Brilliant Blog

A Brilliant Wedding: Gemma & Scott

September 5, 2012

Gemma and Scott originally hail from England and Australia, but wanted a New York wedding to show their out-of-town family and friends what the Big Apple is all about. They exchanged their vows at Calvary-St. George’s Church before hopping into a vintage taxi that took them to meet their closest friends and family at the Gramercy Park Hotel. Upon entering the terrace, guests stepped into an enchanted garden. Beneath the romantic lights and greenery, pastel blooms were dispersed along the tables. But, even in this dream-like setting, the city was ever present. Traditional table numbers were replaced by pictures of places in NYC that were special to Gemma and Scott and guests soon danced to classic NY songs, as boas and beads were brought to the dance floor. Even the top tier of their cake was elegantly decorated with the city skyline!

Despite all the big city details, Gemma and Scott did not forget where they came from. Their wedding color, violet, was chosen to honor a grandmother who couldn’t make the journey to New York, while the roses in Gemma’s bouquet honored another grandparent. The British and Australian flags on the front of their taxi were yet another cute way to remember their roots.

At the end of the night, guests took home violet boxes of chocolate from Vosges, the couples’ favorite SoHo chocolate shop. Gemma and Scott’s wedding so perfectly used cute details to blend past and present, that we can’t help but love it. Congratulations Gemma and Scott!

Beautiful photos courtesy of Maggie Harkov.

Ask the Expert: Wedding Speeches

October 18, 2011

Today’s post is courtesy of my secret speech-writing weapon, Victoria of The Oratory Laboratory. She is the master at creating perfectly funny, yet heartfelt speeches written in your own voice, and will coach you so your delivery is the icing on the (wedding) cake.

The Unspoken Truth of Speaking. If you’d rather fly over the Atlantic on a sofa with wings than speak in public you’re not alone. 75% of the population are terrified at the prospect of speaking before an audience and that probably includes your maid of honor, the best man and yes, even your father.

The internet provides tips galore about what to say and what not to say at weddings but seldom do you see any good advice about the delivery. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, but here are a few common pointers that you may want to gently pass on to your wedding party.

1.  Don’t try and memorize your speech. Do you think Obama doesn’t have twenty transparent teleprompters in front of him??  A speech is a contrived and well prepared form of expression- the audience are expecting you to take notes up there with you.

2.  Don’t rush. This is a story and you’re telling it for the first time to the people listening. They want to join you on this little journey so give them time to take it all in.

3.  Don’t just read the speech; connect with what you’re saying as you’re saying it. If you’re telling a story about your childhood, take yourself back and there and think about all the small the details, how you felt, who was there etc

4. Practice your speech as if you were reading it to a room full of five year olds to find the playfulness in the text. Jump up and down on your bed while shouting it, read it in a bad Scottish accent if you want. Once you have fun with it you can always rein the crazy back in.

5.  Keep your feet hip-width apart. Your bottom half should feel solid and grounded so that you’re free to gesticulate without falling about the place. If you’re leaning or swaying you lose the energy and presence that stillness creates.

6.  Before you start, take a couple of seconds to take in the room and your audience. Take a breath and begin only when you’re ready. This will ensure the audience are 100% with you from the start and you’ll feel more in control.