By Jason Hennessey

Wedding grandeur is the ultimate dream of any wannabe bride or groom. Either from an in-born penchant for taste and elegance or from sentimental purposes derived from the television screen, many couples are falling over themselves to make their wedding day a cut before the previous one. And there is absolutely no harm in doing that. As long as you have the means and the ability to make it the most talked over wedding in town, go right ahead and make it just that. And what better way to do that than having your big day in American Palace. Of course there are no kings in America so you are wondering what palaces.

Between the years 1890 and 1920, there arose a number of high profile tycoons and very powerful businessmen. They were oil and coal magnates and their some of their establishments exist to this day. Needless to say, they lived large and they constructed palatial homes as their residences. With time after the Gilded Age {which is what this period was referred to} the tycoons died but their residences still remain to this day. And they have been transformed to historical relics, with their kingly facilities being available for private functions and events.

Of the most famous industrialist millionaires of those times was William Randolph Hearst who built the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. This magnificent castle also known as the ‘Enchanted Hill’ is an ideal location for your wedding. For a start, there is a private airfield should you wish to fly in and later out. With amenities like a movie theater, a zoo, and multiple rooms and bathrooms, you will have shared the castle with movie stars and leaders who visited here many years ago when it was an invite-only residence.

Another palace that you might consider for that elegant wedding venue is the Flagler House in Palm Beach Florida. Henry M. Flagler was an associate of John D. Rockefeller and built this magnificent mansion fittingly for his bride way back in 1902. Having your wedding here where on of the most famous American industrialists lived is the epitome of grandeur.

Another very famous palace in which grandeur par excellence can be exhibited is the Biltmore Estate in Asheville North Carolina. This palace with a French Renaissance design was built by George Washington Vanderbilt II. Conveniences should you choose it as your wedding venue include a winery, two hotels and a vineyard. Also you can also have a carriage theme wedding here in the expansive acreage of the estate.

St. Paul, Minnesota hosts the residence billed “as the best preserved Victorian boulevard in America.”  This is the James J. Hill House. It was built in 1891 by the railway chief James J. Hill. It is a fusion of Western Europe design with the Victorian feature being most poignant. A wedding here will transport you back in time and you will experience the opulence and grandeur of what it meant to be a famous industrialist millionaire.

There are very many other American palaces and these are just some where you can have that dream wedding only seen as a Beverly Hill recluse.

By Jason Hennessey

We all love movies and most people love those movies that come with a bit, if not a lot of romance. They usually succeed in exciting and raising our spirits, making us want to be in the same position of high emotions and love. These great feelings can also be achieved in your wedding. You would love it if the guests attending your wedding got the feeling that they were in a great romantic movie, the premiere of the movie to be exact.

Romantic movies can be a source of nice cinema themes which can be used to enhance the wedding event. Try famous themes such as that of Hollywood movies to serve as an introduction to the fictional movie premiere.  Other musical tunes from your favorite movies can also form part of an excellent soundtrack for the various scenes.

For a start, knock the shoes of the feet of your guests by giving them a red carpet welcome. This means that when they walk into the venue, they set their feet on a red carpet that runs all the way to the sitting area. Remember that first impressions matter a lot. Include large beautiful posters of your favorite movie stars along the walls or on the easels. You can have an usher dressed as a movie icon to welcome the guests and present them with popcorn. The guests should also be given the treatment of movie stars. Ensure not to compromise on any aspect since your intention is to create a lasting impression.

The next stop is at the reception. This is where all dreams come true. The decorations can take the form of filmstrips colored black and white. On each table, place a film award statue, for an example an Oscar, with the name of the table occupant or the marriage couple engraved on each.

Make a grand entrance. Walk gracefully down into the wedding reception area to the sound of trumpets such as the 20th Century Fox introductory fanfare. Make sure that all and sundry realize that the main actor and actress are entering the building.

Favors can also consist of silver keepsakes, movies or other movie-making equipment such as models of cameras, props or even projectors.  You can also give the guests a screen play of the wedding they attended early and have a cameraman with a sticker written “press” taking their pictures.

The food must bring out the feeling of being in blockbuster movie’s premiere dinner. Ensure that there is lots of food and each guest can eat to their fill. The type of food can be of a classic theme and make sure there is variety to cater for everyone’s taste. Serve popcorn and ice cream for dessert to crown the special menu. Be sure to include some special effects in the reception so as to make it a unique experience for everyone.

Entertain your guests well and they will never cease to appreciate it. Let them dance to love ballads from the most romantic movies. The guests can even assume the various characters in that movies thereby introducing an impromptu short play on different scenes.