By Troy McVicker (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Events): Event Source NW, http://www.eventsourcenw.com/
Is this true or what?! How many weddings have you been to where the music selection is horrible, sound quality poor, and the DJ completely silent, or worse yet…cheesy!
Here are a few ways to ensure that you get quality entertainment on your 1 and only day.
1. Meet with 3 companies minimum. Ask about their philosophy & success
2. Make sure that you’re meeting with the person(s) actually performing at your wedding. The goal is to get a good feel for who will be on the microphone leading your reception.
3. Make sure they will meet with you before the wedding to go over the music, Fun, interactive goals, and the timeline
4. Prioritize goals and budget for your wedding day! If fun, entertainment, interaction, & music are important to you, you need to spend a bit more on this part.
You may even consider hiring a DJ/MC team to maximize your chances of a memorable reception. The good ol’ adage “You get what you pay for” is SOOO true when it comes to this! There are tons of areas to cut back, so you can make sure that the party is a hit. Kristal Johnson (wedding planning specialist blogger) will post a blog soon about “Simple budget cutbacks without changing your wedding day”.
Good luck and go find someone that will help you make your day fun & memorable….Don’t settle!
By Daniel Sheehan (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Photography): A Beautiful Day Photography, http://www.abeautifuldayphotography.com
Many times I have photographed weddings where I start taking pictures around 8:30 AM and go through the whole day following the couple around. I shoot them as they get ready, and then the ceremony, and then the posed formal photo session (this is usually the hardest work for me, not the shooting but just getting everybody rounded up and checking off all the names from the shot list). Finally we cruise around and do some photos in various locations before we arrive at the reception.
Everyone applauds the couple as they make their entrance to the reception and make their way table by table to their seats. I keep shooting as they sit down and begin to eat their meal. At this point I look around for a place to sit down to do the same thing (I have never had anyone ask me where are those photos of us stuffing food in our face).
What happens sometimes at this point is I realize that there is no place to sit. Either they forgot about me or I needed to remind them that after 6 hours of taking pictures, I have to eat oo. Sometimes, I can find an empty seat at a table where someone did not make it and sit down with the guests. In fact I enjoy getting to know the friends of the couple.
My least favorite weddings are where the venue insists that the vendors must sit out in the kitchen with the staff or some distant room and eat a boxed lunch. This is a good way to alienate someone you have just spent 6 hours hanging out with getting your photographs made. My preference is that I sit where I can keep an eye on the wedding couple. They often get up during the meal and do some wonderful interaction or someone makes a toast that makes a great and memorable photo. For just the cost of an extra plate you can keep the photographer happy. He will also then be around to capture special moments as they happen for the whole day. And he will be happy to stick around for the rest of the reception however long it might extend to keep recording the pictures that will help you remember the most special day of your life. I suppose I should write it into my contract so that it does not become an issue for future weddings. What do you think?