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.
Planning Your Memorable Wedding
April 29, 2009
You have finally said, “Yes.” This is the start of your life as a couple. And prior to that much-awaited big day, you, both the bride and groom have so many decisions to make and wedding-related tasks to complete.
Preparing for your wedding day need not be stressful. On the other had, it should be fun and memorable. And to do this, start off by putting together a wedding timetable.
A short list of wedding-related tasks as well as a rough estimate of when the activities should be done follows. It presents tips and guidelines to keep you organized and help you think of all the matters that you must take into consideration in the course of planning for your big day. Of course, these are mere suggestions. All activities and schedule are still up to the couple to decide on depending on their priorities.
At the Time of the Engagement
- You must tell your parents the happy news as soon as possible that is if they don’t already know. If you were having an engagement party, it would be good to keep your close friends and relatives in the know, too.
- An organizer would be best to have in handy. This will help you keep track of all the appointments, payments and other wedding-related activities that you must attend to.
- Have your engagement photo taken. This would be nice to have as a keepsake of this wonderful occasion.
6 to 12 Months In Advance Before the Big Day
- The couple should have already picked and decided on the wedding date. Do the reservation for the venue where the ceremony and reception is to be held.
- Set an appointment with the wedding officiant.
- Establish a budget for the wedding, and try as much as possible to stick to it.
- Prepare a wedding guest list. You wouldn’t want to leave somebody uninvited unintentionally.
- Look around for a photographer, florists, musicians, and a caterer. Obtain estimates for these services.
- Register at the bridal gift registry.
- Pick a wedding dress and accessories to go with it. If you are having a seamstress make you one, this is the time to have it arranged. Several fittings may be required for this.
- For the bride, select your bridesmaids. Set a date for ordering dresses for them.
4 to 6 Months In Advance Before the Big Day
- Have the invitations, stationeries, and thank you notes ordered.
- The photographer, florist, musician, and caterer should have already been chosen. Go over details with each of these services to make sure that everything is as agreed upon.
- For the groom, select attire.
- Honeymoon reservations should be made already at this point.
- Confirm the delivery of the bridal gown.
2 Months In Advance Before the Big Day
- Plan your rehearsal dinner.
- If you are having out-of-town attendants, arrange for their lodging.
- Make an appointment with your chosen photographer for the shooting of the bridal portrait.
- Order the wedding cake.
1 Month In Advance Before the Big Day
- The couple should decide on a wedding band set.
- Mail the invitations.
- Check the apparel for the wedding party.
- The couple attends showers.
2 Weeks Before the Wedding.
- It is time to apply for marriage license and attend to other legal matters, especially for the bride - name and address changes on bank accounts and other official documents.
- Plan a wedding hairstyle and make-up with your stylist.
- Check with the caterer and the reception venue for last minute changes.
1 Week Before the Wedding
- Do your honeymoon packing.
- Wrap gifts for the groom and attendants.
- Schedule the wedding rehearsal.
- Remind the wedding party of the exact time and place for the occasion.
On Wedding Day
- Take breakfast! Fainting on the aisle wouldn’t be cool.
- Have your hair and make-up done.
- Shake off all your wedding details worries and enjoy your day.
American Wedding Practices
November 24, 2007
Living in the US makes one feel free - free to do anything, free to live, free to love, free from traditions. While this is true, there are still many practices done during wedding that renders this memorable event with a distinct American touch. Here are some:
Starting from the engagement, Americans can think of unique ways to personalize their wedding. As there really isn’t any engagement tradition, the more unique the marriage proposal is done, the better.
For most wedding preparations, the engaged couple visits their parents to inform them of their recent engagement.
At times, the engaged couple hosts an engagement party. The engagement party costs less than a wedding reception since most of the time, the menu will only include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Therefore, if the couple is on a tight budget, they can just invite more guests to the engagement party if they plan to limit the number of guests during the wedding.
Most wedding preparations have a bridal shower given by the maid of honor and the bridesmaids. The groom may also have a bachelor party the night before the wedding but he has to be careful not to drink too much.
Wedding invitations should include response cards to quickly inform the couple whether the person has accepted or declined the invitation. The wedding invitations should also be sent within four to six weeks before the event.
Usually, there is a rehearsal dinner in which the wedding party and guests came from far places to be present at the wedding attend. It was practiced that the groom’s parents pay for this dinner.
A bridal luncheon may be hosted for the bride’s attendants during the wedding day. However, time constraints may not permit this to be part of the schedule for the wedding day. Likewise, the groom may also host a groom’s dinner for his groomsmen.
Interestingly, even if the couple is not very religious, they still prefer a religious ceremony. However, this may pose a problem since in America people of different faiths and religious backgrounds get married.
Even if there are few people who believe in bad luck, some couples still make sure that the groom does not see his bride until she starts waking on the aisle.
It is still practiced that the groom and his groomsmen enter the church through a side door. The bride will then walk down the aisle with her father. In some cases when both her father and stepfather brought up the bride, she may ask them both to escort her.
During a formal reception, there is usually a bridal table where the couple and the attendants sit. Also, food and drinks should be served as the guests appear at the reception.
Before, gift giving used to depend on what the guest will feel useful for the couple. Now, it is better to register for gifts so the guests will know what to bring that the couple will need.
Upon receiving an engagement or wedding gift, it is better to send a thank you note apart from saying “thank you” to the giver. This should be sent within two weeks upon receipt of the gift. Make a personalized thank you note, instead of using an impersonal generic thank you note.
These are just some American practices during weddings. Whether one chooses to this or prefers to have a very different wedding, what’s more important is that American’s still believe in the wedding vow, “For better or worse, ’til death do us part.”