In Case You Missed It: View from the Bay Appearance!

If you missed my appearance on "View from the Bay" yesterday, here it is! It was my first in-studio TV appearance, so go easy on me! For all my friends in my fantasy football leagues, feel free to rip the footage and edit it!

TUNE IN TODAY!!

If you live in San Francisco, tune into ABC 7 @ 3pm (pst) today. I will be interviewed on a show called "The View from the Bay".

If you DON'T live in San Francisco you can watch live online by clicking the link below! For all you people on the east coast, it's 6pm-7pm. West coast, it's 3-4pm.

How to Get Your Fiance Involved: Chapter One

Prologue: I've received quite a few emails from brides-to-be asking how to get their fiances involved in the wedding planning. It's not an easy task, but it can be done. I've decided to write a manual on HOW it can be done. I think the majority of women are forcing and pulling help out of their men the wrong way. If you follow a few easy steps, you'll find the help you're looking for.

Chapter One: You're Overwhelming Us With Details

Dear Women,

We're very excited about getting married too. We wouldn't have asked your hand in marriage if we weren't excited to get married. As much as you don't think we're stoked, we're actually looking forward to the wedding too. We're interested in everything you're showing us in "Modern Bride", "Martha Stewart Weddings", and "In Style: Weddings" but you've really got to slow down.... you're overwhelming us.

Love Always,

Your Fiances

It's true. You're throwing too much in front of us as soon as we get engaged. After I got engaged, I quickly realized I should have given my fiance the ring AND a stack of wedding magazines. Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing your enthusiasm. I'm just saying we're a bit different. We're about to enter a world of wedding planning where just about everything looks foreign to us. We've never even really thought about our weddings and you've been planning since you were a little girl. If you want our help, you should start slowly.

The best thing you can do is tell your fiance that he's about to throw one of the the biggest parties of his life (I don't know how much your man partied in college). While it's more upscale than his "red cup" parties he threw in the past, you want your wedding to be fun and memorable. He'll help you with that!

For now, let's skip details like colors, centerpieces, and what flowers to use. Let's start with things we're really interested in: musical entertainment, food & alcohol, and the photographer.

Let him give his advice on whether to hire a DJ or a band. I promise he'll have an opinion about the music. Tell him to start making one of his famous playlists. Chances are he probably gave you a mix tape/cd when he was trying to win you over - let him start making one for the wedding. Discuss the broad strokes. For example, pick the type of music/band/dj you want, let's not stress about "first dance songs", or father/daughter son/mother songs yet.

Give him the task of finding a great signature cocktail for the wedding. While everyone drank the Jungle Juice at his parties in the past he'll know that he's got to find something more widely liked (and less alcoholic than turpentine). Ask him what TYPE of food he envisions at the wedding. Does he see a sit down meal or a buffet? Has he ever eaten something at another wedding he liked?

Wedding photography has come a long way lately. I didn't know that some of the photography could look so cool. Let him know that you can have traditional portrait photography or the more candid journalistic style. Show him the difference. I was shocked to see that some photographers out there have really turned your big day into art. Looking through other people's great photos actually got me more excited about my wedding too.

Starting slowly will get us more involved in the long run. We're not looking to be talked to like children, but we don't have opinions on wedding details yet! We've just gotten over the mammoth task of proposing. Give us a small breather. If you start slowly we'll want to voice opinions in other places later down the road. Even if we don't... and chapter 1 is as far as you make it with your fiance... it's still more help than you had before.

...stay tuned for chapter 2...

Panasonic Camera & TV Giveaway!!!

Panasonic Living In HD (LiHD) is having a GREAT contest that you should all head over and enter! All you have to do is upload an inspirational summer wedding photo and you'll have a chance to win your choice of an awesome $1500 SLR Digital Camera, or an $1800 50" Plasma TV! The theme will change every week - "Great American Roadtrip", "Vacations for Two", and lastly "Food Creations". You can enter once a day for the next 4 weeks, but the "Wedding" theme ends on the 16th. Hurry over there now!

Check it out!: End of Summer Celebration Giveaway!

Your close friends are DRUNKS! (Poll Results)

Poll Results are in! The question asked was "Who is likely to get the most intoxicated at your wedding?". Your Close Friends were the run away...victors? ....no.... drunkards! Here are the results:

1. Close Friends (31%) - I figured they'd be up there! It's really the reason we all go to weddings for our friends, right? First question is always "are they having an open bar?".

2. Best Man (25%) - You gotta get a little "loose" to give that best man speech, right?

3. Parents (10%) - Hey, the kid is not your responsibility anymore, right?! Time to celebrate!

4. Bride (7%) - All you brides who said "I'm only going to have one or two drinks were lying, huh?.

Aunt/Uncle (7%) - Glad we didn't have to pay for this wedding! Coulda been our kid!

5. Cousins (6%) - We got drunk at their weddings, why shouldn't they get drunk at ours!

6. Groom (3%) - Thought this would be higher up on the list, it was going to be my excuse - "Groom came in 3rd in the poll! Why can't I get drunk?!!?"

Maid of Honor (3%) - Guess the girls don't have to get as drunk as the guys to give the speech!

7&8. Someone that got a pity invite & Other (2% & 1%) - who cares....

Btw, I thought I'd post a picture from the future... this will be me at the next wedding (only I'll be wearing nicer clothes)

Embarrassing Myself for Followers!

Do you want to see pictures of me pre nose job? Hear what I sounded like at 12 as a voice in a Christian cartoon? How about seeing my high school senior picture, or WORSE pictures when I had long hair?

I've decided that every time I reach 100 new Temple of Groom followers I will post something completely embarrassing from my past. It could be a terrible picture of me (there's one that's been described as looking Gilbert Gottfried-esque), embarrassing childhood footage, there is no end to the amount of stuff I wouldn't want to show! BUT, I'd love to see the blog successful, so I have to make this sacrifice!

Sign up to follow the blog - it's easy and will only take a second. Under the facebook logo, on the left side of the blog, you'll see "BECOME A TEMPLE OF GROOM FOLLOWER!" You can log in with your google account, your instant messenger name, your yahoo account, or blogger account.

Right now I have 61 followers. 39 more followers and you all can laugh your ass off. Forward the blog to your friends! Thanks!

Whistling?

Does anyone actually like listening to someone else whistle? To me, it's by far one of the most irritating sounds ever. It's so much worse than nails on a chalkboard.

I know, this has nothing to do with weddings, but there seems to be an abnormal amount of whistling on set today!

To Drink or Not to Drink...

My poll got me thinking... will I drink at my wedding? Ms Temple of Groom vows that she'll likely only have 1 drink (probably just a glass of champagne). I, on the other hand, am leaning towards being a little buzzed. How often will I ever have all of my friends and loved ones in one room together partying? I think I'm definitely going to keep myself in line, but I think I'm going to let loose a little. If I have to dance all night, then I better be tipsy...I find my groove WAY easier.

Anyone have an opinion about this? Did you drink at your wedding?

"The Daily Buzz" Interview!

If you missed it, here it is!!! Temple of Groom hits on TV. Enjoy my first, but hopefully not my last interview.

(fast forward to :34seconds to skip all the promos)

It's an exciting day at TOG!

Top Chef - Top Centerpieces

Check out these awesome centerpieces from Top Chef Masters last Wednesday night! I've always been a big fan of candles over flowers. It seems like a good way to save money, and I just love the way they look. After I saw this, however, I'm ready to add flowers back into the mix if we can afford it. I love the combination of flowers AND candles, and I LOVE the light bulb chandelier over the table. (Anyone ever seen this chandelier for sale, or is it just something you can DIY quite easily?!) I thought I'd share this with you all because I think it's pretty stinkin flawless.... kudos Top Chef.

TOG Official Trainer: Jonathan Beran

Getting in shape for a wedding is mandatory. I want to look great on my big day. I know myself, and I can't do this without calling for help. Well, Temple of Groom brought in the big guns.
I'm stoked to announce that personal trainer Jonathan Beran has joined the team and he's here to help ALL of us that want to get in shape.

Jon trained Hayden Panettiere (the cheerleader from "Heroes") and she looks pretty good! He will post on the blog from time to time and give us helpful information on getting in shape. Whether it's for your big day, or just because you want to shed some weight, his info is great.

LASTLY, and probably most importantly, Jon told me that he will give SPECIAL LOW RATES to any Temple of Groom follower! Also, and this is a great idea, Jon is giving very low rates to engaged couples! Visit Jon's site to get in contact with him. Just mention the blog to get the low rates.

Lastly, I asked Jon to come up with 3 VERY easy tips for an out of shape guy to look better in a suit (let's start simple). Here they are:

1. Split your big meals into 2 smaller meals, and eat small meals every 3 - 4 hours instead of big meals every 5 - 6 hours.
   
2. Even going for a 45 minute walk can help! Getting to a gym is obviously the best, but putting forth any effort a few times a week DOES help!
3. Make sure your suit fits and stand up straight! Any guy can make a suit look good as long as it's properly tailored to fit you well.
   

If anyone has questions or comments for Jon, feel free to email me, or leave them as a comment! Welcome aboard Jon!!

Jon's site: http://jonathanfitness.com/