I found a really nice article about what brides and grooms spend their money on for their big day. I have seen these late night snack options and never really thought about how much they were. I personally loved the Chanello’s Pizza at the Mazzitti wedding!
Photo courtesy of Katelyn James. www.katelynjamesblog.com
Thinking about having a signature cocktail at your wedding? Why not try gourmet Jello shots?
For more information: Weddings by Lilly
Having an outdoor ceremony and want to stand out from the rest? Are you getting married in a large venue that isn’t a church and want to add a unique touch? Try setting up your chairs in a circular layout and getting married in the middle, there won’t be a bad seat in the house and you still get a center isle.
For more examples: Socialtables Blog
If you really want your venue to pop and stand out in everyone’s mind, think about uplights. This relatively inexpensive add-on can really bring life to your venue. Whether you are getting married in a tent overlooking the water or mountains, or you are dancing the night away in a beautiful venue, uplights can spice things up when the sun goes down.
There are two types of uplights, the ones that use the traditional halogen bulbs and the ones that use LED technology. Both have pros and cons but either can do the job. Halogen uplights are less expensive (to rent or purchase) and put off a great amount of light, but they can get very hot and are limited to whatever color gel (the color sheet placed on top) you start with. LED uplights are more expensive to rent (purchasing these are probably out of the question, a decent system with wires and a controller can cost $1000 – $2000) and inexpensive ones may not provide the amount of light needed, however they have more flexibility in color selection and a lot of cool effects.
For more information on uplights, contact your DJ. You can always contact us as well via our website, Facebook page, Wedding Wire account or our You Tube channel.
Before
If you are having an outdoor ceremony during the peak of the summer heat, remember a few things:
1.) Have small bottles of water on ice for your guests. You can even find places online that will custom wrap your bottles with your own unique label!
2.) Print your wedding programs so your guests can turn them into a fan.
3.) If it’s an option, try to reserve seats in the shade for older guests.
4.) Let your guests stay in the air conditioning for as long as possible. Right before it’s time to start, have your ushers open the doors and escort guests to their seats.
5.) Ultimately it’s your choice, if you think the heat is too much, don’t be afraid to move it inside. However, remember that it’s the day you will remember forever, if you had your heart set on getting married outside, do it. Just make sure you make accommodations for your guests!
Photo courtesy of the wonderful Jillian Michelle Photography. http://www.jillianmichelleblog.com
Photo courtesy of the wonderful Jillian Michelle Photography. http://www.jillianmichelleblog.com
This weeks wacky Wednesday isn’t really wacky, it’s more creative and outside the box. Well, I guess it’s kinda wacky but in a cool, unique way. This videographer has a really cool approach to creating an awesome wedding memory, make sure you check out his other videos!
5.) My Wish – Rascal Flatts
4.) Stealing Cinderella – Chuck Wicks
3.) Over the Rainbow – IZ Kamakawiwo’ole
2.) Father and Daughter – Paul Simon
1.) Butterfly Kisses -Bob Carlisle
Photo courtesy of the amazing Katelyn James Photography. http://www.katelynjamesblog.com
Before I became a full time DJ, I had never played a reception game. I thought they sounded cheesy or tacky, just not something I wanted to offer as a part time DJ. Then I was introduced to the shoe game and found out, done correctly, it isn’t cheesy or tacky.
When to play the game. The object of the shoe game is to entertain your guests so it should be played during a time in which your guests may be getting restless. I have found that it works really well towards the end of dinner right before we transition into the next event like the first dance or father daughter / mother son dance. Placing it here works especially well if you are having a buffet and you have a long guest list. It’s inevitable that some folks will be finished with their dinner before others and may become antsy waiting for the party to start. If you really want to keep your guests entertained, couple the shoe game with an interactive slideshow (I will go over what that is on another post).
How to play. To play the shoe game your DJ will invite you and your partner to the dance floor and seat you in two chairs back to back. They will then instruct you to take your shoes off and pass one of your shoes to your partner. While you are removing your shoes your DJ should go over the game with your guests letting them know what to expect. You may also want to involve your wedding party. I always ask the bridesmaids to stand on one side facing the groom and the groomsmen to stand on the other facing the bride. The more you include your guests the more they feel apart of your wonderful night, the more they enjoy themselves!
Once the shoes have been exchanged the DJ will ask questions to both of you and instruct you to lift the shoe of the individual they are talking about. For example, if the DJ asked my wife and I “Who is more likely to steal all the covers?” I would raise her shoe because I think she steals the covers more then I do. However, if the DJ asked us “Who is the better driver?” I would raise my shoe because I am, in fact, the better driver 😉 Now, my wife probably disagrees with me and that’s what makes the game so much fun. Your DJ should encourage your guests to help, again, the more you involve your guests the more they feel like a part of your big day, the more they will enjoy themselves and remember your reception.
What questions should be asked? You can search online for a list of shoe game questions and I have included a few below but I have found it’s best to incorporate your own questions into the game. Maybe you and your partner could think of three funny questions each and email them separately to the DJ. This way you are each adding your own special uniqueness to the reception. Inside jokes are great if they include the wedding party or your family but don’t include too many inside jokes or your guests will lose interest.
The shoe game is a great way to break the ice, blend two families together and create a great memory of the best night ever.
For more information visit our website, our Facebook page & our WeddingWire.com page!
Photo courtesy of Katelyn James Photography. http://www.katelynjamesblog.com
Shoe Game Questions:
-who is the biggest flirt
-who made the first move
-who’s the better cook
-who said “I LOVE YOU” first
-who has the wackiest family
-who’s the better driver
-who’s the faster driver
-who spends the most time in front of a mirror
-who is most likely to eat desert for breakfast
-who wears the pants in the family
-who is in charge of the remote
-who spends the most time getting ready to go out
-who will be doing most of the yard work
-who’s the better kisser
-who will be the first to fall asleep tonight
-who steals the cover’s more
-who says “I love you” the most in one day
-who talks more
-who’s most likely to use up all the hot water
-who’s most likely to get lost
-who’s most likely to ask for directions
-who’s the 1st one to make up after a fight
-who’s the one that started the fight in the first place
-who’s the most likely to wake up grumpy in the morning
-who’s most likely to wake up with a hangover in the morning
-who’s most likely to be running late
-who spends more money
-Who do you love the most in the whole wide world (Last question)
Come hang out with us tonight at the Suffolk TGIF! We will have the tailgate trailer setup and the cornhole boards out for everyone to enjoy. Plus there will be an awesome band and lots of fun stuff going on!
Tomorrow, make sure you check out the grand opening of The Hog Pen restaurant in the Holland section of Suffolk. They will be serving up some awesome BBQ! You can find more information on their Facebook page.
Music Makes You Happy will be heading down to Raleigh tomorrow and Sunday for an awesome event and will be back in town Monday morning!
Stay safe and enjoy the weekend!!
Are you planning on having a slideshow at your reception? Here are a few things you may want to keep in mind.
1.) If you are putting together a formal slideshow with music, shorter is better. Your family would love to sit and look at 45 pictures of you from age 1 to 14 but your guests probably wouldn’t. Try to keep it around 8 minutes long. Remember, quality over quantity.
2.) If you are doing an informal slideshow, feel free to add as many pictures as you want. Informal slideshows can be played and looped during the entire event and folks can stand and enjoy the show for as long as they want.
3.) It’s your day but make sure you include pictures of you with your guests. Most people love it when they see they made the slideshow, they are really honored you included them. Just be sure that you don’t leave anyone out or things may get awkward!
A slideshow is another great way to make your wedding night the best night ever!
Don’t know what to do with those close friends that didn’t quite make the bridesmaid/groomsmen cut but you still want to include them? Maybe something like this will work?
MusicMakesYouHappy 