How to Choose the BEST Wedding DJ

Choosing a DJ for any event, can often be a challenge. Many people don't know where to start. Most searches begin online. Here are things that you need to know, BEFORE choosing a DJ service:

When is your event?

The day and even time of year, both have an impact on how much you will pay. Example: A Friday or Saturday night event are going to cost more than booking on any other night of the week; wedding season (March - Sept) is the busy time for DJs, so expect to pay more during that time of year.

What time is your event?

If you're event is in the late evening or night, it will cost you more. After 8pm is the usual beginning of the "workday," except weddings, which usually begin after 5pm.

How long is your event?

The standard booking day is 4 hours. If you want to book a DJ for more than 4 hours, expect to pay higher rates or "overtime" (usually 1.5 times the hourly rate) for over 4 hours.

Tips For Choosing Songs For A Wedding

Since couples nowadays are more hands-on in preparations than before, several of the aspects of the wedding itself can now be personalized. In fact, one of the favorite aspects of the ceremony that couples often spend a lot of time on customizing is the music, from the very first parade song to the selection of dance songs in the reception itself.
If you would like to personalize your own wedding song selection, here are some tips you might want to consider.
• Decide on the theme. The theme in the reception can be applied to the music in the ceremony also, so decide on the wedding theme immediately (and stick with it). Will it be lively? Will it be generally groovy and upbeat? You can also go for retro if your guests are more on the older age group, or you can choose to be more solemn and go for the ballads. The important thing is that the music will complement the theme, the guests, and the couple itself in the ceremony.
• Doable. Another factor that might influence your song list would be how the songs are going to be played. You see, if you are planning on hiring a group to perform the songs, you will be limited to the type of music that the group can play. For example, you cannot expect a string quartet to play bass-thumping dance songs. On the other hand, you cannot also expect to achieve the solemn clarity of an acapella performance even if you use the most advanced music player. You can also reach a compromise between the two if you want. It all depends on the planning.

A Guide To Different Styles Of Wedding Rings

Asking your significant other to marry you is a big step, so it's understandable if you're feeling nervous or stressed when thinking about buying a ring and planning the perfect proposal. The process can be especially stressful if you don't know much about wedding rings and are concerned about choosing one that your significant other will love. Fortunately, once you understand the basics, it will be easier to narrow down your search and find the perfect engagement jewelry.

One of the most popular and classic styles of wedding rings is the diamond solitaire, which consists of a single diamond set on a metal band. Diamond solitaires can range in price depending on the size of the diamond and the type of band. Platinum is generally the most expensive because it is the most durable and long-lasting. Gold bands are cheaper, but gold wears away over time.

For grooms considering a solitaire setting, fancy diamond shapes add a unique touch if a traditional round or square-cut stone seems too plain. There are many different diamond cuts available, including emerald, pear, marquise, oval, and heart. Emerald-cut diamonds are rectangular in shape, and are very popular with celebrities.

The Essential Guide to Your Wedding Flowers

As soon as you have booked your venue and set a date then it's not too early to think about your flowers. Start to keep a scrapbook straight away of your favourite flowers and colour schemes. Subscribe to some useful magazines like 'Wedding' or 'Wedding Flowers'. Ask your venue too if they have an in house florist that you can use.

With about eight to nine months to go you will probably have chosen yours and your bridesmaids dresses, you can add samples of the fabrics or photographs to your scrapbook. If you still need to find a florist start looking now. Ask your married friends for recommendations if you have booked your photographer then ask him/her too! Visit some wedding shows then you can talk to some florists in an unthreatening environment. After this research come up with a short list and make appointments to see them all. Make sure that they know will not be booking there and then. Take your scrapbook with you; listen to their advice and ideas. Ask to see examples of their work, most of them will have an album of photographs to show you or if you see them at a wedding show they will have real life samples with them that you can look at. While you are talking to them ask who will make your flowers, will it be them or someone else. Once you have made your choice book them! Most florists limit the number of weddings they do each week and you do not want to miss out. Make sure that you get confirmation in writing of your booking, the estimated cost, a receipt for your deposit and then date when the balance is due.

Fun Places for Your Wedding Reception

Your wedding reception should be fun and the choice of venue will go a long way to determine this. A lot of receptions are held in rental halls or typical ballrooms which may lead to the event being turned into a formal one. However, if you want a lively reception location that guests will not forget in a hurry, I have a few suggestions for you.

Hotels

Even though a hotel ballroom may feel like a traditional choice for your reception, which may seem boring, there are many good reasons for making use of a hotel. The fact that guests know that they can easily get to bed will enable them to enjoy themselves to the fullest in a reception held in a hotel. A lot of people will relax and party when they do not worry about driving home or to an unfamiliar place at night when the party has ended. If you feel that a hotel is not the best choice for you, you can go for a themed or boutique hotel in order to steer clear of hotel chains.

How You Use a Photo Booth at a Wedding Reception

You can make use of a photo booth to entertain guests at your wedding reception and make the event more memorable. Great pictures will be taken for your own use and guests can also take home their photographs. There are few options for you in this regard; you can rent a photo booth from a rental company, set up a DIY booth that your guests can operate or hire a photographer to man a booth for you.

It is important for you to determine if you are going to rent a photo booth from a local rental company or set up one for yourself. However, the easiest solution is booth rental because guests will have the opportunity to print out their pictures instantly and take them home. You should also find out about any restrictions if you are considering a rental. A lot of companies have limits for the number of photographs that can be taken or the number of hours for the rental. Also, it is essential to find out about pick-up and delivery details in order to be furnished with the right information.

Moreover, the photo booth should be placed in an area of the reception where its interference with other events will be avoided. For instance, it is not ideal to have it in the background when you and your new spouse are being photographed cutting the cake or dancing. There should be easy access to it but it should out of the way of service staff.

Ways of Remembering Your Special Day

Your wedding day is indeed one of the most important days of your life. Not only do couples spend hours and months planning it and keeping every small detail in mind, they focus on various aspects to make it as memorable as possible. Right from the food to the drinks and table layout, couples about to get married focus on everything for their perfect day.

However, when it comes to safeguarding the memories for the future, there are several ways to do it. While creating the memories is a task in itself especially on your wedding day, saving the moments on record is a delightful experience in itself. While hiring a wedding photographer is one way of targeting the process, there are other interesting ways to save the memories on record too.

Create a scrapbook

While we may live in a digital world where everything is saved on computers and memory cards, it is not the same thing as viewing it on paper. You can easily download or print all the best pictures taken by the professional Nottingham photographer and create a scrapbook.

Include quotes, favourite sayings or even creative lines beside each picture to make it more fun. In fact, you can even document the pictures and note down what each picture signifies.