Toasting The Happy Couple (Day #12)

At some point during the wedding reception, toasts are going to happen.  The greatest piece of advice I could offer is keep them short, sweet and do not open the floor up for all your guests to start extending their well-wishes.  And this happens to be the perfect opportunity for the bride and groom to say a few words of thanks to family and friends for celebrating the day with them.  But before the guests of honor take the mic, the Best Man and Maid/Matron of Honor should be the ones to welcome the guests and say a few sentimental words of remembrance, encouragement and love to the newlyweds.

Below I've given a few suggestions on how to make this memorable moment happen as stress-free as possible:

• First, before you take the mic, always have your glass of champagne or wine in hand before speaking.  It is a toast, remember.  And end the toast with, "Please raise your glass..."
• The Best Man should lead the toasts with the Maid/Matron of Honor following.
• Have a toast prepared in advance.  You have known for months that you were going to be asked to give a toast when you accepted the position.
• Speak from the heart and know that it's okay if your toast is written on paper or a note card so you don't forget.
• Remember, it's not a speech and please keep it tactful.  Speaking about negative past events and ex's is a total no-no.  
• Last, keep the toast less than 2 minutes.  Toasts are typically going to happen after the bridal party has been announced in or before the entree, so keep it short and sweet so that guests can eat!

Until tomorrow...WEDologize!

(photo credit - www.dcphoto.com)
repost from 8/28/13

Avoiding Reception Toast Mishaps

 
At some point during the wedding reception, toasts are going to happen.  The greatest piece of advice I could offer is keep them short, sweet and do not open the floor up for all your guests to start extending their well-wishes.  And this happens to be the perfect opportunity for the bride and groom to say a few words of thanks to family and friends for celebrating the day with them.  But before the guests of honor take the mic, the Best Man and Maid/Matron of Honor should be the ones to welcome the guests and say a few sentimental words of remembrance, encouragement and love to the newlyweds.

I have witnessed on numerous occasions a Best Man or Maid of Honor unprepared to speak to the crowd and an awkward pause always occurs when they say "I thought I was going to have a little more time" or "I didn't write anything down" or "I'm unsure what to say".  Have a skillfully planned wedding toast, in my opinion, is the only way to go when planning out your reception timeline. So below I've given a few suggestions on how to make this memorable moment happen as stress-free as possible:

• First, before you take the mic, always have your glass of champagne or wine in hand before speaking.  It is a toast, remember.  And end the toast with, "Please raise your glass..."
• The Best Man should lead the toasts with the Maid/Matron of Honor following.
• Have a toast prepared in advance.  You have known for months that you were going to be asked to give a toast when you accepted the position.
• Speak from the heart and know that it's okay if your toast is written on paper or a note card so you don't forget.
• Remember, it's not a speech and please keep it tactful.  Speaking about negative past events and ex's is a total no-no.  
• Last, keep the toast less than 2 minutes.  Toasts are typically going to happen after the bridal party has been announced in or before the entree, so keep it short and sweet so that guests can eat!

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit - http://www.ksweddings.com/)

A Toast to the Happy Couple

At some point during the wedding reception, toasts are going to happen.  The greatest piece of advice I could offer is keep them short, sweet and do not open the floor up for all your guests to start extending their well-wishes.  And this happens to be the perfect opportunity for the happy couple to say a few words of thanks to family and friends for celebrating the day with them.  But before the guests of honor take the mic, the Best Man and Maid/Matron of Honor should be the ones to welcome the guests and say a few sentimental words of remembrance, encouragement and love to the newlyweds.

I have witnessed on numerous occasions a Best Man or Maid of Honor unprepared to speak to the crowd and an awkward pause always occurs when they say "I thought I was going to have a little more time" or "I didn't write anything down" or "I'm unsure what to say".  Have a skillfully planned wedding toast, in my opinion, is the only way to go when planning out your reception timeline. So below I've given a few suggestions on how to make this memorable moment happen as stress-free as possible:

• First, before you take the mic, always have your glass of champagne or wine in hand before speaking.  It is a toast, remember.  And end the toast with, "Please raise your glass..."
• The Best Man should lead the toasts with the Maid/Matron of Honor following.
• Have a toast prepared in advance.  You have known for months that you were going to be asked to give a toast when you accepted the position.
• Speak from the heart and know that it's okay if your toast is written on paper or a note card so you don't forget.
• Remember, it's not a speech and please keep it tactful.  Speaking about negative past events and ex's is a total no-no.  
• Last, keep the toast less than 2 minutes.  Toasts are typically going to happen after the bridal party has been announced in or before the entree, so keep it short and sweet so that guests can eat!

Until next time...WEDologize!

(photo credit - Bridal Banter)

Answering Questions?

As a planner, I get asked certain questions from couples throughout the wedding planning process. But I love to get hit with those new questions that cause my mouth to twist...but I won't go into those on this Monday's blog : ) Below, check out some of the questions and answers to assist you as you move forward with your wedding planning process.

When should Save The Dates be mailed?
No later than 6 months before the wedding. Typically they are mailed within 6-9 months of the wedding date.

Is it "required" to have the same number of male attendants as female attendants?
No. Some times that just isn't possible so there is no need to start grabbing strangers to be in your wedding to have a balance number of attendants. The pictures will still look great.

Who gives the first toast at the reception?
The best man (or woman).

Who handles the clergy fee?
If you do not have a wedding coordinator, the best man (or woman) will give the fee to the officiant.

How do you cut the cake?
The groom's right hand should be over the bride's as you slice the first piece using the cake knife and remove the slice with the server. SIDE NOTE: Hold the press on smashing cake in each other's face. It's no longer funny and can be viewed by some as disrespectful.

In case of divorce, how are parents seated?
If they do not get along and are unwilling to sit together, the bride's mother will be seated in the 1st row and her father will be seated in the 2nd row. The same situation would happen for the groom's parents. I have had situations where we needed to seat the father in the 3rd row, but only in extreme situations.

Until next time...WEDologize!