Speaking of Weddings...

[NMMB]

So,

The "Wedding Day Shave" thread got me thinking about my upcoming wedding. Specifically, I am trying to think of "thank you gifts" to give to my groomsmen. So far I have picked up a bowl of soap from SCS for each of them (Thanks Sue!), but really don't know what to add to the gifts. I was/am considering adding a tube of Taylors/Trumpers/etc to each gift, but I can't help but feel that it would be a little redundant. I don't especially want to get the typical, un-original engraved flask/stein/etc (in addition to being kind of "typical" - no offence to anybody who may have given one of these - I think that it would be kind of inappropriate since 3 of the 4 guys don't drink much). So I'm asking, do any of you have any ideas? What did you give out at your weddings? What have you received as a "thank you" for being a groomsman? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[letterk]

The soap bowls are a great idea. A little pricey, but a brush to go with the soap?

 

[mrob]

That's what I was thinking. Depending on how much you wanted to spend, you could do Omega boar brushes for ~$10 each, or get the C&E best badger brushes for ~$35.

IMO, its the brush more than any other single piece of shaving paraphernalia that sucks guys into wet shaving. Once you have the brush, there's no returning.

 

[NMMB]

John, Mitch,

Brushes are a great suggestion... but there is a "but"... You see, I know that at least 3 of the 4 guys have brushes (I'm uncertain about the 4th - though, it is possible that he has one as well)... also, I would like to maintain some pseudo-uniformity amongst the gifts (i.e., all of the gifts are roughly the same), so throwing a brush into one gift, but something else into the others doesn't really appeal. If I were going to give brushes I would want to be able to give something at least as good as the ones that the guys already have (who wants a gift that is inferior to something that you already own?) and that would simply get too expensive.

Are there any other suggestions out there? I know that a lot of the B&B'ers are married men, so many of you have been through this...

 

[mrob]

How about a nice kit bag? My aunt gave me a beauty when I was 18 and I still use it 30 years later.

Maybe tuck the bowl of soap inside?

 

[letterk]

Wow! All your friends are wet shavers? That's great. I'm slowly converting some of mine.

 

[letterk]

What about an engraved stainless steel shaving bowl?

 

[boboakalfb]

You mentioned that some have brushes but do they use DE's or cartridge razors? If cartridge, then maybe a merkur HD razor...

The bowl and shaving bag are great ideas also...

 

[SSLStudio]

What about some Cologne or decants of top notch Cologne ?

John Varvatos comes to my mind is the latest in nice cologne that any men will like. Id say B&B Cologne but that is a very tricky one you must be 99% sure he will like it B&B is complex. Varvatos is nice and complex without being too complex

 

[Kyle]

NMMB,
Any though to getting all of them one of the new injectors?

 

[roughrider]

NMMB,
Any though to getting all of them one of the new injectors?

Great idea Kyle.

 

[roughrider]

How about some high-end Floris shaving soaps in beautiful wooden bowls?


http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3246

 

[NMMB]

Wow! All your friends are wet shavers? That's great. I'm slowly converting some of mine.

Well, I have 4 groomsmen (3 are my brothers) and I know that two are "wet shavers"; One (younger bro) uses a DE (Futur) and the other (friend) uses cartridges of some type (I think). Of my 2 older bros I know that one owns a brush and uses it sometimes, but he uses cartridges (whatever is newest and coolest) and is apparently fearful of DEs and straights. I don't know if my other older brother has a brush or not... actually, I don't know anything about his shaving routine at all (though, this is the only brother that I've lived with since I started university about a decade ago).

I'm still unsure what to do here... but I do like the ideas that are being suggested here though... and hey, if anybody else has ideas (shaving related or otherwise) please feel free to let me/us hear them.

 

[hedliniv]

Definately razors! If they are not wet-shavers this may convert them! If they have already been INDUCTED INTO THE CULT then they will want another razor anyway!! Plus, as an added bonus; every time they shave with your gift they will think "man what a GREAT present!!! I really have to get him something GRRRREAT for CHRISTMAS!!"

George

 

[Austin]

NMMB,
Any though to getting all of them one of the new injectors?

Great idea indeed.

 

[Jonnybc]

I reckon brushes, can you ever have enough brushes? If I were given a shaving brush engraved with the Bride and Grooms name and the date of the marriage I'd be pleased.

 

[Sue]

MMMB,
I wish I had thought to offer you engraving. Either of my bowls will take engraving and is a great idea and an engraved brush.

I'd like to offer another personal gift idea for family that we did for our daughters wedding last year. I put together a 10 minute video (using Movie Maker/XP) of about 180 alternating photos of my dtr and her husband with family and friends beginning from infant and then growing up to several current 'couple' photos and set it to music. It played just prior to the processional on our church big screens.

MM offers fades, Intros and credits and is very user friendly. I made about 20 copies, added a custom photo label both on the CD and case with their names and wedding date. At the rehearsal dinner they gave a CD copy of it to all the family. It received a lot of compliments.

It brings a lot of memories and gives photos to the other family that they wouldn't have.
Sue

 

[NMMB]

MMMB,
I wish I had thought to offer you engraving. Either of my bowls will take engraving and is a great idea and an engraved brush.

I'd like to offer another personal gift idea for family that we did for our daughters wedding last year. I put together a 10 minute video (using Movie Maker/XP) of about 180 alternating photos of my dtr and her husband with family and friends beginning from infant and then growing up to several current 'couple' photos and set it to music. It played just prior to the processional on our church big screens.

MM offers fades, Intros and credits and is very user friendly. I made about 20 copies, added a custom photo label both on the CD and case with their names and wedding date. At the rehearsal dinner they gave a CD copy of it to all the family. It received a lot of compliments.

It brings a lot of memories and gives photos to the other family that they wouldn't have.
Sue

Sue,

Engraving the wooden bowls would have been a great idea... it is really too bad (for me - and my groomsmen) that neither of us thought of it when I placed the order.

Also, we are doing something similar to the photo CD that you mentioned above. My ex ante wife is a very musical person, as are most of the members of her family, so we are actually giving a home-made (by her father) CD to each of the guests at the wedding (I hope that none of them are here - if they are, I guess that I just ruined the surprise).

I've decided that I'm not going to impose strict uniformity on the gifts and as such one brother will get a brush (since I don't know if he has one now or not), as will the only non-brother groomsman (since he has complained that he wants a better one), and one brother will get a DE razor (even though he claims that they "scare the $h!t" out of him). That only leaves one brother, who has a decent brush and DE... I'll have to think of something for him... but I'm getting close now.

 

[mrob]

I've decided that I'm not going to impose strict uniformity on the gifts. . .

Great decision. In the words of Thomas Jefferson: “There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequal people.”

 

[Sue]

NMMB
If you should decide to, any engraver should be able to engrave either of my bowls. The wood has been engraved before for a gift, by the engraver I use and the other bowls are not tin but are stainless steel.
Sue