Choosing the perfect wedding venue
June 27, 2009
Youve found the perfect groom. Youve bought the perfect dress. Youre expecting a perfect wedding. Now all you need is the perfect wedding venue. Having a perfect wedding relies largely on having a perfect venue. Thats why you should treat finding a wedding venue as if you are buying a new house. It is, after all, where you will receive and treat your friends and relatives in probably the most memorable night of your life.
Here are some tips to help you search for that perfect wedding venue.
Trust your instincts. As soon as you arrive in a particular venue you will automatically have a certain feeling towards it. You have to trust your instinct. If you feel a certain positive vibration to the venue then thats a good start. In the same way, you will know automatically if a certain venue is not right for you and your wedding. This doesnt mean though that you should not be logical in choosing a wedding venue. Its the place where you will exchange vows with the man you love so it has to feel right.
Take your time. Dont ever rush in choosing the perfect wedding venue. A wedding is a very important event so take time to get the venue right. Ideally, you should start looking for a venue at least a year before the wedding date. This would give you enough time to make the right decisions and change the venue in case anything happens.
Consider the size. The size of the venue is a very important consideration. If the venue is too small, the wedding will loose its intimacy. If its too big, it will be cramped and uncomfortable. The size of your wedding will depend of course on the number of your guests. So before looking for a wedding you must at least have a rough idea of how many guests you will be planning to invite. Be as precise as possible. You cannot say that youre planning to invite from 200 to 500 guests. The 300 person difference would matter a lot in terms of the venue size. You must also leave ample space for the dance area. The more guests you have, the larger space you need to allot for the dance area.
Check the parking space. One of the complaints of people who have attended weddings is the lack of parking space. Be sure that the wedding venue you will choose has ample space for all of your guests. Parking may be a minor consideration but it can spell the difference between a happy guest and a dissatisfied one.
Know the restrictions of the venue. Be sure to ask about the restrictions of a wedding venue if there are any. There may be restrictions about noise so you might not be able to employ a band or even a sound system. Some venues have time restrictions while some would allow you to party all night long. There are even venues with decorations restrictions. Check if the wedding venue would allow you to bring your own caterer, florist, decorator, etc because there are venues that have preferred contractors and suppliers.
Draw a layout of your wedding. Have a layout of your wedding. Before choosing a wedding venue, you must already have a layout (either on your mind or drawn into paper) of your wedding. You must know where you want gusts to sit, the reception area, the dining area, etc. Then check if the venue fits your layout.
Tips When Doing Wedding Toasts
June 13, 2009
Wedding toasts perform an essential role during the wedding celebration. The wedding toast serves as a link between the formal wedding ceremonies and the less formal atmosphere of the wedding reception.
The wedding toast also allows some members of the family, relatives and closest friends to express their feelings and to wish the couple well.
Having toasts started from the belief that creating some noise, such as ringing a bell, in this case, the clinking of a glass, can cast away evil spirits.
The wedding toast may follow a traditional or a non-traditional order.
In the traditional order, the first toast is the toast to the bride or the toast to the bride and groom. This is done by the best man, a relative or a friend. The groom then responds with a message to his bride, the person who made the toast, the couple’s parents and a toast to the bridesmaids.
The best will then respond to thank the groom on behalf of the bridesmaids. At times, if the bride has spoken after the groom, the best man will thank the bridesmaids.
A close friend or relative may then follow with another toast. After this, the father of the bride thanks the guests on behalf of his wife and himself, and announces that they can begin with the celebration.
The non-traditional toast is done to do something different from the tradition. The order may be changed to suit the guests and the occasion.
The emcee proposes the first toast for the couple. The groom then thanks the emcee and the guests and toasts to his bride. The bride thanks her groom and the guests and proposes a toast to her parents and her in-laws. At times, a special toast may be done for her in-laws.
The father of the bride thanks the bride for the toast, thanks the guests for attending and announces that the celebration may begin. At times, the emcee may propose a toast to the bridesmaids, after which the maid of honor may respond with thanks or propose another toast. The emcee may introduce guests who will propose their toasts, and announce the beginning of the celebration.
Here are some tips when proposing a toast.
* The bride should be served the beverage first, followed by the groom, the maid of honor, the parents and then the best man.
* The toast can be done with a sip of wine, champagne or a non-alcoholic drink except coffee, tea and water.
* If you will propose the first toast, make sure that not only your glass, but also all the other glasses are filled before you start speaking.
* When proposing a toast, raise your glass with your right hand. The glass should be held in a straight line from the shoulder.
* It is better to compose your own wedding toast. However, if you cannot write a good one, you can try traditional wedding toast but make sure to personalize it to include your feelings and thoughts about the bride and groom.
* Always remember to end a toast with an invitation to the guests to join you and something that tells them what to say in response.
These are some things that one should remember when proposing a wedding toast. On the other hand, if you received a toast, you do not raise your glass, stand, nor sip your drink. You just thank the toasters and although you are not required, you may propose another toast.
The Important Factor in a Wedding Speech
June 1, 2009
In any speaking engagement, one of the most important factor (and the most neglected, too) is the audience. People are so worried about the speech itself that they tend to forget the real factor that will affect the whole execution of the speech.
There are many kinds of speeches and one of them is the wedding speech. It is that part of the weeding that everybody is so excited to hear.
In a wedding, there are three primary wedding speeches that will be heard. The first one will be coming from the brides father. This is usually the most emotional speech and the most unforgettable one. It becomes so touchy when the father includes in his speech how he is endorsing his daughter to his husband.
The second part of the wedding speech is the grooms speech. Here, he will thank his parents for all the love and care. He will also thank all those who made the celebration possible and memorable.
And last is the best mans speech. Usually, this type of wedding speech is the most enlightening one because it entails the lighter side of the event. The best man will tell stories about the groom and his crazy antics.
Of all these wedding speeches, the audience should be the primary factor that should be considered when making the wedding speech. Through the analysis of the audience, the speaker will be able to identify which things that should be said and which things that should be left out.
In most cases, the most common misconception of most wedding speakers about wedding speeches is that they thought that they are speaking before the bride and the groom only, which should not be the case. The wedding speech should be delivered to the whole guests. In fact, the impression most wedding speakers make would reflect back to the bride and groom.
For example, if you are to make a wedding speech and you have thought of including some jokes that you think would make the couple happy, try to think of the audience first if it will make them happy too. There may be instances wherein your joke will not amuse the elderly ones who will be present at the wedding.
Problems and conflicts may happen just because of the wedding speech you have made. So, it is extremely important to make a speech that will focus on the general interest of the audience and not centered on the bride and groom or to your own judgment of what you think would be funny and okay.
Another misconception that wedding speakers usually make is that they tend to think that wedding speeches are not all worth the trouble. That is why most of them would not make a speech that is well-thought of, with words that are carefully chosen, and the idea creatively generated to come up with a good speech.
Usually, they would make a speech that they think will do for the time being. Just to get over it, they would just think of mentioning some stories and that is it.
What matters most in a wedding speech is the reaction and impression that the audience will have on your wedding speech. Just like the way you want to talk to your boss or your colleague and consider their feelings and principles is also the same way you should be delivering your speech. You should also consider the audiences feelings and beliefs.
Moreover, you should know how to identify with the audience. Through identification you will be able to come up with a wedding speech wherein the audience can relate to whatever stories or information that you will be telling them.
So, now you know how important wedding speeches can be, it is important to take note of the most important factor before making a wedding speech the audience. And because wedding speeches are important part of the wedding, it should never be taken for granted.