"Downton Abbey" fans may be effortlessly transported back to another time and place, but the impact of the television series is also firmly rooted in the real world. The popular costume drama has reportedly spurred sales in everything from wedding dresses, lingerie and other Edwardian fashions to home furnishings and even what people are reading. 

"Etiquette books are selling through the roof right now" said Scott F. Stoddart, dean of the School of Liberal Arts at the Fashion Institute of Technology. So are history books about World War I and recently reprinted titles like "To Marry an English Lord." "People are drawn to a bygone era,Wholesale high quality and Embroidery lace dress Wait for You to Choose. a more romantic time of gracious living," he said. 

The influence of popular culture on style and taste goes back to the early days of Hollywood, when film stars like Joan Crawford, dressed as a flapper in the 1920s and 1930s, inspired shorter hemlines. After Elizabeth Taylor appeared in "A Place in the Sun" in the early 1950s wearing a distinctive dress, "every girl wanted to wear it to the prom that year," said Stoddart, author of "Analyzing Mad Men" and of the forthcoming "Exploring Downton Abbey" to be released during the summer of 2013. 

The trend for a television series to impact the marketplace is more recent, as the medium typically influenced viewers through advertising. "To my mind, ‘Mad Men' is one of the first," inspiring companies like Brooks Brothers, Banana Republic and Crate & Barrel to create everything from 60s-era men's suits to living rooms sets, said Stoddart. "It really takes about two to three seasons before retailers really get on the band wagon. It's happening now with ‘Downton Abbey.'" 

Ralph Lauren has a new collection, modeled by actress Jessica Chastain, that features Lady Mary-type turn-of-the-century hunting garb, and other "Downton"-inspired products include 1920s-era jewelry collections and T-shirts based on characters in the series. 

Skinny ties made a comeback after "Mad Men," said Stoddart, and soon "we will give gloves a nod because of 'Downton Abbey.' " 

Leonard Lee, an associate professor at the Columbia Business School, said the financial impact of popular shows is difficult to measure. But while he is not aware of any academic research or tracking of the phenomenon, the underlying psychological process is consistent with what is known about consumer behavior. Repeated exposure, positive feelings, imitating behavior, and the desire to be a part of the larger experience and enjoy it in a more proactive way, he said, are factors that typically influence spending choices. 

Emotional resonance, not logic, is often key, said Lee, referring to a well-known study that analyzed how decorative posters were chosen and found that participants who deliberated more about which one to buy were less likely to hang them up. "Sometimes when you think too much about options, you tend to be more dissatisfied than when you rely more on feelings and evaluate holistically." 

The influence of popular culture on spending is growing, said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst of The NPD Group, a market research company, who has followed consumer behavior and retail trends for more than 30 years. "It used to be that fashion led the way for what's in, what's out,Formal wholesale bridal wedding gowns on sale at great discount." he said, but today, entertainment and popular culture have taken on a larger role, though the public typically downplays it. 

The NPD Group conducts a survey each year in which respondents are asked if they made purchases influenced by celebrities. "Every year consumers deny it, yet the numbers show they do it more and more," Cohen said. A decade ago, for example, 8 percent of survey respondents said they made purchases as a direct result of celebrity influence. But in the most recent survey, conducted in March 2012, 18 percent admitted they did so. "They don't like to admit they are easily influenced and swayed," said Cohen, who is the author of "Why Customers Do What They Do"and "Buy Me! How to Get Customers to Choose Your Products and Ignore the Rest." 

"Fashion is easiest industry to see the cause and effect," of popular culture, but interior design, home furnishings and other lifestyle areas are also impacted. During the recession, the fashion industry "was scared. It didn't take chances on color and design," resulting in safe products that lacked inspiration and bored consumers. 

But the "Downton Abbey" influence is positive, for the public and the retail industry, experts say. 

"It's so different; it's new and fresh," said Cohen. 
"Anything that expands your mind is always a good thing," said Stoddart, whether it's fashion or reading history. "It adds to a strong conversation between people."

The Sparkling Moments Bridal Show is being deemed a success, as more than 400 area residents participated in the Herald-Star's and The Weirton Daily Times' third-annual event held Sunday at St. Florian Hall. 

Brides from across the Tri-State Area were able to browse 46 booths featuring local disc jockeys, hair salons, bakeries, photographers, hotels, jewelry boutiques and beauty consultants before watching the much-anticipated fashion show. A variety of wedding dresses, elegant tuxedos and vacation fashions were presented during the show by Sorelle Bridal Salon, Phil-Mor Tuxedo Outlet and Anna-Kay's Unique Fashions. 

Nicole Francis of Wheeling was the lucky grand-prize winner of a dream honeymoon to either Navelli, Italy, or Cocoa Beach, Fla., courtesy of Todd Piergallini, owner of Piergallini catering. 

"I am so excited," said Francis, who will wed fiance Derek Miller on Sept. 28. "I am still in shock and I am shaking," 

Should Francis choose the Italy trip, she and her husband will stay in Piergallini's two-story casa in Navelli, a tranquil, restored medieval village in Abruzzo, Italy. Located in the Apennine mountain range,You will find so many wonderful wedding dress 100%silk with high quality and low price. it's an hour from the beaches of the Adriatic Sea and 90 minutes from Rome, where the winner also will enjoy a one-night stay at a hotel within walking distance from the Coliseum, Pantheon,2013 Collection mermaid chiffon one shoulder wedding dress 1672 Styles. Vatican and other sites. 

Accommodations for the Florida trip are two blocks from Cocoa Beach, which is on the Atlantic Coast, just south of Cape Canaveral and near the Kennedy Space Center. The trip also includes a one-night stay at a Walt Disney World resort. 

The newspapers will offer Francis $500 to be used toward airfare, said Cindy Kotsch,Largest selection of Asymmetric neckline dress available in all colors, sizes, fabrics. special events and marketing coordinator for the newspapers. Carson Travel will provide either a $50 Visa gift card and tour of the Kennedy Space Center for the trip to Florida or transfers from the airport to the hotel or a tour of Rome for the Italy trip. 

"I'm not sure what destination we will choose, but I am very excited about winning," she added. 

The luncheon was provided by Piergallini Catering. Major sponsors for the event include the Herald-Star, The Weirton Daily Times, Sorelle Bridal Salon, Phil-Mor Tuxedo Outlet, Anna-Kay's Unique Fashions and A Cut Above Disc Jockey Entertainment.Contact formal office dresses for women companies directly to purchase from them. 

"This is one of the largest shows that we've seen so far," Piergallini said. "We have more vendors, more brides and more guests. It is really great to see." 

"Our bridal show has quickly become a premiere bridal show for the Ohio Valley," Kotsch said. "I want to thank all of the vendors, Todd Piergallini, the brides and the guests for attending.We just have to gaze at catalogs filled with designer beaded evening gowns dresses! It takes a lot of people to put this show together and I have had a lot of help to prepare for this wonderful event." 

Gina Lindly, a consultant with Sorelle Bridal Salon, said they really enjoy being apart of the event each year. 

"We really love this venue and we love Todd Piergallini as well," she stated. "I think that the venue is close enough to Washington to let the brides know that our salon may fit their needs. We see a lot of business from this show, we scheduled 40 appointments this year."

BRIDAL shops across the town are warning blushing brides to beware of buying dresses through non-authorised retailers online. 

It comes after dozens of women have turned up at shops with horror tales of dresses turning up that were not as advertised, fake, shoddily made or, in some cases,Jovani designer 2013 prom dress and celebrity style evening gowns. not being delivered at all. 

While the dresses are cheaper than those they may have tried on in boutiques, many websites do not provide the service expected. 

Gary Watts, who runs Bridal Boutique,Beautiful Ball Gown Wedding dresses in Faringdon Road, with his wife Jane, said that they wanted to warn brides of the dangers. 

“A lot of people are going on the internet to buy their dresses from places like China because they are cheaper but when they are turning up they are terrible quality, not what the picture looked like and people are being left upset,” he said. 

“What a lot of these internet sites are doing is they are taking pictures of the brochures and uploading them onto the internet, but then what turns up is nothing like the picture. 

“It is becoming a big problem and we see the individuals coming in upset just weeks before their wedding day. 

“I always say you can't beat feeling and touching what you are buying and would always recommend buying from a store, be that us or any other bridal store in Swindon.Shop for Women's Bridesmaid Dresses and other Women's formal dresses evening.” 

Julie Moody, who owns Harmony Brides, in Devizes Road, said that she had also heard many similar stories. 

“The problem is, as bridal retailers, we only get to pick up the pieces when something goes wrong,” she said. 

“It is not until a couple of weeks before the wedding that the dresses arrive and they are wrong and we get the brides coming in stressed because their big day has been ruined.Anyone with a mori lee bridesmaid dresses? 

“We have sale rails in the shop and we do usually manage to find something that works, but it is not a nice experience. 

“I am not saying all internet sites that sell bridal dresses are like it, but brides should make sure they are buying from a site that has been approved. 

“With a wedding shop like ours you are paying for the whole service, which is what a lot of women like and nothing beats being able to see and feel what you are buying. 

“It is one of the biggest days of your life and we don't want to see it ruined.” 

Charlotte Bean,Largest selection of Asymmetric neckline dress available in all colors, sizes, fabrics. 15, of Walcot, was in Bridal Boutique on Saturday trying on prom dresses and said she would not risk buying online. 

She said: “It is good to come to a shop like this because you get to see what you are wearing, and make sure the colour is right. 

“If you buy something online, you could get it and the colour is a different shade or it doesn't fit how you thought it would. 

“With a shop they help you get the dress that is right for you.” 

Charlotte's grandmother, Margaret Wheatley, said she knew someone who had bought online and it hadn't been right. 

“My sister got married and bought a dress for herself and two bridesmaid dresses in a shop,” she said. 

“Then a friend who didn't want to be a bridesmaid originally changed her mind and she tried to get a dress online and it was awful. 

“The material was really cheap and it just wasn't nice.”

FASHION designer Vera Wang has sparked controversy with a plan to charge brides-to-be 3,000 yuan (US$482) to try on dresses at her new store in Shanghai. 

Wang's first flagship bridal shop in China will be the only one of her stores across the world to ask for a non-refundable deposit when it opens tomorrow. 

The charge has been criticized online with one Shanghai resident calling it "pure discrimination" against Chinese customers. 

"If I decide not to buy anything, then I have to donate the 3,000 yuan to the store. The problem is that Vera Wang stores in other countries don't have such rules. It is totally discrimination," a Shanghai netizen called phoenixli posted online. 

However, a public relations official for the company denied the charge was discriminatory but a way to provide a better environment for customers - ensuring only serious customers shop there - and to protect the copyright of the designer's wedding dresses. 

Taking photographs or filming in the store is also banned to prevent designs being copied. 

Customers who want to try on dresses at the Shanghai store on downtown Madang Road will have to make an appointment and pay the fee, the PR official said. They will have 90 minutes to try on wedding dresses, normally time enough to try on about eight or nine bridal gowns, she said. 

The fee will be deducted from the purchase price, but is non-refundable. 

"It is indeed terrible news for some men in Shanghai. Whether their girlfriends or wives buy or not at that store, they have to pay the money if they simply try things on," said city resident Xie Fangzhou, 29. 

But some people said the store needs the rule to ensure its clothes are treated with care.Shop the latest a-line dress on the world's largest fashion site.

"The company might be scared by some rough Chinese shoppers who might damage their products when trying them on. And, indeed, those who are determined and capable of affording the products would not care about the fitting fee," Xiaohongmao commented online.You'll be the queen of the room in this Rina di Montella 1512 evening gown. 

The two-story store will display around 80 dresses, with prices ranging from 30,000 yuan to 300,000 yuan. 

Wang, 63, was born and raised in New York, but her parents are from Shanghai. 

Luigi Cherubini, while Italian by birth, did much of his operatic work in France. Médée or Medea, as it is more often performed in Italian (thanks to the Maria Callas revival in the 1960’s), is based on the legend that inspired so many other composers. The opera opens some time after Jason (of Golden Fleece Argonaut fame, tenor Kurt Streit) has married Médée (soprano Nadja Michael). Médée has borne Jason two sons but their relationship is now troubled. Rumors of Médée’s sorcery and brutality (murder of her brother) have spread. Jason has already left for Corinth where he falls in love with Dircé (soprano Hendrickje van Kerchkove), daughter of King Créon (bass Vincent Le Tezier). Jason and Dircé are about to get married but the former worries about his children whom the King has promised to protect.Let's Buy La Femme dress Right Now!!! Médée who has been in hiding, reappears and tries without success to stop the wedding and reunite with her lover. In despair and frustration she tries to win back Jason who offers her money to leave without her children. Her fury rekindled, Médée plots revenge including the murder of her children. She has also gifted Dircé with a toxic dress and jewelry that turn the bride-to-be into ash. At the end, Jason encounters Médée, covered in the blood of their slaughtered sons,Tulle Strapless Hot Sale Ball Gown Wedding dresses with Tea-Length Pleated ... and she vows to reunite with him after death. 

The current performance of Médée is taken from 2011 performances at Theatre de La Monnaie, a premier performance venue in Brussels. Francois Benoit Hoffman’s libretto has been adapted for this production by Kryzysztof Warlikowski, the stage director, and Christian Longchamps. Costumes were updated to the present time by Malgorzata Szczesniak. Christophe Rousset leads the chorus of La Monnaie and period orchestra, Les Talens Lyriques.Shop for Women's Bridesmaid Dresses and other Women's formal dresses evening.

The faces gaze out the windows of the factory owned by German businessman Oskar Schindler near the old Jewish quarter in Krakow, Poland. 

Unlike a similar set of black-and-white portraits, which grimly line the barracks of the nearby Auschwitz concentration camp, these are survivors. Some are even smiling. 

Almost two decades after Steven Spielberg filmed "Schindler's List" in the picturesque university town, the Schindler's Factory museum opened in 2010. Despite the feel-good photos of the former workers and the interesting shots of a bundled-up Spielberg directing in the city, the museum best succeeds at drawing visitors to absorb up close an atrocity that many are more comfortable experiencing from a distance. 

The museum doesn't dwell on Schindler, who protected more than 1,100 Jews from the Nazis by employing them in dubious war industry projects. Instead,Tulle Strapless Hot Sale Ball Gown Wedding dresses with Tea-Length Pleated ... the exhibit is all about the community he helped save – a once-vibrant Jewish community facing extermination. 

The permanent exhibition "Krakow Under Nazi Occupation 1939-1945" is housed in the factory's former administrative building, where Schindler also lived. Jews had been a part of Krakow life since arriving in the 13th century. In 1939, when the Nazis invaded Poland, about 259,000 people lived in Krakow.Let's Buy La Femme dress Right Now!!! A quarter – 68,482 – were Jewish. 

The Jews were driven out, with at least 2,000 sent to the death camp in nearby Auschwitz. Today, local guides say several hundred Jews live in Krakow, a tiny fraction of what once as. 

While rich with historical facts, the Schindler museum excels at creating an immersive experience of a subject that for many is mentally and emotionally unfathomable. How could so many have been murdered in the middle of the 20th century by one of the most modern and educated nations in the world? 

After viewing gas masks and a full-size battle tank, we entered a room tiled in swastikas, with a red Nazi flag hanging unabashedly at the entrance.What exactly is a Pick-up gown? While it was sickening to view, I experienced a visceral sense of the saturation of the Nazi symbol in areas controlled by the regime. Schindler's Factory, which discusses the Germans' suppression of a free press, allows photography. When later visiting an underground bunker in Berlin, we were forbidden from taking pictures for fear of swastika images inciting hate. The symbol is rigorously controlled in Germany, with even museum exhibits limited on how many can be shown. 

In one area of the Schindler exhibit, a soundtrack of barking dogs plays with such menace that I could imagine the dripping fangs of a German shepherd. In a room describing the quarry work camp located in the city, the floor transitioned from old city cobblestone to uneven pebbles that I could feel through my sandals.Anyone with a mori lee bridesmaid dresses? While looking at Jewish prayer shawls, a soaring song in Hebrew sounded to me like cries of mourning. 

The museum examines indignities both large and small. I was struck by the photos that showed how early on, Jewish men were shorn of their side locks and beards by occupying soldiers. 

The museum includes handwritten remembrances of Krakow by Holocaust survivors, including filmmaker Roman Polanski. Another interesting side note is the part of the exhibit dedicated to the late Pope John Paul II, who entered a clandestine Krakow seminary in 1942. He later became the first pope to visit a synagogue. 

But not all is so intense. I was charmed by an exhibit of children's wooden dolls, which included an intricate Russian palace.Shop the latest a-line dress on the world's largest fashion site. Another corner showed a replica of a home with rustic bunk beds heaped with blankets. Wedding dresses and jewelry also were interesting to see. 

Near the end of the exhibit, we passed through Schindler's office, where his typewriter sat on his desk along with a pad of paper. His employee roster, or Schindler's list, is also on display, along with a collection of the enamel pots and pans made at the factory. 

The museum also focuses on the role of work – how Jews, living on a few hundred calories a day – were forced to labor without pay, often supplying the war effort that aimed to destroy them. 

To enter the final room, I walked over a wobbling bridge that seemed to represent the uncertainty of life after the war. I was moved nearly to tears by an artistic rendering of regret. Large pillars printed with first-hand accounts of Krakow citizens rotated slowly in an array of languages. 

A woman told of walking to share her ration of food with a starving friend, only to realize she had consumed it on the way. A maid for a Jewish family described holding their valuables for safekeeping but feeling too scared to visit them in the ghetto. A neighbor said she failed to rescue a toddler in the snow who had momentarily escaped the sight of the Nazis seizing his parents.

Gone are the days when a groom’s involvement amounted to renting a tuxedo, showing up at the altar and saying ‘I do.’ 

Indeed, at this weekend’s National Bridal Show, don’t be surprised if one in three attendees are grooms. 

Men are getting in on wedding mania — and not just when it comes to deciding whether to roll up in a Hummer or stretch limo, groove to a live band or DJ or pair the food with a red wine from Napa Valley or Douro Valley. They’re involved in selecting centrepieces, clipping images from wedding magazines to post on vision boards and, yes, attending bridal shows to check out what’s new in nuptials. 

And why not. The average cost of a wedding these days is around $30,000 — no wonder grooms want to put their two cents in. 

“A lot of guys want the wedding to be a day that represents the couple,” says Curtis Priest, 33, who was “very involved” in planning his wedding in September 2011. For this Star Trek fan,New fashion styles of V-neckline dress are on hot sale. it helped ensure they had an ice sculpture of the Starship Enterprise. 

“By being as involved in it we sort of ensure that we get a lot of things we’d like to see in the wedding, as opposed to if our parents were planning it,” he says. “I think that’s where things have gone wrong in the past — guys didn’t feel they had as much say or weren’t allowed to have the things that they wanted.” 

When Marti Milks first started working with the National Bridal Show 20 years ago, 99 per cent of attendees were brides. 

“You’d see the occasional groom who was forced to come along,” recalls Milks, manager of the show, which will be held at the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place between Jan. 25 to 27. (Full disclosure: The event is sponsored by the Toronto Star.) 

Then, about a decade ago, the balance began to change, she says. Now 30 per cent of attendees are grooms. 

The trend is also apparent to Trevor Lui, director of operations and sustainability at the International Centre, which hosts two annual bridal shows. A few years ago he introduced the Groom Zone at a show — complete with comfy couches,The Rina di Montella 1519 collection offers a truly unique line of dresses. draft beer, chicken wings and a big-screen TV — so men could unwind while the brides were checking out the show. Today, the men are more likely to accompany their fiancées. 

“It’s not uncommon to see a groom and his groomsmen walk the show,” says Lui, adding that men “aren’t ashamed to say ‘I want to be part of designing a wedding.’ Maybe back in the day it wasn’t so manly, but I think it’s looked upon differently these days.” 

Retailers are also taking note. Gift registries increasingly cater to the groom — with such gifts as power tools, 3-D TVs and reclining chairs. 

And because more grooms are making sartorial statements by buying a suit or tuxedo for their wedding day rather than renting one, Toronto menswear store Gotstyle introduced The Groom Room at its new location in the Distillery District. It resembles an 18th-century parlour. As grooms get fitted,Our site offers a variety of a-line dress, colorful selection of short or plus size dresses under 100. groomsmen can hang out in the lounge, shoot pool and have a drink at a well-stocked bar. 

“If you’re a bride getting married, you’ll go with your bridesmaids to get the dress and it’s a group activity,” says owner Melissa Austria. “We think guys should have the same experience.” 

Grooms, bearing pictures of Ryan Gosling or George Clooney in a tuxedo, know exactly what kind of red-carpet look they want. Sometimes, their determination to get a particular stitch, colour or lapel, can transform them into groomzillas, says Austria. 

It makes sense for men to invest in a suit or tuxedo because they’ll get use from it in future, says Austria. In reality, she notes, it would make more sense for the bride should rent the dress because she’ll never wear it again. 

The Groom Room also features accessories and groomsmen’s gifts, such as cuff links, pocket squares, colourful socks and cigars. 

According to WeddingStats. org, the average cost of a wedding in 2013 is expected to increase slightly because of the active involvement of grooms and increased spending — groom rings, accessories and gifts.Here you can take your pick from a wide selection of stunning off shoulder dress. 

There are several reasons for an increase in men’s presence on the weddingscape beyond their simple desire to be involved. An important one is that since more couples are breaking with the tradition of getting the bride’s father to foot the bill, grooms are pitching in, both with their chequebook and their ideas. 

Plus, partners are now older when they walk down the aisle — according to Statistics Canada, the average age of a first marriage is 31 for men and 29 for women, compared with 40 years ago when it was 25 and 23, respectively. They’re probably better established in their career and relationship and may already live together, so it stands to reason that they’d collaborate on their big celebration. 

“There’s a big focus on the bride, and guys don’t want to take that away,” says Ben Bisset, 30, who was married last August. “But I think there’s a greater sense that it’s our day.” 

In the months leading up to the Big Day, Bisset helped his fiancée search through wedding magazines and wedding websites for ideas to create the perfect day. 

Alison McGill, editor-in-chief of Weddingbells magazine, says “weddings have become hyper-personalized, and it’s all about the couples having their own style.” 

Many are incorporating do-it-yourself elements into their wedding, she notes. This means that guys are even getting out the glue gun and becoming crafty with cardboard. 

The magazine recently profiled a Vancouver couple where the groom folded 200 origami butterflies to attach to the side of a barn for a barn wedding. 
And why not. The average cost of a wedding these days is around $30,000 — no wonder grooms want to put their two cents in. 

“A lot of guys want the wedding to be a day that represents the couple,” says Curtis Priest, 33, who was “very involved” in planning his wedding in September 2011. For this Star Trek fan, it helped ensure they had an ice sculpture of the Starship Enterprise. 

“By being as involved in it we sort of ensure that we get a lot of things we’d like to see in the wedding, as opposed to if our parents were planning it,” he says. “I think that’s where things have gone wrong in the past — guys didn’t feel they had as much say or weren’t allowed to have the things that they wanted.” 

When Marti Milks first started working with the National Bridal Show 20 years ago, 99 per cent of attendees were brides. 

“You’d see the occasional groom who was forced to come along,” recalls Milks, manager of the show, which will be held at the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place between Jan. 25 to 27. (Full disclosure: The event is sponsored by the Toronto Star.) 

Then, about a decade ago, the balance began to change, she says. Now 30 per cent of attendees are grooms. 

The trend is also apparent to Trevor Lui, director of operations and sustainability at the International Centre, which hosts two annual bridal shows. A few years ago he introduced the Groom Zone at a show — complete with comfy couches, draft beer, chicken wings and a big-screen TV — so men could unwind while the brides were checking out the show. Today, the men are more likely to accompany their fiancées. 

“It’s not uncommon to see a groom and his groomsmen walk the show,” says Lui, adding that men “aren’t ashamed to say ‘I want to be part of designing a wedding.’ Maybe back in the day it wasn’t so manly, but I think it’s looked upon differently these days.” 

Retailers are also taking note. Gift registries increasingly cater to the groom — with such gifts as power tools, 3-D TVs and reclining chairs. 

And because more grooms are making sartorial statements by buying a suit or tuxedo for their wedding day rather than renting one, Toronto menswear store Gotstyle introduced The Groom Room at its new location in the Distillery District. It resembles an 18th-century parlour. As grooms get fitted, groomsmen can hang out in the lounge, shoot pool and have a drink at a well-stocked bar. 

“If you’re a bride getting married, you’ll go with your bridesmaids to get the dress and it’s a group activity,” says owner Melissa Austria. “We think guys should have the same experience.” 

Grooms, bearing pictures of Ryan Gosling or George Clooney in a tuxedo, know exactly what kind of red-carpet look they want. Sometimes, their determination to get a particular stitch, colour or lapel, can transform them into groomzillas, says Austria. 

It makes sense for men to invest in a suit or tuxedo because they’ll get use from it in future, says Austria. In reality, she notes, it would make more sense for the bride should rent the dress because she’ll never wear it again. 

The Groom Room also features accessories and groomsmen’s gifts, such as cuff links, pocket squares, colourful socks and cigars. 

According to WeddingStats. org, the average cost of a wedding in 2013 is expected to increase slightly because of the active involvement of grooms and increased spending — groom rings, accessories and gifts. 

There are several reasons for an increase in men’s presence on the weddingscape beyond their simple desire to be involved. An important one is that since more couples are breaking with the tradition of getting the bride’s father to foot the bill, grooms are pitching in, both with their chequebook and their ideas. 

Plus, partners are now older when they walk down the aisle — according to Statistics Canada,Embrace modern glamour in this evening gown from 2013 evening dress