Archive for March 2010
Toronto Wedding Services
March 30, 2010 | 
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Weddings in Toronto are a fun, celebrated affair with people coming together to celebrate the joyous occasion of the reunion of two people. However, Toronto hosts marriages with a difference. Be it Christian weddings, or Indian one’s, the city is full of bright and young wedding planning companies which give the clients a variety of stuff to choose from. Banquet halls are booked in advance for the big ceremony and so are the designs of the chapel and the aisle.
In Toronto, marriages are the essence of the city’s culture and it reflects in the ceremonies, be it bridal showers or the décor of the whole occasion. The wedding planners take care of every minute little detail in order to make sure that the wedding is innovative and classy at the same time. The clients are willing to shed all compromises aside for the particular day and that makes improvisations even easier for the planners. You might see huge cakes, amazingly decorated aisles, beautiful wedding trousseaus and Limos at the wedding do. Don’t be surprised, it’s the Canadian way to wed in all the grandeur and royalty.
Church bookings are taken care off well in advance and singers from various leagues are invited to perform and make the wedding an occasion to remember. Honeymoon plans and jewellery, wedding photos and videos, everything is looked after by the company that undertakes a particular wedding. Even the destinations of the honeymoon are planned and sorted well in advance according to the likes and dislikes of the clients they deal with.
It’s all about how much you are willing to invest into the big day that counts. Toronto hosts weddings lavishly and the saying here is not wrong, SKY IS INDEED THE LIMIT, and if you are planning to make a wedding happen in Toronto, be rest assured that once you find the right people and the right channels, you are in for one big party. And the assurance that you are going to have fun, well, its unprecedented and true and worth the praise and the accolades it accumulates all over the world.
Seven Closely Guarded Secrets of Wedding Rehearsals
Even though I received three ministry degrees, not one of my classes ever taught me to perform a wedding or lead a wedding rehearsal. I guess that falls under the “sink or swim” category. This means that the only way to learn is by doing them. It also means that the learning lab is the actual wedding and rehearsal. This can be very unfortunate for the couple and for the minister. Hopefully the minister will have a good mentor who can show him or her the ropes and walk them through it.
Fortunately, my first few weddings did not require me to lead a rehearsal. That allowed me to focus on finding a good wedding ceremony and a template that I still use for most of my weddings today. After I became a Pastor church members needed me to perform weddings for them in our church. Since it was a small, single staff church, that meant that I was responsible for scheduling the facility, leading the rehearsal, and performing the wedding, not to mention meeting with the couple several times beforehand to discuss the wedding and for premarital counseling.
Being very young and naïve when I came to my first wedding rehearsal as a minister I only expected to rehearse the ceremony. I thought that would be my only responsibility other than opening and closing the building. I smile when I think back on just how young and naïve I was. It was something similar to a lamb being tossed into a cage of lions. And these were people who liked me. You see, even though I was only expecting to be responsible for rehearsing the ceremony, the expectation of the couple and the family was that I would be in charge of the entire rehearsal. (This is why I believe every church should have a paid wedding coordinator who is responsible for coordinating the facilities, personnel, equipment, clean-up, and leading the rehearsal. This relieves the Minister of this role and allows him or her to function as a Minister to the couple instead of an umpire. This also enables a busy Minister to not attend a rehearsal when there is schedule conflict. Oh well, live and learn. )
But there are also other considerations. Where is everybody supposed to stand? Where do the groom and the groomsmen enter? What order do the bride’s attendants come in? What music is played for each section of the processional? In what order does everyone walk out during the recessional? Who is responsible to get the bridal party lined up? Where do the parents, step-parents, and grandparents sit during the wedding?
Another issue I was not prepared for was how to handle conflict. I know, there should not be any conflict at a wedding rehearsal. It should be a day of relaxed joy. However, it is an event that is ripe for conflict and tension, especially if there has been very little planning. It is usually attended by the bridal party, the minister, some extended family and friends of both the bride and the groom. In other words, there is a wide variety of people with a wide variety of backgrounds and wedding experiences. There are multiple personality types involved and some of them love to be in the spotlight and some of them just get frustrated if it seems like no one is in control and time is wasting and they are eager to jump in and take charge to “save the day. ” There are hidden landmines of family secrets and an ever increasing landscape of broken families with step-parents and half-brothers and sisters who might have suppressed resentment just waiting to come to the surface. Not every family is “The Brady Bunch. ” Everyone has an opinion. If you are lucky, no alcohol has been served to anyone prior to this. This is an environment where anything can happen. We all know of stories where a mother, step-mother, father, sister, or brother asserted themselves and ruined what could have been a very pleasant time.
I was fortunate on this occasion that everyone was patient with me since I was young and inexperienced and most of them knew me. I was also fortunate that there were no strong willed people who wanted to force something on everyone and the community itself was rather “laid back. ” There were a couple of Christian ladies there who were able to make a few suggestions in a nice and tactful way, and we were able to get through that rehearsal in about 2 and one half hours! Everyone still felt very confused about some of the details but we were all ready to leave. When it was finally over everyone was exhausted. I got to go home, but they still had to go to the Rehearsal Dinner, late!
Afterwards I felt like I had just run a marathon. I was exhausted. Why had no one told me about this? Why didn’t one of my professors warn me or teach me? Maybe they did and I just didn’t listen. I knew there had to be a better way.
I stumbled through a few more of these and learned more each time so that I could get the time down to something more endurable for me and for them. I learned how to head off a few problems ahead of time. I learned who to listen to and who to ignore. I learned who else needed to be there. But it was not until I actually began working with wedding coordinators that I really learned how to conduct an efficient and well-run rehearsal where everyone left feeling confident about the wedding day. When I worked with these wedding coordinators, all of them women, I watched how they worked with the couples, how they worked with the family, how they led the actual rehearsal, when they turned it over to the minister to go through the ceremony, and what they really wanted the minister to do during the rehearsal (not read the whole ceremony), several different but beautiful options, and much more.
In short, I learned their “system. ” I don’t know if any of them would have called it a “system,” but that is exactly what it was. I worked with several different coordinators through the years and their “system” is almost exactly the same. They had just been taught a few of these things by mentors and by trial and error. I learned by observing and practicing the techniques they had mastered.
Allow me to go on record right now and say that I think a good wedding planner or wedding coordinator is worth her weight in gold! I think every couple should contract with one even if they are getting married in their own church. What they save you in time, headaches, trouble, mistakes, and even vendor costs, will be well worth their fee. Especially since the average wedding now costs $28,000. 00. However, I know that not everyone can afford to do this or find an available wedding coordinator. If your church has one, it might be a good idea to pay them extra to help you coordinate not only the rehearsal and wedding at that facility, but to also help with some of the other vendor issues. Just a thought.
Since I often worked with couples who did not have wedding coordinators and expected me as the Minister to “make it happen,” I put together my own “system” based on what I had learned from these seasoned wedding pros. I call it the Wedding Rehearsal Genie . It is based on the Seven Secrets of an Amazing Wedding Rehearsal. The “Genie” includes a tool to meet the needs of each of these “Seven Secrets. ” It even includes an article on “How to Conduct a Wedding Rehearsal in 30 Minutes or Less. ” I really created this valuable resource to help Ministers, Church wedding coordinators, hotel wedding coordinators, and Wedding Planners who are just getting started. I highly recommend it to any Minister who is called on to fill this role. It is reasonable and will save you your weight in gold through the years. It is also indispensible to the couple who is getting married without a wedding coordinator. It is a tool they could work through together in about an hour and feel totally confident before their rehearsal. The couple can then choose an organized friend to help them on the day of the rehearsal and the wedding to make sure that everyone is in the right place at the right time.
Let’s face it. . . people will spend hundreds of dollars on a dress to wear one time, hundreds on a cake you they will only eat only one bite from, thousands on a place to spend the day, hundreds or even thousands on gorgeous flowers that fade in days, all so their wedding ceremony will be beautiful and graceful. THE KEY TO MAKING THAT ALL HAPPEN IS A PRE-PLANNED AND WELL-DIRECTED REHEARSAL. Please do NOT leave it to chance. No one dreams of seeing their wedding on America’s Funniest Videos. A small investment in planning and preparation right now that will make a huge difference in a VERY IMPORTANT AND MEMORABLE DAY.
Right now, I want to give you the Seven Secrets to an Amazing Wedding Rehearsal.
Secret #1 Knowledge
Knowing the Essential Ingredients and Participants in the Wedding Ceremony. This is what the Wedding Ceremony At-A-Glance is designed to provide. You must know all the details of this particular wedding and who is involved in any part of the ceremony. You must know all of this before the Rehearsal begins! This great little tool was given to me by a wedding coordinator who has done more than 900 rehearsals.
Secret #2 Positioning
Knowing exactly where everyone in the Wedding Party is supposed to stand during the ceremony. This is what you receive in the Platform Chart. You cannot wait until everyone walks down the aisle to decide where they are all standing.
Secret #3 Order
Knowing exactly what order the members of the Wedding Party are supposed to walk into the auditorium and out of the auditorium or chapel and some suitable options. This is what the Processional and Recessional Orders provide. Everyone will be asking you when they are supposed to walk in and who they follow. It solves so many problems when you can pull out your form and show them exactly what their place is.
Secret #4 Seating
Knowing exactly where everyone is supposed to be seated during the Wedding Ceremony whether they were at the rehearsal or not because not all of the important people in the ceremony are on the platform. This is what the Seating Chart for the Wedding Ceremony provides. Couples often get so concerned about deciding where everyone is supposed to sit at the Rehearsal Dinner or the Wedding Reception that they often forget about the Wedding Ceremony itself. Deciding this before the rehearsal is a very important key to heading off tension and confrontation at the rehearsal and on the day of the Wedding.
Secret #5 Timing
Someone said Timing is Everything. That is so true in a wedding. When does the music begin, which music is supposed to be playing and when, and who is responsible to make that happen? Who is supposed to light the candles and when? Who is responsible to line up the Bride and her attendants? The 3-D Wedding Ceremony Chart describes how to design your own 3-D Chart which you can customize as needed. This simple chart keeps everyone on the same page during the actual ceremony.
Secret #6 Procedure
What specific steps do you take before and during your rehearsal to make things run smoothly, orderly and efficiently. There is a specific set of steps to take. The article, “How to Conduct a Rehearsal in 30-Minutes or Less” is the perfect step by step how to article that will make it a snap. Prior planning is a must.
Secret #7 Instant Access
The person in charge of the Wedding Rehearsal must have instant access to all of the details of the wedding ceremony and the wedding party at their fingertips at all times. They must also have instant access to common wedding information such as where certain people are to stand or be seated. In addition, they must have instant access to several options in case the Bride decides at the last minute to change some detail. If you are a Wedding Coordinator and have several weddings to do you will need to keep a file for each one with their specific details. I have performed about 300 weddings and attended almost that many rehearsals. Nothing works as efficiently as having a clipboard or manila folder with the right information in front of you. A PDA will not work. You need something you can print out, carry with you, fill in the blanks, and make notes on as needed.
The most important thing about these seven secrets is that they really do work. Everyone wants a perfect wedding, but the only way to get anything close to that is to have a really good rehearsal. No one can guarantee that you wedding rehearsal will be fun and stress free, but knowing and following these “secrets” will give you the very best shot at it.
Whether you are a couple planning your wedding or a minister or coordinator looking for some help in conducting a rehearsal. I hope these insights gained from personal experience will helpful to you. And, I would encourage you to take a look at my Wedding Rehearsal Genie and see if it would meet your needs.
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Utah Weddings are beautiful and special moments
Weddings are beautiful and special moments. They can be sometimes difficult to plan as well, especially the reception. But with the Utah Reception Center, your reception can be just as much as a dream! It’s possibility to have the wedding of your dreams. Of course, there are a lot to things to consider for your dream reception. This can include location, entertainment, music, food, and drinks. You may want to consider what kind of traditions you may want or not want. This article will help you in figuring it all out.
First, the most important thing to consider is location. Without location, you won’t have a reception, unless you’re planning to have your reception in your backyard. There are plenty of receptions centers in Utah, like ours that you can choose from. It just depends on what part of Utah you want to have your reception located. Do you want it to be close to home or close to your wedding? Or, do you prefer having it in the mountains? Maybe you want your reception party to overlook the sun setting over the mountain tops. What a nice touch that would make to your wedding! You can have your reception just about anywhere you like. Even if you’re travelling out of Utah! It’s all up to you and what you and your groom wants.
With the location decided, you can start focusing on food. What kind of meals do you want to serve? Chicken and steak are the most common meals to have. But you do have to consider some other factors. Are there guests that have food allergies? Maybe some are vegans or vegetarians. What about those picky kids? What are they going to eat? You have to also consider what kind of drinks you’re going to have along with your meals. Wine and champagne just won’t do for obvious reasons. Most importantly, you do have to consider your wedding cake! What kind of wedding cake is going to be at your Utah Reception Center? The bride and groom should have this decided by now. There are a lot of factors to consider with your wedding cake, including food allergies. Some people may be allergic to eggs, dairy, and nuts.
Along with food, you have to consider drinks. And it’s not just the non-alcohol drinks. What kind of alcohol drinks are you going to have at your wedding? Is it just going to be wine and champagne, or will you offer beer as well? Will there be an open bar or closed bar? There are risks to take with open bars. Family members and friends can take as many drinks as they want. This could cause people to become rowdy and obnoxious. Do you mind having this at your wedding reception? More importantly, can you trust your family enough to not over drink?
Now, we’ll discuss entertainment. There is a variety of entertainment you could have at your wedding reception. This includes a DJ, live band, or singer. Think about what kind of entertainment you want at your wedding. This all depends on your music style. Do you like slow, romantic tunes, or would you rather have everyone dancing? DJs are the most popular at weddings. The whole family can get together and have fun. You will capture a lot of special moments with a DJ around. What’s more fun than having everyone dancing at the Utah Reception Center!
Along with entertainment, you should seriously consider what kind of music you want. This includes what kind of songs you want to have played. What song will you and your groom dance to the first time around? You should both pick a song that best represents your relationship. Most couples will pick a song that they share together. Either it’s a song they’ve danced to, or just reminds them of their relationship. You should consider the rest of the music that’s going to be played as well. Do you want dance music or a lot of romantic songs? Maybe you want a mixture of both. Be aware that some people feel uncomfortable when romantic music is constantly being played. They may feel left out because they don’t have a date with them. It’s best to make everyone feel comfortable and included on the celebration.
You have to consider having some traditions at your reception. This can include having speakers and throwing the bouquet. It’s a lot to decide, but it will make the most for your Utah Reception Center!
Beach Wedding Along Florida’s Emerald Coast
When planning a beach wedding along the beautiful beaches of Florida’s emerald coast on the beaches of Destin,Panama City Beach,Pensacola,Perdido Key,Sandestin,Miramar Beach,Navarre Beach,Seaside,Grayton Beach,Blue Mountain Beach, Seaside, Okaloosa Island, Fort Walton Beach Florida, one detail is sometimes overlooked. Do we wear shoes flip flops etc. or do we go Barefoot in the sand. And the definitive answer is . . . . . Either or Both or it a personal choice. . . . . can you see where this is going. Another often overlooked garment issue is what do the guests wear. It is a wedding, although a beach wedding, but being on the beach makes it a little more casual so when asked what do i tell my guests to bring for the beach wedding ceremony, what should i tell them to bring?? And the last but most of the time first clothing issue for a bride and groom is ::: What do we wear??? Coat and tie , traditional wedding dress, linen shirts, beach dress, shorts or pants. So what is acceptable? Below you will find three tips for each situation. Flip Flop shoes or barefoot? What to tell guests to wear? What is acceptable for Bride and Groom to wear?
First thing to know about a beach wedding is that function trumps fashion Always!!! If you keep this in mind you will look great and most important be comfortable.
Barefoot of Flip Flops ::: Barefoot by all means, Done!! This is the beach after all and the sand along the emerald coast is amazing and soft. Go have pedicures done the day of the wedding , this means you too guys!! and go barefoot. !!!
Guests Attire :: this gets tricky because you have to consider everyone that may be attending your wedding and uncle Jim may never wear anything but jeans and a cowboy hat!! But the key word here is YOUR . . . . it is your wedding. It is ok to suggest a clothing theme, say tropical or white with kaki or ladies wear beach dress and guys wear shorts. Just remember when planning your beach wedding to take into consideration the feel or theme you are looking for at your ceremony. One hundred guests in white shirts/blouses and kaki look really stunning on the beach
Bride and Groom Attire ::: As a beach wedding planner I have seen every combination of Bride and Groom attire, and every combination works!!! So here is where you can become very creative or very traditional. This choice on wedding dress is your and yours alone. The choice on groom attire is also yours. Remember the beach is an outside location and can have weather including heat. Also take into consideration that heats best friend is sometimes wind,,, so if you have a fancy hair style that has a veil it may be wise to at least have a backup plan to remove your veil. You do not want your photo’s to be of you wrestling your veil all evening.
In closing it is important to remember that this is your very special day and what ever you decide, barefoot or flip flops, tropical theme beach wedding or traditional it will be beautiful.
Low Cost Wedding Favour Ideas
Wedding favours are very popular gifts for wedding guests and are a great way for the couple to show their appreciation to their guests. They are not essential but are a very traditional feature of weddings. You should budget for them but they can be done very cheaply to save on costs. Some cost effective ideas include:
Using candy tins! Simply buy some candy tins and just place a couple of pieces of delicious candy in them and your guests will love it! Favours boxes with cookies. Very simply, just bake some cookies yourself using your favourite receipe and present them in one of a variety of favour boxes that you can purchase. A simple and effective idea that provides a personal touch. Favourite CDs. Select some of your favourite songs and make a compilation CD to your guests. It’s very easy to print out your own labels with software you can cheaply buy.
Another great idea is to go with seasonal gifts depending on the time of year your wedding is being held. For example, hot chocolate would make a great winter favour gift. Simply make up some powdered milk, baking cocoa and sugar and present everything in a small bag with a ribbon to give to your guests. Again the personal touch will go a long way to earning your guests appreciation.
Another idea would be to give some seed packets of your favourite flower to your guests. Present the seeds in a nice small box or bag and include some basic growing instruction. It’s very environmentally friendly and cheap.
Simply use your imagination to come up with original gift ideas based on your interests or wedding season. Present them in a nice favour box or bag with a ribbon and the favour is complete. This is a great way to make it very personal and it didn’t break the bank!
Wedding Favour Delights are an Internet retailer of high quality DIY favour boxes. They are a great way of saving costs and presenting great looking favours.