Wedding Speech

This is a simple guide to making your wedding speech.
It answers some of the most frequently asked questions,
and gives you some tips on making it as easy as it can be.

How do I Stop My Knees from Shaking?

I won’t tell you that you won’t get nervous, because the plain fact is, you probably will. But you should know this: most people do. In fact, if there’s no adrenaline, it probably won’t be much of a speech. The important thing is to keep it in perspective. Just use these tips, and you’ll find that there’s nothing to worry about.

For starters, remember that you’re not taking an exam; you’re talking to your friends. Your friends and family are the warmest audience you’ll ever have. They’ve come to your wedding, and they’re on your side. Think of it as a bigger dinner party than usual – and it’s your turn to tell a story. Just relax and remember how comfortable you would be back at the dinner party – then go ahead and tell your story.

Here’s another tip. It’s the waiting that’s more likely to make you nervous. Once you’re on your feet, and you’ve started talking, as long as you know what you’re going to say, it’s suddenly a whole lot more fun. So remind yourself of that as you’re sitting and waiting, and make it easier by repeating your first line to yourself. That way when you get to your feet, and the room goes silent, you won’t suddenly freeze. Instead, you’ll just say that line you’ve been repeating to yourself over and over. And with that out of the way, you’ll find the rest just follows.
What is All the Rules I Need to Know?

The usual routine is this:

• A welcome by the Master of Ceremonies who introduces a
• Friend of the family or close friend of the couple, who makes a speech leading up to a toast to the bride and groom
• Followed by a speech in reply by the Groom, or Bride, or both, who thank everyone who has helped organize the wedding, usually ending with a toast to the Bridesmaids,
• Who have toasts made on their behalf by the Best Man who then makes a toast to the hosts
• Who might or might not be the Bride’s Mother or Father or both who reply.

But you don’t have to do any of that. It’s all a question of saying the things that matter to you and having the people who matter to you involved. Choose the people who you would like to say something to, decide who should be recognized and thanked, and then work out an order that suits you best.

It’s always a good idea to have a Master of Ceremonies because they can keep it all in order, and you really should have someone to introduce all the speakers. But apart from that, choose what seems right for you.

One of the ways you can make it particularly interesting is to make some unconventional toasts. For example, each speaker could choose a year that they think is particularly appropriate to toast. (For example “1976, because that was the year that…”). By taking this approach, you give people the chance to think about things in an original way, and have more of a chance of steering away from making speeches that recite all the usual platitudes.
How Should I Prepare?

Write a speech to practice as soon as you can. That’ll give you more time to hear how it sounds, and adjust it so it sounds like your usual style of speaking rather than your usual style of writing. And, more importantly, it’ll make you so familiar with the speech that by the time you stand up, you’ll know just what you want to say.

Once you have it written, practice whenever you can – in the car, in the shower. The more you prepare, the more confident you’ll be.

When is the Best Time for Speeches?

You can have the speeches at any stage you like, but generally, they tend to be most successful before you eat, and after people have had some time to mix and drink.
What Else do I Need to Know?

Be yourself, and speak your mind. This is a chance to say some things that mean a lot to you about people you care about, in front of all your friends and family. That’s not a chance people get very often, so make the most of it.

Wedding Photography

Photography Tips:

Your wedding photography will provide a long-lasting remembrance of one of the happiest days of your life. The right professional photographer should deliver a complete selection of photographs that tell the full story of your day. To help select your professional photographer, keep these thoughts in mind: Hire a professional, don’t trust your wedding memories to a friend with a camera. Interview as many photographers and review as many wedding albums as you can to find the style you like. Reserve your photographer as early as possible. The best photographers tend to be booked up to a year in advance. Ask the following questions:

• What packages are offered?
• Do you shoot film, digital or both?
• Are the images posted online if not what would this cost?
• How many photos are included in each package?
• Are the “proofs” yours to keep?
• Is there a set number of reprints you must order?
• What is the cost for additional time or photos?
• How much is the deposit and when is it due?
• When is the balance due?
• Is there a travel charge?
• Are the negatives (digital or film) available to purchase?
• If so, do you have to wait a specified time before you can purchase them?
• Most importantly, view his or her photographs. See if you like the style of photography and see if you interact well with the possible photographer. Book as early as possible, some popular dates go quickly.

Rick Ouellette Photography

Rick has been our photographer for years and he takes great pride in his work and subjects. In our shop we have many of his pictures and please check out his website…you will love him!
http://www.rickophoto.net/wedding-images

Here are 10 reasons why they’re still useful:

Levels of Formality: The Five Categories for Interviews

Listed by #artofmanliness written by Antonio

• Strict Business Dress
• Business Dress
• Business Casual
• Casual
• Work Clothes

When You Should Interview in Strict Business Dress

If you’re interviewing for a job that requires you to wear a business suit every day, the only way to dress more formally for the interview is to wear a business suit really well, with perfectly executed details. Typically you dress this sharply when you’re applying in industries that already have high standards of presentation:

• Prominent law firms
• Most banking and financial positions
• Executive roles
• High-level political positions

The common thread here is jobs for powerful people. If everyone you’ll be working with wears suits already, your suit needs to impress.

Elements of Strict Business Dress

There’s no room for error and very little for personal expression when you’re trying to impress a well-dressed employer. Stick to the conservative interpretation of business clothing:

• The Suit: Worsted wool in either dark navy blue or dark charcoal gray with no patterning. Single-breasted jacket. Tailored fit, if possible; if you can’t afford custom clothing at least have your ready-to-wear suit adjusted for your measurements by a tailor.
• The Shirt: Plain white with a spread or point (not button-down) collar. Sharp collar points (use stays or starch or both), smooth front, no wrinkles; tailored fit if possible.
• The Shoes: Plain black oxford balmorals, well-shined. No alternatives. Socks should match the color of the trouser leg, i.e. charcoal gray socks with a charcoal gray suit.
• The Necktie: Conservative color and pattern – nothing bright or eye-catching. Long enough that the tip touches the belt/trouser waist, with no shirt showing in between, even when moving. Centered, symmetrical knot with a small dimple in the tie just below it.
• The Accents: Plain black leather belt with a small metal buckle (or dark-colored suspenders if no belt loops are present). White pocket square, crisply folded (point or horizontal style) in the jacket breast pocket. Simple metal or black leather band watch; any metal should match the belt buckle.

Because there’s very little room for personal expression at this level of formality, the details matter more than they will in situations where each applicant is more varied. Everything needs to be crisply pressed, sharp-edged, and very neat, and the fit of your clothing should be as close as possible.

Interviews requiring a strict business outfit are rare and usually high-stakes. You’re playing in the big leagues at this point. Don’t spare time or expense in getting yourself ready. For the kind of salaries involved in any job like that, it’s false economy to stint on your preparation.

Read more on dressing for interviews: https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-dress-for-job-interview/