A bit of a different slant--Father of the groom shenanigans. When we got married, I bought my fiance a nice navy suit, which was quite the chore back in the day before there were lots of options for tall guys; he is/was 6'4" and 180 lbs. Anyway, I found a nice 3 piece suit in a conservative navy. My father had a nice suit in a conservative navy. I asked my future FIL to wear a nice suit in a conservative navy. At which point he went out and bought a nice suit in a conservative BROWN! I was sooooo angry at him, and since he was the best man I was convinced my dream wedding image for the guys was ruined. So, on our wedding day there was my FIL resplendent in his brown suit. I was still a tad miffed, right till we were all leaving the church and as we walked out the doors, he suddenly gave me the world's biggest hug, with the joyful comment 'now you're part of the family!' and the world's biggest smile to go along with it. He's gone now but thinking of that moment still makes me smile every time. It was a good lesson too about whats important and what's not on a wedding day. Happy memories come from what we do and say, not what we wear...have a wonderful wedding! Ann

When I remarried, I walked myself down the aisle. I also liked the idea of the wording of "support" rather than giving. We did something along those lines. sunshine4376 - Both lines were mixed as far as my line was not all female and the other line was not all male. I wanted my son standing up in my line and that is exactly where he stood, on my side. So just because you're dealing with sons does not mean they can't be attendants on your side. We did not use the terms bridesmaids or groomsmen. We used attendants and "Attendant of Honor" for both lines. We used children as young as 7 as ushers. They can handle the responsibility and they feel so grown up. My son (16 at the time) was the head usher as well as in my attendant line. Then we had (2) seven year-old ushers. They did very well and my 16 year-old directed them appropriately. We had 2 ring bearer's. We each had a 4 year-old little boy in our respective families and so we each put them in the wedding. There's no we could leave one of those precious little guys out. It's your wedding ... do what you want and what makes you happy.

I completely agree with Talley Sue -- just something that won't clash or look too "look-at-me!" flashy up there (e.g., cut down-to-there with big polka dots or stripes). When I got married, my mother-in-law just couldn't or wouldn't catch on to this. The attendants were wearing a sort of cherry pink/red. No matter how many times anyone told her to where whatever color she wanted (my mom's dress was a very soft rose) she went so crazy trying to match the attendants' dresses EXACTLY that she even sent me a swatch. Then she obsessed over whether it was okay that her dress had a turquoise sash, whether it was inappropriate that there was white lace on the top, whether the fabric should be the same as my mom's dress -- etc. I think we goofed by trying to reassure her that it didn't matter, she should just choose something she loved, because I see now that she needed to feel like it WAS important what she wore. jmca, I think you are doing exactly the right thing. Beige will be perfect, neither clashing with their (very refreshing) color scheme nor looking like you are trying to be a bridesmaid. If you look great in that outfit and love it, that's the one! Congratulations to you all -- and to you, too, ogoopogo! What an exciting year!

I've never heard of a speech by a father of the bride either. But I guess I'd better find out - that's a role I will be stepping into sometime in the fall of '08; my oldest daughter got engaged last Friday. Exactly when does the speech take place? I was a best man once and gave the customary toast. That turned out OK, but I'd appreciate some details on the FOTB speech. BTW I've even agreed to take dance lessons, at the request of my daughter, for our dance together. You don't know me but if you did the fact that I did agree would tell you how much I love her; I HATE to do it!!! Thanks in advance for your replies.