Well you can blame the Scots for this one.  The legend has it that in 1288 a law was passed that, Woman could ask Men to marry them, in a leap year.  As with all laws with is a punishment if you break them.  So if a Man said no, he had to buy her a Silk Dress or a pair of Gloves.

The legend went round the world.  Balls were organised on the 29th February (i bet they had a Toastmaster there) especially so Woman could ask men. And so the tradition started and continues to this day.

If you having your wedding breakfast at one of the big reputable establishment or if you are using a venue that stands alone, has been going for years, you might think you have nothing to worry about.  With these uncertain times nothing can be guaranteed. some very big companies have gone under, let alone small ones.

So if it was me, I would look into Insurance.   With premiums from around £25 to cover a £25,000 cost of wedding, it does seem to be a good idea.  As with all insurance it is very important to get independent advice.

Just food for thought but a few of  my fellow Toastmasters within the English Toastmasters Association have had this happen to one of their couples.  Do not forget, if your venue lets you down all your other suppliers will still expect a payment, either a cancellation fee or a full payment depending on how long before your wedding day.

brides maides with flowers at traditional wedding service

As with any traditional wedding service: I was at attendance at the church far in advance of the service starting, primed and ready to meet and greet any guests. By being there early, at a traditional wedding service in particular, I am able to ensure everything runs smoothly. For example, it extremely important that the order of service arrives on time and if needs be and the bride needs to be displayed, all parties involved can be managed in a relaxing way.

After the service, we will do a range of things to ensure that the wedding runs smooth: from helping the photographer to organise the guests, through to cutting the cake and serving the champagne at the end reception.

If you are interested in hiring Toastmaster Crockett to facilitate your traditional wedding service then please contact me on:

0121 544 1196

Alternatively find out how toastmastering could improve your wedding day.

I have been asked to do a wedding Fayre in Ladypool, which is part of Birmingham.  I will be doing my usual role as Toastmaster but I will also be launching my new business.  I am going into the Chair Cover hire.  Hope I can get someone to come along and help me.  Could do it by myself but some Toastmasters are finding that if we are in full uniform, that becomes a barrier to customers.

I week on Sunday I have a Wedding Fayre, in Leamington  Spa at the Town Hall.  Doors open at 12.00 so come along and say hi.

So you may ask why Go Daddy and how did I find using it.  One of my fellow Toastmasters at the English Toastmasters Association, mentioned it at our training session last month.  On to how I found using it.  At best I would give it 5 out of 10.  It would keep changing colour and size of text by its self, when I went back to do spell check or alter something I had done earlier.  The preview of my front page looked great but when I published it moved one block of text to a different location on the page.  Went back to the editing side of the site and still showing my original set up of the page, anyhow work in progress at best.

I am now in the planning stage of my next business in the wedding industry.  I am just about to order some samples and hit the wedding fayres but I think more about this in a later blogg, a little teaser there for everyone

Today it will be lots of work on the website and also getting a new business venture of the ground.  It is still in the wedding industry so watch this space.

I am really pleased with the website has come on in the last few months, which is all thanks to Andrew and his team at scorchsoft.  A really great company to work with.

I do enjoy my weekends off from work because I get so much to work

Getting ready now for forthcoming wedding fayre on Sunday, which will start the wedding fayre season for me

Next Sunday the 4th I will be at the Wedding and Prom Fayre, at The Pavilion, More Lane, Perry Bar, Birmingham.  The doors open to this fantastic event at 11.00am.  There will be lots of wedding industry vendors there so come along, there is always something new and exciting.  Plus I will be doing so comparing, along with meeting and greeting everyone as they come in.

Yesterday (Saturday) it was my great pleasure to be Toastmaster to Angie and Nick.  I have known Nick for over 20 years, when we used to work together at MG Rover.  I was ready at the church in Blackheath, which is about halfway between Birmingham and Dudley, a good hour and half before the service.  My main duties at the Church was to escort guests to the door of the church, while keeping my umbrella over their heads to keep them dry (all part of the service).  The marriage service went really well, up to the point when came to say the brides names.  Angie has 4 middle names which Nick was struggling to get right, but with excellent help from the vicar taking him through name by name we got there.

Glad to say rain stopped for the arrival of the bride and also when they came out of the church.  I helped with a few of the photographs, then left with plenty of time to spare so I was ready to greet the happy couple at the reception,   which was at Berchly social club which is in Oldbury.  The bridal party arrived along with all their guests.  All the talk was about the photographer from the local paper, the Wolverhampton Express and Star had come along just after I had left to pictures of the couple, best man and the the gentleman giving the Angie away(damn: missed by chance to get into the paper).  The story the paper was doing is that Nick a Wolverhampton Wanders fan, marrying Angie a West Bromwich Albion fan, who was given away by Miller a Aston Villa fan and the best man Lee was a Birmingham City Fan.  Just to add to it Aston Villa had played Wolves earlier in the day, luckily that game finished O-O so everybody was Happy.

The reception went really well, with a very nice touch, when we had the best man and his wife on the dance floor and gave them their 1st dance, as it was their wedding anniversary and with a bit subterfuge we found out what their 1st song was on their wedding day.  The rest of the night went off fantastic with everyone having a great time.

Today (Sunday) back to last nights venue to fetch a few things.  Then off to Bournville (home of Cadburys Chocolate MMmm) which is in Birmingham to meet Sarah an enquiry I had on Sunday.  A very good meeting, but a shame her finance had been called into work. So I had a good chat with Sarah and her Dad.  I think Sarah will book me once she has talked it over.

Then off to Alcester which is in Warwickshire.  Final meeting with Kelly and Matt to go through the arrangements for their big day a week on Saturday.  Everything in place and we all set.  Then back to catch my breath……FEW!