Wedding advice: Be open to ideas and expertise

He asked. She said yes.

Now what?

Once you announce your plans to get married, there's a good chance that people close to you will be ready and willing to dispense their share of advice. Some words of wisdom will be priceless, while others you can store away for another day.

When polling married couples, you will likely find they would change "this" or "that" about their weddings if given the chance to do it all over again. Here is some advice that you can choose to follow for your wedding day.

Tip #1: Trust your vendors

Couples often have unique ideas for their wedding day. It may seem tempting to spell out what you want in minute detail and insist on wedding vendors carrying out your wishes to a T. But the smarter idea may be to give vendors a little more free reign -- after all, they are the professionals.

"I had a vision in my head of what I wanted my centerpieces to look like," offers Jean M., Connecticut. "I gave the florist my suggestions and the 'feel' of what I was trying to create, but ultimately Ileft the finished product up to her. When I walked into the reception hall and saw my centerpiece baskets overflowing with fall-hued flowers, berries and twinkling candles, I was so excited I had left it up to the expert."

When deciding on particular aspects of the wedding, you can give your general ideas, but leave the finished product to the professionals. Don't list every song you want the deejay to play or micromanage all of the poses the photographer should take. After all, experienced pros have likely done this dozens of times in the past and could produce results you never dreamed possible.

Tip #2: Scale down

Unless you are planning on auditioning for the show "Over-the-Top Weddings," it might pay to make your wedding more about being personal and less about wowing the crowd with special effects and expensive treats. It's easy to be lured into extra dinner courses or be persuaded to release doves at the ceremony, but will these extras impact your relationship or the life you will be building together?

"If Ihad to do it all again, I would skip the dessert bar I had at my wedding," says Alice C., Ohio. "The spread of pies, pastries, cookies, and chocolates certainly looked impressive, but it cost me a small fortune. Also, people filled up on the dessert bar so much, they no longer had room to taste my special-ordered wedding cake."

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Tip #3: Don't overextend

Your wedding will hopefully be a once-in-a-lifetime event. Therefore, couples often plan to spend a good deal of money to ensure their special day is perfect. Weddings are still viewed as a high-priority expense and most couples save for a long period of time despite sluggish consumer spending reports. According to the market research and analysis firm IBISWorld, nearly 60 percent of couples go over their budgets when getting married. Some do so at the risk of being in debt afterward.

"It can be easy to get carried away in wedding spending," shares Deirdre H., Michigan. "I went way over budget when getting my wedding gown and a few other components of my wedding. My husband and I struggled the first year of our marriage trying to fix our finances and battling a bad case of money-related stress."

Try to stick to a budget as much as possible so that you can enjoy yourself not only on the wedding day, but also long after the honeymoon has ended.

Tip #4: Keep it in the family

Selecting members of your wedding party can be challenging because there may be so many special people in your lives right now that you want to honor. Choosing a best man and a maid/matron of honor is a large responsibility because these people stand out in the wedding. Although couples struggle with their choices and want to please everyone, your safest bet is to choose a family member.

"I ended up choosing my best friend over my sister as maid of honor," says Clara T., Arizona. "Although we were very close at the time, we've since grown apart due to work relocation. My sister and I, however, talk and hang out frequently. I regret not having asked my sister to be my maid of honor, considering hers is a friendship I know will last a long time."

Unless you don't have close family members or your relationship with your siblings or cousins is strained, choose a family member to serve as best man or maid of honor.

It is easy to be overwhelmed when planning a wedding, and couples can expect to be bombarded with advice. However, it could pay to heed the advice of couples who have already lived and learned from their wedding choices. SB127285

          

Disc Jockeys  |  Emcees  |  Entertainers

www.alexxus.com  |  563-590-5815

Dubuque / Galena

photo credit: ^@^ina (Irina Patrascu) via photopin cc

UNIQUE WEDDING IDEAS - 2

Here are some more fun & unique ideas to help make your wedding one-of-a-kind:

Down, Set, Hut: Tired of seeing the trite up-the-dress garter removal and toss? Why not attach it to a football and have the groom toss it - or better yet - hike it to the wannabe gridiron superstars. I personally recommend a nerf football and, although the  lucky winner can keep the garter, make sure to get the football back. The last thing you need is a football flying thru the air during the rest of your reception.

For the bouquet, rather than singling out those unlucky-at-love ladies, it may be unique to present it to that one person that has been such a help throughout your wedding planning process.

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Paint the room in your color - with light! Decorative lighting has been gaining enormous popularity the past few years. Your dresses, flowers and decorations all follow a color scheme. Top it off with extraordinary lighting. We carry some of the architectural lighting but check your local area for Event Lighting companies for more extensive set-ups.

Photo courtesy of Synergetic Sound & Lighting

How do YOU know the Bride - Chalkboard art is another popular fad! This one asks the bridesmaids how they met the bride but there are hundreds of concepts for these little blackboards. in fact one of the best places to shop for ideas is Pinterest. Just type Wedding Ideas in the search box and enjoy the results.

"Don't be better, be different"

Bill Herman, billcreates.com 

Sing it to Me - Do you have a family member, good friend or wedding party participant who can lay down a good tune? Why not ask them to sing your song for that first dance. Adds a super-personal touch to your wedding day. And the memories? Priceless!

Check out our original Unique Wedding Ideas by clicking HERE

GROOMS SURPRISE DANCE - This is one of the best I've seen. Nothing makes a party explode like a choreographed dance (I've seen the bridesmaids do this as well!). Not quite sure how to pull this off? Check your local area  for dance studios and someone there will more than likely be willing to help you.

Have an exclusive idea you would like to share? Just leave it in the comment box below.

Until next time,
~ Mike ~

photo credit: Renée S. Suen via photopin cc

Unique Wedding Ideas

Here are some unique wedding ideas to make your wedding YOUR wedding:

Here Comes the Bride:

We've featured this idea here before but it's still a great one. A different way to incorporate the flower girl and ring bearer into the ceremony - or if you wish to add more children to your nuptials. Have them proceed the bride carrying a sign announcing her arrival.

Message in a Bottle:

I love this idea. Thanks to Ron Ruth Weddings for passing this along. Supply your guests with small tablets of paper and pens (customized pens with your name and wedding date would be cool too!) and ask them to write you a message, roll it up and then deposit it into one of the bottles which are labeled for some of  your upcoming anniversaries. When that anniversary arrives break the bottle open and read the messages. How awesome would that be to still be reading words of wisdom and well wishes from your wedding guests on your 10th, 15th and 25th Anniversary?

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Dessert or Decoration?

This almost looks too good to eat. A little lace topped with the signage makes this no everyday cupcake. It's the little things that separate extraordinary from ordinary.

A Personal Place Card:

Instead of numbering your tables the old fashion way, number them by year  and utilize a picture  of yourselves corresponding to that time period. A great way for your guests to see you 'grow up' on your wedding day.

UNIQUE WEDDING IDEAS - PART 2

Do you want a McWedding or one that is tailored just for you? This is just a fingernail of the thousands of ideas that we have gathered in our 20+ years in the wedding business to help make sure your wedding is unique, personal and you.

Until next time,

~ Mike ~

          

Disc Jockeys  |  Emcees  |  Entertainers

www.alexxus.com  |  563-590-5815

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The Right Banquet Hall

Think you'll be getting engaged this Holiday Season? Guest blogger Marcelina Harrdy has some tips on finding the perfect reception hall for your wedding day.

Choosing the Right Banquet Hall for a Wedding

When you first start planning a wedding, you’ll likely find there are many banquet halls available. Choosing the right one for your wedding can be difficult for this reason. However, knowing what you need can help you make the decision.

The Number of Guests

Choosing a banquet hall that is too large for the number of guests that you are expecting can be detrimental to your event. It will look like no one showed up to your wedding. A banquet hall that is too small may create excess heat and your guests will be uncomfortable. When searching for banquet halls, ask the owner of the establishment how many people will comfortably fit in the hall.

Décor Capabilities

Some banquet halls are so beautifully constructed that they don’t need many decorations to make it a perfect wedding reception location. Others need a bit of help from wedding flowers and more. Consider this when renting a hall because the expense of using a lot of decorations in a hall may end up costing the same or more as renting another hall that doesn’t need as much help.

Logistics of the Room for Furniture Arrangement

When you first look at a hall, it’s good to think about the placement of tables, head table, and where the DJ/Band will end up. Some halls are shaped in a way that only allows the entertainment to be in one location, which means the tables can only be in another location.  Other halls may have a bar in a separate room thus “splitting” your guests into different locations. This might be a problem if the dance floor in an awkward location or if you want a head table and there’s no room for one.

Grand Entrance Possibility

At most receptions, DJs or Emcees typically announce the arrival of the bridal party and newly married couple when they enter the hall. After the announcements, everyone usually gathers around the dance to take photos and/or the bride and groom have their first dance. Think about how this will play out with the banquet hall you are considering. Have they allowed enough room for your Grand Entrance?

Acoustics in the Hall

Some banquet halls are better acoustically than others are. The best person to ask for this advice will be a DJ or band that has played there several times. You may also be able to visit the hall when another event is happening to hear the music and judge the quality of the sound.

Think of What You Want and Then Find It

When you go out searching for a banquet hall for your wedding reception, first envision what you would like your reception to be like. Think of the décor, table arrangements, DJ placement, dance floor as well as costs and food service. With these thoughts in mind, go out to search for a hall that allows you to have all that you want. This is your wedding and should be just the way you want it!

www.alexxus.com  |  563.590.5815

Freelance writer Marcelina Hardy wrote this guest post. She has years of experience booking banquet halls for various events. She often teams up with fellow DJs a holiday party DJ San Antonio and New Year’s Eve DJ San Antonio company for her parties because of their flexibility and experience.

photo credit: brennan.v via photopin cc</

The Grand Entrance!

 

There is nothing that starts a wedding reception off better than a great Grand entrance. If you have been to or been in many weddings you know the routine. Once all of your guests have made their way to the banquet hall and the wedding party arrives it is time for your DJ to put on some ‘happening’ music and introduce them all.

But how can yours be different?

Tidbits: Pick out a different song for each couple and have your DJ play a 15-20 second highlighted moment of it. Let your couples know in advance of what their song will be and maybe they can come up with a choreographed bit to it.

Love Story: Once the DJ has introduced all of the wedding party members he pods down the music and gives a background story of the bride and groom. [Example] ”Although they grew up only miles apart from each other their paths would not cross until they both attended the University of Clark . . . “

Personally Speaking: The DJ/Emcee announces the wedding couple first and then turns the microphone over to them and lets them introduce their wedding party individually with a sentence or two about how they know them and why they are part of their wedding party.

Door #1?: After the wedding party has all been introduced and everyone is standing expecting the newest married couple to enter, the bride and groom come in from opposite doors individually, meet at the center of the dance floor and immediately go into their wedding dance.

Through the Clouds: Will your banquet hall allow a fog machine?

And we have more ideas.

photo credit: keith robins via photopin cc

The Music List

Q. If I make a list of a bunch of songs will you play them?

A. Well that depends, what is most important to you on your wedding day, hearing all of your favorite songs or seeing your guests have a good time and enjoying your wedding day with you? Sometimes what we like to listen to and what large masses of people will dance to are not always the same thing.

It is beneficial to us if you can provide us a list of 20-30 songs that you feel will motivate your guests to the dance floor and we can build from there with requests and our own expertise. We however have had lists of over 100 songs (which is impossible to fit in at a five hour reception) and others that, although are filled with good songs, our 20+ years of experience tells us that few, if any, will get people dancing.

Trust that your baker will make a delicious cake. Trust that your photographer will create beautiful portraits of your wedding day. Trust that your entertainer will know how to entertain your guests.

More Quotes

I just spent a few days in Minneapolis at the DJ Conclave 2.0 produced by John Young and the Disc Jockey News. Besides the great information I picked up I also got some great sound bites, and although they are not from famous celebrities or public figures like those quotes that I had posted in an earlier blog, I found them inspirational and humorous none the less:

· “You want them to get that you care.”

· “If you don’t have anything to say—don’t say anything.”

· “We had a memory coach here last year. Ironically I can’t remember his name!”

· “If you’re getting nowhere with your e-mail, do something different.”

· “We have to get people to dance! We have to get white people to dance!!”

· “Wealth is not what you make, it’s what you keep.”

· “It’s not about what you do the best—it’s about what they want the most.”

· “We sell happiness.”

· “Telling someone they’re not your ideal client is like breaking up with your girlfriend. It’s not easy.”

· “Being the best is not a destination—it’s a journey.”

· “Don’t be noise, be purposeful.”

Until next time . . .
~ Mike ~

My New Gig

On November 1st the first, of what I hope to be many columns, appeared in The Disc Jockey News, a monthly trade paper that covers Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa Nebraska and the Dakotas. After 20 years behind a turntable/CD player/Laptop (next up?) I hope I've learned a few things that I can pass on to the next generation of DJs/Entertainment Directors. The 'angle' that I will be coming from is: life is a big lesson, and we can utilize many of those everyday learning opportunities and apply it to our business to enrich and enhance it.

Next week I will be traveling to Minneapolis to meet John Young, the publisher of the DJNews, and attend the DJ Conclave, a gathering of mostly midwestern DJs. There I will attend seminars, meet fellow jocks and check out the latest technology in our industry in my never ending quest to keep improving myself and find the latest trends that will help fulfill the expectations of our future clients.

Until Next time
~ Mike ~