What about the teeth?

Seeing this post about a contest over at WeddingBee, where all you’ve got to do to win is drop in and tell ‘em if you’re going to do anything to whiten your teeth for the big day (you have until 9p tonight - Sunday, 7/27, to enter), got me thinking about just that subject.

Given that we are all familiar with the magical things that our photographers can do (heck, you can do it right now - check out Picnik’s Teeth Whiten feature, for instance) to make our teeth look better, among other blemishes, it’s easy to say that we’ll just let things stay the way they are and clean ‘em up afterwards, but it’s not all about the pictures and video, you know. Of course, we all can’t be as hardcore as Patrick Bateman in “American Psycho” when it comes to personal care, but what kinds of smart things are there to do when it comes to brushing up on tooth care?

From what I’ve gathered, just by doing a little bit of digging, you’ve got options like Mentadent’s product set will replace your current toothpaste, and add some specific ingredients targeted at whitening, specifically. A more popular option, and one that I’ve tried myself with results I was happy with, is something like Crest Whitestrips, which you can currently get a $7 off coupon for, and takes about 5 minutes per day. Crest also offers a number of different information bits on their site, including newsletters and more.

Beyond those, there are options such as BriteSmile, along with whitening procedures your dentist would offer or recommend.

IMHO, this is one of those things that people probably push off until it’s really close to their nuptials, rather than figure out a way to work it into their day-to-day. As you’re surely aware, stuff costs more when you have less time to implement it, so the earlier you figure out what you want to do to brighten up your smile, the better. That goes for your wallet, too.

Mother - Son Dances: Our first try

If you’re a groom-to-be whose mother is to be in attendance at your wedding, then you’re probably are of the traditional mother - son dance that takes place in those “typical” dances towards the beginning of the reception. There are tons of songs to choose from, and here’s our first batch for your checking-out pleasure.

Stevie Wonder - “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life”

Definitely a classic, and it most certainly makes a point. Plus, it’s a little more upbeat than some of the straight up ballads we’re all used to hearing.

James Taylor - “You’ve Got A Friend”

Taylor’s classic (well, it’s actually a Carole King track) has been covered a bazillion times is the essential not-so-mushy-yet-really-nice song that you can play for a dance with good old mom.

The Beatles - “In My Life”

Surely you’ve heard this one played at a wedding you’ve been to, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea for you to try it out yourself. This may be one of the only times that going with the tested and true option isn’t just taking the easy way out.

Nat “King” Cole - “L-O-V-E”

Sure it’s been redone a zillion times, but it doesn’t make it any less worthy. And stop reading the lyrics too closely and saying “heck, no,” - just go with it. If you’ve forgotten the lyrics, they start with “L is for the way you look at me” - does that ring a bell?

Bette Midler - “Wind Beneath My Wings”

You might not be in love with Bette Midler, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a supersap for a few minutes, no?

Louis Armstrong - “What a Wonderful World”

It’s simple, it’s smart, it’ll fit into any reception (well, maybe not if all you’re playing is industrial), and you’ll get points for going with a classic.

Rascall Flatts - “My Wish”

I’ve been having trouble figuring out if this dance should be more about what the mother might want to say to her son, or vice versa. In any case, if it’s the former, then this is the song for you. I’m sure a lot of people don’t run this set up song past their mom before anything really gets down to it, but if you’re making suggestions, putting this one on the list might be wise.

That’s our first batch of suggestions. It’s obviously not meant to cover all the lists and all the songs that people have used or might be suggesting, just some that we’ve actually taken the time to listen to and think work these days. As always, we’d love to get your comments and suggestions on this and future lists!

Proposals for the techie

Okay, so AOL/Engadget’s Switched.com has rounded up the top eight (dunno) “techie marriage proposals,” and you should head on over there and check them out. Unlike us, who didn’t think that the whole “I reprogrammed Bejeweled to propose to my girl” thing was the hottest thing ever, they dropped it on the list. As far as the rest, there’s some kind of interesting ones, in reality.

Not sure if any of those are for you? Well, howabout snagging some of the ideas that the Modesto Bee’s Marijke Rowland shared for use on Valentine’s Day options and tweak them slightly, such as the scavenger hunt, or jacking into the Juno mindset and creating a “location” a la the front lawn easy chair?

Picking your wedding party

OurWeddingDay.com has some initial thoughts on what the Best Man’s role is in your wedding party, but before you figure out what the Best Man is going to be responsible for, figuring out how to pick the Best Man (or Woman, as it were) along with any other groomsmen or attendants is probably a good idea, no?

So what goes into choosing the people in your wedding party? Well, there are usually a few questions you can ask yourself (or your partner) before really getting into the nitty gritty. And don’t worry, this isn’t like the “cutting down the guest list” type of conversation, just some basics. Something to think about before simply picking the guy you happen to hit the bars with most often.

• Are there family members we’d like to have in the party?
• How many people are going to be in my partner’s party, and do we want to “match?”
• Who do I trust the most with wedding rings, any tips for services we’re working with, keeping the rest of the crew in line, and making sure all the details are crossed off the lists on that big day?
• When it comes down to it, who would actually enjoy having a bachelor party / guys weekend / whatever?

Of course, things like the person who will be least likely to destroy your nuptials with a speech at the reception are important to consider as well, but this is a great place to start.

Now that you’ve got the Best Man out of the way, what else needs to be done? Well, some of those questions are still in play, such as the “how many” issue. Do you “need” to match up groomsmen with bridesmaids (don’t worry, most won’t complain - especially the single ones) for one reason or another? Are there brothers that have included you that you’d really like to return the favor (for good reasons or bad?

At the end of the day, though, it’s not about feeling like you “owe” it to people to ask them to be in your wedding. Keep in mind - and those of you who have been in weddings before will be able to relate - that there are costs in mind, whether it the tuxedo purchase or rental, potentially some travel, etc. If it’s important for you to have a relative or friend in your wedding party, but you don’t want to “put them out” by asking them to spend $150 on a tuxedo or $300 a night to stay at the hotel? Maybe there’s a creative way to split the costs across the whole crew, or just cover their costs yourself in honor of them agreeing to participate.

The good news is, there are a million ways to break this down and make it work. Don’t think just because your best friend had six guys in his wedding that you need to the same. Also, you might find that breaking up some of the “responsibilities” that the Best Man might have carried out between your wedding party as a whole in the interest of time or other resources.

Got a question for Groomify? Hit us up here.

Being a part of the conversation

Alright, so if there’s one thing any prospective groom has learned, even shortly after getting engaged, is that every so often, he’s going to have to participate in some conversation or another. So, what’s the solution to that? Well, keep up on “news” and such from time to time that keeps you from getting the “evil eye,” that’s what.

As a for instance, knowing even one or two little tidbits about Jenna Bush’s wedding this May could get you a little extra something in the love department. Now, that isn’t to say that “embroidered organza” is the key phrase you’ll need to drop anytime soon, but having an idea or two of what kind of dress you might like couldn’t hurt. From A-line to Mermaid, there’s a couple things to know.

Why not study up a little? And remember, if you have a question or two for Groomify, drop us a line here.

Because you needed a reminder

The fine folks at The Knot are looking to get your bride to be to remind you, if you hadn’t already asked her to be said bride-to-be, about the items on this proposal checklist. Kind of ruins the surprise of it all, if you ask me, but I guess if you’re *really* trying to get someone to ask you to marry them, this is one way of doing it. A big, fat, obvious, blatant way to do it.

My favorite item on the list is “Share the News.” I mean, I’m super psyched to be engaged and getting married, and have told pretty much anyone I thought would care to know, but that should come with the additional “and make sure you have a REALLY detailed story on the responses that people had when you told them.” If your voice doesn’t change when you’re describing responses, especially those from people of the female persuasion, then you fail. Miserably.

Next time, I’ll tell you how I really feel.

Got a question for Groomify? Ask us here.