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Follow Ciara DaykinHoly crap...9 days with no tweets!!! Film shoot went well-BB Declan is growing and doing REALLY well & I still need to write an ezine...LOL
Follow Simon DaykinShe and He introduce a weekly cutting edge style combo for him and her. We introduce to you, the latest styles from down under. In Australia every season is wedding season considering the temperature is rarely in the negatives, never mind all you poor Calgarian brides who put up with four feet of snow…. in May! This week we are featuring Australian couple, Emily and Josh. Their looks are simple, natural and beautiful. Need we say more?
To get Emily’s natural beauty look, accessorize with a hand made hair flower for your locks. We discovered a great example on www.etsy.com.
by Simon Daykin
Well, I am sorry I h
aven’t written you guys anything in a while. I’ve been super busy with weddings, upcoming events and my soon to be arriving son, yes we have a name and no, we’re not telling anyone! Ciara, the dogs and I are pretty much ready for our newest arrival but I had some stuff to get sorted before we were all set. So we took care of that and now I’m back and ready to go.
We had a great wedding this past weekend, the ceremony was supposed to be outside, but the weather decided not to cooperate and we had to move it inside. We had a great backup plan (As anyone planning an outdoor ceremony should) and everything went amazing. You can check out pics on our Facebook fan page. We have 2 more events this weekend, I’ll be setting up for the Strathcona Tweedsmuir School prom and our associate planners Kendra and Betti will be at a Sweet 16 party we planned. Next week I have to leave Ciara (sad face) and head off to San Diego to shoot a conference for one of our entrepreneurial clients. I hear the weather is nice down there. Packing the swim trunks!
I love to watch TV, I get some of my style tips from TV shows…yes I watch Gossip Girl, why you ask? Well, because Chuck Bass is one stylish bastard! In my style travels I have noticed that big, bold prints on shirts are making a comeback. I love this! I was in high school in the early 90’s when prints were all over dress shirts. Granted, the paisley and stripes were much smaller and understated than they are now, but I have to say, I prefer the BIG prints. Picture the shirt on the left, with a light grey, 2 or 3 piece suit, a bold white tie, white belt and white shoes and a crazy big pocket square. That’ll get you noticed! Now, not everyone is gonna love this style, but if you can pull it off and you feel comfortable doing so, I suggest you look into this new, big, bold print phenomenon.
The shirt above can be found at Indochino as part of their new “Blueprint Collection” and the pocket squares, as always can be found at Pocket SquareZ.
By Simon Daykin
A while ago I wrote about dealing with THAT guy at your wedding. I got quite the response so I thought I’d go one more mile down the road and address how you, the Groom can avoid being THAT guy at your own wedding. Trust me, it happens. There are plenty of reasons for this occurrence. They range from nerves, lack of eating, mixing boozes to good old hard partying and lack of control. I’ll hit a few here, the usual suspects but I can’t get into some of the deeper, crazier reasons, coz that’s between you and your shrink! You DO NOT want to look like this guy at your own wedding…do you??? Of course you don’t!
Eat It! Just Eat It!
Each one of us has joked, at one point or another about getting a good base before a night of drinking. Well as far as I’m concerned, there is truth to that. Food in the belly makes sure the alcohol takes longer to get into your blood stream. Making the wine make its way through a 16oz steak will help you. But this is not just a night…oh no…this is a FULL DAY! So make sure you eat, eat whenever possible, whatever possible. Eat a good, solid, manly man breakfast, then eat lunch, solid proteins and the like. From the ceremony to the cocktails there is a long time…so I suggest bringing food along. ; I’m not saying that you pull out a hero sandwich just before you say “I do”. But have the photographer bring along some food for the photo shoot or stick a sandwich in your pocket. Keep the food coming whenever you can and try not to get hungry.
Go To Bed Early…And SLEEP
This is not directed at your wedding night…oh no…this is directed at the night BEFORE your wedding night. Never make this night your stag night! There is no reason to go out and get all “Jersey Shored” the night before your wedding. You’ll only regret it later.
Use this night to have a great dinner, either with your Bride to be, your family or all your guests. When they start to drink it all up, you make your exit. They may rib you, but they will understand. In all honesty, I would have a quiet dinner with your Bride to be, and your families. Keep it an early night. And if it’s all family, no one will try to pour shots down your throat. Head to bed early, go over your vows and your speech to make sure all your I’s are crossed and your T’s be dotted, then go to sleep. You’ll need your rest for the coming day. Trust me on this, falling asleep, or even WORSE…passing out at your wedd ing is not on!
Consumption
Usually there will be some booze at the wedding, and mostly there will be a lot of the stuff. Doesn’t mean you have to drink it all though. Remember to pace oneself…patience is a virtue. So be patient boys. If you want to drink, then have a drink…no need to go double fisted. Remember you need to be able to last the night and “then some”. Yes I do mean the wedding night. If you drink away your “performance” then I can’t help you. But I can help you before this happens. So slow down, and not only will you be able to give a ROCKSTAR performance on your wedding night but you’ll look better in all your photos and you won’t be tossing back you dinner on your guests or slurring your speech.&nb sp; The speech you spent so long working on. There is plenty of time to have a few too many…your wedding day is not one of these times!
Simon’s Gutsy Groom Advice
Most, if not all of the guys I know love to head out and “tie one on”…myself included. But let’s be honest here. Your wedding is not the time to do this. You have asked a bunch of your closest friends and family to join you in a celebration with your families and your future wife. So you need to be a part of that celebration.
I’m not saying you don’t drink…I would never say that! But what I am saying is put yourself in the best position to handle your booze fellas, book your stag a few weeks out. That gives you plenty of time to recover. If you have out of town pals coming in, set up a pub night a few days (if possible)before the wedding to hoist pints with them. Don’t do it the night before. Never do it the night before!
Drinking is a slippery slope, you feel good one minute, then you’re all over the floor the next. You need to be on your feet, shaking hands, taking pictures and being a great guy, you need to be on your “A” game. It’s just one day, you can do it. Be cool!
You got questions? I got your answers! Feel free to drop me a line if you want to, I’m here to help you guys. My email is simon@gutsygroom.com and you have access to me. So I suggest you use that. I can also hook you guys up with the best wedding planner in the biz…you need a great planner, I got one, I also come in the package so all your questions during the planning process you may have…I’ll be there to help you out. You can check out our work at www.fireflyoccasions.com and book your free consultation by emailing us at info@fireflyoccasions.com. That is all for this time boys…
By Simon Daykin
So you may have a suit, you may not. You may not know where to start when buying a suit. So here I come to save the day. Keep it simple for your first or multi use suit. The Black Performance Suit is especially well suited for men who want to look good but keep it simple. A simple black suit (well made and fit to your body of course) is a great place to start. This suit will take a beating and still look great and wrinkle free. Perfect for taking pictures, shaking hands and dancing the night away with your new wife. The blazer also has a great sheen, it makes wearing the blazer out to the club after your wedding on Friday night not only easy, but very appealing. From the wedding to any party, this black performance suit has you covered. Something you can wear to the wedding and to a ton of events and parties after the wedding as well. And yes, I do own one of these in Charcoal. Damn fine suit!
Click here to start shopping. And don’t forget to visit www.pocketsquarez.com to get a colorful pocket square to add the pop of color a black suit craves.
By Simon Daykin
Well it’s been a crazy few weeks…I’m talking weather here boys. A few days ago I had the top off the Jeep, now I’m sitting here in a big wooly sweater. So hey there summer, it’s Simon here…ya wanna show up soon, this snow is really starting to get silly. Oh well…could be worse I guess. My new tattoos are all healed up and it’s almost time to get back in the chair with Vince Wishart from www.wish-art.net for the final sitting to finish that arm up. My folks are coming to visit on Friday, we’re having baby showers on Saturday…1 for my wife and 1 for me (I never miss an excuse for a party) so they are in town to hang out, check out the baby bump and hang out for a few days. We haven’t seen them in a while so both Ciara and I are really looking forward to the visit.
We’ve got a really cool wedding coming up towards the end of the month, we’re shutting down a street in Downtown Calgary for the ceremony…so stay tuned for pictures of that…It’s gonna be way cool.
by Simon Daykin
It’s been a busy few weeks since we last chatted. We hired a bunch of new staff
coz we’re booking mad weddings. I painted my future son’s room, built him his crib, a change table-dresser thing and Ciara sorted out all his clothes and put them into said dresser thing. Plus I did a 7 hour tattoo sitting with my Tattoo guy Vince Wishart, an amazing artist who I whole heartedly recommend to all my friends looking for ink, check out his talent at www.wish-art.net. Arm’s a bit sore, but I can still type so it’s all good. Our Associate Planner Kendra went up to Kicking Horse Resort in British Columbia to be wined and dined and the group had to be rescued from the mountain top due to a freak snowstorm…the photos are up here so you can check out the perils we face each day to make sure your wedding is the one your guests will be talking about for all the right reasons. Better us rescued than you right!?!?
I also had a top secret meeting last week that I can’t talk about, so you’ll have to stay tuned to see what that is all about…it’s pretty cool…well I think it is anyway! Seems winter is getting one last kick at the can before it leaves us and makes way for sunny, sunny days. We’re still taking bookings for 2010 and we’re meeting with couples who want to get a head start on their 2011 weddings. It’s never too soon to book a Wedding Planner to make sure you get the vendors, venue and dream wedding you want. Click here to secure your free consultation with us info@fireflyoccasions.com.
By Simon Daykin
Throughout the history of weddings there has always been that one guy…the guy who sets up camp at the bar and then does really stupid stuff. He thinks it’s hilarious, but it’s really not. He may steal the mic, try to heckle the speech makers or get too “friendly” with the female guests, bridesmaids or hotel staff. It’s usually a touchy subject on how to handle this type of a fellow so I thought I’d impart some insight to the issue. No, it doesn’t involve large men, big sticks and bruises. But it needs to be addressed and I’m gonna address it! Rule number one…the Groom is NEVER involved, and a wise man once said…”Be nice…until it’s time not to be nice.”
A Planner Can Do More Than Plan
I can’t tell you how many people I have been asked to “cut off” at the bar! I don’t like doing it, but sometimes it needs to be done. Also, most wedding planners don’t come with a guy on staff. Luckily, www.fireflyoccasions.com usually does. If you find yourself having to deal with THAT guy at your wedding, you (as the Groom) never get involved! Your first plan of attack is to go to your planner, let them know what is going on and have them deal with it. This way, you don’t get dragged into the problem, especially if it’s a family member or close friend. This way the planner is the bad guy and your family Christmas dinner will be free of “hey, remember when you cut me off at your wedding…you little wanker” comments. Planners know how to deal with these issues and to be honest, it’s your day, you need to enjoy it and this will not be fun for you in any way shape or form.
You’re Paying Them, So Use Them
The hotel staff is there to help you! So if you don’t have a planner (shame
on you) head over to the nearest hotel staff and let them know the deal. It can be the server at your table or you can ask the server to send over the banquet manager. Fill them in on the details and tell them what you want to be done. Don’t leave any room for error. You can ask them to “keep an eye” on the person, or just cut them off. If they are going to cut them off, I suggest having a couple (depending on the size of the guest) of staff at the bar when the barkeep tells the guest the sad, sad news. Things may get heated, but the staff will know what to do. If the guests comes to you after the fact. Tell your guests that the hotel has rules and they were just following them. Again, this shifts any blame AWAY from you and all is well with the world.
When All Else Fails, Call In The Groomsmen
This one can be a bit dodgy so play it by ear and know that I say this as a last resort. Usually coz the groomsmen have also been drinking and may know this guy so it can be tough. But in tough times, you need tough men. You can still have the barkeep cut the guest off, but send the groomsmen over to help escort that guest out of the area. Make sure they get up to their room and let the staff and groomsmen know to keep an eye out for them should they return. If they do see that guest again, head over to the hotel staff, don’t let the groomsmen handle it, unless you trust them! Tell them to be nice…the last thing you need is a “scene” at your wedding. I heard of a wedding were Granny got tasered…seriously, true story!!! And that is not what you want.
Simon’s Gutsy Groom Advice
Everyone loves the sweet nectar, and weddings seem to be a free for all when it comes to drinking, that one event when you can go balls to the wall. Well, not so! Guests need to be respectful of you and your Bride. Sure, get wasted and have a nap at a table if you need to, but don’t go overboard and make an ass of yourself. They are still a guest and should behave like this is your home.
Whoever is dealing with this issue needs to know that violence is NOT an option. Even if the guest takes a swing, be nice!!! Bring enough back up that they won’t even consider getting all UFC. Again, be nice, calmly explain that the hotel has decided to stop serving them, they can stay but they will have to stop drinking. I have done weddings with private security, regular security and I have been the security at a few and always, always we have been nice and calm. If you can, have your guys explain to them why they are being removed while they walk them to the door, then close the door!
So back to rule numero uno…as a Groom, NEVER, EVER get involved. I mean NEVER!!! Take care of it, yes, but never address the guest in person. This is your day and you don’t need that shit. You have people there that can take care of it for you. Dance with your Bride, talk to your friends and have someone else deal with THAT guy.
Click here to secure a free consultation and we’ll take care of the rest, yes…even removing unruly guests that took a wee bit too much advantage of a defenseless open bar!
With summer approaching and the warm wedding season bearing down on us, I wanted to offer an alternative to the black tux…so check out the White Dinner Jacket Tuxedo!
A classic American style choice, the White Dinner Jacket tuxedo is ideal for a summer wedding, or any black tie event. Not something many men seek out to purchase, the white jacket and accompanying black pants with satin stripe looks surprisingly fresh and classy on almost any guy. This timeless look remains trendy today, James Bond wore it back in the day and it’s still cool now. Plus when the wedding is over you can pair the jacket with a pair of faded jeans, chucks and open collared shirt and you’ll still be the best dressed guy at the party.
Click here to start shopping and if you need a pocket square to go with that tux (everyone should have at least a few), check out www.pocketsquarez.com.
By Simon Daykin
After the DJ has played the last song of the evening, after the last guest has toddled off to bed and yes, after the last bridesmaid has hooked up with a groomsman, you’ve still got one last job to do. It’s your wedding night!!! I don’t have to spell it out for you so I won’t…but you need to “up” for the job. This means being awake, alert and not fall down, drooling, word slurringly plowed! Sure you can still have a good time at the reception, it is your party after all and you did pay for some of that sweet nectar, but rein it in guys. You don’t want to look like a fool when she gets you up to that room, the candles are glowing and your drunken snores all but drown out the romantic music. But it’s not ALL about the sex…yeah I know, but humor me here OK?!? I have a few tips on creating the mood, being able to “seal the deal” and continuing the mood into the next day…the first day of the rest of your life.
Spruce Up That Hotel Room
A hotel room is a hotel room, trust me…I lived in them most of last year due to a hectic travel schedule. But you can change all that. You can put your own touches into the room and create a super romantic atmosphere…and the best thing is, she doesn’t have to know anything about it and your wedding planner can help you. And when I say help you, I mean they do it and you get all the credit. www.fireflyoccasions.com offers a Honeymoon Suite program that will blow her mind and make you look like a freakin’ hero! While you are dancing, we will pop up to the room, lay out the robes, and slippers, make sure the champagne and strawberries are set up, we include battery operated candles, so no matter how “spirited” you get, there is no risk of fire. If the groom (you) hooks us up with an iPod, we set that up and have the romantic tunes playing softly as the couple enter later on. Rose petals form a pathway to the bed and we make sure the pillows are oh so fluffed. But the great thing is…you can take all the credit!
Pace Yourself Young Man!
Sure the bar is open, and sure they have your drink of choice, well they better, it’s your damn wedding! But that doesn’t mean you have to “Bogart” the bar. Leave some for the rest of your guests and pace yourself. You don’t want to slur your way through your speech and end it by raising your glass and puking all over Aunt Gertrude. Be aware of how much you’re drinking, and of how much you have eaten. This is key! Take the time to eat your dinner, you picked out the food so eat the food. And make sure your bride eats as well. Have some drinks with dinner, you’ll need champagne to toast with, my advice…sip don’t gulp…and don’t let your buddies get you wailed on shots. They had their chance to do that at the stag, now it’s just too late…sorry. They should understand but if they don’t…have a groomsman deal with it. Don’t get plastered, this is the day when all eyes are on you…you don’t want to make a fool of yourself and you want to be able to “finish” the night properly. Last minute coffee DOES NOT WORK!!!
Waking Up To Romance
I know it’s not easy, but think ahead. In my experience women love breakfast in bed…and if someone else makes it and delivers it to your room that is all the better. Add in an order of champagne and orange juice for a little early morning delight and you got it made son! Again, this is a simple thing, not too hard to do and your planner can also take care of this for you. Simply give your planner your breakfast order, discreetly BEFORE the wedding and don’t let your bride know. The planner can place the order, set up the time and VOILA!!! Breakfast in bed with little to no effort on your part. Just make sure you’re awake and coherent enough to answer the door (See previous paragraph). Plus, if you have scheduled a buffet for your guests that you plan to attend, a good solid breakfast in you will give you the energy to shake hands and smile for a few hours…and if you happen to be late as a result of the mimosas I’m sure they will understand.
Simon’s Gutsy Groom Advice
So there you go, a few simple tips on how not to “blow it” on your wedding night. These are easy to implement things that will make you look like one hellofaguy in the eyes of your bride. You don’t have to break the mold or bring down the moon, but it’s always nice to surprise your bride with some things she never thought you’d think of. And that, my friends is where I come in.
Keep in mind that sure, the bar is open (free) but in the end, you did pay for it, so it’s not really free is it? Watch your consumption, if you wanna get all legless, that’s what the stag is for. Your wedding night should be memorable…that means you need to remember it!!! So pace yourself at the bar and lay off the shots, you’ll thank me in the morning when the mimosas show up and you’re ready to go!!!
If you’re looking for a planner that can handle all your planning needs and a planner that comes with the greatest resource a groom could need (ME) then click here to drop me a line and secure a free meeting to make sure your wedding planning, wedding day and all that other good stuff is in the best hands it can be.
By Simon Daykin
After a wild 3 weeks that saw me touchdown in Los Angeles, San Diego and finally Vancouver, I’m back in a chair that doesn’t have wings. I had a great trip, met some great people and got some amazing new ideas that I will be unveiling soon on www.gutsygroom.com. I know the site is a bit lacking, but trust me fellas, we’re gonna change that! San Diego was the annual Rockstar Wedding Planner LIVE conference that my wife (Ciara Daykin, CEO of www.fireflyoccasions.com) and I host each year to teach wedding planners from around the world how to be better at what they do and how to grow their businesses. We had a great turn out and it was a lot of fun, plus the weather was sunny and we were right on the marina so that helped as well.
I got back to hundreds of emails, I guess the economy isn’t cramping the style of our Brides and Grooms, we’re now booking weddings into 2011 and it’s never too early to get started planning. To book a meeting with us, click here and we’ll hook you up. My soon-to-be son is progressing well and seems to love to travel. Our doctor says he’s healthy and growing well. I can’t wait to meet the wee man. I want to say “thank you” to all my readers who sent congrats my way.
By Simon Daykin
You don’t want this guy to BE YOU!!!! Leading up to your wedding you want to be relaxed, you want to know everything is good hands and that you can chill out on the day and pretty much just show up, stand in the right place, say I do and kiss your bride a lot. But there is road that leads to this Zen wedding day feeling, and I know guys hate to ask for directions on any road…even a metaphorical one, so here I am with a map for you. It’s just 3 simple tips but they help, oh boy do they ever help!
Get Involved!!!
I cannot stress this enough! Get involved with the planning process. You don’t have to sink yourself into the nitty gritty details of everything. But attend the décor meeting, voice your opinions and be heard. That way you know there will be no surprises when you walk into your reception. Pink bows all over the place anyone!?! I wanted all our bridesmaids to wear the same shoes, seems simple enough but I was the only one who felt that way. I got my opinion heard and they all had the same shoes on when I showed up. Makes sense to me though, same dress = same shoes. So get involved in all the meetings with your planner that you can, visit the venue, help pick the menu, research the DJ, help pick out the ceremony music and your first dance tune. It’s not that hard, and it can be fun as well. Plus you get to bond with your bride to be and they love that!
Pamper Yourself, It’s OK & You Deserve It
This should really only apply if you help out with the planning process, if you do some work you can reward yourself. But here we go ‘cause I know you’ll step up and get involved. Pamper may sound silly but the only other phrase I could think of was “manper” and that sounds sillier to me. Set up a couples massage for you and your bride to be, hell set up monthly appointments if you like. It’ll keep you relaxed during the planning and leading up to the wedding. Book yourself in for a manicure, make sure your nails look good for the wedding because you know that shot of your hands and the rings will be taken, nothing worse than chewed up split nails. Get a haircut, a few weeks before the wedding, but head into a great stylist and get the full treatment, while you’re there get the warm face cloth massage and a shave, a real one, with a straight razor. You may want to book another massage and facial for you the morning of the wedding to release any left over tension. It’s up to you.
There Are Suits And Then There Are Suits, Your Should Be The Latter
I always get on you guys about suits. And this issue will be no different! HA. Whether you buy a suit or you rent a suit you need to “own” the suit. Make sure it fits…properly. The shoulder pads sit ON your shoulders and the jacket hugs your torso. If you feel comfortable in your suit, it will show and you’ll feel better throughout the day in general, trust me on this I do know a few things! Make the suit your own…add your own shirt, don’t EVER wear the patent leather rental shoes, other dudes sweaty feet have been in there!!! Add your own accessories like cufflinks, pocket squares and killer watch. www.englishlaundry.com has just come out with a new line of cufflinks and www.pocketsquarez.com has all manner of pocket squares for you and the prices are good! You’ll feel better knowing that when people tell you that you look good, they mean it and they aren’t just being nice. And if you feel better, the day will be even better than you thought it could be, of course you may have to cut the party short because your bride can’t wait to get you back to the room, but that’s the downside of being so “ridiculously good looking” and stylish!
Simon’s Gutsy Groom Advice
Feeling good can come to you in a wild variety of ways. But it has been proven that if YOU feel good, others around you will feel better and you will be the coolest guy in the room, well the last isn’t fact…but all the guys I style sure are. Take the time to make yourself feel good, this should be every day, but especially leading up to your wedding. Less stress is good.
Getting involved with the planning process is something you should do anyway. I know you’re busy and may be tired, but this is an event that should only happen once in your life and you should be a part of as much of it as you can be. And again, trust me on this, your bride will notice and you’ll be better off for it (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)
And on a final note, NEVER, EVER have your stag or any other drinking themed events the night before your wedding. Seriously, I will find you and walk down the aisle next to you asking you if “you’d like a greasy pork chop served in a dirty ashtray”. This wedding cost a lot of money, you love your wife to be and all these folks came in to see you do this thing. So have the respect not to get right-plowed the night before, it’s common sense, but we’re guys and it’s always….”oh I’ll be fine tomorrow”. Well no, you may not be, and you don’t want to stink of booze or puke on someone so forgo the silly juice and get a good night’s sleep.
If you wanna drop me an email, book a styling session or book a free planning consultation, click here and we’ll hook you up!
I have always been a HUGE fan of the white suit. If your bride-to-be wants a knight in shining armor, well this is the next best thing. Indochino calls it “the white knight suit” and I agree. Who says that the only person wearing white on the wedding day can be the bride? I certainly didn’t! Clean, crisp, and wonderfully fresh, the white suit is one of the most appealing on the eyes. The simplest way to wear this suit is with a blue dress shirt and brown shoes/belt. But any dress shirt will work, as a white suit gives you a great opportunity to go crazy with colours. So get creative guys.
This suit is perfect for that beach wedding, you in white, your bride in white and the blue, blue ocean as a back drop. Plus, you can wear the pants or blazer on their own to create a number of other different outfits after the wedding.
By Simon Daykin
Homer Simpson once said…”If I could just say a few words…I’d be a much better public speaker.” I have Grooms come to me all freaked out over their speech. Truth be told, honestly, it ain’t that bad. Most of us I’m sure had “speech day” in school growing up yes? So you got through that and you will get through this as well. Plus, this is you speaking to the women you love and the people who helped you get to this point in your life. So this week I wanted to share with you my “quick and nasty” tips for writing and giving a great speech.
Don’t Make Me Get the Soap
Keep it appropriate! There may be kids in the audience. Even if there aren’t any kids, odds are your grandparents may be in attendance and you don’t want to make a fool of yourself in front of them, not to mention your parents…oh and your new wife’s parents. So no foul language, no dirty jokes or stories and let’s not make this a drinking game…”but…um”. Tell a nice story about how you met and fell in love with your wife. Regale them with tales of your best man and groomsmen, but keep it PG, PG-13 tops! Don’t talk about the wild time you had at your stag or how you got left in Mexico and all you got “was a lousy T-shirt”.
You Look Mah-vel-ass…
Make sure you mention (a few times at least) how good your bride looks, and why stop there? It never hurts to mention how good the bridesmaids look and mention the maid of honor as well. Have your mum and the mum of the bride stand up, introduce them again and say how great they are and how good they look that night. Mention the bride’s family, your family, maybe tell a little story about how you met your new wife’s family and how your family molded you into the grand man you are today. Funny stories always keep the crowd in the palm of your hand. Just don’t drone on, and on, and on, and on, and…you get the idea.
Thank Them All
Seriously, thank everyone! Thank your Bride, both the families, the wedding party, the people who drove 3 hours, hell, thank the people who drove 5 minutes if you have any, the people who got on a plane, the hotel staff, the person who did the flowers, the cake designer, the guy who drove the cab to get your drunk groomsmen back to the hotel the night before, thank the DJ or band (even if it’s ahead of time.) Thanking the hotel and serving staff is a great way to ensure that everyone’s glasses are filled, and that the service is great for the rest of the night. You get the idea, thank them all. And if you can, thank your wedding planner.
Simon’s Gutsy Groom Advice
So now you know what to include in that speech of yours. So when you have it written, practice delivering it in front of the mirror a few times. Time it out to make sure you don’t hit the 15 minute mark, people will get bored. Once you have the timing down, add in some great hand gestures and make up cards that have the MAIN talking points on them. Hints not full sentences guys. Run through the speech again with your new cards and you’re good to go.
Try to lay off the sauce until you have delivered your speech. That is not to say you can’t drink at all, but don’t get right pillared! You spent a lot of time on that speech and the last thing you want to do is slur your way through it. So unprofessional! Plus you’ll look like a classic fool in front of everyone and I don’t want any of Grooms looking silly. That just won’t do. So be cool…a wee nip of courage is OK, but not so much that you feel you can invade a small country or rob a bank.
Well, that’s it, any other questions or if you want to book a consultation, I can be reached at info@fireflyoccasions.com Hope you enjoyed the pop culture references…if you can name them all, email me and you win a prize.
By Simon Daykin
The Morning Coat, also known as a ‘Cutaway Coat’ is a classic wedding,
churchgoing, or morning event outfit option. This outfit is set apart by the
gradually forming tails, and accompanying vest or waistcoat. No doubt a
unique look, this outfit is a great choice for the more traditional man,
aspiring gentleman, or guy looking to do something a bit more distinctive at
his next formal outing. It’s not a style that fits into every wedding, but
it will certainly set you apart from everyone else. I have attended a few
black tie affairs and I find the groom tends to get lost in the sea of
tuxes. Yes I know, he’s the guy standing next to the hot girl in the big
white dress, but come the reception, you can never to find him to buy him a
drink. Set yourself apart from your guests with this truly unique look. If
it’s good enough for James Bond in the film “License To Kill” then dude,
it’s perfect for you!
Click here to start shopping!