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Spectrum Videofilms

Seeing Today for Tomorrow

Advice continued

12. Speeches. If you are not a confident speaker K.I.S.S. - keep it short and simple. Everybody has a tendency to overcompensate when faced with such an intimidating task at a wedding, by trying to talk at length or by trying to be humerous. There is nothing more leaden than a speech that is about twice as long as it needs to be or is not very funny. Just be yourself and say what you want to say, simply.

13. Gifts. The wedding day is not Christmas Day but many brides and grooms seem to want to attempt to reward everyone at the reception for attending. This is not necessary, and in itself it becomes boring - not to say, expensive. You need only give the bridesmaids a memento of the day and the best man; it is traditional also to make a presentation to the mothers. Nothing else is necessary - but it`s up to you.

14. First dance. If you have a first dance at the beginning of the evening - which is very helpful to the guests as signalling the start of the evening celebration (and also to the videoman!) - it will normally take place at about 8.00 - 8.30 p.m. Your evening guests will be asked to arrive at 7.30 and will turn up at 8.00 p.m. Fifteen minutes later is therefore fine.

15. Buffet. Your buffet will not take place at 8.00 pm. for the reasons just given, and shouldn`t in any case because it`s not very long since the afternoon guests have had their lovely meal. The correct time is 9.00 - 9.30 p.m.

16. We love photographers. We as videographers never have a problem with them. There is however a change in their method of working, which has arisen with the coming of digital photography and particularly with the requirement for `reportage` work. Some photographers will take hundreds of images. This may not be a problem but you will want to think whether you will want to pose for a far longer period than used to be the case at weddings. And who will buy these extra images? Photographers take these photos because they think you might want them - does the budget extend that far? If either of these observations concern you, you need to discuss with your photographer the exact limits of his or her attendance at the wedding and how many photos are to be taken on the day.

more as time goes by. See also Recommended for your Wedding Day

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