“The wedding ceremony was beautiful. The food was great,” the bride says, about to roll her eyes below a beautiful veil. “People were having a good time. The cake was delicious. Everything seemed just right, but then all of the sudden… UGH! It’s The Dreaded Chicken Dance!!!”
The groom drops his head in shame. “I forgot to tell him no.”
The bride looks at the groom and says, “This is the one song I hate more than anything in the world.”
While it may sound simple, not everyone thinks to make… THE DO NOT PLAY LIST!
If you want to be really prepared, make a list of songs that you actually loath. Give your DJ the list. This way when the party part of your big day comes about, it’s only what you really want.
While your must-hear song list may seem very important, a do not play list in many situations, may be even more important!
Over the weekend, I was the DJ at a venue called FEAST at Round Hill in Washingtonville, NY. It’s not a point we typically service, but the couple in this same-sex wedding were really cool and I wanted to do the gig for them. (Honestly, even if you are not as cool as they are, you can get me to go anywhere, if you really try.)
ALL IN ONE WEDDING LOCATION – FEAST at Round Hill is a great place to get married; it has ample parking, a nice ceremony site, outside & inside bars for the cocktail hour, fountains for great photo-opps and a really neat reception hall.
The video above shows the couple, Bridget & Jessica, engaging in their first official dance of the night. You can see a shot of our DJ booth with our purple uplights creating the mood.
FOOD – FEAST at Round Hill’s reception area is a classy place with a nice little stage for a sweetheart table or large bridal party head table. On this occasion, the hall had a sweetheart table along with a full candy buffet package on display for party favors. The display was one of the best I have seen, complete with shelving holding large tilted candy store-type” glass containers to house the treats in.
The meal was great too!
All in all, if you are looking in the Poughkeepsie or Newburgh, NY area for a place to hole your special day, I would highly recommend checking out this venue.
Here are a few pictures from my iPhone of the wedding…
Modern Wedding trends are today’s choice at most weddings.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR WEDDING FEEL FRESH AND NEW
Lately, the traditions involved in Wedding Receptions are changing to meet the demands of a new generation. They are no longer the boring slow-dance packed night with cake-cutting and garter toss as the main attractions. They are morphing into more elaborate customized events with lots of energy and surprises to mirror the bride and groom’s character.
If you want to host a wedding reception that screams you, consider this top 10 list:
1. Show up in style
If the wedding ceremony and reception take place at different venues, providing guests with transportation that meets the feel you want for the party. A limo, or crazy hummer ride can set the tone. Recently, I did a wedding reception in Fonda, NY, a big parachuting town, in an old airplane hanger that was decked out in a German/Swiss theme. I played polkas and yodel music to start, while they served beer a brauts for the cocktail hour. When it came time for the introductions of the bridal party, I hit the Mission Impossible theme and had everyone look up in the air. People marveled at the party parachuting down to join the festivities.
2. Wedding Cup Cakes:
While you may absolutely love the idea of a classy cream cheese carrot cake, Uncle Charlie may absolutely HATE IT. That doesn’t mean you have to be unselfish and not have carrot cake, it only means you have to think outside of the box. In this case, why not try WEDDING CUPCAKES. You tier up a wedding cake display with many different types of cup cakes, in displayed in the shape of a traditional wedding cake. Everyone, including you and Uncle Charlie is now happy.
3. The First Dance:
Many bride and grooms have dropped the 100% serious tone to the first dance, opting for 50% slow and 50% ridiculous. Rascal Flatts “My Wish” plays just past the first chorus, when Sir Mix A Lot belts out his love for big butts. This is quickly becoming more regular than not, with the added touch of elaborate choreographed moves.
4. Video Game Time
Believe it or not, interactive video game competitions are a new trend. Having a later hour set aside for popular competitions like Guitar Hero or Rock Band is a smart and hip way to add another memorable element of fun to your wedding reception. I have seen digital projectors come into play at night-time tent weddings on the ceiling where a massive screen is created for the game play to unfold.
5. SAY CHEESE! Wedding Photo booths:
Guests will love to jump in and snap silly photos, for great additions to your wedding photo album. Have you seen this yet? Wedding photo booths are quickly becoming a new tradition at modern wedding receptions. It also helps to pass the time when the photographer runs late and the people are waiting t=for the grand entrance of the wedding party.
This little guy had an evil sweet tooth.
6. Funky Snack Attack:
Candy tables, ice cream bars, your favorite trail mix… There are no rules to what you can serve anymore. If you think the snack is cheap, but something everyone will appreciate, you can use a variety of containers (think martini glasses) to add that special decorative touch. On the Fourth of July, 2009, I did a great Pakistani-American Wedding, where all kinds of great Pakistani curry-laden dishes where set in tandem next to the groom’s favorite American chow, you guess it, PIZZA. The pizza was served on elegant silver platters under a heat light, like a prime rib carving roast!
7. Karaoke Hour
Want fun! Add karaoke! This can be really awesome in the right party, but be careful. Place this activity late, if not last, in the event and limit people’s participation, or else it could be come a karaoke concert!)
8. Digital Slide Show Projection
Collect up as many pictures that you can of the bride and groom growing up, then add shots of them together now. (You can go right to Walmart with the old shots and scan them to disc for a couple of bucks!) Next, with the wonders of modern technology, a power point slide show can then be created with ease. The power point can run continuously while the guests eat, or can play once as a scheduled activity set to music. Maybe you even know someone who can work photoshop, to make you a funny one like this slideshow for Ben and Joanna, who by the way got married at an aquarium!
Select a Las Vegas Wedding Theme and WIN!
9. Reception Themes
A themed wedding reception is a great way to let your personalities shine. I have done weddings with many different themes including Heavy Metal, Hawaiian luau, Ethnic-specific, and even Vegas.
10. Hey, Mister DJ!
Great bands rock, but are sometimes limited to only a few sounds that may not be everyone’s cup of tea. A good DJ, however, can be like the weather in New England and change on an instant. At most wedding receptions, your DJ is the life of the party and can shuffle requests and the wishes of the bride & groom to keep EVERYONE happy. I happen to know a real good one, if you are looking! (http://www.kennycasanova.com)
A new trend of miniature white wedding cakes on sticks is taking the wedding world by storm.
To define this new treat is to not really do it justice; it is sort of like a super fancy and much nicer doughnut hole ‘munchkin” on a stick. However, add frosting and additional decorations.
ADD RIBBONS! Another way to really puch a theme is to add decorative ribbons in the mix. Using the right ribbon can really punch up the look of the pop!
DISPLAY! Wedding Cake Pops are a wonderful complement to your wedding cake or can actually take the place of your cake with a beautiful custom layer-inspired display.
Below is a gallery of some cake pop pictures to help you get an idea of what is possible:
