Surely a simple toast to "absent friends" would allow everyone to think of the "special people" who are missing from the day without turning it into a memorial service? I've seen this at many weddings I've attended either as a guest or when I was working and I think it's a simple, subtle and touching way of doing it.

Yeah I think so too, naming names leaves the risk of missing someone out! :?

Toast works too...she just mentioned the program. In program people often put this part before or after the wedding party mention...Americans sometimes can be slightly different...LOL

And NEVER is soon enough as far as I am concerned...LOL...

Just to freak everyone out. My friend got married 19th July (big do, £22.000) and has annulled her marriage this week. :shock:

Was she married to Chris Kattan??? :shock:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,406442,00.html

No, at this present time I do not have friends in the Showbiz circle. (not counting Facebook/internet friends of course ;-) )

I was best man to my mates wedding (obviously as you don't do these things randomly) and I hadn't a clue who most of the brides family were (incidentally the brides sister is now Mrs Pud) When it came to reading out the cards one was slipped in from 'Uncle Ken', unbeknown to me 'Uncle Ken' had died 2 weeks prior and I didn't find out until I read it. You can imagine the looks I got and I was like a startled rabbit in the headlights of an oncoming truck not knowing what to do next, so I asked for a round of applause for Uncle Ken :))

So a simple toast to absent friends is a bloody good idea. So make sure Andy your best man knows who is or isn't dead when/if he reads out any cards.

Pud :twisted:

Well, the good thing is my sister came over today and got the programs all done, just need to print them out. Were not doing up anything like in memory of anyone since no one has passed away, but it's a nice idea if someone did. I like the "Never marry before 40" that made me laugh and it gives you lots of time to search for the right person.

I honestly think it's the best solution - better than programs or toast...nobody dies!!!:lol:

Why? out of interest?

I have a bet with a friend actually - she says I will get married before 40. I say I won't (whether at all after having previously been engaged and it all going horribly wrong, is another matter!). If I'm right she owes me a tenner. If she's right, I owe her a tenner. But I figured if she's right i'll have more to worry myself with than the tenner!

Oh. My God. Scary expense! And what a shame it only lasted such a short time :-(

Yeah, well strange, though I am not sure what has gone on here in detail. Probably best not knowing. I was chatting with her tonight and apparently the bloke she is married to will not allow her to annull the wedding now so they are going to suffer a divorce which will take up till July 2009 to sort out!
:shock:

Can't help feel sorry for my friend's little boy (bloke was already not his real father). He must be confused I would have thought? I guess it's all normal these days, but in my opinion not ideal! :-(

You should do one anyway, as it would get people looking around all confused wondering who's dead :devil:

Pud :twisted:

That's mean!:shake:

:twisted: I find the idea of spending too much on a wedding pretty dumb myself :wtf:

If you've got it, great, but don't splash out cash you haven't got just to try and impress people.

Just doesn't seem a good way to start a whole new future together as man and wife by plunging into debt :nuts:

My sister we are thinking has spent/up to/close to 15,000 and it's ready to go. She wants the perfect wedding, and is now realizing were all right as far as cutting back on the spending. All I can hope for is it will be long and lasting, since the guy wants to always make her happy.

I watched Roadie last night and the line about, "My best friend & sister are about to get married..." I was like dang, that's weird and true.

I hope they have a wonderful day, I'm sure it will be worth all the worry and expense. Of course, the most important thing is that I hope they will be happy and enjoy their life together x

Most weddings are about THE day and the bride (moreso than the groom) have an idea of what they want that day to be. For some it's once in a lifetime and if you can afford it and save then why not spash out, if you're poor then obviously it makes sense to go cheap. It's whatever works best for the couple.

I got married in Barbados, had an honeymoon at DisneyWorld, had a church blessing when we got back with a lot of trimmings then a 70's fancy dress party at what was then the brand new Huddersfield Town stadium. We saved like crazy for 2 years and don't regret spending a single penny.

There's nothing dumb about spending money for that one day in your life that you'll probably never repeat again.

Pud :twisted:

What's "too much"? It's up to the people involved to decide how much they want to spend, and if they want to spend lots that's their own decision.

Spending "to impress" is daft, in weddings as in anything else. Not spending because they're too tight, and thus missing out on the day they wanted, is also stupid. The only sensible thing is to decide what you want and can afford, and then go for it.

Of course, in some cases, what they can afford and want is an afternoon in KFC :lol:

Dave

Doing what's important to the couple is what counts, whatever they want to do is ok, after all it's all down to what they want the day to be that matters

There's no real pressure anymore for anyone to get married, so you could save a bundle by not doing anything.

Alternatively you could have a Gypo's wedding if you don't have a lot of money.

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/...TT95V/610x.jpg

Pud :twisted:

In my case, if I find anyone patient enough to want to marry me (and to be trustworthy and sincere enough to mean it when they tell me they want to spend the rest of their life with me - unlike the last two gits I had serious relationships with!) the most important part for me will be marrying someone I love (and that loves me back) and makes me happy. Having already planned a wedding that never happened, and realised just how much stuff there is to do and organise, I would hate for all of that to get in the way of the focus of the occasion, which is the marriage itself. By all means, as it sounds like Pud has done, i'm all for celebrating it as much as possible...but I still think that in the long run the only important thing is that you're committing to spend the rest of your life with the person that you love. I hope that doesn't sound like I'm getting at anyone here because that's not what I mean to do, I'm just putting across my opinion...and at the end of the day it's the wedding of the two persons getting married, and not anybody that does or doesn't attend, so do what you want. and if that's to hold the reception at KFC or the Ritz, it's up to you. :-)

Well, there is a Mc Donalds across the street and the bar is next to it as well as a party store attached to the Mc Donalds, and that's across the street from the hall. Me and a few others have plans on going over there for some ice cream or a shake just to be different. I went to my cousins a few years back and after the wedding everyone went to Mc Donalds even the bride and groom were there and had a big mac. Funny thing was the dinner was 2 hours away and everyone was hungry, and it was like you got to be kidding me everyone just pulled in and it was totally unexpected. So the full wedding party, and guests all had a bite before the dinner, and we had a few stares as we all sat together and made jokes about if we meet before.

You know what is funny? I've noticed that this might be very true for British...but in America marriage is still full on...

Has anyone ever made one of those Ribbon bouqet's?????

As far as marriage goes I'm simple go to Vegas, White Chapel, and get hitched by Elvis, simple as that. :D