Hawkily Ever After: The Men Laugh Their Way Through Photography

We were just finishing up our couples portraits when the wedding party started to gather for the next round of photography. The ladies went one way, and the men walked off with the second-shooter for their closeups.  I wish I could have seen them take these because they look like they were having such a blast.

They started by each taking turns posing with the groom.

Daddy Hawk even jumped in for a quick shot!

Then they moved onto some group photos.

I have to admit that I really love this next one simply because I can tell they all feel ridiculous. (I can hear it now, "you want us to do what?") Besides during wedding photography, when do men flash their socks for the camera?

 This one's a little less goofy!

The men left the sillyness behind to get their sexy on for a few portraits.

Mr. Hawk didn't miss his chance for a closeup. Lord knows what those guys were saying to elicit a smile this big!

 

I love all of the photos of our groomsmen but I think these last two take the cake. I just can help but smile looking at these guys.

Are your groomsmen and bridesmaids taking separate group photos?

All photos by Valerie Demo Photography

Miss a recap? Don't fret! Catch up here:

We review our planning journey
We rehearse and welcome our guests
The girls get pretty
Miss Hawk becomes a bride
I share my bridal details
Mr. Hawk becomes a groom
Our first look
We take photos at Crim Dell Bridge
We explore campus for more photography

Gifting the Men

I've already share all the fun gifts that I'm giving my lovely ladies, but I don't think I've even touched on the groomsmen gifts! (I should be a good fiance and say that it was because I simply forgot or was too focused on my ladies, but let's be honest. ;-) Mr. Hawk just finally decided on part of the gifts last week. Cat's out of the bag. Sorry, Mr. H.)

The no-brainer portion of the gift was the groomsmen accessories. Since we're already asking the men to purchase suits, we wanted to gift them the rest of their attire. They will be sporting adorable bow ties that I featured previously and some preppy argyle socks.

Image via Express

I'm already looking forward to some fun shots of their accessories.

Photo by: Lisa Hessel Photography on Every Last Detail via Lover.ly

The rest of the gift is where Mr. H had more difficulty. Since I made glassware for my ladies, I suggested something along the same lines. We also considered cigar-related gifts since we will be having a mini cigar bar at the reception. In the end, Mr. Hawk selected these monogrammed rocks glasses from Jackglass on etsy.



Image via Jackglass

 I love that they're so classic and manly-looking. Hopefully the men will be able to use them for years to come.

Lastly not to be outdone by our champagne toasts and mimosas, Mr. H also purchased two mini bottles of each groomsman's preferred liquor for their own toast.

Did you find that picking out groomsmen gifts was more difficult than picking out bridesmaids gifts?



The Mr. Finally Has His Suit

I already shared with you the look Mr. Hawk and I were going for with the groomsmen and the adorable bow ties I ordered, but I am happy to report that now we finally have a suit!

Coming to a decision was a bit of a process. I knew that I wanted gray rather than black, and I was pretty determined to have a suit with a slimmer fit. A matching vest was also pretty non-negotiable.

When we initially started shopping around January, we found most of the suits available were a very dark charcoal gray. I was feeling a little lukewarm about such dark suits considering our wedding is in May and our ladies will be sporting bright, springy yellow dresses. When we visited Men's Warehouse I saw a couple lighter options that solidified my desire for lighter suits, but none of them were available with a matching vest.

Luckily our consultant at Men's Warehouse was willing to work with us to find other suits within the company. He made some calls and had several options shipped directly to our store. We waited several weeks for the delivery and even got antsy to the point of considering gray tuxedos, but in the end the wait was worth the perfect suit. One of the options hit all the marks: color, fit, and vested style.

The complete look. (Mr. H requests you forgive his hat hair.)

Because it took a while to come in, we're now in a bit of a rush to place all the groomsmen orders. Hopefully the process will go smoothly. I'm thinking positively since our experience with Men's Warehouse has been nothing but positive so far.

Anyone else going the gray suit route? Did y'all have trouble finding the right shade?

Dressing the Men

Another task we tackled while on vacation was solidifying the overall look for Mr. Hawk and the groomsmen. We discussed gray suits with yellow ties to coordinate with the bridesmaids, but we were also toying with the idea of bow ties. I really enjoy the look of bow ties, but Mr. Hawk had never worn one before. Fortunately for me, he had expressed interest in trying them out and this was the perfect opportunity.

We started by stopping by Men's Warehouse. We discussed with our consultant that we wanted a three piece suit in dark gray, and he directed us to the Pronto Uomo Charcoal Suit Separates, suggesting that separates would greatly reduce the need for costly alterations. We paired the Pronto Uomo's vest, flat front slacks, and slim cut jacket with a white shirt and yellow tie. Since Men's Warehouse didn't have any bow ties, Mr. Hawk didn't try anything on, but we were able to get a sense of the color combination. After seeing the charcoal suit with the first more golden yellow tie, we knew that we'd want to go with a paler version.

This second combination was our favorite. The pale tie offered a nice contrast against the darker suit.

We also made a stop over at Macy's, where they did have bow ties. Although they weren't any available in yellow, we were able to get an idea of the overall look. Mr. Hawk has on Alfani's Red suit separates in gray.

Mr. Hawk and I loved the bow tie. (I may be biased, but doesn't he look SO.DARN.CUTE?!) I'm really glad that I requested Mr. Hawk actually try on the full three piece suit and bow tie combination. It really helped solidify our decision.

We still have to go out and make our final suit selection and find the perfect bow tie, but we're one step closer to having the groomsmen look complete. Are your men wearing tuxes or suits? Would you ever consider bow ties?

All photos personal