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Your wedding vows

thebestman — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 11:23:00 GMT

There a lot of ingredients that go into making the perfect luxury wedding, but the most important ones are those few little words that give meaning to everything else that happens on your special day. More and more couples are opting for less traditional wedding vows these days, and a lot of couples love the idea of composing their own special vows, but many are unsure exactly how to go about it and what’s acceptable. So here are five top tips for choosing the vows that will make your luxury wedding a day to remember forever.

Get everyone’s opinion. Although special, unique wedding vows could be a nice surprise for your guests, you’re not obliged to keep them in suspense and it’s well worth getting a bit of feedback on what you’d like to say! Obviously talk over your vows with your husband- or wife-to-be so that you can determine how best to express your love for each other, but also see what friends and relatives think! Family members might have ideas based on family traditions, which can go a long way towards making your special day a memorable occasion for all those present.

Practice, practice, practice! Once you’ve got a set of vows worked out that you’re happy with on paper, read them out in front of the mirror and to family and friends. You’d be surprised what sort of thing can seem wonderful when it’s written down and sound silly when spoken! So give it a try.

Make sure everyone is on the same page. If you’re planning for your luxury wedding to take place in a church or any other religious building, or it’s just being officiated by a religious minister, you’ve got to make sure that the vows are appropriate! Some institutions prefer you to make more traditional vows, and others will let you say almost anything. These days most venues will be very accommodating, but there might be a few conditions and it’s better to find out sooner rather than later!

Try a few variations. Personalized vows can seem like a wonderful extra gift to give to your loved one on your special day, but a more traditional set of vows can also contribute to the magic and wonder of the occasion, so it’s worth looking at a lot of different vows and considering different styles carefully. That way, you know that your luxury wedding is going to be the best it can possibly be.

Wedding rings

thebestman — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 18:35:00 GMT

Choosing the perfect wedding or engagement ring can be tricky, and although traditionally it’s up to the groom to pick a ring for his bride, these days a lot of brides-to-be find themselves going ring-shopping too. So here are a couple of the most important things to bear in mind when you’ll looking for the perfect jewellery that you’ll be wearing on your luxury wedding day and beyond.

Know your gemstones! Diamonds are still the number one choice for gorgeous wedding and engagement rings, and there are a lot of different stones on the market. Take a tip from the experts – remember the ‘five C’s. These are:

Colour – the clearer a diamond is, the higher quality it is.
Cut – the way the diamond has been faceted to reflect light. This is tricky to tell for the layperson, so ask for a AGS or GIA certificate that certifies the diamond is graded as ‘Ideal’, ‘Premium’; ‘Very Good’ or ‘Good’.
Clarity – The most beautiful stones have no bubbles or small flaws inside them.
Caret – this means size. Think about what you’re loved one’s other jewellery is like; if they like it flashy, get them a large caret stone!
Cost – This one is self-explanatory, but is maybe the most important ‘C’ of all!

Think outside the box! There might be a tradition to do with rings in your family that you’re not aware of, and it could be just the think to perfect your special day and make sure your luxury wedding creates memories for a lifetime. Alternatively, you could get a less traditional ring or one with a unique and loving inscription that will strengthen the life-long bond between you and your loved from.

Do your research! Everyone has hands of different sizes, and although you know your loved one better than anyone else, you still might not be much good at guessing their exact ring size! It’s an important part of your special day, and of romantic moments that could last a lifetime, so make sure you find it out in advance. If you want the ring to be a surprise, you’ll have to pull off something a bit sneaky. ‘Borrow’ one of your loved one’s other rings so the jeweller can get the size right. Or talk to your husband- or wife-to-be’s friends – they might know what sort of jewellery will fit.

Luxury wedding catering

thebestman — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 21:00:00 GMT

There’s a lot of variety in wedding catering – a bit too much, in some cases, since some wedding food consists of rubbery chicken in a flavourless sauce! Of course you want every part of your luxury wedding to go off without a hitch, so it’s vital that you hook up with a caterer who can give you the very best in delicious luxury wedding food.

Your guests will remember the sound of wedding music, the smell of perfume, and the dazzling sight of the bride and groom dressed beautifully – and the right caterer will add to them the flavours and tastes that will still bring back memories of the special day for years to come. So here are some things you should talk to your caterer about to make sure that they see eye to eye with you about the magnificent banquet and/or light buffet that needs to be laid on for your luxury wedding!

Find out if there’s something that the caterer would particularly recommend for the occasion and time of year. If there are any old family recipes that you want included in the spread, make sure that the caterer knows how to make them and can do it well! If it’s a tradition for someone in the family to provide something that everyone will eat on these occasions, make sure the caterer knows that the family are getting involved in the food side, even if it’s in a small way! If you were the caterer, you’d want to know about it so that you could coordinate.

Some caterers lay on tables, tablecloths, linens, place settings, silverware and everything else that contributes to the food at a luxury wedding. Most also prepare vegetarian, vegan and children’s options. If the caterers are providing a wedding cake or a groom’s cake, they’ll be delighted to change the style to fit your needs, and many provide cake-cutting services and other extras. You should take to the caterers about all this, because usually they’ll be more than happy to do it your way – it’s your special day, after all!

Your wedding photos

thebestman — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 08:56:00 GMT

These days, the digital camera puts a lot of photographic power in the hands of even the ordinary wedding guest. In fact, many mobile phones can now take pictures that are better quality than those taken by a lot of cameras! That’s why some people think that traditional wedding photography is a dying art and that a luxury wedding is expensive enough without paying a professional to do something that the guests and wedding party can do for themselves.

But actually, there’s a lot more to wedding photography that might first appear, and the wedding photographer still has a very important role to play in making any luxury wedding into a magical occasion. A professional wedding photographer will retouch parts of the pictures, sharpen them, edit them, filter them, crop them and do dozens of other things that are beyond the latest high-tech camera phones. You’ll be amazed at how different a professional’s pictures are from the ones taken by your friends and family.

The other advantage of getting a professional photographer to take the pictures at your luxury wedding is that you get to call the shots and a good photographer will be willing take exactly the pictures you want! Remembering everything you want photographed can be tricky, so here’s a checklist of five things – some obvious, some not – to ask your photographer.

What’s your style? Do you shoot formal, traditionally-posed compositions, or creative, spontaneous and candid photos?
Colour, or black and white? And can you make a black and white and colour version of each picture?
Have you done a lot of other luxury weddings? Were they like this, or is this your first time handling the photos for this sort of occasion?
Do you develop your own film? And can be buy the negatives from you?
What input can we have? Can we decide the direction of shots, and can we give you a list of shots we want for you to work from?

The photographs taken at a wedding will be part of the memories that will last a lifetime, so it’s well worth paying for a professional to do a wonderful job – although of course if you’re the lucky winner of a free luxury wedding from this website, you won’t have to worry about that!

Flower arrangements

thebestman — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 16:08:00 GMT

Even with a beautiful bride, a handsome groom, a smart venue and a wedding party all dressed in their finery, no luxury wedding is really complete without a helping hand from Mother Nature. That means, of course, flowers! The presence of beautiful bouquets and elegant floral decorations, exquisitely arranged, can really add the finishing touch to your luxury wedding, and help create lasting happy memories for years to come.

The bride’s bouquet is an important accompaniment to her dress and train, and it can be one of the most memorable and magical elements of a luxury wedding. The very best bouquets will be made up of delicate white and pale flowers only, so that there are no clashes with the bride’s dress, and so that all the attention is on the bride at her special moment. You can get lilies and white roses in a great variety of white shades, and picking colours that compliment the dresses of the bridesmaids and the colour scheme of the wedding decorations will really contribute to the wonderful atmosphere of the special occasion. Of course, white flowers are very traditional for a bride’s bouquet, and if the bride is dressed in a different or less formal style, you may prefer to opt for a different style of bouquet. Every luxury wedding is different, and it’s up to you to pick out the colours and style of flowers that will compliment the style and tone of the happy occasion.

In addition to decorating the venue, you’ll need bouquets and floral arrangements for a few other things. If you want, you can deck out almost the whole wedding party in flowers, and for family and friends who have helped to plan the wedding, being given a special flower as a gift can be a wonderful way of expressing your gratitude and affection. For ushers, pick a distinctive flower for their buttonholes, but make sure it matches the colours of the bouquets and decorative arrangements. A few small blossoms woven into the hair of the bridesmaids will create a wonderful, angelic appearance that will make your luxury wedding that little bit more magical.

A good wedding florist will have lots of hints and tips for you, whether you’re tying the knot or just making the arrangements. Everyone at a luxury wedding will appreciate beautiful floral arrangements, and it’s a great way of making the special day distinctive and memorable for all those who attend.

Choosing the music

thebestman — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 16:10:00 GMT

Music is very evocative and emotive. The right piece of music can stick in the memory for a lifetime, and the music that plays at a wedding is something that everyone present ought to remember for years to come. So here are some tips on making sure that your luxury wedding music will forever carry the fond associations of the happy occasion.

Band or DJ? One of the big choices facing the organizer of a luxury wedding reception is whether to hire a live band, or just take on a DJ to manage the music. There are pros and cons on both sides. A live band is naturally livelier, but it can cost a lot, and if you’re looking forward to hearing songs that have real sentimental value and particular romantic associations, it can reduce the glamour of the moment if all the band can manage is a pale imitation of the real thing. A live band is more atmospheric, but they will need to take breaks, whereas a DJ can play continuous music, and have a much bigger library of songs because it’s all recorded! That means they’ll have modern stuff that’ll get the kids jumping, as well as more traditional numbers that’ll please all the great aunts!

Know what you’re getting! Music is very important to making your special day a wonderful memory for everyone, and it’s maybe the most important part of setting the tone for the reception, so be careful! If you’re hiring a live band, make sure you talk to them so you can coordinate on a playlist – putting together a must-play and a do-not-play roster can be a good idea. Try to pick a band that specializes in the kind of music you want, and get hold of a video of one of their recent performances so that you

Be distinctive! Obviously a great variety of popular and classical music gets played at wedding receptions. But many people forget that there’s also a lot of choice in music for the ceremony. The strong romantic and traditional associations of Wagner’s Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin, or Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, are a timeless favourite. ‘Spring’ from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and ‘Morning’ from Grieg’s Peer Gynt are also popular. These classics can all lend a timeless, traditional feel to the special day, but more and more weddings nowadays are including modern, eclectic music as part of the ceremony. Just remember that it’s your special day and exactly what you want to hear is up to you! Something distinctive can really make your luxury wedding feel unique.

Bridesmaids

thebestman — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:12:00 GMT

If you’re organizing a luxury wedding – perhaps your own, or perhaps one for a friend or family member – then it’s up to you to organize the bridesmaids and the maid of honour. Some people will tell you that doing this is like trying to get cats to walk in a line! But of course it doesn’t have to be trying, and like any part of the preparations for a luxury wedding, the anticipation of the special day ought to make the job a pleasure.

If you’re the bride, you’ll first have to ask your friends and your sister (or sisters) to be the bridesmaids. Being asked to be a bridesmaid at a best friend’s wedding can be a girlfriend’s dream come true – and the next best thing to being the bride herself. Even asking the question and watching your friend’s response can be a magical moment, so get creative doing it! Ask your friends in a letter, a note, or a card, even one attached to a bunch of flowers. You should pick a Maid of Honour, but if you can’t face choosing between your female friends, you can join one of the increasing number of women who are having male friends perform the duties of the Maid of Honour at their luxury weddings.

If you’re the one charged with getting the bridesmaids arranged, you’ll have a lot of choices to make, and it’s a good idea to coordinate with the dresser, the florist and anyone else who is helping with the arrangements. A properly dressed group of bridesmaids is an essential ingredient of any memorable luxury wedding, and these days lots of bridesmaids are coordinating on less traditional styles to make the special occasion even more memorable and distinctive. So use your imagination! In the summer, use warm and vibrant colours which can really add to a bridal shower. Pick out bouquets of reds, pinks and purples for the bridesmaids’ flowers. If it’s a winter wedding, swap out the reds and pinks for lilacs and pale blues.

The bride’s train and the bridesmaids themselves are one of the most magical parts of a luxury wedding, and they are just one of endless ways to make sure that your special day is a wonderful, magical occasion for all the family and guests.

Five easy steps to being a great best man

thebestman — Tue, 22 May 2007 13:42:00 GMT

Most men would think that being the best man is a compliment, which of course it is. But a lot of men don’t really know what being a best man involves, and don’t realize that it’s up to them to make sure they do it well! So here are five steps to being a great best man. It’d be a good idea to read these before you agree to be a best man in the first place – there’s quite a bit of responsibility.

Talk to the groom. If the groom is your buddy or your brother, you might think you know exactly what makes him tick. But this is his special day, and he’s bound to be nervous. You might be used to having a good laugh with him, but him getting married might bring out a side in him that you and his other buddies don’t see much of, so it’s worth sitting down and seeing what you can do to make his special day that little bit better.

Talk to the bride. If there’s a stag party, it’ll be your job to organize it, and on top of that, how the best man acts can set the tone for the reception or even the wedding itself. Stag parties can tend to be a bit raucous (and that might be putting it mildly…), so although a lot of grooms relish their one last chance to unwind, it’s asking for trouble if you get up to any antics that the bride would be uncomfortable with. Sit down with the bride before the stag party and make sure you plan a stag party that she’ll be happy with.

Keep yourself organized. Any luxury wedding is a joyous occasion that will involve a fair bit of partying and enjoying yourself, but remember that the bride, the groom, the family, the guests and everyone else is looking to you to make the ceremony go smoothly. You’ll have to keep the bride’s wedding ring, attend the rehearsal, organize formalwear hiring, and when it comes to the wedding itself, sign the marriage licence and perform a lot of other small duties which add up to making the wedding into a special, magical and memorable occasion for all concerned.

Help out wherever you can. A luxury wedding ought to be fun for you and all the other guests, but you’ve got responsibilities too, and most wedding parties will see the best man as their main go-to guy for any problems that come up. Remember you’re there to help out, and the day is about making sure that the bride and groom have a wonderful occasion to remember forever. No luxury wedding ever goes absolutely according to plan, so you might be asked to do all kinds of strange jobs at the last minute – by the bride, or the groom, or anyone else. Help out with a smile – you won’t regret it!

Look sharp! Unless it’s going to be a very unorthodox wedding, you’ll have to get fitted for formalwear of some kind, and it’s also up to you to get the groom fitted out properly. Everyone dressed beautifully is an essential part of any luxury wedding, and making sure the groom is well-groomed is one of the best man’s most important duties. You’ve also got to get him to the ceremony on time, which in many ways is your most important duty of all!

Wedding proposal traditions

thebestman — Tue, 22 May 2007 13:38:00 GMT

Back in the old days, women were considered to be their father’s property and the groom had to ask permission from the father to marry. We’ve moved on quite a bit since then, but a lot of people are still intimidated by the formality of a proposal, and what exactly they should do before and after.

A lot of people quite like the traditions that surround popping the question, because those traditions make the moment seem more old-fashioned and romantic. But the traditions of proposal expect the man to take the initiative in just about everything! Whereas of course these days it’s just as common for women to propose as for men to do it. But a lot of women are unsure about exactly what the protocol is when they propose. So here are a few pointers – some for men, some for women, some for both – about popping the question.

The ring is an important part of any engagement, and it’s a beautiful symbol of love and commitment. A lot of lovebirds think they can’t propose to their loved one without a really expensive ring, but remember to be sensible - it doesn’t do anyone any good to bankrupt yourself not long before you’re going to be married!

Anyway, the tradition is for the man to buy an engagement ring, and some women who are going to propose don’t feel right buying their husband-to-be an engagement ring. In those situations, it’s fine to substitute another piece of jewellery for the ring, and give that to the man instead. But it is getting more common for both of the betrothed to give the other a ring, and in a lot of parts of the world, this has been the custom for hundreds of years.

Asking the parents is traditional for any man who wants to ask for a daughter’s hand in marriage. It’s not seen as quite so essential these days, but that doesn’t mean that men should cut their bride-to-be’s parents out altogether – and women who are going to propose should also take care to respect the feelings and attitudes of the husband-to-be’s parents. It’s a good idea to discuss the idea of marriage with your prospective spouse’s parents, even if you want to do so on the quiet so that the proposal itself can still be a surprise! Even if you talk over marriage with your sweetheart and his or her family for months before you propose, it doesn’t have to take the magic out of the event itself. Most proposals these days don’t come completely out of the blue, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be wonderful moments that you’ll both remember for a lifetime.

Tradition says that the man should get down on one knee when he proposes, but remember that really it’s your special moment, and exactly how and where you want to do it is up to you!

Five ideas for a great marriage proposal

thebestman — Tue, 22 May 2007 12:13:00 GMT

Every luxury wedding starts with a proposal. Traditionally, a man would always propose to a woman, and offer an engagement ring as a sort of promissory gesture! These days, of course, it’s just as common for a woman to pop the question to her man. And exactly when and how you want to propose is up to you! To give you some ideas, we’ve put together a round-up of romantic ways to pop the question, and the places you could do it.

Go back to your favourite holiday destination. Whisk your sweetheart off to somewhere special that you’ve been to together before and have wonderful memories of, and pop the question looking out over your favourite view, or get down on one knee after dinner at your favourite restaurant.

Return to the place where you first met or kissed. If this is somewhere you know that both you and your partner have vivid memories of, it could be time to make those memories even more magical. It’s even better if you can come up on the spot unexpectedly – so if it’s somewhere you might pass by, just grab your partner for a quick detour, and enjoy their amazement.

Go public! Take out an advert with your proposal in it! You could get a full-page ad in a newspaper that you know your sweetheart reads, or take her to see a movie and pay for a slide to be shown first with your personal message on it. Or you could pay for your special message to be displayed on a billboard which you know your partner passes on the way to work.

Make it a real surprise! Cut the bottom out of a big box, wrap the box up with pretty paper and a ribbon, write a cute romantic message on the label, and ‘deliver’ yourself to your sweetheart’s door! Or, if your sweetie is a deep sleeper, just slip the ring on to his or her finger while he or she is asleep! If your sweetheart wakes up with a ring on their finger, and you standing by with champagne and strawberries, it’s sure to be a magical moment.

Take a trip to your dream holiday destination. Sweep your sweetheart off their feet with a sudden trip to somewhere that neither of you has ever been before, but that you’ve always dreamed of visiting. Pop the question to your partner in the right setting, whether it’s in an Alpine chateau or a tropical beach, and the memories of the moment are sure to last a lifetime.

Wedding wines

thebestman — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 15:25:00 GMT

Flavours are very evocative. Think about the wines that you love (or even just the champagnes!) and you’ll probably be able to remember exactly when you first tasted them, or when you first realized that they were among your favourites. Quite often we associate a particular taste with a particular occasion so strongly that we remember it for the rest of our lives. That’s why the choice of champagne and other wines is a very important part of planning any luxury wedding.

Here’s a bit of handy advice: at most wedding receptions, you’ll find that about a third to half of people will want to drink white wine, about a third to half will want to drink red wine, and about a tenth to a third will want to drink rose or white zinfandel. Most of the women will be white wine drinkers, and most of the men will drink red – so if you’re expecting a lot more women than men, or vice versa, it’s a good idea to have a word with your caterer and make sure that the proportions will work out. These are only a rough guide, and your caterer will probably be able to offer lots of ideas and suggestions of his or her own anyway.

You’ll also need your caterer’s input because he or she will be able to help you work out just how much wine you’re going to need, and will probably be willing to make wine recommendations that suit the food being served. The most popular white wines are Chardonnay (works well with chicken, pork and seafood), and the most popular red wines are probably Merlot and Cabernet (which go better with beef and red pasta sauces). But for toasting you’re going to want Champagne – no wedding would be complete without it!

Champagne is almost certainly going to be the priciest wine you’ll be serving, so it’s a good idea to keep it in reserve until you want it for toasting – otherwise your guests might finish it off before you know what’s happening. Most caterers will tell you that a couple of glasses of Champagne per person is what you ought to be aiming for. And the other advantage of saving the Champagne for a toast is that you’ll make it seem that much more special, and add another touch of magic to your wedding.