Toasting The Night Away

I recently experienced a 20-minute toast given by the best man at a wedding. Twenty minutes. Wow.

During the speech, several guests left the reception room, many of whom asked me to "do something" to end the toast. Not to mention the caterer whose next course was delayed due to the extended speech. Of course, there was nothing that I could do but sit and wait for the speech to come to an end. Which it did - eventually - and to a very rousing round of applause from the guests.

Now, the best man is the groom's cousin, he is in his very early 20's and this was the first wedding he had ever attended. And the newlyweds were extremely happy with the kind words he said, and all of the preparation it took. But, guests at a wedding do not expect to sit through such a long dedication during the reception and were not paying attention to the speech to enjoy it. The same type of situation also occurs when too many people give toasts to the bride & groom.

So what can be done to stop the long-speech-giver, or the fifth (or twentieth) person to take the mic and give a toast? Take these few simple steps to ward a potential drag on your reception:

• Designate up to 4 people to give a toast, and tell the DJ or Band leader not to let anyone else take the mic
• Speak with the people you have chosen to give toasts, and ask them to keep their speeches under 5 minutes - there are websites that can even help!
• Remind those that are giving speeches to speak clearly so that even Grandma Rose can understand them!

Until next time, happy planning...

When Bad Weather Happens

Usually, you pick the date for your wedding about 1 year ahead of time. Sometimes, the date is selected 2 years ahead - or even 2 months. But, in any case, the weatherman hasn't given their forecast yet. So, you choose a date based upon a special anniversary, astrological charts, or just when your favorite reception site is available. And then you hope for the best weather possible.

But sometimes it snows in April, or a hurricane comes through in July. As a wedding planner, I try to control all of the possibilities and make contingency plans. The one thing I simply cannot do is control the weather! And no matter how many times you refer to the Farmer's Almanac, or look at the 10-day weather forecast, Mother Nature has a way of surprising us.

So what can you do? For starters, ALWAYS have a Plan B in case of inclement weather when any part of your wedding is going to be outdoors. That includes photos outside - always think about where you can take them if the weather just isn't cooperating. This way, your wedding will run smoothly when your wedding coordinator tells all the vendors that you've decided to go with Plan B (also, you need a deadline for when you'll make the Plan B Call - make sure to leave enough time for all the vendors to set up!).

If the weather is dangerous, and not simply inconvenient -- then you need to work with your wedding coordinator and the venue to make the correct choice. Usually, if a hurricane is coming through, or a Nor'easter is threatening the blizzard of the century, you'll have this information at least a couple of days ahead. It's important to make sure that all of your guests will be able to drive to and from your reception safely. You may want to postpone your wedding or see if the caterer will lower the minimums because of the weather forecast. Or, perhaps you can get your guests to the reception site a day or so earlier and extend your celebration! Unexpected storms can make for some creative solutions -- one that will make your wedding day even more memorable!

Until next time, happy planning ...

Your Wedding Gown

A wedding gown. The most perfect dress in the world that shows off your figure to a "t" and is so stunning that it takes the groom's breath away. An ethereal vision, or a princess's statement. So many thoughts float in your head when someone simply mentions your wedding gown.

But, how does a bride find that perfect dress? While this may seem as simple as going to a bridal salon, it actually entails a bit more planning and preparation! First, timing. You should look for your dress about 9 months or so before your big day. There's a technical explanation for this, but the short answer is that it can take a dress maker that long to make your gown. So, about 9 months before your wedding date, call the bridal salon you want to visit and make an appointment. That's step one.

Other considerations are color and style. Yes, I said color! Not everyone walks down the aisle in a white gown -- many brides choose to add a splash of color to their dress by way of ribbons and sashes. Some other brides choose to wear a gown that's off-white, cream, blush, or even red! And styles range from sleeveless to halter to long sleeves, drop waisted, no waist, and even backless. Before you go crazy with all of the possibilities, consider the style of your wedding and where it's being held. For instance, for a beach wedding you wouldn't want to be wearing a heavy gown - which would be appropriate for a winter wedding in a mansion. If you want color, think about whether you want color as an accent or to make a bold statement. Keep these details in line with your overall theme of your wedding. As for the style, think about what looks best on your body type, and take advise from the assistants at your salon who may be able to bring you your perfect dress just by taking in your body shape and coloring! Then, have fun trying on the gowns and believe me, you'll know when you find THE ONE.

Until next time, happy planning ...