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A few weeks before my wedding, I was surprised when the hot topic of conversation became "to shave or not to shave?" amongst my groom, Jason, and his groomsmen. To be honest, I kind of assumed a clean-shave (or five-o'clock shadow at the most) was a given since Jason always buzzed up for special events, nevermind the most important and highly photographed day of our lives. Besides, he doesn't grow much facial hair to begin with. 

What I never considered at the time was that almost every other groomsman was rocking some sort of beard ranging from David Beckham to Zach Galifianakis status, plus a few guys were growing their hair out. Thus, a debate ensued amongst the men about whether Jason would stick out in a bad way. (In contrast, I was shocked I didn't get as many questions from the bridesmaids, despite the fact that we all went with updos and a few of them had never worn their hair up before!) They assured me they wouldn't look like Lord of the Rings extras and each guy did their own thing. Don't they look handsome?

Photo by: Josh Lynn Photography

In honor of Movember — which raises awareness and funds for prostate cancer and other male cancers — I've gathered some photos of grooms who rocked facial hair at their wedding, from barely-there to the whole shebang.

It was originally my husband Ian's idea to get married at our home in Arizona because he thought it would save us money. (Our house had no particular sentimental meaning and is nothing fancy; we just happen to have a decent yard.) At first, I thought he was crazy! It would be hard to pull off, it'd create more work for us, and it wouldn't look perfect... so many things could go wrong. We estimated we'd have around 130 guests, which isn't a huge wedding but isn't small either.

While some couples encourage their friends and family to snap as many photos as possible throughout the day (they're even signing up for apps that make it easier to compile everyone's photos in one place!), others are asking their guests to shut off their cameras for the day. There are strong arguments on both sides — there's something so special about seeing your wedding day unfold from your guests' perspectives, but photographers have noted that "guest photographers" often compromise your professional pictures. Photographer Corey Ann, an international award-winning photographer based in Northeast Ohio, shares why you might want to ask your guests to put aside their cameras for the night.

Last year, one of my friends got married, and I was so thrilled to be her photographer that day. What was even more amazing was that she had an “Unplugged Wedding,” after seeing pictures and reading my rants over the years about well-meaning guests whom have inadvertently (or heck, even completely on purpose) ruined images.

With weddings becoming more and more expensive — according to CostofWedding.com, U.S. couples spend an average of $25,656 on their big day, and that figure doesn't include the cost of a honeymoon — brides are constantly looking for ways to achieve their dream day for less.

Although weddings can be super pricey, there are always ways, big and small, to save a few dollars. We asked money-savvy brides to spill their best tips!

How to Save on Your Ceremony and Reception

1. Marry during the off-season.
Venues and hotels usually lower their rates during the off-season (which is from November through April), so planning your wedding during this time could help you cut major costs, like it did for Melissa Phillips from New Milford, NJ, who's getting married on January 18th.

Plus, this gives you the opportunity to play up the colder weather and feature unique wedding details that wouldn't be possible during warmer months, like a hot chocolate bar complete with marshmallows and whipped cream!

2. Take advantage of the holidays.
If you marry during the holiday season, you could benefit from beautiful churches and venues that are pre-decorated with flowers, lights and holiday sparkle, keeping out-of-pocket décor costs down to a minimum.

"I always dreamt of getting married during Christmas, with the church ablaze with red poinsettas and my bridesmaids in red and green velvet dresses," says New York City bride Samuella Becker-Maltese.

Why is there glitter everywhere? Why is everything SO EXPENSIVE?

1. When you realize your fiancé knows nothing about what weddings cost:

Them: “I KNOW my sister’s wedding didn’t cost more than $5K!”

You: “Your sister’s venue alone cost $10K.”

2. When you realize wedding ~inspiration~ is a cruel joke:

Q. Before she marries, my daughter asked me to host a luncheon for hometown friends and church members not invited to the wedding (five hours away). She would also like to have her fIancé and bridesmaids at the luncheon. How can I pull this off?

It's not uncommon to shed a tear or two during the bride's dance with her husband or father. However, at Greta Perske's wedding on October 10th, guests were overcome with emotion when she dedicated a song to a man she had only met once before.

The leukemia survivor surprised all of her loved ones by honoring her bone marrow transplant donor, Danny Daniels. The pair danced to "Angels Among Us" by Alabama for their special moment; a perfect song because not only did he save her life but also the lives of countless others as a former member of the Air Force National Guard.

How do you celebrate 60 years of wedded bliss? This musically-inclined couple created a sweet video playing a piano duet to Up's "Married Life," interspersed with their photos together through the years. Their story is a happier tale than Carl and Ellie's in the Disney/Pixar flick, but the love they have for each other is just as evident.