Pictures of all the fun at the Carraig Briste Graduation
Today at 01:00
There was plenty of smiles for the Carraig Briste Graduation, as the children celebrated their special day with their families. Photographer Pat O'Connor was on hand to capture all of the joy of the occasion.
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Glasgow Times
9 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Talks between Health Secretary and BMA to take place next week
Earlier this week, the BMA announced resident doctors – formerly junior doctors – in England would walk out for five consecutive days from 7am on July 25 amid a pay dispute with the Government. The BBC says discussions will take place next week, with the BMA telling the broadcaster industrial action would only be called off if it receives an offer it can put to its members. Mr Streeting is reportedly sympathetic to improving working conditions for doctors, but will not budge on salaries. Reacting to the BMA announcement on Wednesday, Mr Streeting called the move 'completely unreasonable' and urged the union to 'abandon their rush to strike', while health chiefs warned strikes are 'unfair to patients'. Health Secretary Wes Streeting (Lucy North/PA) Mr Streeting told the Commons on Thursday: 'We have put the NHS on the road to recovery, but we all know that the NHS is still hanging by a thread, and that the BMA is threatening to pull it.' TV doctor and IVF pioneer Professor Robert Winston resigned from the BMA following the strike announcement, writing in The Times: 'I've paid my membership for a long time. I feel very strongly that this isn't the time to be striking. 'I think that the country is really struggling in all sorts of ways, people are struggling in all sorts of ways. 'Strike action completely ignores the vulnerability of people in front of you.' He urged the union to reconsider, saying it is 'important that doctors consider their own responsibility much more seriously', and stressed that the walkout could cause 'long-term damage' to people's faith in doctors. Some 90% of voting resident doctors backed the strike action, with the BMA reporting a turnout of 55%. The union has said that resident doctors need a pay uplift of 29.2% to reverse 'pay erosion' since 2008/09. In September, BMA members voted to accept a government pay deal worth 22.3% on average over two years. The 2025/26 pay deal saw resident doctors given a 4% uplift plus £750 'on a consolidated basis' – working out as an average pay rise of 5.4%. The BMA call for a 29.2% uplift is based on Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation, the measure of average changes in the price of goods and services used by most households. The BMA has been contacted for comment.
Straits Times
11 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Want an Instagrammable wedding? Here's what it really takes
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A photo provided by Chelsea Beamer Photography of a wedding at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds in Colorado in 2022. The groom arrived via helicopter to the wedding. NEW YORK – Most couples want nothing more than flawless wedding photos that perfectly capture a magical moment, blockbuster arrival or spectacular view. Bonus points if the photos gain traction on social media. What they probably do not understand is the months , or longer, of meticulous planning – not to mention hefty budgets – that are often needed to bring these awe-inspiring visuals to life. The 200-person mid-Atlantic wedding that Ms Lindsey Shaktman, director of planning for Mavinhouse Events in Ipswich, Massachusetts, pulled off in 2024 is one example. 'We lost the groom for several moments because he was on the wrong channel' of the long-range walkie-talkies, she said, 'and a major storm happened off the coast of Maine 24 hours before'. 'In water, you can't will five anchored boats to be still – everything constantly moves,' she added. But here is the magic: None of that turbulence was evident in the photos. 'That's the beauty of photography ,' Ms Shaktman said. 'It can show perfection in otherwise imperfect scenarios, which couples never see. They have no idea how hard that photo was to capture or what went into making their request possible.' Other wedding specialists with similar experiences feel the same way. They share the behind-the-scenes efforts needed to create visually compelling moments. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Government looking at enhancing laws around vaping to tackle issue of drug-laced vapes in Singapore Singapore Why the vape scourge in Singapore concerns everyone Singapore I lost my daughter to Kpod addiction: Father of 19-year-old shares heartbreak and lessons Singapore Organised crime groups pushing drug-laced vapes in Asia including Singapore: UN Asia Why China's high-end hotels are setting up food stalls outside their doors Singapore Geothermal energy present in S'pore, but greater study on costs, stability needed, say experts Singapore Prison school to NUS: At 36, former drug abuser finds it's never too late to get a degree Singapore Driver arrested after 66-year-old woman dies in car crash at Geylang pasar malam Entrances 'This is usually a wedding's first impression,' said Mr Scott Warfel, creative and operations director for Putnam Designs in New York City. 'It needs a wow factor because it sets the tone and expectations.' This is often achieved with flowers. Floral arrangements have migrated from the table to enormous backdrops or ceiling coverings at wedding venues. These non-permanent configurations are painstakingly assembled and can be pricey. 'They need to be substantial, sound and interactive, and have lasting power for a high-intensity experience,' said Mr Warfel, whose company creates 15 to 20 mega flower arrangements a year. Each requires 12 to 18 people to be put together, from florists and designers to logistics specialists and builders. Then there are the installers and dismantlers, along with 'an electrical team and a power source' to consider, he added. 'If you're in an open field, electricity may not exist,' he said. 'The more elaborate – sconces, lighting, paint, wallpaper, moulding – the more expensive these become.' Depending on size – the average is 12 by 15 feet, or 3.6m by 4.6m – complexity, design and number of flowers, these installations can cost US$15,000 (S$19,000) to US$30,000, said Mr Warfel. A photo provided by Kelsey Cowley Photography shows the decoration for an engagement party at the Boom Boom Room in New York, designed by creative and operations director Scott Warfel for Putnam Design. PHOTO: KELSEY COWLEY PHOTOGRAPHY VIA NYTIMES Big arrivals 'Memorable arrivals are more about everyone's safety than costs,' said Ms Loni Peterson, owner of LP Creative Events in Arvada, Colorado. In 2022, she organised a 700-person wedding on Colorado's Arapahoe County Fairgrounds. The groom arrived via helicopter, and the bride in a horse-drawn carriage. Finding a large-scale location that could hide both means of transport and provide enough space for the helicopter to take off and land safely was the biggest challenge, Ms Peterson said. Extra logistics involved finding and renting a certified helicopter and hiring a pilot. Flight patterns needed to be secured. Other tasks included providing floor plans and site maps, obtaining permits and safety approval from the Federal Aviation Administration and local authorities, and getting permission from the closest airport. There also had to be a Plan B in case, for example, the pilot got sick. 'It took five months of planning for a 10-minute spectacular arrival and red-carpet walk to the officiant,' Ms Peterson said. There were several dedicated workers. Among them were three people on walkie-talkies, a second team for radio communication for take-off and landing, seven internal team members for crowd management and an undercover sheriff. The cost incurred was about US$8,000, as well as another US$1,500 for the bride. Special effects 'Fireworks are having a moment right now,' said Ms Neely Shell, director of production at Stefanie Cove & Co, an event planner in Los Angeles. She has orchestrated several displays, but noted that planning can be labour-intensive. 'People think you press a button and it's done,' she said. The main challenge is finding and securing a location that is large and safe enough. 'Fireworks are often a surprise for the guests, so they need to be hidden in bushes, and no trees or buildings can obstruct the show,' Ms Shell said. There are many other factors to consider, such as safety regulations; securing the necessary permits, which vary by state; choosing from the different types of fireworks, each needing its own console; and having a professionally edited music track choreographed to the fireworks. Many people, including an electrician, lighting team and sound specialists, need to be hired to pull it all off. Then there is the actual fireworks crew, as well as fire marshals and crowd controllers. A colourful three-minute display, typically with 75-plus fireworks, can take two months of planning and cost US$30,000 to US$50,000, Ms Shell said. Praying it does not rain is free, yet priceless. A natural setting Having a wedding in the great outdoors will undoubtedly provide unforgettable moments and visuals, but these settings are controlled by the weather. Ms Shaktman recalled that to have the 200 mid-Atlantic guests experience the exact spot where the couple first met – on a boat ride in the ocean, off the north shore of Massachusetts – she needed to rent and coordinate five different boats and whale-watching vessels more than a year in advance. The project involved securing a tide schedule; visiting the harbour docks; and contacting the US Coast Guard, which had to close down the harbour so other private boats could not enter at the same time. Marine-grade walkie-talkies had to be rented, and Ms Shaktman needed to hire sound technicians so guests on the boats could hear the ceremony. 'There were so many details to take into consideration,' she said, including confirming that all the boats were in the correct location. Her 30-person team included boat captains and their staff, audio and visual technicians on land and sea, and a photo and video team. The three-hour ceremony and round trip, paired with a drone photo, cost US$50,000. A photo provided by Les Loups Photography shows the decoration for a wedding at Pioneer Works in New York, designed by Scott Warfel, the creative and operations director for Putnam Design. The wedding entrance 'needs a wow factor because it sets the tone and expectations,' said Warfel. PHOTO: LES LOUPS PHOTOGRAPHY VIA NYTIMES Building from scratch 'Last year, a couple wanted to host their wedding weekend entirely on a remote, undeveloped part of a private ranch near Aspen, Colorado, with sweeping mountain views, but no infrastructure,' said Ms Emily Campbell, a founder of GoBella Design & Planning in Breckenridge, Colorado. 'There was no running water, power, bathrooms or roads. Over eight days, and with the help of 50 people, we essentially built a temporary wedding venue from scratch.' This meant coordinating water, trucks and the rental of three industrial generators and luxury restroom trailers with climate control. Flooring was constructed over uneven terrain and extended across multiple structures, including a custom-built, covered platform for the ceremony that sat 4.5m above ground overlooking a valley. The catering kitchen needed its own covered structure with water access and power. 'We also created getting-ready suites and a ceremony rain backup, each requiring additional coverage, including heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, and aesthetic considerations,' Ms Campbell said. Another issue was transport. Steep, unpaved roads meant securing several coordinated shuttle transfers timed to the sunset and the ceremony. The tents needed permits, and local officials had to sign off on the construction. 'The vision was stunning, guests were transported – emotionally and physically – into a completely different world for the weekend,' Ms Campbell said of the final result, a year-long endeavour with a cost of more than US$1 million. 'But pulling it off required meticulous pre-planning, a seasoned team of vendors and significant investment in temporary systems that would never be seen in the photos.' NYTIMES
Straits Times
11 minutes ago
- Straits Times
How AI is transforming wedding planning
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox AI is transforming the wedding planning process by providing couples and event planners with many useful tools. By the time Ms Emily Strand and Mr Will Christiansen exchange vows this fall, most of the tasks on their wedding to-do list will have been created, organised and completed thanks to artificial intelligence. These include everything from a seating chart to a personalised 70-word crossword puzzle for their Oct 11 wedding at the Rio Secco Golf Club in Henderson, Nevada. AI is helping them manage their budget and found their officiant and cake maker, too. Ms Strand's secret for getting it all done? Specificity. 'I asked ChatGPT to list, as a bride, common and uncommon things I needed to do to plan a DIY, 120-person, outdoor ceremony in Las Vegas in October 2025,' said Ms Strand, 31, a public defender for Clark County, Nevada. Within seconds ChatGPT spit out an Excel document listing 200 suggestions, including ideas from blog posts, Reddit and Google Crowdsource. 'Once it suggested vendors,' Ms Strand said, 'I had AI write my query letters to them.' She also asked for advice on improving her wedding website. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Government looking at enhancing laws around vaping to tackle issue of drug-laced vapes in Singapore Singapore Why the vape scourge in Singapore concerns everyone Singapore I lost my daughter to Kpod addiction: Father of 19-year-old shares heartbreak and lessons Singapore Organised crime groups pushing drug-laced vapes in Asia including Singapore: UN Asia Why China's high-end hotels are setting up food stalls outside their doors Singapore Geothermal energy present in S'pore, but greater study on costs, stability needed, say experts Singapore Prison school to NUS: At 36, former drug abuser finds it's never too late to get a degree Singapore Driver arrested after 66-year-old woman dies in car crash at Geylang pasar malam What probably would have taken her 250 hours of research overall, she said, was completed by AI in about an hour. Wedding planning has long been time-consuming and stressful, filled with meticulous details and endless decision making. AI is transforming the process by providing couples and event planners with many useful tools. Among them: real-time cost analyses and budget tracking; virtual styling assistants; algorithms for seating; automated RSVP reminders; and augmented reality, or AR, which can allow couples to tour venues remotely. Ms Anne Chang, 32, a freelance DJ from New York City, said she wanted to 'simplify and optimise' the planning for her five-day bachelorette party in Ibiza, Spain, and turned to an AI tool on Bridesmaid for Hire, a wedding service platform. Seconds after plugging in some basic information, a six-page itinerary was produced that 'factored in that the night we're going to a club, our following morning would be a late rise and breakfast, and a chill beach day,' Ms Chang said. She paid US$35 (S$45 ) for the assistance. The itinerary offered recommendations and featured a 'fun meter' for each activity. Other unexpected touches included group photo shoot suggestions and locations, a packing checklist, emergency precautions and names of the nearest hospitals. Ms Julia Lynch, 31, and Mr Alex Eckstein, 30, of New York City, used the same site but a different tool to create a seating chart for their 300 guests, who are attending their wedding on Aug 23 at the Hillrock Estate Distillery in Ancram, New York, where Mr Eckstein is a partner. 'The complexities of who to seat people next to is overwhelming,' said Ms Lynch, a personal brand strategist. After inputting the names and details about their guests, the program created two seating charts, for two meals that will be served on different nights, taking into account guests' commonalities and family dynamics. 'The tool gave me suggestions for designs, layouts and types of tables within the parameters of our tent,' said Ms Lynch, who chose round tables for easier conversation. She described the experience as fun and, at US$9, inexpensive. Though her wedding planner is full service, she said she wanted to optimise his time. 'This took seconds and eliminated the need for him to do the work,' she said. In 2024 , Ms Jen Glantz, a professional vows writer who started Bridesmaid for Hire in 2014, added an AI speechwriting component to her human-driven offerings. Since introducing the tool, around 1,300 people opted for a US$35 AI speech, versus 20 people who each hired Ms Glantz to write them for US$375. Now 10 different AI tools, including a 24-hour hotline that people call for advice, are available, and account for 70 per cent of her business. 'The hotline gives users actionable advice and steps they can take, with a bit of sympathy in my trained voice and expertise,' she said. 'For my customers, AI is making this industry more personalised, affordable, faster, and efficient.' Popular wedding platforms like the Knot, Minted and Canva are also incorporating AI into their sites. Zola, the wedding website, added two AI programs in 2024 : Split the Decisions, which helps couples divide wedding planning responsibilities, and a thank-you note generator tool available as a mobile app. It is also planning to add a wedding vendor budget assistant in August. Other AI platforms have been recently built out of firsthand wedding experiences, like Guestlist and When Ms Michelle Nemirovsky, 35, and Mr Federico Polacov, 34, of Austin, Texas, were married in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Dec 17, 2023, the couple wished they had a better way to track RSVPs and connect instantly with guests. 'People have a wedding website, but no one looks at it, and it doesn't give updates in real time,' said Ms Nemirovsky, who, with Mr Polacov, started Guestlist in 2024. Ms Nemirovsky described the site as a social network that organizes RSVPs and offers real-time updates. More than 7,300 people have downloaded the app since its launch, and a 24-hour AI chatbot component is in the works for later this year. Some services are free, and others require a US$10 monthly subscription that gives unlimited photo and video uploads, and texting to guests. Though most professionals and couples agreed AI is a tool, rather than a replacement for people, many said AI was doing the job of numerous people, all at once. 'Not all brides will need a full-service planner if they can do a lot of legwork themselves with AI,' Ms Strand said. 'We only needed 'a day-of coordinator'.' Ms Nemirovsky, though, was glad to have her planner by her side. 'The night before our wedding, a huge storm hit,' she said. 'Everything we planned was outside and needed to be inside. ChatGPT could not have replaced our wedding planner who consoled me while I was crying, or coordinated our vendors while making sure our Plan B looked like plan A.' NYTIMES
