If you decided to have a traditional church
wedding then your order of wedding service
will normally run something like this.
Firstly you will usually meet with your local
church minister and discuss the different
options for your order of wedding service. An
order of wedding service might include just
the words of the hymns, or just the major
parts of the service. This helps your guests
to follow the order of wedding service
proceedings so they know what is happening
and save them from having to refer to hymn
books (particularly if they are not religious
people) during the service.
On your Wedding Day the ushers should
generally be the first to arrive so that they
can give out orders of service to arriving
guests and then show people to their seats.
The groom and his best man should also arrive
early to ensure they arrive in plenty of time
to allow for their photos to be taken before
the service. The bridesmaids will then arrive
and should wait outside for the bride. If in
a church, the bells start to ring and the bride
and her father generally arrive a few minutes
before the service to allow for photographs
taken and for the chief bridesmaid to have a
chance to arrange the dress and train and
organise the other bridesmaids for entry into
the wedding service.
When the bride reaches the front the groom
and best man should take their places on the
bride's right. The bride then hands her bouquet
to her chief bridesmaid to her left. After the
entrance of the bride, there is usually a hymn,
followed by readings and an address from the
minister. The vows are taken and then the best
man passes the rings to the groom or he can
give them to the minister on the face of the
prayer book and he will offer them to the bride
and groom.
The minister may then say a prayer and the
congregation may sing a hymn, followed by a
final blessing. The bride and groom follow the
minister to go and sign the register, usually
followed by their parents and the bridesmaids
and best man. While the register is being
signed and witnessed by two adults, a choir
may sing or the organist may play some music.
When the formalities are finished, the bridal
procession leaves the church as follows: bride
and groom, small attendants, chief bridesmaid
and best man, bride's mother with groom's
father and then groom's mother with bride's
father.
The order of service will run quickly and
usually runs far smoother than anyone expects
when they are first putting the order of
service together.
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
Choosing a Wedding Videographer
Where do I start?
I receive numerous inquiries requesting information. First, I understand that the average person is gathering information to try and make an educated decision that is right for them. I'm sure many people only know what they've read in numerous wedding magazine articles about wedding videography and photography. I've read most of these articles and they range from generic to sheer nonsense- especially those articles with the checklist of important questions to ask a videographer. What one has to understand is that the person writing the article is not an expert on wedding videography. Until they were hired to write an article about wedding videography or photography to fill the spaces between advertisers looking for business, they probably knew little more than anyone else on the subject. So, in short, take what you read as a starting point and go from there.
The first question many people ask - What is the cost for a wedding video?
The short answer is, most good videographers will start at around $2,000.00. Unfortunately the wedding industry is full of people with the "get rich quick" attitude that brides are a captive audience. This ranges from the person who went out and bought some video equipment along with some videos and books on how to make money shooting wedding videos to those "wedding companies" who make a lot of money booking scores of budget conscious brides with great prices, "one stop shopping" with photos, video, and a DJ! A significant portion of the wedding industry is marketing to a predictable consumer mentality. They realize a significant number of people will shop only by price, regardless of value, esthetic quality, and long term enjoyment they would have gotten by choosing someone who's life depends on the quality of their work.
For those who tend to be more discriminate and place a little more value on quality, you will have some decisions to make an you'll be glad you did. The reality is, if you've looked carefully at finding the right photographer, you probably won't be impressed with the plethora of people offering the cheap wedding videos.
Cost and Value:
Unfortunately, objectivity and art are not as easy as choosing between Wal-Mart and Kmart to buy a DVD player or some other exact same item. In many cases, your investment to hire a really good videographer is almost intangible when comparing the talent, expertise, and investment in time required to produce a video that's worth watching and in some cases, the costs will be very comparable. One can't begin to compare the end result of the stereotypical wedding video and photo companies cashing in on the "Wedding Industry" and those a truly talented videographers and photographers who love their work and work hard to provide couples with something beyond the ordinary.
A full time videographer, who's life depends on the quality of their work will be able to provide much more value in the finished video. The budget videographers who book scores of brides at "great prices" absolutely can't afford to invest anywhere near the required amount of editing time and detail to create a video that compares with what I, and other talented videographers will provide.
Doing anything above the all-too-common, mediocre wedding and event videography requires a real skill, a creative eye, excellent editing capabilities, and talent. You don't study and watch videos to be a talented videographer or photographer. It's like the musician playing a concert in front of a couple hundred people - either you have it or you don't!
Shooting the video is only the beginning of the process
Creating a finished product that is cinemagraphic, emotional, romantic, and yet relaxed is an art and consideration should be placed on its long term value. You wouldn't hire a band that can't play.
Style - the most important question
As you investigate the more talented videographers it will become evident the the individual personality of the videographer, the quality of their work, and their editing style will be a major part in your decision process. The more talented videographers will have a wider range of style.
When I create a video for a client, I consider the person, the venue, and their event as a whole as part of my editing style. Each person is different. By working with a more limited number of weddings per year, I can afford to be objective in setting the mode for the video
Generally, my work is more of a detailed cinematic documentary. Most of the events are "in real time".
To produce a video that tells a story in real life requires a full time job just in editing. The video must have life and it must provide a full overview of the event. I like to shoot in a relaxed photojournalistic style.
This allows me ample footage to create a dramatic video with precise detail, and still keep the storyline moving. I also offer "short form" contemporary style videos, that are focused on a more romantic style. Many clients like to have both the documentary style along with the 15 minute romantic highlight video to share with friends. Unfortunately, I see just about everyone now uses "documentary" and "photojournalism" buzz words in their advertising. Hopefully, they aren't just throwing out words people want to hear and really understand the concept!
Spectacular audio quality
Audio quality is the most overlooked and often the most noticeable shortcoming in wedding video. Your videographer should be able to provide at least four wireless microphones for any event. Concentrate on listening for more than the vows. Demand to hear examples of readers, instrumentalists, vocalists, and string quartets. Your wedding will be a beautiful experience. Don’t allow on-camera microphones to record your event. Make sure your videographer understands the principles of acquiring good audio for your video.
Natural, Comfortable, Relaxed
I like to refer to myself as a photojournalist with a video camera. When you think about it, this is the key to how I get great footage. When we think of the "Life Magazine Photos", we think of drama, good composition, and telling the story as seen through the lens.
Molesting the Guests
This also means that I do not "molest guests" at weddings... Frankly, my clients certainly don't want me sticking a bright light and a microphone in their guests' faces and asking them to "say something to the bride and groom", having them to do interviews, or having the bride and groom pretend they are doing "this or that" for the video. Too many people including myself and my wife have "been there, done that" with this type of videographer at a wedding. Frankly there are much better things to do with a video camera and my talent would be wasted chasing people around doing interviews.
People look their best when they are acting naturally. By staying in the background, yet always there, I tend to go relatively unnoticed, but still get great footage. I am a minimalist when it comes to lighting and attracting attention. Most of my work relies only on ambient room lighting. Many photographers I work with have even commented on my ability to get great candid shots. These are the shots that really make a great video, people in real life, being who they really are. Most people are not actors, everyone looks best when you let them be themselves.
Good Camera Skills
This is the key to being a good videographer. To have a good video, you really have to display excellent camera skills and composition. This is the primary key to having a video that is dynamic, exciting, and realistic. My professional background consists of music, photojournalism, industrial photography, and television production. Now well into my second decade specializing in wedding, event, and corporate videography , you can be assured that I come with both the necessary experience and the appropriate background.
The internet and Bridal Magazines are literally full of new faces doing wedding video every year. However, their ads would make it look like they've been doing wedding videography for years. In case you're wondering, there are numerous images taken directly from tape on this site that are over ten years old!
Anyone who buys a camera and takes out an ad in a wedding magazine instantly considers themselves a wedding videographer. The same holds true for some photographers and other companies in the wedding industry that buy video equipment and hire weekend people to shoot video. Anyone can pick up a camera and point it and take a video. Unfortunately, the end results often look like it too!. Don’t be fooled by dazzling special effects and computer animation. Many people tout these capabilities in their advertising, but all of the effects usually seen in wedding video are usually just a substitute for good editing and the ability to build a story line.
State of the art equipment
I come to a job prepared for just about anything. This includes multiple cameras, an extra broadcast lens and 8 professional wireless microphone systems for capturing audio from all sources at both the ceremony and reception. I have the availability to record at least 6 channels of independent audio simultaneously.
I use the Sony DSR-390L, a completely digital camera shooting on the larger DVCAM digital format. It features three newly designed 1/2 in., 410,000-element Power HAD CCD imaging devices that provide an unbelievable picture quality with an unprecedented lowlight sensitivity of 0.4 lux minimum illumination - in other words, the camera will see in the dark. The major advantages I offer with this latest camera is that in many situations, absolutely no additional lighting other than normal room light is required. The camera sees what we see! This is a significant advantage when trying to maintain a low sense of visibility around guests.
By processing video signal data at three levels — brightness, hue, and saturation — the TruEye process assists in the reproduction of natural skin tones and basically sees what the human eye sees at any given light level.
Several fellow videographers in the area are using the Sony DSR-300, a fantastic camera also. It has the larger imaging devices, same audio capabilities and uses the larger DVCAM tape. Basically the only differences are minor and the new cameras will have a slight edge in low light performance.
Some videographers will use the Sony DSR 250 which is one in a class of stripped down cameras offered by most of the manufacturers geared specifically for the "wedding event market". This camera still offers a significant improvement over the older SVHS video cameras, but it only has small 1/3" imaging devices resulting in much less resolution and poor low light performance when compared to cameras with larger imaging devices.
The highest majority of typical wedding videographers use the smaller, much less expensive "handycam" style of video cameras. While these cameras do a nice job for their size and relatively low cost, they have very small 1/4" CCD imaging devices, offering relatively poor low light performance and less image quality. Other serious limitations are the lack of a professional lens, the ability to adjust exposures, and limited audio functions. These cameras do have their place. For situations where there is plenty of light, like a garden wedding or daylight situations, the picture is pretty good and their smaller size makes them easier to use over longer periods of time. I keep one in my collection to use when ever I feel that the lighting conditions and shooting situation is just right.
All editing is done on professional Media-100 systems and over 500 gigabytes of disk storage. This system allows editing at very high data rates for optimum picture quality. Don't let computer editing be confused with the idea of special effects and animations. I do not do the stereotypical wedding video with pictures popping out of hearts and tacky special effects. My work is clean and dramatic.
Video is mastered to DVD and backups are kept for a limited time on full sized DVCAM digital tape. We can still provide VHS to those clients who require it, but the cost of DVD players today can be well under $100.00 so it makes no sense to use tape.
Unless you choose wisely, your wedding video could be a haunting disappointment.
Remember, your videographer will be with you throughout your wedding day! Choose someone you feel confident will interact well with both you and your guests. You will find that your photo album and video will compliment each other. You should arrange to reserve your photographer and videographer as soon as you secure your reception site. Some dates can be in reservation over a year in advance. Seek out the highest quality and hire the best photographer and videographer that you can afford.
I receive numerous inquiries requesting information. First, I understand that the average person is gathering information to try and make an educated decision that is right for them. I'm sure many people only know what they've read in numerous wedding magazine articles about wedding videography and photography. I've read most of these articles and they range from generic to sheer nonsense- especially those articles with the checklist of important questions to ask a videographer. What one has to understand is that the person writing the article is not an expert on wedding videography. Until they were hired to write an article about wedding videography or photography to fill the spaces between advertisers looking for business, they probably knew little more than anyone else on the subject. So, in short, take what you read as a starting point and go from there.
The first question many people ask - What is the cost for a wedding video?
The short answer is, most good videographers will start at around $2,000.00. Unfortunately the wedding industry is full of people with the "get rich quick" attitude that brides are a captive audience. This ranges from the person who went out and bought some video equipment along with some videos and books on how to make money shooting wedding videos to those "wedding companies" who make a lot of money booking scores of budget conscious brides with great prices, "one stop shopping" with photos, video, and a DJ! A significant portion of the wedding industry is marketing to a predictable consumer mentality. They realize a significant number of people will shop only by price, regardless of value, esthetic quality, and long term enjoyment they would have gotten by choosing someone who's life depends on the quality of their work.
For those who tend to be more discriminate and place a little more value on quality, you will have some decisions to make an you'll be glad you did. The reality is, if you've looked carefully at finding the right photographer, you probably won't be impressed with the plethora of people offering the cheap wedding videos.
Cost and Value:
Unfortunately, objectivity and art are not as easy as choosing between Wal-Mart and Kmart to buy a DVD player or some other exact same item. In many cases, your investment to hire a really good videographer is almost intangible when comparing the talent, expertise, and investment in time required to produce a video that's worth watching and in some cases, the costs will be very comparable. One can't begin to compare the end result of the stereotypical wedding video and photo companies cashing in on the "Wedding Industry" and those a truly talented videographers and photographers who love their work and work hard to provide couples with something beyond the ordinary.
A full time videographer, who's life depends on the quality of their work will be able to provide much more value in the finished video. The budget videographers who book scores of brides at "great prices" absolutely can't afford to invest anywhere near the required amount of editing time and detail to create a video that compares with what I, and other talented videographers will provide.
Doing anything above the all-too-common, mediocre wedding and event videography requires a real skill, a creative eye, excellent editing capabilities, and talent. You don't study and watch videos to be a talented videographer or photographer. It's like the musician playing a concert in front of a couple hundred people - either you have it or you don't!
Shooting the video is only the beginning of the process
Creating a finished product that is cinemagraphic, emotional, romantic, and yet relaxed is an art and consideration should be placed on its long term value. You wouldn't hire a band that can't play.
Style - the most important question
As you investigate the more talented videographers it will become evident the the individual personality of the videographer, the quality of their work, and their editing style will be a major part in your decision process. The more talented videographers will have a wider range of style.
When I create a video for a client, I consider the person, the venue, and their event as a whole as part of my editing style. Each person is different. By working with a more limited number of weddings per year, I can afford to be objective in setting the mode for the video
Generally, my work is more of a detailed cinematic documentary. Most of the events are "in real time".
To produce a video that tells a story in real life requires a full time job just in editing. The video must have life and it must provide a full overview of the event. I like to shoot in a relaxed photojournalistic style.
This allows me ample footage to create a dramatic video with precise detail, and still keep the storyline moving. I also offer "short form" contemporary style videos, that are focused on a more romantic style. Many clients like to have both the documentary style along with the 15 minute romantic highlight video to share with friends. Unfortunately, I see just about everyone now uses "documentary" and "photojournalism" buzz words in their advertising. Hopefully, they aren't just throwing out words people want to hear and really understand the concept!
Spectacular audio quality
Audio quality is the most overlooked and often the most noticeable shortcoming in wedding video. Your videographer should be able to provide at least four wireless microphones for any event. Concentrate on listening for more than the vows. Demand to hear examples of readers, instrumentalists, vocalists, and string quartets. Your wedding will be a beautiful experience. Don’t allow on-camera microphones to record your event. Make sure your videographer understands the principles of acquiring good audio for your video.
Natural, Comfortable, Relaxed
I like to refer to myself as a photojournalist with a video camera. When you think about it, this is the key to how I get great footage. When we think of the "Life Magazine Photos", we think of drama, good composition, and telling the story as seen through the lens.
Molesting the Guests
This also means that I do not "molest guests" at weddings... Frankly, my clients certainly don't want me sticking a bright light and a microphone in their guests' faces and asking them to "say something to the bride and groom", having them to do interviews, or having the bride and groom pretend they are doing "this or that" for the video. Too many people including myself and my wife have "been there, done that" with this type of videographer at a wedding. Frankly there are much better things to do with a video camera and my talent would be wasted chasing people around doing interviews.
People look their best when they are acting naturally. By staying in the background, yet always there, I tend to go relatively unnoticed, but still get great footage. I am a minimalist when it comes to lighting and attracting attention. Most of my work relies only on ambient room lighting. Many photographers I work with have even commented on my ability to get great candid shots. These are the shots that really make a great video, people in real life, being who they really are. Most people are not actors, everyone looks best when you let them be themselves.
Good Camera Skills
This is the key to being a good videographer. To have a good video, you really have to display excellent camera skills and composition. This is the primary key to having a video that is dynamic, exciting, and realistic. My professional background consists of music, photojournalism, industrial photography, and television production. Now well into my second decade specializing in wedding, event, and corporate videography , you can be assured that I come with both the necessary experience and the appropriate background.
The internet and Bridal Magazines are literally full of new faces doing wedding video every year. However, their ads would make it look like they've been doing wedding videography for years. In case you're wondering, there are numerous images taken directly from tape on this site that are over ten years old!
Anyone who buys a camera and takes out an ad in a wedding magazine instantly considers themselves a wedding videographer. The same holds true for some photographers and other companies in the wedding industry that buy video equipment and hire weekend people to shoot video. Anyone can pick up a camera and point it and take a video. Unfortunately, the end results often look like it too!. Don’t be fooled by dazzling special effects and computer animation. Many people tout these capabilities in their advertising, but all of the effects usually seen in wedding video are usually just a substitute for good editing and the ability to build a story line.
State of the art equipment
I come to a job prepared for just about anything. This includes multiple cameras, an extra broadcast lens and 8 professional wireless microphone systems for capturing audio from all sources at both the ceremony and reception. I have the availability to record at least 6 channels of independent audio simultaneously.
I use the Sony DSR-390L, a completely digital camera shooting on the larger DVCAM digital format. It features three newly designed 1/2 in., 410,000-element Power HAD CCD imaging devices that provide an unbelievable picture quality with an unprecedented lowlight sensitivity of 0.4 lux minimum illumination - in other words, the camera will see in the dark. The major advantages I offer with this latest camera is that in many situations, absolutely no additional lighting other than normal room light is required. The camera sees what we see! This is a significant advantage when trying to maintain a low sense of visibility around guests.
By processing video signal data at three levels — brightness, hue, and saturation — the TruEye process assists in the reproduction of natural skin tones and basically sees what the human eye sees at any given light level.
Several fellow videographers in the area are using the Sony DSR-300, a fantastic camera also. It has the larger imaging devices, same audio capabilities and uses the larger DVCAM tape. Basically the only differences are minor and the new cameras will have a slight edge in low light performance.
Some videographers will use the Sony DSR 250 which is one in a class of stripped down cameras offered by most of the manufacturers geared specifically for the "wedding event market". This camera still offers a significant improvement over the older SVHS video cameras, but it only has small 1/3" imaging devices resulting in much less resolution and poor low light performance when compared to cameras with larger imaging devices.
The highest majority of typical wedding videographers use the smaller, much less expensive "handycam" style of video cameras. While these cameras do a nice job for their size and relatively low cost, they have very small 1/4" CCD imaging devices, offering relatively poor low light performance and less image quality. Other serious limitations are the lack of a professional lens, the ability to adjust exposures, and limited audio functions. These cameras do have their place. For situations where there is plenty of light, like a garden wedding or daylight situations, the picture is pretty good and their smaller size makes them easier to use over longer periods of time. I keep one in my collection to use when ever I feel that the lighting conditions and shooting situation is just right.
All editing is done on professional Media-100 systems and over 500 gigabytes of disk storage. This system allows editing at very high data rates for optimum picture quality. Don't let computer editing be confused with the idea of special effects and animations. I do not do the stereotypical wedding video with pictures popping out of hearts and tacky special effects. My work is clean and dramatic.
Video is mastered to DVD and backups are kept for a limited time on full sized DVCAM digital tape. We can still provide VHS to those clients who require it, but the cost of DVD players today can be well under $100.00 so it makes no sense to use tape.
Unless you choose wisely, your wedding video could be a haunting disappointment.
Remember, your videographer will be with you throughout your wedding day! Choose someone you feel confident will interact well with both you and your guests. You will find that your photo album and video will compliment each other. You should arrange to reserve your photographer and videographer as soon as you secure your reception site. Some dates can be in reservation over a year in advance. Seek out the highest quality and hire the best photographer and videographer that you can afford.
How To Save Money on Your Wedding Music & Entertainment
The music and entertainment at your wedding reception should be organized based on the ages, tastes, and preferences of the guest who will be in attendance. And, depending on the type of reception you want to have, you may only want to spend money on music—or you may not need to spend too much on entertainment at all. Here are the top ways to save on music and entertainment for your wedding reception that will keep you within budget, and keep your guests entertained.
Hire a live band.
Having live music at your wedding reception is a very classy way to set the mood for the event, and the sound quality is much better than recorded music. You may also save money when you hire a live band-- depending on the band’s experience and number of opportunities to play, they may be more willing to accept a lower payment than a disc jockey or accomplished soloist. A band can also vary the speed or variation of songs, depending on the type of atmosphere you want for the reception. There are times when a band will cost considerably more than a DJ, but you may be able to work around this if you agree to feed the band and allow them the amount of breaks they request. Sites like www.usabride.com, www.livesuperdj.com, and www.wedalert.com will give you more information on the pros and cons of hiring a live band, along with a list of ideas for wedding reception entertainment.
Ask a "qualified" friend or family member to be the DJ for the reception.
Many couples shy away from having a DJ at the wedding reception, since a disc jockey may create a casual atmosphere. If you don’t mind this and want your reception to be more of a party than a formal celebration, you may consider hiring a DJ to handle the music for the reception. However, you may not like all the music that is being played with a DJ, and depending on the contract, you may not be able to change the music during the ceremony. So, why not ask a qualified friend or family member to DJ? Make sure that you know the songs that are going to be played, and that your family member feels comfortable with the job in front of a lot of people. You can also create a CD of songs you’ll want at the reception to use as background music while people are talking and having dinner, as well as a CD with songs you’ll use for dancing during the reception.
Decide whether or not you want live entertainment.
You may want more than just music at the reception, and if so, you’ll need to make sure that you book the live entertainment as soon as you can. If you want to have someone sing, dance, or emcee the reception, make these arrangements while you’re planning the wedding ceremony. You may want to ask for the help of friends and family members when it comes to entertainment as well, since they will probably be more than happy to perform at your reception as a wedding gift. Live entertainment is a great way to make your reception entertaining, and depending on how far in advance you can book the entertainment, you can save a considerable amount of money on your wedding celebration, and your guest will be talking about the fun they had at your wedding for years to come.
Findings Deals On The Internet
http://www.WeDj.com -Has a great search engine to find music and entertainment for weddings. Just enter your city and state and it will pull up a list of dj's. I did a search in New York City and found 140 listings describing each company, contact information, website address or email link.
http://www.adja.org/- The ADJA (American Disc Jockey Association) is an association of professional mobile entertainers. The mission of the American Disc Jockey Association is to encourage success for its members through continuous education, camaraderie, and networking. The American Disc Jockey Association is an organization of professional Disc Jockeys.
You can do a search for a local dj in your area. All listings show contact name, phone number and website.
Hire a live band.
Having live music at your wedding reception is a very classy way to set the mood for the event, and the sound quality is much better than recorded music. You may also save money when you hire a live band-- depending on the band’s experience and number of opportunities to play, they may be more willing to accept a lower payment than a disc jockey or accomplished soloist. A band can also vary the speed or variation of songs, depending on the type of atmosphere you want for the reception. There are times when a band will cost considerably more than a DJ, but you may be able to work around this if you agree to feed the band and allow them the amount of breaks they request. Sites like www.usabride.com, www.livesuperdj.com, and www.wedalert.com will give you more information on the pros and cons of hiring a live band, along with a list of ideas for wedding reception entertainment.
Ask a "qualified" friend or family member to be the DJ for the reception.
Many couples shy away from having a DJ at the wedding reception, since a disc jockey may create a casual atmosphere. If you don’t mind this and want your reception to be more of a party than a formal celebration, you may consider hiring a DJ to handle the music for the reception. However, you may not like all the music that is being played with a DJ, and depending on the contract, you may not be able to change the music during the ceremony. So, why not ask a qualified friend or family member to DJ? Make sure that you know the songs that are going to be played, and that your family member feels comfortable with the job in front of a lot of people. You can also create a CD of songs you’ll want at the reception to use as background music while people are talking and having dinner, as well as a CD with songs you’ll use for dancing during the reception.
Decide whether or not you want live entertainment.
You may want more than just music at the reception, and if so, you’ll need to make sure that you book the live entertainment as soon as you can. If you want to have someone sing, dance, or emcee the reception, make these arrangements while you’re planning the wedding ceremony. You may want to ask for the help of friends and family members when it comes to entertainment as well, since they will probably be more than happy to perform at your reception as a wedding gift. Live entertainment is a great way to make your reception entertaining, and depending on how far in advance you can book the entertainment, you can save a considerable amount of money on your wedding celebration, and your guest will be talking about the fun they had at your wedding for years to come.
Findings Deals On The Internet
http://www.WeDj.com -Has a great search engine to find music and entertainment for weddings. Just enter your city and state and it will pull up a list of dj's. I did a search in New York City and found 140 listings describing each company, contact information, website address or email link.
http://www.adja.org/- The ADJA (American Disc Jockey Association) is an association of professional mobile entertainers. The mission of the American Disc Jockey Association is to encourage success for its members through continuous education, camaraderie, and networking. The American Disc Jockey Association is an organization of professional Disc Jockeys.
You can do a search for a local dj in your area. All listings show contact name, phone number and website.
How To Cut Your Wedding Catering Bill Cost
Maybe you’ve got the details of the actual wedding ceremony worked out, but what about the reception? One of the major costs of the wedding reception will definitely be the food, so you’ll want to make sure you’ll have enough food for everyone without spending too much money. Here are some top ways to cut on your catering bill that will ensure that your guests enjoy your reception—and you save money.
Don’t order more food than you need.
Most couples want to order an extra tray or two of hors d’oeuvres in case extra guests show up. This is fine (and usually a smart idea), but you should still make sure that you’re not order more appetizers than you actually need; use your discretion based on the guest list. For instance, if you know a number of your guests are vegetarian, you may not need to order as many appetizers with meat. Also, ordering two or three types of hors d’oeuvres will help to reduce your catering bill. If you buy more of the same dish, you can usually save money with most catering companies—different kinds of foods will increase the bill, so it’s important to keep it classy but simple at the wedding—even when it comes to food.
Caterers will also try to encourage you to spend more than you may need to on the actual meal as well. You may not need a five course meal if you’ve already purchased three types of appetizers and a salad, or three extra desserts if you already have a pretty large wedding cake. The time of day that you hold your wedding will give you a good indication of how much food to serve; if you’re having the ceremony in the afternoon or early evening, you may want to serve more food.
Pay attention to the types of foods you order.
There are some foods that are always going to be expensive, even if you only order small amounts. So, since you have to order a considerable amount of food, ordering dishes that aren’t so costly will help you to keep your catering bill reasonable. Certain seafood, like shrimp, lobster and salmon will definitely make your catering bill higher, so if you have to have them, try to use them as only one of the course choices for dinner, or purchase these foods as appetizers to save on costs.
Have food stations.
Food stations are a unique way to serve a variety of foods at your wedding reception, and you can be sure that everyone will find something they like to eat. This way, you won’t have to worry about people changing their minds about their meal choices once they arrive at the reception. A food station with different types of pasta is usually a hit with most guests, and can be very economical. You can also include food stations with other types of the ethnic foods, such as Mexican or Indian fare, to celebrate the cultures of the people who will be attending your wedding, or to acknowledge your backgrounds.
You may also be able to cut your catering bill by not requesting an elaborate setup for your food stations and tables. Using a single color for tablecloths, usually white, will cut down on labor costs. To add more color to your reception decorations, you may want to add elaborate centerpieces, so that you can spend as much as you need to on the meals for the reception. To get menu ideas and more pricing information, log on to sites like www.weddingsutra.com and www.foreverwed.com.
Don’t order more food than you need.
Most couples want to order an extra tray or two of hors d’oeuvres in case extra guests show up. This is fine (and usually a smart idea), but you should still make sure that you’re not order more appetizers than you actually need; use your discretion based on the guest list. For instance, if you know a number of your guests are vegetarian, you may not need to order as many appetizers with meat. Also, ordering two or three types of hors d’oeuvres will help to reduce your catering bill. If you buy more of the same dish, you can usually save money with most catering companies—different kinds of foods will increase the bill, so it’s important to keep it classy but simple at the wedding—even when it comes to food.
Caterers will also try to encourage you to spend more than you may need to on the actual meal as well. You may not need a five course meal if you’ve already purchased three types of appetizers and a salad, or three extra desserts if you already have a pretty large wedding cake. The time of day that you hold your wedding will give you a good indication of how much food to serve; if you’re having the ceremony in the afternoon or early evening, you may want to serve more food.
Pay attention to the types of foods you order.
There are some foods that are always going to be expensive, even if you only order small amounts. So, since you have to order a considerable amount of food, ordering dishes that aren’t so costly will help you to keep your catering bill reasonable. Certain seafood, like shrimp, lobster and salmon will definitely make your catering bill higher, so if you have to have them, try to use them as only one of the course choices for dinner, or purchase these foods as appetizers to save on costs.
Have food stations.
Food stations are a unique way to serve a variety of foods at your wedding reception, and you can be sure that everyone will find something they like to eat. This way, you won’t have to worry about people changing their minds about their meal choices once they arrive at the reception. A food station with different types of pasta is usually a hit with most guests, and can be very economical. You can also include food stations with other types of the ethnic foods, such as Mexican or Indian fare, to celebrate the cultures of the people who will be attending your wedding, or to acknowledge your backgrounds.
You may also be able to cut your catering bill by not requesting an elaborate setup for your food stations and tables. Using a single color for tablecloths, usually white, will cut down on labor costs. To add more color to your reception decorations, you may want to add elaborate centerpieces, so that you can spend as much as you need to on the meals for the reception. To get menu ideas and more pricing information, log on to sites like www.weddingsutra.com and www.foreverwed.com.
Affordable Wedding Reception Centerpieces
When it comes to decorating your reception tables, the centerpieces for each table play a major role in setting the tone and style of your wedding. They will be one of the major focal point for your guests while they are eating their meal, and spectacular or unique centerpieces can add an element of sophistication or surprise to your event.
The most established kind of centerpiece is flowers and it is the most expected. There are literally hundreds of floral centerpiece designs, from tall lilies to tightly packed roses.
You should really shop around and check out different wedding supply shops and online specialists to see the different possibilities, and look at the varying prices. You must also remember that you will need a centerpiece for every table, so it could get expensive if you are planning to invite a large guest list.
For a cheaper option, buy the flowers yourself from a wholesaler, and produce simple displays such as six tulips in a glass vase. You could also use the bridesmaids’ bouquets as centerpieces to really get the best value out of them.
Believe it or not, this happens all the time. Instead of fresh cut flowers, consider using potted plants as centerpieces. You can decorate terracotta pots and pick plants that flower in co-coordinating colors to your scheme.
These centerpieces will last long after the day has finished, and provide a lovely gift for those you would like to give them to.
Popular alternatives to floral centerpieces include candles and fruit. Candles are a wonderful way of creating an air of romance and enchantment for your wedding, and look particularly effective if your venue is dimly lit. However, if you plan to hold your reception in the afternoon, with plenty of natural daylight, candles may not produce the appropriate dramatic effect.
You could purchase candelabras for each table for an elegant look, or consider the less formal appearance of floating candles in a large glass bowl.
You must ensure that any holders or bowls you use are heat-resistant, and also check with your venue for any restrictions they may have on the use of naked flames.
Fruit is a nice and decorative choice, and can also be eaten later in the evening! Other edible choices include candy, chocolate lollipops or Hershey’s Kisses. Use your imagination to display whatever treats you choose in an exciting way, using glitter, streamers or balloons.
You can be as original as you like when it comes to your centerpieces, and you could choose something really personal such as hand-written poems or family photographs in ornate picture frames.
If you are having a themed wedding, create a unique centerpiece that reflects the wedding motif. A wonderful centerpiece for an oriental themed wedding is a bonsai tree, or large origami creations. Anything that matches your theme is best.
The most established kind of centerpiece is flowers and it is the most expected. There are literally hundreds of floral centerpiece designs, from tall lilies to tightly packed roses.
You should really shop around and check out different wedding supply shops and online specialists to see the different possibilities, and look at the varying prices. You must also remember that you will need a centerpiece for every table, so it could get expensive if you are planning to invite a large guest list.
For a cheaper option, buy the flowers yourself from a wholesaler, and produce simple displays such as six tulips in a glass vase. You could also use the bridesmaids’ bouquets as centerpieces to really get the best value out of them.
Believe it or not, this happens all the time. Instead of fresh cut flowers, consider using potted plants as centerpieces. You can decorate terracotta pots and pick plants that flower in co-coordinating colors to your scheme.
These centerpieces will last long after the day has finished, and provide a lovely gift for those you would like to give them to.
Popular alternatives to floral centerpieces include candles and fruit. Candles are a wonderful way of creating an air of romance and enchantment for your wedding, and look particularly effective if your venue is dimly lit. However, if you plan to hold your reception in the afternoon, with plenty of natural daylight, candles may not produce the appropriate dramatic effect.
You could purchase candelabras for each table for an elegant look, or consider the less formal appearance of floating candles in a large glass bowl.
You must ensure that any holders or bowls you use are heat-resistant, and also check with your venue for any restrictions they may have on the use of naked flames.
Fruit is a nice and decorative choice, and can also be eaten later in the evening! Other edible choices include candy, chocolate lollipops or Hershey’s Kisses. Use your imagination to display whatever treats you choose in an exciting way, using glitter, streamers or balloons.
You can be as original as you like when it comes to your centerpieces, and you could choose something really personal such as hand-written poems or family photographs in ornate picture frames.
If you are having a themed wedding, create a unique centerpiece that reflects the wedding motif. A wonderful centerpiece for an oriental themed wedding is a bonsai tree, or large origami creations. Anything that matches your theme is best.
A lasting memory
Many couples decide that they would like to have their wedding day captured on video but many have fears that it will be too obtrusive. Providing that they take care to select the right video company, they will find that their fears were completely unfounded and that they didn’t notice their videographer at all.
A professional videographer will be unobtrusive and will fit in with you and your guests – they won’t try to take-over your day.
Levels in videographers vary considerably; it is therefore essential that you request to see a show-reel of their work. This will give a good indication of the picture and sound quality, technical ability, editing and filming styles. However, make sure that the show-reel is the work of the videographer who will be filming your wedding. It is also a good idea to see letters of thanks/reference from previous customers, this will show you how they fitted in with the wedding party and guests.
Check if the videographer is a member of a registered trade association like the IOV (Institute of Videography) or the APV (Association of Professional Videomakers). Most trade associations request the member to pass an assessment, and they are only certified if they have reached the required standard in both filming and editing.
Good videographers are sought after. It is therefore advisable to book early (about one year in advance) to ensure that you get the videographer you want. To avoid any confusion, always get written confirmation of your booking confirming the date and time of your wedding.
A good wedding video will provide you with a treasured memory of your special day to be watched by generations to come.
A professional videographer will be unobtrusive and will fit in with you and your guests – they won’t try to take-over your day.
Levels in videographers vary considerably; it is therefore essential that you request to see a show-reel of their work. This will give a good indication of the picture and sound quality, technical ability, editing and filming styles. However, make sure that the show-reel is the work of the videographer who will be filming your wedding. It is also a good idea to see letters of thanks/reference from previous customers, this will show you how they fitted in with the wedding party and guests.
Check if the videographer is a member of a registered trade association like the IOV (Institute of Videography) or the APV (Association of Professional Videomakers). Most trade associations request the member to pass an assessment, and they are only certified if they have reached the required standard in both filming and editing.
Good videographers are sought after. It is therefore advisable to book early (about one year in advance) to ensure that you get the videographer you want. To avoid any confusion, always get written confirmation of your booking confirming the date and time of your wedding.
A good wedding video will provide you with a treasured memory of your special day to be watched by generations to come.
Getting Fantastic Deals on the Wedding Clothing
If you are planning to have a full wedding that includes bridesmaids, and groomsmen etc. it could run you a great deal of money to cover your gown as well as the other women and men’s clothing as well.
Bridesmaid’s dresses get more and more costly with every extra woman in the wedding party. When you are deciding how much money you can afford to spend on the wedding clothes, you have to consider the fittings and the flowers or accessories as well.
If you can, you might do better to allow for casual wear for the bridesmaids so that they can wear less expensive dresses or skirts. This is particularly good if you are planning an outdoor or beach wedding.
The less formal the ceremony, the less money that you are required to spend. Perhaps that is why outdoor ceremonies are getting more and more popular these days.
You can also save money on the ladies dresses by purchasing them off season from a bridal store. You can always shop for out of season or discontinued dresses as a means of getting great discounts on gorgeous dresses. If you really want to, you can ask that your bridesmaids forget about the wedding shower gifts in favor of buying their dresses. That is a common compromise that is made these days.
If the cost of the dresses is really going to be a matter of stress for you, just reduce the bridesmaids to just having a maid/matron of honor and a best man only for the groom.
Many couples opt to forego the extras all together and simply do not have anyone standing up with them at all. After all, there is no law that states that you have to have a maid of honor or best man present during the ceremony.
When it comes to the tuxedos for the male participants and the groom, you can often find good deals when renting if you just shop around. It helps is you limit the number of participants if you must in order to reduce costs or if the men involved have their own tuxedos already.
Either way, research and comparison shopping really is the best chance.
You can also choose to rent the ladies gowns as well as the tuxedos. Not everyone wants to spend hundreds of dollars on a dress that they will wear once. Or spend that much money on many dresses that you will never be worn more than once.
Many bridal shops will let you rent a dress rather than buy one. The only difference with rented dresses is that you have to take it as is. They are not custom fitted to you. Other than that, you can save hundreds of dollars doing this.
Wearing your mother or grandmother’s wedding dress is also an option; especially if your are choosing a period theme where the dress was used. For example, if you are wearing your grandmother’s dress and the dress was worn in the 40’s, you can make the 40’s your wedding theme.
If the dress is your mother’s from the 60’s or 70’s, you can do the same thing. It will save you money and provides you with a fun theme.
You can also opt to make your own dress from scratch. Many women are choosing to go with home made pieces because they can get truly original in the make of the dress and the style.
It can be made in any fashion that you like and of any material also. Making your own dress is a good way to save money and it is also guaranteed to make sure that no one else has the same style as you.
When you make it yourself, you are guaranteed a custom fit without paying a custom price.
Finally, you can save bundles on your whole wedding party clothing, including the wedding dress by dressing according to your theme.
For example, if you choose a Hawaiian theme, you can wear island clothes. As part of your theme, you can dress in costumes to make the festivities more fun and as an added bonus; you can make the guests and wedding party dress in costume too.
You can also get a good deal by buying your wedding items at vintage or used stores. Many people bring back their wedding clothing after they have used so that they can recoup some of their money later.
This is a great way to save money for you and the rest of your wedding party. Used clothing items can also be found in bridal shops or tuxedo warehouses because the average person doesn’t wear these items more than once and because of this they will return it to the store that they got it from later.
When you are not afraid of vintage clothing, you can find some truly beautiful designer clothing for great prices. Some of the stores that offer used items will not force you to buy them, but they may request that you pay a bit of an extra fee for dry cleaning etc.
Either way, you will still be saving yourself a great deal of money that you would spend if you bought your items outright.
Bridesmaid’s dresses get more and more costly with every extra woman in the wedding party. When you are deciding how much money you can afford to spend on the wedding clothes, you have to consider the fittings and the flowers or accessories as well.
If you can, you might do better to allow for casual wear for the bridesmaids so that they can wear less expensive dresses or skirts. This is particularly good if you are planning an outdoor or beach wedding.
The less formal the ceremony, the less money that you are required to spend. Perhaps that is why outdoor ceremonies are getting more and more popular these days.
You can also save money on the ladies dresses by purchasing them off season from a bridal store. You can always shop for out of season or discontinued dresses as a means of getting great discounts on gorgeous dresses. If you really want to, you can ask that your bridesmaids forget about the wedding shower gifts in favor of buying their dresses. That is a common compromise that is made these days.
If the cost of the dresses is really going to be a matter of stress for you, just reduce the bridesmaids to just having a maid/matron of honor and a best man only for the groom.
Many couples opt to forego the extras all together and simply do not have anyone standing up with them at all. After all, there is no law that states that you have to have a maid of honor or best man present during the ceremony.
When it comes to the tuxedos for the male participants and the groom, you can often find good deals when renting if you just shop around. It helps is you limit the number of participants if you must in order to reduce costs or if the men involved have their own tuxedos already.
Either way, research and comparison shopping really is the best chance.
You can also choose to rent the ladies gowns as well as the tuxedos. Not everyone wants to spend hundreds of dollars on a dress that they will wear once. Or spend that much money on many dresses that you will never be worn more than once.
Many bridal shops will let you rent a dress rather than buy one. The only difference with rented dresses is that you have to take it as is. They are not custom fitted to you. Other than that, you can save hundreds of dollars doing this.
Wearing your mother or grandmother’s wedding dress is also an option; especially if your are choosing a period theme where the dress was used. For example, if you are wearing your grandmother’s dress and the dress was worn in the 40’s, you can make the 40’s your wedding theme.
If the dress is your mother’s from the 60’s or 70’s, you can do the same thing. It will save you money and provides you with a fun theme.
You can also opt to make your own dress from scratch. Many women are choosing to go with home made pieces because they can get truly original in the make of the dress and the style.
It can be made in any fashion that you like and of any material also. Making your own dress is a good way to save money and it is also guaranteed to make sure that no one else has the same style as you.
When you make it yourself, you are guaranteed a custom fit without paying a custom price.
Finally, you can save bundles on your whole wedding party clothing, including the wedding dress by dressing according to your theme.
For example, if you choose a Hawaiian theme, you can wear island clothes. As part of your theme, you can dress in costumes to make the festivities more fun and as an added bonus; you can make the guests and wedding party dress in costume too.
You can also get a good deal by buying your wedding items at vintage or used stores. Many people bring back their wedding clothing after they have used so that they can recoup some of their money later.
This is a great way to save money for you and the rest of your wedding party. Used clothing items can also be found in bridal shops or tuxedo warehouses because the average person doesn’t wear these items more than once and because of this they will return it to the store that they got it from later.
When you are not afraid of vintage clothing, you can find some truly beautiful designer clothing for great prices. Some of the stores that offer used items will not force you to buy them, but they may request that you pay a bit of an extra fee for dry cleaning etc.
Either way, you will still be saving yourself a great deal of money that you would spend if you bought your items outright.
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