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Maid of Honour Speech Ideas

Sometimes the hardest part of writing a maid of honor speech for a wedding is figuring out just how to start your speech. You know what not to say in a wedding toast (like mentioning exes, embarrassing stories, or drunken debacles), but knowing what to say about a great friend and her new spouse can leave even the best of public speakers a bit overwhelmed. There is so much to say in just two to three minutes! Thankfully, there are a few tried and true ways to start a speech that will help get your creative juices flowing in no time.

The list below lays out a few ideas for your maid of honor speech. Simply pick one idea to start your speech, or follow numbers one to eight to write your entire speech. Either way, once you start brainstorming a few different intros, you’re likely to stumble on a gem of an idea and find your maid-of-honor-speech-writing stride before you know it.

So take a deep breath, grab a glass of wine (preferably poured into one of those big goblet glasses), and let your maid of honor awesomeness flow!

♥ Tell guests who you are

It’s always a good idea to start your speech by letting the crowd know who you are, and how you know the bride. Otherwise, they may be asking the people around them, “Who is she?” right as you’re getting to the best part of your speech.

♥ Give thanks

Since everyone knows weddings are expensive and require a lot of time and energy to plan, it’s a good idea to recognize the parents who helped contribute to make the celebration possible. Particularly if the parents are hosting the wedding reception, or have hosted any of the wedding festivities, now is an appropriate time to thank them, and it gives everyone else the opportunity to clap and show their appreciation as well.

♥ Tell a story about the bride

You can start off by telling a story about the bride, or by telling the story of how you and the bride first met. Just remember to leave exes, drunken shenanigans, and unflattering stories of the bride out. This is definitely a situation where the “whole truth and nothing but the truth” is not applicable.

♥ Tell a story about the first time you met the groom

Beginning your speech with a funny story about how you met the groom for the first time can be a good way to get people laughing. Were you at a concert with your friend when this random guy (a.k.a. the groom) tripped and spilled a drink on her? Did she try on 15 different outfits before he came to your shared post-college apartment to pick her up for their first date? Any fun stories about your first impressions can make for a good laugh, and provide a window into the couple’s first days together for the rest of the guests.

♥ Share a story about the couple

♥ Use a prop

Using a prop for a wedding speech is something that can go fantastically well if it ties into the main idea of the speech. Some good props can be old photos, slideshows, or an unexpected item like a childhood toy. This is not something that you want to force into your speech by any means, but if you happen to think of a prop that would work well, it can make a good wedding speech all that more amazing and memorable.

Our MC was hilarious – he incorporated a mobile phone into his speech which he gave all tied in with my new duties as a wife and being ‘on call’! You get the idea!

♥ Share a love quote

A good way to start (or end) a speech is with a powerful quote about love that will resonate with the couple and the guests. Something meaningful that gives guests something to think about is always a safe bet.

♥ Ask the audience a question

A good way to pick up everyone’s energy is to bring an interactive component to your speech, like asking the audience a question. If done at the start of your speech, you may use a question like “Raise your hand if…” and “How many people here…” and then insert something funny about the couple. If you’re going this route, it’s a good idea to have a few shills in the audience who can get the audience going and encourage others to respond to the question. A question at the end of the speech can be something simple that will leave guests cheering like “Who is ready to celebrate this couple with an awesome party?” (and who doesn’t like a good cheer after a speech!?).

Just remember to keep it short, keep it sweet, and keep it about the couple. As long as you speak from your heart, the couple will love it no matter what — and that’s all that really counts.

And if you’re really brave you could do your speech as an outrageously funny rap…

Thanks bustle.com for the cool article!

Rock ‘n Roll Bride

My new favourite blog is Rock ‘n Roll Bride. Check it out for funky wedding ideas for the more daring Bride and Groom that will make your wedding day exceptionally memorable!

DIY Photobooth

You have to have some sort of candid photography to capture the fun at your wedding reception. And you know how much I love photobooths by the amount of pictures I’m always in!!!

If you have a budget photobooths are awesome – especially Kombi Photobooth!! However if you’re trying to save a bit of cash you can DIY your own photobooth.

For my wedding we got a polaroid camera and set up a privacy screen so people could pose for us. Guests had fun and we got some great pics. I’ve seen some weddings have photo walls where guests hang them up for everyone to view.

Some other ideas are to leave disposable cameras on every table at the reception, if you have kids at your wedding give them the task of of snapping guests, or download a wedding pic app where guests take photos on their phones then upload to your page so you can make sure you capture them all.

I also saw a cool fun photo prop package in Spotlight, you can make your own, I think and with a trip to the $2 you’ll be able to load up on funny glasses, tiaras, beards… the options are endless!!!

Cultural Weddings ♥ Serbian Weddings

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Seeing as My Darling Husband is Serbian I was interested to see what a traditional Serbian Wedding involved. I found this post of a western Bride’s account of her marriage to a Serb which is hilariously fabulous…makes me wish we’d have done it Serb-style! Check out the highlights:

Rent-a-dress

There is no dress frenzy. Rather than spending thousands of dollars on a dress you only get to wear once, Serbian brides simply rent one for a fraction of the cost. Brilliant, huh?

The bachelorette

Pre-wedding festivities in Serbia are radically different from the North American blitz of engagement parties, bridal showers, bachelorettes, spa days, and hair and makeup trials. There is little doting over brides in the days preceding (or even the day of) the wedding.

After several days of hard drinking and dancing in Belgrade’s numerous bars, cafes, and splavs (floating nightclubs), I found myself on my last day of singledom sitting in a small café with my sister-in-law, Aleksandra. Chain-smoking and pounding back vodka

The crowning moment

I insisted that the wedding take place in Belgrade’s Saborna Crkva, the cathedral in which Serbian King Peter was crowned in 1904.

This sense of majesty is extended even further in the symbolic crowning common to all Orthodox wedding ceremonies. The typical Saborna Crkva wedding involves large golden crowns.

My princess-excitement hit full throttle as the chanting priest crowned me and we walked around the cathedral, my train floating happily behind. I had no idea what the hell the choir was singing or what the Orthodox priest was asking me, but I felt pretty spectacular with a big-ass crown on my head.

Ain’t no party like a Belgrade party

This brings me to yet another difference between North American and Serbian wedding traditions: absent is the obscene “once in a lifetime” money-spending on tabletop decor, vintage-inspired Etsy finds, gourmet hors d’oeurves, photobooths, and commemorative take-home junk for guests.

There aren’t even any speeches, embarrassing garter belt removals, or “win the centerpiece” games. Rather, the hallmarks of solid Serbian wedding receptions are meat laden platters, hard drinking immediately following the ceremony, the kolo (joyous dancing in circular formation), and rambunctious Gypsy brass bands. I was on-the-floor drunk by the time the cake arrived, two giant firecrackers blazing out of its sides.

Read the full account here.

Keep the romance alive

These are things we all know, but need to be reminded of. Here’s some tips proven by professionals…

♥ Show your appreciation every day. “From morning until night, couples have the opportunity to offer words of affirmation, appreciation and adoration to one another as well as the chance to offer nonverbal cues as well” Nonverbal cues are anything from a wink to a kiss to a smile. What can you do to celebrate your partner today?

♥ Surprise your partner. Small surprises also make the everyday special, according to Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D., a psychotherapist and author of Emotional Fitness for Couples. He suggested leaving a love note on the fridge, in the shower or in your partner’s pocket; leaving a loving or sexy voicemail; or sending a card to work. How about breakfast in bed, flowers or even a singing telegram at work.

♥ Block out time to be together. “At the beginning of a relationship, the excitement and anxiety of connecting with a new partner makes time together a top priority,” said psychologist Ryan Howes, Ph.D. “When that urgency goes away and we start to feel comfortable, time for the relationship becomes a lower priority.” And, of course, it becomes especially tough to find spontaneous pockets of time when you’re working, taking care of a family and already feeling exhausted. But as Howes said, “if we don’t make time to feed the relationship, it withers.” Schedule a time each week for just the two of you — with few exceptions. See a movie or dine out. Or do something more low-key like talking, listening, cooking or just lying on the couch together. “The idea is to make each other a priority,” Sumber said.

♥ Devise your dream getaway. Together, look at brochures or websites and discuss what a great getaway would look like. “Even if you don’t have the time or money right now, the process may be just what you need to inspire yourselves,” Goldsmith said.

♥ Take turns planning dates. This way one partner isn’t doing all the planning and organizing. “It also allows us to think about what our partner might really desire that we may not be doing often enough,” Sumber said.

♥ Mix things up. Routines are par for the course in a long-term relationship. But you can easily break them! “Doing new things together releases oxytocin in the brain, which is one of the chemicals that makes us feel all atwitter when a relationship is fresh,” Goldsmith said. Enjoy a trip together, try out new restaurants or take a day off to be with each other, Howes said. In other words, “Zig where you usually zag once in a while,” he said.

♥ Take a class together. This also is a great way to bust out of a relationship rut. “Learning something new together will make you both feel more connected and help you discover parts of your relationship that may have been hidden,” Goldsmith said. Try a cooking class or a sports lesson such as golf or tennis. Goldsmith even suggested taking a CPR class.

♥ Pick activities that are out of the ordinary. Out-of-the-ordinary activities also shake up ruts and routines. Feast your eyes on the full moon or throw a costume or theme party, Goldsmith said.

♥ Spend 30 minutes a day just talking. According to Howes, this helps couples maintain a deeper connection. Consider asking your partner about his or her day or even his or her greatest fear, he said. Discuss what you want from your relationship and what you appreciate about each other.

Ask them anything you’re curious about, Howes said. “There are probably a few hundred facts about your partner that you are unaware of,” Goldsmith said. Talk to them about their favorite things, dreams and passions.

♥ Do chores. When you think romance, the last thing that pops into your head is mopping, washing the dishes and scrubbing the toilet. But many people feel loved and cared for when their partners help out around the house, Howes said.

♥ Remember what first sparked your love. Doing so helps you appreciate where you are now as a couple, Goldsmith said. If it’s possible, he suggested going back to the place you met and reliving your first date.

♥ Give up a grudge. Resentment kills romance, Howes said. A grudge builds a wall between partners, he said. “Make forgiveness a regular part of the relationship by expressing how you feel, trying to understand what happened, asking for assurance it won’t happen again and then letting go by deciding not to hold the misdeed over your partner’s head,” he said.

♥ Have a lazy weekend together. Pick a day to just do nothing with your partner, Goldsmith said. “Spend a day as human beings rather than human-doings.” These lazy days will feel revitalizing and bring you closer.

♥ Do more things together. These don’t have to be grand gestures. Just going to bed and waking up together and eating together can go a long way, Goldsmith said.

♥ Be intimate. “Intimacy is not negotiable in a healthy, long-term partnership,” Sumber said. “Touch is one of the most nurturing forces in the universe,” Goldsmith said. If you’re iffy on your partner touching you, it’s important to explore what’s going on and work on it, he said. Communication builds intimacy, according to Sumber. “Intimacy is all about connection, openness, and vulnerability, so fostering healthy, consistent communication is the bridge to regular intimacy,” Sumber said. This means hearing and listening to your partner and truly wanting to understand what they’re saying.

♥ Eat at the dinner table. Have a romantic dining experience at home – turn the tv off and focus on each other and the food that was made with love.

♥ Technology free nights. This is one of my favourites – tune out and tune into your partner. Make it a massage night or have a cosy early night reading in bed together.

Celebrity Weddings ♥ Nicky Watson & MKR Pete Evans

You’re going to have to buy New Idea to get all the goss.

All I can say is that this woman who was a skanky D-list celeb (only in NZ) has come out on top and unlike what I imagine her first wedding to weird multi-millionaire Eric Watson, this wedding looks lovely and she looks the most normal I’ve ever seen in the tabloids.

Cute & Quirky Wedding Day Ideas ♥ Ring presentation

Here are some cute alternatives for your ringbearer to carry instead of the rings on a pillow or in a box.
Our little Jack Russell carried our rings down the aisle in a Tiffany pouch tied to her collar – she stole the show!!
If you go for the last option – you would have to make sure your ringbearer is over 18!!

Superhero Wedding

How cool is this wedding theme??!!

A Marvel Comic book is the inspiration for this real-life wedding. Back in 1992 Marvel made headlines by revealing that Northstar, an X-Men superhero, was gay. Twenty years later, the character was set to wed his longtime partner Kyle in Astonishing X-Men #51, in stores on June 20 2012.

As an X-Man, Northstar routinely fights against bigotry, as he is a mutant, and mutants are the most feared minority group in the Marvel Universe. Astonishing X-Men writer Marjorie Liu looked to Northstar’s relationship with Kyle as a way to write an inspiring story about characters who feel like outsiders even among outsiders. “Here are two people, trying to live their lives – mutant and gay, black and gay – empowered in their own ways, but also fringe-dwellers,” says Liu. “And they’re making it happen. They’re living life on their own terms. It doesn’t matter that it’s a superhero comic, the message is: You can do the same thing.”

And that is exactly what a real-life New York couple did – tying the knot in a famous comic book store. X-Men fans Scott Everhart and Jason Welker were selected from more than 50 applicants to get married in New York City’s Midtown Comics in honor of Astonishing X-Men #51 which features the wedding of Northstar to his boyfriend Kyle.

Pirate Pastafarian Wedding ♥ WTF

Did you see the news tonight? I’m an Independent Marriage Celebrant meaning I believe couples should celebrate their marriage in the way they want, but I’m just not sure what to think about this.
While I was marrying a gorgeous couple in a very traditional church with a beautifully touching ceremony some crazy couple in NZ were being married on a pirate ship, dressed as pirates and wearing colanders of spaghetti – all in the name of a ridiculous satirical ‘religion’ called the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster with followers dubbed Pastafarians.
I’m all for a good pirate wedding and would love to officiate one, however when the registrar general can grant this non-traditional sect an official celebrant – and not allow Ratafari or Jedi to become celebrants, it’s just not cool.
The main thing is this couple expressed their personalities and love in the way they wanted to (which is what every wedding I perform is like – except my couples don’t need outrageous costumes or cooked pasta to celebrate their love and commitment to one another)!
Wouldn’t you love to be married by Chewbacca, Yoda and Princess Leia?!
May the force be with you.

Affordable wedding dresses

Not all of us want to, or have a budget, to spend on a $5000 wedding gown. And saving money by ordering online direct from China is pretty risky (as I sadly discovered myself).

So I’m excited to say last week, Swedish fast fashion retailer H&M launched its first ever bridal collection. Prices for the wedding dresses, which are part of the retailer’s “Conscious Exclusive” collection and made from organic fabrics, start at just $269. The most you will pay is $599. The pic is of the H&M range and it looks like there’s something for everyone (my fave is the one on the far right).

The launch of the affordable wedding gowns, comes just weeks after fellow fast fashion giant ASOS launched its first bridal collection to the Australian market. Prices for ASOS’ wedding gowns, which include full-length and knee-skimming varieties, start from as little as $137.

Plus NZ label moochi offer some very simple and elegant bridesmaids gowns – which could be customised as a wedding dress too.

Remember there’s always Wedding Buy or Sell New Zealand – find them on facebook.

Happy Shopping!

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