Category: Weddings

French-Canadian Wedding Sock Dance Custom by Albany NY DJ Kenny Casanova, a highly-demanded disc jockey from www.TheDJservice.com .

I learned something over the weekend at a wedding reception that had an Irish-American bride marrying a French-Canadian groom. While weddings in Canada are very similar to those here in America, there are some very different French Canadian weddings customs that occur just north of us. I realized this when I looked out to the dance floor to see the groom’s older sister hiking up her dress and dancing with the ugliest socks on I ever did see! Looking at a pair of feather adorned rainbow socks with sparkles and fully-woven separated toes, this prompted me to do a little research on the nuptials of our northern neighbors.

Canadian wedding customs are all about a warm and friendly get together with friends and family, despite sometimes cold northern temperatures. Because Canada is an immigrant country by nature, the mixing of English and French wedding customs with the traditions of many other cultures is common. For the most part, a great deal of French Canadian wedding celebrations is very similar to what you would see in the United States. There are, however, a few differences.

In parts of Quebec, where the main language spoken is French, for the ceremony, the groom isn’t kept away from seeing the bride until she walks down the aisle. It is customary, rather for the groom and his friends and family to meet the bride at her home on the big day. The new couple then drives to ceremony with the bride’s parents. A large procession of cars, much like you see in the states at a funeral, move together, decorated for the wedding celebration to come. The line of cars is not calm and reserved, however. In a parade-like tour through the entire town, the people in the cars honk their horns and yell good wishes out to town’s people. After the drive, the entire wedding assembly enters the church together.

At the reception, we see an introduction and a toast, before a nice dinner. After everyone eats, the dancing begins. There is one French-Canadian tradition, however, that I saw this weekend that was very new to me. It involved the unmarried brothers and sisters of the bride and groom.

Later on in the wedding reception, apparently, if the groom has older siblings who are still unmarried, they must down elaborately colorful ugly socks, and dance to a special tune. It seems that the the socks symbolize the siblings still having “cold feet” and this is why the younger brother is marrying before them. The sillier the sock dance is however, the better, as the guests respond more favorably to nonsense. Much like the American “Dollar Dance,” the guests throw money at the feet of the sock dancer(s) and the money is then given to the bride and groom, to offset costs and help them in their new home together.

For more information on funny French-Canadian Dances, customs and traditions like this one, you will want to check out our new blog on the French Canadian Trough Dance, by clicking here.

Below is a gallery of pictures from many different Wedding Sock Dances to give you an idea of what it looks like. It’s a beautiful thing. Isn’t it?

To book DJ Kenny Casanova or any of our fine DJ’s at TheDJservice.com for your wedding with an ugly sock dance, call 518-506-3305. We are based out of the Albany, New York area. You can also TEXT us at 518-506-3305 for more information.

Yet again, I saw a different thing this weekend that I thought I should share with you all. You know those little cards you see at the front of the hall at the beginning of the ceremony? Yeah you do. The place cards with the guests name, directing them to their assigned table.

The wedding I did had little tea lights with professionally printed names on each one and the table number. It was really cool to see everyone surround the table and look for their candles! Then, on by one, each person carefully brought their little candle keepsake to their destination table.

As a mobile DJ, you see some really neat ideas from time to time, but none have struck me as much so as what I have been seeing more and more of this summer.

With printing capabilities increasing with technology and color printing cartridge advancements, a new trend is definitely hitting the professional wedding industry. This new wedding trend is quickly becoming a magnetic attraction to the guests, because this new trend is magnets.

One new magnet prop is showing up before the wedding. I have seen “Save The Date” magnets sent out to guests to announce their wedding right from the start. These are usually business card size with just the date and the bride and groom’s names on them. They can however be bigger and more elaborate.

Magnets can also be used for the invitations themselves. If you look up on google save the date wedding magnets you will see that many specialty printers are now offering some really cool magnetic stock for invitations. Companies like Magnetstreet.com, MagnetQueen.com, Wedding-Magnets.com and SaveTheDateMagnet.com are all just the tip of the iceberg for companies that are beginning to specialize off of this growing new idea. They have some great stock images to pick from, as well as cool ideas for customization.

At the reception itself, many people are now opting to make the magnet-making process itself as part of the fun and towards the provision of wedding favors. Photo Magnet creation actually becomes an activity. An additional photographer can be hired with on site capability and the proper equipment to provide refrigerator magnets as party favors to the bride and groom and/or all your guests with their images on the magnets.

At a recent Albany, NY wedding I played music at, the magnet photographer set up a photo shoot area in a corner complete with lighting and a backdrop. Couples and friends alike could then go over for the shoot and immediately, within seconds, have a decorative portrait of the participants in hand. The magnets can either then be set aside for the bride and groom, or kept as a favor!

The possibilities are endless!

WHO SHOULD YOU TIP AT A WEDDING, AND HOW MUCH?

Quite often I get the uncomfortable question from curious brides and grooms about tipping. I always say the same thing. “It is optional at weddings. A tip for any service is appreciated, but usually not at all expected. Just tip if you were really really happy with your outcome.”

I did a little looking around on the net to see what other people say about wedding gratuity. Before sharing my findings below, I have read that for the most part, I am right. Tips are a voluntary thing, and you should really use your discretion.

So, how do you make the decision?

DO YOUR HOMEWORK – First off, if you are thinking about tipping, you may want to find out from your vendors if,  tipping is allowed at all. There are many services, caterers for one, that include the gratuity for their staff directly in their quoted price, so they sometimes actually discourage tipping. In this economy, be sure not to double tip!

Giving wedding professionals and vendors a tip is completely up to the couple, how happy they are and how much they can afford. There is no percentage, if any, as you see expected by restaurants.

All tips should be given in cash. If the person serving you is an employee of the company, their tip should be in a separate envelope, so that the business doesn’t try to absorb it.

Tips should be given just before the party ends. That way you can judge how much to give, according to the job they did for you.

DOLLAR GUIDELINE ACCORDING TO SERVICES PROVIDED:

Limousine Drivers – 10-15% of the limousine bill, given at the end of his/her service.

Valet Parking Attendants – 50 cents to $1.00 per car, is about right.

Disc Jockey – When your guests compliment the reception later, remember it was the DJ that had created a big part of the fun stuff. While it is not expected, if there is one DJ, $50-100.00, isn’t totally unheard of. If you have two DJs, some people give each person $50.00 in separate envelopes. It’s really up to you, as, again, there is no need to tip at all.

Photographer / Videographers – The tip is optional. Usually if they own the photography business, no tip is necessary. If they are employees, $50.00 goes to the main photographer and who splits in with any assistant.

The Wait Staff – Usually the tip is worked into the quote. If the tip is not in the contract, a 15% of the total catering bill is tipped.

Bartenders – 10% of the total liquor bill is normal, if you are not allowing your guests to tip.

Ceremony Musicians – $5-10/hr per person.

Wedding Officiate – Usually you do not tip. You pay the set amount, and offer a donation to the church, if you wish to offer more for their help.

 

Hopefully, you have a rough idea of what to give now, if you feel the urge to tip.

Again, the amounts above are only examples and are not written in stone. They are, however, what I have found people have suggested to give when you are impressed and overly satisfied with your service provider.

Wedding Theme DJ idea – The Cinderella Fairy Tale

Every bride pictures the day they are to be married as being the perfect-ending of a fairy tale, when they are very young. If you want your big wedding to be a fairy tale come true, why not consider putting just the right theme to it? If you want to set an atmosphere of fantasy, enchantment and fun, then maybe a Cinderella wedding could be just for you!

DARE TO PICK A THEME – If you really want the groom to buy into the helping of planning your wedding, add a theme. From experience, adding any type of theme can really get your Prince Charming to buy into the whole party planning process, as many grooms do not really buy into the planning side. Add a theme, however, and the creative juices start to flow!

DO SOME RESEARCH – So first, you have to do your homework. If you think that a Cinderella theme could work for your wedding, then make sure you re-watch the movie Cinderella, itself. You will see from watching the movie a number of things that can really add to the overall feel.

First off, Cinderella is from a kingdom and the messengers use scrolls. You can send your invitations out with that scroll feel, and also even create something like this for your guestbook. Since you want your guests to really know that they are attending a fairy tale wedding, a nice glass slipper or something from the film should be printed as a background of clip art on the invitations. If you can, also try sealing your envelopes with a royal wax seal.

COLORS – The official colors for the reception should include ivory, light pinks and white. These colors should be used for flowers, linen, and even the clothing. To get that ballroom feel, the bride should shoot for a bell-shaped gown, when possible, if it compliments her body well. She should try to match the style of Cinderella, of course, from Disney, as this is the image that is well-known. The groom should look at black tuxedos with tails.

PROPS – Props are everything and will really sell your theme, no matter what it may be. In this case, props should include, glass slippers, pumpkins and perhaps long red carpets. (At the ceremony, you may even want to have the ring bearer carry the ring inside a glass slipper or pumpkin!)

The venue will also play a good hand in getting the Cinderella feel across. A ballroom with chandeliers and fancy drapery and wall hangings would be the perfect setting for your Cinderella wedding reception theme and your fairy tale coming true. Locally Glen Sanders mansion, might be nice, or any place that has a cascading staircase for a grand entrance, too!

MAKE IT SPARKLE – For that added magical feel, you should use glitter everywhere you can. Table tops with tinsel pieces would be great and you have to make pumpkin couches your centerpieces. Also, small magic wands with stars on the tips provided as party favors would make for some fun pictures, as well. Also, if your budget allows, you may want to shoot for a giant ice statue of a slipper to add to the night.

The possibilities are endless!

IDEAS FOR KEEPING THE FOOD AFFORDABLE

Today, times are tough. We are seeing traditions broken daily and hard decisions have to be made. Maybe you really want to get married but know that your venue bill will be 15 to 20 times the size of what the DJ bill will be, and you know you can’t afford it. That’s right. Your average wedding venue bill with food is $10,000-$30,000 today! Weel, what can you do?

POTLUCK! BRING YOUR OWN FOOD?!

Before you dismiss this as an unacceptable option, let’s look at history. One hundred years ago, there was no prime rib. There were no candy tables. There was no open bar tab. Almost every wedding reception was catered by the guests!

Part of the wedding gift was your loved ones sweating over a hot oven. Then, they would show up with their labors of love bearing a covered dish for all to partake, in the name of the bride and groom.

Another trend of guests bringing their own food to a wedding reception to be shared by all happened a little more than only fifty years ago. In the ‘60s, dematerialization and sharing also was a big part of that generation’s mindset.  This bled over into the matrimonial ceremonial trends. At this time, Potluck weddings were about sharing all kinds of things.

Believe it or not, the idea of guests bringing the food to the reception was not low-brow at many points in history. It actually used to be the norm. However, in the “instant gratification” materialist world that we live in, and now with the economic state that our country is in, this trend is making a comeback at weddings.

Here are a number of tips to keep in mind, in order to make the idea of covered dishes work at your reception:

PLANNING A POTLUCK WEDDING – While this is a great idea, there may be some materialistic money-grubbers who will oppose your quest for crockpots. Many wedding halls will not allow you or guests to bring in food or alcoholic beverages. In most cases, this directly affects their bottom line, as providing high end dishes is an integral part of their income and overall profit. In order to have a potlock reception, you will first have to locate an appropriate hall to your liking that allows self-catering, and one that still fits the atmospheric-setting role that you are looking for.

PROMOTING YOUR VISION – Whenever you can, consider a theme! For our house warming, we held what we called a “cultural covered dish party.” You couldn’t just show up with hot dogs and chips. We challenged our guests to recreate and share their favorite ethnic dishes from all around the world.

For our cultural covered dish party, we communicated with out friends and family to see what area their cuisine would come from. Once we heard one country or area was being represented, we might mention that to another person. Then, each guest would bring some really cool things to the table.

One friend could represent Mexico, another could represent Italy, and so on and so forth, so that many different and fun dishes were represented. We then put little flags in front of the dishes, upon receiving them. It felt like Disney’s “It’s a Small World” ride, but much tastier!

CHEF TO IMPRESS & RESTRICTIONS – Tell your people to all bring entrees, not side dishes. Push the idea of “CHEF TO IMPRESS!” You always have the handful of loser relatives who want to only bring soda and chips. Make it clear that side dishes will make for a poor spread. Side dishes are very lame and that each guest needs to try and provide at least one entree, with any amount of supporting sides that they wish! If you get entrees across the board, there will be some really great food and fun for all!

TAKE INVENTORY & COMMUNICATE – It is crucial that you make an ongoing list of what guests would like to bring so that you don’t get a dozen meatball dishes, for example, and nobody shows up with some succulent shrimp or chicken! (Gotta have chicken!) Consider using facebook to make communication easy.

TIMING & STORAGE – Let the people plan early. Put your food information/request right on the invitation. When the wedding day finally comes, the best way to organize is to put someone in charge of receiving the food, before the ceremony actually starts.

CROCK POTS – Rule. Enough said.

PREP TEAM & CLEAN UP TEAM – Since there are no caterers waiting on your guests, this does mean that there will be more work that will need to be done on your behalf. It is best to ask for volunteers to man food prep & clean up.  With two separate teams, the brunt of work doesn’t fall heavy on one or two people’s shoulders. You will need one group to organize and set up the food, and also another to break down, preserve and get the containers ready to go back to the original owners.

MUSIC – Everybody knows that music makes it better. Food is best consumed with music, so get a DJ! (I know a good one!)  Your savings on food allows for even more fun to happen!

DISH PRESENTATION – We don’t want this to look like your average party. Since you are potentially saving thousands on the food bill, you may want to make everything look as classy as possible.

To avoid the stigma that a hodge-podge potluck wedding reception could receive, try and create some kind of uniformity in presentation.  Another trick is to elevate entree dishes on your buffet tables with some kind of milk crates or soda riser-trays, then cover the boosters with linen.

If you really want to change people’s minds about being thrifty, stay away from dollar store table cloths to avoid cheap presentation of good food! To remain classy but still save money, if your hall does not provide linens, you can always purchase sale fabric at a discount fabric stores.

POTLUCK DESSERTS – Maybe you still want the dinner catered, but love this idea. How about potluck desserts only?!

ADDITIONAL GIFTS ARE OPTIONAL – Remember, since guests are providing the food, it is customary to accept the fact that the dish could be considered the only gift to you, or at least a portion of the gift. Encourage this and embrace it! You are saving thousands of dollars!

Food is love and when prepared by your friends and family, love as well as scrumptious scents will be in the air. The possibilities are endless. People will go out of their ways to really show off their skills, and at the same time, impress you.

Having a successful covered dish wedding reception is all about cooperation and fun with people who are important to you. Your friends and family will love the idea and probably go out of their ways to really make it a spread that will impress everyone.

If done correctly, your wedding reception could turn out to be much better than any catering company could ever deliver.