Animal-shaped ice sculptures? A big, fat "cheesy."

The other day someone asked me what I thought about ice sculptures, ice bars, and other dangerously meltable wedding decorations. Two things popped into mind:

• A massive Jaegermeister luge in the Rob Burgundy style;
• Hideously ugly mating swans or other animals engaged in disreputable behavior, melting and dripping into the shrimp cocktail.

So . . . not quite at the top of our list. However, a wedding I was at last weekend had an afterparty with pre-mixed shots sitting in ice blocks, which I thought was kind of cool. I did a little Googling, and my opposition to ice decorations has softened. They can work, if they are done in the right circumstances and fit with the overall theme. Modern/edgy wedding with caviar or martini station that has an ice bar—cool. Traditional wedding with heart-shaped, pink-lit ice centerpiece—NOT cool.

I thought about other things that are always cool, things that are always cheesy, and things that could go either way. This is from a groom’s perspective, so pay attention, brides!

Always Cheesy
• White tuxedos
• Organized dances (the Electric Slide, etc.)
• Shrimp cocktail
• Garter tosses

It Depends
• Ice sculptures
• Writing your own vows
• Singing songs to your bride
• Non-traditional tuxedos

Always Classy
• Cufflinks (bonus points if they once belonged to your dad or grandfather)
• Cheesy song for the first dance
• Hand-tied bow tie undone at the end of the night
• Getting choked up when you see your bride in her dress for the first time

Any others to add?

Josh, Bridal Party’s guest-blogging groomzilla, writes every Wednesday about the groom’s perspective on wedding planning and everything that comes with it. To follow his story from the beginning, click here.

More>> Bridal Party Blog | Wedding Guide | Wedding Vendor Search