Admin, Author at The Wedding Man

Holbrook Manor in May with our ice cream bicycle and selfie mirror

On Saturday 13 May 2023 we had the pleasure of attending Emma and Ben‘s wedding at the lovely Holbrook Manor in Wincanton, Somerset with our wedding and event business, Garbanzo’s Event Hire. Just a stones throw from the town of Wincanton, Holbrook Manor is a gorgeous old manor house that makes a fabulous venue for weddings and special occasions. A historic country house with origins dating back to the 13th century, Holbrook Manor has undergone several renovations and expansions over the years to become the grand estate it is today. With its beautiful gardens, intricate woodwork and elegant interiors, Holbrook Manor’s historic charm makes it the perfect Somerset country getaway. Emma and Ben hired our Pics ‘n’ Licks package – including our premium ice cream bicycle and selfie mirror packages – plus, the addition of our giant rustic love letters. Our Pics ‘n’ Licks package has proved extremely popular since we introduced it back in 2021 by combining a couple of our most popular hire items. Our vintage, traditional ice cream bikes serving delicious Marshfield Farm dairy ice cream are where it all started for us, way back in 2012. The ice cream is made a short distance away from us just outside of Bath, and our state of the art selfie mirror photobooth has been a more recent addition to the business which compliments our offering of fun foods and entertainment perfectly. The ice cream bicycle and selfie mirror work brilliantly alongside each other by providing refreshing sweet treats during the day, followed by evening entertainment for the guests. This helps to capture special memories of the occasion and encourages guests to let their hair down and have fun! Find out more about the Pics ‘n’ Licks package on the Garbanzos Event Hire website on our special offers page. If you would like to find out more, just contact us to check availability for your wedding, corporate event or special occasion. We arrived on site first thing in the morning to be greeted by the very helpful Kate from the venue to setup our giant rustic love letters in the foyer of Holbrook Manor. These looked amazing situated next to the piano in the entry hall, and made the perfect greeting and backdrop as friends and family arrived to celebrate Emma and Ben‘s big day. We returned a short while later to set up and serve with one of our traditional ice cream bicycles which fitted in perfectly overlooking the lawn at Holbrook Manor. It was our first time with an ice cream bicycle at Holbrook Manor, which we served from as the guests emerged from Holbrook Manor after the couples ceremony. Emma and Ben chose to go for our favourite serving slot in the mid afternoon after their ceremony, filling the couple of hours perfectly while they had their photographs and guests relaxed with canapés and a drink before they went in to be seated for their wedding breakfast. It was one of the first days this year, in which summer finally felt like it had arrived! Emma and Ben had done a great job of making the day their own, and we noticed lots of amazing, little touches, including personalised drinks cups, personalised signage for the ice cream, bicycles and a wedding logo, which gave everything a consistency for their wedding day. We’ve noticed this is a growing trend at weddings and have had personalised wafers alongside our ice creams a number of times, giving a lovely personalised touch. If you’re thinking of having your own wedding logo or design, you can get these made quickly and cheaply on Fiverr. Following a relaxed couple of hours serving ice cream, we had a short break to unload and collect equipment and returned to Holbrook Manor later in the day with our selfie mirror photo booth. Again using Emma and Bens wedding logo as part of the selfie mirror template reset we set the selfie mirror up in a side room opposite the main hall. This allowed guests to come and have photos taken using a range of fantastic props printing photos that they could keep themselves as well as putting copies in a guest book which we encourage guests sign which would be Emma and Ben is to keep after the day. The guests were in very good form for the evening and the selfie mirror made a brilliant addition to the day. What worked really well at Holbrook Manor for both the ice cream bicycle and selfie mirror is the layout of the manor house. This existed of the main hall where the ceremony and wedding breakfast took place, the entry hall where the bar was situated as well as a couple of side rooms where we were able to set up a selfie mirror magic mirror booth. This also left plenty of room for guests to be able to break out and have a relaxed area to drink and chat, with ample sleeping quarters upstairs to host the guests in Holbrook Manor. After many photos, prints, action shots and packing away, we then returned at the end of the evening to collect the giant rustic love letters. These were moved to the main room to be enjoyed alongside the evening band and made the perfect backdrop for the special couples evening entertainment. We would like to send a special congratulations to Emma and Ben and a thank you for hiring us to be part of their special day. We look forward to attending Holbrook Manor again with the ice cream bicycle, selfie mirror and giant rustic love letters again in the future. Thanks to Kate from Holbrook Manor for your help setting up, and for more tips on organising your own special day please explore the other blog pages on the website.

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Gentleman assemble – how to organise an epic stag do, a best man’s guide

How much money should you give as a wedding gift – the essential guide to giving cash as a wedding present

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With wedding season in full swing, there’s a good chance you may have a wedding on the horizon to attend as a guest. Congratulations! Most of us love a good wedding and it’s an honour to make it onto the guest list of your nearest and dearest for their wedding celebrations. But how much wedding gift money should you give exactly? With the average cost of attending a wedding estimated at around £391 (including your outfit, somewhere to stay, drinks and the gift) the cost of being a wedding guest soon adds up. With the costs of attending a wedding spiralling; it can sometimes seem like a minefield when deciding how much you should spend on a present or put towards a wedding gift list. Read on for our guide of how much cash you should give as a wedding gift. Wedding gifts for bride and groom When attending a friend or relatives wedding, in most cultures it’s customary to give them a gift. This is to give them a tangible gesture to congratulate the new couple and give them a head start with gifts or money to help start their new life together. Traditionally, gifts would often include items for the couples’ new home together such as white good and a shiny new toaster! However, as most couples nowadays already live together this tradition has adapted accordingly. Couples may instead compile a gift list to upgrade their existing items, request experiences for their honeymoon or prefer to request money towards a honeymoon or large purchase instead. It can be difficult to know how much to give as a gift, especially when your gift is given as money. This can mean it’s much more obvious how much you’ve spent compared to purchasing a fancy new cutlery set or personalised cheese board for the newlyweds. How much cash to give as a wedding gift can feel like a minefield, but we’re here to help guide you. Many will often opt to try to cover the cost of their wedding meal in the cost of the gift. Even using these basic guidelines, there may still be variations depending on several factors. These include if you have been invited to the whole day (or just as an evening guest), how close you are to the couple and whether you have travelled far to the wedding. On an overseas wedding for example, you will have already had considerate expenditure just to get there. This may be taken into account when finalising your gift amount. How much does a wedding cost in the UK? Although it may feel awkward, and some people may prefer a physical gift than giving money. Money is of course an extremely practical gift that the couple can use towards what they choose. With the average wedding in the UK costing around £18,000-£25,000, a cash gift can help considerably to offset this cost. It may also help to offset additional expenses such as the honeymoon. With many modern couples already living together prior to getting married, rather than kitting out the house – a monetary gift can be a welcome contribution towards the wedding or a significant expense in the future. Some older guests may see this as bad etiquette and prefer to give a gift instead. For this reason, we would advise couples to hedge their bets by offering both a wedding gift list and asking for monetary contributions towards the wedding/honeymoon/new house to allow for the taste of the guests. How much money should you give as a wedding gift? As mentioned earlier, there are a few factors that may be considered when judging how much cash to give as a wedding gift. These may include: How close you are to the couple – close family, best friends, wider family or friendship group or colleagues. As a rule of thumb, the closer you are the larger the gift you may be inclined to give them. Have you been invited to the whole day? Depending on the location, many weddings will have guests that attend for the whole day, with additional guests arriving later in the day for the evening reception. If you have attended for the whole day, and enjoyed a fancy three course meal, many see it as etiquette to at least cover the cost of their meal in the wedding gift. If you are an invitee just for the evening festivities, often a much smaller gift will usually suffice. Is the venue at home or abroad? If the wedding is abroad and guests have already spent significant amounts just getting to the venue (flights, accommodation, time off work etc), some couples may feel that they have already contributed significantly by just making it along. In this case your gift amount may be considered more optional. If the wedding is within the same country however, normal etiquette would determine the amount. Further to that, you should give what feels right and shouldn’t feel pressured into giving large sums of money if you can’t afford it. On the other hand, if you attend the day, enjoy the couple’s hospitality and have a great time; you shouldn’t be a skinflint and not give a gift either. Here is our breakdown of what you should contribute: Single wedding guest: £30-50 Couple for whole day: £50-100 Immediate family: £100+ Part of the wedding party (maid of honour, best man etc) £100+ Evening guest only £20-50 Work colleague: £20-50 This is of course a rough guide, and you should give as much money as a wedding gift as you feel comfortable giving. Your earnings and disposable income will obviously come into play, and if you can afford it or you are particularly close to the married couple you may choose to give much more! If you are getting married and can’t decide what to ask for as a wedding gift, check out our wedding gift guide.

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10 simple steps to writing the perfect groom’s wedding speech

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Well done for getting this far gentleman. You’ve got through the stresses of popping the question, followed by the ups and downs of wedding planning. Now there’s just one hurdle left before you can relax and dance the night away with your new bride or groom! The wedding speech by the groom is traditionally one of the three main speeches of a wedding day. Smash this and then you are home dry! The groom’s wedding speech is your chance to shine, thank your guests and those who have helped bring the day together. There should also be a significant focus on waxing lyrical about your new wife, why you love her and what drew you to her in the first place. The grooms wedding speech can leave many in a cold sweat; but with our top tips you’ll be sipping margheritas in the sun on your honeymoon in no time! What is the order of speeches at a wedding? Traditionally there are three main speeches at a wedding day. These are the father of the bride speech which comes first, followed closely by the wedding speech by the groom and then finishing with the best man speech. To summarise briefly: In addition to the three main speeches, you may choose to have additional speeches on your day which may include the bride, maid of honour and/or bridesmaids, and any other significant members of the wedding party. For a full breakdown read our essential guide to wedding speeches. Wedding speech by groom Relax gentleman. The groom’s wedding speech is one of the easier speeches to write as it is mostly one long thank you and the love story and appreciation of your new wife. This is the feel-good part of the day, and you will be surrounded by friends and family who will be rooting for you to succeed. The father of the bride will have got things going, and there isn’t the pressure of being funny and entertaining like the best man speech (which is often considered by many as being the main event). So put your public speaking nerves to one side and try and enjoy it. Any fumbles in your speech or choking back tears will only endear you to your friends and family more. Your speech should focus on thanking everyone who has made the day possible and contributed. This may include a brief presentation of gifts and thank yous to show your appreciation towards the main parties. These would normally include both sets of parents, the best man and groomsman and the maid of honour and bridesmaids. The next focus of the wedding speech by the groom should be to compliment and lavish praise on the new bride (or groom). The groom should tell them how much they mean to him and how lucky he is to be married. This should be followed by a final toast to the groom’s new wife or husband to complete the speech. How to write a groomsman speech Without further ado, follow these ten tips to write the perfect grooms wedding speech. 1 – Don’t be too formal Take a deep breath, relax, and start the speech quickly. Thank the father of the bride for his speech and acknowledge how special the occasion is. Thank everyone for attending and making the wedding the celebration that it is. A brilliant groom speech should be a balanced mix of entertainment and fun. Don’t be too serious or formal. Remember the main purpose of the speech is a heartfelt ode to your new life partner. Be light-hearted but romantic, complimentary but not cheesy. 2 – Add in a few jokes and icebreakers Aim to put the crowd at ease with a joke or funny story early on to break the ice. Emotions run high on a wedding day, and this can be balanced out with some entertaining anecdotes or stories about your relationship and the build up to the wedding. Make sure these are appropriate and inclusive so that you don’t embarrass your new partner. Keep these short, funny and to the point. 3 – Remember to thank everyone Traditionally the groom should remember to thank the following: Keep these short and to the point. If presenting gifts, move this along quickly so that your guests don’t lose interest. Keep this part of the speech concise with a sprinkle of humour so the thank yous don’t become a dry list of acknowledgements. Importantly, if the groom thanks his new partners parents, he should ensure he places the same emphasis on his own parents. There may be many more guests you should thank but summarise this part quickly and perhaps focus on more heartfelt individual thanks later in the day. 4 – Pay attention to your new wife or husband There’s no two ways about it. In the groom’s wedding speech, your new life partner should be the main focus. If the groom is anything like your average male specimen, he may be slightly emotionally stunted. In this case, the wedding speech by the groom will be a rare opportunity for him to really lay out how important his new wife (or husband) is to him and what makes them so special. This person has just agreed to spend the rest of their life with you, love you and accept all your faults. Warts and all. So, the least the groom can do is to drop in the love word, pay them some attention and appreciation highlighting what really makes them so special to you. Aim to make this part specific to your partner rather than cliché terms which could be generic to any partner. Reveal a bit of your love story to the audience and make them happy that they’ve made the correct choice in saying ‘I do’! 5 – How long should the groom’s speech be? The ideal wedding speech by the groom will be roughly around 1,500 words long and take between 7-10 minutes. Too short and you may rush

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What is the average cost of a wedding photographer – a brief guide to UK wedding photography pricing in 2022

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Wedding photography When planning and budgeting for your wedding day, you will undoubtedly have several competing costs and services to consider. These will include everything from the venue to flowers, catering, photography, dresses and suits, to rings, entertainment and much more. How much you spend on these will depend on your individual priorities as a couple. However, the single most expensive items often tend to be the venue, catering, and the wedding photographer. The venue and catering obviously speak for themselves as an integral part of the day. But the wedding photographer? Capturing the moments from your wedding day by an experienced, professional photographer are usually seen as a worthy investment by most couples. The pictures will last you a lifetime, and of course there will be no second chances to capture the memories from your wedding day. The average cost of weddings According to Hitched.co.uk, from surveying 2,000 couples who got married in 2021; the average cost of a wedding in the UK in 2021 was £17,300 (not including the cost of the honeymoon). Of this, couples spent an average of £1200 on the wedding photography. Conversely, in the USA. From a study of 15,000 couples across the country The Knot identified the average cost of a wedding as $28,000. They identified the average cost of a wedding photographer as $2,500. In both studies, variation on prices and spend was highlighted according to the location. But as you can see, both surveys suggest that to provide the lasting memento from the day, couples are willing to invest a significant proportion of their wedding spend on photographer. This is reflected by the average wedding photography pricing. What is the average cost of a wedding photographer? Most experts will recommend that you spend between 5-10% of your wedding budget on the wedding photographer. If your wedding photography is less of a priority you may lean on the lower side of this ratio (5%). Or on the higher side of 10% or more if you want to ensure a high quality and premium service for your wedding. However, it is important to highlight that no matter your budget, you are likely to be able to find a wedding photographer to capture your memories of the day. Some couples may choose to keep costs down and ask a friend or relative to take the photos for you. Personally, we wouldn’t recommend this option to most couples. Despite a few savings – remember there will be no second chances to retake the photographs from your wedding day. For most, this is an integral part of their wedding experience and future memories. In the UK, according to Your Perfect Wedding Photographer; the cheapest region for wedding photographers is the north east where the average full day starting package is £1,100. The most expensive is in the south west where a similar package would cost £1,700. As you would expect, wedding photographers from London would also be above the national average. According to their survey, overall, the average cost for a wedding photographer was £1,590 – higher than the £1,200 spend identified by Hitched. Pricing for wedding photography As demonstrated by the discrepancies from the two industry sources above, identifying an average price for a wedding photographer is not a straightforward task. There are several variables in wedding photography pricing that will impact the cost. These include the location, the photographers experience, whether you have a ‘second shooter’, the number of final photos and the length of time you are booking the service for. There will also be variation in additional features depending on your photographer and package, such as a pre wedding shoot, albums, and prints. All of these will affect the price. Many wedding photographers will therefore offer a choice of basic, mid-range or premium packages that take into consideration the factors above. It is important to remember that there are also several hidden costs for a wedding photographer including postproduction, admin, marketing, insurance, travel and investment in equipment. Factors that will affect your wedding photography pricing will include: What are your options? You may be able to find a budget photographer for less than £500 who may be starting out in the industry and have less experience. This is not to say that you won’t be able to find a talented photographer in this area. However, in this bracket they are less likely to have invested in equipment (so may not have the backup if there are issues with equipment or challenges with the weather conditions.) You are also less likely to get additional features with your package. On the other end of the scale, a premium photographer costing £2,000 plus is likely to have a wealth of experience. They will have invested heavily in having a range of equipment to cover all eventualities and should offer several additional features such as a pre wedding shoot with the highest level of service and products. As a broad ballpark figure, wedding photographers will charge around £150 per hour. For an experienced photographer we would advise budgeting between £1,000-1500 or slightly more depending on your wedding location and desired features. For this price, you should expect to have great service and peace of mind that your photographer will provide beautiful pictures of your day. This should include a full day’s coverage with 3-400 fully edited watermark free images on a USB stick. For £1500-2,000 you should also expect a pre wedding shoot at a minimum. This will allow you time to meet and relax with the photographer properly. This price bracket may include more edited images, copyright for the images and a bespoke album. As with many things in life, with wedding photographers you really do get you what you pay for. Do your research and speak to several photographers before booking to see what they charge and what’s included. Bear in mind that cost is not the only factor to consider. You should also ensure you choose a photographer that you like (you

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Who should you invite to your wedding – a brief guide to your wedding guest list

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So by now you’re knee deep in wedding plans. The venues been booked and you’ve got one eye on your wedding catering options and costs. Regular daydreaming of your honeymoon destination may have began and you are already getting nervous that your original budget is looking somewhat on the optimistic side. Now it’s time to decide the wedding guest list. Amongst all this planning in the eye of the wedding storm, you must decide who will actually join on the big day. In other words, who are you going to invite on your wedding guest list? Who are you going to add to your wedding guest list? Now it’s time to get down to business. This should be easy right? Make a budget, determine how many guests you can afford to come – or your venue can accommodate – send out the invites and bosh, you’re all done. Not so fast there senor and senorita. If you’re both on the same page this can be easy, however there’s a good chance this can become an all mighty tug of war between you both. Your parents may get involved with their own invitees, your best pal wants to bring the girl he met on Tinder just last week, and your cousins ten hyperactive kids are waiting in line to chow down on the sweet table whilst costing the earth to feed. Deep breaths now. Let’s go through this one step at a time. With our 5 handy guest list tips you’ll be through this in no time. 1 – What is your budget and venue capacity First things first. Let’s cast our mind back to the budget and the venue. Ask yourself the following three questions: Are there any restrictions on numbers at the church or venue? What is your budget for catering, bearing in mind the other outgoings for the day? How many guests would you like to attend your day celebrations? (Make a rough list) Next up, if you haven’t already done so – speak to your venue or caterers and get an estimate of your catering costs on a cost per head basis (this will become a familiar term in your wedding journey.) If you’re opting for a traditional drinks reception and three course meal; with prices ranging from £30-£100 a head or more (this can vary immensely depending on what type of venue/catering you opt for), you can see how guest numbers can make a huge difference to costs. Catering is up there as one of the most expensive items of the day (unless you are cunning and choose one of our cheaper alternative catering ideas) so numbers here will be important. You may be a popular couple and have hundreds of guests you would like to invite, but sadly you are likely to face limitations on your budget here. One sage piece of advice to consider: is it better to have fewer better fed and watered guests to enjoy your day, or more guests that you will have to treat more sparingly. Many guests will likely opt for the former. 2 – Your wedding guest list – three events in one day When it comes to your wedding day, bear in mind that the ceremony and reception are essentially two separate events. These will also be distinctly different from the third part of the day which are your evening celebrations. The reception usually follows on straight from the ceremony. However if you are having a ceremony in a small church and your venue is larger; you invite your most important guests to the nuptials. You can then invite your nearest and dearest, plus the other important guests to the reception (I.e. the more fun bit.) This will roll through the afternoon with drinks, your wedding meal (the wedding breakfast) and into your evening celebrations. Your evening reception offers another opportunity to invite more guests for the party aspect of the day in. This is after all the formal parts of the day are complete, and everyone can let their hair down. Your extra guests here may include work colleagues, plus ones you are less familiar with, and perhaps older or wider friends groups. There is less pressure here on capacity numbers and catering costs, however you may still wish to consider these guests in your evening catering numbers (but that’s up to you.) Bear in mind however, that having extra guests for the evening will of course depend on the location and accessibility of the venue. Guests to the evening event are less likely to make a long journey for this aspect – as opposed to guests there for the whole day who will travel from far and wide to be part of the celebrations. 3 – Make a list – or multiple lists – of people to add to your wedding guest list This is the time to break it down (and I’m not talking about break dancing, at least not yet anyway). Sit down with your other half. Between you, write down three categories for your wedding guest list including the guest ‘must haves’, ‘like to haves’ and ‘could haves.’ The ‘must haves’ are your mandatory guests consisting of your nearest and closest friends and relatives. These are the ones you can’t imagine getting married without. The second category is the ‘like to haves’ – these include your wider circle of good friends and the relatives outside of your immediate family (think cousins, uncles, aunties etc). Finally there are the ‘could haves.’ These are the seat fillers that make up the rest of your available spaces. Ironically, these are probably the ones that will require a disproportionate amount of thought and may consist of friends from work, family friends of your parents, more obscure relatives etc. These are the people you don’t see as often and quite frankly wouldn’t be too disappointed if they aren’t available to come to your day celebrations. For everyone else – providing you aren’t getting married abroad or too far away –

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What does the best man do – the ultimate best man duties checklist for the wedding

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Congratulations, you’ve been chosen to be the best man. Make no mistake, this is a major honour that sets you ahead of the rest as one of the most important members of the wedding day. You will be Robin to the grooms Batman, a shoulder to lean on in the build-up to the big day and a whole lot more. Importantly; as the groom’s right-hand man, your delivery of best man duties for the wedding should aim to go above and beyond expectations. But never fear, with our ultimate best man duties checklist you will hit the ground running with all bases firmly covered. But what are the best man duties? Read on as we break down exactly what being a best man entails. What does the best man do – your expected duties As the best man, you will be expected to be a person to rely on in the build up to the big day. Cool headed, pragmatic and someone with a helpful word to offer in the fraught and often stressful times that can lead up to a wedding. Once you have been officially appointed to your role, one of your first major tasks will be to co-ordinate the stag do. This will involve researching and identifying an appropriate location and activities that the groom will love. You will then need to co-ordinate family and friends old and new to attend. A man of action, on the wedding day your best man duties will include helping to co-ordinate the groomsman, greeting guests and most importantly delivering an awesome and fitting best man speech to send your best friend into married life in (slightly bruised) style. This role is not to be understated; you will be responsible for delivering possibly the most important speech of the three main speakers on the day. Who is usually chosen as the best man at a wedding – finding your wingman The best man is usually a close friend or male relative of the groom. This could be the groom’s best friend from school, university or college, long time best bud, dad, or brother. The role comes with a lot of responsibility and demands that will require several key skills. The best man should be a good communicator, organiser, adviser, and man of the world. The perfect best man will embody all these traits and more. If you are the groom, consider your choice wisely. As the main man, ensure your best man is a suitable match to deliver an epic stag do and speech that will truly do you justice. Still not decided? See our full guide to choosing a great best man here. Can there be two best men at a wedding? This is the 21st century gentleman, which pretty much means you can do whatever you like! Of course, you can. Two best men are quite common at weddings, and sometimes even three get called to do the best man duties. By employing two skill sets it will help to play to their individual strengths and split the workload through the organisation stages. Pulling together an unruly crowd of stags can cause fatigue in even the most energetic of organisers! Then when it comes to the speeches, you have two friends to work together and deliver something special. Whether its one, two or three best men; our best man duties checklist will guide you through the important tasks to get the most out of the wedding day. What does it mean to be the best man? It means sir, you have been chosen as the cream of the crop to assist your best friend with one of the most memorable and significant days of their lives. It’s a true honour to be asked, and something as a man you will be able to tick off your life bucket list. Take the job seriously. Pay attention to the best man duties checklist and plan ahead to fulfil your duties with style. Best man duties for the wedding day Being the best man involves several duties and responsibilities. It will be up to the bride and groom how they delegate duties in the build up and on the day. Most commonly you will be expected to organise an epic stag do, help with preparation duties such as collecting and returning suits etc, delivering a fantastic speech and looking after the rings as a minimum. For a more thorough breakdown, see our list below: The ultimate best man duties checklist What are the best man duties? These are some of the best man tasks that may be required of you: Planning the stag do Write and deliver a fantastic best man’s speech Look after the wedding rings Help with the collection and return of the wedding suits Assist with greeting the wedding guests Organise the wedding cars Be the point of contact to co-ordinate the ushers/groomsman on the day Co-ordinate a gift to the groom from the best man and groomsman Spend the night before the wedding with the groom Help the groom to get ready on the wedding day Help to co-ordinate the guests for group photos Deliver key announcements such as the first dance and cutting of the cake (in the absence of a master of ceremonies or toastmaster) Sign the wedding registration as a witness (if required) Assist in the setup of the venue and collection/return of items Key responsibilities – read on as we break down a few of the key responsibilities further: Planning a stag do This is often the jewel in the crown of the best man duties. Organising the stag do is one of the main responsibilities of the best man. You will need to chat to the groom to gather ideas of where and when they’d like to go, and what sort of activities he would like to do when you get there. Some of this you will take upon yourself, but make sure you have a good idea of the grooms’ tastes

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The best man speech – 11 steps to effortlessly write a great best man’s speech in less than 24 hours

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Congratulations, you’ve been picked to be best man! But what does the best man actually do, how do you structure a best man speech and what should you include? Hold on tight gentleman and read our top tips on writing the ultimate best man’s speech to cement your legendary status to the other guests. Setting the scene So picture this. Your best mates wedding is closing in and you’ve been asked to be best man. You’ve already organised an epic stag do. Now the big day is approaching and it’s time to think about writing the best mans speech. Congratulations and good luck. The best man speech is often the highlight of the three main speeches (father of the bride, groom and then best man.) Whilst the others will feature a degree of comedy, they are largely devoted to the bride and history of the couple. The best man speech however needs to be funny, entertaining, and worthy of your best pal. All eyes will be on you to deliver a good one that is fitting of the groom to send him into married life in style. But don’t stress, with our top tips on how to write your best man speech you’ll breeze through it. Hold tight and get that pen and paper at the ready! 1. Write down initial ideas of what to say First up try and get some ideas down on paper of things that stand out about the groom and/or your relationship to each other. Are there any particular stories that stand out about the groom and are worthy of the best man speech? Consider how long you’ve known each other, the background to your relationship and whether there are any major (or funny) slip ups he’s made over the years. How has he changed since he met the bride (keep this positive with a mention of how he’s punching above his weight!). Draft some ideas that you think will be promising. This will act as a framework to tie your speech around. Think about how you will structure the best man speech working from your introduction (and ice breaker), through to the main anecdotes and stories, serious heartfelt points (if any!), toasts, and then finally how you will close the speech. Do a read through, check the timings and how it flows then tweak as you see fit. If you have a trustworthy partner or friend, take advantage, and use them as a sounding board for your ideas. They will be your reference to determine if they work well or are inappropriate. When planning your main content, don’t forget to consult other friends and relatives for great stories and anecdotes about the groom that you could include. 2. Consider the audience So you want to give the groom a good ribbing, but is that story about Amsterdam, the stag do or the festival and the nefarious activities you got up to fitting? Consider the bride and grooms parents and close family will be there. Bear in mind the whole audience for the best man speech and determine your stories and jokes appropriately. Think more PG-13 than X-rated. Don’t kill all the fun from your speech but judge the content wisely so the audience don’t become too uncomfortable. Remember to never reference previous girlfriends/relationships of the groom or over emphasise if he has had a lot of luck with the ladies previously (no bride wants to hear too much about his previous girlfriends.) But if he hasn’t go for it – in a nice way (and not too crude way of course)! Your best man speech hasn’t got to be a laugh a minute, and don’t let the groom off, but ride that knife edge wisely. The key to a good best man’s speech is to teeter close to the edge of acceptable mick taking without falling off it. Think a punch in the arm, rather than a karate kick to the face. You’ve got this! 3. Research If you are adept at writing speeches or speaking to a crowd, then you may be quite comfortable coming up with a suitable best man speech straight off the bat. On the other hand, if you’re struggling or need some inspiration, do your research online for some introductory best man jokes and structure for the best man speech. Be careful not to copy too much from what you find online however. We have attended weddings and heard the same icebreakers and jokes on 2 or 3 consecutive occasions. This is an easy way to undermine the integrity of your speech. Used sparingly, a few key one liners and jokes taken from the web can be useful as good icebreakers to work into the speech or to bookend the start and finish. These can be a handy addition to a funny and entertaining best man’s speech. 4. Speak to the room and make eye contact Don’t be the best man that has his eyes pinned down to a crumpled sheet of A4 for the whole speech mumbling his way through. This won’t do yourself or the groom justice. Unless you have experience in public speaking it will undoubtedly be nerve wracking (fingers crossed the wedding speeches are before the food so you can enjoy it!) Methods of reducing anxiety can be to familiarise yourself with the venue (this could be worth a timely visit beforehand.) Practise reading and performing it all the way through and be confident. Again, take advantage of your confidant here. Most importantly, remember to speak slowly and clearly. Leave pauses at the right times for laughter and enjoy your moment in the limelight. Once the best man speech is complete, you are home free! Check out these tips to improve your public speaking. 5. Practice makes perfect Following on from above, sometimes aspects of a speech or public performance will look great on paper but when read out loud don’t flow properly. Sentences might be too long. There might not be sufficient pauses, or your main points

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Your essential guide to wedding speeches – who does them and in what order

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Traditionally wedding speeches play a huge role in the wedding day. These are usually looked forward to with great anticipation by the guests, whilst potentially filling the designated speakers with dread! If you are starting to think about the wedding speeches and wondering who does wedding speeches and in what order we’re here to help. Wedding speeches in order There are traditionally three main speakers. The order of the key wedding speeches is as follows: Father of the bride Groom Best man In recent years, some couples have moved away from traditional formats, and there are no hard and fast rules as to who does wedding speeches. You may choose to take a more relaxed or unusual format. Additional speakers may also include the bride, bridesmaid/maid of honour or other important guests. It’s your day, so you can tweak the order of the wedding speeches and who does wedding speeches to reflect you as a couple. If you are one of the lucky guests giving a speech, planning ahead and knowing the do’s and don’ts of your wedding speech will make your life considerably less stressful in the run up to the big day. Who manages the wedding speeches on the day? To facilitate the speeches smoothly and efficiently and to avoid any messy gaps, there are a few options for your wedding day. You may wish to appoint a trusted and appropriate guest to manage the introduction and announcement of the wedding speeches. Ensure that the appointee is confident in public speaking or has had experience in such a role previously. This will help smooth the transition between speeches considerably. Alternatively, depending on your venue, there may be a representative who manages this for you. You may also consider employing a master of ceremonies (MC) for the day. An MC will ensure timings run smoothly and run to plan throughout your day. They will also offer some flair to proceedings. Finally, ensure all speech makers know the order and are familiar with the plan beforehand. This will help to avoid any untimely toilet breaks and awkward handovers! Who does the wedding speeches and what should they include? Father of the bride The father of the bride would traditionally give the first speech as in days gone by, they would usually be the ones to host the wedding. Wedding speeches in order: First Key points: Welcomes the guests and thanks them for attending Welcome the groom to the family with warmth, recalling first impressions and early relationship nerves Mention the key people in the brides life, giving a voice to those who wont be speaking Tell stories from the brides childhood and growing up i.e. ambitions, driving lessons, memorable moments Toast to absent friends Remember: Keep it entertaining and formal Don’t make it a dry list of thank yous and don’t go overboard on praise for your daughter Don’t make it too long (there’s at least two more speeches to go!). 6-8 minutes is fine. The Groom The main man himself. A good start to the groom speech is to thank the father of the bride for his speech and the bride’s family for welcoming you. Don’t forget to compliment your new bride on how beautiful she looks. Wedding speeches in order: Second Key points: Thank the guests for attending and for their gifts Thank you and presentation of gifts to key members of the wedding party including the parents of the bride and groom, best men and groomsman, maid of honour and bridesmaids Thank both sets of parents and toast the brides parents if they are hosting Recall your story – how you met, what were your first impressions, what was the first date like, what you fell in love with (keep it to the point and don’t waffle) Sprinkle the speech with humour and don’t make it too sentimental Finish with how lucky you are and how much you love your new wife before a final toast (and perhaps add in not to trust a word the best man says about you!) Remember: Don’t forget the toasts and thank yous Don’t go overboard with the superlatives amazing, beautiful, fantastic. Remember less is more to give the compliments greater impact Best Man This is the big one and finishes off the three main speeches. There is a lot of pressure for the best man to be funny and entertaining, so don’t forget to add in some great best man jokes. Wedding speeches in order: Third Key points: Follow the grooms toast by thanking the bridesmaids and complimenting the bride Compliment the couple Tell anecdotes and stories about the groom. Don’t let the groom off lightly, but also bear in mind the audience i.e. humiliation without being X-rated Keep it simple and don’t try too hard. Use the tried and tested format: ice-breaker, introduction, main stories and laughs, serious heartfelt points and final toast Get your timings right – not too short (under 5 minutes) so it feels you haven’t done the groom justice and not too long (over 10 minutes) so guests start to lose attention. Between 6-10 minutes is fine. Checkout our guide to writing a best man speech here. Remember: We’ll say it again – remember your audience. Think how the groom’s gran would receive the jokes. If it’s likely to be stony silence, tone them down a bit. Don’t let one period of the grooms life (i.e. adolescence or university) dominate the whole speech. Also don’t go overboard on ‘in jokes’ that no one else will understand. Don’t mention the ex. Previous girlfriends are a big no no. By all means roast the groom on his lack of success with the ladies, but don’t mention it if he’s had considerable luck. The bride WILL NOT appreciate this. Don’t be too harsh. Mild humiliation and lots of laughs – yes. Hang your head in shame humiliation – no. He is your best friend after all. Find out what other best man duties to expect and how

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Wedding gifts – your ultimate guide to choosing the perfect wedding present for the big day

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With a wedding on the horizon (whether it’s your own or one you are attending as a guest), you may be wondering how to choose a wedding gift. With choices ranging from wedding gift list companies to cash, honeymoon contributions and everything in between. Choosing the perfect wedding gift can sometimes present a challenge, from what to buy through to the wedding present amount. It’s a generally accepted norm that if you attend someone’s wedding – especially if you are there for the whole day – that a gift is given to convey your well wishes for the happy couple. But what do you ask for as a wedding gift if it is your wedding day? Or if you are attending a wedding, how should you choose a wedding gift for the happy couple? People have different views on this and some say you shouldn’t expect flash tokens from guests. But let’s be honest – getting a bevy of treats really is an upside of the day. If you are the married couple to be, it is also a great opportunity to treat yourself to something special and potentially save money down the line. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve heard horror stories of spoilt couples demanding guests contribute a certain amount to pay for the day (don’t be like them!) and this certainly isn’t the way to go. You want your nearest and dearest there to make fantastic memories, not for financial incentives. But after all the blood, tears and table plans – it may just be your best chance to kit out your home or pay for that dream honeymoon you’ve been considering. Looking for inspiration? Read on for some great ideas on how to choose a wedding gift: Money Is it okay to ask for money for a wedding gift? Well as the old saying goes, cash is king – and for good reason! Offering the ultimate in flexibility, a cash gift from your guests can be spent as you see fit. Whether it’s towards your honeymoon, household goods to furnish a new place or to help pay off some of the (now gigantic) credit bills you’ve somehow accumulated. Some guests may prefer not to give cash for this very reason. They may prefer that you have an actual gift to cherish rather than some easily accessible money that may be absorbed into spending elsewhere. We’ve all been in the position of accidentally frittering away a sum of money intended for a more exciting cause, and it’s understandable that some will opt for something more tangible and lasting. This will be for you to judge, but if requested most will be happy to oblige. Especially if you have stated what you intend to spend the funds on, such as that dream honeymoon to the Maldives (see below). Don’t forget, your less organised guests will always be happy to fall back on a cash wedding gift as a last minute option. We think it is okay to ask for money for a wedding gift, and there’s a good chance you will have some cash to put towards something special even if many prefer to opt for a more formal gift. Wedding gift list companies With an abundance of wedding gift list companies out there such as John Lewis and Prezzola in the UK, a wedding gift list offers a great opportunity to treat yourself to those essential or indulgent items you haven’t got round to buying. With a huge range of high quality items from leading brands, this could be the perfect time to upgrade that hand-me-down cutlery set, buy those posh wine glasses or treat yourself to some plush Egyptian cotton towels, a new coffee machine, or that toaster and kettle set you’ve had your eye on for a while. The great thing about a gift list from one of well know wedding gift list companies is that you get to pick out a number of great items at different price points and easily add them to your DIY wedding gift list. This is then circulated online and guests can browse and choose your wedding gift according to their budget – giving you a lasting gift to enjoy. Big names such as Prezola – the UK’s favourite wedding gift list and honeymoon fund – offer a smooth and enjoyable process to to do this, with a wealth of amazing high end products for you to choose from. Just sign up (use this link to get £50 to spend at Prezola with gift lists over £200) and share the link. This will then guide guests through your pre-selected choice with a mix of cash, gifts, honeymoon contributions and more available on the one list. With curated lists of the most popular wedding presents online – they will take away a lot of the hard work from you. Sign up now and Prezola are also offering £50 towards your list when your gift list amount is over £200. Our top tip: Pick a broad selection of gifts at different price points. Most guests will fall into the £30-100 region, but offer a number of medium and higher priced options for the the big hitters to choose from. Please note: we may make a small commission if signing up to a gift list via our links above at no additional cost to you. Honeymoon That dream trip to the Maldives, sun kissed cocktails in the Caribbean or big game safari tour in Kenya – yes please!!! Billed as one of the best holidays we’ll have of our lives. We all want to make the most of our honeymoon and create some perfect memories from the first magical getaway as a married couple. However, if you’ve overspent on the big day itself, adding on additional £2-5000 on top of an already burgeoning credit card bill can feel like a bit of a stretch. Well , why not ask for guest contributions towards your dream honeymoon? They will feel more at ease about steering away from a

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