What is wedding entertainment?

Today we will learn about all aspects of wedding entertainment from Sr. Event Architect, Adel Domingo.

It’s not just figuring out if you should have a DJ or a band. It is a combination of your wedding fitting your personality, how you want your guests to have fun and most importantly, how you as a couple want to celebrate.

Where do we start?

First, tell the band or DJ your “do not play” or “do not do” list and stick to it. You know what those are – the songs that you really dislike or not letting your crazy relative have a microphone to sing his version of “Endless Love.”

Second, if you feel like choreographing your first dance, make sure you are both committed to it, and rehearse a lot. Even if you’re professional dancers, after a few drinks and the potential weight and size of your wedding gown, you don’t want to trip or have your groom step on your gown. The first dance is important, so pick your favoring song ahead of time together.

You do not need to do a lot to entertain your guests, just enough to let them know you appreciate their presence and that you thought of them.


A few ideas to keep your guests from yawning, or leaving your wedding reception early, are:

1. Make the speeches short. It’s pretty self-explanatory.

2. Make each other feel special. If you can sing, sing something for your groom or bride. Really kiss when your guests clink on their glasses. Compliment your bride publicly on how pretty she looks. Make sure his meal is extra special like surprising him with his favorite steak instead of the chicken you ordered.

3. If you are at a regional area, serve the regional food. For example, if you are having your wedding near apple orchards, add apples to your menu or use apples as place card holders.

4. Ask your bridal party to mingle with the guests or play hosts to the guests. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifThere are always guests who just know the bride and groom but nobody else. In short, make everybody feel welcomed.

Photo by R.E.M. Photography

5. Combination photo booths and guest books are great during cocktail hour. They are still extremely popular even though they have been around for years now. Why? Because the guests feel relaxed and there is interaction.

6. Hire a great band or DJ. Not only that, make sure the emcee is professional. This means they care about your timeline, how they pronounce your names when announced, and most importantly, they are witty and funny and know when to liven up the party when there is dead time.

7. When you throw the bouquet or garter, attach a gift card to it. Will it make the single guests be more interested to be on the floor? You bet!

8. Have interactive food. For instance, design your own cocktail. Have a martini bar. A chocolate fountain never gets old but a new twist to it is maybe to add a crepe station. The latest is to adding cotton candy or a popcorn machine near the end of the party. A popcorn machine is great if you’re having your event at a theater.


9. Choose an interesting venue or design it so it fits your personality. Do you like wineries, a vintage diner, a garden, a beach, a contemporary ballroom, a barn, or a chalet? No matter what, choose a venue that is interesting.

10. Finally, do not have a cash bar. Having an open bar is still affordable; just ask the venue to customize something that is more affordable. Maybe you can buy your own wine and the venue just charges you corkage fee. You invited the guests to your wedding and it’s more courteous to not have them pay for anything.

Wedding entertainment really translates as making every second special during your celebration. Do not over think or make it over the top so it feels like a circus. Just pick a few ideas so your wedding feels like a unique celebration, something you, your family, and friends will remember as a great experience.

Thanks for this great blog, Adel.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Your Service Signature

No, it's not your wedding ceremony we're talking about, it's the manner in which food will be served to your guests. Believe it or not, one of the most important aspects of your wedding day will be the food and beverage. People will always remember how the bride looked, and how good (or not) the food was. Keeping this in mind, you need to understand the different options that are available out there. Today we will explore the options, and the features and benefits of each.

First we will explore the most popular choice, which is a plated meal. This service is where you, as a bride, will chose the menu to be served directly to each guest. You can choose a single entrée, a duo entrée, a trio, or you can have your guests RSVP their choice from a limited selection. First and foremost, this type of meal service will tend to be less expensive, and look the most formal. It will also typically be, depending upon the venue, hot and directly out of the kitchen. A drawback to this service is it limits the guests to what you have selected for the choices. If you do decide to go with the RSVP meal choice route, keep in mind that the venue or caterer will have to prepare a few extra meals in each category, potentially increasing your costs, because people tend to change their mind when they see the presentation of the entrees.

Second we will tackle the buffet meal. This service consists of one menu being served at buffet tables in the reception room. Your guests will get up from their tables and go through the buffet, filling their plates with the items that they want to eat. This is a good service in that the menu is the same for everyone, and typically comes with several choices for entrees, thereby making it easier to please the picky eaters in your group. The downside to buffets is that they do tend to be more expensive than their plated counterparts, and people do have to get up and potentially stand in line to get their food. Always ask your venue or caterer how many buffets they will do in order to eliminate, or at least lessen, lines. The standard in the industry is a one sided buffet for every 50 guests.

The third service we will cover is family style service. This is exactly what it sounds like, in that the servers bring out platters of food and place it in the center of the table. Then like a big Thanksgiving dinner at home, the guests pass the platters around the table and serve themselves. A benefit to this service is it is similar to a buffet service, except the platters of food are brought and placed at the table versus your guests having to get up and stand in line at a buffet. This service does tend to be more expensive than plated or buffet service, and is limited on the amount of food you can offer, based upon the space available at each table. It is not recommended to do more than 5 or 6 items, or you will lose space for your centerpieces and for your guests to comfortably eat. By using longer rectangular tables you won’t have to be limited as much on the amount of items you can offer, and it will also lessen the amount platters needed potentially lessening your cost.

The last service we will cover is stations. This service is very similar to buffet service except each ‘station’ has a different menu. This is a casual type of service but very trendy. A great feature and benefit to this service is it allows you and your guests to enjoy a lot of different kinds of food, it also allows your guests to mingle and creates better conversation between guests. You can theme each station with each offering of food or simply choose all of your favorites and divide the stations into different ethnic cuisine backgrounds. The downside to this service is it tends to be the most expensive due to staffing, equipment needed and the overall amount of food that will be needed. Even though the stations might be offering smaller portions it will mean that they have to prepare more to ensure your guests don’t leave hungry. Your guests will also have to visit multiple stations in order to enjoy all that is being offered.

In the end it is your wedding reception so you can stay traditional or you can mix it up. Serve appetizers and salads plated, the main entrees family style and then end the night with a fabulous dessert station. The sky is the limit so do whatever suits your style, theme and budget. As long as the food is presented well and tastes good the guests will enjoy it and talk about it for years to come.

In deciding what service is best for your wedding there are many factors for you to consider. First, as much as we all hate to admit it, you need to be realistic about your budget. Decide what you would like to serve, and work with your venue or caterer on how you can best make that happen within your budgeted amount. More importantly though, think about the atmosphere you’d like to have at your wedding. Are you looking for a classy and chic event? Do you see cozy conversation among your guests, like a family? Do you want guests up and moving around the whole time? The beauty of your wedding will be in the details. By thinking through a few of these things you will be well equipped to make the right decision, putting your signature on even the meal service for your wedding.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Delegation

Are you a wedding planning control freak?

Come check us out at Top Wedding Sites today and Learn to Let Go

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Until the Last Petal Falls

After the cost of the venue, flowers are the second highest budgeted expense in a wedding. Brides and Groom’s will spend $3000 to $35000 on the production of their event. The fairy tale can be old world romance with lush floral, or a modern stylish design of candles and symmetry, or the current trend of crystals and manzanita branches. No matter what the vision is for you wedding day, when the celebration ends the ballroom is still adorned with the remnants of the glamour that was.

The question on what to do with the flowers after the event is almost never addressed. So, here are few tips and ideas to discuss with your florist or designer:


Can the floral centerpieces be taken home by your guests?
Some floral vases are considered rentals and the floral studio will return and pick them up. You may be charged if all of the vases are not there. So, make sure that the floral staged on top of these vases are portable.


What to do with the flowers?
You can decide to give centerpieces to your immediate family, or friends, who may have been a great asset in planning your wedding. You might want to take a couple of them to your honeymoon suite, or at least have your parents enjoy them at their homes.

How about donating them to local hospitals?
Each hospital, senior center, charity or school will most likely have a policy about floral donations. It is best to check with them to see if they can accept your floral pieces. If they are willing to accept your generous donation, keep in mind you will be responsible for delivering them. In that case, you might want to ask your venue if it is okay to leave the floral overnight. In the morning you will need to assign someone to pick them up from the ballroom and deliver them to your charity of choice.


Still have more?
If you still have floral left after distributing as much as you can, what happens? The unfortunate truth is, they will be trashed. If you want them recycled, check with your florist or designer to see if they offer recycling service. If they do not, contact your local recycling company to see if it is something they can accommodate.

I hope this helps you in planning the end of your floral journey. Your floral vision will live in perpetuity in your wedding pictures and video. Enjoy them for as long as you can.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Bollywood Weddings

Come visit us over at Top Wedding Sites and check out our blog on Bollywood Weddings

Top 5 Wedding Budget Savers

The average wedding in Chicago costs $32,000. This is where you stop and pause and wonder if there might be a less expensive way to go about this. Imagine what you can do with $32,000?? Makes you wonder….. Although the economy is coming back slowly it is still not the time to be frivolous and go overboard on the spending for your wedding.

There are many ways that you can save on your wedding budget but today we are going to focus on what we feel are the top 5 budget crunchers and can make the biggest impact on your bottom line budget.

Cut the guest List:
Each time you add a name to your invitation list, you're increasing your budget significantly. It's not just the catering costs, but also the extra centerpieces, favors, rentals, etc. Don't invite anyone you haven't talked to in five years. Don't feel obligated to let single people bring a date. Avoid feeling pressured to invite all your work colleagues. And don't let your friends bring their children. You can also decide to eliminate categories like "relatives more distant than first cousins" or "friends from volunteer work." By not inviting anyone from that group, you'll help avoid hurt feelings.

Use more greenery than flowers in your centerpieces:
Instead of using all flowers for your centerpiece décor you can also opt to use elegant greenery such as ivy, vines and banana leaves to enhance your centerpiece without the cost of floral. Not only does this reduce the requirement of flowers, but it also adds color to your piece.


Buy Flowers that are in-season:
If you opt for an elaborate floral décor then it is advisable to choose flowers that are in season. Some perennial flowers include roses, lilies and orchids. Out of season flowers, or exotic flowers, can end up costing you double the cost of flowers that are local or in season.

Offer, beer, wine and signature cocktails instead of a full bar:
Full hosted bars can be expensive. Most venues will charge anywhere from $25.00 to $45.00 per person for a 4-5 hour bar, and this is accessed even if your guests do not drink. By offering your guests a choice of beer, wine and signature cocktails versus a full bar you give your guests an opportunity to enjoy an alcoholic beverage during the event, while lowering your bar tab considerably, and you do not appear to be cheap.


Save postage on your wedding invitations:
Forgo the inner envelope and blotter paper, which are leftover relics from times when ink needed time to dry, and people wanted a pristine envelope. The advance in the internet has made it possible to have your guests reply on-line rather than having a reply card. Not only will you save money from the printer bill, it should also reduce your postage expense.

This is a once in a lifetime experience and you should feel comfortable with the decisions made in regards to the budget. If I can leave you with one tip regarding your budget it would be: whether you have $10,000 or $100,000 or more to spend on your wedding, the reception venue and catering services are two items that will cost you the most. No amount of cost comparing and budgeting will save you more money then simply reducing your guest list.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia

Always a Bridesmaid, how to win an award as “Best Supporting Bridesmaid”

Whether it’s your sister, grade school friend or college roommate, some important woman (or man) in your life has invited you to be a part of their bridal party. If you’ve ever been part of a wedding party you know this role comes with fun times, and responsibility.

Here are my top 5 tips on how to best support your bride to be:


1. Start Saving – There is no getting around it, standing up in a wedding is going to cost some money (dress, shoes, showers, etc.). If you say yes to being in a wedding, you are saying yes to the cost of being in the wedding as well. Be realistic about your budget, and if you have any concerns talk to the bride to be before accepting the role. Once you’re on board, spend with a smile. This is someone you love, and she would do (or has done) the same for you.

2. Offer an Opinion – when asked to do so. Respect the decisions the bride feels confidence in making on her own, and offer honest opinions when she asks for them (also remember that she may not take ALL of your suggestions)

3. Lend a Helping Hand – A bride’s to do list is never-ending, or so it seems. As her big day approaches reach out to her, see what you can do. It may be tying ribbons, sorting through contracts to make a contact info. sheet, or going out for a glass (ok, bottle) of wine to de-stress. The bride might not want to ask for help, since you’ve done so much already, but she will appreciate you offering more than you know.

4. Run Interference – Unfortunately there are always going to be people involved in a wedding who cause a bit of trouble. We all have the complaining cousin, opinionated sister-in-law or friend who forgets this day is not about them. Be a buffer between the troublemaker and bride. She has enough to worry about. You may end up with a headache from listening to all that complaining, but someday karma will send the favor back to you.

5. Have Fun – Be her right hand (and left, when necessary), through her wedding day prep, ceremony and all of the formal activities. When it comes time for the reception, kick back and have fun. The bride will most likely be most relaxed during this time, and will take away many happy memories of her guests celebrating the love between her and her new husband.

Abide by all of these guidelines and you are sure to win “Best Supporting Bridesmaid” in our book!

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia