Photo courtesy of Ikonica Photography

The Master of Ceremonies (MC or emcee) is the host of your wedding and should make sure everyone is having a good time. A good MC is more than someone who is good at public speaking or can tell a few jokes. They should make sure everything runs smoothly and introduce each person who is speaking, as well as important events. We asked Michael Coombs of Toronto-based Michael Coombs Entertainment for five things every MC should know:

1. Be organized
Have everything written down in advance and know exactly what you’re going to say. Make sure you have the correct names and information and a detailed timeline. The MC says opening remarks (not a long speech) and introduces all of the key players of the wedding. “A good MC is organized, responsible and can take instructions well,” says Coombs. “It’s about the bride and groom and not about the MC’s fifteen minutes of fame.”

2. Know what’s going on (and make sure everyone else knows too)
One of the essential roles of the MC is to work with the vendors so everyone knows what’s going on. “It’s very important to know the flow of the evening and make sure everyone is ready for his or her cues,” he says. “The MC is there to lead the audience and have them know what’s happening next.” They should make sure everything is running on time and that the DJ, photographer and vendors are cued to capture key moments.

3. Do your homework
Coombs suggests watching major award shows, like the Grammys, or looking to talk show hosts for ideas. “These people know what they’re doing. You can see everything is short, scripted and to the point,” he says. The most important thing is to be prepared. Meet with the bride and groom beforehand to discuss details and what kind of role they see the MC playing. “There will still be some surprises on the day, but there should be a program or itinerary in place to make sure everything runs smoothly,” he says.

4. Add some emotion and special touches
Interview each speaker beforehand. Ask them how they know the couple or for a special memory you can tell before you introduce them. “The wedding is about emotion and these special moments and this makes it so much more fun,” says Coombs. “It’s a celebration of two people coming together, so you should put emotion into introducing key people.” For example, the MC could ask the bride to write a special message or memory about her parents for the MC to read before they are introduced.

5. Be careful with humour
To tell jokes or not to tell jokes? That is the question. Tread lightly when it comes to humour. Make sure jokes are in good taste and do not offend anyone—especially the bride! “Someone with a great personality or a natural storyteller can make a great MC, but nine times out of 10 jokes will bomb,” says Coombs. The goal is to make everyone feel at ease and relaxed without stealing the spotlight.

Sasha Sullivan and Shamus Sullivan, September 3 2011, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Photography courtesy of Kira Nelson Photography, (kiranelson.com)

Vendors

Ceremony and reception location: Delta Bessborough
Wedding Planners: Crystal Anderson MacLeod for RSVP Event Design, Décor & Rentals
Dress: Enzoani from The Bridal House
Hair and Makeup: Pamela Warden
Groom’s tux: Hugo Boss
Bridal party attire: Dessy from The Bridal House 
Cake: No wedding cake
Flowers: Blossoms Living
Music: Boom Music
Favours: Homemade Saskatoon berry jam
Caterer: Delta Bessborough
Stationery: Kimberly Evans for RSVP Event Design Décor & Rentals
Photo booth: Open Photo Booth

Image courtesy Four Weddings Canada

We know you’re knee-deep in booking caterers and considering florists, but we highly recommend you start taking some time out on Wednesday nights to watch Four Weddings Canada, the show that pits four brides against each other in a matrimonial showdown for a chance to win a dream honeymoon. Why? Quite simply: It’s hilarious. Need proof? You’ll find it in these Toronto Life recaps complete with “Bitch-O-Meters” and titles like “Your Wedding Sucks” and “Drunk Husband-Bride”. In each hour-long episode of the show, four diverse and opinionated brides attend each other’s weddings and then score them out of ten in four categories — venue, food, dress and overall experience. Toronto Life then takes the scrutiny one step further by rating each bride’s behaviour.

Four Weddings Canada probably won’t help you with the wedding planning process but it’s good for a laugh — and you’ll definitely take solace in the fact that there won’t be four strangers and a camera crew in attendance on your big day.

There’s more to being a groom than showing up and wearing a nice suit. Your groom’s look is as important as yours on the big day, so have a theme in mind when accessorizing and styling the groom and groomsmen. Whether it’s a classic touch, like cufflinks and a silk tie, or something bolder, like suspenders and striped socks, we have a few ideas to have your husband-to-be looking his best.

If you’re looking to add an element of whimsy to your wedding forgo traditional floral arrangements and centrepieces and opt for balloon bouquets in your wedding colours. Use coloured balloons in place of bridal party bouquets and adorn each table with a unique bunch of balloons for a budget-friendly floral alternative. For playful photo-ops, include balloons in your engagement and post-ceremony photo shoots or have guests release balloons as you come out of your ceremony venue. If your reception venue lacks ceiling decor, let elegant balloons float up and have the strings hang down for a light and airy environment.

Camilla Rogalski and Steve Rua, July 30 2011, Milton, Ontario

Photography courtesy of Tami McInnis (tamimcinnis.com)

Vendors

Ceremony location: St. Mary’s Church
Reception location: Piper’s Heath Golf Club
Dress: Madison Collection from Best for Bride Boutique
Hair: Rachel Renna
Makeup: Noémi Lavoie
Groom’s tux: Freeman Formals
Bridal party attire: Mexx
Cake: I Do! Wedding Cakes
Favours: Donation the the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada
Flowers and Décor: Creations Décor
Music: DJ Emporium
Stationery: Ingledew Invites

Wedding days typically start very early and end late. Couple that with tears and laughter and you’ve got perfect storm for makeup meltdown. It absolutely does not have to be this way and you can (yes really, you can!) have a perfect face from morning to night if you use the right long-wearing makeup essentials. From the perfect waterproof eye pencil, to a long-lasting blush, eye shadow and lippy, here’s our custom-curated extended-wear makeup kit.

Scrapbooking is so 2009. This year it’s all about Pinterest. What is Pinterest? Just the hottest website of 2012, according to CNN. This virtual bulletin board lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web and for that reason it’s an absolutely invaluable tool for wedding-planning. Get ready to toss all those tear-outs cluttering up your apartment and that bulky binder you’ve been stashing ideas in since before he proposed. We’re going to show you how to get completely organized (and inspired!) using this amazing website.