whatkat, we didn't get a professional emcee for the reception. i didn't know what to think with one proposal we got from a service provider that will remain unnamed. there was a line that said something like "i will also sing three songs." haha, i felt that our reception was supposed to be about us and not to be about showcasing the emcee's
galing in singing, in speaking English, or the like.
we did have guests "host" specific parts of the program. one cousin handled the announcements for the bridal party, another one took on introducing the first dances, and yet another provided background talk while i was throwing my bouquet. we thought this was a good way to get some of the guests feel really
involved. during dinner, the band provided background music.
and don't laugh, but i couldn't stop thinking about why shangri-la only had room requirements for outdoor receptions. and i finally thought of a reason that made sense at least to me
! see, i figured if a reception was held on the beach, cocktails in the lobby, or any other outdoor area, your wedding guests will be depriving the checked-in shangri-la guests access to those public spaces. and since the checked-in guests won't be able to use those areas, then shangri-la would have in turn been deprived of the revenue that otherwise would have been earned (ie, checked-in guests ordering food/drinks). but aside from that missed revenue, i think it's really more for the benefit of the checked-in guest's comfort and
rights. their nightly rate, after all, should afford them access to the beach, to the lobby, or to any outdoor area. i think this is a good policy on shangri-la's part with how they look out for the checked-in guests' access to amenities. i, for one, would certainly be ticked off, if- for three afternoons (in case there are weddings all weekend long) in a row- i can't lounge in the beach area of my choice. now, if a minimum of 20 of your guests (10 rooms * approximately 2 persons per room) are staying for the minimum two nights, then i guess shangri-la could manage to turn a blind eye since the public area will be occupied by at least 20 checked-in guests. they won't necessarily be depriving
all of their checked-in guests access to those public spaces. but now, if your wedding was in a ballroom, then the room requirement does not exist since the ballrooms are not open for public use to begin with. whew..
k_go, good to hear your wedding is over. i still remember you from last year when you were beginning to plan your wedding, and i just about finished with mine. absolutely like that 6:02 PM quip!
fajnadupa, for top three things i wish we could've done differently, i'll give you two:
1. i would have seriously reconsidered the 2:30 PM ceremony start time. it was soooooooo hot! i guess we could've moved it down to about 5:00 PM. or, to appease my mother who wants a ceremony during the day and not when the sun is about to wane, we could probably have had a morning (9 AM-ish?) ceremony. we would then have the reception at 5:00 PM. that would have given the bridal party even more time to take pictures. and me and my husband would have had time to relax together, cool down, and rest a bit before the reception.
2. i was very proud of how my gown's bustle looked like during my fittings. i specifically chose a french bustle over the english bustle. mine had 10 points where the ties needed to done. when it came to bustle me up, i told amanda that i needed a particular friend who was with me during my fittings so she can tie up the dress. but amanda said they also knew how to do that. i was actually a bit embarrassed that i underestimated her and her team that way. but as it turns out, i was not bustled properly! i still cringe everytime i see pictures of the back of my dress, grrrrr.. so what i should've done differently is that i should not have second guessed myself. i should've dragged my friend over to the bridal room. i should've realized that it's okay to be demanding and anal on my own wedding day.
