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5 Wedding Time savers to get you to the dance floor.

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Weddings are a cause for celebration and there’s no better way to celebrate than to let loose on the dance floor. And along with the dancing, there are many ceremonious events from parents dances and bouquet tosses that often occur during the course of a reception. One of the unfortunate things we hear from time to time are stories from couples who have recently attended a wedding and spoke of how long they were waiting to get to the dance floor. A lot of that can be attributed  to the amount of events that take place during a reception and trying to jam as much into 5 hours as possible. So what are some great wedding time savers to help you maximize your time?

This is where a good master of ceremonies really shines. Your master of ceremonies is the keeper of the keys to keep things moving and on schedule. They are the voice of the celebration to help you and your guests get the most out of your special day. But in addition to hiring a professional wedding entertainer, there are a few things that you can do to save some time during your celebration.

HERE ARE 5 WEDDING TIME SAVERS TO GET YOU TO THE DANCE FLOOR
1. BE ON TIME

This is a big one. We’ve all heard of the wedding that runs late. Things happen from time to time. Maybe makeup and hair took a little longer than it should or a bridesmaid had to use the restroom just moments before the processional at the ceremony. It happens. But being prepared is key to the success of any event especially when it comes to weddings. Arrive to the ceremony location or venue at least an hour early to ensure that you and those who are a part of the ceremony are present and accounted for and start the ceremony right when it’s supposed to happen. Every minute counts and lost time adds up and ultimately delays the festivities.

2. GET YOUR PHOTOS DONE BEFORE COCKTAIL HOUR

If you get your formal photos done prior to cocktail hour or at the very least, the majority of them, this will allow you and your bridal party to enjoy cocktail hour with your guests as well. It also gives your photographer more time to get you the shots you are looking for and there is less pressure to get to the venue. If you go over a little bit, no worries, at least you’ll be on time for your introductions and your dinner will be ready when you arrive.

3. HIRE PROFESSIONAL TRANSPORTATION

This is one of the best investments you can make with  time saving in mind. A limo or transportation company is in the business of travel and know the roads better than most because driving is what they do. They know where the venues are and shortcuts to get you there faster. Not to mention, you can sit back and relax with a glass of bubbly while your chauffer handles the cross town traffic and gets you to the reception on time.

4. KEEP IT SIMPLE

Pinterest is great for inspiration in weddings. But be careful not to load up your 5 hour celebration with too many trends. The more you try to jam into your celebration, it may complicate things to the point of taking time away from you and your guests enjoying time on the dance floor. Timing is everything so be sure to keep your wedding dj, venue, and photographer abreast of any details you would like to put into your special day.

5. USE VENDOR REFERRALS

A wedding team that works well together is a sure fire way to get the most out of your wedding. When the venue, photographer, and DJ are familiar with each other, they work like a swiss watch and can work around any unforseen circumstances that may arise. We’re all here to help you enjoy your special day.

 

A few tears, a ripped dress, and a little comic relief

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Last night was no ordinary night for Jen & Sean. After many years of courtship, they decided to tie the knot (literally) during their wedding ceremony at the Grand Oak Villa in Watertown, CT. Over 120 guests were in attendance for this fun filled affair.

In typical New England style, rain showers for the past week made things a bit nerve racking for our bride and groom due to the uncertainty of the weather but as luck would have it, mother nature came through with a flawless day.

After the ceremony, the bridal party took their formal pictures and headed into the reception. BUT, not before a near fall down a steep slope by our bride. Sean, her knight in shining armor managed to catch his new bride just in time but not before her beautiful wedding dress popped a clasp leaving the back of her dress undone.

So far, we were off to a rocky start but, when everyone came inside, her team of bridesmaids really pulled together and fixed the dress and made her comfortable. As a bit of comic relief, I brought my trusty roll off black gaffers tape to lend a hand with mending her dress. It was good to see her give a chuckle after what had just happened which let me know that she was just fine. Jen is a trooper.

Now come the introductions. But let’s back up for a moment. A few weeks earlier, one of the groomsmen, “Chris” has unexpectedly passed away. He was a very dear friend to Jen & Sean. But he was surely not forgotten. During a toast to the bride and groom, the best man paid a small tribute to their dear friend.

After dinner and a few tender moments dancing with their parents, Jen & Sean took part in a fun traditional Anniversary Dance. The oldest married couple was happily married 37 years which is always wonderful to see. It was a testament to Jen & Sean’s love for one another and a shining example of what is to come for them many years later.

And now…. the fun begins. In 19 years of entertaining at events, I can safely say that this wedding was one of the most fun and heartfelt weddings I have had the pleasure of attending. From the start of open dance, through 3 hours straight of a packed dancefloor, this wedding was amazing. The very last song of the night was Jen & Sean’s wedding song “Then” by Brad Paisley. All of the guests joined them on the floor for one last dance before the night was through at the stroke of midnight. It was a fantastic end to a wonderful day.

Congratulations to Jen & Sean on their new journey as husband and wife. Best wishes to you both!

Thanks to Grand Oak Villa for being amazing as always and to Tracy Harvey Photography. We’ll see you on the road!

 

Here comes the bride, wedding ceremony music

Here comes the bride. 38 Wedding Ceremony Songs You’ll Love.

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If you’re looking to have a non-traditional or secular wedding ceremony, you may have the option to have some personalized music for your ceremony. Here are 38 wedding ceremony songs you’ll love.

1. I do – Colbie Calliat

2. Joy – Apollo 100

3. Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

4. Mint Car – The Cure

5. All I want is you. – Barry Lousi Polisar

6. Modern Nature – Sondre Lerche

7. Tenderness – General Public

8. City of Blinding Lights – U2

9. Crazy Little Thing Called Love – Michael Buble

10. You make my Dreams – Hall and Oates

11. Accidentally In Love – Counting Crowes

12. Love you Madly – Cake

13. M79 – Vampire Weekend

14. Sweet Disposition – The Temper Trap

15. You are the Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne

16. Moth’s Wings – Passion Pit

17. Signed, Sealed Delivered (I’m Yours) – Stevie Wonder

18. I do. – The Marvelows

19. All you need is love – Beatles

20. Wouldn’t it be nice – 1999 (Remaster) – Beach Boys

21. Happy Together – The Turtles

22. Gimmie Some Lovin’ – Spencer Davis

23. Ain’t that a kick in the head – 1997 (Remastered) – Dean Martin

24. Dog Days are Over – Florence + The Machine

25. The Adventure – Angels & Airwaves

26. Ho Hey – Lumineers

27. Everlasting Love – Love Affair

28. Arms – Christina Perri

29. I’ve just seen a face – Live on MTV UnPlugged – Paul McCartney

30. Silver Lining – Rilo Kiley

31. Dance Tonight – Live @ Citi Field – Paul McCartney

32. Lovers in Japan – Coldplay

33. Feel Again – OneRepublic

34. A-Punk – Vampire Weekend

35. Home – Phillip Phillips

36. You always Make me Smile – Kylie Andrews

37. You got it – Roy Orbison

38. Best Day of My Life – American Authors

 

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.