Decoration

1. What’s the decor like? Does it fit your wedding style?
2. Will you have to spend a lot of money on flowers and decorations to make it beautiful?
3. If you’re considering halls or function rooms, what are the limitations on what decor you can have?
4. If its an outdoor location, do they have any backup plans for rainy days? If not, is there a place that you can put up a tent?

Caterer

Do they have an in-house caterer, and do you like that food? While an in-house caterer makes things easier, and usually cheaper, sometimes the hall can be beautiful, but the food ho-hum. Do they have a limitation on which caterers you can use?

Facilities

• Do they have adequate coat check and bathroom facilities?
• Is there room for a band and/or dancing?
• Is there a space for the bride and groom to change and/or relax?
• Where will you take photographs?

Parking

Where can your guests park? Are there extra fees for parking? Do they have valet parking?

Policies

1. Do they have a liquor license?v
2. Will they allow you to bring your own liquor? (This is usually cheaper, even with the customary corkage fee.)
3. What’s the cancellation policy?
4. Is there a payment schedule? What kind of deposits are required? Are there any hidden costs? Before you sign the contract, read it carefully.
5. What are the overtime charges?
6. Who will be supervising and troubleshooting before the day of your wedding? Who will be supervising and troubleshooting on the day of your wedding? Can you meet them now?

photo © 2007 Lori | more info (via: Wylio)

Wedding Speeches Tips

1. Make it short and meaningful A good wedding speech is about content not length. Make it short and don’t bore your guests. In some cases, wedding speeches looks like an election campaign and turns the reception into a miting-de-avance.
2. Be positive and gracious Weddings speeches should be gracious and positive. Up to now, I still can’t understand why people always tell the newlyweds not to quarrel. It’s usually a string of “do not this and do not that”. Wedding is supposed to be a joyful moment, any negative vibes are not welcome.
3. Pre Inform the Speakers Inform the people who are going to speak in the reception so that they won’t be surprised and will come to the stage prepared. Sometimes it happens that in the interest of wanting to get a heartfelt speech, couples surprise the speakers. And most often than not, it turns into an equally embarrassing situation either for the speaker or for the couple.
4. Forget the groom’s unsavoury past Best men are often tempted to tell stories about what the groom has done in wicked in the past (usually, together with the best man). Most often than not, it’s for the sake of cracking a joke but usually embarasses the groom. Aside from that, it might offend the bride which may ruin the mood. It’s always advisable to just mention the good side of the groom and stories like when you and the groom got lost in one of your mountain treks. At all cost, stay away from mentioning the groom’s success with other women.
5. Don’t Tell Smutty Stories In an event like this where there is a mixed guest and when some of those present are emotional and sensitive, it is advisable not to tell any cruddy stories. Smutty stories are suited for very private conversations. Besides, there may be clergy and elderly people present who would be shocked.
6. Don’t tell mother-in law jokes
   There will usually be one or two mother-in-laws present and you could spoil the day by offending them. You never know what people will consider funny so it’s safer not to tell such jokes. Again, there are usually a large crowd during reception and jokes like this may not sit well with the mother-in-laws especially in front of a lot of people.
7. Don’t do a Lolit SolisDon’t thank a long list of people on your speech. If there are people to be mentioned they should be woven into the wedding speech by saying something warm-hearted or witty about them. And besides, you might forget mentioning some names that may be taken against you.
8. Never say something that someone else will be saying Check with the couple or with the event organizer what are expected from you to say and what are the limits. If you are acting as a best man or speaking in another capacity, then offer a toast for the couple. Traditionally, the father of the bride toasts the couple. Imagine if all the speakers offer a toast, the couple would already by tipsy and intoxicated by the end of the speeches.
9. It is normal in our culture to thank our suppliers during the speech. However, it will unnecessarily extend your speech. Take note that they are paid to do their job. If you feel that they did a good job, send them thank you letters or recommend them later to your friends. Your speech is not the best time to thank them. A more private conversation is more appropriate.
10. Be careful on mentioning deceased family member. Some people might still find it hard to keep from being emotional and sorrowful when remembering a lost love ones. It could ruin an otherwise happy and cheerful day.

photo © 2008 Andrea Peverali | more info (via: Wylio)

Music
One way to start your 80′s themed wedding off right is to make your guests involved in the preparation. Like, you may ask your guests to list down what some of their favorite 80′s songs are. Getting them involved in the planning ensures that the songs they will dance to later in the night are the ones they like to listen to.

With the right music you may even have some brave souls who are willing to do a little break dancing. Having a host of songs to choose from also allows you to recreate some infamous 80′s movie scenes, that will take your guests back and get the party started. Whether it’s a rendition of Tom Cruise’s famous scene from Risky Business, a host of zombied guests in the know, replicating Michael Jackson’s Thriller or the more romantic but equally well known Patrick Swayze/Jennifer Grey scene from Dirty Dancing.

Games
When everyone gets tired of dancing, be ready with some party games. Play 80s style charades or a trivia game. After all, Trivial Pursuit was the game. You’ll have as much fun making up the questions as your guests will have playing the game!

Decoration
Make your guests part of the decor. You can also ask them to lend you a photo of themselves in their wildest ’80s outfit. Make enlarged copies of these photos and hang them up around the reception area.

Add bunches of colorful neon balloons beside the front door or just inside it. You can attach the balloons to old cassette tapes to weigh them down, pile them together and you have a fantastic centerpiece or buffet decoration.

Attire
Let your guest know to come in their best 80′s fashion.

For your female guests, have an assortment of 80′s styled accessories they can make use of located in the bathroom, from leg warmers to bangles and neon gloves to crimpers and hairspray along with other 80′s hair accessories so the girls who just want to, can have a little fun.

For your male guests, you can have an assortment of skinny ties and wayfarer sun glasses, as well as some fun hair extensions to give these boys of summer the chance to recreate the full figured hair band looks of their youth.

Favors
To break the ice, the quintessential 80′s board game, and as wedding favors created from some favorite 80′s candy such as pop rocks, fizz candy or wax candies. Small rubics cube keychains also make for fun mementos of this era, as do neon colored favor boxes or bags filled with tasty treats.

Invitations
Wow your friends with a personalized 80′s invitation.

A miniature version of its larger predecessor, mini cakes can be created to look and taste just like the real McCoy, or they can be created in different flavors with different filling and in an assortment of complementing colors to follow your wedding theme. Mini cakes also come in a variety of sizes each of which are able to hold their own as an individual wedding accessory.

If using your mini cakes as wedding favors, you can do so in a number of different ways.
Mini cakes can be used as wedding favors. One way is that, you can display it alongside the full-sized version for individuals to sample after dinner or placed at each individual guest’s place setting. Or wrapped in a box or cellophane bag and placed on a table waiting for guests to take home with them at evening’s end.

Some bridal couples choose to skip the full-sized cake entirely in lieu of an assortment of mini cakes displayed on a tier cake stand similar to the trend seen with cupcakes. And just as with cupcakes the bride and groom can still perform their ceremonial cake cutting utilizing one of the smaller cakes, and place their cake topper either resting on the top of the stand or balanced atop of a circle of mini cakes.

Still other couples will use their mini cake as a part of their centerpieces amidst smaller flowers, or candle displays, with a cake knife on hand for guests to cut and serve the cake after dinner.

For those that still prefer to have the larger main cake in addition to their decorative mini cakes, why not slice it and box it up instead either as a favor for your guests or for sampling later in the evening to complement a midnight buffet.

When allowed to perform double duty as both a wedding favor and as an addition to the overall decor of the wedding as centerpieces, mini wedding cakes are more than worth the added expense they might run. Depending on the number of tables you have and the number of guests invited, they might even end up saving you money.

No matter how you slice it, mini cakes are an elegant alternative to the common cupcake.

To help the couple in conceptualizing their dream wedding, Robin Kring, a professional event planner and writer has written a book entitled “
Storybook Weddings: A Guide to Fun and Romantic Theme Weddings“. In this book, Robin has beautifully outlined the details and nuances of dozens of themes — one just right for any bride’s storybook wedding. This book will be a valuable asset for brides and wedding consultants alike,

Storybook Weddings contains detailed instructions on everything the future bride and groom need to create an event that will be remembered well past the couple’s golden anniversary. Included are creative ideas for invitations; fashion/costume ideas for bride, groom, and the entire wedding party; decor and special touches for the ceremony and reception; entertainment; and menus. Each special theme will help you design an unforgettable occasion.

Theme ideas include

• Love Boat Wedding Cruise, with “life preserver” floral wreaths, decadent buffets, and nautical ideas for favors and entertainment
• Wedding Breakfast in Camelot, with parchment scroll invitations, a fourteenth-century wedding gown, and white horses
• “California Dreamin’” Beach Party, with a beach tent, flower children, and bell-bottoms;
• Wedding South of the Border, with piñata centerpieces, a mariachi band, and a Mexican menu;
• Wedding on the Orient Express, with a progressive dinner party featuring different “destinations” for hors d’oeuvres, main course, and dessert;
• Tropical Wedding Splendor, with a pig luau, tiki torches, and mango leaf centerpieces;
• Roaring Twenties Wedding Speakeasy, with passwords, bathtub gin, and “gangster” guards;
• “Do as the Romans Do” Wedding Feast, with togas, harp music, and a cake resembling classical architecture.

Click the image link below to get more details

Storybook Weddings: A Guide to Fun and Romantic Theme Weddings No Synopsis Available

With the uncertainties in the economy, couples are starting to trim down the budget. This includes reducing the number of guests, doing away with expensive favors, among others. This is reflected to the research conducted by Wedding Report Inc.

The average cost of a wedding in the U.S. was $19,212 in the first quarter, down from $21,814 last year and $26,450 in 2005, according to Wedding Report Inc., a market-research company. A survey by Brides.com earlier this year found that 82% of the couples who responded set a budget before they started planning their wedding, up from 72% in the previous survey in 2006.

So to cope in this difficult times, Jane Zhang provides these tips.

• Set Priorities
• Consider a Destination Wedding
• Check Out the Parks
• Compare and Bargain
• Rely on your Friends

To view the full details of her tips, visit her article at I Do… For Less. It is a recommended reading if you want to keep your most important event within budget.

And a little spoiler…. she said YES!

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this post is a contribution from Camella

Renew your marriage vows

Preferably in a church where you first took your vows although not required. You may want to have it in a church which is one of your choices. Or maybe in another church which for one way or another became a very important part of your married life.

Renewing your vows is a fantastic way of thanking God for guiding you for that 25 years that you and your spouse have been together. It’s also another way of saying that yes, you’ll be committing yourselves together for the next 25 years and the next, next 25 years, and for the rest of your lives.

Throw a party!

It doesn’t need to be lavish but having your family and all the important people who became part of your marriage has to be there. A reception at a posh restaurant would be a good idea but opening up your home and backyard and host a big barbecue is a welcome choice, too. Your party is a perfect way of thanking your family and friends for supporting your marriage.

Go on a Honeymoon

Though it will require a lot of planning (not to say budget), a second honeymoon on your Silver Anniversary is definitely in order. After 25 years, it is a good time to go on an extended vacation. Your children must be grown up by this time already and you’ll have time to see the world. You can also recreate your first honeymoon and enjoy the memories along the way.

If an extended vacation in Europe is too much for you, visit a place you’ve never been before. It does not necessarily be out of the country like Bohol, Cebu or Palawan.
You can also choose for an overnight stay in a five-star hotel or a visit to a spa. You can also watch a movie, concert or theatre together.

Create Silver Anniversary Memorabilia

Assemble a Silver photo album with pictures of your wedding, children, grandchildren. You may also include pictures of your friends and relatives who became part of your married life. Memorable trips taken together, homes lived in, cars, etc. are also recommended to include in the album. It’s also great to include stories from children and friends.

This album will serve as your memorabilia of a great milestone. It serves very much like the album kept by Ellie on the movie “Up”. It closes a chapter and starts a new one… the next quarter century together.