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- Wedding Footwear Woes: Tips and Tales from the Ceremony Frontline
Now, I am a HUGE fan of footwear. I mean I could seriously give Imelda Marcos a run for her money in terms of my shoe collection, however since I have been working as a celebrant, I find that wedding footwear is a serious issue that simply must be addressed. Many of the simply stunning venues I am lucky enough to call my temporary office for the day are perhaps on the beach, set in luscious gardens, or situated in cobblestoned courtyards. Believe you me, these are a footwear minefield. Personally, I plump for either wedges or block heels. Flats are also an option, but when you are slightly vertically challenged like moi, flat shoes are not the best idea, especially if marrying a tall couple. A Painful Footwear Memory I remember once seeing an ex-work colleague getting a spike heel caught in the slat flooring of a beach club and breaking said heel right at the beginning of a large event. This would not have been such an issue if said shoes were not incredibly expensive. I felt her pain, I seriously did!My main concern in wearing anything other than wedges or block heels is that I am incredibly clumsy, a regular fairy elephant. If there is a cobblestone to trip over or a lawn to sink into, it will be yours truly who does it. This is not a good look while conducting a wedding ceremony, believe you me. Especially dangerous is conducting a wedding ceremony on a platform over a swimming pool. True story! Despite the incredible heat that day, the setup and my general clumsiness really made me sweat. I had visions of falling backwards into said swimming pool, which, although on such a warm day would have been rather refreshing, it would have spoiled the moment somewhat! Personal Preference for Flats: I am therefore quite particular about my wedding footwear and am often found in flats before and after the ceremony. This makes rushing around simpler and helps avoid any twisted ankle. Pre-Warn Your Wedding Guests: It is a good idea to pre-warn your wedding guests accordingly as to the type of terrain they will be expected to traverse. While hiking boots might not be necessary, perhaps flats, wedges, and block heels might seriously be worth considering. Alternative Solutions:  If not, at least those cool little plastic things you can put over your stiletto heel to make it less spikey. High Heels and the Wedding Day Now, you will always get some who will rock those sky-high stilettos and carry it off without the slightest hitch, not even a wobble or a stumble. But, you also don't want great aunt Ethel to lose her footing, get her heel stuck in the lawn, and end up arse over teakettle in the nearest flower bed! Although, it might make for some rather interesting wedding pics. Something else to bear in mind: it is a long, long day and a long time to be sporting potentially very uncomfortable footwear. Especially if you are the bride, you do NOT want to spend your day wishing you had chosen something else to wear on your feet and grimacing rather than beaming during your wedding photos. I have a friend who was married recently in over 40-degree weather  (typical for Andalucia in August). She and her entire bride tribe were sporting the finest customized Converse trainers, and I remember thinking what an absolutely brilliant idea. Stylish, yet comfortable, and I bet they rocked the night away with no problem whatsoever. Unique Footwear Choices My last bride of the 2019 wedding season had a simply stunning pair of cream DM's as her wedding shoes. You could barely see them under the gorgeous dress, but a very smart move, in my opinion. Now, some may say, "It is my wedding day and I will wear the daintiest, prettiest, spikiest shoes that I have always dreamed of." Of course, it is entirely your prerogative to do so. However, it might be an idea to have a pair of ballerinas stashed away somewhere for later on. I have sometimes seen a box of flip-flops or ballerinas for anyone to help themselves should they find themselves bemoaning their wrongly chosen footwear for a wedding. Personally, I would be so chuffed to find a pair of flip-flops or ballerinas and would certainly reuse them in the future. Gayle x
- Marry-oke: Adding Amazing Singing to Your Wedding Ceremony
The scene is set, we are midway through a simply beautiful ceremony, and I announce to the guests that my bride and groom would love it if they could all join in, channel their inner Jackie Wilson, Al Green, the Beatles, Beyoncé, or whoever they channel while singing in the shower. They are invited to sing along to a very special part of the ceremony, which I personally like to call "Marry-oke." Amazing photo courtesy of Ed Godden Marry-oke is without a doubt one of my absolute favorite things to include in a ceremony, and I am not in the least bit ashamed to admit that I really do try to convince my couples to do it. Yes! All of them! It is not for everyone. It is a bit like Marmite; some people just hate the idea of a group song mid-ceremony, while others embrace it with open arms. Singing in Ceremonies: A Nostalgic Touch To put it quite simply, I don't remember ever going to a wedding when I was a child where there weren’t several hymns included in the ceremony. Everyone would drone out the words or mime (my speciality), and sometimes, on the very rare occasion, it would be quite a fun hymn, slightly uplifting, breaking up the monotony of a rather boring ceremony. Anyway, I digress. My point is, WHY NOT? Why not include some singing during your wedding ceremony? Why not ditch those boring songs of old and opt for something lovely and uplifting to get everyone to join in? I promise you, it will make your ceremony memorable and will remind you of your special day every time you hear that song thereafter. Amazing photo courtesy of Evergreen Malaga I am a big fan of Marry-oke songs from the Beatles. I mean, who doesn't know all the words to "All You Need Is Love" or "Love Me Do," right? However, one of my all-time favorite Marry-oke group songs to date was at my last wedding of the 2018 wedding season. (Loved them all for different reasons but this one stood out!) A Memorable Marry-oke in Spain Beautifully Designed Venue: Despite a rainy day requiring a last-minute venue change to a beautiful hotel overlooking Lake Iznajar in AndalucÃa, Spain, the ceremony turned out fabulous. Wonderful Guests and Electric Atmosphere: The guests were wonderful, and the atmosphere was electric. Unique and Engaging Group Song:  After the vows and ring exchange, I declared that my couple would be simply thrilled if EVERYONE would join in for a very special Marry-oke group song, with words found on their seats. The song of choice? Jackie Wilson's "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher." Unforgettable Participation: The entire room gave it 100% and sang their hearts out. It was AMAZING! Oh my! There are no words to describe how the entire room gave it 100% and sang their hearts out to this fantastic, uplifting tune. It was AMAZING! What a way to end a ceremony. What a way to start married life together. The atmosphere following the singing was electric, and I just knew they were all off to make the reception just as fantastic as the ceremony. My only regret was that I was so busy with the ceremony and singing my little socks off too that I didn't get even just a snippet on video. (I am truly rubbish at remembering to take photos and videos of anything). So when you are planning your ceremony, please, please, please give it some thought. You may still decide that it is not your cup of tea, but I don't know one couple who, having done this, hasn't said it was a fabulous element to include in their ceremony. I will even promise to join in myself, although I feel I must pre-warn you: I do sound like a cat being strangled when I sing. I apologize profusely in advance. Yours plugging Marry-oke mid-ceremony group songs forever, Gayle x