Have the speech of your life!

Aside from all the planning and organising for the day the one thing most Grooms worry about is their speech (most brides are worried about the Best Mans!).  So how can you make sure you enjoy this moment as much as the rest of the day?

Plan it - in advance and practice it out loud!  Jotting notes down on the back on a beer mat the night before will not give you the confidence you need to deliver it they way you want to.  Start writing it in the weeks before and know how long you want to talk for, it doesn't need to be long anywhere between 3 - 10 minutes.

Discuss your speech with the Father of the Bride and the Best Man to make sure you're not all using the same story or joke.

Be genuine - if you're not someone who makes jokes every two minutes then be wary of putting them in the speech - it will sound and feel strange to you and to everyone one in the room who, let's be honest, knows you well.  Now is not the time to think about launching your stand up career!

Make sure you've included everyone you need to thank - it may not be the best start to married life if you forget to toast the bride!

Alcohol - you may think a few drinks will help - the fact is some may give you dutch courage but too much could cause you to embarrass yourself and your bride.  There will be plenty of time after your speech to partake in a drink or three.

Write down the main points on to A6 cards, these are small enough to have in your hand and will not detract from what you are saying if you're someone who uses their hands a lot while talking. 

Learn the first few lines off by heart so you can look up and speak directly to the guests, after that you can flick between the guests and your cards  If you're looking down at the cards the whole time then you are basically just talking to your coffee cup! 

Because you've been practising then you will be speaking slowly and clearly (again too much alcohol can make you speak quickly and stumble across your words).  You will be feeling confident and engaging with your guests.

If the emotion takes over, then stop for a moment, look up (it stops you crying, if you don't want to), take a sip of your drink, take a breath and then continue.

If you're really nervous then book some time with a coach who will help you with the delivery.

Take a deep breath before you start and smile!

For Fathers of the Bride and Best Men - see the above!!

What Makes A Good Parcel Courier Service Part 1

The other day I was looking to get TMC listed in some internet directories under various categories such as “parcel transportation”, “delivery services” and “courier services”.

There are lots of review sites, some of which specialise in the transportation field. Thumbs up for that. Many of these review sites are crammed with comments. Thumbs up again.

Then it quickly dawned on me that virtually every review I came across, on every directory, was a complaint.  Literally thousands of them.  Not about us, you understand.

I thought to myself: “Is it really so hard to get it right?”

So, turning negatives into positives, here’s Part 1 of our definitive list of “What Makes a Good Parcel Courier Service”.

1. Basic ability

Seems simple doesn’t it. A ‘delivery company’ only has to do one thing. Deliver. Yet it sees that some companies have great difficulty getting the basics right.

Fundamental to same day or overnight delivery is, well, just that. Look for a courier company that shows it can get the basics right before you look for the supporting factors.

2. Real customer service

When you call your courier company, do you get to speak to a human? Do you get a reply when you send an email? Do they call back when they say they will or quote your price when they say they will?

Judge how they talk to you on the phone and respond to email enquiries and don’t settle for poor service. Attitude to service tells you a lot about their attitude to getting your parcel there on time.

3. Transparent pricing

Delivery and shipping costs are vitally important to everyone – and clearly have to be controlled.  But bear in mind ‘cheap’ isn’t always ‘best’. Nor is the price you see always the price you pay.

Of course, “cheapest” and “best” are two factors that everyone wants to go hand in hand. So watch out for hidden extras or contract riders that may excuse delivery delays.

4. Honesty

Sometimes, just sometimes, packages don’t arrive at their destination when they’re supposed to. So if things go wrong, your courier company should be able to tell you why.

We all know ‘things happen’. Accidents, bad weather and other factors beyond our control are just a fact of life. But it’s not unreasonable to expect a proper explanation for the delay.

5. Proof

Thinking back to all the terrible reviews of courier and delivery companies I mentioned earlier, it pays to look for positive reviews and testimonials.

They can, of course, be made up. But real testimonials from real companies can be worth all the glossy marketing in the world.

Look out for Part 2 of our guide to What Makes a Good Parcel Courier Service soon!

 To See More Clink Here TMC Transport

Celebrate Mother's Day at Ware Priory

Celebrate Mothers’ Day and make it an extra special day Sunday 18th March 2012 at Ware Priory

 Mother’s Day Luncheon Sunday 18th March 2012 

12.30pm - for 1.00pm 

£28.00 per person 

£14.00 per child 

Our superb three course Carvery features 

A delicious assortment of starters 

A selection of Roast Meats available from our Carvery 

with all the trimmings 

Our Chef’s sumptuous Dessert Table 

Tea, Coffee & Truffle 

Wedding's at Ware Priory.

For that extra special occasion Ware Priory is one of the leading wedding and banqueting 

venues in Hertfordshire. The historic building and beautiful riverside setting makes it a unique and special place to celebrate the most important days of your life. 

At Ware Priory, we understand that your wedding or celebration is special, and so 

to ensure a magical time, we offer: 

• A choice of historical or contemporary surroundings 

• A choice of licensed rooms for civil ceremonies 

• A range of wonderful rooms from 20 to 200 capacity 

• Riverside location and gardens 

• Realistic , competitive pricing 

• Beautiful and unique surroundings 

• Experienced, friendly staff on hand to help make your special day one to remember. 

more than a venue …. for more information please visit 

www.warepriory.co.uk or call 01920 460316 

Ware Priory, High Street, Ware, Hertfordshire, SG12 9AL