Guide to toasts

Depending on who is giving them, a toast can be the most delightful or mortifying part of a wedding reception. Unfortunately, you never know how it'll turn out until it's too late..

Toasts serve one purpose- to introduce the bride's former world to the groom & his to hers & paint a picture of the life they'll build together.

Toast Etiquettes:

1. Keep it short & formal

2. Usually given by the best man, maid of honour,a close friend or relative.

3. Plan what you're going to say. Spend time in thought & carefully put together the message you want to convey to the couple, family & friends. What you'd like others to know about them- individually & as a couple.

4. Rehearse your toast. Verbalise it. Be familiar with the wording. Don't cram it, let it flow.

5. A toast should end with a drink by everyone. It's impolite not to join in & considered as bad luck for the couple.

So, raise a glass high & as u click glasses with other guests, keep in mind that unless your toast was very bad, no one really remembers it.

To the happy couple, your first sip together symbolises a life of sharing & everyone drinking at the same time expresses communion

Bride, burst that stress!

Every bride is most likely to get stressed while preparing for her wedding especially without the help of a wedding planner. Here are few tips to relieve you:

1. RELAX~ Find a quiet place, sit comfortably, close your eyes, take slow deep breaths & clear your mind. Do this daily for 20 minutes.

2. EARLY BIRD~ Waking up early will do your body & planning great good. Make sure you eat breakfast.

3. EXERCISE~ 30 minutes of light exercise can diffuse tension & stop stress hormones so take long walks, lift some weights, skip or go jogging.

4. CLEAN UP~ A cluttered space will add to your stress so keep things tidy, get organised & watch yourself accomplish your 'to do' list more efficiently.

5. GIRLY STUFF~ Hang out with your girls say once a week & you won't feel so burdened with planning.

6. PAMPER YOURSELF~ take long warm showers, soak up in a bath with exfoliating body scrub, visit a spa for a massage, give your body a good night's rest.

7. TAKE A BREAK~ if you're feeling overwhelmed with all you have to do, take a day or more off & just watch a movie or something else apart from planning.

8. COLOUR UP~ colouring your space produces a calming effect. Go for blue, green or pink.

9. QUALITY TIME~ a lot of couples fight while planning, try not to be among them. Hugs are proven stress relievers. Spend time with your fiancé talking about your future & don't talk about the wedding plans at this time but just enjoy each others company.

10. TRUST GOD~ the ultimate! You most likely are worrying over nothing. Commit everything to God's hand & you can be sure He's got your back.

For the groom: know your accessories

Ascot~ a wide neck tie almost like like a scarf that is looped over & held in place beneath the chin with a stick pin. It is worn with a wing collar shirt & the daytime wedding jacket.

Cufflinks & Studs~ decorative jewellery used to close cuffs & button formal shirts.

Pocket Square~ small handkerchief tucked into the left breast pocket worn instead of the boutonniere.

Bow tie~ a short tie shaped like a bow that can be worn with a wing or lay down collar. Most bow ties adjust to fit all neck sizes & are available in a variety of widths, colours & pattern to match the vest or cummerbund.

Cummerbund~ a silk or satin sash worn around the waist & covering the trousers waistband.

Suspenders~ these are 2 supporting bands worn over the shoulders to support the trousers. They can be coordinated in colours or patterns with a cummerbund.

Vest~ can be worn in place of a cummerbund to cover the trouser waistband. It's often worn with a coordinating bow tie. Some are adjusted at the neck & wrist with an open back while others have a fully covered back.

Difference between a Wedding Planner, an Event Designer, and Other Professionals

One of the most common misconceptions among brides and grooms is a wedding professional's job title, and the responsibilities and talents associated with it.  While working toward the common goal of making your wedding day spectacular, the job responsibilities of each of these professionals is actually very different.

You've heard the job titles and are now in a state of confusion; so to help you learn the roles of each wedding professional, it's time to break it down.

Wedding Planner/Manager
A wedding planner is well-versed in wedding coordination, budget allocation, and the best wedding professionals for your budget.  Handling the details of your wedding, this pro has great relationships with area professionals and can also often get you discounts or add-ons. From day-of coordination to guidance every step of the way, a wedding planner will usually customize his or her services to best meet your needs.  Here at Vimos Events, wedding planning is the core of what we do and we are well experienced. A wedding planner is often your best advocate, and as someone impartial to a venue or church, we have nobody's interest in mind but your own.

Event Designer/Decorator
While a wedding planner is strongest in the logistics and planning of your wedding, an event designer shines when designing the aesthetics of your wedding.  This is where the 'wow' factor comes in.  An event designer doesn't just refer you to stationery or favour companies, but has the ability to create things from scratch.  An event designer is the one who makes everything you envision for your wedding a reality.  A great event designer has all of the tools to create the details to make your wedding unique, and the inside scoop on where to find the right props for the job. In addition to wedding planning, Vimos Events specializes in wedding design, ensuring your wedding has that 'wow' factor that is otherwise hard to achieve.

Ceremony Site Coordinator
Employed or contracted by the ceremony site or church, the ceremony site coordinator is there to make sure the ceremony site rules are implemented.  When getting married in a church, the church coordinator is usually essential to your wedding day.  The duties of the ceremony site coordinator might include, among other things, directing you and your bridal party to the right room to wait for the ceremony to start, making sure that everything is done as it should be done. Your wedding planner, as your advocate, will work with the ceremony site coordinator with your best interest in mind while ensuring ceremony site rules are met.

Reception Site Coordinator
Employed by the reception site, a reception site coordinator is often a salesperson working on behalf of the venue.  In addition to booking weddings for the venue, a site coordinator works with you to receive all necessary paperwork before the big day.  Often the reception site coordinator is on-site on your wedding day, making sure the linens on the tables and covers on the chairs match your order. Although most reception site coordinators are not trained and accredited wedding coordinators, some actually are. Though they typically won't help you secure your other wedding professionals, they will often hand you a list of wedding professionals who have done weddings there in the past. Sometimes the venue gets a referral fee for these vendors, and sometimes they don't.

Florist
A florist's job is to provide floral arrangements to the general public for life events such as holidays, birthdays, and weddings.  Most florists operate out of a storefront.  Some florists have taken professional floral design classes, and some are self-trained.

Floral Designer
A bit different than a florist, a floral designer specializes in designing floral arrangements for events on a larger scale, such as weddings.  Floral arrangements for smaller life events, such as birthdays and holidays, take a back seat (if these services are even offered at all).  Floral designers are usually professionally trained in floral design and many have participated in design competitions.  Floral designers specialize in 'wow' factor floral arrangements that are cohesive with the overall design of the event.

Caterer
Caterers play a very important role in your wedding, and have a lot on their plate (no pun intended).  They work with you to create an ideal (often customized) menu that flows nicely throughout the event.  With focus on the food, the catering team consists of many individuals, each with a specific job.  The catering team, though amazing at what they do, does not specialize in setting up the design elements of your event or securing discounts for you with other wedding professionals.  They can, however, suggest a list of professionals they have worked with in the past.  Except for providing a pre-ceremony beverage bar or similar food station, the caterer is not involved in the ceremony details of your event.

Wow! and it is December!

How time flies..

The holiday season is almost here and certainly, events are on the increase. 

Big parties are organized for all sorts of reasons - weddings, birthdays, charity events, annual general meetings and more… 

Here are 3 tips to ensure a smooth start to finish:

1. Balls & Function Venues
Getting the right venue can make or break your event – if you are in the wrong place it could make the difference between making it – or making nothing

2. The Theme
Most of the successful balls and functions have one specific idea of style which guides them as a kind of mission statement. Try to hit a niche idea to maximize your success.

3.Food
Getting the food right is the key to any event – with the wrong food you will be sunk – get it right and you can make the event a real success.

 

Welcome! Welcome!! Welcome!!!

Happy 2011 y'all! It's another great year and aren't you just glad to be alive? So many reasons to be thankful... 
It's a wonderful opportunity for me to be able to share my thoughts and experiences on events planning with you. Being a seasoned planner for about 4 years now, there's nothing better than an organised atmosphere at an event where the hosts don't feel stressed or pressured because of the state of things! That's why i'm here to help you on your 'eventful' journey..
Feel free to post your comments, ask questions and any other that would be relevant to the advancement of this blog.
Wishing u a year of greater heights, love, fulfilment in all that you'll set out to do.
Cheers!