants) be dressed?
8.) Is it okay if other people take photos while you're taking photos?
9.) If my event lasts longer than expected, will you stay? Is there an additional charge?
10.) Do you have liability insurance?
11.) What is your refund/cancellation policy?
12.) How long after the wedding will I get my images? Will they be viewable online?
13.) How many final images should I expect to receive?
14.) Do you help with creating an album? Can I see some album designs?
15.) May I have a list of references and/or a link to reviews?
16.) If I hire you, when will I receive a written contract? What information do you need from me before the wedding day?

Gut Check! Questions to Ask Yourself:
- Does your personality vibe with the photographer? This is the person you will spend most of the day with (even more time than your spouse) if you're not comfortable with them it will show in the photos.
- Do you feel a connection with their photos? Don't just book someone because they meet your budget.
- Are you comfortable with this person's communication style and level of customer service?
- Did the photographer listen well and address all of your concerns?

Contemplating a weekday wedding? The rising costs of tying the knot have ignited a trend towards weekday celebrations, particularly since 2020. Here's some genuine insight into the advantages and disadvantages:

Benefits to think about:
1. Dream venues might become a reality with weekday discounts offered.
2. Weekday scheduling could lead to a smaller, more cost-effective guest list, though the party size could be impacted.
3. More sought after vendors are likely to be available during weekdays.
4. Weekday travel and accommodation often come with reduced costs which is great for guests attending.
5. Fewer guests at a weekday wedding can create a more intimate, relaxed atmosphere and allow you more time to spend with them.
6. More setup time might be offered by venues on weekdays as they may not have as many back to back events planned.

Potential drawbacks:
1. Some venues or vendors may not operate or host weddings during weekdays. Some of those are possibly churches, school halls, and recreation centers.
2. A smaller guest list might not suit those aiming for a big fun dance party.
3. The weekday hustle and bustle could affect the liveliness of your event because some guests will need to work the next day and they may leave earlier.
4. Events planned with short notice (2 months or less) might be tricky for guests to get time off work to attend.
5. A later start time might be necessary for guests arriving from work.
6. Unpredictable weekday schedules may lead to last-minute cancellations.

Asseseing these points will guide you in deciding if a weekday wedding matches your vision and what your guest list can manage. It's important to reach out to your VIP guests (close family and friends that you really want to attend) and asking them about potential conflicts that would keep them from attending your event before you put the deposit down on your venue. And if you're serious about doing a weekday event give your guests as much notice as possible doing "Save the Date" cards a year or more out if you can.

We decided to go ahead and update our website this year. Our old site was beginning to look a little out dated and our blog was starting to lose some of its functionality. Because of this I decided to move over to a new company for hosting everything, but sadly I will be unable to transfer my old blog unless I painstakingly want to copy and paste every single article I've written in the past seven years! Because of that I will continue to host just my blog at my old website for the time being here

http://crystalinephoto.com/blog/

I have one even older than that if you are interested in seeing some of my very early work here, dating back to 2005 before blogging had really caught on. You can see where we started just 6 years into my business! Wow! How time flies!

http://crystalinephoto.blogspot.com/

We'll be seeing some new posts soon featuring weddings and other events from 2023! Enjoy