Making a Puzzle Piece Guest Book Fit for Your Wedding
As a busy DJ in the Capital Region of Upstate NY, I often get to see some of the coolest ideas in wedding planning – especially guest books of late. As you know if you have been reading my column, I always love to share the coolest ideas with you!
Here is yet another fun guest book alternative for your wedding reception that you can piece together on your own with very little work. Rather than to put out one of those lame blank page wedding guest books for people to sign that you will never look at again, how about a wooden puzzle? A puzzle is hours of entertainment and your guests will all become part of that forever in this great keepsake.
This guest book is basically a bunch of wood pieces cut out into the shape of of a functioning puzzle. Each piece is then layed out on a table and then signed by your guests in colorful markers.
WANT TO KEEP THAT RING FINGER SAFE FOR THE WEDDING? – If you are not-so-handy with a jigsaw and hope to keep all of your fingers, this idea should be fairly achievable in plank wood puzzles are available. If not, you should be able to find something already pre-made, perhaps for coins at a craft store like Michaels, or Hobby Lobby in Latham.
Lay the pieces out on a nice table
Get a blank wooden puzzle from a craft store
Spread them out with colored markers
Sign the pieces and be creative
Puzzle Piece Wedding Guest Book
Have wedding guests build the puzzle after signing
Albany Weddings DJ, Albany Wedding Ceremony DJ, Albany DJ for Wedding Receptions
518-506-3305 – Albany Wedding DJ –Are you looking for a wedding DJ that really knows how to use the mic, but also knows not to chime in all the time with annoying remarks? Are you also looking for a wedding DJ that plays today’s best music with a mix of the classics that you want to hear, but not all boring old slow irrelevant tracks? “DJ Kenny Casanova & A+ The DJ Service” could be just what you are looking for!
Looking for the very best in mobile music entertainment for your event? As a wedding and party specialist, TheDJservice.com offers:
-CUSTOM MUSIC – Have a hand in creating the playlist ; new hits, throwbacks, & classics -GREAT LIGHTING – LEDs, Uplighting, Dance Lights & Laser Shows.
-DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY – Affordable Digital Photography available, burned to a disc that night
-DIGITAL PROJECTION –Slide Shows and/or music videos
-KARAOKE PACKAGE – Sing with a huge selection when you opt for our Karaoke Champion Package
-MUSIC VIDEO PACKAGE – each track is a music video on LED screens
-ACTIVITIES & ANNOUNCING – Guest Interaction, dances & activities
-EXPERIENCE – DJ experience from 1998 on (radio & WWF / WWE pro wrestling!)
-Affordable price,professional & fun!!!
ALBANY WEDDINGS ARE OUR SPECIALTY –CUSTOMIZE – Our Albany wedding disc jockeys meet with you to customize your special day so there are no surprizes. (That means The Chicken Dance WILL NOT HAPPEN unless you have requested it!) We will help you organize your perfect event schedule, so that you hear EXACTLY what you want to hear. We plan with every Bride and Groom, however you like; face-to-face, emails, skype/facetime, phone calls, and even text at 518-506-3305, so that the correct atmosphere happenes in the end at times all throughout the event.
AFFORDABLE FUN – If your wedding is set to take place in Albany, NY or somewhere in the Capital Region or beyond, we will provide everything that needs to happen to ensure great customer service so all flows from start to finish! We optimize your music selection, provide splendid audience interaction, and entertain by keeping your guests laughing, dancing, and singing along to create memories that last a lifetime. And most of all, we put the spotlight on the bride & groom… Not us.
-PLANNING – Planning your perfect event with you, provide song suggestion lists and worksheets -PLAYLIST POWER – Giving you the power of the playlist. We play your favorite music, take requests, or take care of the selections for you. We do not force music on you that you do not want to hear. No surprises! – GUEST INTERACTION – leading off group activities / dances with The Cha Cha Slide, Thriller, Staying Alive (Disco Lesson), Cupid Shuffle, YMCA, The Limbo, The Apache (Old School Dance lesson), The Twist, all your favorites and more! (The only one we hate is the dreaded Chicken Dance, LOL!) -CEREMONY MUSIC – Custom ceremony music, planning & organization
–PROFESSIONAL GEAR – State of the Art Bose Tower L1 Model 2 Sound Systems. (Always request Model 2. It is the best!) … and never messy wires! (The DJ who allows this is LAME!)
–DANCE LIGHTS – Laser & LED Dance Lights to create an amazing dance experience you will marvel at. -DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY – Offering an affordable “The DJ Cam” Digital Photography package available, ideal for weddings on a budget, with an image disc provided that night -CUSTOMER TESTIMONIES – We provide a long list of happy customer recommendations and reference contacts so you can feel sure about using our DJs for your Albany wedding. Here are a few recent photos from our customers:
I am DJ Kenny Casanova from Albany, NY. Quite often me customers ask if I recommend any locations for wedding receptions & big parties, so I decided to put together a list.
If you are planning a wedding, you probably already know that there are a million different places in The Capital District where you can have it. Here are some great locations to check out, if you are planning your wedding reception. I have broken them down kind of into regional areas, rather than alphabetical order, to help you get an idea.
If you know of a good one or would like to see your own establishment on this list (which will soon become a tab on my website) drop me a line at ken@theDJservice.com. Thanks! DJ Kenny Casanova – 518-506-3305.
~ALBANY AREA~ Albany Clarion Hotel
3 Watervliet Ave Ext., Albany, NY – (518) 438-8431
Once again, being a busy DJ in the Albany/Saratoga NY area has it’s benefits. I see some of the coolest ideas in wedding planning and love to share them with you! Here is a fun guest book alternative for your wedding reception. Rather than to put out one of those lame blank page wedding guest books for people to sign that you will never look at casinoluck.ca again, how about this?
This guest book is basically a bunch of wood chips cut out into the shape of hearts. Each heart is signed by your guests and dropped into a an easy-to-make coin slider shadow box.
CRAFTY PEOPLE NEED NOT APPLY – If you are handy, this idea should be fairly easy to make with a backer board, some molding and a piece of plexi-glass. If not, you should be able to find something already pre-made, perhaps for coins at a craft store like Michaels, or Hobby Lobby in Latham.
First, lay out some markers and the heart wooden chips.
Next, instruct the guests to sign, add well-wishes, and draw a picture even on the chip.
Add a little sign explaining to drop the chip into the coin slot on the top of the frame.
In no time at all, the chips will start piling up and you will have a great hang-able keepsake to look at for years to come!
Top 50 Capital Region Wedding Hall List – Albany, Troy, Schenectady & Saratoga/Lake George Areas
Organized by Albany area, Troy area, Schenectady Area, & Saratoga/Lake George Areas, here is a comprehensive list of top-notch wedding/special event catering venues we have provided DJ services to, in and around the Capital District. Grouping these venues geographically should help to give you an idea of options in your remote area.
Each listing provides website information and phone numbers, as well as pictures, menu samples, email contact when available.
CATERING CHOICE VENUES – Also, at the bottom is a list of venues who allow off site catering, so you can pick exactly who you want and perhaps, save money!
Best Western Sovereign Hotel 1228 Western Ave – Albany, NY
(518) 618-1123 Website – Directions
The Polonaise: Polish Community Center
225 Washington Ave. Ext. – Albany, NY
(518) 456-3995 Website – Menu – Directions – Pictures – EmailWolferts Roost Country Club
– Canfield Casino
– Saratoga Museum of Dance
– Saratoga Museum of Racing – – Saratoga National Park
– Children’s Museum of Science & Technology
– Great Escape
– Howe Caverns
– The Mohegan on Lake George NY
– Proctors Theatre
– Pruyn House
– Albany Institute of History & Arts
– Stratton Air Force Base
If you are planning a wedding in Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga Springs or anywhere else in the world, I’m sure you have already figured out that there millions of components to think about. The catering service, the venue location, the food selections / menu, the DJ, the cocktail hour, the clothing, the decoration, the centerpieces, the flower arrangements, the bouquet, the favors, did I forget something? Wait! Wait!! Have you even stopped to think about the ceremony yet?
The selection for the music for your wedding ceremony is always a tough task. My customers from Albany, NY to Saratoga Springs come to me all the time and say, “Kenny! Where do I start? I don’t know what any of that music is called or when it even happens!” It’s actually not so difficult. Hang on to you garter… here is a crash course Cliff Notes edition to wedding ceremony layouts for dummies:
Music for your wedding ceremony is important. This part of the day is the serious time set aside where the bride and groom express their feelings for one another and exchange their vows. That means, all in all, the ceremony is the time set aside for the mushy stuff. Therefore, you probably want to think about slower classical wedding music, new age, or very slow classic rock or pop ballads.
No matter how you look at, there are a few stages to a wedding ceremony, before the bride and groom say I do:
What should I know about music for the ceremony?
PRELUDE – There should be about four or five songs played as a prelude when the guests are seated. These can be anything, but keep in mind, these selections set the atmosphere for the guests. If you have no music playing, it feels more like a funeral than a wedding, so the prelude is important! The actual song selections should be light and elegant, modern or traditional to your liking.
PROCESSIONAL – The groomsmen and the groom usually move to the front from the side. They do not walk down the aisle, This signifies that the ceremony is about to formally begin. There are two songs during the processional: one song is chosen for when the bridesmaids enter, and the other song is to be the most dramatic choice, selected for play when the bride walks down the aisle.
RECESSIONAL – One last song is played after the kiss for the bride and groom to walk back up the aisle to. Think happy! The music played in the recessional, should symbolize the happiness of the couple’s new life together.
If you are like many, you probably want the traditional classic wedding music, but have NO CLUE what the songs are called. Here is my playlist when I am told to play the traditional favorites:
EXTRA SELECTIONS – There can be additional specialized songs selecte at different points in the ceremony, depending on the actual ceremony itself. Sometimes a special song can be played during or after the exchanging the rings and vows, and the lighting a unity candle.
RESTRICTIONS – Some churches have rules about wedding songs used during your ceremony so be sure to ask your clergy person or officiant! Remember, if you are non-traditional, you might get a kick out of white wedding, but your reverend may very well not be a Billy Idol fan.
There is a growing trend to get away from the traditional classic music. However, it is recommended that you shy away from anything upbeat. Adding too much craziness to the ceremony is not recommended, because it takes away from the seriousness of the union at hand.
For your wedding ceremony, your music selections should all probably still be softer and with a slower tempo. However, that doesn’t mean you have do the same thing everyone does.You can totally customize the song selection to fit your taste. There is plenty of good music out there that may be better suited for you than classical music. One of the most moving bridal marches I have seen was set to Enya’s “Only Time.” However, the most memorable one was last summer, when I had a bride who walked down the aisle to Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” so go figure.
