school dance dj in ct, prom dj in ct, homecoming djs in ct

Prom advisor tips – Hiring the right prom dj

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Prom advisor tips – Hiring the right prom dj

Being a prom advisor can be a daunting task. You’ve got a budget to figure out, students to make happy, and the administration’s microscope on every decision you make. So how do you pick the right entertainment for your school?

The $300 dilema.
Three Hundred Dollars seems to be the number that is carelessly tossed about in conversation when it comes to disc jockeys. Why is that? It all depends on who you ask. $300 won’t get you very far. The old adage “Good things aren’t cheap and cheap things aren’t good.” is very appropriate when it comes to hiring entertainment. So what should you look for?

Your prom DJ should be professional through and through. They should have commercial liability insurance to protect your school and themselves should an emergency arise. They should have experience with students and a clean track record. They should use a music subscription service like ‘PrimeCuts’ that updates their music library weekly with CLEAN and Radio Friendly music. They should have ample equipment to facilitate 500 students or more and not use things like iPods or consumer grade equipment. They should offer lighting that is event appropriate. And last but not least, the should have references.

All of these items mentioned are crucial to the success of your prom. And by the same token, those things come with a price tag. In the end, it’s all about value and how much your peace of mind is worth. When it comes to proms, remember one thing. It’s one night. You get one shot. There are no do overs. It’s got to be PERFECT.

dj playlist, wedding playlist, wedding music, wedding dj, club dj, connecticut dj, wedding djs in ct

THE GREAT DEBATE: Band or Wedding DJ and how much?

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From the WeddingWire Forums Kim Writes:

Band or Wedding DJ and how much?

“So I’m struggling with either having a band or dj. Do bands cost more? Do people think wedding bands are cheesy?
We were originally going to use FH’s co-worker, who does DJ’s on the side, but that fell through. When I started to look in to them, I was pretty bummed to see how much they actually cost and that may just put our entire a wedding a tad over budget now. This is one of the last things I need to book and is causing the most trouble!”Kim,The expression “The early bird gets the worm” is very useful here. When planning your wedding reception, the most important factor of finding vendors is that they are a good fit. Now in terms of the decision to go with live music or a dj… There are several things to consider.If you enjoy live music and you want more of a ‘SHOW’ where your guests can sit and watch a band play, this may be the right choice for you. You know your guests and what they like. Not to say that all bands are incapable of filling a dancefloor but, most people want to hear the original artists in a dancing environment. Also, you’re limited to the set list of songs that the band knows.  You also have to take into account that the band is full of people. And people need breaks. So expect to have 5 or 6 songs followed by a break and then back again.

When you use a DJ, they will have tens of thousands of selections for music covering just about everyone’s tastes and can easily switch things up to get people on the floor. Also, DJs don’t take breaks. If you’re having a 5 hour reception, expect that music will be playing throughout the length of the reception from start to finish.

A seasoned wedding DJ will have plenty of experience as well doing intros where as your bands have more experience with playing in bars and festivals. A DJ can also help to guide you and your guests through the events of the day giving you peace of mind keeping everything running smoothly for the catering, photography, videography, and reception staff.

Prices for DJs and bands and the requirements for each are miles apart. A DJ can comfortably be put into just about any 12×6 space and use a minimum of 2 dedicated circuits where as a band will need much more space and power not to mention food and drink. From a cost factor, DJs are typically more economical. A polished wedding band could cost anywhere between $6-$20K depending on their experience and ability. Wedding DJ prices vary and average between $1000-$3000. Sometimes with lighting included. You could always go with the family friend but, as you found out, sometimes things are best left to a professional.

Which ever way you choose, it’s up to you. It’s your special day. Make it whatever you want it to be.

 

wedding centerpieces, uplighting, pinspotting, lighting design

Give your wedding centerpieces some POP!

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Give your wedding centerpieces some POP!

In the WeddingWire Bridal forums, Kelly writes:

“I’ve been pretty set on my colors for a while now. Purple (like a royal purple, deep but bright) and blue. Lately, though, I really like the color blush and think it would help soften things up a bit. Our wedding is rustic themed and both the ceremony and reception spaces have lots of dark wood in them so I don’t want everything to be too dark.”

Great question Kelly!
Centerpieces and floral arrangements are a big part of the decor for your reception. But, what if your favorite color is at the darker end of the spectrum? There’s a solution!

One of the great ways to get extra POP out of deeper hues is to light them up. We use a method called ‘Pinspotting’ for this very situation. By incorporating a small focused beam on your dark centerpieces, they will stand out against the darker hues of the natural woods and stone of the wedding venue. Here’s an example of what pinspotting does.

Wedding advice for men

WEDDING Advice for men

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WEDDING Advice for men

Alrighty fellas. This one is just for you. Now this may be a touchy subject for some but, like anything else, when you hit it straight on, you get the best results.

Fellas, I’m going to tell you a little secret. Your fiance wants you to be a part of the wedding planning. No really, she does. There are so many working pieces to put together for this one special moment that she’s been dreaming about since she was a little girl. And lucky for you, you are a part of that dream. Congratulations!

Now you’re probably asking yourself, “Ok, what should I do?” or “What can I do to help?” Simple. LISTEN to her. Ask her, “What do you want for our wedding.” She will probably be taken back that you asked her in the first place and reply with, “Really? You really wanna know?” This isn’t a setup. You just opened the door of opportunity to make her day.

Once she tells you all about her dream wedding, ask her then, “So what can I help with?” She’ll probably think about it for a little bit and then come up with a list of to dos. Now don’t get discouraged. We’ve all had that uncomfortable shopping trip to the pharmacy for some feminine products where we didn’t know what choice to make. This is no different. So pay attention.

Write down what she wants.
Write down what she wants you to do.
If you do these two things, that will probably open the door for you to tell her what you want out of the wedding day. Maybe it’s a photo booth. Or a cigar bar. Either way, work together to come up with ideas for your special day.

Once you’ve gotten your list, STICK TO IT! Ask questions if you’re not sure. The key here is, ‘Under promise and over deliver’ If you can master that skill, you’ll not only have a very happy fiance, but a very happy wife for years to come. Remember one thing. Happy Wife = Happy Life. GOOD LUCK!

LGBT Wedding Help

LGBT Wedding Help

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LGBT Wedding Help

From the WeddingWire forums Crystal writes:

“i need alot of help and ideas planning a lesbian wedding is there anysites to go to to get more help and ideas… any ideas or help from anyone is very much helpful and appreciated. thanks in advance”

Hi Crystal!

Congratulations on your engagement! You must be excited.
I’ve done several LGBT weddings this year and I can say with a great deal of certainty, there’s no difference between a heterosexual wedding and a lesbian wedding. That is, unless you want it to be. Now in speaking with some of my lesbian couples, they had said that they had a difficult time finding LGBT specific vendors and decor. But let me ask you this, do you want it to be different? The only significant difference that I saw was the cake topper. Other than that, everything else was the same. Food was delicious, tables and centerpieces were tasteful and exquisite, lightscaping was colorful and vibrant, and the guests danced all night long.

As it is with any wedding we do… Every wedding. Every time. It’s all about you.

To get ideas, share stories with other LGBT couples, visit the CT LGBT Wedding Forum on Facebook by visiting www.facebook.com/CTLGBTWEDDINGFORUM

seating chart, wedding seating chart, wedding seating arrangements, wedding arrangements, wedding decor

Wedding Seating Arrangements

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Wedding Seating Arrangements

As if planning a wedding wasn’t tricky enough, one of the hardest parts of the planning is the wedding seating arrangements. You want those closest to you to be near your head table and then fill in with friends, co-workers, & acquaintances. Makes sense right?

Think about this for a moment. You love your grandparents and your parents. And they love you. They are ecstatic to be a part of your celebration. Do them a solid and put them as far away from the dance floor as possible.  Why?

The dance floor is a lively place to be. Full of music, and in some cases bright lights. If you remember from your childhood your parents or grandparents yelling up to you, “TURN THAT DOWN”, then being next to the DJ or his speakers is probably not the best place for grandparents. If you put them towards the rear of the room, they’ll be able to mingle with guests and chat with each other a lot easier if they are further away from the music.

“Can’t I just tell the DJ to turn it down?”

Sure you can. And they should oblige that request. But by the same token, a speaker is just that, a speaker. And it has to be loud enough to reach the far ends of the room. Not uncomfortable but, audible.

So when you’re starting to plan your seating arrangement, remember this little tip and keep guests young and old happy.

no dj at wedding, bad wedding dj, ipod dj, ipod wedding

Wedding Reception with no DJ?

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Wedding Reception with no DJ?

Fatimah writes:

Reception with no DJ ?

“Me and the hubby to be are trying to cut costs as much as possible.we want background music but no DJ. I think it’s a waste b/c I really don’t think people will dance much. Anybody having or been to a reception without a DJ!”
A wedding reception without entertainment is just dinner. You can get that at Red Lobster.The picture above tells a lot about this topic. But one question comes to mind. Why do you think that your guests will not dance at your wedding? Are they ultra conservative and don’t like being the center of attention? Are they so immersed in playing Candy Crush on Facebook to enjoy the festivities?What is a dancing crowd exactly? When people refer to a ‘dancing crowd’ they are best described as self starters. When large groups congregate, the social butterflies of the crowd are usually the first ones to the floor. Once they are up there, others join in and the party begins. But how do you get to that point if no one is dancing?SLOW DANCES:

Anyone who has ever been to prom knows how to slow dance. For some, it’s all they know how to do. To stand with your partner and rock gently like a leaf on a tree giving a squeeze to that special someone. That’s a great way to get as many people on the floor to start the night. Once they’re out there, kick it into 5th gear and they’ll be begging for more.ICE BREAKERS:

Songs like YMCA, The Macarena, The Cha Cha Slide, and more are great ice breaker dances. they are easy enough for people to follow along and in some cases, very goofy. When you get that one person who has no fear to start it off, again, others will follow because they aren’t the center of attention. It’s a great way to get even the most conservative of guests moving. BRIDAL PARTY DANCE:

This is a great way to include your guests in the festivities and get the ball rolling. Lead by example. Invite your wedding party up to dance a slow dance with you. And then halfway through, invite the rest of your guests to join you. This will ensure the maximum amount of guests on the floor. From that point, your DJ can bounce around a few genres to see what works and keep the energy up.But what if I’m on a budget?
There is a DJ for everyone out there. In CT, DJs range from $300 to $3000 for weddings. More importantly than getting the cheapest one is finding one that is a good fit for your personality. If your DJ gets your non-dancing crowd up and running, you and he will look like a hero and you will have a wedding people will talk about and remember for ever. The choice is yours.
wedding traditions, bouquet toss, cake cutting, garter toss, something old, something new, something used, something blue, anniversary dance

What wedding traditions are you having at your wedding?

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Wedding Traditions – What traditions are you having at your wedding?

From the WeddingWire Forums Almost Mrs. G Writes:

“Does anyone else’s FH want to do EVERYTHING that they’ve ever seen at a wedding? It’s driving me nuts. I *really* don’t want to do the garter toss. Or the bouquet toss. We really don’t have many guests who are single and every wedding I’ve been to it’s awkward. On top of it all…I *really* don’t want him to have his head up my dress in front of my entire family. We’re still at a stand still with that because he does and I don’t. He does because it’s “traditional”. I want to change a few things about our wedding and he just has no idea that there are no “set” rules for a wedding…we can do what we want. It’s driving me mad. How do you all deal with it?”

Well Mrs G, You’ve found yourself wound up in one of the most common wedding conundrums. Weddings have various traditions. Indian weddings have the Jaimala or ‘Exchange of the Garlands’ Moroccan weddings do hena. And in North America, it’s the bouquet toss.

Traditions are much like fads. They come and they go. They go more so now in recent years. One of the reasons is that the wedding receptions have been shaved down quite a bit from 8 hours down to 5. To do every single formality would take much more time than allotted. So what do you do? How do you choose?

Knowing your guests is half the battle. If the majority of your guests aren’t single, then maybe the bouquet and garter toss isn’t a good idea. But if you want something in it’s place to break up the time, consider things like an anniversary dance or newlywed game. If done properly, these formalities will break up the day a little bit and allow for your caterers to reset in between courses and leave your guests entertained.

wedding flowers, wedding bouquet, bouquet toss, garter toss

The Wedding Bouquet Toss & Garter Toss – Keep it or ditch it?

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The Wedding Bouquet & Garter Toss – Keep it or ditch it?

From the WeddingWire Forums
Katie Writes:
Having a bouquet but no garter toss?

I’ve always loved the idea of a bouquet toss since I was a little girl, but never could understand the garter toss. I don’t want FH taking one off of me in front of my family and there’s no way I would want whoever caught the garter to put it on who caught the bouquet. Have have two issues, there aren’t going to be many single ladies at my wedding and we’re stringing lights over the dance floor. Did you do the bouquet toss? If not, what did you replace it with?

Katie, those formalities have been tradition for many years. However, this is your wedding. You know who you are inviting, whether they’re single, and the personalities of your guests. To your point, you should be comfortable at your reception.  It’s up to you which formalities you want to keep and which to omit.

Concentrate on the things that matter to you and your spouse and what will create a fun and memorable day for you and your guests. Talk to your DJ about some fun alternatives to the traditional bouquet and garter toss. They’ll be able to point you in the right direction.

 

Wedding RSVP - Save the date

Wedding RSVP – Getting your wedding guest list together quickly

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Wedding RSVP – Getting your wedding guest list together quickly

The date is set. The venue chosen. You’ve got your dress and your decor taken care of. It’s time to see who’s coming to the wedding.

RSVPs are a crucial part of wedding planning. Not just for budgetary purposes but it really makes you think about who you want to be present for your special day and where you draw the line. So, why is it so difficult to get people to respond? Simple. After the hundreds you spend in invitations, meal cards, rsvp cards, and then thank you cards and parting gifts, people seem to lose those little cards. They end up in the pile of mail on the kitchen table, or maybe locked in a drawer or glove compartment to respond to later and is eventually out of sight and out of mind. So, how can you get your RSVPs returned quickly, efficiently, and economically?

Social media and a wedding website is your answer. Platforms like Facebook and Google plus give you the ability to create event pages and invite the friends and family and track your RSVPs right on your screen without having to sift through paperwork and making a database. Sites like Weddingwire are also a great tool as they offer wedding websites that have apps and tools to help you get your RSVPs in order.

It’s user friendly, highly efficient, and lots of fun! Personalize your page with little tidbits about what your guests can expect at your wedding. Include pictures of theme ideas and some history on how you and your future spouse met to where you are today.

Technology grows everyday. Embrace it and get the most you can from it. It just could make wedding planner easier than before.