As a dedicated writer for Polka Dot Groom, I have seen many bow ties in my day. From a pink paisley tie to a camo printed neck bow—I thought every fabric under the sun had already been fashioned into a beautiful bow tie by a talented designer somewhere. But then I stumbled across the creative brand Two Guys Bow Ties and realised that some bow ties aren’t made of fabric at all!

Carving their way to a creative new idea, Adam Teague and Tim Paslay have been hand-making wooden bow ties and lapel flowers in Tulsa, Oklahoma since 2012 and with a gorgeous result! Laser-printing their designs with an array of eye-popping patterns, or just capturing the natural beauty of the wood itself, the team at Two Guys Bow Ties have created the ultimate alternative to a fabric bow tie.

But how did they think of such a unique idea?! Adam says it’s all thanks to the team’s love of woodworking and exquisite style. “Tim and I love seeing great craftsmanship in action, and we enjoy getting to work with our hands. We also appreciate impeccable style….We have both done a lot of wood working in the past and worked on several projects together. One day Tim had the idea to make bow ties from wood. We both loved the idea right away, and from there we were off and running making unique wooden bow ties.”

And aren’t we glad they did! Delicately handcrafting each bow tie from scratch, Adam and Tim work with the natural charm of their locally and internationally sourced hardwoods to create designs that are both rustic, yet modern. As Adam points out “Our wooden bow ties and lapel flowers are made from a variety of hardwoods: some are more domestic, like oak and walnut. Others are more exotic, like African Zebrawood, Peruvian Walnut, and more. Each tie and lapel also incorporates high quality fabrics to give it a little extra flair.”

With over 40 different styles available, there is a wooden bow tie to suit every groom—and a garden of blossoming lapel flowers to match! But if you’re a creative soul like myself, you can also work with Adam and Tim to create the custom bow tie you’ve always dreamed of. Through their fun and user friendly website, you can pick every little detail of your bow tie from the style of wood and fabric used, to a personalised message engraved on the back. The boys are even able to laser etch any design imaginable onto your tie, so the only thing stopping you is the limits of your imagination!

And if that wasn’t enough customization for you—there is even the option to place a special order for your entire wedding party! As Adam explains, “Some brides and grooms are able to find the style they love that fits their wedding colors in one of our stock ties. For these couples, we offer 20% off each tie with a minimum purchase of 5 ties. If a bride and groom don’t find what they’re looking for, they can choose the fabric and wood they want, and we will create their ties (a minimum order of 5 ties is required). A couple can also send us a fabric that they want us to use on their ties.”

As a girl who likes to colour coordinate, this option greatly appeals to me as it gives you the ability to incorporate a fabric that was used elsewhere in the wedding into your tie design—perhaps it’s the cloth from the brides sash, the table settings, or the fabric of the bridal gown itself— and nothing says well coordinated to me like paying attention to those tiny little details!

So if a wooden tie or lapel blossom sounds like just the ticket for you, I suggest you give Two Guys Bow Ties a try! You can view their range of handcrafted goodies on their website.

All images courtesy of Two Guys Bow Ties