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.

~ REQUEST A CONSULTATION ~

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

Guest Blog: Party Light

With the right lighting you add many emotions to your party and make

it an unforgettable experience for everyone present.

Take your time with party preparations and start experimenting a few days ahead of time, especially with the lighting. Color is a must for every party. If you do not have colorful walls or

accessories, at least a few of the lamps should emit colorful light. A party that is lit by white light only does not promise a great result. The exciting thing about hosting a party is that you

can stage your usual environment playfully and differently. It does not need to be perfect, since improvisation is exciting and there are many there to enjoy the results. If you are planning a themed party, be aware that the lighting should go along with the theme. If you enjoy setting up lighting, why not integrate it into your everyday life? In the winter, colorful party lighting can make your space feel nice and cozy with only a few minor adjustments.

Party Lighting for Mild Summer Nights

The setup of your backyard outdoor lighting makes your outdoor space accessible and usable at night and turns it into a stage for mild summer nights that are ever so different from what you see during the day. With a party it is not so much about practical light sources, but more  about the play between light and shadows. Create many islands of light, and avoid making large illuminated areas. Form magical magnets in your yard by adding seating arrangements and plants that are illuminated from the inside. Trees and bushes are excellent things to illuminate 

from behind. When having a barbecue, a few lantern-type lights, in addition to some lit up plants are more than enough. The buffet of course should be well lit, as you eat with your eyes first! For a warm environment full of atmosphere you can use candles and torches.

 LEDs have a Party

Especially well-suited for your outdoor party ambience are LED lamps. They can provide light in all colors, are programmable and due to their small size are barely noticeable. They are  very energy efficient, easy to maintain and take up a minimum amount of space. A bar can be decorated extremely well by providing back lighting to all the different colored bottles. LED lit accessories are also essential to any party. Bottle coolers, coasters and LED candles are only a few of the things that are available with built in LEDs. If it gets too cold as the night progresses and your guests are ready to take the party inside, you have to be prepared. Turning on the bright main light upon the accidental flipping of a switch has to be avoided so the good mood is maintained. The best way of doing this is to implement a programmable lighting control unit which can be set to a "party mode".

You can find more useful tips on lighting at the website of the American Lighting Association.


TIP: Not too bright

Ensure that your inside living space does not shed too much light on your yard during an outdoor party, as this will certainly kill the mood

About The Author: Ingo Schaer is the President and CEO of Interior-Deluxe.com He has been in the lighting

business for more than 20 years and is holding a bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering. He regularly blogs on

a variety of Modern lighting and Interior Design topics, often focusing on practical solutions. You can find him on Google+

The Missing Ingredient

Have you ever been at a party and when it came to an end there was still a lot of people wanting to continue - so they coerced the bartender into turning on the stereo or they went outside and cranked up their car radio. Funny thing is twenty to thirty minutes later the party dies anyhow.

Why?

"People don't dance to the music, they dance to the moment," says Randy Bartlett, who is a Sacramento DJ and producer of a series of disc jockey training videos [The 1% Solution].

The same can be said about an i-pod wedding. If you have ever been to one of those you may have noticed that a song will come on, people will dance, but by the following song they are walking off the dance floor.

Again . . . why?

~ REQUEST A CONSULTATION ~

And the answer for both scenarios is that there is an ingredient missing, which is someone that is an expert in music programming and someone who can react to the moment. Songs need to be matched, either by beats per minute or by genre, but more importantly - to the moment.

Did the wedding party come in with all of the guys waving a beer in their hand and wearing cowboy hats or seed corn caps (Drink In My Hand/Eric Church or She Thinks My Tractors Sexy/Kenny Chesney)?  Did the Maid of Honor reminisce about growing up with the Bride, playing with Barbie Dolls before graduating to their Justin Bieber days, during her toast (Barbie Girl/Aqua & Baby/Justin Bieber)?

So as you began to put your music list together for your big day remember . . . . it's not about the music, it's about the moments. Find ways to create moments on your wedding day and we can match the music to enhance them!

Until next time,
~ Mike ~

photo credit: The U.S. Military Academy at West Point via photopin cc

How long should a party be?

Determining how long your party should be depends on a lot of different factors. Will there be  a dinner served? How many guests will there be? What are the demographics? A four hour prom with 100-400 attendees is considered just about right, but a four hour birthday party for five or six year olds may be pushing it.

"A party should end when it shouldn't end, not when it should," advises entrepreneurial coach and Michigan wedding DJ Dan Nichols. "Ending a party before it dies down leaves everyone with the impression the floor was packed all night. It just feels better when people are left wanting more versus being completely burned out. "


A good guide for a wedding would be:

• Under 50 guests:    four hours
• 50-250 guests:       four - five hours
• 250+ guests:          five - six hours

Keep in mind that the more guests you have the longer it will take to get everyone there and the longer it will take your staff  to serve them. In each case it is ideal tho allow at least two but no more than three hours after dinner for preliminary traditions and entertainment.

Too much of a good thing is not a good thing.

Until next time,

~ Mike ~

Message in a Bottle

We've purchased ten sets of our MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE and we're giving them away FREE to the next ten couples that book us for their wedding, starting today April 12, 2013.

How It Works

Set the bottles on your gift table or registry table and invite your guests to write you a special message and then deposit it into the bottle corresponding to the anniversary to be read when that date arrives. How cool will it be to break open the bottles and read well wishes from your guests five, ten and even twenty years after your wedding day!

You will receive:

• Paper
• Seals
• Pens
• Five bottles
• Poster

The first set will go to our Grand Prize winner at the A Bridal Affaire Sunday, April 14th, 2013 from 12 pm - 3:30 pm at the Grand River Center

Stop by and see us then.

Photo courtesy of Photographs & Memories

Design by Imagine That

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?

~ REQUEST A CONSULTATION ~

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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Keep Moving Forward

Michael Walter, a noted contributor to the DJ industry, recently posted on the Disc Jockey News Writers Facebook page: “I just read my copy of the October issue cover to cover and I wanted to say Kudos. The content and advice in all the articles is superb. John and Lori Young (publishers) you both do an amazing job each and every month.”

It says something that Michael Walter, the guy who has written a book on how to successfully run a large multi-op DJ business (RunningYour Multi-Op), the guy who has been a keynote speaker at every major disc jockey convention and seminar in the country, is still reading publications from cover to cover in search of that one bit of advice or nugget that will help him continue to improve.

Likewise, Peter Merry, who may be regarded as the closest thing to a celebrity that exists in the Mobile DJ industry, is also a regular reader. Like Michael, he has written a book (The Best Wedding Reception Ever), has spoken at every major DJ convention in the country, and has appeared at many other wedding professional-related seminars. He has been interviewed on radio and television shows, been the president of the American Disc Jockey Association, toured the country presenting for that group, and, probably most notably, is paid a hefty figure for his DJ services. Yet last year, Peter was sitting cross-legged  on the floor with a group of us at the 2011 Disc Jockey Conclave the night before making his presentation. Not only did he attend the presentations, but he also took part in the interactive games and even joined us all the following evening for a Juicy Lucy. As successful and accomplished as Peter Merry is, he is not too proud to try and learn something new. He still considers himself one of the guys.

You’re probably catching the theme here: Michael and Peter are an example of many other industry leaders. They don’t simply rest on their past successes. Instead, they continue to look for ways to improve. They live by the code that the biggest room in the world is the room for improvement.  It’s a code I try to follow as well. In the past I have been to countless seminars on sales, customer service, social media and technology, both on the local level and the national stage. In addition, I am eagerly anticipating my first trip to the nationally acclaimed Mobile Beat Las Vegas DJ Show in February. The way I see it, even after 21 years, I still don’t know everything there is to know about being a small business owner  - or even a DJ. The truth is, I probably never will. However, one thing I do know is that when I’ve given up the quest to learn more and keep improving, then I’ve given up the opportunity to create a better business and a better lifestyle for myself and my family.

Seventeenth-century political leader Oliver Cromwell once said that “he who stops being better, stops being good.” Amen to that. Many professions, from teaching to nursing, regularly need to update their training to stay current in their chosen fields. If I aim to be considered a true professional in my field shouldn’t I do the same?

Unti next time,
~ Mike ~

Check out our website:

Dubuque / Galena

www.alexxus.com  |  563.590.5815

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

Questions & Answers

There are a couple of questions we routinely get asked as Brides and Grooms begin shopping for a DJ/Emcee for their wedding reception. In this space I'll try to answer a couple of those for you in hopes that it will give you a better understanding of what we do - and WHY we do it - as Wedding Emcees and music programmers.

Q: What type of music do you play?

A: Dance music! Actually we offer a wide variety of music, pretty much from the Golden Oldies to today's Top 40. A couple of genres that we do not carry a lot of though is the real, scream-o heavy metal (think Godsmack or Slip Knot here) or ghetto rap music with explicit lyrics. The WHY to that is because it does not bode well on the dance floor, and as DJs we are judged by how full the dance floor is.
This is not to say that this is 'bad' music, but rather proof of the fact that sometimes what we listen to and what a massive amount of people will dance to are not always the same thing.

Have a question for me? Feel free to drop it in the comment box below

The Toast

Continuing on with our tips and Secrets that make an ordinary wedding extraordinary: The Toast or Welcome speech.

 Whether you toast before or after your dinner does not really matter. What does matter is that it is done with style. I have seen moments where the parents have gotten up and welcomed everyone and followed it up with the most emotional speech or the funniest stories, which is more effective than any ice breaker idea any DJ has ever come up with. I’ve also seen some toasts where everyone has just winced. Tom Haibeck (www.weddingtoasts.com) is a public speaker and a Toast Master and has written a book, Wedding Toasts Made Easy, chock full of great information, but here are some g tips to start with:

·         Keep it Simple: Less is more. 3-5 minutes is good. Speeches that ramble lose the crowd

·         Make it personal: A story about how you met the Bride or Groom, or a story about growing up makes it personable

·         A Little humor: is a good thing. I once had a Maid of Honor do a song to the tune of Piano Man with lyrics pertaining specifically to the couple. It brought down the house.

·         BUT: keep the embarrassing stories at home. This is not the time to ‘punk’ someone. Inside jokes are also a no-no. It makes your audience feel uninvolved and it will lose their attention.

·         Don’t forget the toast!: Many times I’ve heard great speeches without ever being concluded by saying “Now, let’s raise our glass for the new Mr. and Mrs. . . .”

·         And finally: HOLD THE MICROPHONE UP TO YOUR CHIN! Some of the greatest toasts or funniest punch lines were never heard because the speaker was holding the mic at their chest – or lower. Or they were waving their arms around while holding the microphone. Your belly button cannot talk. The closer the microphone is to your chin, the better we can hear you.

Feel free to share this with your Maid of Honor or Best Man J.

Until next time,

~ Mike ~