Monday, February 01, 2016
Preparing For Weddings, Observing The Wedding Speech and Conducting A Wedding Impromptu!
I was invited to the wedding of good friends Andrew and Sharon and just in case I was called on to speak, I had looked up a couple of suitable quotations.
My favourite is:
To keep you love brimming in the loving cup
Whenever you're wrong, admit it
Whenever you're right - shut up!
Ogden Nash
I had prepared to give a wedding speech but I had neglected to prepare to be the MC or officiant. If you ever go to an event such as a wedding, observe the order of events and the phrases that the speakers use:
Checklist
1 Welcome:
To welcome guests (in general and by name).
2 Names:
To correctly name the hosts, such as the wedding couple and their parents and other other sponsors. Read the menu or wedding table plan or your wedding invitation.
3 Order of ceremony:
To get events in the correct order such as marriage service; then food, then drinks in hand, speeches and toasts.
4 Soothing Phrases:
Phrases to encourage the reluctant or confused hosts and guests to stand up, walk to the microphone, speak and speak up (in correct order). 'Please join me ...,"; I know the groom wants to say a few brief words ..."; "If you could just stand up for a photograph ...".
5 Cover-ups.
To cover up or make humour of any mishaps. For example, 'while we're waiting,'; 'the groom/officiant is on his way'.
6 Farewell.
To close proceedings.
7 Transport.
To ensure guests get home safely (especially if in remote location, late at night, no transport, and guests are sleepy or not sober).
8 Announce Later Events.
To inform guests of any follow up event (how to get from wedding ceremony to reception) and whether it's family only or all are invited and welcome.
9 Time-filling Talk
To find something to say to keep audience's attention whilst waiting for latecomers or for speakers to walk to the microphone, so that the audience don't start talking to each other but pay attention. "Would anybody like to tell us where they first met the bride and groom?" "Does anybody have any advice on how to stay happily married?"
10 Drinks, Flowers and Property
"Please fill your glasses." If there's any drink left in the bottle, please cork it up and take it home. You are welcome to divide the flowers up and take them home. Perhaps a rose for each lady." To ensure that the hosts and guests go home with their own property and know whether to take or leave leftovers such as the table flowers. Please collect your coats from the cloakroom. Please check your chairs and tables and under the table that nothing is left behind. Lost property: a lady is looking for a white handbag; the groom has lost a pair of spectacles in a black case; a fur coat has been found; a small lady's pendant with a pearl ... "Please will all the young ladies gather around the band because the bride is about to throw her bouquet over her shoulder. The bouquet is supposedly to bring luck in love to whoever catches it."
11 Thanks.
To thank all the helpers, bridesmaids, friends, relatives, gifts, donation, makers of cake, cooks, decorations, caterers, staff, dress designer, guests for gifts.
12 Compliments.
To compliment bride and groom (ushers and bridesmaids and guests) on their appearance (if appropriate) and/or the flowers /decor.
13 Location Facilities
To point out interior and exterior facilities: fire exits, toilets, cloakrooms for coats, areas for smoking, other rooms for dancing or quiet talking, gardens for photos, landmarks.
14 To call for silence.
Tap a glass. Bang a gong. Ring a bell. If all else fails, dim the lights or flash them on and off. "Please stand to welcome the bride and groom / MR AND MRS !
Please be seated. Please raise your glasses. The best man will ...
15 Timing
To draw attention to timing - end of buffet, start of dancing, end of dancing, first dance for bride and groom only, or all, last dance.
16 Proper ending
Song, applause, toast, compliments, cheers, happy thought or wishing everybody safe journey home.
17 Follow-up Photos, Thanks and More information
Say whether bride and groom are receiving visitors in new home, going away on honeymoon, will be writing to thank you next weekend or on return, how to see or order photos of the event, if pictures will be in newspapers or on Facebook or media.
ANGELA LANSBURY, author and travel photographer, speaker.
Author of Quick Quotations.
My favourite is:
To keep you love brimming in the loving cup
Whenever you're wrong, admit it
Whenever you're right - shut up!
Ogden Nash
I had prepared to give a wedding speech but I had neglected to prepare to be the MC or officiant. If you ever go to an event such as a wedding, observe the order of events and the phrases that the speakers use:
Checklist
1 Welcome:
To welcome guests (in general and by name).
2 Names:
To correctly name the hosts, such as the wedding couple and their parents and other other sponsors. Read the menu or wedding table plan or your wedding invitation.
3 Order of ceremony:
To get events in the correct order such as marriage service; then food, then drinks in hand, speeches and toasts.
4 Soothing Phrases:
Phrases to encourage the reluctant or confused hosts and guests to stand up, walk to the microphone, speak and speak up (in correct order). 'Please join me ...,"; I know the groom wants to say a few brief words ..."; "If you could just stand up for a photograph ...".
5 Cover-ups.
To cover up or make humour of any mishaps. For example, 'while we're waiting,'; 'the groom/officiant is on his way'.
6 Farewell.
To close proceedings.
7 Transport.
To ensure guests get home safely (especially if in remote location, late at night, no transport, and guests are sleepy or not sober).
8 Announce Later Events.
To inform guests of any follow up event (how to get from wedding ceremony to reception) and whether it's family only or all are invited and welcome.
9 Time-filling Talk
To find something to say to keep audience's attention whilst waiting for latecomers or for speakers to walk to the microphone, so that the audience don't start talking to each other but pay attention. "Would anybody like to tell us where they first met the bride and groom?" "Does anybody have any advice on how to stay happily married?"
10 Drinks, Flowers and Property
"Please fill your glasses." If there's any drink left in the bottle, please cork it up and take it home. You are welcome to divide the flowers up and take them home. Perhaps a rose for each lady." To ensure that the hosts and guests go home with their own property and know whether to take or leave leftovers such as the table flowers. Please collect your coats from the cloakroom. Please check your chairs and tables and under the table that nothing is left behind. Lost property: a lady is looking for a white handbag; the groom has lost a pair of spectacles in a black case; a fur coat has been found; a small lady's pendant with a pearl ... "Please will all the young ladies gather around the band because the bride is about to throw her bouquet over her shoulder. The bouquet is supposedly to bring luck in love to whoever catches it."
11 Thanks.
To thank all the helpers, bridesmaids, friends, relatives, gifts, donation, makers of cake, cooks, decorations, caterers, staff, dress designer, guests for gifts.
12 Compliments.
To compliment bride and groom (ushers and bridesmaids and guests) on their appearance (if appropriate) and/or the flowers /decor.
13 Location Facilities
To point out interior and exterior facilities: fire exits, toilets, cloakrooms for coats, areas for smoking, other rooms for dancing or quiet talking, gardens for photos, landmarks.
14 To call for silence.
Tap a glass. Bang a gong. Ring a bell. If all else fails, dim the lights or flash them on and off. "Please stand to welcome the bride and groom / MR AND MRS !
Please be seated. Please raise your glasses. The best man will ...
15 Timing
To draw attention to timing - end of buffet, start of dancing, end of dancing, first dance for bride and groom only, or all, last dance.
16 Proper ending
Song, applause, toast, compliments, cheers, happy thought or wishing everybody safe journey home.
17 Follow-up Photos, Thanks and More information
Say whether bride and groom are receiving visitors in new home, going away on honeymoon, will be writing to thank you next weekend or on return, how to see or order photos of the event, if pictures will be in newspapers or on Facebook or media.
ANGELA LANSBURY, author and travel photographer, speaker.
Author of Quick Quotations.
Labels: checklist, farewell, guest list, Ogden Nash, quotations, silence, thanks, welcome
Saturday, April 11, 2015
The Ten Sins of A Speaker
1 Arrive early and busy yourself with your props, ignoring and rejecting your host and the first people to arrive.
2 Arrive late, looking flustered. Get even more flustered when other latecomers arrive. Instead greet them warmly - your audience is growing.
3 Keep apologising. Apologies are depressing. As Disraeli said, Never explain; never apologise.
4 Glower because of the small numbers, and postpone or cancel on the grounds that it is not worthwhile to speak to those who want to hear you. More important that you should not 'waste your time', never mind that they have wasted their time trying to fix a date or cancelling other engagements and plans to see the speaker.
5 Promoting a book but not having it to sell. Relying on the publisher to send the book to the venue. Always have one book that people can look at, even if it's a proof copy, and two copies to sell.(If you have one copy, if somebody buys it a second person is peeved.
6 Using jargon nobody understands.
7 Failing to take into account the needs for a break for toilet and food.
8 Forgetting to thank the organiser.
9 Forgetting to say how much you have enjoyed your welcoming audience, the venue, the weather, all the good things which will make them happy about their day and happy to share your happiness.
10 Not thinking of taking the opportunity to say how much you enjoyed talking to them and how you would be willing to come back again, sooner or later.
13 Not giving your name, address and contact details. If they are on every handout, you can get your message out. Forgetting to have a business card marked with the name, your real name, other than the pen name, in which you want any cheque sent.
2 Arrive late, looking flustered. Get even more flustered when other latecomers arrive. Instead greet them warmly - your audience is growing.
3 Keep apologising. Apologies are depressing. As Disraeli said, Never explain; never apologise.
4 Glower because of the small numbers, and postpone or cancel on the grounds that it is not worthwhile to speak to those who want to hear you. More important that you should not 'waste your time', never mind that they have wasted their time trying to fix a date or cancelling other engagements and plans to see the speaker.
5 Promoting a book but not having it to sell. Relying on the publisher to send the book to the venue. Always have one book that people can look at, even if it's a proof copy, and two copies to sell.(If you have one copy, if somebody buys it a second person is peeved.
6 Using jargon nobody understands.
7 Failing to take into account the needs for a break for toilet and food.
8 Forgetting to thank the organiser.
9 Forgetting to say how much you have enjoyed your welcoming audience, the venue, the weather, all the good things which will make them happy about their day and happy to share your happiness.
10 Not thinking of taking the opportunity to say how much you enjoyed talking to them and how you would be willing to come back again, sooner or later.
13 Not giving your name, address and contact details. If they are on every handout, you can get your message out. Forgetting to have a business card marked with the name, your real name, other than the pen name, in which you want any cheque sent.
Labels: books, cancel, details, early, food, jargon, late, postpone, thanks, toilets
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
ANGELA'S TRAVELS - travel and language - lost in translation
In France Thanks Means No
The French no: saying mercy, 'thanks', means no thanks.
In France we used to be asked if we'd like tea, or coffee. We said, 'Thanks,' which in the UK means 'yes, thanks'.
We were asked if we'd like more. We said, 'but you didn't give us any last time.'
We were told, 'But last time you said, ''No thanks''.'
At this point we reiterated our conversation, word by word, and discovered the cause of the confusion.
The French use fewer words. They say, 'Yes, please,' or 'No, thanks,' and shorten those phrases to 'please', meaning yes, and 'thanks' meaning no.
In France Thanks Means No
The French no: saying mercy, 'thanks', means no thanks.
In France we used to be asked if we'd like tea, or coffee. We said, 'Thanks,' which in the UK means 'yes, thanks'.
We were asked if we'd like more. We said, 'but you didn't give us any last time.'
We were told, 'But last time you said, ''No thanks''.'
At this point we reiterated our conversation, word by word, and discovered the cause of the confusion.
The French use fewer words. They say, 'Yes, please,' or 'No, thanks,' and shorten those phrases to 'please', meaning yes, and 'thanks' meaning no.
Labels: coffee, France, mercy, no, thanks, yes
