By Jason Hennessey

Some people will not believe it if you chose a zoo for a wedding venue, reason being the immediate picture they see is that of wild animals that are dangerous to humans. But recently, the wild-hearted and the daring in the community have enjoyed their weddings in the zoo, reason being that it is a unique and exotic place to hold a special memorable function.

Zoos can be fun to be in. You can enjoy the site of a variety of wild animals, different species of birds, insects, and trees, crowned with the beautiful scenery. A number of them are now offering such services as hosting special events in their staging and attraction areas. Depending on the size of these areas, zoos can now accommodate a number of guests for such purposes as weddings, picnics and parties.

The challenges of planning a zoo wedding are space and time. One has to ensure that the space available in the zoo can accommodate all guests invited. The couple is advised to visit the zoo so as to assess the available space for their event, know which part of the zoo may be accessed by their guests and the other parts that are out of bounds. Special stages attraction areas and of the zoo may be appropriate to hold your wedding as they are specially made for zoo visitors.

Time is also a crucial factor to consider as management may not allow such events during the normal opening hours. This means that the wedding may have to take place at late hours or at night. There is no problem though with holding a wedding at these late hours as management can organize for sufficient lighting. Trees can be decorated with twinkling lights, passages well lit and the main weddings tent decorated to give it a natural wild look. This is sure to blow up your guests’ expectations as it will bring them closer to nature itself.  Zoo staff members and guides may however be needed to keep any straying wild animals at bay to ensure a secure and peaceful environment.

The zoo’s scenic view can be eye-catching especially on photographs. The couple can take their photos here giving them a natural backdrop. They can also take advantage of the various major attractions of the zoo, poses with the human friendly animals and even get to be at close proximity with other wild animals.

Entertainment can be provided so as to avoid moving guests to a different spot for the same. The host staff can also show the guests around as a special offer or at an extra cost. The couple, with permission from the zoo’s management, can hire entertainment from outside to keep the guests in a festive mood.

Great care should be taken by the guests and the wedding couple to ensure all regulation and rules of the zoo are followed to the letter. Areas out of bound to guests should be clearly marked to avoid human-animal conflicts. This will ensure that the ceremony runs smoothly and its good memories remain in the minds of all guests.

By Jason Hennessey

There is no doubt that New York is the capital city of the world. There is a wide diversity of cultures that are present in this city, and as a result it is rich in traditions. Wedding ceremonies are no exception when it comes to the spirit of New York people. New York is a romantic city with distinct wedding celebrations. The city weddings are full of liveliness coupled with a sense of style. The ceremonies are finely presented making its weddings standout from the rest of the occasions across the world.

Various people have emulated the New York wedding theme and have used its theme to accentuate their wedding ceremonies. The themes are flattering especially to wedding receptions or honeymooning. Just as depicted in sex and the city, the spirit of wedding cerebration in New York is of high grade. However, it also features some ancient styles just like in Breakfast at Tiffany’s if you want to add a classic appeal to your wedding. New York’s night life is one of a kind. A wedding ceremony in New York style can give your friends, relatives, colleagues and family members a night to remain in their memories in their entire lives.

While planning a New York-themed wedding reception, you need to let your guests know of the special event just in time. The task of invitation should reflect what they should expect. Therefore, it should be done with a great deal of style. The invitations could be on crisp papers with gold or shinny silver prints made with great mastery. Various fonts can be etched artistically to put down the recipients names and addresses if need be.  With invitations you want to let your guests know that there are about for a special event through the wonderful culture and high spirit of the New Yorkers.

The wedding reception venue can be decorated to reflect an uptown New York theatre-Broadway. You can include spackling chandeliers, outdoor lighting torches and gleaming linens to reflect the color lights. You can also have big neon lights with your name above the entrance to the venue. Cover linens can have an amazing “world city” effect if the right colors and positions are well selected. Spackle blue and silver can create a fantastic impression in the wedding reception park.

You can then treat your guests with a Manhattan-style cocktail with plenty of cool drinks in glossy glasses just like in a martini bar.  Some vintage servings can give the evening a classic appeal with sloe fizz, boil maker or sidecar. This should go down well with cool relaxing music; possibly from a city band. The melodies should have a romantic theme, but can later on be a little feverish to pull guests to the dance floor. If you cannot afford for a band, you can still have fun by playing some recorded classic tunes such as “it’s hard to be you”, by Harry Connick Jr.

When it comes to giving out wedding favors, you need also to go the New York City way. Giving guests practical gifts can be quite impressionistic. However, you need not forget the art of New York style.