Wedding Speeches

Wedding Favor Ideas -
One of the most daunting tasks for the best man might be what he has to do at the wedding reception. Tradition dictates that the best man has to give a speech, and today, more and more brides are asking their maid or matron of honor to do the same thing. The thing about these wedding speeches is that no one every really knows what to say. Some people are naturally gifted and writing and delivering a great speech, but most people suffer through it, and have no idea what they should do or say. I have twice now seen people freeze in the middle of wedding speeches out of pure fright. Perhaps there is a lot of pressure to give the perfect speech, and everyone fears their wedding speeches may be memorable for all the wrong reasons. Some people like to use humor, but this can be very tricky. Talking about the couples first date might be funny, but Grandma wont like it if it involves drinking and public nudity. Its hard to think of things that may interest everyone and the speakers often feel the pressure of this before they even stand up and open their mouth. If you have to give a speech soon, you will be glad to know that help is out there. You can find good wedding speeches online that you can customize to the bride and groom. This may help you relax a little, because at least you know at the very least it was a good speech when you started. If you are having trouble personalizing the speech, dont be afraid to ask for help. Just make sure you pick something appropriate for everyone. If you want to write your own wedding speeches, make sure you take some time to think it through, and run it by a few people before the big day. Try to stay away from saying anything you wouldnt want anyone to say about you in front of all of your family and most of your close friends. You can use humor; just make sure you arent going to make Aunt Jane pass out. Remember to keep it simple. Great wedding speeches dont have to be long and detailed; they simply have to come from the heart. If you write something that comes directly from your heart and your love of the couple, you really wont have anything to worry about.

Celebrity Weddings

Contemporary Wedding Invitations -
The rich and famous are not usually known for understatement. This principle applies to celebrity weddings, the bread and butter of the show business magazines. These affairs are big news, with publishers fighting each other for exclusive rights to the official photographs. Some ceremonies are tasteful and elegant and some are less so. Any bride and groom will know that a wedding needs good organization, something along the lines of a military operation. When your guests happen to be household names flying in from all over the world, it complicates things further. Keeping it quite is almost impossible. Details of the date and venue have a habit of leaking out. Even marrying in a remote Tibetan village would not keep the paparazzi at bay. The recent trend is to get married in a castle. Paul McCartney, Madonna, Christina Aguilera and Tom Cruise have all had their celebrity weddings behind high castle walls. Once, they were security against medieval sieges, now they act as a fortress against the world's press. Paul and Heather Mills married in a castle in Ireland, owned by an elderly gentleman who let the cat out of the bag. They still got hitched away from the media. Madonna and Guy Ritchie chose a Scottish pile and Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes recently tied the knot in an Italian castle. This was a Scientology ceremony of course. The excited population of the small village picked for the venue was disappointed when the couple did not pose for them. Every aspect of the proceedings carries a certain pizzazz. It starts with the engagement ring. Jennifer Lopez caused a stir with her pink diamond. The most famous ring however, is the one given to Elizabeth Taylor by Richard Burton. It was practically visible from the moon. Brad Pitt had one made for Jennifer Aniston and he designed both wedding bands himself. There is always great excitement over the wedding dress at celebrity weddings. There was a collective gasp when spectators saw Princess Diana's dress, as the taffeta creation seemed to stretch forever. The famous can get the top designers to make something unique for them. It pays to know people in high places, as when Madonna asked her buddy Stella McCartney to create her dress. Sandra Bullock combined her dress with cowboy boots, in keeping with the western theme she had. The most bizarre show business wedding of all has to be the one that Pamela Anderson organized for her dogs. Her golden retriever and chihuahua took part in a moving ceremony on the beach in front of invited guests. As celebrity weddings go, that will probably never be topped.

Wedding Anniversary Gifts

Possible Wedding Reception Sites -
Finding just the right wedding anniversary gifts can be difficult sometimes. In fact, remembering that special couple on their special day has been a tradition for centuries. In fact, a long time ago, it was decided that certain gifts should be given as wedding anniversary gifts depending on the length of time a couple had been married. For example, a gift made of paper should be given for the first anniversary. In modern times, this has been changed to giving the celebrants clocks as wedding anniversary gifts. For the traditional fourth anniversary gift of something made of linen or silk, now we give appliances as gifts. I guess somebody figure out that after four years, that microwave oven given as a wedding gift would need replacing. Traditional gift giving for the seventh year is something made of wool or even copper. For the 21st century, you should give the happy couple desk sets as their wedding anniversary gifts. Other traditional anniversary gifts include ivory for the 14th year, now replaced by gold jewelry, and wrist watches instead of crystal for the fifteenth year of marriage. However, if you want to ignore the customs for wedding anniversary gifts and find something different, there are many companies that specialize in these kinds of gifts. For example, some travel agencies are unique in that they arrange trips for couples as either wedding or wedding anniversary gifts. If you give this as a gift, you can be guaranteed that the couple will be treated like royalty to celebrant their special occasion. Treating your special couple to a fancy night on the town always makes a great gift. However, think about something different. Everyone knows one of those restaurants where you need to make reservations months in advance to get a table. By doing that, you have told the anniversary couple that they have been in your thoughts for some time. Personalized wedding anniversary gifts are sometimes the best. It does not take a great amount of time and effort to purchase bath towels or bathrobes with names embroidered on them. And all of these anniversary gifts are available through the click of your mouse. However, personalized gifts do not have to mean matching house slippers. How would they feel if you had poetry written especially for them or an artist painting their picture as a gifts]? There is an almost unlimited variation of wedding anniversary gifts if you search a little bit and use your imagination.

Newspaper Wedding Announcements

African American Wedding Invitations -
Newly married couples have a lot of things on their minds. Between the wedding and reception invitations and the thank-you cards it can be easy to forget newspaper wedding announcements. This detail is often overlooked by many couples especially when they have a honeymoon filled with fun and hours of filling out notes of thanks directly ahead of them. However, newspaper wedding announcements do not have to be completed as soon as you exchange vows. Some people are under the impression that they have to provide the information and details about their special day within hours of the ceremony. Since the time slips away so quickly the notion of preparing newspaper wedding announcements seems outdated by the time they are organized. Part of the challenge is in the marriage photos that are taken during and after the ceremony. Most newspaper wedding announcements have a close-up picture of the newlywed couple accompanying the information. Professional photographers can sometimes take months and months to deliver the photographs from the wedding ceremony. By the time the photos arrive the couple thinks that it is simply too late to send the information to the newspaper. After all, the papers hate to publish yesterdays news. Nevertheless, when it comes to marriage announcements in print it is safe to say that the publication can be a few months behind and still be interesting to locals. There is another thing to consider when sending your information about the marriage a little late. You should remember that the newspaper wedding announcements are keepsakes for the couple and the friends and family of the wedded pair. The information just needs to reach the publication. It doesnt really matter that the union is months old. The value of the newspaper wedding announcement is still great. How late is too late when it comes to newspaper wedding announcement? To be honest, Im really not sure but I would wager that 12 months may be the maximum amount of time for this type of announcements. I have seen couples announce their marriages through the paper as late as nine months after the fact and I really dont see the paper turning anyone away just because they are tardy. Some news has to be timely but newspaper wedding announcements can be placed months after the union. If you are a newlywed couple who wants to share the happy news of a marriage that is a few months old then you should proceed with the newspaper announcement. Its better late than never.

Las Vegas Wedding Chapels

Wedding Guest Books -
Although almost everything that happens in Vegas stays there, thats not really true when you get married there. Las Vegas is well known for two things and thats gambling and weddings. Many a blushing bride has taken a quick trip to the strip with her gallant groom to tie the knot. When you want to elope, Vegas is the place to do it. All one has to do is look at the multitude of Las Vegas wedding chapels to see why that is. Elvis can even attend your nuptials although of course, the real King of Rock and Roll has left us. Instead you can have one of the many Elvis impersonators located in Sin City come to your wedding. In fact, many of the Las Vega wedding chapels have their own Elvis who will conduct the ceremony. Imagine the stories you can tell your grandchildren! Of course you can have an elegant and sophisticated ceremony if you choose. Many people mistakenly believe that all Las Vegas wedding chapels are designed for quickie weddings with the bride wearing blue jeans and the groom wearing a trucker hat. You can have a beautiful wedding that would be reminiscent of a ceremony that took months to plan. People who want to elope do flock to Vegas but so do people who have been planning on getting married for years. Many Las Vegas wedding chapels are seeing an influx of couples who bring along their own entourage including their parents, the best man and the maid or matron of honor. They combine the wedding with a mini-family vacation, even giving each of the attendees a few dollars for gambling. Considering the price of a large wedding complete with venue rental and reception, having it at one of the Las Vegas wedding chapels is a bargain. Some of the well-known hotels located on the strip also have their own facilities for weddings. Those that dont will often offer a package deal that includes a room, champagne and transportation to one of the famous Las Vegas wedding chapels. This way after the ceremony the happy couple can head back to their room to begin their honeymoon. Your wedding day is supposed to be special and memorable so why not do it in style in Las Vegas? Youll have unique memories to share and the time of your life. Youll also have the chance to visit a casino or two and maybe even catch a show. Las Vegas is a great place to get hitched.

Wedding Anniversary Gifts

Wedding Anniversary Presents -
Finding just the right wedding anniversary gifts can be difficult sometimes. In fact, remembering that special couple on their special day has been a tradition for centuries. In fact, a long time ago, it was decided that certain gifts should be given as wedding anniversary gifts depending on the length of time a couple had been married. For example, a gift made of paper should be given for the first anniversary. In modern times, this has been changed to giving the celebrants clocks as wedding anniversary gifts. For the traditional fourth anniversary gift of something made of linen or silk, now we give appliances as gifts. I guess somebody figure out that after four years, that microwave oven given as a wedding gift would need replacing. Traditional gift giving for the seventh year is something made of wool or even copper. For the 21st century, you should give the happy couple desk sets as their wedding anniversary gifts. Other traditional anniversary gifts include ivory for the 14th year, now replaced by gold jewelry, and wrist watches instead of crystal for the fifteenth year of marriage. However, if you want to ignore the customs for wedding anniversary gifts and find something different, there are many companies that specialize in these kinds of gifts. For example, some travel agencies are unique in that they arrange trips for couples as either wedding or wedding anniversary gifts. If you give this as a gift, you can be guaranteed that the couple will be treated like royalty to celebrant their special occasion. Treating your special couple to a fancy night on the town always makes a great gift. However, think about something different. Everyone knows one of those restaurants where you need to make reservations months in advance to get a table. By doing that, you have told the anniversary couple that they have been in your thoughts for some time. Personalized wedding anniversary gifts are sometimes the best. It does not take a great amount of time and effort to purchase bath towels or bathrobes with names embroidered on them. And all of these anniversary gifts are available through the click of your mouse. However, personalized gifts do not have to mean matching house slippers. How would they feel if you had poetry written especially for them or an artist painting their picture as a gifts]? There is an almost unlimited variation of wedding anniversary gifts if you search a little bit and use your imagination.

Jewish Weddings

Unusual Wedding Favors -
Jewish weddings have some significant rituals that add meaning to the ceremony. In today's times, Jewish couples often choose to have one, some or all of the rituals present in their wedding. Here are some of the rituals one would find in a Jewish wedding. Couples stand under a canopy, called a chuppah. A chuppah can be a simple cloth held on four poles over the couple's head, or may be made of a tallit, or prayer shawl that has significant meaning to the family of the bride or groom. The tallit may have belonged to an ancestor or family member, or it may be one that the groom when he was a baby was wrapped in for his brit (circumcision ceremony) or Bar Mitzvah. The chuppah represents the home that the couple will live in together as a married couple. There is a tradition of the bride wearing a veil that goes back to the bible. In the biblical story, Jacob thinks he is marrying Rachel, but ends up marrying her sister, Leah, because she is wearing such a thick veil that he cannot see her face until the ceremony is over. Jewish brides wear a veil, but before the ceremony, the groom lifts it up and verifies that she is his love, the one he intends to marry. That ceremony is called bidekin. Another Jewish wedding tradition is the marriage contract, called Ketubah. It is often a beautiful piece of art in which the couple's vows are written, along with the date and place of the marriage. Traditionally, the wording was an agreement almost like a contract, but today, the wording may be modernized to be more of a vow of mutual love, respect and devotion. During the ceremony, traditionally the bride will circle the groom seven times. This represented the husband being the center of the bride's life, with seven representing the seven blessings that are a part of the marriage ceremony. Modern couples may choose to have the bride and groom circle each other separately or circling together to represent their being the center of each other's lives. A prayer over wine, called kiddush, is said during the ceremony. Wine, in Jewish tradition, is used to represent joy, and is present at many Jewish happy occasions and holidays. Seven blessings are said or sung during the Jewish wedding. Each blessing thanks God for creating a part of life: the universe; people; man and woman; Israel; love; the joy of song and celebration of marriage; and wine. Rings are exchanged during a Jewish wedding. Jewish wedding bands are traditionally an unbroken circle, representing a circle with no beginning or end. The marriage vow itself is a sentence which means that the couple is pronouncing that they are now marrying each other, according to the laws of Moses and the Jewish people. The groom may say it to the bride, or both to each other in turn. Finally, the groom steps on and shatters a glass (which is inside a small bag). This represents several things: that the love should last as long as it would take to put shattered pieces back together (forever, in other words). The glass also represents that in every joy there is a small measure of sadness when violent things occur, such as the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, or the Night of the Breaking Glass at the start of the Holocaust. The couple is obligated to care for each other through joy and sadness. After the Jewish wedding ceremony, the couple may retreat for a couple of minutes of "alone time" before the celebration begins. This alone time allows the couple to share a bite to eat and a glass of wine and represents the beginning of their life as one married couple. It is called Yichud. Today, a couple that is considering incorporating Jewish rituals into their wedding has many meaningful rituals to choose from.