Would you do this for your wedding???  Would you ever virtually attend a wedding - let alone be a digital bridesmaid?

That’s what Renee did at her best friend’s marriage ceremony in Colorado. She was asked to be a bridesmaid, but was unable to make the trip from Richmond, Virginia.

That’s when she virtually pinged in using Apple’s FaceTime app for the iPad 2.  One of the groomsman carried the iPad down the aisle as Renee Armstrong was able to see the whole ceremony. The bride, Jamie Alberico, was ecstatic to have her friend attend her weddingEven though she wasn’t wearing the same wedding attire, “she got to see the whole ceremony. She got to meet everybody and be here for the reception,” Alberico told the news source.

Would you do this for your wedding??
See video at http://www.saltlakebride.com/blog/bridesmaid-attends-wedding-via-ipad.htm  

The Most Important Thing You Need To START WITH to Have the BEST WEDDING BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE!

BONUS – What to do later to Make SURE your BEST WEDDING is not DISRUPTED

When planning for a wedding we encounter every type of situation from our clients. Sometimes we get calls a year in advance and we have plenty of time to make elicit the client’s wishes and make sure all the details are in sync with those wishes. Sometimes we get calls from a caterer or planner who has a client that has 3-4 weeks to their wedding. I personally had a year and a half to put together my own wedding and this gave us ample time to deal with any last minute details easily and effectively. No matter how much time you have to prepare for your wedding weeks, months or years, universally speaking, every bride and groom want the same thing: To have the finest day they can imagine, and hopefully better than that. So the first most important thing is where to start? How do you go about preparing the easiest and smartest way?

The #1 way to start is to decide what is it that would make your party fabulous? What is the most important elements to your party? You simply have to take some time to SEE or VISUALIZE what you want your wedding reception to look like, feel like and sound like.

It’s not hard to do but it takes a few minutes of your time.  And it is SO worth it.

As simple as it sounds identifying the ideal elements of your party is the best way to begin the route to your amazing party.

Yet surprisingly many brides and grooms don’t really do that.  They have an idea of what they want, an expectation, but just get right into the planning and the chores and expect that it will all come together eventually.

And it may be that they aren’t sure what they can have or what’s available.

Here’s a quick illustration.  Rarely ever would any woman (at least those I’ve known) go to get a haircut without KNOWING what she wants her hair to look like. “Just cut it” would rarely come out of her mouth.  But guys will often go in and just get their hair cut, maybe have an idea, but once the barber/stylist gets going never say anything.  Women usually have pictures they bring in or can describe in great detail the exact cut.

That’s the kind of attention to the end result you want to have for your wedding pre-planning.  The feel, the look and the sound, all the senses are covered.  But there’s a lot of elements and stress that may come about from family, to budget etc., so that sometimes curtails the true visualization.  Don’t allow those distractions curtail you in at the beginning.  Just imagine and see what will make you feel the most happy and fulfilled.

What does the greatest vision of your party will look like: All dancing? Laughing? Great food? Quiet time? Music? Lights? Wild free-for-all or posh dinner dance? Sophisticated class or uninhibited revelry? What does the room look like? Classy? Clubby? Regal? Casual? Serene? Pulsating? Special effects? Great social environment with lots of mingling? What happens during the party? Casual Dancing, followed by gourmet eating? Wild Dance Club – with sexy guests or just FUN with relatives?

Once you identify the elements it gives you, the site and a talented planner the keys to insure you are on your way to success. Once you have an idea of the elements, you prioritize them in order of importance to you. For instance a client may decide their party is all about the fun factor and not really care about the food per se. The wedding food is secondary to the party being non-stop fun. That’s an important distinction to make, because for the venue, caterer or restaurant, normally food is their priority. And food is important, certainly we all love a great meal, but it’s your party and vendors should do their best to accommodate you.

So once you get to your vision of the best wedding, appoint a Director, whether that’s your MC, maitre’d, maid of honor, or best man that is in charge of making sure your goals and vision is being fulfilled. That’s the person who will be in charge of making sure your priorities are adhered to.

We’ve encountered situations where the maitre’d demands stopping the party for a course even against the client’s wishes. We like to make parties as seamless as possible, but obviously that makes for a pickle, when the caterer is demanding a stop to the music and the guests be seated when the client wants to keep going.

That’s another reason why it is important to be clear about your desires in advance with everyone involved in your affair. It’s your party. You have the right to your party your way. Often times when the client prioritizes their wishes, we will captain the party for them to head off these situations. All we need is a clear direction from the client and we will assure it happens. Be clear once you know the most important elements of your party and communicate them to your planner, caterer and entertainment. If you are not clear than have a planner get you clear by asking you the right questions. A good wedding planner will be able to determine what’s most important to you by asking you, getting your answers and checking in with you to make sure your desires haven’t changed.

Once your elements are prioritized, everything comes into focus and becomes much more easily managed, plus you’ll feel much better going forward because you’ll know what it is you are going for and what it’s supposed to look like when you show up. Also the vendors you have selected will be able to know exactly how to make your party great for you. So in the beginning sit down with your fiancée and begin to imagine, visualize and fantasize about the specific experiences you want to have and your clear vision will unfold. This fun 15 minutes to 1 hour can be the greatest time you spend assuring the success of your wedding.

Your journey will be much smoother and relaxed as you begin to put it all together.

About The Author: Michael Sage Schindler is the owner; Master Celebrations Director and Master of Ceremonies of Lightning Shakes New York – www.lsny.net - Events and Entertainment. Planning and working as an MC, planner, advisor and event choreographer for 20 years in the major event venues all over NYC for such well-known people as Donald Trump, Joan Lunden, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, CEO of Westwood One Network Joel Hollander and NBC sports announcer Len Berman. He’s one of the most preferred MCs at Trump Plaza, Harrahs, Showboat and Trump Marina in Atlantic City for special events. Michael has been invited to perform in Europe, the Caribbean, and Hawaii and all over the US as well. With LSNY, he has produced events for such companies as Wells Fargo, AIG, Brooklyn Museum, Merrill Lynch and Rado Switzerland.

Decide what role you want your entertainer to play. Will they act as an emcee, host, coordinator and entertainer, or just play music? Do your personalities match? Go listen to them perform. The American Disc Jockey Association recommends that you ask the following questions:

1- Are you insured?
Many responsible business owners carry liability insurance to protect their businesses and the consumer. Many locations are beginning to require proof of liability. Ask for proof of liability insurance such as a “Certificate of Liability.”

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Did you know that a recent survey discovered that public speaking is the number 1 fear in a person’s life and rated above death?
Well I have to admit that I used to belong to that group but now on days I have started to enjoy it because of some simple tips I will share with you here on this page and of course because of much practice I have had the last years. But still I do get butterflies in my stomach right before I start talking. But when I start I forget all about it.  It seams like that it is the same with a lot of other people and amongst them are famous public speakers, so you are not alone.

Opener
A good speech has a good opening and a good closing. Start by introducing yourself, now you have their attention so it would nice to follow your introduction with something interesting or funny, whatever suits your stile. At the beginning of your toast is the time that people are focusing at you and really hearing what you say. Often people remember the beginning best because then they are well focused on what the speaker is saying.

Middle
You could tell a story about the couple that not many guests have heard. Please remember to keep it not too long with any unnecessary explanations. The best stories are short and straight to the point. That way you keep their attention all the time.
It is a good idea to try not to have it longer than 3-4 minutes.

Closing
Now it is time for you to close.  Most speeches at a weeding are closed like a normal weeding toast that is by wishing the happy couple all the best in the future and by raising your glasses.  You can read them a poem or something in that nature if you want to be a little different. How to start? It does not matter if you are standing up on a stage or at your table then it is always a good start to look around at all the guests to get an eye contact before you start. This will also make you look more confident.  Stand straight with your weight equal on both feet.If your knees are shaky then it is a good idea too lean on to a table but by all means don’t sit down. That is not a good way to hold a speech. By standing all or at least most of the visitors will see you and by standing you show the newlyweds your respect.Shaky hands. If your hands are shaky then you can stop them from shaking by keeping them behind your back or by holding on to something. If your hands are shaky then you can just leave your index card on the table or somewhere where you can see it.If you are really nervous, then it is always a good idea to tell it to the guests. You could for example say:
I am sorry for my shaky voice, but this is not exactly my dream come true to stand up here in front of you all so please bear with me.
Because most people have the same fear of public speaking then 99% of them will understand you really well plus when you’re at a wedding then the odds are that you know most of the people, So don’t you worry.

Before the wedding
This is very important, you have to practice the speech at least 5-7 times before the weeding. You start by writing it down word by word and then you practice at least 2-3 times in front of a mirror or a friend with the whole speech in your hands.
Then in step two you make a small index card (2X4 inches) with all your keywords on which you use to help you remember the rest of the speech. For example if you have a sentence going like:
I remember when John, Stacy and I went on that trip to Iceland and ………………. Then you just put the word Iceland on the index card. That one word will help you the whole story. This way you only have to write down 5-8 words to remember a speech that is 5-8 minutes.
When you have written down your keywords then you practice the speech another 2-3 times in front of the mirror or your friend.  Then on the wedding day it should be enough to practice once in the morning with the index card and you should be good to go.

This article was provided by: www.wedding-speech-tips.com