by Michael | Apr 19, 2016 | Blog
Holding a destination wedding can be really exciting and exotic. Flying off to a romantic spot, getting wed, bathed in warm sunlight, surrounded by your nearest and dearest, certainly takes some beating.
Do start the booking process early. The venue may fill up sooner than you’d think. Be aware also that there may be different legal requirements where you are going, which may take time to sort out. (And make sure your passports are up-to-date!)
Do plenty of research – it might pay to use a wedding planner, either in this country or in the resort you are choosing, to supply the information you may need.
Money
Set your budget (and keep to it!). Who is paying? Do you pay for the accommodation and flights for your guests, or must they? Get everything in writing, and don’t pay for anything up-front, if you have doubts about it.
Tickets
Brides, don’t forget to book airline tickets in your maiden name (unless you are legally changing your name before you marry). It can sometimes be worth dropping into the conversation that you are off to your wedding. You may just receive some lovely little freebies on the day.
Clothing
A wedding-gown can be taken onto the plane as carry-on luggage (don’t wear it for the flight!). Your wedding shop ought to be able to pack it up for you.
Bear in mind that a heavy train may not be ideal, especially if you’re getting married on a beach. Flat shoes or sandals will be the best bet for a beach wedding. You also need to consider the fabric (eg chiffon or silk) of the dress, if you’re easily affected by heat.
Arrival
It is worth arriving early, before your guests, so you can have a rest and acclimatise. Arriving early gives you the chance to sort out certain details at the venue.
Ceremonies
Although venues may have their own celebrants on site (or access to some), increasingly, people prefer to know who they’re dealing with. You don’t want your wedding ceremony conducted by somebody who may not like or trust!
Consequently, some couples are bringing their own civil celebrants out from the UK with them. It may add surprisingly little to the costs you have already committed to, especially if you are making block bookings through a travel agent.
To ensure that your dreams turn into reality, so that the ceremony is just as you want it, do contact Vows That Wow, and let Michael look after your big day for you.
by Michael | Feb 3, 2015 | Blog
You don’t need me to tell you how important it is that your reception should be successful. Hopefully, the wedding ceremony will have been beautiful and memorable – and a good celebrant will ensure just that. The reception is a different kettle of fish.
Of course, an article like this cannot hope to cover all kinds of receptions – budget and size may make all the difference. I’m assuming that you’re not using a wedding planner, although I have often argued in favour of engaging one.
Anyway, here at least are a few ideas that might be helpful.
Invitations
I have heard it suggested that you could have space on the RSVP cards for guests to choose their favourite song (or songs) for the reception. That way, everybody will be guaranteed to get up and dance at some time or another. Oh, do check beforehand that nobody’s choice is inappropriate!
The Personal touch
If there’s a seating-pan, a slightly time-consuming but lovely idea would be to place a sincere, hand-written note at each guest’s place. You may not get a chance later, but this way you can at least ensure you have thanked your guests for attending. They’ll surely appreciate the gesture.
Surprises
Extras, such as magicians, chocolate fountains, photo booths, can add something unexpected and exciting to the event (and most of your guests, who, unlike you, won’t have been studying wedding entertainment videos and magazines, will love the unexpected bonus).
Take-homes
You don’t need to give any gifts at all, but if you decide to, these could be something that ties in with the theme of your wedding. They needn’t be more than a packet of seeds for the garden.
Children
If you’re inviting little children, they could be asked to bring a favourite cuddly toy. Then if you provide a special table for these toys, the children can enjoy creating their own special party.
Depending on space, you might be able to organize a few party games. (This could actually be a possibility for some of the adults too!)
Maybe teenagers (who won’t want to be with the kiddies and certainly not with Mum and Dad!) could have a room to themselves set up with an Xbox or an area where they can sit and text comfortably during the speeches.
Drink
At least try and ensure that everyone’s first drink is free (and make sure they realise that too!). It’s nice to offer an alternative for non-drinkers such as a non-alcoholic cocktail (with the ingredients listed on a sign by the bar).
There should be enough food and drink for guests – especially if they’ve come quite a distance. Nibbles and drinks could be available for between the ceremony and reception. Jugs of water should (as it were!) be on tap.
Guest book
Apart from making a wonderful souvenir for the couple, people enjoy signing a guest-book and thus making their own contribution.
Some of these ideas will fit the bill, and, if you make the necessary preparations, you can relax, safe in the knowledge that you will be offering something a little different that will make your reception stand out (and for the right reasons!)!
by Michael | Jan 21, 2014 | Blog
I’m delighted (as are you, probably!) to be able to take a week off and bring you opinion from someone else.
I’m grateful to event organiser and wedding planner Idit Ginsberg, who has kindly agreed to share some important advice.
Enjoy!
A guest blog by Idit Ginsberg
With most people I’ve met, there is usually a lot of deliberation as to whether they should be proactive, driven and full of creativity and organise their special celebrations by themselves or if it is really a good idea to invest in some help and get a wedding planner or event organiser on board.
Before I became a wedding planner and event organiser I always thought that if you can do it yourself then you should! I’d imagine that afterwards everyone would say “well done, what a great event” and that it was down to me being creative and well organised that I was able to create a magical day for all my friends to enjoy.
But what I realised is that not everyone has a creative mind, nor do they know where to go to find all the suppliers necessary to take an idea and bring it to life! And perhaps most importantly, most people don’t have the time. For most people, organising an event for themselves has to be worked into their already busy day. They work, have kids to look after, maybe a new house to prepare for, and as much as they would love to do it all themselves, once they get started they realise how much work is actually involved.
Every event has a minimum of 10 items that need to be sorted out (venue, invitations, catering, decorations, photographer and entertainment – to name a few). That means lots of phone calls, emails, contracts to read and people to meet.
How many photographers do you need to meet before choosing the right one? How many venues do you need to call to check for availability and compare prices to see they are perfect for what you need? What about an exciting entertainer? Do you have the time to see 4 or 5 or wouldn’t you prefer to have them recommended to you by someone who has used their services many times over?
In my opinion, having that helping hand, an expert to ask all those burning questions, share ideas with and support you from beginning to end is a much better idea than going it alone!
So many times I have heard the line …
“If only I had known how much work was involved in organising a wedding; I would have called you earlier!”
The truth is people are willing to spend thousands of pounds on all the things they need to make their special day perfect but they don’t value what the wedding planner and event organiser can do to help. 99% of the time people think they will be spending extra money for a service they don’t need but what they don’t realise is that by using an event planner they will reduce their overall costs.
If a wedding planner or event organiser knows what they are doing, you’ll end up with a celebration which costs less than what you expected to pay and a celebration which is stress free, magical and remembered for years to come.
Written by Idit Ginsberg from Dash of Sparkle, to find out more, visit www.dashofsparkle.com or contact Idit directly on 07877 927 246.
Dash of Sparkle – We turn ordinary events into magical celebrations!
Party, Wedding and Corporate Event Organisers
For advice or help when planning the wedding service itself, please call Michael on 020 8866 4326.
by Michael | Nov 19, 2013 | Blog
As you seriously plan your wedding day, you may not be attracted by a traditional religious service. In truth, the idea of a register office ceremony may not appeal too much either. Many people shrug and accept it – it’s the done thing, after all – but think again: it doesn’t have to be thus.
What does a wedding celebrant do?
A celebrant will give you ideas, listen to yours, develop them and then write a service that incorporates what you want and that reflects your wishes and personality. They then conduct the ceremony on the day.
The best celebrants have three qualities: they listen well, write well and present well. None of those are particularly common in combination, so don’t underestimate this skill-set.
What does a celebrant offer?
- A celebrant will be a trained professional. He (for simplicity, I shall now use the masculine throughout) will know what can go into a ceremony and how to structure it, and will be glad to advise and inspire you.
- Celebrants are not usually teenagers or youngsters straight out of college. This is probably not their first job nor is it likely to be their only one at any given time. They usually have some life and work experience, and this can be invaluable for practical and/or imaginative suggestions and advice.
- A good celebrant will take time to listen to you and understand your wishes. If you have an unusual theme or vision, that should not be a problem. The ceremony should reflect your individuality, so it will be tailor-made.
- The celebrant is a kind of choreographer. Depending on your wishes, he can organise entrances and exits, where people stand, how the rituals are enacted and what happens when.
- The celebrant will write a ceremony from scratch. This means that your service will be unique. If the celebrant enjoys writing, he will take trouble to source or compose beautiful and meaningful readings and prayers (as desired). The result will reflect this care and dedication.
- The celebrant will be prepared – indeed, probably keen – to do some research, if you want to introduce something unusual into your ceremony. For example, a particular religious or cultural element.
- The celebrant uses a script. Not only will you have been consulted before and during the creative process but you will not be faced with any unpleasant surprises on the big day. That should be worth quite a lot to your peace of mind!
- Not only does the celebrant need presence but he should be a good presenter. He needs good diction, audibility and not to talk in a boring, monotonous drawl. He will be able to project his voice, and vary the pitch, modulation and speed, to bring out the emotion of the moment and involve the audience.
- You may have engaged a wedding planner, but once the guests have arrived and it is time to begin, the celebrant is in charge until you leave the hall a married couple..
You may well be looking to save some money here and there, but, unless you are very lucky, the chances are that, to find someone who will listen to you, write what you want in a memorable way and present it effectively and professionally, a celebrant will be your answer.
