PLANNING I'd Just Like to Say...

Making a speech can be nerve-wracking, but with a few good one-liners up your sleeve to break the ice you will soon have family and friends laughing. This week we review a handy new book.

Top speech writer Mitch Murray has put together the perfect gameplan for making a speech. Including his own tips and techniques and masses of one-liners to be lifted and adapted for your own in-the-spotlight moment.

Rather more than the title suggests, Mitch Murray’s One-Liners for Wedding Speeches (Foulsham £8.99) is a complete DIY kit for all those having to make a speech on the big day. It offers a rich selection of ideas, one-liners, quotations and quips you can adapt or import for the occasion. A successful speech depends very much on how the ideas are arranged and structured … it’s not what you say that counts, it’s the way that you say it!

Mitch includes the gags. He shows you how to deliver them. He shows you how to structure everything for pace. And most of all, he produces everyone's dream, the successful wedding speech.

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PLANNING 5 Planning Tips

Peregrine Armstrong-Jones, the mastermind behind the wedding of David and Victoria Beckham, the civil ceremony of Sir Elton John and David Furnish as well as Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly’s royal nuptials shares five top wedding trends this season.

1. For wedding gowns, classic white, cream or ivory are still the main trend as they don't date in photographs. For signature colours, which run all the way through from bridesmaid dresses to decorations, rich burgundy is big this year, as is lilac.

2. Go for something different and contemporary with your flowers - get plenty of movement and colour. Fuchsia vanda orchids are very popular this year mixed with vivid oranges. The London based florist In Water has some great new ideas.

3. It is a lovely touch to place gifts on the tables at weddings and personalised wedding favours are particularly big. My favourite gift company is Etoile de Mer Occasions who are amazingly creative and focus on gifts which capture the personality of the bride and groom. Examples include personalised silver ornaments and jars of honey or sweets.

4. Try a wedding list with a difference and ask your guests to make a donation to Breakthrough Breast Cancer as an alternative to traditional wedding presents. It's a really special way of showing your support and the money you raise will help fund life-saving research, campaigning and education work. Once you have set up a list you'll receive a bespoke donation card which can be sent to guests with the wedding invite.

5. For the reception, instead of having a traditional marquee, why not try a tent with a more contemporary structure. Tents are really on-trend, there are a lot of quirky varieties such as tepees or Bedouin style and if you choose an open variety guests can also enjoy the beautiful views and setting of your wedding. I would recommend the tent company Liquid Canvas.

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Grand Finale
All Planned Out

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PLANNING Which Planner?

If you're thinking about using a wedding planner, be sure to choose someone that you are comfortable working with and have 100% confidence in their professional expertise.

Wedding planner, Helen Carter has come on board this week to share some top tips on choosing a wedding planner.

1. Who's there? Firstly, find out who is available in your area. Supplier directories and magazines are a good starting point, whilst the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners is an excellent source of thoroughly vetted professional planners.

2. Detail counts. Once you have a list of planners, visit their website and spend some time finding out exactly what they offer and how they work. Do they come across in a professional manner? If the website is poorly laid out or there are lots of spelling mistakes, this gives the impression that they haven’t put in a great deal of thought or paid much attention to detail.

3. Shortlists. Make a list of those that you are interested in and contact them directly. Do they seem approachable and knowledgeable? Do they take an interest in your wedding and take the time to explain their services in more detail?

4. Meet Me. Arrange to meet 2-3 on your shortlist. Many planners offer a complimentary consultation to discuss your wedding and explain how they can help with your preparations

5. How amazing! During the consultation, are they enthusiastic about your wedding? Do they understand what you want and offer ideas on how it may be achieved? Remember that they will want to offer their professional opinion, but if they don’t seem to have taken on board what you are looking for then they might not be right for you

6. Past & present. Ask them questions about their work. For example, how long have they been in business? How many weddings have they done? Do they have a portfolio of previous weddings for you to view? Also make sure that they have public liability insurance.

7. Getting along. It’s incredibly important that you get along with your planner, so do you actually like them?! They may be brilliant at their job, but if your personalities clash you could be in for a bumpy ride instead of enjoying a seamless partnership.

8. How much? Find out how they charge for their services – are you expected to pay a fixed fee or a percentage of your budget? This is very important, as fees will vary from planner to planner. Make sure you are also aware of any additional charges, such as travel expenses, that may add to the overall cost.

9. In touch. Ask how often they will be in contact with you. I personally think this is one of the most important questions to ask, as handing over your wedding arrangements isn’t easy and you want to be sure that you’re going to be kept up-to-date with your preparations.

10. It's written. After the consultation, most planners will provide a written proposal that summarises your meeting and outlines the work to be completed. Does it cover what you discussed? Is the quotation as you expected? If not, contact the planner and ask them to explain the differences

To find out more about Helen Carter, go to helencarterweddings.co.uk.

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