Perfect Weddings

Wedding Venue SIte Vists: "The Not So Obvious Questions to Ask"

This article is a synopsis of an article we enjoyed.

For most brides & grooms planning their wedding, comparing the different wedding  venues available can be an overwhelming task.  Here are a few questions to keep in mind while conducting site visits for your dream wedding venue.

Quick List:

Food and Beverage Minimum/Room Rental – Is there a room rental fee?  What is the food and beverage minimum? Any taxes or gratuity?

Candles – Candles are gorgeous and most brides would love candles all around their reception room.  Are they Allowed? If this is important to you, make sure this is a question you get answered prior to booking your wedding location.

Menu Tasting – Is a tasting included as part of the wedding package?  Is a tasting available before you book?

Wedding Vendors/Wedding Professionals – Before hiring anyone, make sure you find out if there are any restrictions from the venue.  Some venues may only allow you to select from their approved list of vendors. Some venues require proof of liability insurance of at least $1 million as well as a business license.

Timeframe/Overtime – How long is the wedding reception?  What is the charge for each additional hour if you’re interested in extending the wedding reception?

Banquet Chairs – Ask to see standard banquet chairs.

Dressing Room/Bridal Suite – Is there a dressing room available?  If so, how early will you have access to the room?

Bar – Are you able to bring in your own liquor?  If so, is there fee?

Candy Buffet, Popcorn Bar, Cookie Station, etc – What are the restrictions? 

Dance Floor – Is a dance floor included?  If not, what is the cost? What is the size?

Parking – Find out where guests will be parking and if there is a valet available.  If there is valet, what is the fee?

Number of Events – How many events do they host in one day? In a larger venue, multiple events and often times multiple weddings may take place? 

Staff – What is the staff’s dress code? What is the server to guest ratio?

Cake - Is there an in house pastry chef?  Is an outside cake allowed?  Is there a cake cutting fee?

Noise Ordinance – Is there a noise ordinance? Either for the entire venue, ceremony, or even your room!

Licenses and Insurance – Does the venue have an up to date business license and liability insurance?  Link to more detailed article

Preferred Vendor List – What is the screening process for vendors to get on the venue’s list?  Is it a paid listing? Link to Detailed article on Preferred Vendors

Cher!

Link to Original More detailed article!

For Insured DJs & Photographers Click Here!

Creating Memorable Anniversary Celebrations

The Importance of Wedding Anniversaries

Your wedding day was the day the two of you celebrated with family and friends the beginning of your marriage. Your anniversary celebrations celebrate the continuation of your love for one another throughout the years.

Each and every wedding anniversary deserves to be celebrated in a memorable way. When you celebrate your wedding anniversary each year it is an annual renewal of your commitment to one another.

Here are some ideas to help you create some memorable wedding anniversaries for you and your spouse.

Anniversary Party Ideas

Mark your anniversary date prominently on your family calendar by circling the date and noting what anniversary you will be celebrating.

1. Plan your anniversary celebration with your spouse. Start planning how you will celebrate the day at least two weeks in advance.

2.  Try and take a family portrait on each wedding anniversary.

3.  Keep an anniversary scrapbook or journal of your anniversary celebrations throughout the years. The day will come when you won't remember how you celebrated some of your anniversaries or what gifts you received without saving these memories in a journal.

4.  Don't forget to have toasts to the anniversary couple! Toasts are another long standing tradition of anniversary celebrations. If you aren't having a party, you can toast one another! 

5. Don't forget to tell the DJ or Band what your wedding song is.

 6.  Hire a Semi-Pro Photographer to capture your once in a lifetime family photos and to make a montage of old photos to show at your event!

7.  A roast is a fun and different way to entertain both the couple and guests!

Plan a Weekend Away Together

A great way to celebrate your anniversary is to figure out a way to be alone together for the weekend.

Planning a weekend away isn't something you should do every year on your anniversary.   However, having a weekend away together on your wedding anniversary provides you with the opportunity to reassess where you've been, where you're going, and to renew your commitment to each other in a special location.

Consider this time away together as a mini second, fifth, tenth, etc. honeymoon!

Links:  Photographers that are Affordable (and can produce a Photo Montage for you)

              Entertainers that can play the right music!

Guest Author: SheriBobStritof

Buyer Beware! Preferred Vendors

This post is a Short Notice about you get what you pay for!!

In this down economy everyone is trying to create business and profit.  We recently heard of how Catering Halls & Venues are turning a little extra profit.  This seems to be happening more on the East Coast but can be applied to anywhere.

Even before the recession many halls received a "kick back" for passing business to a particular vendor.  The difference now is many halls are demanding a cash kickback to have vendors work in their halls.  (Sound like the Sopranos to you?? - well it basically is!)

Bada Bing Examples:

Say you have a Florist you choose to do your reception and now your venue ( who you are also a client of ) says you have to use their florist  - NOT because they are better or cheaper but because they get cash back from them!

Imagine having the perfect DJ or Band selected only to find out later that your Venue is forcing you to use their entertainment!!

The Videographer or World Class Photographer that did an awesome job for your BF's wedding can't be hired because your Venue has a "preferred vendor" for you.  (They may not be any good or may be out of your budget!)  ...You get the picture.

Other Scenarios

Other scenarios that have been happening are certain halls will just give you,  and your vendors a difficult time because you didn't choose their preferred vendor for YOUR special day!

It may also happen that they may deny certain equipment (with out good reason) to be setup in your party, such as a Large Screen, Plasma, or Dance Lighting, because they had it built in BUT your external vendor already secured it for you at a reasonable rate.

We have heard of this situation where the hall has built in lights & tells the DJ not to bring their lights (that their clients paid for) in to the hall.  Then the hall just turns their lights on but will not control them at all!  So imagine trying to set the mood for your first dance & the halls strobe lights are on full blast!

Just remember just because the hall calls them "preferred vendors" does not mean that they are the best choice for your event.  They merely do two things pay for advertising in the catering halls "book" and pay the hall a percentage commission from your money back to the hall!

It is very rare that a hall recommends a vendor strictly because they will benefit the mutual client, actually in some cases the sales person will get the kick back from a vendor, so they are even more greedy!

The last story we will leave you with, which may be the sneakiest... is using a "in house" vendor as a sales pitch or deal closer.... Such as we will throw in the ________ - (DJ, center-pieces, flowers, balloons, etc.) (I am not speaking about cocktail hour, extra room's or extra food that doesn't cost the venue) strictly an vendor.....

Goes back to you get what you pay for if they "throw in" a $1500 Disc Jockey - one of 2 things is happening - you are either paying for it and it is hidden in the price OR they are giving you a really bad cheap vendor that they can pay an hourly rate to...... not a professional. 

So the outcome? You paid for a vendor you really didn't want or you saved money and got a shoddy vendor... either way the hall goes to the bank laughing!

What to Do?

Buyer Beware, let Halls do what they do best cook the food, and do your research and compare at least 3 vendors before making an informed decision.  Also ASK your venue if they are recommending their vendors based on skill, excellence or commission!

Bada Bing & Good Luck!

Cher!

PS You can also Ask us for Ideas or recomendations!

Wedding Decor Uplighting to enhance your Reception!

Ambient lighting is diffused light (often colored, using LEDs) that sets the mood of a room or outdoor area and provides basic illumination over a broad area, often adding a decorative touch, and very often as "uplighting."  This aspect of lighting is important to your overall lighting rental plan & can be used in combination with Dance Lighting systems.  Using a variety of lighting fixture types & colors, Wedding Lighting directors can dress up an event with up-lighting, accent and mood lighting, working with you to meet your specific theme colors.

All of up lighting fixtures can be mixed and matched in any way you choose to create a custom lighting system for your event.  Each ambient lighting setup should come with a dedicated lighting director/engineer, and depending on the total size of the event and number of lights ordered, several additional technicians will arrive to setup in the quickest time possible.  Power is no longer an issue since most reputable companies use low wattage LED's which also stay cool and are safe for your guests (especially children).

One Dozen high-quality light fixtures are suggested as a starter package for uplighting, more may be required depending on your theme or size of venue. This Wedding Photo is an example of how ambient/uplighting  can dramatically transform an dull room or area into a work of art!  As ambient/uplighting is very facility/event specific, each system should be custom built to your exact needs.

Many Wedding DJ & Entertainment Companies are offering this as an add on to your Package - Ask your Wedding DJ if they can build up-lighting into your Wedding package!  Many offer Controlled Up lighting as well where they can control the color at the touch of a button!

NOTE: Even though your DJ is Bringing it - the budget should be designated as Decor Lighting, and NOT Entertainment! 

NOTE 2: If your vendor is using old style Par 64, Gel Lights, or similar lights - they may be cheaper BUT they are hot and will heat up your room, are dangerous and can be a fire hazard, and are not able to be changed instantly like newer LED models, because they have 1 color gel on them.

Check a Site out That can do this:  Surround Sound Entertainment LLC

We recently found another blog titled Event Lighting: Transform Your Venue that Something Blue wrote!  It explains more of the benefits of uplighting and shows some great before and after photos!  We Suggest you also check this out if you are serious about Up-Lighting your Wedding Reception!