Saturday, June 29, 2013

Where To Book An Emcee for A Wedding Reception?

So, you just got engaged and now you need to book an emcee for your wedding reception. The only problem is, you have no idea where to even begin looking. Booking an emcee can be an extremely daunting and difficult task if you don't know where to look. Your wedding is supposed to be fun and easy, you shouldn't have to worry about finding an emcee. This is supposed to be a walk in the park. I want to make this task even easier for you, so let's talk about some places you can look to book a DJ for your special event. This is by no means the only way to find an emcee, but it's a great starting point if you don't know where to begin.

Book An Emcee Online

Most soon to be brides don't even think of this option, not because they aren't interested in book a DJ online, but because they didn't know it was possible. However, it's very possible, and it's extremely popular in the bridal community. The reason why it's so fun is because it gives couples the opportunity to view a large variety of DJs, check out their photos, videos, reviews and even book them right online! This allows the bride and groom to work together looking for a DJ and it's fun at the same time. There a re a lot of sites out there where you can book a DJ online, one of the more popular one's being Book The Beat, which allows you to search for a DJ by event type (in your case, wedding reception!), location, date and time, etc. They also allow DJs to create their own mini profiles so that you can view their work, listen to their music and even see some photos and videos! This gives you the opportunity to browse a ton of different DJs without actually having to go meet with each and every one of them. We all know how hectic it can be to work full time, plan a wedding and have time for everything else (especially if you have kids), so meeting with a ton of DJs is probably at the bottom of your priority list.

Recommendations from Friends & Family

Since most soon to be's don't know that you can book a DJ online, they go to the next best place, their friends and family. Do you have a friend or family member that recently got married? Did you have an awesome time at their wedding reception partying and dancing the night away? Well, this may sound too easy, but why don't you ask that friend or family member who the DJ / Emcee was that they hired for their wedding? In doing this, you already know that the emcee was reliable, fun and hopefully not too pricey! That's the only downside to having a DJ recommended by a friend or family member. If they're your only choice, then you're not going to have the opportunity to comparison shop. You never know, you may be getting an awesome deal, or you might be paying way too much for your DJ. This is why it's important to know how much DJs cost.

Newspapers & Magazines

Reading through newspapers and magazines definitely isn't the most popular way of finding an emcee, but it's still an option. In the age before the internet, newspaper and magazine advertising was the only way to get your name out there, and it was much more common to find an entertainer. Nowadays, you may look in magazines and the paper and not see a single DJ listed. However, it can't hurt to give a look.

Asking Your Venue

This one's a no brainer, right? Well, believe it or not, a lot of couples don't even think of this one. If you think about it, emcees need a place to play, so what better place for them to advertise their services than with the wedding reception venues that they're going to play at? Nowhere! The only problem with this is that they have a very limited selection and you may not like them, or they might not fit your budget. It never hurts to ask though.

The first place I'd recommend looking is online, simply because your other choices are limited to the DJs that they have on file. Going back to variety and pricing, this is why I always recommend that you try and find a DJ online before you look anywhere else. If you don't feel comfortable or simply don't find a DJ that you like, then you can check out all the other sources! Good luck in your search.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Fun Ideas for Your Wedding Reception

So, Your Engaged. Now It's Time To Think of Some Fun Ideas!

Nowadays, there are so many different things you can have at your wedding, that most people don't even know where they should begin. Should they have live entertainment, a huge selection of food, tropical drinks, a dessert bar, the list goes on and on, but what do you really need at your reception to make it the best night of your life? Lets cover some fun things to have at your reception.

Your Big Entrance

Ok newlyweds, you've just gotten married and now it's time to have a little fun. Traditional weddings are almost out, it's time to have some fun with your entrance. There are so many different things you can do when you first walk in to your reception.

Dance - All of the bridal party can get together for a big dance, similar to that one YouTube video where the bridal party dance's to Justin Bieber's Baby. Now that looked like a great time.

Just Do Something Fun! - At the last wedding I attended, the bride and groom wore boxing gloves and pretended that they were boxing on the way in. It looked like they were having so much fun with it! Get creative and have a little fun. You only get this special day once, so make sure you make the best of it.

Live Entertainment

This one's almost a no-brainer. What is a wedding reception without having live entertainment? Exactly. Whether you opt for a DJ, Live Band, or wedding singer, this is surely going to be the highlight of the night, well except for the bride and groom of course! Everybody loves to have a good time at a wedding and live entertainment will have everyone up on their feet dancing.

Drink Selection

You know what goes hand-in-hand with live entertainment? Great alcoholic drinks! The more selections of alcoholic drinks the better, but if you're on a tight budget, you could just stick to some of the main drinks. Those are as follows; beer, martinis, margaritas and mixed drinks. Tip: To save money on mixed drinks, buy well liquors and not the top shelf stuff! You could save a ton of money on alcohol  by not buying the top of the line stuff!

That's just a few ways to make your wedding reception more fun than ever! Always remember to think outside of the box. I mean honestly, who wants to be like everyone else? Have a little fun on your big day!


Saturday, June 15, 2013

Tips To Save Cash On Your Special Day


How Much Cash Do You Have To Fork out To Have An Amazing Wedding? Do You Find Yourself Investing Too Much On Your Wedding Day? With marriages getting so unaffordable, it's tough for your ordinary partners to pay for everything they want. If you're sensible, you could save a lot of cash and you'll be able to purchase what you want. We're going to discuss some wedding ideas on a budget in the following article a


Do Not Get Hitched On A Saturday

You may want to get married on a Saturday, but is it worth it? It's actually normal for someone to save thousands by changing your big day. It truly is worth thinking about altering your wedding day.

Out Of Season Weddings

Off-season ceremonies are an easy way for saving some money. So why be ordinary, schedule your wedding day in the off-season. Don't be the same as the rest! Contemplate booking your wedding ceremony in the off season months and save a lot of cash in doing this.

Reduce Your Guest List

Do you really need to invite your boss's cousins to the wedding, or can you do without them? A lot of partners are way too pre-occupied worrying about offending other individuals feelings, they decide to send invites to everybody they've ever talked to. News flash, it is your event. If starts to be an excessive amount of money, you should start removing people who may not be important from the guest list. It is your big day, make decisions that make you happy.

Marriage ceremony and Your Reception In One

I bet you didn't consider this one, have you? Just think about just how much money you could possibly save if you weren't required to provide transport for your guests, or even only the wedding party. Certainly, there are venues that have both of them at the same site. It is seriously worth checking it out.

Your Arrangements

We all know how high priced flower arrangements could get. A good way to save yourself a lot of money on flower arrangements is to only purchase a flower arrangement which are in season, to ensure that they don't have to be shipped from across the country. You could also try to use more greens so you don't have a need to get lots of flowers.

Use Larger Tables

As opposed to getting Fifty dining tables that seat 8 people, you should get 20 kitchen tables that will seat twenty people? You'll save a bunch of cash on cloths, decorations and table covers just by you making a simple adjustment like this.

Your Wedding Reception Cake

Today's wedding cakes have gotten pricey. Large numbers of brides are purchasing artificial reception cakes, and some sheet cakes which they conceal behind the curtain. Nobody truly cares about exactly what the reception cake looks like and why should you spend all of that cash on a wedding reception cake that you are just going to eat? Buy a number of sheet cakes and have the waiters carry the slices of cake out to the guest whenever it's time for dessert.

Reception Entertainment

It is difficult looking for a Disc jockey to book if you don't know the best places to look. Instead of questioning friends of yours for the DJ that they employed and having to pay a lot of money, why don't you search on a website like Book The Beat that offers many hundreds and possibly even 1000s of unique Disc jockeys you could choose. Several Disc jockeys are competing with each other on this site for your business, so you will absolutely be able to obtain a competitive price tag when booking one.

Professional Wedding Photographer

High quality wedding day photographers are incredibly expensive and they aren't always needed for your special day. If you locate a wedding photographer that you really want to employ, but you just are unable to manage to pay for them, you can ask them whether they have an associate photographer that may do your ceremony at a discount. Associate photographers commonly photograph with the professional photographer on almost all their weddings, therefore, their work will probably be very similar, if not identical to the professional photographer.

Invitations and Seating Cards

Stationary is pricey and it's definitely not worth investing a ton of cash on. In the end, it's most likely just going to end up in the trash anyhow. Below are a few methods for you to save money on stationary:
  • Single Sided Invitations - Instead of publishing on both the back and front of the wedding invitations, you could get them printed out just on the front side and you will probably invest half as much money as you would for both sides.
  • Save The Dates - Is it seriously important to have save the dates and wedding invitations printed out? I mean honestly, they're going to get one in their mailbox regardless. You could even e mail your save the dates and this will not cost you a dime.
  • Menu Cards & Seating Cards - What about creating your very own menu and seat cards? Honestly, there's not a whole lot to either of them. You can actually use a program to type these up and just get yourself some thick card stock from the store to print them on.
You will even find alternative ideas to save money for your wedding, but these will be the most significant ones. It does not require a good deal to cut costs yet still get what you want for your wedding day. Why should you go in debt for a big wedding ceremony? This is simply just starting, make good decisions.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Wedding Reception Essentials

Nowadays, there are so many different traditions involved in wedding receptions that we often forget what they're all about. Have you ever asked yourself, what really makes my wedding reception? Is it the food and beverages, the music being played, the first dance with your loved one or the ravishing centerpieces? When you plan your wedding reception, make sure that you don't forget all of the essential things that you need, such as:


Cocktail Hour

The best part about the cocktail hour is the fact that the newlyweds get to interact with all of their family and friends when they enter the venue. This is where the fact that you just got married really settles in and you can share that happiness with all of your loved ones over a nice glass of wine, champagne, or whatever type of drink you enjoy. Be sure to make time for everyone who came out to support you on your special day and say hello, a smile goes a long way.

Seating Arrangements

Typically, after the cocktail order your guests will line up with their drinks and wait in line to get their seating arrangement cards. Make sure you carefully think out your seating arrangements before the reception. You don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable at your wedding. Sit divorced couples, feuding family members and anyone else who doesn't get along far away from each other. This is your special day and you don't need an intoxicated relative ruining that for you when it's so easily avoidable. If you have friends, try to sit them with each other. Chances are, that your friends from college don't want to spend their night sitting next to your grandmother.

Food Choices

Not everyone coming to the wedding will enjoy the same types of foods, so be sure you select a wide variety of different foods to eat. It's best to have a selection of meats, fish and even a vegetarian dish. Ideally, you should send out menu cards a few months before your wedding so that you'll have a better idea as to what types of foods you should serve.

First Toasts

Toasts vary from wedding to wedding. Sometimes it's the best man who gives the first toast and other times the father of the bride may want to be the man of the hour and give his toast first. Figure this out before the wedding so that you don't have anyone stepping on each others toes. Remember, it's your night, you want it to be extra special.

The First Dance

This is probably the biggest moment of the night, your big dance with your now husband or wife. Pick a song that is special and meaningful to the both of you. Most times, you'll already know ahead of time what song you want your first dance to be to. Don't forget, if you're the shy type, it's completely fine to skip over this part of the reception. It happens more often than you think it does!

Music

Hey, this goes hand in hand with the first dance, kind of. Make sure you book a DJ or band that gets the type of music you're into and can really get the guests on their feet dancing. Even better, your entertainer can bring lighting to really make for an awesome wedding reception!

Finally, Cake Time!

If you want to keep it traditional, the bride is the one who holds the cake cutter and the groom places his hand over hers. If you're the type of couple who loves to have a good time, you can each grab a handful of cake and mash it in each other's faces.




Methods To Hire DJs for Parties

Hiring DJs for parties doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it can actually be really fun finding a good DJ for your special event. A party just isn’t a party without some live music at it, and nobody does live party music better than a DJ does. So, you’re probably sitting there now wondering how exactly do I find a good DJ to play music at my party? I have a few suggestions and tips that can be used as guidelines for finding a great DJ for your party!


Search Online
I’m sure you’ve thought of this one, but have you actually brought up Google, or whatever your favorite search engine is and start looking for DJs. There are a lot of great companies out there that allow you to hire DJs securely through their website. Not only can you hire a DJ securely, but you can also read reviews that other individuals wrote about the DJs, listen to some samples of their music and some of them even upload videos! One site where you can find a ton of DJs is BookTheBeat.com. They have a large selection of DJs for all types of events ranging from Weddings, Proms, Parties and everything in between. They’re worth looking at when it comes time to hire a DJ.
Ask Friends and Family
This one’s a no brainer, but seriously, have you thought about asking your friends or family for suggestions? Chances are that somebody in your family has gotten married recently and can recommend a great entertainer for your event. You may have even been in attendance and thought just how great the live music was at the event. If something is sticking in your mind, you should definitely ask your family and friends to see if they can recommend anyone. You never know, you might just find the DJ that you’ve been looking for by simply calling one of your relatives! If that’s not a piece of cake, I don’t know what is!
See If Your Venue Can Recommend Someone
If your renting out a venue for your party or whatever special event it may be, chances are they  have a huge list of past entertainers who perform regularly at their venue. There’s not many places for DJs to look for work, so it’s no surprise that one of the biggest spots they look for work is at venues in their area. If the venue likes the way the DJ performed, they’ll recommend them to new customers. If you haven’t asked your venue yet, it’s a good idea to give them a call and see if they can help you out with locating a DJ for your party.
Budgeting
Before you start searching for a DJ, you should set a budget for yourself. In doing this, you can weed out DJs that you’re not able to afford and just look for DJs in your price range. This will eliminate a ton searching that’ll need to be done. DJs can start as low as a few hundred dollars and go upwards of thousands. A lot of times, you get what you pay for, but ultimately, the choice is in your hands.
DJs Equipment
I can’t stress this one enough. You really need to ask your DJ what type of equipment they own and will be bringing to your party. You may think you’re getting a great deal on a $300 DJ, only to find out that they show up to your wedding with an iPod dock. Professional DJs will have lighting and sound systems that most likely cost them thousands and thousands of dollars. Even better than asking what they have, you should really ask them to send you photos of their equipment. This is why booking a DJ online is a great idea. A lot of the sites you can book them on allow the DJs to upload images, and most of them upload images of their setup.
Song List
This is probably the biggest thing you’ll need to consider. If you want your DJ to play all of the latest hip-hop music at your party, but they only play country music, you’ll be pretty upset the day of your special event. A lot of DJs will allow you to provide them with music of your choice. So, if you find a DJ you really want to hire, but they don’t play the type of music you’re looking for, you can always ask them if you can provide them with the music. I’d bet that almost all of them will say yes and gladly play the music of your choice. If not, you’ll just have to keep looking!
This article is a great starting point when you’re trying to find a good DJ for your event. It’s definitely not an end all be all, but if you’re completely lost when it comes to hiring a DJ, following these guidelines will definitely have you headed in the right direction. Good luck in your search and I hope you find the entertainer you’ve always dreamed of!