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Wedding floor plan: Where should I put my DJ?

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Are you completing your wedding floor plan? Where should I put my DJ?
Should I put them on the dance floor? How about in the corner next to the ficus tree? Oh wait, I know. Let’s put them smack dab next to my grandparents.

Where you put your DJ in the floor plan has a direct effect on the success of your event. The aforementioned locations are all very common when it comes to producing a floor plan. So where should you put your DJ?

The best location in the room whether it’s a private event, corporate holiday party, wedding, or anywhere a DJ is needed would be on the dance floor. Your entertainment should be visible to your guests. This allows the DJ to address your guests and capture their attention for any events or ongoings during your event. To keep from having to repeat the same message over and over again, sometimes a visual aid helps to grab the eyes of guests to let them know something is about to happen.

Another reason why the dance floor is the best place for your DJ is due to sound. The more centrally located the DJ is in the room, the less volume they will need to get the sound where it needs to be. In the case of being put in the corner next to the ficus tree, a DJ must crank it up to enable the guests in the far reaches of the room to hear things like toasts, announcements, and introductions. It is also very difficult to capture the attention of your guests when hiding in the corner.

And while we’re on the topic of sound, let’s talk about our more seasoned guests. It’s no secret, old people HATE loud anything. The NUMBER ONE complaint about DJs at any event is that they are too loud. For our 21 – 35 year old audience, volume isn’t as much of a concern. People in that age range attend bars, clubs, and concerts regularly. It’s expected that the music and the energy of the room will likely be matched in volume. But to a person with sensitive ears or intolerant ears, regardles of how quiet a DJ is, the constant exposure to professional grade audio equipment is hard on the ears.

For the comfort and enjoyment of your guests, consider putting your DJ front and center. We’re not trying to take the attention off of you. We just want your event to be successful and your guests to be comfortable.

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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.

 

The Bridal Party Packet | Wedding Planning Essentials

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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.

bridal party line up, bridal party, how to line up your bridal party

Bridal Party Line Up | A Tutorial

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Bridal Party Line Up | A Tutorial

How should you line up your bridal party? Do you line them up from shortest to tallest? Hair color? How do you do it so that your pictures come out PERFECT? There’s a lot to think about from vendors to decor, and guest lists to playlists and everything in between.

There are many different ways to accomplish the perfet bridal party line up. It’s up to you! Typically you start with the grandparents of the bride and groom, then then parents make an appearance. Folling the parents is the bridal party being introduced in pairs. Following the bridal party comes the flower girl and ring bearer. After the kids come in, your maid or matron of honor and best man take the walk down the aisle. And last but not least, it’s time for the newlyweds to make their grand entrance.

Check out this great article from BRIDES.COM on How to Line up your Bridal Party.

http://www.brides.com/blogs/aisle-say/2014/01/how-does-the-wedding-party-line-up-at-the-ceremony.html#sthash.wUIis9Yw.dpuf

 

Wedding planning – The Wedding Timeline

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The Wedding timeline are essential to keep everything running smoothly. There are so many working parts that have to come together in order to make sure that everything that you want for your special day happen where and when they are supposed to. So, how do you begin to plan the events of the day?

Your Master of Ceremonies/DJ will have the responsibility of a ‘wedding director’ of sorts making sure that every event during your reception will happen seamlessly. From your introductions to dinner service, parents dances and so on all the way to the last dance. It is important to be very detail oriented when planning out the timeline.

For instance, the order of events pertaining to parent dances, toasts, etc all happen in conjunction with dinner service. Your introductions will come first followed by a first dance. While that’s happening, your catering staff are getting salads ready to be brought out to your guests. Once your first dance is over, a toast is done. This will get your guests seated and allow the waitstaff to serve salads. After the toast, dinner begins. After your first course, your father/daughter dance will happen. With everyone seated, the tables will be cleared and prepared for the next course. Then the mother/son dance will happen and the 2nd course will be served. You return to the table and enjoy your meal. Soon after that, a bouquet toss will happen and again, the waitstaff will clear the tables once again and get them ready for wedding cake.You’ll be instructed to head to the cake table for a cake cutting and many guests may get up to take pictures of this fun moment. Soon after, the cake will be served and open dance begins. With everyone on the floor, the desert is cleared and the room is in party mode.

While all of these events are going on, your DJ will be communicating with your catering staff, photographer, videographer, and any other people in your wedding team to make sure that they get set up for important moments in your reception and in the end, giving you not only the best reception in regards to food and entertainment but photos and video to remember for years to come.

There may be differences from venue to venue but, a good Master of Ceremonies will be able to adapt seamlessly to any changes they need to make to make your reception the one you’ve always wanted.

Extending your wedding celebration.

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Extending your wedding celebration.

Dancing at a wedding is one of the most memorable experiences for couples and guests alike. So the question is, how long will you have to dance at your reception?

Wedding timelines often vary from venue to venue and from DJ to DJ depending on what their ‘norm’ is. Many venues make the dining experience the star of the reception. But really, it’s all about you.

If you are having a day wedding, chances are, the venue and/or entertainment will have a second event to do after yours and will be forced to be on time with no extension. Night time weddings have a little bit more leeway when it comes to overtime. Be sure to ask your venue and entertainment for pricing and terms for overtime.

Even with a wedding timeline, nothing is set in stone, things happen. Pictures may take longer than expected, the executive chef may drop an entire prime rib and have to re-group. You never know. But if the party is hopping and you want to keep it going, typically an hour overtime will do the trick. If you have a great DJ, they will always leave your guests wanting more.
Some things you can do to speed the timeline up are:
BE ON TIME.
Have your wedding photographer Take your pictures BEFORE your ceremony
Have a cocktail HALF-hour.
Do your introductions and right into first dance with toasts to follow.
Buffet Dinner for 150 people shouldn’t take more than an hour to get through. Sit down, plan on 2 hours.
Do your parents dances in between courses. Then cake RIGHT after dinner into dancing.

 

Typically my guests enjoy 2.5 hours of dance time. For a wedding that is the norm. Depending on the wedding and the venue, I may open the dance floor in between courses to get people moving. It’s up to you. Talk to your DJ about the timeline. If they are an experienced Master of Ceremonies, they will be able to help you reach your goal of maximum dancing.