Posts

Wedding Checklist

The go to Brides Wedding Checklist

THE GO TO BRIDES WEDDING CHECKLIST

WEDDING PLANNING
There’s a lot to think about on your wedding day. It can be overwhelming. Here are the 10 most important things you need to do on your special day.

1. Spend time with the folks: Your wedding is a very big day for them too. They’ve taken the journey from marriage to parenthood and this is the moment where they watch all of their hard work and dedication pay off.

2. Keep it clean: Assign clean up to someone. You’re going to be getting your dress on, your makeup done, and your hair done. This takes nothing short of a broadway costume and makeup team to execute. The cleaning up the aftermath ensures that nothing gets left behind and you look your absolute best!

3. Pass a love note to your soon to be hubby:  With everything going on around you, the thoughts and memories of your relationship are probably running through your mind. Send a courier or one of your BFFs to hand deliver a love note to that special man. It’s guaranteed to make his day on the biggest day of his life.

4. Set your mp3 player to FUN mode with a happy and fun playlist: While you’re rushing about getting yourself ready, crank up the tunes and enjoy the pampering experience. Music helps keep people moving and motivated and is sure to keep the spirits high so when it’s time for your nuptials, you’ll have a smile that lights up the room.

5. Happy Feet, Means a Happy Bride: Ditch the heels. You’re going to be roaming about in heels for a minimum of 6 hours. Just short of a solid work day from the ceremony, through pictures, and your entrance. Those beach flip flops sure do come in handy. Don’t worry about how it looks. They’ll be under your dress and your guests will be focused on your radiant glow.

6. Polish your ring: Your ring should shine like your love for one another. Give it a quick polish so that your diamond matches the glimmer in your eyes.

7. Grub it up: Don’t forget to eat breakfast and lunch. This is the happiest day of your life. Feel good in every way you can. Make sure that you have sustenance to keep you fueled up for the reception.

8. Get Water Logged in your dress: Be sure to drink PLENTY of water. Champagne and wine are great for flavor but they’ll dry you out. If you’re doing an outdoor ceremony, you’ll more than likely be in direct sunlight. Unparch yourself with spring water.

9. Throw your phone on the charger until it’s time to leave: If your wedding party or a vendor needs to contact you, it’s very important to have a way to communicate with the people making your dreams a reality.

10. Who doesn’t like yoga pants: After all is said and done and you’ve taken off your dress and wiped the sweat from your brow,  be sure to have your favorite yoga/sweat pants and t-shirt handy. You’ll be comfortable and happy.

Must have photos for your wedding

6 Must Have Photos to get from your wedding.

How many wedding magazines do you have sitting on your coffee table? I bet there’s quite a few. And in browsing those magazines, you see PERFECT photos with amazing detail of dresses, cakes, flowers and all of the pretty things they want you to buy for your wedding. But think for a moment about YOUR wedding. What do YOU want to remember?

All of those items listed above are there to create a setting. The flowers will die, the cake will be eaten, and the dress will end up in a box in the attic. But what you and everyone else will remember are the tender moments and how much fun they had at your wedding. As our good friend Eric Foley says, ‘Wedding photos should be timeless.’  Trends come and ago but your memories last a lifetime.

Get lots of pictures of private moments between you and your new spouse. Some of the best moments captured on film are those that aren’t posed.

Your grandparents. These are the kind and sweet people that have been married for 50 years. their marriage is a testament to what is to come for you and your new spouse. Behind those wrinkles and gray hair, is a love that is just as vibrant as the day they met and it is beautiful.

Your bridal party and family. Enjoy those moments with those are close to you and get lots of candid moments with loved ones. They’re great for showing the kids when they get older.

A packed dancefloor. Your kids will NEVER believe that their mom or dad could cut a rug like you can. And plus, besides your wedding day, it will encourage you to dance with your spouse often whenever you can and you will remember it as one of the happiest days of your life.

Goodbyes. There’s nothing more gratifying then seeing a smile on your face hugging the ones that you love.

Riding off into the sunset. After all is said and done, you can see the day progress from start to finish. From looking your absolute best to looking exhausted and content from having the time of your life at your wedding. When you see that photo, it will serve as a constant reminder of how AWESOME your wedding was!

Inappropriate Wedding Traditions

Inappropriate wedding traditions.

Inappropriate Wedding Traditions
You’re planning your special day and wonder, what traditions should I take part in for my wedding? There are so many, it’s mind boggling. From cake cutting to rice throwing, and many more. But what if you took part in some wedding traditions outside of your wedding? Can you imagine wearing a tux to your construction job? Or separating your friends on either side of the room depending on who you like better? How about putting a miniature version of you on top of that sandwich in the lunch room while you’re on break from the morning rush at the office? Well wonder no more. The witty folks at Buzzfeed  did exactly that. They recreate some of the most common wedding traditions in the most awkward of situations. The work place.

Warning, do not try this at work. Throwing rice at a co-worker while leaving the building might end in an awkward situation.

Watch buzzfeed’s

Things You Do at a Wedding That’d Be Creepy Anywhere Else

cheap dj, amateur dj, bad dj, worst dj ever, school dance dj, prom dj, cheap wedding dj

9 Reasons Why Hiring an Amateur Wedding DJ Is a HUGE Mistake

Written by Stephanie Padovani

What most couples who are planning a wedding don’t know is that saving money by hiring an amateur DJ for your wedding comes with a high price tag.  Before you make a decision you regret, here are some things you need to know.

 

1. There’s a high probability that a cheap (or free) DJ won’t be in business by the time your wedding arrives.

Many low-priced DJs aren’t charging enough to support their own businesses for the long term; you’re just financing their hobby.  Meanwhile, your wedding is 6-12 months away or more.

We’ve received those calls from desperate couples who had a “friend of a friend” DJ cancel on them last minute.  It’s not pretty.

Do you want to risk the possibility that the cheapie DJ is bankrupt and out of business before your big day?

2.  Amateurs are less invested in their performance than a wedding professional.

The amateur DJ is doing it “for fun,” and if something goes wrong, it’s not a big deal.  A wedding professional, on the other hand, risks his entire reputation and livelihood with every performance.  One bad review can destroy his business and he knows it.

At one wedding, the DJ brought along his wife and newborn.  Their table was littered with McDonald’s bags and his wife decided to breastfeed the baby during dinner.

Would you rather have an entertainer who is 100% invested in his business and performance on your wedding day or someone who does it as a hobby?

3.  A wedding is a unique event that require the skills and experience of a wedding specialist for a smooth, flawless ceremony and reception.

It’s about more than just playing music.  Your wedding DJ is responsible for coordinating the timeline, orchestrating the introduction and flow of events, working with your other vendors, managing the guests, reading the crowd and making sure the right song is played at just the right time.

Even a DJ who is quite experienced in the club setting will be at a loss because she simply isn’t familiar with the flow of events and how to prevent disasters when something goes awry.

One inexperienced DJ mistakenly announced a special dance with the bride and her grandfather because he forgot to update his notes.  The entire family started crying because Grandpa had passed away two weeks earlier.

Are you willing to place the outcome of your wedding in the hands of someone who doesn’t “do” weddings for a living?

4.  Your guests won’t dance without an experienced entertainer who can read the crowd and keep the momentum going.

You have to play the right songs at the right time and in the right order to maintain dancing.  Oftentimes, the mood changes and your entertainer needs to change the program to maximize the dancing along the way.

If she can’t mix from one song to another, you’ll have gaps of “dead air” or awkward rhythms that will frustrate your guests and clear the floor.

Many couples think that providing an amateur with a set list of songs they love will be enough to make a fun wedding.  It’s not.  You need someone with experience to work with your requests and what your guests are responding to in order to avoid an empty dance floor.

One bride regrets hiring her DJ because he played “Unforgettable” five times during the wedding because he didn’t know any other slow songs.

Are you willing to sacrifice the fun at your wedding to save money on a cheaper DJ?

5.  The MC (the guy or girl on the microphone) has a huge impact on the mood and outcome of your party, for better or worse.

An obnoxious DJ with an abrasive voice will irritate your guests and dampen the mood of the entire party.  Professional DJs invest in vocal training and practice to optimize their performance.

I personally witnessed one DJ and embarrass everyone by making suggestive comments to the bride over the microphone.

Do you want just anyone acting as your wedding host or do you want a professional speaker you can trust?

6.  Your special events may not happen if you don’t hire a specialist who’s experienced in channeling the flow of events.

Who will direct your bridal party and guests at the ceremony?  Who’s going to line them up for introductions?  Who’s in charge of making sure the toasts, special dances and dedications go without a hitch?

Just having the equipment and knowing how to push play doesn’t guarantee the people wrangling skills you need for a fun, smooth reception.  In most cases, your entertainer is the one who makes sure your special events are executed as you’ve requested.

One inexperienced DJ forgot to bring the couple’s First Dance song; they were forced to dance to Barbra Streisand, who they can’t stand.

Will you risk leaving your special events to chance or do you want to ensure that everything is done according to plan?

7.  An amateur doesn’t have the experience to include your unique requests in a way that truly expresses your personality AND keeps people dancing.

You can’t make your guests dance to the songs you like if they don’t feel the same way.  Your DJ needs to read the crowd and have the experience to build sets of music around your preferences.

An amateur DJ can play the songs you request, but lacks the experience necessary to make it work.

One bride told us her DJ played the unedited version of Sexxy Back during dinner and had five minutes of dead air while he queued up the next song.

Do you want your guests on the dance floor all night or is it acceptable to have large chunks of time with no dancing?

8. An amateur DJ has inadequate or non-existent backup equipment, which means that if something fails you have no music at your wedding.

A fully functional backup system on the premises is essential to making sure you have music at your wedding no matter what.  Most amateur DJs won’t have a backup plan if a speaker blows or a laptop crashes.

We were approached at the end of one wedding by a DJ in the next room who asked if he could “borrow our speakers” because his were broken.

Are you willing to takes your chances without a backup on your wedding day?

9.  DJs who charge less invest less into their equipment, which means you have inferior sound and performance at your wedding.

A stereo system that sounds great in your living room doesn’t sound good in a spacious wedding venue.  Professional speakers and equipment are necessary for clear sound that has impact at low volumes, so your guests can speak at the tables even while the dance floor is thumping.

If you want your guests to actually hear your exchange of vows at the ceremony, you’ll need professional equipment and an onsite tech to make sure that happens.

One DJ showed up at a venue for the first time without ANY speakers or mixer because he’s been told that he could, “use the venue’s sound system” and he didn’t call ahead to verify.

Are sound issues like blasting music or impossible to understand audio acceptable on your wedding day?

If you’re not planning to have any formal events at your wedding, and you’d like a cocktail party more than a dance party, it may make sense to save money by hiring a non-professional.  But if you’re investing thousands of dollars on creating the perfect day, please don’t jeopardize it by hiring someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing.

Your wedding day only happens once; make sure you hire a DJ who gets it right.

You have our permission to share and republish this post as long as you

Hollywood Wedding

Hollywood Theme Weddings – The must haves for your tinsel town wedding.

Hollywood Theme Weddings – The must haves for your tinsel town wedding.

Welcome to Hollywood California! Where stars are made and dreams come true.
So are you ready to plan your star studded theme weddings?
Hollywood is all about film. It’s about going over the top and creating the perfect dreamscape. So how do you get to that special place?

Whine and Cheese:
It’s your wedding and you want it perfect. At a Hollywood wedding, there’s no whining and no cheese. Class and sophistication are paramount.

A wedding of TITANIC proportions:
We don’t mean we want your wedding to sink to the depths of the atlantic throwing your groom overboard. Remember in the movie Titanic, it was around the twenties. Class and sophistication were in. The svelte black tie affair was in. Artists like George Clooney, Justin Timberlake, and of course Leonardo DiCaprio have all embraced this classic style. The most regal of locations with stunning architecture, artwork, decor, and cuising are paramount to pull an event like this off. Places like The Aqua Turf and Aria are the perfect location. Add a classic string ensemble for cocktail hour and you’ve got a wedding straight out of the roaring twenties.

Walk like a Kar-dash-i-an:
Kim’s FIRST wedding was Hollywood Chic to the max. An outdoor tented wedding with white linens cascading from the rooftop to the floor. Instead of christmas lights strewn about, colorful uplighting was used to change the ambiance of the all white wedding. White rose petals resting on the green grass down the aisle in between white upholstered chairs for those in attendance.

In the spotlight for your 15 minutes of fame:
If you’ve ever been to a movie premier or seen the famed 20th Century Fox intro, those bright searchlights are a must have. Let the world know where the party is. **Just a side note… We can get those for you too**
Ain’t no party like an after party…:
The after party is a MUST HAVE for your Hollywood inspired wedding. Large or small, you and your V.I.P.S can heat up the dancefloor into the early morning hours at a different location after your formal reception. Don’t want to travel? That’s ok. Check with your venue to grab the room next door for your after party.

Ride in Style:
The plain black limo is sooooo yesterday. If you really want to go out, try a horse drawn carriage or classic car.

Here comes the bride, wedding ceremony music

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

 

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

 

The Bridal Party Packet | Wedding Planning Essentials

The Bridal Party Packet | Wedding Planning Essentials

You’ve been planning your wedding for months now and we’re getting down to the wire. All of your hard work is about to come to fruition in just a few short weeks. So what’s next?

While on WeddingWire, I saw a great wedding planning idea for keeping things organized for your bridal party. Wedding packets. Yes. A go-to resource for your bridal party that gives them the details of your special day and assignments as necessary. As Ashley said, “Nothing bridezilla like” just something to keep VIPs informed.

Being very organized for your special day is important as it helps guide the flow of the day and allows events to go smoothly. So what should you include in your wedding packet? Here are a few suggestions…

1. Date, Time, and location of your wedding and reception.

2. A who’s who and what order they will need to be in for your introductions.

3. A timeline of events. (Ex: Ceremony at 4pm, pictures to follow. Cocktail hour at 5pm with more pictures to follow. Reception Start 6pm etc.)

4. Things to bring. (Comfortable shoes, a small purse or handbag with your personals that can easily be carried in formal attire.

5. leave all cell phones, ipads, electronic gadgets in the car or your purse during photos. (This will speed up the photography process without distraction or interruption of social media updates)
6. Assign  different tasks to your bridal party. (Grabbing coffee on the way to getting ready for the big day, fielding phone calls for the bride and groom so they can concentrate on their wedding, keeping in contact with vendors to ensure that they are in place and ready to go)

With the right bridal packet, you, your bridal party and guests can enjoy a fun, stress free, and memorable experience on your special day.

Weddings for men, Mother Son dance songs

The Perfect Mother Son dance songs | Weddings for Men

The Perfect Mother Son dance songs | Weddings for Men

Picking music for your wedding is not something you think of every day. It’s hard to figure out a song that really speaks to you in terms of your life and experience with mom. Here are 50 of the most popular mother/son dance songs that we’ve seen at weddings this past year. Hope it helps!

1 Rascal Flatts
My Wish

2 Armstrong, Louis
What A Wonderful World

3 Boyz II Men
A Song For Mama

4 Beatles
In My Life

5 Lynyrd Skynyrd
Simple Man

6 Womack, Lee Ann
I Hope You Dance

7 Dion, Celine
Because You Loved Me (Theme From Up Clo…

8 Kamakawiwo’ole, Israel ‘Iz’
Over The Rainbow

9 Groban, Josh
You Raise Me Up

10 Stewart, Rod
Forever Young

11 Chesney, Kenny
Don’t Blink

12 Stewart, Rod
Have I Told You Lately

13 King, Ben E.
Stand By Me

14 Brooks, Garth
It’s Your Song

15 Matthews, Jason
That’s What Mamas Do

16 Cole, Natalie With Nat King Cole
Unforgettable

17 Wonder, Stevie
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life

18 Adkins, Trace
Then They Do

19 Collins, Phil
You’ll Be In My Heart

20 Midler, Bette
Wind Beneath My Wings

21 Rogers, Kenny
Through The Years

22 Taylor, James
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)

23 Fleetwood Mac
Landslide

24 Hicks, Taylor
Do I Make You Proud

25 Hill, Faith
There You’ll Be

26 Mcentire, Reba
He Gets That From Me

27 Sinatra, Frank
The Way You Look Tonight

28 Beatles
Let It Be

29 John, Elton
Your Song

30 Morrison, Van
Days Like This

31 Presley, Elvis
Memories

32 Brickman, Jim Feat. Lady Antebellum Wit…
Never Alone

33 Simon, Paul
Loves Me Like A Rock

34 Beach Boys
God Only Knows

35 Brooks, Garth
The Dance

36 Harris, Mark
Find Your Wings

37 Joel, Billy
Just The Way You Are

38 Dixie Chicks
Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)

39 Taylor, James
You’ve Got A Friend

40 Wonder, Stevie
Isn’t She Lovely

41 Clapton, Eric
Wonderful Tonight

42 Travis, Randy
Angels

43 Carey, Mariah
Hero

44 Cocker, Joe
You Are So Beautiful

45 Denver, John
Sunshine On My Shoulders

46 Houston, Whitney
I Will Always Love You

47 Underwood, Carrie
Mama’s Song

48 2pac
Dear Mama

49 Guns N’ Roses
Sweet Child O’ Mine

50 Intruders
I’ll Always Love My Mama

wedding toast, writing a wedding speech

WEDDING TIP: How to come up with a great wedding speech.

Writing a wedding speech for someone’s special day is an honor. Your friend’s wedding is one of the most memorable days of their life and you’ve been called on with the duty of speaking on their behalf to their family and friends. A spokesperson of sorts.

Even if you’ve never written a speech before, it’s easier than you think. What should you say? What will it sound like? Will you get choked up?
Don’t worry about stage fright. It happens to everyone. When you see grown men and women with that lump in their throat, you know that they aren’t faking emotion and it makes the speech that much more meaningful.

KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET: Put yourself in the seat of your audience. Hollywood has mastered the art of the acceptance speech in keeping it at a conservative minute and a half. As much as you might like to host the Comedy Central Roast of your best friend, keep in mind, it’s their special day. They have invested months of time, effort, and money for this one day that they will remember for the rest of their life.

SPEAK FROM THE HEART: You’ve known your best friend for a long time. There are many life experiences that you’ve shared over the years so choose dialogue that is both entertaining as it is heartfelt. Remember, you’re not writing a script for a made for TV movie. You’re talking about your best friend

WARREN, DON’T BE SUCH A SAP: Heartfelt speeches are a beautiful thing, but keep those tears happy. Keep your content positive. Weddings are a joyous occasion. Keep the mood upbeat.

SMILE: When you smile, your audience reacts positively with encouragement. And when the audience you’re speaking to smiles back, it will help to instil confidence and you’ll have a great speech.

PROPER MICROPHONE TECHNIQUE: You’ve wrote a speech about your best friend for all to hear. Make sure that they hear it. Hold the microphone towards your mouth about 2 inches away and speak from the diaphragm. Also, never stand in front of a speaker when you have the microphone. The feedback will melt your face off.

wedding cakes, history of wedding cakes, cake cutting

The meaning behind the wedding cake cutting

The Meaning behind the Wedding Cake Cutting

Why white?

Wedding cake is made white to signify the bride’s purity, innocence, and virginity. The challenge for bakers in the Victorian era was their limit of creativity in regards to the icing as it requires fine sugar. So, back in the day, it was assumed that the whiter the icing on the cake, the wealthier the family was.

Multiple layers & Stacking

Since the beginning, cakes were stacked from large to small layers. Traditionally, cake stacking was representative of fertility. The number of layers that were stacked signified the number of children the newlyweds would conceive. But today, the meaning of a tall cake is all about keeping up with the Jones’ and the taller they are, the more glamorous they are.