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Wedding Toast Ideas

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Weddings inspire lots of toasts!  The first one may be difficult but as the reception or dinner progresses, toasts are offered all around.

Toasts can make one anxious or nervous if not practiced in advance, so like any speech to be given in public, we always encourage those making the toast to be prepared and avoid “winging” their remarks.  The toast maker needs to recognize that his/her remarks are to offer congratulations to the couple.  They may be humorous or touching or congratulatory.  Whichever is chosen, they need to be given in good taste.

Who may toast.

  • The father of the bride proposes the first toast to his daughter and future son-in-law at the engagement party.
  • The host or the father of the groom proposed the first toast to the bride and groom at the rehearsal party.
  • The best man proposed the first toast to the bride and groom at the wedding reception.  After the best man has completed his toast, everyone except the bride and the groom rise and drink to it.
  • After the best man’s toast, the groom usually responds with thanks to his best man and a toast or two of his own – to the bride, to his parents, to his new in-laws.  If the bride wishes she may then rise and offer her own toast to her husband and/or to her new family.
  • Other members of the wedding party may then propose additional toasts if they wish.
  • All guests present (except the person being toasted) should raise their glasses to each toast.
  • At the end of the toasts, the best man may read aloud any congratulatory telegrams or letters or emails sent by absent friends and relatives.

 

If one has no idea where to start, we suggest finding a marriage related quote around which an appropriate toast may be built.  THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF QUOTATIONS is a good place to start, as is a careful search of web pages that specialize in wedding appropriate toasts.

 

One of our favorites is the Apache wedding blessing.

“Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other.

Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth for the other.

Now there will be no loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other.

Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you.

May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years.

May happiness be your companion and your days together be good and long upon the earth.”

Getting the right tuxedo fit

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Men who own their tuxedos have no doubt had the suits fitted by a professional tailor.  However, rental formalwear specialists outfit most wedding parties. To insure a good fit for members of the wedding party, it is important to choose a reputable formalwear dealer and to work closely with the specialist to insure that the style of tuxedo chosen for grooms and their parties will make all the men look their best as well as coordinate with the bride’s party.

Once the style is chosen the groom and the best man should take an active role in insuring that all male members of the wedding party get in to be fitted well in advance of the wedding date.  While formalwear specialists will take the measurements they require, it is helpful if the groom and/or the best man accompany any members of the party coming in to be sized.

A little basic knowledge about sizing men’s suits will help this process proceed more smoothly.

 

  • Jackets – A man should be able to fit his hand between his chest and the front of the jacket when it is buttoned.  Back vent (s) should lie flat. The coat should allow free movement of the arms.  Armholes should not be snug. It should fasten easily and not bind.  It should fall smoothly across the back and should not bunch up across the shoulders when the arms move forward.
  • Jacket length – for most standard jackets, the bottom of the jacket should reach the curl of the fingers when the arms are held straight down at the sides.  This allows the shirt cuff to show ½ to l inch.
  • Trousers – should sit at the waist and fit the waist allowing the width of one finger inside the waistband.  Trousers are hemmed so that they barely break as they rest on top of the shoes.  They should fall smoothly in the back to just the top of the heel of the shoe.  Most formal trousers are not cuffed.
  • Vests should button comfortably across the chest.  Vest buttons should line up with the front of the jacket and overlap the waistband on the trousers.

 

While many men may fuss about having to wear formal clothes, the truth is men look fabulous in well tailored/fitted tuxedos.  Being cooperative at the fitting to determine size and being prompt to try on the rented package so that there is time for any needed adjustments to be made are at the top of the list of “must do” for any member of the groom’s party.

 

The Groom's Role

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Contrary to previous rumors, grooms do have more to do than just “show up at the church on time”.  There may be some who choose not to be involved in the wedding planning process, but many of today’s grooms are interested in helping to plan this milestone moment in their lives.  They want to make the wedding itself a truly shared experience.  Anna Post assembled the list below for the Emily Post Web site.

Each of these “duties” will not only help the wedding planning process, but will truly make the groom feel more a part of the plans.  He certainly can help searching out and selecting the venue for the ceremony and reception, establishing the budget, creating the guest list, making gift registry selections and the critical job of keeping his parents in the loop regarding wedding plans.

In addition to these functions, the groom’s list includes:

  • Selecting the engagement ring – though these days brides may also be involved in selection.
  • Choosing his wedding party – best man, groomsmen and ushers. (Available at Bel Fiore!)
  • Choosing the attire for the groom’s wedding party – in keeping with the style of the wedding.
  • Selecting the thank you gifts for his wedding party.
  • Selecting the bride’s wedding gift.
  • Compiling the groom’s part of the guest list and making sure that his parents provide their guest list in a timely manner.
  • Choosing the wedding bands together.
  • Arranging for and purchasing the marriage license.
  • Arranging for transportation from the ceremony to the reception site.
  • Standing in the receiving line and greeting all the guests at the reception.
  • Dancing the first dance with the bride, dancing with the couple’s respective mothers and the maid/matron of honor.
  • Making appropriate toasts at both the rehearsal dinner and the reception.

 

 

How to handle "sticky" situations:

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Here at Bel Fiore Bridal we gladly help our brides with awkward situations that don’t necessarily make their way into etiquette books. In spite of all the advice available from so many resources, brides like to have an experienced specialist – a knowledgeable consultant, a certified wedding planner- available for face-to-face problem solving. Our staff is available for your unexpected problems and issues. Every wedding is unique and so can the problems presented by the people factor. This is a question we are repeatedly asked.

How do I handle guests who have responded to our invitations and state on the reply card that the number of guests planning to attend is larger than the number invited?
If your count and budget can handle the number of “extras” indicated, chalk it up to bad manners of those guests and just greet them with as much good grace as you can muster. If your count is already pushing you over the budget and you truly cannot absorb the extra folks, we suggest that you turn to your maid of honor, tactful bridesmaid or family member
who knows the offending guests well. Ask this person to call the guests in question and  explain that the bride would love to be able to expand her guest list, but unfortunately it is not possible. The reason? Budget, time or space concerns! If the person is offended – and some will be – they are not true friends. They are the ones who have overstepped the
etiquette boundaries.
Often, the “extras” are uninvited children. You can keep this from happening if the reception card reads, “adult only reception”. Or you can arrange for children to be at a “separate” reception somewhere in the same venue. You provide a number of “sitters”, a giant screen TV, movies, lots of craft items and separate menu handled by family members.

Do couples still register?

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Do couples still register? The answer is a resounding yes! What has changed somewhat is the variety of stores and shops that now provide a bridal registry service. We have learned that many brides appreciate a little advice on what to do before they make registration selections. In spite of the publicity being given to some celebrity brides and their “news making” registry choices,
the act of selecting registry sources and gift ideas are not just “gift grabs” as one of our brides recently stated. Properly used, gift registries are a true service for your wedding guests. Guests have the assurance of knowing they are giving a gift that will be cherished, as well as the comfort of knowing that their gift is less likely to be duplicated.

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Our first bit of advice is to reassure the bride that registry is “still being done”. Next we remind the bride that the items chosen will be a part of their lives for years to come, so choices should not be made in haste – nor should they be made without the groom’s input.
We urge couples to make their choices in a timely manner so that friends and relatives have time to purchase the gifts for pre wedding events as well as the wedding itself. If you have many friends and family who live in a different area from you and the groom, we advise our brides to include a gift registry source with a national reach. Most retailers have on line ordering, shipping and registry recording. Today, most registries are electronic and the bride’s choices are recorded for her along with guest purchases as they are made.

Please don’t let anyone advise you that it is ok to include registry information in your invitation. IT IS NOT! Many things may have changed about weddings, but this has not been one of them. It has always been in poor taste and remains so. Because most brides create their own wedding web site, you can certainly list registry sites there. Today’s gift registries may be more sophisticated than the early versions, but the goal of getting information to your guests and helping them make a wonderful selection for you is the same.

Bel Fiore Bridal is Wedding Wire Rated

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Bel Fiore Bridal is WeddingWire Rated 2012!!!


Weddings, Wedding, Wedding Venues

{Marietta, GA} – June 26, 2012 – WeddingWire is excited to announce that Bel Fiore Bridal is WeddingWire Rated in 2012 for Dress & Attire. WeddingWire Rated is the annual ratings program that recognizes wedding professionals across the country for their commitment to service and is the most recognized and trusted brand among engaged couples, as they start their search for local wedding businesses. The ratings program is based on hundreds of thousands of recent newlywed reviews of over 200,000 wedding professionals in the US and Canada, across 20 different service categories.

Bel Fiore Bridal has 31 reviews on WeddingWire. Reviews by our newlywed clients include detailed ratings and insightful descriptions about their experiences working with our business and staff. Our reviews provide transparency for potential clients, assisting them in making informed decisions for their big day.

“We are very pleased to announce WeddingWire Rated 2012, recognizing Bel Fiore Bridal for their commitment to exemplary service in Dress & Attire,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire, Inc. “Bel Fiore Bridal has shown dedication to their craft and service, helping engaged couples understand what to expect from their business through reviews on the nation’s leading wedding review site.”

As the largest site for wedding reviews, WeddingWire empowers engaged couples with the most comprehensive and trusted review system available in the wedding industry. WeddingWire Rated provides Bel Fiore Bridal with the distinction of being WeddingWire Rated and a simple platform to capture client feedback from their wedding planning experience. Engaged couples can easily access all of the reviews for Bel Fiore Bridal on WeddingWire.com. We have all of our newlywed clients to thank for our WeddingWire Rated 2012 recognition.

 

 

A Few Dont's

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As society changes, so do the social amenities that prevailed.  But class is class and some things we see done in the name of the “princess bride’s wishes” remain in poor taste.

A bridal store reported having a bride ask how to let her guests know that she wanted all of them to dress in black or white or a combination of both.  Her wedding theme was that of a black and white ball and she didn’t want it ruined by someone in a blue suit or a colorful print dress.  The store gave her good advice – “You Can’t”!  One doesn’t tell people what to wear anymore than one would tell a hostess what kind of food to serve.  The bride can control the dress of the wedding party, but that is all.  She had heard the phrase, “It’s the bride’s day”, but had to learn that it didn’t mean everyone must bow to her wishes.  Friends can spread the word but no demands must be made.

Another store reported dealing with a bride who wanted 250 guests to attend her wedding but she planned to walk away from the ceremony and to save money, meet 45 of her favorite guests for a sit down diner at a restaurant.  The advice to her was Don’t Do It!  She was advised that it would be far better to serve light refreshments to all guests following the ceremony.  This would give everyone a chance to extend their best wishes to the couple and socialize with others in attendance.  If she wished to celebrate with a special group of friends, she should do it after the official reception.  The guiding principle here is that a couple should never do anything to show preferences for one guest over another.

The same advice holds for brides who insist on adding corner copy to their wedding invitation that reads:  Cash Gifts Preferred. Granted, more and more couples would prefer cash as a help for a down payment on a house for instance,  but that does not mean it is ok to include on the invitation to the ceremony.  That kind of news needs to be spread by word of mouth by the bride’s family and friends, or may be included in the website if one has been created.  This kind of request is known in some circles as doing a “Kardashian”.

Let our experienced consultants help you solve puzzles and questions as they arise in the course of your planning needs.

Bridal Registry Tips

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Newly married couples have been given gifts for centuries.  At one time, after the couple furnished their home, they were expected to return any practical gifts they received but did not use.  Today’s couples are congratulated by gifts from friends and family and the gifts they receive help the couple stock up on the items needed to make a house a home.

 

To truly value and enjoy the gifts that a couple will receive, we suggest that they make excellent use of bridal registries.

 

  • Don’t hesitate to register.  Your guests really want to buy you something you want and will enjoy.  Registering saves your guests time and keeps you from having to return duplicates.  Don’t feel like you are “begging” for gifts.  Rather, you are in fact, providing a welcome service to your guests.
  • Don’t wait until the last minute to register.  Many of your guests will want to buy gifts well before the actual event.  Some buy engagement and shower gifts from the registries as well.
  • Include your partner in the selection process so that the registry lists include things that you will both enjoy.
  • Register at two or three places.  This gives your guests a range of options without overwhelming them.  Pick at least one specialty store, a mid price supplier and an inexpensive retailer.  It is recommended that your lists include an equal number of mid price items and lower cost items and a smaller list of big- ticket items.
  • Our experience has shown that brides who are planning large weddings should register for a lot of items which those who have smaller guest lists might consider registering few items.
  • You may wish to list your registry locations on your web site.  But never, never, never, include this information in your paper invitations.

 

For answers to more questions, stop in and talk with our experienced consultants.  We can guide you through the process and make very helpful suggestions.