Who doesn’t love a hot ride?

While most of the things that will be covered here at Groomify aren’t mean to be uber-expensive or completely out there, there comes a time that it can’t be missed. One thing that absolutely qualifies is something that has been in my drafts for weeks now, and I just got another swift kick in the rear - the one that isn’t the almost daily mention by Craig Carton on WFAN’s Boomer & Carton Show on the morning drive - to point to Vulcan Motor Club. On Friday, Gear Patrol’s Marc Arevalo dropped dime on what appears to be one of the more badass opportunities to drive almost any killer ride you can think of - but it’ll cost you.

With annual plans starting at $9,500 - which gets you 10 days of driving cars like the Lamborghini Gallardo or Audi R8, and 1,000 miles - and going all the way up to the Platinum plan at $25,000, getting you 40 days, 4,000 miles, vehicle delivery and up to 7-day “rentals,” it’s not for the faint of heart - or wallet.

That said, however, Vulcan offers one badass gift that I’d either pay for myself, beg and plead for as a wedding gift for myself, or perhaps get for my best man. Check it out - it’s the Wind and Fire Tour. Wind and Fire, for $1,195 for one person to get 5 hours of driving, switching to a new car every thirty minutes, or $598 for each person in a pair (you and your dad, or best man, for instance?) where you swap cars, and positions, every thirty minutes. I don’t know about you, but that’s pretty fantastic, and $600 isn’t unreasonable at all. Okay, so you’ve gotta get to Chester, NJ to start it all off, but if it takes you on some of the roads that I’m guessing it does within a five-hour circuit in the area, it’s going to be well worth it. These badboys are selling like hotcakes for 2008, and July 23 is the next “open” date you can get your butt in a seat for.

Follow tradition or start your own?

Recently, my bride-to-be and I were talking about the various anniversary gifts that people typically buy for one another after they’re married - you know, paper for the first year, cotton the second, and so on - and we both kind of agreed that we like the “traditional” gifts rather than the “modern ones. That’s not to say that being “old-fashioned” is what it’s all about, but some part of me thinks the traditional options are much more classic and meaningful, rather than some of the more materialistic items from today. I’m sure that ticks off a retailer or two, but even so, you can be “modern” and still do paper, no? Someone I was speaking with a few days ago shared that she and her guy had bought a new leather couch for their third anniversary - that’s pretty awesome.

Tonight, I caught this item from the Community Press & Recorder, where Betty Kamuf goes through where a lot of today’s wedding traditions came from. She has one detail I wasn’t familiar with - that guests, traditionally, were not served cake at the reception - which is something that I really enjoyed that some good friends did at their awesome wedding last fall. They went the extra step to take down the flowers from the chuppah and give a bouquet to all the women in attendance, and hand a takeout container like you might get with chinese food for a piece of cake to everyone. Definitely classy and fun, all at the same time. Also, rice, grain, or bird seed were tossed at the couple on the way out as “a symbol of fertility.” Huh.

In any case, it’s gotten me thinking - what kind of new traditions do we want to start, or which do we want to find elsewhere? We’ll be playing golf with the family the day before - something her brothers have all done on their wedding weekends - but we haven’t ironed out all the other details. It’s kind of funny to think that you have this as one of the two or three opportunities to leave a “mark” on your family & friends, but if there was ever an opportunity to do so, this is it.

What have others done as “traditions,” either old or new, at theirs wedding or thereabouts?

Honeymoon registries — the guy’s POV

We’ve already had a couple of discussions about registries here at Groomify, but something that I recently had a (brief) conversation about was the idea that having a registry where wedding invitees could “purchase” a part of your honeymoon. First off, I’ll say that I’m not really a fan. While the Wall Street Journal’s Jane Hodges reports that even the Emily Post Institute says that honeymoon registries see “no objection to [them] from an etiquette point of view,” it’s so easy to agree or dismiss the perception of having others finance a vacation.

Upon reading that entire WSJ article, I “get” the statement made in the sidebar / photo caption, discussing how a middle-aged couple might “have” everything they need in life or to have a home together, leaving this as an acceptable option, but isn’t it still asking for people to pay for a vacation? I guess if I kept following this train of thought, I could argue that asking people to finance your china cabinet or glassware or utensil drawer could be viewed the same way, but it feels different to me. There’s certainly a difference between building a life together and building a sandcastle in Tahiti, but is this a case-sensitive thing that should be considered as such?

On top of this whole thing, I think we start getting into the whole “how much of a gift should people be buying us?” situation when talking about registries in general. To that extent, I think gifts that are further along on the “we’ll always think of you when we use your fine china” tend to tug more on the motional heartstrings - even for a guy - than the “oh yeah, and these eighteen people were kind enough to pay for our flight to Bali” sentiment.

Enough from me, though - what do YOU think?

Theming your groomsmen gifts

Heidi Wurpel at From Engagement to Anniversary makes some pretty good suggestions on gift ideas for groomsmen that are worth checking out. I won’t steal her thunder, but she makes a great correlation between the type of things you might be doing for your bachelor party / weekend and the types of gifts you can choose from. Good call, Heidi.

Gift registries and what to do with them

Just read this post at Get Rich Slowly, one of my favorite personal finance blogs, where Betsy Teutsch shares her $.02 (or maybe $5.00, in this case - and that’s a good thing) on the pros and (lots of) cons involved with wedding registries. On top of that, the post has landed, as of the publishing of this item, 104 comments from readers of the blog, so it’s pretty clear that this is a great topic for all.

I won’t stand here and rehash this as it’s a pretty good post and set of comments to read, but definitely wanted to chime in. When it comes to the registry sitch, I hear two distinct pieces of feedback from guys I know who’ve done them: One group talks about how their main input into the whole process was that they got to use “the gun” at the store in order to scan all the bar codes on items the couple picked out. The other group complains about the process because it didn’t involve anything “they wanted.” Rarely, if ever, have I heard a peep from guys who “enjoyed” the process of registering for anything. Now, I don’t know a lot of people who’ve done really creative registries, or even that have done a primary registry at someplace like Home Depot, but even so.

Is the registry process a good one to continue as-is, and do people do it the same way they’ve experienced their friends and family having done it? Is the registry a good idea because it helps guests pick something out when they wouldn’t know how to find otherwise? Is the registry something you, as a groom, plan to be a part of truly putting input and energy into, or just something you’ll be participating in passively?

Cufflinks don’t make the man, but…

As I rustle through all the great items that are of interest to grooms and others taking part in formal events, cufflinks continue to rise to the top of the pile. This past week, I’ve been spending what is probably an unhealthy amount of time checking out ‘links at Tateossian [found via Winding Threads], and yes I’ve done the math on how much these puppies are in American cash.

They’ve got a slew of awesome options, but I definitely enjoyed these, the “Dating Scene” model, though I wouldn’t exactly show your significant other the “desperate” and “adulterous” options that you can spin the visible section to. Though maybe they wouldn’t make a bad option as a groomsman gift, huh?

Good idea groomsmen gifts

While AisleDash (who I’ll continue to reference as it’s a great site to pay attention to) has luxury bridesmaid gifts on lockdown, I thought it worthwhile to offer some thoughts and ideas on some groomsmen gifts that might not be “the norm.” Anyone who’s been in a wedding has probably gotten an engraved flask or cigar case - both which are excellent gifts that are useful, and maybe has gotten something a little more creative or descriptive to the relationship the groom has with the participants in the wedding.

So, where to begin?

I’m gonna cherry pick the easy thing that I’ve seen done really well, but obviously doesn’t work with every group and groomsman. That said, it’s a cool idea that I would recommend if you’re able to spend the loot on it.

Sports-related Stuff

While every guy doesn’t dig sports, there are a lot that do. Knowing a bit about the interests and habits of these guys, you might have come across what their favorite teams are or who the players they follow are. Taking that info and running with it, one great idea would be to snag team / player or even “customized” jerseys, and get something a little different for each. Sure, a New York wedding might feature all Yankees or Mets jerseys for the baseball-loving crew, but a Yankees jersey for the hardcore fan, a Rangers jersey for the big hockey guy, and a 49ers jersey for the West Coast import participating in your wedding gives a “customized” flavor that shows you actually thought about what you’re buying.

If jerseys aren’t your thing (or theirs), maybe autographed bats are. Louisville Slugger will provide you with an “authentic” signature bat for each of your groomsmen, if you’re slick enough to connive a signature out of them. This is a pretty cool thing that will probably end up in their office or mounted to the wall somewhere, though you run the risk of a kid (or them) taking it out for batting practice in the yard if they’re not careful.

Wine & Liquor

No, it’s not what you’re thinking I’m talking about, I’m talking a serious bottle (and a serious bottle doesn’t have to cost you $100) and maybe a set of glasses to go along. For example, a killer bottle of Delille Doyenne Syrah, of which 2004 is a very good year, would work out well, or perhaps a bottle of scotch. Scotch, just as wine, is sometimes tricky, so you might have to know what someone likes before making a purchase. That said, checking out a solid Macallan aged a few years could work, or just asking a few questions at your local shop will probably do the trick.

To boot, a decanter for both scotch or wine is an awesome addition, and something that will stick around long after the bottle is poured and finished off.

Travel & Entertainment

If your party is more into the party, game, or event type of thing, then hooking them up with a big game, such as playoff tickets to a local pro team, or a big concert in town might be the way to go. In fact, it’s another opportunity to get “the gang” all together, post-bachelor party, and not get in trouble for what you’re doing while you’re there. Well, maybe.

Of course, anything’s a good thing when it all comes down to it. What definitely matters is that you’ve got an idea of some things that will get your crew to know that you appreciated their participation in your wedding. Whether you spend $30 or $150, there are plenty of options to meet your needs, theme, or interests.

Any other suggestions, successes, or ideas to share, Groomify readers?

[Photo credits: Morguefile, Delille]

Decanters worth springing for

Cool Hunting brings it today with a killer batch of decanters from Riedel. While some people I know have been surprised to see the brand offering glassware at Target at prices a lot lower than expected, I have yet to see a Riedel product that I didn’t like, and these new decanters more than qualify.

Besides the fact that you’re going to want to buy these for yourself, keep in mind that you’ve probably registered for a reason. In the meanwhile, at least pick up one or two of these for the family or people in your wedding party.