Every engaged couple planning a wedding wants their wedding to be great. Think about the weddings you’ve been to. What made them great was that you – and everyone else- had a great time. Here are some tips to keep in mind so that you’ll create a fabulous experience for your wedding guests and make your wedding one to remember!
1.THE MUSIC WAS IN MY FACE.
The music was non-stop and so loud, you couldn’t hear a word anyone was saying the whole time. Most weddings include people that don’t get to see each other that often. Maybe they live out of town, or like everyone else these days, they’re just too busy. Your wedding is a time they look forward to celebrating with you. It’s also a time everyone looks forward to spending time with family and friends they haven’t seen for ages. But it’s pretty boring when you can’t have a conversation because the Rock music won’t let up, especially during the dinner course. There should be a law requiring at least a 10 minute time-out for loud music while people are eating! We’re not talking about NO music, just some low key music geared for easy conversation.
2. I’M SINGLE AND I HAD TO SIT OUT EVERY DANCE. NOT FUN.
Seating is an important consideration for any wedding. But sometimes it’s impossible to put everyone exactly where they’d like to be. That’s when a great music plan comes in. If you’ve ever wondered why ‘line’ dances, group dances and other planned activities are so popular for weddings, it’s because they work; they get singles to actively participate in the wedding and that’s what having a good time – for everybody – is all about.
3. WHEN WAS THE FATHER DAUGHTER DANCE/ YOU’D THINK THEY’D LET ME IN ON IT, BUT I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THEY HAD ONE.
When people are close enough to you for you to invite them to your wedding, you can be sure they’ll be looking forward to celebrating with you and participating. If they never get to feel that they’re ‘included’, it’s quite a let-down and people often feel disappointed, even hurt. A good band leader, MC or DJ knows that it’s a ‘must’ to get everyone’s attention before announcing the first dance, or any special dance.
4. AREN’T THE BRIDE AND GROOM SUPPOSED TO AT LEAST STOP BY YOUR TABLE TO SAY ‘HELLO’? WE NEVER SAW THEM AFTER THE CEREMONY.
You’d think that every couple would be courteous enough to acknowledge the people at their wedding. WRONG! It’s almost a no-brainer that if you don’t care enough to ‘make the rounds’ at some point during your wedding, there will be some hurt feelings. There’s nothing like the warmth and caring on the part of the bride and groom to give a wedding a great ‘vibe’.
5. I THOUGHT THE CEREMONY WOULD NEVER END.
Here’s a top 10 complaint: We arrived in time after a pretty long drive, but had to wait quite a while for the ceremony to start. It seemed to go on and on. After the Officiant’s sermon, a unity candle lighting ceremony and a special song, the bride and groom recited special vows they had written for each other. This was followed by a live performance of another special song. The ceremony felt never-ending. It would have been enough to have one special song for the unity candle and save the second special song for the reception.
Probably because most couples think… ‘Our wedding DJ or band will take care of everything once we choose our favorite few songs’…Well, you could leave it all to the band or DJ you hire. Lots of people do. But that’s leaving the most important emotional part of your wedding to blind chance.
• Prelude ~ Pre-Ceremony: This is the very beginning of the wedding, the time you allow for everybody to arrive and get seated before the Ceremony begins. About
Welcome to the Wedding Music Central Blog! We’re Multiple Emmy-winner GLORIA SKLEROV and co-writer and partner BARBARA ROTHSTEIN, creators of Wedding Music Central.
As professional songwriters who set romance to music for movies and TV shows, we’ve had to master the art of ‘marrying’ the right music to each ’scene’ …including lots of wedding scenes…to enhance and capture the emotion of each special moment. With our wedding music expertise, our mission is to create that same magic and emotion for your wedding.
If you’re looking for that special song – or as we like to say – “The perfect song for the perfect moment,” listen to our “original and unique” new wedding songs and contemporary arrangements of classical wedding ceremony music. Interested in finding the perfect song for your wedding?
Visit our website at http://www.weddingmusiccentral.com or E-mail us at info@weddingmusiccentral.com
Tips from an “Awesome” Wedding DJ
My DJ the Wedding Coordinator
The role of the DJ has totally expanded since DJs have become such a popular choice for weddings. The DJ is no longer someone who just “plays music” at your wedding. Instead, they set the tone for your whole wedding through music, like mini-entertainers. Obviously, someone’s got to get the audience’s attention and direct the activities throughout the wedding to make sure everyone’s having a great time. With a DJ, you get a built in emcee who’ll keep your guests involved in what’s happening. And so, DJs have evolved into all-around event coordinators of sorts.
Complaints such as “the music was in my face” or “we never saw the bride and groom after the ceremony” are far too common. (Click here to read the “Top 5 Gripes of Wedding Guests”) The good news is that many current DJs understand the importance of wedding organization and are active members of national disc jockey conventions and associations, such as the ADJA. These professional organizations are teaching a new generations of DJs the art of wedding coordination. Here’s the inside scoop on some helpful and insightful information that will make your process of hiring a DJ a lot easier! This article is from Mark Peace, an awesome DJ and the owner of Awesome Entertainment in Pasadena, CA, a name he certainly deserves!
Your DJ’s Responsibilities:
In most cases, your DJs will be responsible for emcee duties, such as announcements and making sure guests know what’s happening throughout your event. The ability to communicate with an audience clearly and tastefully is a talent: Take notice of your first conversation with your prospective disc jockey. This can help you get a sense of his/her personality and can help narrow down your choices before you even arrange an appointment. Ask for Videos or DVDs to see them in action at an actual wedding.
Your DJ is also responsible for programming and mixing music. It’s important that you let your DJ know your musical preferences. If there are songs you absolutely do not want to hear, have a ‘Do Not Play’ list; and if there are songs you absolutely must hear, have a ‘Must Play’ list. Be explicit and that way you’ll get what YOU want, not whatever the DJ feels like playing.
One of the most important roles of your disc jockey is the role of event coordinator. Your DJ should help you create a timeline. This includes the traditional activities such as your first dance, family dances, father daughter dance, mother son dance…and more…plus the cake cutting ceremony and the bouquet toss. Your timeline should include important song picks for these activities. ALWAYS finalize with your disc jockey no later than one week before your event to make sure your DJ understands exactly what you want. You should all be on the same page and know what to play and when to play it, and as for announcements, what to say and when to say it. Also make sure your DJ knows how to pronounce important names.
Your DJ should get everyone’s attention, including all your family and guests, the caterer, the waiters, the videographer and others before every activity so that everyone is prepared and on the same page
It’s generally reported that 80% of a wedding reception’s success lies in the hands of the DJ. It takes a good coordinator to optimize a 4 –6 hour reception time. But it takes your participation as well.
A great DJ is full of great ideas and can help you create the reception of your dreams, but remember to listen carefully before you choose a DJ and stay involved in the planning so the wedding reflects your tastes and personalities. Follow your instincts and you’ll find investing in a good DJ will yield you and your family and friends many priceless memories!