I've witnessed some pretty good toasts in my time and some pretty awkward ones.
Personally, I was more than pleased with the best man and maid of honor toasts at my own wedding. They were tasteful, personal, light-hearted and fun. Not to mention short but sweet.
One of my friends recently told me she witnessed the ultimate toast you should never give at a wedding a few months ago. The best man had had WAYYY too much to drink and babbled on for 10 minutes, talking about the groom's past girlfriends and cursing in front of all of the grandparents and young children. Yikes.
Even with toasts that aren't this extreme, I've listened to some that just made no sense to the guests, were too long, told irrelevant stories, etc. I know giving a toast can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially if you are scared of public speaking, so I'm listing a couple of tips for those that may be in the position, either in the near future or maybe someday, of giving a wedding toast.
*The toast should be no longer than five minutes (three is preferred) and you should try to remember to maintain eye contact with the bride and groom as you deliver it, as well as occasionally looking out to the other guests.
*Make sure all the guests' glasses are full before you begin.
*First and foremost, announce your relationship to the bride and groom. Even if you know the bride and groom and their families and friends well, usually not EVERYONE there also knows who you are.
*Then start the toast off by commenting about the wonderful/touching/elegant/memorable etc. ceremony you have all witnessed.
*Keep it clean and don't use inside jokes, mention past relationships or say anything negative in general
*Just relax and be comfortable
* Practice, practice, practice!! Don't hesitate to write your speech down, but make sure not to read off of your paper the whole time, either.
*And finally, don't forget to actually toast to the wedding couple at the end of your speech. Raise your glass, offer a wish for the happy couple and say: "To (name of groom) and (name of bride)..."
Monday, April 28, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Wedding Traditions Explained...
Wedding celebrations are full of traditions, but often we don't give a second thought to what exactly we are doing or even why we are doing it. So here are some of the most popular wedding traditions explained:
Ring finger- the third finger on left hand is your ring finger, where the wedding and engagement rings are always worn. This is because that finger was believed, centuries ago, to be connected by a vein directly to the heart.
Diamond engagement ring- in medieval Italy, precious stones were seen as part of a groom’s payment for a bride; gifts such as stones were given to symbolize the intent to marry.
Wedding ring- in the early years, the husband would wrap braided grass around the bride’s wrists and ankles to keep her spirit from leaving her body. Bands then evolved into leather, then carved stone, metal and later silver and gold.
Something old- to stand for brides’ ties to past
Something new- represents hope for the future
Something borrowed- means friendship
Something blue- is for faithfulness
Giving the bride away- when a daughter was considered her father’s possession, a formal transfer was necessary during the wedding ritual. Today the custom symbolizes the parents’ acceptance of the bride growing up and is a sign of their blessing of the marriage.
And finally,
Throwing rice- this symbolizes fertility; rice is thrown at the couple in hope that it will bring a marriage full of children.
Ring finger- the third finger on left hand is your ring finger, where the wedding and engagement rings are always worn. This is because that finger was believed, centuries ago, to be connected by a vein directly to the heart.
Diamond engagement ring- in medieval Italy, precious stones were seen as part of a groom’s payment for a bride; gifts such as stones were given to symbolize the intent to marry.
Wedding ring- in the early years, the husband would wrap braided grass around the bride’s wrists and ankles to keep her spirit from leaving her body. Bands then evolved into leather, then carved stone, metal and later silver and gold.
Something old- to stand for brides’ ties to past
Something new- represents hope for the future
Something borrowed- means friendship
Something blue- is for faithfulness
Giving the bride away- when a daughter was considered her father’s possession, a formal transfer was necessary during the wedding ritual. Today the custom symbolizes the parents’ acceptance of the bride growing up and is a sign of their blessing of the marriage.
And finally,
Throwing rice- this symbolizes fertility; rice is thrown at the couple in hope that it will bring a marriage full of children.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Florals for Summer Weddings
Ahh, summer weddings mean warm weather, beautiful sunshine, bright colors and of course, vibrant flowers!
When you have a spring or summer wedding, you are able to get more local flowers in a variety of shades and types. I was interested to see what types of flowers are currently the trend with warm weather weddings, and this is what I found.
According to theknotforlife.com, pink is the hot hue for June weddings. Pink flowers are a sign of romance and love and are featured in traditional summer bouquets.
Pink has many different shades and can be combined with blues, lavenders and white florals for beautiful and soft arrangements. Light greenery can be added for accent, but The Knot for Life recommends avoiding the dark greens because they will “fade” the appearance of color of the flowers. Popular pink, lavender and soft blue flowers for wedding bouquets include carnations, bachelor buttons, orchids, gladiolas, hydrangeas, dahlia and bleeding hearts.
Moving into July, visions of beaches and exotic, tropical flowers may cross your mind. For July weddings, bright yellows, bright oranges, reds and hot pinks are used to create brilliant color in bridal bouquets and decorations. These colors go well with many different bridesmaids' colors, and look stunning against the white bridal gown.
As far as flower types go, gerbera daisy arrangements have become very popular, along with orange and yellow roses, daylilies of orange and yellow, and hot pink calla lilies. Freesia also looks stunning in these bouquets, and can hold up well to the hotter outdoor weather if you are planning an outdoor wedding.
In August, there is a wide variety of two-toned flowers that can be used to add a depth to the brighter colors used in June and July, according to The Knot for Life. Try a rose that is an orange-red combination or a pink and white combo to really add dramatic effects to your bouquet. There are also exotic flowers like bird of paradise or deep-colored orchids or lilies that can add accents.
For more ideas and advice about flowers for weddings in all seasons, check out our wedding planning article on floral arrangements!
When you have a spring or summer wedding, you are able to get more local flowers in a variety of shades and types. I was interested to see what types of flowers are currently the trend with warm weather weddings, and this is what I found.
According to theknotforlife.com, pink is the hot hue for June weddings. Pink flowers are a sign of romance and love and are featured in traditional summer bouquets.
Pink has many different shades and can be combined with blues, lavenders and white florals for beautiful and soft arrangements. Light greenery can be added for accent, but The Knot for Life recommends avoiding the dark greens because they will “fade” the appearance of color of the flowers. Popular pink, lavender and soft blue flowers for wedding bouquets include carnations, bachelor buttons, orchids, gladiolas, hydrangeas, dahlia and bleeding hearts.
Moving into July, visions of beaches and exotic, tropical flowers may cross your mind. For July weddings, bright yellows, bright oranges, reds and hot pinks are used to create brilliant color in bridal bouquets and decorations. These colors go well with many different bridesmaids' colors, and look stunning against the white bridal gown.
As far as flower types go, gerbera daisy arrangements have become very popular, along with orange and yellow roses, daylilies of orange and yellow, and hot pink calla lilies. Freesia also looks stunning in these bouquets, and can hold up well to the hotter outdoor weather if you are planning an outdoor wedding.
In August, there is a wide variety of two-toned flowers that can be used to add a depth to the brighter colors used in June and July, according to The Knot for Life. Try a rose that is an orange-red combination or a pink and white combo to really add dramatic effects to your bouquet. There are also exotic flowers like bird of paradise or deep-colored orchids or lilies that can add accents.
For more ideas and advice about flowers for weddings in all seasons, check out our wedding planning article on floral arrangements!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Something...Green?
Though the saying goes "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue...," many couples are starting to turn from the color blue in favor of green.
Having a green wedding requires a good deal of planning and some sacrificing many times, but even just following a couple of tips could make a big difference in creating an environmentally-friendly wedding day while still leaving the bride and groom happy.
Here are some ideas:
- Use recycled paper wherever possible for wedding invitations; many companies can offer this option.
- Weddings can generate a huge amount of paper consumption, so give careful thought to items that can be reduced. For example, instead of a program for everyone, perhaps one per couple or group.
- Instead of communicating to your guests through mailings, consider starting a web site or blog. This would also be extremely cost-effective, as services like www.blogger.com (which hosts this site) are free.
- Where possible, use an organic catering company that sources local ingredients or specify to your caterer that you want them to use organic and local food whenever possible. Also try to minimize the amount of meat on the menu and maximize the use of in-season fruit, vegetables and local dairy products.
-Minimize the amount of driving your guests will have to do by booking a ceremony and reception site that are close together.
- Flowers used at weddings and receptions are often out-of-season and imported. Try to use locally-grown flowers for your wedding, and recycle the flowers by using the same arrangements from the ceremony at the reception. Also using potted flowers as your floral arrangements can make a great addition to your home or garden after the big event.
- Consider a pre-owned dress, which will also save you a lot of cash. And if you have no desire to keep the dress after the wedding, donate it to a charity who can sell it, creating funds for them and saving someone else from needing to purchase a new dress.
- Request that no gifts be purchased, but donations made to your favorite charities or environmental groups instead.
-Instead of favors, let your guests know in the program that you have donated $1 to $2 per guest to your favorite environmental organization.
-Try an alternative to rice and birdseed sendoff after the ceremony by throwing native wildflower seeds or petals, ringing handballs, or blowing homemade bubbles from recyclable containers.
-Try to ensure that whoever cleans up your reception will separate recyclables from non-recyclables in order to minimize the amount of trash that winds up in landfills.
Having a green wedding requires a good deal of planning and some sacrificing many times, but even just following a couple of tips could make a big difference in creating an environmentally-friendly wedding day while still leaving the bride and groom happy.
Here are some ideas:
- Use recycled paper wherever possible for wedding invitations; many companies can offer this option.
- Weddings can generate a huge amount of paper consumption, so give careful thought to items that can be reduced. For example, instead of a program for everyone, perhaps one per couple or group.
- Instead of communicating to your guests through mailings, consider starting a web site or blog. This would also be extremely cost-effective, as services like www.blogger.com (which hosts this site) are free.
- Where possible, use an organic catering company that sources local ingredients or specify to your caterer that you want them to use organic and local food whenever possible. Also try to minimize the amount of meat on the menu and maximize the use of in-season fruit, vegetables and local dairy products.
-Minimize the amount of driving your guests will have to do by booking a ceremony and reception site that are close together.
- Flowers used at weddings and receptions are often out-of-season and imported. Try to use locally-grown flowers for your wedding, and recycle the flowers by using the same arrangements from the ceremony at the reception. Also using potted flowers as your floral arrangements can make a great addition to your home or garden after the big event.
- Consider a pre-owned dress, which will also save you a lot of cash. And if you have no desire to keep the dress after the wedding, donate it to a charity who can sell it, creating funds for them and saving someone else from needing to purchase a new dress.
- Request that no gifts be purchased, but donations made to your favorite charities or environmental groups instead.
-Instead of favors, let your guests know in the program that you have donated $1 to $2 per guest to your favorite environmental organization.
-Try an alternative to rice and birdseed sendoff after the ceremony by throwing native wildflower seeds or petals, ringing handballs, or blowing homemade bubbles from recyclable containers.
-Try to ensure that whoever cleans up your reception will separate recyclables from non-recyclables in order to minimize the amount of trash that winds up in landfills.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Capturing the Wedding by Video
Hiring a wedding day videographer seems to be a trend that is skyrocketing in popularity and with good reason. You are able to capture every important moment of your wedding day with movement and sound - something even the wedding photographer cannot do with the most beautiful photos.
When it came time to decide whether or not to hire a videographer, we decided to ask one of my friends, who shoots and compiles video as his career, although he had never shot a wedding before. Having a videographer was more of an afterthought and not a very high priority to us, though we thought it would be nice to have, even if we never really watched it again.
After seeing snippets of his edited tape, I'm so glad that we hired him. Watching our first dance as husband and wife brought tears to my eyes, and I felt like I was able to experience everything all over again!
I would have to say that even if you don't want to hire a professional, even having a cousin or uncle man a camcorder sitting on a tripod will still be able to capture you walking down the aisle, you and your true love exchanging vows and rings and your first kiss as man and wife. There's just something so amazing about being able to watch it again. Plus you often notice things in the tape that you didn't see during the actual day because you were so busy!
And of course, it would be pretty special to be able to show your children, and even your grandchildren someday, a video of your wedding!
When it came time to decide whether or not to hire a videographer, we decided to ask one of my friends, who shoots and compiles video as his career, although he had never shot a wedding before. Having a videographer was more of an afterthought and not a very high priority to us, though we thought it would be nice to have, even if we never really watched it again.
After seeing snippets of his edited tape, I'm so glad that we hired him. Watching our first dance as husband and wife brought tears to my eyes, and I felt like I was able to experience everything all over again!
I would have to say that even if you don't want to hire a professional, even having a cousin or uncle man a camcorder sitting on a tripod will still be able to capture you walking down the aisle, you and your true love exchanging vows and rings and your first kiss as man and wife. There's just something so amazing about being able to watch it again. Plus you often notice things in the tape that you didn't see during the actual day because you were so busy!
And of course, it would be pretty special to be able to show your children, and even your grandchildren someday, a video of your wedding!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Finding Inspiration
I recently browsed this great blog, sent to me courtesy of Crista at Studio 7 Photography, and it's all about unique weddings and styles!
Many of the posts have "inspiration boards," as the author calls them, comprised of a variety of photos from a wedding event that complement each other in style and color.
The blog also highlights "Real Weddings" and some of the truly unique aspects of the weddings of couples recently married.
From lavenders to yellow to oranges to the basic black and white, you can do pretty much anything you want when it comes to your wedding and its colors! If you are researching wedding colors or want to get some ideas on different looks or trends, you should definitely check out some of the inspiration boards!
Many of the posts have "inspiration boards," as the author calls them, comprised of a variety of photos from a wedding event that complement each other in style and color.
The blog also highlights "Real Weddings" and some of the truly unique aspects of the weddings of couples recently married.
From lavenders to yellow to oranges to the basic black and white, you can do pretty much anything you want when it comes to your wedding and its colors! If you are researching wedding colors or want to get some ideas on different looks or trends, you should definitely check out some of the inspiration boards!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Top Destinations to Celebrate Your Marriage!
After conducting a survey asking honeymooners themselves where they chose to unwind after their weddings, The Honeymooner's Review Guide put together a list of the top 10 hottest destinations for honeymoons in 2007.
None of these are surprising, and it seems the majority of couples want to spend time on a beach but in a place that also has a lot of local culture. Here are the Top 10, with descriptions from The Honeymooner's Review Guide:
1. Hawaii
Dramatic coastlines, volcanoes, green forests, native Hawaiian culture, tropical breezes, white sand beaches, spectacular resorts. This is the magic that brings couples to Hawaii for the best in honeymoon getaways.
2. Mexico
A vast country with enough variety to please all. Bask in the sun at posh resorts along the Baja coast, visit the valley of Oaxaca for a taste of the ancient Mayans, ride the train through majestic canyon after canyon, shop until you drop, you will find it all in Mexico!
3. Jamaica
Passion is inevitable on this tropical paradise island. Jamaica is the place if you are looking for non-stop nightlife. If the bar scene isn’t for you, stay in one of Jamaica’s all-inclusive adults-only resorts. If you are a nature lover, take a leisurely bamboo raft trip or explore the many caves and waterfalls that abound in its green forests.
4. St. Lucia
A bit of France, a bit of Britain, and a nature-lovers paradise including a volcano. Great snorkeling in clear, blue warm waters. Sip a cool tropical drink in your hammock. Walk through a rain forest while viewing the ocean. Truly a newlywed's paradise.
5. Bahamas
With only a short distance to the U.S. mainland, the Bahamas is close and beautiful. Over 700 islands make up the Bahamas, with white-sandy beaches and a variety of accommodations to choose from to meet any budget.
6. Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has become a beautiful, affordable island destination. Being a larger island, that doesn't just focus on tourism, you can get some great deals. There are many all-inclusives that will meet the needs of most couples.
7. Tahiti
How do you describe paradise? Many call it Tahiti! With many islands to choose from, including favorites Bora Bora and Moorea. From its natural beauty to its Polynesian hospitality. If you do not want to share your new spouse with anyone, this is the place to be. Even its resorts are designed for your love to burn and grow.
8. Fiji
Fiji has it all if you are looking to fill that image of white powder beaches with beautiful palm trees, green mountains sweeping to the sea, warm tropical breezes, and lots of secluded resorts scattered among its 300+ islands.
9. Antigua
Antigua is an ideal tropical destination, with gorgeous beaches, perfect reefs for snorkeling or diving, and great weather - the trade winds reduce the humidity and create the perfect climate.
10. Italy
Italy is one of the top picks for Europe honeymoon locations. No wonder, it's the land of Amore! From the Northern Alps and lake country to Rome and the Almalfi Coast, Italy has everything for a romantic and classy honeymoon.
None of these are surprising, and it seems the majority of couples want to spend time on a beach but in a place that also has a lot of local culture. Here are the Top 10, with descriptions from The Honeymooner's Review Guide:
1. Hawaii
Dramatic coastlines, volcanoes, green forests, native Hawaiian culture, tropical breezes, white sand beaches, spectacular resorts. This is the magic that brings couples to Hawaii for the best in honeymoon getaways.
2. Mexico
A vast country with enough variety to please all. Bask in the sun at posh resorts along the Baja coast, visit the valley of Oaxaca for a taste of the ancient Mayans, ride the train through majestic canyon after canyon, shop until you drop, you will find it all in Mexico!
3. Jamaica
Passion is inevitable on this tropical paradise island. Jamaica is the place if you are looking for non-stop nightlife. If the bar scene isn’t for you, stay in one of Jamaica’s all-inclusive adults-only resorts. If you are a nature lover, take a leisurely bamboo raft trip or explore the many caves and waterfalls that abound in its green forests.
4. St. Lucia
A bit of France, a bit of Britain, and a nature-lovers paradise including a volcano. Great snorkeling in clear, blue warm waters. Sip a cool tropical drink in your hammock. Walk through a rain forest while viewing the ocean. Truly a newlywed's paradise.
5. Bahamas
With only a short distance to the U.S. mainland, the Bahamas is close and beautiful. Over 700 islands make up the Bahamas, with white-sandy beaches and a variety of accommodations to choose from to meet any budget.
6. Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has become a beautiful, affordable island destination. Being a larger island, that doesn't just focus on tourism, you can get some great deals. There are many all-inclusives that will meet the needs of most couples.
7. Tahiti
How do you describe paradise? Many call it Tahiti! With many islands to choose from, including favorites Bora Bora and Moorea. From its natural beauty to its Polynesian hospitality. If you do not want to share your new spouse with anyone, this is the place to be. Even its resorts are designed for your love to burn and grow.
8. Fiji
Fiji has it all if you are looking to fill that image of white powder beaches with beautiful palm trees, green mountains sweeping to the sea, warm tropical breezes, and lots of secluded resorts scattered among its 300+ islands.
9. Antigua
Antigua is an ideal tropical destination, with gorgeous beaches, perfect reefs for snorkeling or diving, and great weather - the trade winds reduce the humidity and create the perfect climate.
10. Italy
Italy is one of the top picks for Europe honeymoon locations. No wonder, it's the land of Amore! From the Northern Alps and lake country to Rome and the Almalfi Coast, Italy has everything for a romantic and classy honeymoon.
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