plus a non-alcoholic choice as well. After about thirty minutes, the toast master or best man asks everyone to take their seats at the tables.
Once your guests have found their seats, the toast master or best man will ask everyone to stand and welcome the bride and groom ‘Mr and Mrs……’. It is customary for the guests to clap whilst the couple take their places at the ‘top table’. The meal is then served.
SEATING PLAN
THE SPEECHES
These begin before the wedding cake is cut, and the first to be announced by the toast master or best man is the bride's father. His speech is often poignant and moving and will usually recall memories of his daughter's life. He also welcomes the bridegroom's parents. He then proposes a toast to the future health and happiness of the newly married couple, and everyone stands to raise their glasses, not ‘clink’ them together, to the bride and groom, who remain in their seats.
The groom is then asked to stand and speak on behalf of his new wife. He thanks both sets of parents, his best man and may want to remember someone dear or elderly, or an absent friend. He toasts the health of the bridesmaids and everyone stands, bar the bridesmaids. Often small gifts are given at this point as a further token of thanks. It is also at this point that the bride and groom may wish to present their mothers with a bouquet of flowers to thank them for their help and support.
Inevitably the day revolves around the bride, and although not traditional, she may like to say a few words herself. The important things to remember are to be confident, relaxed and speak slowly and clearly. This speech will surprise everyone and will be very warmly received.
The last speech comes from the best man, and is traditionally the most amusing and jovial. This is his opportunity to shine and tell some amusing stories about the groom and the bride. He speaks on behalf of the bridesmaids and thanks them for carrying out their duties. To conclude, he may read a selection of cards and telegrams from a pre-selected bundle sent by those who were unable to attend the wedding. He will propose a toast to the bride, and everyone then stands to raise their glass to her.
After the speeches, the wedding cake is cut by the bride and groom, and then the rest of the cake is cut up into smaller pieces by the caterers and distributed amongst the guests. The Royal Family usually give their guests a piece of wedding cake in a monogrammed box as a keepsake of the day.
Towards the ends of the reception, the bride may wish to toss her bouquet over her shoulder to a gathered ensemble of unmarried ladies. The one who catches the bouquet is, by tradition, the next to marry. However, some brides prefer to place their bouquet on the grave of a loved one. Royal brides always have their bouquets placed on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Westminster Abbey.
Catrina Skepper's exquisite wedding dress by Catherine Walker features an Épaules dÉnudÉes neckline, fitted bodice, transparent fluted sleeves and low-cut back that gently cascades into a flowing skirt. The dual twin is hand-scalloped with intricate floral cording. The Lyon lace is illuminated with 44,000 pearl and crystal beads and was meticulously re-embroidered by hand with 300m of duchess satin cording to echo the elongated silhouette. (Wedding to Alessandro dei Conti Guerrini Maraldi, Brampton Oratory, Saturday 24 April 1999.)
BEST MAN
Traditionally the best friend or brother of the groom – although there is no hard and fast rule that the best man has to be male! – and has much of the responsibility regarding the groom's welfare on his shoulders. He organizes the ‘stag night’ – the all-male celebration of the groom's last night of bachelorhood. The bride would be well advised to persuade the best man to organize it at least a week before the wedding to give her intended enough time to recover from his ordeal.
On the wedding day, the best man is
Once your guests have found their seats, the toast master or best man will ask everyone to stand and welcome the bride and groom ‘Mr and Mrs……’. It is customary for the guests to clap whilst the couple take their places at the ‘top table’. The meal is then served.
SEATING PLAN
THE SPEECHES
These begin before the wedding cake is cut, and the first to be announced by the toast master or best man is the bride's father. His speech is often poignant and moving and will usually recall memories of his daughter's life. He also welcomes the bridegroom's parents. He then proposes a toast to the future health and happiness of the newly married couple, and everyone stands to raise their glasses, not ‘clink’ them together, to the bride and groom, who remain in their seats.
The groom is then asked to stand and speak on behalf of his new wife. He thanks both sets of parents, his best man and may want to remember someone dear or elderly, or an absent friend. He toasts the health of the bridesmaids and everyone stands, bar the bridesmaids. Often small gifts are given at this point as a further token of thanks. It is also at this point that the bride and groom may wish to present their mothers with a bouquet of flowers to thank them for their help and support.
Inevitably the day revolves around the bride, and although not traditional, she may like to say a few words herself. The important things to remember are to be confident, relaxed and speak slowly and clearly. This speech will surprise everyone and will be very warmly received.
The last speech comes from the best man, and is traditionally the most amusing and jovial. This is his opportunity to shine and tell some amusing stories about the groom and the bride. He speaks on behalf of the bridesmaids and thanks them for carrying out their duties. To conclude, he may read a selection of cards and telegrams from a pre-selected bundle sent by those who were unable to attend the wedding. He will propose a toast to the bride, and everyone then stands to raise their glass to her.
After the speeches, the wedding cake is cut by the bride and groom, and then the rest of the cake is cut up into smaller pieces by the caterers and distributed amongst the guests. The Royal Family usually give their guests a piece of wedding cake in a monogrammed box as a keepsake of the day.
Towards the ends of the reception, the bride may wish to toss her bouquet over her shoulder to a gathered ensemble of unmarried ladies. The one who catches the bouquet is, by tradition, the next to marry. However, some brides prefer to place their bouquet on the grave of a loved one. Royal brides always have their bouquets placed on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Westminster Abbey.
Catrina Skepper's exquisite wedding dress by Catherine Walker features an Épaules dÉnudÉes neckline, fitted bodice, transparent fluted sleeves and low-cut back that gently cascades into a flowing skirt. The dual twin is hand-scalloped with intricate floral cording. The Lyon lace is illuminated with 44,000 pearl and crystal beads and was meticulously re-embroidered by hand with 300m of duchess satin cording to echo the elongated silhouette. (Wedding to Alessandro dei Conti Guerrini Maraldi, Brampton Oratory, Saturday 24 April 1999.)
BEST MAN
Traditionally the best friend or brother of the groom – although there is no hard and fast rule that the best man has to be male! – and has much of the responsibility regarding the groom's welfare on his shoulders. He organizes the ‘stag night’ – the all-male celebration of the groom's last night of bachelorhood. The bride would be well advised to persuade the best man to organize it at least a week before the wedding to give her intended enough time to recover from his ordeal.
On the wedding day, the best man is
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