Weddings

Making Your Wedding Special

You want your wedding to be a special as you are. Your music and reception should be as carefully planned as the rest of your event.

Here are a few tips to make your wedding reception a success, based on many years of entertaining wedding guests:

Immediately After the Ceremony

Nothing kills a party mood like a long delay with nothing to do. Think about how your guests will be entertained while you finish up your photography. If you will be taking your couple photos after the ceremony you should plan on at least an hour before you will arrive at the reception. We've seen weddings where it took even longer. Meanwhile, guests grow hungry and bored (and occasionally get drunk). Here are ideas to get the party hopping so that when you arrive they'll be having a great time:
- Make sure you've planned enough food to hold them over until the big meal. It can be as simple as cheeses and crackers and fresh vegetables and dip.
- If you are having a jazz or big band, consider having someone teach swing dance steps. We've seen this done at a wedding and people just raved about how much fun they had. It got people out on the dance floor more too! (we can give you some names and ideas if you don't have a friend who's qualified)
- Prepare a fun activity at each place setting, such as a humorous quiz about the couple, to pass the time.
- Entertainment goes a long way to helping people stay upbeat and happy. Book the band, or a smaller subset of the band, to fill this hour with music.
- Have a power point or video done with pictures of the two of you and little comments on how you met and have it running so guests can learn more.
- Don't want high tech? A few picture albums can also be fun to pass around or have at a spot at the reception.

Your Arrival at the Reception

Be sure you've thought through exactly how you want to make your entrance. Couples choose to do everything from have no announcement to announcing the entire wedding party including parents. Write out every name in the order you would like him/her announced, including phonetic spellings for any name that isn't obvious. Give it to your Emcee in advance. You'll avoid having your Maid of Honor's name butchered!

The Start of the Formal Event

Most receptions move to the food and start with a prayer. Some are followed immediately by toasts by various people (usually the Best Man and Maid of Honor, but sometimes a parent as well). Make sure your Emcee knows the exact sequence, and the names if you'd like them announced. Ask everyone speaking publicly to use a microphone! Many people may think they have voices big enough to not need one, but it is better to amplify than have people craning to hear.

If your reception location does not have a microphone, be sure your band will be set up in time for you to use their system and consider their location. They may or may not have a cordless microphone, so those giving toasts will need to move to the microphone to give them.

Dancing, Music and the Flow of the Event

Music during dinner is optional. Often couples have instrumental music during the dinner hour.

Most people understand that the dance floor is not open until the bridal couple has danced their first dance. Keep this in mind as you plan the flow of events.

In addition, it is also ettiquette to wait until the cake has been cut to leave the party. Some brides have been devastated that people left "early" because they cut the cake too soon in the evening.

Be sure to carefully think about what you want for your first dance. Some ideas for dances are below. Also consider whether you want:

Father Daughter Dance
Mother Son Dance
Wedding Party Dance
Dollar Dance
Any other group dances such as the Chicken Dance, Hava Nagila, etc.

In order not to drag things out, many of the parent and wedding party dances are often put together with the Emcee announcing mid-song that the couple will be joined by others.

Be sure to also inform your band leader of any songs that you do NOT want -- such as the Chicken Dance, Hava Nagila, etc!

Bouquet Toss, Garter Toss and Your Exit

Think through when and whether you wish to do both a bouquet toss and a garter toss. Particularly for a garter toss, be sure to advise your Emcee whether you want a song such as "The Stripper" played or not. Traditionally this is a somewhat "raunchy" part of the evening and that may or may not be your style.

You may want a certain song played as the last song or as a send off song for the couple. Be sure to talk this over with your Emcee and see our suggestions, below.

Wedding Song Suggestions

First Dance