The father of the bride has a special place in wedding etiquette. Not only does he give the bride away during the wedding ceremony but he also traditionally hosts the wedding reception that follows. The father of the bride speech and toast to the bride and groom is usually one of the highlights of the formalities of the reception. Now having said that, traditional and formal wedding etiquette have been displaced by informality and flexibility in all but high society weddings. Today’s weddings are usually arranged by the couple themselves, rather than by the bride’s parents as was the case in earlier times. The bride and groom will often decide how they would like their wedding ceremony to proceed.

The father of the bride, as the host, traditionally gives the first speech and concludes with a toast to the bride and groom. The bridegroom replies and toasts the bridesmaids. The best man relies on behalf of the bridesmaids, and offers a toast to the parents of the bride and groom. As the host, the father of the bride would usually take the opportunity to welcome the guests and acknowledge those who made a special effort to attend, and mention those unable to be present. Some thanks will usually be extended to those who made a special contribution to the wedding in some way, such as helping with flowers or the wedding cake. The groom’s family is traditionally acknowledged in the bride’s father’s speech.

The more emotional and heartfelt part of the speech comes in the personal words directed to the bride and groom, perhaps mixed in with some entertaining stories and humor. Most fathers make a point of speaking also on behalf of the bride’s mother. The speech concludes with a toast to the bride and groom, inviting everyone to raise their glasses and drink a toast to the future health and happiness of the newly weds. Usually the toast is expressed with a succinct message delivered with a touch of poetry. The first speech and the toast to the bride and groom is sometimes given instead by an old family friend or by a master of ceremonies, or toastmaster. Sometimes the best man acts as the toastmaster and gives this first speech. It may be that the father of the bride is absent or unwell, or perhaps not a confident public speaker.

Beach weddings are always so beautiful. There is nothing quite like having a wedding by the ocean with the sun and the sand all around you. The typical wedding flowers are not quite right for this distinctive setting; something special is called for. These are some great ideas for beach wedding flowers for bouquets and centerpieces. Bright colors are ideal for beach wedding flowers. Nothing feels more tropical than a big bunch of fuchsia hibiscus tied with an organza ribbon. Exotic orchids come in a truly remarkable array of colors, including vivid purples, hot pinks, oranges, and yellows, all of which could make marvelous additions to a beach wedding bouquet. Lilies and birds of paradise are other flowers with a tropical appeal. They are particularly pleasing for cascade bouquets.

More traditional bridal flowers like roses can be give a beachy style with the addition of special accents. Pale pink roses with small spiral seashells wired in amongst them would be a beautiful bouquet design for a beach wedding. This is a lovely way to give pale colored flowers a beach feeling, if you are not interested in the bright showy tropical colors. The shells are a nice detail, and look great when the bridal party is wearing beach theme wedding jewelry, especially beach wedding jewelry with a seashell motif. If you are planning a destination wedding to Hawaii or just want to bring the flavor of the Hawaiian islands to your local beach, think about having floral leis on hand, not just for the bride and groom, but all of the wedding guests. This would be a fantastic way to say “aloha” to your guests as they arrive at the wedding ceremony, and would surely get everyone into the spirit of your beach wedding!

For beachy centerpieces, the same general ideas which work for bouquets will be great. Bright tropical flowers, the addition of seashells, sand dollars, or faux coral will do the trick. Another idea is to design creative centerpieces with a tropical flavor. Use a hollowed out pineapple or coconut shell to hold flowers instead of a standard vase. Or fill tall clear cylinders with orchids submerged in water and nestle on a bed of sand in the middle of each dinner table. Another gorgeous idea for a beach wedding centerpiece is to fill clear vases with shells and then place the floral displays on top. These special ideas will make for beach wedding flowers which make your wedding unique and beautiful.