Fresh Ideas For the Mother of the Bride

Image : http://www.flickr.com

There was a time when being the mother of the bride meant that you would be forced to wear a frumpy pale blue dress with a big corsage that made you look like the Queen Mum. No matter how stylish she was in real life, the fashions designed for the bride's mom made her look and feel more like the grandmother of the bride. Happily, these days there are fresh and appealing ways that the bride's mother can look appropriate while feeling fabulous.

One of the biggest changes has been in what clothing is deemed suitable for the mother of the bride. Forget the polyester chiffon nightmare that your mom had to wear; today's styles are chic and up-to-date. A great trend for mothers of the bride is that some of the better designers of bridesmaid dresses have turned their hands to creating equally stylish options for the other members of the bridal party.

Strapless dresses are one new idea for the mother of the bride. This will of course depend on your comfort level with revealing your arms, but many moms these days are as fitness-oriented as their daughters, with the toned arms to prove it! If you have triceps like Michelle Obama, then by all means, go ahead and show them off with a sleeveless or strapless dress for your daughter's wedding. If propriety is an issue for a religious ceremony, it is simple enough to add a shrug, shawl, or bolero to wear for the service.

Another new trend for the bride's mother is to wear accessories that are almost as stunning as what the bride herself has chosen. Of course you would not dream of wearing a tiara to your daughter's wedding, but a sparkling brooch makes a wonderful accent for an updo or to sweep the hair back from your face. Mothers of the bride are also wearing really fabulous wedding jewelry these days. You do not have to limit yourself to a demure strand of pearls . If you have always loved pearl jewelry, treat yourself to a dramatic strand of black or peacock pearls to wear for the wedding. You can also turn to fabulous sparkling Swarovksi crystal jewelry in rich and sophisticated colors like amber or amethyst.

Traditionally the mother of the bride wore a floral corsage pinned to her dress. There is nothing wrong with this, but you also have other options to consider. One of the freshest ideas is for the mothers of the bride and groom to forgo the corsage and carry a small posey of flowers down the aisle instead. With the rising popularity of strapless dresses for the mother of the bride, wrist corsages have also seen a comeback. If your preference is to keep the mom's flowers on her dress, a very pretty and modern look is to pin the corsage to a sash or belt around the waist of her dress.

Just as bridesmaids no longer have to wear hoop skirts, poufy sleeves, and pastel hats, the mothers of the bride and groom will find that their time to look stylish has come as well. The current trends in mother of the bride attire give each woman the chance to express her personal style. Not only will you look beautiful for your daughter's wedding, you will actually be able to wear a dress that reflects your own unique taste (with the bride's approval, naturally!).

Laura is interested in wedding planning and wedding trends including jewelry,receptions and gifts. Wedding jewelry like black pearls is the perfect accent for a sophisticated mother of the bride ensemble.

Should a Bride Hide Her Tattoos?

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Every generation of brides faces unique questions as they prepare for their weddings. When our mothers got married, it was probably something like, "Can I get away with a bridal gown with bare shoulders for a church wedding?". For a lot of today's brides, the overwhelming dilemma is what to do about her tattoos; should she show them, hide them, or what? These are some of the considerations to help you decide.

There are several different approaches that women take to their tattoos. There are those who love them, have many, and consider their ink to be a major part of who they are. This article isn't really for those brides; they already know that they will be showing their tattoos. This article is for the other type of tattooed bride, the one who is more casual about tattoos, has only one or two, and perhaps even has never shown her tattoos to her family. This is the bride who feels conflicted about the tattoo dilemma.

One of the biggest issues in the tattoo dilemma often involves the mother of the bride. Most moms are not interested in seeing body art on their daughters during the wedding ceremony. Sometimes this can present an opportunity for compromise. The bride agrees to cover her ink for the ceremony, but does not hide it for the reception. This can be a good solution, particularly if the wedding ceremony is going to be traditional.

If you decide to hide a tattoo for the ceremony, there are a few ways in which it can be done, depending on where it is. One possibility is to get special tattoo covering makeup. The effectiveness of this tactic will depend on the size and color of the tattoo. This can be an option for tattoos that are in hard to cover places such as hands or arms. Do be aware that makeup can tend to smear, especially after a night on the dance floor.

Tattoos on the back of the shoulder are very popular, and they can be concealed for the ceremony with a shrug worn over the bridal gown. Even a full veil will help to soften the look of a tattoo on the upper back. On the other hand, if you prefer not to cover a back tattoo, it is important to choose a gown that works well with the design. To be avoided is any kind of strap that will cut the image in half. Open backs look much better than divided or half hidden tattoos.

A cool way to hide a tattoo on the wrist or neck is with custom bridal jewelry. An extra wide bracelet created from rows of crystals and pearls will add style to your bridal ensemble as well as hiding a wrist tattoo. If the body art you wish to cover is on the neck, then custom bridal jewelry in the form of a beautiful choker will do the trick. The great part is that you will get some fabulous jewelry as well as getting the look that you want for your wedding.

The decision of whether or not to hide a tattoo for your wedding is an entirely personal one, although family and social pressure will often come into play, as well. Ultimately, each bride has to make the choice that will make her happy, while showing respect for her family and their customs. And remember, if you decide to conceal a tattoo, be sure to do it completely, but if you prefer to let it be seen, go ahead and really showcase it.

Guy has been writing about society and weddings for a long time. If you have a topic you would like to know about. Let us know at SilverlandJewelry.com. Special body adornments have always been important in every society, from the classic pearl bridal jewelry of a traditional bride to the unique tattoos of cutting edge brides.

Mother of Bride Wedding Speech Guidelines - What Brilliant Wedding Speeches Are Composed Of!

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Have you ever thought about what a really brilliant mother of bride wedding speech should be made up of? You can't escape the fact that you will be speaking for your daughter's wedding. Your daughter is posed to start out a different chapter of her life, a chapter where she has to responsibly and dutifully experience. You know that you will be invited to talk during the wedding program, to mention some things about a mother's contributions to the bride's younger days, definitive moments and well-rounded growth.

The feeling that you have shared yourself, that feeling of being blissful and pride for your beloved daughter - this is what can motivate you to write and present your own great wedding speech!

Why do you suppose you are giving time and energy to be able to come up with a mother of bride wedding speech which is substantive and also entertaining?

You are aware for sure that this is no contest within which you'll be expecting a reward as the best wedding speaker. All the same, you still want to present a motherly message which will become unforgettable for the audience, as an expression of how you treasure people special to you! We share the same sentiments about this matter. And for that reason, I'm sure you'll see that the points I am sharing in this article will help you in different ways to compose your mother of bride speech and toast:

Guidelines to Composing Brilliant Mother of Bride Wedding Speeches

• We have a saying that goes, "Great things start from small steps." Develop several drafts of your speech. And then, you'll have some things to polish up to become your final message.


• When you write your drafts, always think about three parts of your message - the introduction, the body, and ending part. This way, you will know if you are on the right track, and easily determine what you may miss out on.


• It is also very crucial that you set all these components of your message under one single theme. Because you are using a theme, you do not have to worry much about linking details of your speech to one another.


• It is not that difficult to have an entertaining speech. To throw in some humor, try recalling a funny story involving your daughter, or what you've known about your daughter's groom or about both of them. However, if you suppose it may embarrass the new couple, I immediately conclude that you are correct - and don't ever tell such story anymore.


• Now let's go to putting in some feelings. For mothers of brides-to-be, this may be the easy part. Just say what you mean. You don't have to pay much attention to putting emotions for your true intention is to convey a message. All the emotions will carry through in manners you may not even expect.


• A carefully chosen love quotation will surely help you in keeping your speech meaningful. The quotation should be something which sums up the relationship or experiences of the newly-weds. Or, this may closely be related to what you intend them to learn about marital life, about what they can expect when they start making a family of their own.

Now, maybe you are thinking, "How am I supposed to write a mother of bride wedding speech such as this?"

A sure fire way to write the best wedding speech for your daughter's grand event is to review quality mother of bride speech and toast samples from http://www.bestmotherofthebridespeeches.com. The site prides itself with carefully selected and professionally written wedding speech samples created exclusively for the bride's mother. No need to worry about developing messages with the proper mix of content, wit and feelings, for the wedding speech pack all have these! These samples only require name change and they're ready to go. Access your exclusive mother of bride wedding speech and toast samples right now.

Mother of Bride Speech and Toast - Composing Fantastic Wedding Speeches Should Not Be Very Hard

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Are you among the mothers of brides-to-be who have their personal version of explanation why writing a fantastic mother of bride speech and toast is difficult?

The surfacing top-rank reason people find it challenging to pen wedding speeches and toasts - mothers of brides included - is because of the eminent fear of speaking in front of a crowd.

For a bride's mother, one of the greatest ways to fight fear of public speaking is through ensuring a remarkable mother of the bride speech and toast will be presented!

If you know that the wedding speech you have prepared or drafted contains all the necessary elements for it to be a success, there is no space for worries! Your immediate response regarding this, of course, must be accessing terrific samples of mother of the bride speeches and toasts.

As my version of help for you, check out these things which you can derive from reading very good samples of wedding speeches:

What People Can Get From Spectacular Mother of the Bride Speech and Toast Samples

• Spectacular wedding speech samples are a pleasure to hear for they follow an outline which is very well organized.





• Fantastic mother of the bride speech and toast samples also contain emotions, hilarity and meaning - all in the right amount.





• Spectacular samples of wedding speeches and toasts lessen the time and efforts mothers of brides-to-be will spend in producing wonderful speeches.





• Great samples of mother of the bride speeches contain stories which anyone can easily connect to.

What if there is an online resource which can address all your mother of the bride wedding speech and toast writing needs? I am talking about http://www.bestmotherofthebridespeeches.com/! More than the home of exclusive and professionally written samples of wedding speeches and toasts, this site also contains hilarious one-liners, touching wedding quotations and detailed guide in improving confidence in public speaking. Get your exclusive package of wedding speech and toast samples today!

Your Toast to the Bride & Groom Should Be Original - A Brief Outline and Toast Suggestions

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Wedding speeches can make or break the mood of a wedding. Everyone enjoys the praise, jokes and tasteful jokes that are spoken at these events, except for maybe the groom, who is often the subject of most of the jokes. But that aside, speaking is also one of the hardest things to do well. This article focuses on wedding toasts specifically.

But what is a wedding toast?

A best man toast is someone or something in honor of which people usually have a drink, sometimes following the clinging of glasses together.For example, In a wedding, the bride and groom would be considered to be "the toast of the evening", for whom someone "proposes a toast" to congratulate and for whom the wedding guests "toast" in agreement. It is often thought of as a western culture type event to "Have a drink to..." with reference to a person or event in which to have a drink in celebration of. The toast is simply an extension of this cultural habit.

It is generally accepted that the practice of toasting first originated in Greece, at a time when fear of poisoning was a significant concern to the people. So to put guests at ease, the host would pour the guests' wine from a common decanter, take the first drink to demonstrate its safety, then raise his cup to the guests and invite them to drink in good health.

The word 'toast' became associated with the custom in the 17th century, based on a custom of flavoring drinks with spiced Toast. The word originally referred to the lady in whose honor the drink was proposed, her name being seen as figuratively flavoring the drink.

Now, it is often customary to have a number of toasts throughout an evening.

From an audience's point of view, there's nothing more boring, or laborious than doing the same toast over and over again. We watch television for entertainment and stimulus of our senses, and public speaking is a form of entertainment for the audience, so lets explore a range of toasts to help spice up your speech and keep it original. And again, I highly recommend having at least two different toasts memorized for your wedding speech, just in case your original toast is already used in a previous speech or toast.

They generally follow a brief speech or words about the bride and groom, or bridesmaids. It is also too often spoken, the most unoriginal toast is the only toast in the evening. That is, the words Here's to the bride and groom.

Here's a few ideas:

Here's to health, peace and prosperity. May the flower of love never be nipped by the frost of disappointment, nor shadow of grief fall among your family and friends.

friends love says if you ever need something I'll be there. True love says You'll never need anything I'll be there.

May your love be modern enough to service the times and old fashioned enough to last forever.

May you live as long as you love and love as long as you live

To Happiness, Health, Wealth and Good Fortune

Gareth Berry is a toastmaster and has written wedding speeches that have been published all over the world. He has written and developed speeches, toasts, quotes and other speaking resources to assist with delivering memorable speeches. You can get a collection of his best mans speeches and speaking guides at http://www.ClassicBestManSpeeches.com

Getting a Hand on Glove Etiquette: 4 Essential Things Every Bride Should Know

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Gloves add dignity and grace to your wedding ensemble. The proper gloves will lend an air of elegance to this special occasion. However, because modern women do not wear gloves as often as perhaps our mothers or grandmothers did in the past, choosing the proper gloves and knowing the rules of wearing them can be intimidating.

Glove Style

Glove etiquette is a reflection of the times. Historically, the length of the glove was directly related how formal the affair and the time of day. Today, however, with more relaxed social rules, the length of the glove is a more adequate reflection of fashion-the color and style of your dress are the most important factors in choosing the proper glove. Your wedding gloves should complement your dress. Choose simple gloves to wear with an ornate gown. Conversely, a simple gown allows for fancier gloves. Remember the goal is to enhance not to overwhelm. While the traditional color for gloves is white, your wedding gloves should match your dress in color and texture-white with white, ivory with ivory. The texture of your gloves should be similar to that of your dress. Silk gloves go perfectly with a silk gown. Other materials such as kidskin, satin, or lace are also appropriate, depending on the style of the dress.

Glove Length

Glove lengths range from 1-button, ending at the wrist, to 20-button, ending at the shoulder. The length you choose should complement your sleeve length. Generally, the shorter the sleeve, the longer the glove-a sleeveless or strapless gown would dictate a glove that comes to the upper arm. Elbow length gloves (12-button) should be chosen for dresses with either cap sleeves or elbow length sleeves. Shorter gloves (6-button and shorter) are reserved for dresses with longer, more fitted sleeves. It is important to remember that while the sleeve of the gown and the glove may meet, it is never proper for a glove to cover the sleeve of a dress.

Exchanging of the Rings

During the exchanging of rings, you may either remove the glove from the left ring finger by slitting the fabric underneath and lifting it over the finger or you may choose to remove the glove altogether. If you remove the glove, simply give it to the maid of honor at the same time you pass your bouquet. It's a good idea to practice removing your glove several times before your wedding to ensure a smooth transition. After the rings have been exchanged, simply pull the glove back down over the finger. If the glove has been removed, leave it off until after the ceremony. Remember to put your gloves back on for photographs.

During the Reception

At the reception, your gloves should be kept on in the receiving line and for special dances with your groom and your father. As it is never acceptable to eat or drink while wearing gloves, you should remove your gloves before cutting your wedding cake. As the more formal aspects of your wedding are now complete, you may wish to take off your gloves, relax, and enjoy your party!

For inspirational ideas for both reception and ceremony, visit http://www.WhereBridesGo.com

Sherrie Thompson is an Assistant at WhereBridesGo.com and MSW Interactive Designs LLC (MSW-ID), purveyors of complete online solutions for wedding professionals. Thompson’s work on the bridal storefront WhereBridesGo.com has given her first-hand knowledge of the latest trends and sought-after products in the wedding industry. Follow Brides in-the-know to WhereBridesGo.com. http://www.WhereBridesGo.com

Sister of the Bride Wedding Speech

Image : http://www.flickr.com

The Sister of the bride wedding speech serves to offer congratulations to the bride. Thus, this speech should be from the heart to accord it the level of emotion and connection it deserves. This makes certain that the invited guest and the gathering as a whole feel the connection to the bride. Since the sister to the bride in a majority of weddings doubles up as the maid of honor, the sister of the bride wedding speech also serves as the maid of honor speech. Hence, it is for these reasons that this speech should portray the gravity of the purposes it serves. Thus, though short wedding speeches are encouraged, combining brevity with totality in the delivery makes certain that the overall purpose of the sister of the bride wedding speech is realized.

Ensuring the sister of the bride wedding speech is heartfelt is important because the deliverer has a personal connection to the bride. Thus, as much as humor is to be used to engage the guests, the speech should be kind and sweet to pronounce the speech as a sister of the bride wedding speech. This speech is used to describe the bride from a sibling's point of view. It is for this reason that the entire deliver should be portrayed in an emotional manner. This helps to show the emotional connection between the deliverer and the bride, thus making certain that the guests are able to connect and relate to the bride. This connection is further emphasized by a brief narration of a childhood occurrence that further depicts the bride in a positive light. The sister of the bride wedding speech should sound personal, hence if it were to be delivered by someone else; it would lose this personal touch. Therefore, delivering a personalized speech that is straight from one's heart gives a sister of the bride wedding speech its character. This coupled with the fact that the content contains details shared by the deliverer of the speech and the bride guarantees its personal nature.

An excerpt from a sister of the bride wedding speech could sound like this:

"...we've shared everything since we were young. Yeah! We have had our share arguments, but I guess that is just sibling rivalry. We might have argued, bickered or even fought as kids, but we always found a way to make up. I think the love we had for each other and the love we still have for each other has taught us a lot on forgiveness and the utter need for each other. Its funny, the older we get the stronger our bond grows, both as friends and as sisters, and I know now that though she is married we will always have that special connection with her. I am so happy to be part of this special day and I know she has found her soul mate..."

Wedding ceremony speeches and in particular the sister of the bride wedding speech is aimed at portraying the bride from a sister's point of view. This gives the invited guests an idea on the brief history of the bride and her overall relation to the people she loves most. Thus, it is important since it vocalizes the emotional and personal ties the bride has maintained with her sister.

Weddings Blog

Toronto Wedding Blogs - a Place for Wedding related Articles for more info visit: http://www.videobabylon.ca

Bride Wedding Speech - Why Should I Give One?

Image : http://www.flickr.com

There are several reasons to give a bride wedding speech: To add to the occasion's entertainment, to thank those who helped you make this wonderful day possible, to follow a tradition. Before you even start setting the first words of your wedding speech on paper, stop for a moment and think about your motives for giving a bride wedding speech. Not that you need a certain kind of motivation to write the right speech, but rather, your kind of motivation will flavor the kind of speech you will end up giving.

If entertaining your audience is your main motive, you should go with a funny bride wedding speech. If you are funny and easily pull of jokes, this is a great way to make a lasting impression. Keep the speech short and to the point and lightly move from one funny anecdote to a wedding joke to the next hilarious moment from your past with your brand new husband. Just be careful not to overdo it and not to step on anyone's toes. Funny stops being so if it hurts someone.

You are planning on giving a traditional bride wedding speech. Well, the tradition of the bride speech isn't all that traditional yet. In days gone by the groom would give a speech for the both of them and brides usually wouldn't give any kind of speech at their reception. But that's a thing of the past. Nowadays plenty of brides prepare a speech for their wedding, which most of the time includes thanking everybody who helped make this day possible, and some personal thoughts and anecdotes of your relationship with your new husband.

Your main motivation is to thank everyone involved in your wedding? Then the thankful bride wedding speech would be your way to go. You'll structure your speech around the list of people you'd like to thank. Make sure you include your husband, your parents and in-laws, the wedding party and (if the list doesn't get too long) the people involved in organizing and executing all the details for your wedding. Weave in a funny anecdote or two that might have happened during the preparations, since it's the little mishaps we often remember best about great celebrations and which add the special flavor.

You want to make sure you've got all your bases covered? Then the all-in-one bride wedding speech would be the right way to go. You will mention your husband, how smashing he looks, how much you love him and the special things about your relationship. You will also give thanks where it's due, but keep it on the shorter side here. You will weave in a joke or funny anecdote here or there to keep the whole speech flowing lightly. And most importantly, you'll speak straight from your heart and express how important this day is for you, especially since it's the official starting point for your life-long relationship and happiness with your husband.

So whichever approach you choose, make sure it expresses you as a person and comes from your heart. No elegant and great words can express and show who you are as a few simple and sincere words that let people see who you are and what you think and feel. Keep it simple and fairly short (around 10 minutes should do fine) and enjoy yourself while giving the speech, that way everybody else will enjoy it too.

Felicity Porter's own wedding hasn't been very long ago and she likes to share her own experience with her bride wedding speech and what she's learned in the process about writing wedding speeches with fellow brides to make their stressful preparation times just a little easier. If you'd like some more information on how to get your own bride wedding speech, visit her website.

Bride Wedding Speech - Why Should I Give One?

Image : http://www.flickr.com

There are several reasons to give a bride wedding speech: To add to the occasion's entertainment, to thank those who helped you make this wonderful day possible, to follow a tradition. Before you even start setting the first words of your wedding speech on paper, stop for a moment and think about your motives for giving a bride wedding speech. Not that you need a certain kind of motivation to write the right speech, but rather, your kind of motivation will flavor the kind of speech you will end up giving.

If entertaining your audience is your main motive, you should go with a funny bride wedding speech. If you are funny and easily pull of jokes, this is a great way to make a lasting impression. Keep the speech short and to the point and lightly move from one funny anecdote to a wedding joke to the next hilarious moment from your past with your brand new husband. Just be careful not to overdo it and not to step on anyone's toes. Funny stops being so if it hurts someone.

You are planning on giving a traditional bride wedding speech. Well, the tradition of the bride speech isn't all that traditional yet. In days gone by the groom would give a speech for the both of them and brides usually wouldn't give any kind of speech at their reception. But that's a thing of the past. Nowadays plenty of brides prepare a speech for their wedding, which most of the time includes thanking everybody who helped make this day possible, and some personal thoughts and anecdotes of your relationship with your new husband.

Your main motivation is to thank everyone involved in your wedding? Then the thankful bride wedding speech would be your way to go. You'll structure your speech around the list of people you'd like to thank. Make sure you include your husband, your parents and in-laws, the wedding party and (if the list doesn't get too long) the people involved in organizing and executing all the details for your wedding. Weave in a funny anecdote or two that might have happened during the preparations, since it's the little mishaps we often remember best about great celebrations and which add the special flavor.

You want to make sure you've got all your bases covered? Then the all-in-one bride wedding speech would be the right way to go. You will mention your husband, how smashing he looks, how much you love him and the special things about your relationship. You will also give thanks where it's due, but keep it on the shorter side here. You will weave in a joke or funny anecdote here or there to keep the whole speech flowing lightly. And most importantly, you'll speak straight from your heart and express how important this day is for you, especially since it's the official starting point for your life-long relationship and happiness with your husband.

So whichever approach you choose, make sure it expresses you as a person and comes from your heart. No elegant and great words can express and show who you are as a few simple and sincere words that let people see who you are and what you think and feel. Keep it simple and fairly short (around 10 minutes should do fine) and enjoy yourself while giving the speech, that way everybody else will enjoy it too.

Felicity Porter's own wedding hasn't been very long ago and she likes to share her own experience with her bride wedding speech and what she's learned in the process about writing wedding speeches with fellow brides to make their stressful preparation times just a little easier. If you'd like some more information on how to get your own bride wedding speech, visit her website.

Your Toast to the Bride & Groom Should Be Original - A Brief Outline and Toast Suggestions

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Wedding speeches can make or break the mood of a wedding. Everyone enjoys the praise, jokes and tasteful jokes that are spoken at these events, except for maybe the groom, who is often the subject of most of the jokes. But that aside, speaking is also one of the hardest things to do well. This article focuses on wedding toasts specifically.

But what is a wedding toast?

A best man toast is someone or something in honor of which people usually have a drink, sometimes following the clinging of glasses together.For example, In a wedding, the bride and groom would be considered to be "the toast of the evening", for whom someone "proposes a toast" to congratulate and for whom the wedding guests "toast" in agreement. It is often thought of as a western culture type event to "Have a drink to..." with reference to a person or event in which to have a drink in celebration of. The toast is simply an extension of this cultural habit.

It is generally accepted that the practice of toasting first originated in Greece, at a time when fear of poisoning was a significant concern to the people. So to put guests at ease, the host would pour the guests' wine from a common decanter, take the first drink to demonstrate its safety, then raise his cup to the guests and invite them to drink in good health.

The word 'toast' became associated with the custom in the 17th century, based on a custom of flavoring drinks with spiced Toast. The word originally referred to the lady in whose honor the drink was proposed, her name being seen as figuratively flavoring the drink.

Now, it is often customary to have a number of toasts throughout an evening.

From an audience's point of view, there's nothing more boring, or laborious than doing the same toast over and over again. We watch television for entertainment and stimulus of our senses, and public speaking is a form of entertainment for the audience, so lets explore a range of toasts to help spice up your speech and keep it original. And again, I highly recommend having at least two different toasts memorized for your wedding speech, just in case your original toast is already used in a previous speech or toast.

They generally follow a brief speech or words about the bride and groom, or bridesmaids. It is also too often spoken, the most unoriginal toast is the only toast in the evening. That is, the words Here's to the bride and groom.

Here's a few ideas:

Here's to health, peace and prosperity. May the flower of love never be nipped by the frost of disappointment, nor shadow of grief fall among your family and friends.

friends love says if you ever need something I'll be there. True love says You'll never need anything I'll be there.

May your love be modern enough to service the times and old fashioned enough to last forever.

May you live as long as you love and love as long as you live

To Happiness, Health, Wealth and Good Fortune

Gareth Berry is a toastmaster and has written wedding speeches that have been published all over the world. He has written and developed speeches, toasts, quotes and other speaking resources to assist with delivering memorable speeches. You can get a collection of his best mans speeches and speaking guides at http://www.ClassicBestManSpeeches.com

What Brides Should Know

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Weddings can be a minefield. I have asked wedding professionals what they think brides should know before they go in to order services. Here are some fantastic and honest replies to what brides should know.

A Banqueting Manager said 'I wish they knew how hard that my staff and I work for each and every one of them! If they knew this, they wouldn't be so stressed out.'

Another Banqueting Manager said "We find many brides disappointed when trying to find a venue when they set their wedding date before touring venues. We found brides that tour venues and check out dates that are available find their planning process less stressful.'

Another Banqueting Manager said "I also praise those Brides who book well in advance; I believe that there is a certain amount of pleasure to be enjoyed while planning a wedding. Enjoy every meeting, check off the milestones, it's all part of that journey to that special day! I invite my brides and grooms to meet with their planners and other vendors at our facility. Their venue to be a place that they are comfortable in, and know that they are welcome to visit."

Lesson: Plan ahead and once you have booked your supplier, trust them!

An Independent Caterer said "Brides should have a time line. Often they come to me before they have a venue selected. Selecting the venue, garden, home residence sets the tone immediately. Immediately they can deduct from the budget they have. Then seek out a reputable caterer who should do a walkthrough of the venue and get a sense of the bride's style and personality. A good full service caterer can help select a budget friendly menu with a variety of options."

A Professional DJ/Wedding Host said 'I would prefer a bride and groom know and understand the difference between a DJ and a DJ who is also "Professional Wedding Host".

Lesson: DJs can be more than just a DJ. They can MC and save the Best Man's nerves!

Full service Bridal Show owner said 'Brides need a condensed version of things they needs to do and know before talking to their first vendor or trying on their first wedding dress. The number of brides who come into my store thinking they have plenty of time to buy/order their wedding dress with only two or three months before the wedding are under a big misconception.'

Another Bridal Shop Owner said "I wish more brides knew that preowned dresses can help them get a quality gown for so much less, AND that if they can let go of their gown quickly after the wedding, they can recoup one of their major expenses and use the money for something more useful in their new life."

Lesson: Know your timelines (marthastewartweddings.com does a great one and I will have one soon too!) and keep up to date with your 'To Do' lists.

An Event Décor and Floral Designer said 'We wish brides had an idea of what they were looking for in their flowers and decorations and had a budget in mind. That would help us make recommendations that will keep them in their budget and also create arrangements that will provide their desired look for the finished product for their wedding day.'

Another Wedding décor specialist said 'Bring swatches if you want colors to match; bring pictures of things you have seen that you like, but understand that everything you want may not be available given budget constraints. Think about and talk with your fiancé about what is the most important.'

A Florist said "We wish brides knew too many colors can be like a circus...COLOR PHILOSOPHY - Decorating a space in terms of color we use the 60-30-10 rule divided into percentages for example 60% Deep Velvet Red, 30% Cymbidium Green, 10% Pink Champagne"

Lesson: Know your budget breakdowns and bring in all those photos you have been looking at in the magazines and take advice!

A wedding videographer/cinematographer said 'I'd like brides to know that years from now, the sound of their parents' voices talking to them as they get ready - and about them, as well, throughout the day, will be priceless. That grandparents' advice for long and wonderful marriages, told in their own words and heard in their own voices will be blessings heard again and again;'

Another Wedding Videographer said 'I'd like brides to know that most wedding videographers haven't shown your what's possible, because you've been advised to spend far less on a videographer than on your photographer, so that they really can't offer you all that they can do.'

Lesson: Discuss and think hard about your priorities when doing your budget.

A Wedding Planner (not me!) said 'I wish brides knew how important wedding planners really are!! Brides just don't understand how much stress we can take off a bride, especially on the wedding day.'

Another Wedding Planner (not me either!) said 'I would like them to know that we put a lot of time into helping them clearly communicate the vision for their weddings, and in making suggestions to accomplish what they dream before we even start charging a fee. I would like them to know that when we have an initial consultation with them it takes a lot of skill and time on our parts to be able to listen and envision what another person sees. I would like them to know that most of us do this job because we love it.'

Another Wedding Planner (still not me although I agree!) said 'That there is a difference between the wedding coordinator provided by a venue and one that you hire separately to work with you throughout the planning process of your wedding.'

Another Wedding Planner said "That there are many cases where if you do the math the wedding planner is actually making less then minimum wage and often the planner actually ends up working harder on those lower budget weddings then they would on a higher budget wedding. We do it because we love our jobs.

Yet another Wedding Planner said "I would like brides to know that hiring a planner has to be looked at other than as just another expense. A planner goes the extra mile for their brides; they make sure that everything is getting done, not overlooked. When something goes wrong we are there to assist and make it go smoothly instead of them being so stressed as issues do arise. If the facility is having issues and the bride is dealing with only the facility planner, the planner is obligated by their employer to do what is right for the facility, not the bride. Sometimes it is nice to have a planner to be the buffer and a sounding board to offer suggestions and alternatives. We are a great resource."

And Another Planner "wishes that they knew that as a planner I am not going to take over their wedding but add my expertise to help them have the day they dream of."

Lesson: Be realistic about the time and energy you have to plan your wedding and bring your dream together. This should be the happiest time of your life!

A wedding photographer said 'A couple should choose their photographer and videographer according to STYLE, and not price (alone). It is jarring to work with a videographer with a completely different (more traditional) style than my own as a photographer.'

Another Wedding Photographer said 'I wish brides understood that photography is not a commodity, but Art. What it really takes to shoot a wedding. How many obstacles (weather, mood, time constraints, health issues, drunk guests..etc) a photographer has to overcome to deliver beautiful wedding photographs.'

Lesson: Coordinate your vendors and suppliers well and know what your style is!

A Wedding Invitation Designer said "I so wish brides would follow their own hearts! Friends/Family members really complicate things when a bride consults too many people and then becomes confused. That is the one thing I wish that brides knew... Make your wedding YOURS!"

A Wedding Favour Supplier said "...that unforgettable wedding favors make a huge impression on guests without spending a lot of money. If they shop wisely, favors are a small expense and complete the overall wedding experience."

A Photobooth Provider said "That they can share their pain, if they have any. Often times brides and grooms struggle to keep the planning going. I always recommend a wedding planner if things are overwhelming. Our job as vendors is to fit our clients' needs not to have them fit our needs. So if a bride is hands on I allow her to be, if she wants no worries I take the ball and run with it. If we work through a coordinator, no problem. When the bride is honest and lays out her expectations a good vendor will follow suit and create a plan that is mutually beneficial." My response to this, that is a good one!

A Musician said "That the price they are quoted for a musician includes thousands of hours of practice, the purchase of equipment and amplifications systems, stands and sheet music, advertising, many supplies like reeds, strings, drum heads and gaffer's tape, set up and warm up time, consultations and meetings, professional memberships. It is a very common misperception that a musician plays a few tunes and then disappears."

A Jewelry and Accessories Designer said "I would really like when brides come to me with a scrapbook of hair accessories that they like. I have found that only a handful of brides know what they want. This is a bit frustrating for me the designer, when they say to me "You will Know if it suits me", when I have only just met them.

On the whole I believe that Brides should have a good idea of how they would like to have their hair styled around 4 months to the wedding, this then gives not only me the designer and the hair stylist a chance to give them ideas and for me to actually have the hair accessory ready for the final hair trail."

The general consensus: Basically, know the value of the supplier's services and that they care about the outcome of your wedding and the quality they produce.

Lesson: Once you have carefully chosen - and I know you will- trust them and communicate with them!

Aislinn Events is a bespoke Wedding and Event Planning company based on the stunning Dingle Peninsula in the South West of Ireland. We serve all of Ireland and have contacts all over the country while specializing in Counties Kerry, Cork and Limerick as the dream destination for your wedding.
Run by Annie Byrne, an experienced American Wedding and Event Planner and Coordinator who brings new ideas and a fresh perspective whatever the budget, we provide full wedding planning, month of coordination and wedding and event consulting.
http://aislinnevents.com

Your Toast to the Bride & Groom Should Be Original - A Brief Outline and Toast Suggestions

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Wedding speeches can make or break the mood of a wedding. Everyone enjoys the praise, jokes and tasteful jokes that are spoken at these events, except for maybe the groom, who is often the subject of most of the jokes. But that aside, speaking is also one of the hardest things to do well. This article focuses on wedding toasts specifically.

But what is a wedding toast?

A best man toast is someone or something in honor of which people usually have a drink, sometimes following the clinging of glasses together.For example, In a wedding, the bride and groom would be considered to be "the toast of the evening", for whom someone "proposes a toast" to congratulate and for whom the wedding guests "toast" in agreement. It is often thought of as a western culture type event to "Have a drink to..." with reference to a person or event in which to have a drink in celebration of. The toast is simply an extension of this cultural habit.

It is generally accepted that the practice of toasting first originated in Greece, at a time when fear of poisoning was a significant concern to the people. So to put guests at ease, the host would pour the guests' wine from a common decanter, take the first drink to demonstrate its safety, then raise his cup to the guests and invite them to drink in good health.

The word 'toast' became associated with the custom in the 17th century, based on a custom of flavoring drinks with spiced Toast. The word originally referred to the lady in whose honor the drink was proposed, her name being seen as figuratively flavoring the drink.

Now, it is often customary to have a number of toasts throughout an evening.

From an audience's point of view, there's nothing more boring, or laborious than doing the same toast over and over again. We watch television for entertainment and stimulus of our senses, and public speaking is a form of entertainment for the audience, so lets explore a range of toasts to help spice up your speech and keep it original. And again, I highly recommend having at least two different toasts memorized for your wedding speech, just in case your original toast is already used in a previous speech or toast.

They generally follow a brief speech or words about the bride and groom, or bridesmaids. It is also too often spoken, the most unoriginal toast is the only toast in the evening. That is, the words Here's to the bride and groom.

Here's a few ideas:

Here's to health, peace and prosperity. May the flower of love never be nipped by the frost of disappointment, nor shadow of grief fall among your family and friends.

friends love says if you ever need something I'll be there. True love says You'll never need anything I'll be there.

May your love be modern enough to service the times and old fashioned enough to last forever.

May you live as long as you love and love as long as you live

To Happiness, Health, Wealth and Good Fortune

Gareth Berry is a toastmaster and has written wedding speeches that have been published all over the world. He has written and developed speeches, toasts, quotes and other speaking resources to assist with delivering memorable speeches. You can get a collection of his best mans speeches and speaking guides at http://www.ClassicBestManSpeeches.com

Bride Should Choose Wedding Date

Image : http://www.flickr.com

If you are living in any of the countries which consider themselves to be a part of Western culture, and/or consider yourselves to be participants in Western culture, all you need to know about planning a wedding which will have a happy ending is in the title of this article. It’s the bride’s wedding!

The roles of the two sets of parents are to be present and to symbolically release the bride and groom into the world. Sometimes it amounts to kicking them out of the nest, pushing them off the branch, and forcing them to fly, but that is not very often the case. Mostly, a wedding is a celebration of coming of age and assumption of the adult’s role in society. Today, in some cases, the wedding comes long after the young couple have moved out on their own and started their life together, but be that as it may, the wedding is a very clear line separating 'growing up' from being 'grown up'.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen and all the rest, including clergy or other officiator, are players on the stage in the play which is designed to fulfill the bride’s dreams, fantasies, and wishes.
Traditionally, the bride, or her mother, would set the wedding date based on physiology. While some no longer base the continuance of this tradition for its original purpose of timing the wedding so that the bride would be most likely to conceive on the wedding night, the bride, in most cases, gets to choose the date of the wedding.

These days, when the bride has to relinquish the selection of date, the cause is often the unavailability of the reception hall or other venue which the bride requests.
In the more hectic lives which we lead, the wedding ceremony is often not between two people who are coming fresh out of high school or college, but often is a wedding of two economically adult people with careers. Under these more modern circumstances, it is ordinarily still the bride’s prerogative to set the wedding date, but it may include her responsibility to ensure that the date is clear on both their schedules.

L Hayes is a wedding professional and owner of Wedding Favors Emporium. They carry an extensive line of unique wedding favors. They offer many popular gift ideas such as place card holders, candle favors, and bridesmaid gifts. For more information about wedding favors, wedding planning, or wedding reception ideas, visit their website.

Should a Bride Choose a White Wedding Dress?

Image : http://www.flickr.com

When we think of a wedding dress in the Americas and Europe most of us instantly tend to think of the white wedding dress. Truly it can be stunning seeing a beautiful woman appear in an elegant white wedding gown. But there are so many other choices available which raises the question, why is white the predominate color?

Likewise, we are forced to ask, should it be?

Really there are three foundational ideas upon which the institution of the white wedding gown rests within western culture; tradition, symbolism, and beauty. A wise bride will take a few minutes to analyze each of these foundational concepts in an effort to determine what is best for her.

The first concept is - Tradition. It surprises most to learn that the custom that demands a white wedding gown is really not that old. In fact, most agree, that the tradition only goes back as far as Queen Victoria in 1840 who wore white as a show of her wealth since pure white fabric was expensive to make and noticeably impractical to keep clean. Naturally, over the years as more of the populace could afford the opulence of such an extravagant dress the practice was solidified.

Second we can not forget the importance of - Symbolism. Over the course of the twentieth century the white wedding dress has come to denote purity rather than wealth as it did under Queen Victoria. Usually the imagery refers to the bride herself, but sometimes the meaning is broadened to include the purity of the marriage or the marriage vows.

Finally, don't forget the issue of - Beauty. Beyond doubt, a white wedding gown that seems to shimmer in the light can be stunning. Likewise, there is something stylish and proper about white - probably because it goes back to how tricky it is to keep clean - either a pure white dress or simply a white shirt. At least it speaks subconsciously to us of class, for a gentleman or lady of upbringing would have the comportment and preparation necessary to keep white formal wear looking nice throughout the celebration where those not trained in the better things of life would not.

But what if a specific bride does not look good in white? What if they simply do not like the look of a white wedding dress? Of necessity, such are personal questions, answerable only by the individual.

Still, the questions are valid. Is there an unwritten requirement to spend the biggest day of one's life donning something that does not compliment their appearance? We have all seen brides in white who looked washed out, pale, and even harsh because of the white dress as compared to her already pale complexion.

The solution to the dilemma depends on what matters most to the bride making the choice. For many the symbolism of purity is worth the choice. Among this group are often those whose tradition or faith places a high value on sexual purity and are looking for a way to highlight her accord with the belief system.

For others, tradition is most important. For brides who fall into either of these first two categories it is usually adequately satisfying to accent with their favorite colors in the wedding shoes, accessories, and flowers.

But if a bride is most concerned about finding the dress that makes her look her best, then she might want to reflect on some of the many color options in wedding dresses today and how each color compliments her own skin tone. Indeed a wedding gown with the right amount of color for the bride that will wear it can enhance the beauty of both the dress and the bride wearing the dress - and is that not what we are trying to achieve? Is not the point of the extravagant wedding gown, whether it is a white wedding dress or another color option, to highlight the beauty of both the bride and the marriage?

Jeanette Shinn is a wedding professional with over a dozen years experience making dreams come alive. Find tips and accessories from unique bottle wedding invitations to the latest in unique wedding favor styles at http://www.ExcitingWeddingFavors.com

Sample Father of the Bride Toast - Where to Find Them and Tips Why You Should Use Them

Image : http://www.flickr.com

There are numerous resources for sample father of the bride wedding toasts available, in fact it is mind-boggling how many are available. Some shudder at the thought of resorting to example toasts to help them but it is something pretty much everyone does for various reasons. So is it improper to use these?

Absolutely not and see below as to why not:

Do people really use these toasts?

Of course! It does not matter how accomplished a public speaker you are, it is always good to check professionally written father of the bride wedding toasts. Naturally, the exact content will not specifically apply to you but can use these as a base to parlay your own similar experiences into your father of the bride wedding toast.

Why are these useful?

As in any good play, book or speech, there is a certain format and structure that needs to be adhered to. It does not really matter if you are in the capacity of Bride, Groom, Best Man or Father of Bride, there are certain people to be thanked and specific toasts to be made. Example toasts assist you with such structure and help you draft your toast to be similarly professional!

Should I include jokes?

Sure as long as they are clean! Unless you have a lot of public speaking experience, keep jokes very short. Long stories sometimes get muddled and have a tendency to lose the audience. There are a number of places on the internet where you can find wedding toast specific one liners and these are worth having a look at.

Do I need to review many sample father of the bride toasts?

I would suggest that you start with about ten or so and see if you spot the similar structure flowing through them. Then you may want to start to draft your own wedding toast. Once you have a draft completed, then maybe read another ten to top up your ideas. I have met people who have read hundreds but that maybe overkill!

The key to delivering a perfect speech is a combination of preparation and practice. There is really no need to be nervous or stuck on what you need to say. Use the inexpensive resources around you and review some sample father of the bride toasts to put your mind at ease!

For independent reviews of resources to help you find the perfect sample father of bride toast visit http://www.simpleweddingspeech.com and choose the best resource for you.

It is going to be a perfect day for you and your daughter - a memory for life!

Doug Stowell is an accomplished public speaker and has attended many weddings!