Speed Dating Events

A vintage-style bridal bouquet tends to be larger than others and is arranged in a cascade. To complete the look, choose classic flowers that have been used in weddings for many years. Read the rest of this entry »

A sweet cookie surprise is a welcome party favor. Check the cooking aisle of a craft store for easy ideas for decorating and frosting cookies and other treats. Read the rest of this entry »

A beautifully lettered scroll is a welcome invitation to any party. There are numerous computer fonts that mimic the art of calligraphy. Read the rest of this entry »

Ways to cut wedding costs include:

• Holding a late afternoon ceremony. Not only does this give you both plenty of time to get ready, it also means you save money by only having to feed your guests once during the day. Read the rest of this entry »
  

You don’t need to have a precise guest list at this point but some idea of general numbers will come in very handy. Do you both have a huge extended family, a vast network of friends and numerous work colleagues that you just can’t get married without? Read the rest of this entry »

There’s not nearly so much pressure on you as there is on your best man so try to relax. Just imagining how he must feel leading up to the most anticipated speech of the night should be enough to calm your nerves. There are only a few things that are really expected from the groom’s speech and they are quite easily achievable, no matter how bad a public speaker you are. Read the rest of this entry »

• Practise, practise, practise. It’s boring but practice really does make perfect and it will make you feel more confident if the words just roll off your tongue.
• Have a glass of water on stand-by in case your mouth goes dry.
• Make sure you take a few deep breaths before standing up and focus on breathing properly throughout the speech. It will make your delivery better, ensuring you speak slowly and clearly, and help to calm you down.
• Put key phrases on to cue cards. Some speakers like to write their words out verbatim but this may lead to you hiding behind the paper and never looking up. Cue cards will simply remind you of the main points in case you forget them. Also, if you are nervous, paper can flap around a bit while cue cards should stay steadier.
• Project your voice so you sound confident, even if you are not feeling it. Practise this at home in front of your bride-to-be or a good friend.
• Have a glass or two of Dutch courage — but not too many. You will certainly embarrass yourself if you try to deliver your speech when drunk and it will be caught on someone’s camera for all time. Just picture the clips of drunken bridegrooms and best men on those video-funnies television programmes if you feel yourself reaching for a third drink.
• Make a good impression as you stand up by allowing your arms to hang naturally and keeping your body straight. An easy relaxed bearing will make you feel better and look more confident.
• Try and smile as you give your speech. It’s easy to look stern faced when you’re nervous.
• If you are feeling really nervous try to look just at the table closest to you so you don’t feel overwhelmed by the numbers of people.

Finally, smile and remember that the best man probably feels a lot more nervous than you do right now, which should pay him back for anything mean he did to you on the stag night.

This can be a small or a massive job depending on the style of your venue and wedding. If you are marrying in a stately home, chances are your surroundings will already be fairly salubrious. Alternatively, a church hall or marquee may need a bit of extra work to liven it up. Read the rest of this entry »

Obviously not all grooms are the same and it’s important to establish which category you fall into regarding your impending nuptials and what kind of role you want to play in the whole proceedings. Read the rest of this entry »

If your stress is being caused by something more than just the colour of the tablecloths or whether to wear a waistcoat and you are having a bout of the pre-wedding jitters, try not to worry. It is quite normal for both partners to feel a bit daunted and question what they are doing at some point during the engagement, particularly after a few deposits have been put down and money has been spent. Read the rest of this entry »