Expert Forum: What Are the Top 2013 Groom Trends?

January 14, 2013
by Tracey Lyles

January 14, 2013 By The Man Registry

After another solid year for grooms, it’s time to look ahead to what 2013 has to offer. Instead of just listing our favorite new groom trends, we’ve invited some of our favorite experts in the wedding industry to also weigh in.

What’s your favorite groom trend for 2013?

Chris Easter (Co-Founder, TheManRegistry.com)
Twitter: @chriseaster

At the risk of getting laughed off of this forum, my favorite 2013 trend is that grooms are ~~flocking to~~ starting to dip their toes into the waters of Pinterest. Sure, it may sound funny at first — but if you really break it down, there’s nothing to snicker about. Pinterest’s massive collection of user-generated wedding pinboards offers the biggest collection of attire options, groomsmen gift ideas and how-to articles that men will find online.

Marta Block (Editorial Director, GigMasters.com)
Twitter: @Gigmasters

The end of the Do Not Play list: we know, you really don’t want to hear The Electric Slide, We Are Family, or Let’s Get This Party Started at your wedding. Your wedding is not cliché and tacky. But as more couples realize that the wedding isn’t just about them and their tastes, but about throwing a great party and taking care of their guests, they’re loosening up on their restrictions for the band and DJ. Instead of a detailed “do not play” list, couples are working harder to choose a DJ or band that they feel understands the mood they want for the party and letting that professional do his or her job and choose appropriate music. Some couples are also creating “By request only” lists. You may not like “Shout” but if enough people ask about it can the DJ play it? If no one is on the floor, can the DJ try “The Cha Cha Slide”? These kind of looser rules create one less thing for the couple to micromanage.

Kara Horner (Blogger & Media Director, TheManRegistry.com)
Twitter: @TMR_Kara

The food truck trend will continue to grow for 2013 weddings. Urban dwelling grooms (and brides) obsessed with a local restaurant’s or street truck’s fare (anything from tacos, burgers and fries and Philly cheese steak sandwiches to waffles, cupcakes and ice cream) can indulge on their wedding day as well as share their favorite foodie finds with their wedding guests. In addition to providing catering services, food trucks can add a fun, personalized and casual vibe to a less formal wedding. They can often also serve as a more budget-conscious option compared with traditional catering services. Food trucks can be tasked with spicing up the rehearsal dinner or cocktail hour (in place of traditional hors d’oeuvres), serve as a specialty area during the wedding reception, cater the entire evening or even cater the wedding after-party for guests who aren’t yet ready to call it a night.

Shulie Lo (Social Maven, Robbins Brothers)
Twitter: @RobbinsBrothers

One of the trends we are starting to love is the mismatched groomsmen attire. It feels much more relaxed and really gives each groomsman a chance to show off their individual personalities. We like to see it as a fresh new spin on the mismatched bridesmaids idea. We don’t want to completely abandon the matching suits look, but throwing in something different makes it look a little less “stiff uniform” and more “I’m here to party!”

Something else that we’ve found ourselves pinning are the grooms showing off their interests (besides the tiny groom’s cake). Plan some fun photo ops that include the groom’s passions. Making it a little fun and giving your entire celebration your personal touch? Now that will always be trending.

Azure Nelson (Editorial Director, OneWed.com)
Twitter: @onewed

I’m seeing a lot of grooms ditching the typical Vegas bachelor party in favor of something more low-key, which is a trend I absolutely love (…especially since my groom-to-be’s bachelor party is happening in 2013!). They’re thinking more sport, less stripper, and actually planning bashes that allow for quality male bonding. Things like, renting a cabin in Colorado for skiing, golfing and boating in Florida or Arizona, or road-tripping to Austin or Nashville for the music scene.

Casey Fatchett (Owner, Casey Fatchett Photography)
Twitter: @caseyfphoto

In 2013, I see many more grooms becoming interested in the ‘style’ of their wedding portraits, especially their photos with the groomsmen. Whether they are on Pinterest or not (or whether they want to admit they are on Pinterest), grooms are seeing many more photos before the wedding day. Let’s face it, guys are very visual. Now that they are seeing the photos, they have a better idea of what they want. I have already started to see a transition away from grooms saying “Let’s just line up, get the pictures, and move on” to a desire for a more GQ-style aesthetic to their photos. Grooms are also taking the time to get in touch before the wedding to plan out the photo process, which is something that happened very rarely in the past. They are trying to move away from the old cliches such as “standing in a line with arms crossed looking tough” or “let’s all walk towards the camera like in Reservoir Dogs” (though that shot does usually come out looking pretty awesome – I guess that’s why it has become cliche) and moving towards something that is more unique to them as well as stylish.

Apart from the photography side of things, I have seen a trend towards grooms offering something that is personal to them at the reception, whether it be a Scotch tasting bar, a selection of their favorite beers, etc. Grooms are becoming more involved in the planning process and are finding outlets in the wedding to show their own interests in personality.

James Bennett (Planner of the Best Bachelor Parties the World Has Ever Known, Firefly Group Events)
Twitter: @firefly_men

Groom dress-up. I’m still mad at the British because of the Spice Girls. We didn’t deserve that. Every now and then they get something right. For years they’ve been getting it right with the bachelor party. They do a lot of the same things we do ie drink, forget, and destroy. But where they really excel is in the realm of the Groom. No Groom makes it out the door of the hotel with being forced to wear a ridiculous costume. My brother-in-law was forced to dress as a busty cheerleader, skirt and all. When his best mate got married, he was forced to dress as the Queen. Why don’t we do this?Think of the possibilities! Don’t let the groom coast by with a shirt that says “buy me a shot”. He deserves better from us(unitard maybe?). I’d like to challenge the Men of America in 2013 to embrace this tradition from across the pond. Dress him as a ballerina or Nikki Minaj – it doesn’t matter as long as it’s ridiculous. Don’t let the British win.

and last, but certainly not least….

Ian (Author, A Groom’s Diary)
Twitter: @agroomsdiary

I’m invited to participate in these types of posts because The Man Registry wants me to lose my mind and go off on a tirade about something frivolous, like how ridiculous it is that there are grownups who think it is socially acceptable to drink Dr. Pepper.

But I digress.

For once I’m going to play it straight, because if I learned anything in the process of watching my wife plan our wedding, its that wedding trends follow a clear pattern:

They come.
They get abused.
They go.

So what is the one trend that doesn’t go out of style?

It’s that you’re male and should stop worrying about wedding trends. In the words of Don Vito Corleone, “YOU CAN ACT LIKE A MAN! WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU?”

I say buck the trends. Be the sturdy, unartistic, uncreative man that you are and push for the classic, simple pleasures at your wedding that remind your friends that you’re the coolest guy that they know.

A white dress and a black tux.
An open bar and a closed-minded relatives who leave before the party really starts.
Hot, single bridesmaids and cold, double cocktails.
Light appetizers on the lawn and heavy petting on the dance floor.
That one guy’s toast that’s a hair too long and that one girl’s dress that’s a hair too short.

But above all, take the advice of someone who has been through this and let your wife run the show. (And in the rare event that she does want your opinion, forget what you see in her magazines and go with what has always worked.)

Let “Acting like a man” serve as this writer’s favorite wedding trend of 2013…

Author
Recent Posts

Tracey Lyles

A hopeful romantic and enthusiastic UCLA grad, Tracey serves as Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Robbins Brothers. For leisure she enjoys shopping, dancing, hosting parties for family & friends and staying abreast of the latest celebrity news.

Expert Forum: What Are the Top 2013 Groom Trends?

Recommended

Hamburger Wedding Cake for the Groom

Robbins Brothers Announces Official 2013 “12 Rings of Christmas”

8 Expert Tips for Achieving Your Dream Wedding