Tips on giving wedding toasts without boring your guests

The Wedding toast segment of your wedding reception is usually the segment that both guests and bridal party wish they can get over with quickly so they can get on with the party. Here are some tips to keep your guests engaged and to assist your bridal party in delivering a great toast. 

1. You must plan ahead 

It is wise to develop your schedule of toasts and inform those who you will like to say some words well in advance. This allows the relevant persons the time to prepare what they will like to say and avoids the possibility of stammering, silence and plain old awkwardness if they don't have anything to say. This schedule should be passed on to your master of ceremonies so that he can queue people on and off the microphone and keep things fluent. 

2. Please, limit the amount of people giving toasts

Your wedding is a celebration, yes toasts is a major part of that because this is when people get to give you their well wishes etc. but too much can become monotonous and boring. If your wedding may have many guests wishing to give you kind words etc a great suggestion is to have a Guest Note Cage. You can provide  note paper at a special table with this cage, where guests can leave you comments or well wishes. Another suggestion is to have a confessional, yes a confessional lol. Set up an area with a video camera where guests can give you live well wishes, which is recorded and compiled as part of your wedding video. How cool is that? 

3. Schedule the Toasts for a time that best suits your wedding 

In Trinidad and Tobago Most people tend to give their toast before the serving of the meal at the beginning of the reception. I have seen a few weddings where the food was served first and then the toasting took place when everyone was fed. It all depends on the time of day your wedding is held. For those preferring to have the toasts before meals may I suggest having a hors d'eouvres served as a prelude to the toasting so that your guests won't be restless or worst hungry during your toasting segment. The goal is to have your guests comfortable so that they can enjoy every bit of your wedding. 

4. What should I Toast with? 

Tradition says that you should toast with champagne or any other sparkling wine. But with that said, you can always personalize with having either your signature drink or other special drink for your toasts. Please, make sure its not water :). 

5. What should I say? 

For those of you given the honor to say a few words on behalf of the bride or groom, keep it short, your toast should not go over three minutes in length. Jot down some key words so you know the areas you will like to touch on. This helps not only to keep you calm but to keep from going blank. And most of all speak from the heart. You can offer personal advice, inspiration quotes, a sentimental song lyric what ever holds true to the message you would like to give to the couple. 

And finally raise your glass and take a sip. 

HAPPY PLANNING 

For further information and advice on planning your wedding please feel free to contact us 

via phone (868) 328-5061, email lhtemerge@gmail.com 

or visit our website at http://www.lhtemergeevents.com 

Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago) Carnival Themed Wedding

In the quest to broaden our services to the destination weddings market, one of our packages will offer a Carnival themed wedding. Why? Carnival is a festival very indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago, and is highlighted as one you must experience. Therefore, if you cannot make it to carnival why not bring carnival to you and your close family and friends without the negatives and all of the positives. Highlighting beauty, creativity and color that is synonymous with the Caribbean.

Here are some ideas for the couple wanting to create their own Caribbean Carnival Themed wedding.

THE DRESSES
Ladies, I know the first thing you will want to think about is what are you going to wear? Here are options for your bridal gown and the reception gown.

 This wedding dress gives all the flair that our costuming is about the birdcage head piece is ideal to complete your Caribbean Carnival look as it lends intrigue to the personality of the bride.
If you are stepping out Caribbean you must have that second dress that brings out "the sexy", I love the pica-boo effect of the blue in the skirt of this dress still tying you into the color scheme of your wedding.

 Photo Courtesy alibaba.com

THE DECOR

 Another major focal point will be your decor. Your guests will come expecting to see how you incorporate this festival into your wedding while maintaining the elegance required for a wedding. Yes you want to maintain an elegant wedding and it can be achieved with this theme.

Many critics have dubbed our modern day carnival costumes as bikini, beads and feathers. We cant have the bikini but why not incorporate the beads and the feathers into the decor. This feathered centerpiece is very trendy in the overall wedding decor market. As seen in the photo the ambiance created with the right lighting is phenomenal. 

To give an additional touch the table numbers can be held by tall stands adorned with masks such as the picture below.

iridescent beads can be used to drape along the vase of the centerpiece to add a beaded effect.

On the tables as both your favor and the place card holder we can use these picture framed, chair favors to complete the Caribbean look.

 THE CAKE

Your cake will bring in the Caribbean flavor of your wedding, without the carnival.

This option is very detailed with the working on the design, and will provide a very elegant touch to the wedding.

This design can be traditional Caribbean with sea shells such as the cake on the right or can be representative of exotic flowers easily found in our flora and fauna as the cake on the left.

THE PHOTO BOOTH

We absolutely cannot have a carnival theme without the masquerader.

Why not incorporate it into a photo booth. Your guests will love the idea of having the opportunity to take pictures one on one with a beautiful costume. As an added touch these pictures can be printed and sent to you guests in their thank you card so they can have an additional souvenir reminding them of your unique wedding and the unique experience they had in Trinidad and Tobago. Who knows, they may also want to experience what the festival is about and come back to visit our Islands.

There is a world of ideas out there, waiting to be found and explored.

HAPPY PLANNING 

for further information on planning and coordinating your Tobago wedding feel free to call (868) 328-5061, email lhtemerge@gmail.com or visit our website at www.lhtemergeevents.com