Father of the Bride Gift Ideas

by weddingcuffs 29. March 2011 04:46

Wedding day gifts are always difficult things to buy especially gifts for the wedding guests. Father of the bride gifts are an obvious purchase that can be quite difficult to choose. It is usual at weddings to give all of the guest's small gifts in the form of wedding favours. However the important guests at the wedding should be given more substantial commemorative presents. Father of the bride cufflinks are one very good gift that can be kept as a remembrance item. Wedding cufflinks come in lots of design styles the most popular type has a white background with black cursive script in either gold or silver metal ware.

It is quite usual for the father of the bride to foot the bill for the wedding and under these circumstances he shouldn't pay for his own present. This is one gift that should be paid for by the groom. A gift for the father of the groom should be tasteful and something that can be kept as a keepsake. Some ideas for gifts in addition to wedding cufflinks are a tie pin, a monogrammed hip flask or something for his hobby such as personalised golf ball markers.

After the wedding would also be a good time to give the father of the bride a present especially incorporating some of the wedding photos. A framed picture of the bride and groom or the bride and groom with their parents would be well received by the father of the bride. Personalised gifts using the wedding photos would be good presents for any of the wedding party. Photo cufflinks have become very popular during the last five years and are especially suited to wedding gifts. A close up photo of the bride and groom fitted into a pair of square photo cufflinks and domed with resin would make a fine gift for the happy couple or for the father of the bride.

There are companies to be found on the internet who will place a photo, supplied by the client, onto textiles such a tee shirt. This is a fun way of remembering the happy day even if the tee shirt does eventually wear out. Gifts celebrating the wedding don’t have to be permanent as long as they are perceived as fun. Another product that can incorporate a photo in the design is a ceramic mug. There are lots of companies on the internet who will burn a picture onto a ceramic mug for a reasonable price.

Personalised key rings are also available which are perfectly suited as presents for the father of the bride.

Godfather Gift Ideas

by weddingcuffs 29. March 2011 04:31

Godfather Cufflinks make a great christening present. The christening of a new baby is a time for celebration and marking the occasion with a party on the christening day is good fun and a chance to get together with all of the people who will be important in the child's life.

It is normally expected that close friends and relatives will give something made of silver to the baby such as a silver spoon or a silver tankard. These items then go into a display cabinet ready to give to the child on reaching maturity at twenty-one.

Obviously the godparents are the main players with the parents at the christening. To give the godparents a small gift of commemoration for the christening is usually very well received. Some item of apparel which is especially appropriate to christenings would be the best received. Christening cufflinks for both the parents and the godparents are now available from a number of suppliers and can be personalised by adding the date and child's name. The beauty of this gift is that there are also cufflinks available for other members of the christening party. The father can be given some New Dad cufflinks and the grandfathers can be given some New Grandad cufflinks.

The godfather's duties at the christening are usually just to make a statement in the church to help bring up the child in the faith of the church. It's usual to have two godfathers and one godmother if the child is a boy and to have two godmothers and one godfather if the child is a girl. However this is not cast in stone and I have known christenings where the whole front row in the church is taken up with godparents. This may be a bit over the top and the godparents might feel they are not special enough if there are more than half a dozen of them.

I have seen a tie with the word godfather in large type running down the length of the tie, this would be a good fun present but I don't know the suppliers name, I'm sure a web search on the term godfather would find it with some perseverance. Cufflinks with the recipient's name or initials on them would be an ideal godfather gift for the christening and could be made suitable for a christening day with the addition of an engraved cufflink presentation box.

I haven't included any ideas for godmother gifts in this article because I'm in the process of writing an article specifically about godmother gifts.

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Godfather

Father of the Groom Gifts

by weddingcuffs 29. March 2011 02:56

Wedding day gifts for the main wedding guests has become derigeur for any modern wedding day celebration in the UK. Commonly known as wedding favours small gifts are usually supplied to the guests at the wedding breakfast but in addition to these wedding favours the main guests can be given more substantial gifts such as wedding cufflinks. This post explores Father of the Groom Gifts.

The main guests are the groom, best man, usher, father of the bride, father of the groom, brother of the bride, brother of the groom, granddad, son of the bride and groom, and other relatives who are particularly close like uncles and nephews.

Probably the most difficult guest to buy a present for is the father of the groom. The father of the groom doesn't have a definite role on the wedding day unlike the father of the bride who is giving away the bride and has the task of giving a speech. A nice gift for the father of the groom is a pair of special cufflinks either saying father of the groom or personalised with his name or initials. It is sometimes known for the father of the groom to deliver a speech at the wedding reception and obviously if this is the case he will want to look his best. A gift of a monogrammed handkerchief to be worn in the top pocket of the father of the groom's wedding suit would be a welcome gift. A keepsake to mark the happy event would be the perfect gift on the wedding day such as a scroll showing the family tree with the new addition of the bride.

A lot of weddings these days are colour co-ordinated and all of the major guests are expected to ensure that their dress is acceptable and in keeping with the themed colour. Being one of the key guests at the wedding, the father of the groom is expected to adhere to these rules. One way of helping him to meet his obligations would be to give him a present of a monogrammed tie in the correct colour or colours.

The groom will obviously look to his father for support and advice on the big day. To help the father of the groom in his duties of looking after his son he could be given a book of wedding etiquette with all of the relevant pages highlighted for his attention. This could be done in very jokey way with funny comments added to each of the highlighted pages. I’m sure the best man and ushers would be keen to help with the comments etc.

Finally if all else fails you could try asking the father of the groom if there is anything in particular he would like on the wedding day.

What makes a good Best Man

by weddingcuffs 24. February 2011 04:47

The role of best man is an important honour for you, it shows that the Groom trusts you and regards you as one of his best friends. However the honour of being a best man has its down side i.e.; responsibility for ensuring that the wedding day runs smoothly. The majority of the planning and organising of the happy event is usually undertaken by the bride and the bride’s mother, which can take over a year to sort out. Your role is to look after the Groom and help to make the day run smoothly.

Before the wedding your biggest responsibility is to sort out the stag night ensuring that the groom has a great time on his last day of freedom. The stag night is usually the night before the wedding day but because of the possibility of horrible hangovers and people getting lost it is sometimes held the week before the wedding to give everybody time to recover. This would be my preference but it’s not always possible because some guests may have to travel a long way and will need the stag night to be close to the wedding day. It is your responsibility as the best man to organise this to give the best result. There is always one friend at least who will think it’s great fun to tie up the groom naked in the high street during the stag night, it’s your duty to look after the groom and protect him from this, not take part in it.

After the stag night the most important duty for the best man is to get the groom to the church or wedding venue on time, dressed correctly with the wedding ring and in an unstressed condition. This last requirement is probably impossible but you should do your best to reduce his worry by being in control and managing the situation with the help of the ushers. Wedding cars may have been organised for the bride and some of the guests but the groom normally makes his own way to the church with the best man. You should ensure you have a back up plan to get you both to the wedding venue half an hour before the wedding is due to start. Keep a few phone numbers of taxi companies in your mobile phone just in case there is an emergency.

After you have looked after the groom successfully and he is married your major responsibilities are over except for the speech. There are lots of articles giving advice on wedding speeches and I won’t give any major advice here except to advise you don't say anything too controversial that may upset any of the guests. Good luck.

Best Man Gift Ideas

One of the best man gifts is a pair of best man cufflinks.

What makes a good Usher?

by weddingcuffs 24. February 2011 03:03

Probably the most important attributes for an Usher are a sense of humour and a lot of patience. During the wedding the Ushers have to deal with all of the guests and some of them can be quite awkward customers. Guests will range from close family members and friends to people who have had to be invited because it’s expected. The ushers are there to help with the organisation of the wedding, keeping the guests happy and smoothing any difficulties.

The first thing the Usher should do is ensure he arrives early at the wedding venue; typically an hour should be enough time. Check out the facilities like parking and toilets, you’re sure to be asked about some or all of them. Find the minister and get the service sheets ready to hand them to the guests as they arrive. The Usher is usually given the buttonholes to present to the key guests as they arrive, be sure to know who gets them, it’s usually just the close family members and friends.

Direct the guests to their seats ensuring that the family of the Groom is on the right and the family of the Bride is on the left. The first two or three rows are usually reserved for close family and friends. If the number of people on one side is becoming overlarge, direct new guests to the small side, to keep the venue balanced.

The Brides mother and any elderly guests should be escorted to their seats. The elderly guests and women with children will appreciate being seated at the ends of the seating to allow easy access if there are any toileting problems likely to occur.

During the greeting of guests the ushers should inform them of any local rules concerning photography or confetti and ladies with big hats should be directed to the rear of the seating unless they are family members in which case ensure they are not standing in front of children or small people.

After the wedding ceremony, if it is raining, the ushers should stand ready at the entrance to escort any ladies to the cars with an umbrella to protect their hair and clothing.

The last duty of the Usher at the wedding venue is to do a thorough check to ensure that no belongings have been left behind by any of the guests.

Wedding Gifts for Ushers

One of the best gifts for ushers is a pair of usher cufflinks. Cufflinks are a great way to complete your wedding suit and are a good way to provide cohesion in the attire of groups of men such as ushers, groomsmen and page boys. 

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Usher

Page Boy Duties

by weddingcuffs 7. February 2011 13:14

Page boys have a traditional presence at weddings. Whereas, ushers are usually older, page boys are usually young - under 10 years old. As with other members of a wedding party, the choice of page boy is very much the volition of the bride and groom; normally they will be closely related to the bride and groom but families find their own ways to celebrate the union and there are no hard and fast rules that a pageboy must be a particular relation. Typically a page boy will either be a god child or nephew of the bride or groom, or in some cases a child. In some cases, a wedding party will not contain any page boys and indeed their official role is fairly limited and seen by some as fairly antiquated. I guess the main role which page boys play may be considered to be the light distraction and object of attention that they provide. Weddings are, after all, a very inclusive celebration for all family and friends of the bride and groom - regardless of age. 

Page Boy Duties 

The traditional roles are limited so it is usually down to the discretion and imagination of the bride and groom as to what roles (if any) their page boys will play. At some weddings it is customary for page boys to present the wedding rings (perhaps the best man cannot be trusted!) and sometimes they are used to assist the bride as she enters the church. 

Page Boy Attire

Young family members dressed in highly formal and elegant wedding attire will always draw attention and fondness: think about co-ordinating their attire with other key members in the wedding party. Also consider unifying attire with a common theme, such as page boy cufflinks.

Making sure you get good behaviour from your page boys

  • The best man and ushers can play a role in helping look after the page boys.
  • Ensure that at both the ceremony and reception that their parents are always close at hand to help ensure good behaviour. They will obviously know their children and how best to control their behaviour.
  • It may be good to choose more than one page boy so that there is not too much attention on one boy.
  • If the page boys are to play a role such as holding the bride's dress then the page boys should practise this with the bride before the event.

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Page Boy

Groomsmen Duties

by weddingcuffs 3. February 2011 14:42

If you receive the honour of being asked to be a groomsmen you will doubtless be excited by the occasion and your role but you should be aware of the responsibilities entrusted to you. With these things it is never too early to start planning. Here are some duties that may be required of you as groomsman:

  • Assist the best man with his responsibilities and offer assistance in organisation and planning.
  • Communicate regularly with the groom and offer help. 
  • You will probably be required to hire a tuxedo so you should get fitted and ensure attire is well matched with the wedding party.
  • Help the best man organise the stag do.
  • If you are required to write a speech then talk to the groom and best man about what they require in terms of length and tone. Be sure to write the speech well in advance and practise it in front of an audience. 
  • You should familiarise yourself with the full itinerary of the wedding day; as groomsmen many people may turn to you with a question. 
  • You are likely be expected to help set up the wedding reception.
  • On the wedding day one of your duties will be to greet the wedding party as they arrive, and help guide them to their seats. It would be advisable to familiarise yourself with the guest list before the big day. It is also likely that you will escort a bridesmaid to her seat, as well as the mothers of both bride and groom. 
  • On the day itself you should be prepared to do anything you can to assist the groom and best man; be ready to give calm supportive help wherever they may need it.
  • You should also be prepared to dance with a bridesmaid at the reception!
  • You may be asked to help organise wedding gifts after the reception. 

Despite all your responsibilities you will doubtless have a very enjoyable and memorable day. Remember that the more time and effort you invest in planning, the more you are likely to enjoy the wedding.

If you want to complete the look of your wedding suit then try a pair of groomsmen cufflinks.

Usher Duties

by weddingcuffs 17. January 2010 04:59

Although many people associate the ushers in a wedding with just the bachelor party, they actually have some very real duties to attend to. There are some time commitments and costs involved with being an usher, so make sure you are ready for the responsibility when you accept the invitation.

Before the wedding you need to make sure to get fitted for your tuxedo or other wedding clothes depending on how formal the wedding is. You will be responsible for the cost of your attire for the big day, along with some of the costs involved with planning and executing the bachelor party. 

The day before the wedding make sure you pick up your tuxedo or clothes for the wedding.

On the day of the wedding you will be responsible greeting the guests and walking them to their seats. Depending on how many ushers are in the wedding you may need to escort either the mother of the bride or the mother of the groom down the aisle to their seat, along with one of the bridesmaids.

If you rented your tuxedo don't forget to return it the day after the wedding!

Complete your wedding day suit with a pair of usher cufflinks.

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Usher

Father of the Groom Duties

by weddingcuffs 30. December 2009 01:03

Father of the Groom Duties

 

The father of the groom quite often gets left out when duties are assigned during the wedding planning process, but when given the opportunity they can play an important role.

The role of the father of the groom can start even before the bride knows she will have a wedding to plan. You can offer your son some advice and encouragement for his proposal. Once the bride to be says yes, you can plan a get together for the two families. This is important start in joining two families together.

The parents of the groom traditionally host the rehearsal dinner and pay for it. It is also becoming more and more common for the grooms parents to offer to help with the reception. 

The father of the groom should also consult with the bride and groom on what he should wear to the wedding, and make sure they have the information they need to contact the guests you would like to have there.

One of the lighter duties that is a little more fun might be helping with the planning and execution of the bachelor party. 

You should also make sure you are available throughout the process for moral support and advice for your son and future daughter in law if they need it.

 

For the perfect wedding gift give the father of the groom a pair of father of the groom cufflinks

Father of the Bride Duties

by weddingcuffs 20. December 2009 02:49

There is no better day for a father than his daughter`s wedding day. We all know that his biggest responsibilities are traditionally paying for the wedding and reception, and of course giving the bride away. But there are other duties for a father to participate in throughout the day.

During the Wedding

On the wedding day the father will walk his daughter down the aisle and "give her away" to her new husband. This is often with mixed emotions as he acknowledges another man in her life, and accepts the fact that she is grown up.

A father is also an important part of the receiving line. He should stand next to his daughter and greet each guest. The father also traditionally escorts the groom`s mother to the reception. They should leave after the new couple, but before the rest of the guests.

During the Reception

The second most emotional part of a wedding day is the father daughter dance. This can bring the whole reception to a standstill, and many times there is not a dry eye in the house. The song can be a special song that holds meaning for father and daughter, or it can be one they decide they like as they are planning the wedding. If you are not an experienced dancer you might want to practice ahead of time.

Don`t forget the father traditionally gives the first speech and toast of the day. Think about what you would like so say ahead of time and make sure it comes from the heart. This is a great time to tell your daughter how proud you are of her, and how much you love her.

Lastly, during the reception the father should make sure that all his guests are enjoying themselves, and make sure he is enjoying himself as well!

For the perfect wedding gift give the father of the bride a pair of father of the bride cufflinks