The groom is fortunate when it comes to wedding planning and shopping in that he is not expected to run around and make all the decisions. For some reason this seems to be the bride's role. The bride usually goes crazy picking out everything from the flavor of the filling in the wedding cake to the color of ribbon used on the wedding favors. The groom's role is to be supportive and stand by, offer his opinion when asked and try to keep his bride's sanity intact through the emotional roller coaster of planning a wedding.

Even though the bride and her family have a huge role in the shopping decisions for wedding accessories and deciding on all the little details, the groom has one shopping function that he must do himself and he must do it well. The groom is responsible for selecting and purchasing groomsmen gifts.

Groomsmen gifts? You're new to this whole wedding thing. Many guys don't even know they are supposed to buy groomsmen gifts. These are basically "thank you" gifts to the other guys in the tuxedos at your wedding. Etiquette says it is only proper to thank the best man, ushers and groomsmen in your wedding for their participation and time spent on your wedding. You might expect these close male friends and family to step up and be in your wedding for nothing. But that is not cool.

To be classy you, as the groom, really need to give token gifts of appreciation and offer up a heartfelt thank you to your buddies. Depending on how small or big your wedding is, grooms usually spend anywhere from $20 up to $70. If you're having an extremely lavish event, then your groomsmen gifts should be up there in the $100 or more range. So you can see that a small wedding would require modest gifts and an extravagant one would require equally expensive groomsmen gifts.

Now that you've realized that you need to buy some groomsmen gifts, the next question is what type of items to buy. One surefire item that all men love and can use for years to come is a pocket knife. One brand of knife that is popular and high quality are those made by Buck Knives.

Buck knives have many different categories. Folding hunting knives, fixed blade hunting knives, wood handled pocket knives, metal handle folding knives, fishing knives, outdoor multitools, tactical knives and limited edition collector's models. This wide variety gives you a lot of options. Buck knives also have a wide price range from $20 up to $200+ for collector models. Many times these knives can be engraved on the handle or blade which is a special, finishing touch. A gift recipient is impressed even more with the gift if they see their own name or initials on it.

One last tip in terms of groomsmen gifts is this: do not wait until a week before you wedding to start your quest for gifts. Plan ahead at least one month ahead, two months ahead is better, so that you have time to decide, place your order and get your items delivered. You'll save money on shipping if you give yourself a little time. Otherwise, you'll have to pay rush charges and overnight shipping to get your Buck knives to you at the last minute.

Groomsmen gifts of Buck knives are practical gifts that your buddies will use for years to come. Lisa Gunther is co-owner of Gunther Gifts which offers hundreds of unique groomsmen gifts ideas. Most can be personalized for that extra special touch.