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Selecting Your Reception Venue
Selecting a reception site will depend on its availability, price, location to the wedding ceremony site and its capacity.Having your ceremony and reception in the same location can save you money and stress and is now possible in Ireland if you wish to have a civil ceremony. One of the most important factors to consider is capacity. If you can’t seat all you guest, it doesn’t matter how much you want a location. Only visit sites that can accommodate the number of guest you plan to invite. You should also be flexible when determining your wedding date.
The venue you like may already be booked for your date, but you may be able to secure it for following week. If you really like the site, it may be worth the wait? Find out how they charge for their services. Most hotels and restaurants charge per person where a flat fee is charged for each guest, including food, beverages, tables, chairs, linens, etc. Other venues such as clubhouses, parks charge you based on a period of time.
Wedding Abroad on Necker Island
The Wedding Planner advises: 
One out of every six couples getting married for the first time choose a destination wedding, that number rises to 61% for couples getting remarried. For most, destination weddings offer a chance to celebrate in the sun and somewhere a bit different to the norm. For high-profile brides and grooms such as Google co-founder Larry Page and Lucy Southworth (the now Mrs Google), destination weddings are the best way to guarantee privacy on the big day.
Necker Island was the destination of choice for 34 year old Page when he recently married 27-year-old student Lucy. The 74-acre island in the British Virgin Islands is owned by billionaire Sir Richard Branson of the Virgin fame. Guests can stay in the eight-bedroom Great House or in one of the five smaller Bali houses that dot the island; together they sleep 28 guests.
The entire island can be reserved for about $47,000 a day – you might think that, that is not too bad as that is close to the price of the average wedding – the catch is that there is a five-day minimum stay!
You may choose between an informal beachfront wedding or a more formal ceremony in the main lounge. Included in the package are such amenities as a couple’s massage, access to water sports, lessons with a professional tennis pro, all meals and drinks, and boat transfers from Virgin Gorda or Beef Island (Tortola) airports.
Necker Island is one of a handful of spots worldwide that offer pricey exclusive island weddings. Other spots include Guana Island (Virgin Island) and Turtle Island (Fiji). All feature luxurious lodging, ultimate privacy and top-notch amenities – they’d want to for that price!
Not dear enough for your dear loved one?? Then try One & Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives, situated in the Indian Ocean’s North Male’ Atoll. The Legendary Sunset Wedding Package is a mere $2,480, however guaranteeing that the wedding stays an intimate affair costs a bit more than Necker island. This 109-acre island costs $1.2 million to rent the resort for three days.
Speech Preparation
Unless you are a toastmaster, we recommend preparation. Another tip is to ask for help. Family and friends will often have good stories that will flesh out your speech. Fellow speech givers may also have anecdotes that suit the occasion. Test your speech on a friend or out loud in front of a mirror.
Caste of thousands. Just for today, this wedding is Broadway, Hollywood and Cannes all rolled into one. Thank everyone who helped out – from Auntie Margaret who made the cake to Uncle Peter who provided the limousine transport – even the staff at the reception liked to be thanked, if appropriate.
Suitability. Remember, you are talking to a mixed audience, from grannies to tiny tots. No blue jokes, no in-house jokes, and no longwinded stories about obscure friends or family members only known to a select few.
Prepare a cue card with important points and the essential thank yous of your speech on it. Avoid the grubby piece of paper torn out of a jotter with your illegible scrawl on it. For more tips about wedding speeches check out: www.blarneyspeeches.com
