A TWISTY PAPER FUN IDEA THAT PUTS A NEW TWIST ON WEDDING SEATING
Origami (折り紙? – you have seen it before. It comes from the Japanese words for “folding” and “paper.”
Origami, the art of paper folding, creates a goal to transform a flat sheet square of paper into a finished sculpture through folding and sculpting techniques. It also looks great as a fun and crafty thing to do as a decorative means for assigning your guests wear to sit at your wedding celebration
Here is a neat thing you can do for your wedding guests, rather than that lame boring little business card thingy that says “Mr. & Mrs. Smith Table One.” Check out these pictures taken recently by Kenny Casanova at The Caraosel Ballroom in Troy, NY up on Hoosick Street.
A few years ago, the digital world took over the photography industry. In the advent of the iPhone, meaning a camera in everyone’s pocket at any given moment, it seemed pointless to carry around a camera that needed film and also film that had to be developed. That took extra time and money that nobody wanted to invest in anymore.
Because of this, traditional camera companies saw a decline in sales. This eventually led to Polaroid facing with astronomically low sales that endangered bankruptcy. They finally decided to call it quits in 2008. The world was saddened in an instant. However, there was niche that demanded it to come back for specific reasons. After popular demand, the instant camera came back in a flash. In 2010 Polaroid came back with their new product, the 300, and that means Weddings have potential for some new fun. As a DJ, I see a lot of things and this activity was fun had by all.
Here is a novel idea of how to create your own Polaroid Photo Booth guest book for your wedding and let your guests have a good time doing so.
You simply set up a board like this, or even a cork board with the date in painted wooden numbers like you can get at a craft store. Then, put out the cameras and let the guest do the rest.
Being relatively high on web searches, due to lots of gigs, and also very affordable, I have found that it helps to book early. You usually want to book the DJ you want about 6 months ahead of time to play music at your wedding reception. This gives you plenty of time to plan and do what you need to do.
Also, another tip. Think about priorities. Before you start planning your own wedding, what do you remember about one of the best weddings you have ever gone to? Usually it was great fun (entertainment) and/or the food. If the top two things your guests will remember are entertainment and food, make these your top priorities.
Do your homework. Find the Entertainment and the food first. If you know exactly the band or DJ that you want, and/or the catering company you want, get their available dates and then start looking for the best place. Many brides book a hall on a certain date, only to find that the DJ that they really wanted or the catering company couldn’t accomodate that date. I have had many customers a year ahead of time book me BEFORE they even knew where the hall was going to be, because they liked our product and also our price.
Off to the right, you will find our party planning blog. It has tons of ideas for all kinds of events. Just clicking on the category you are looking for, and you will find a number of ideas there. It’s great for inspiration. Check it out!
DATES TO KNOW BEFORE PLANNING YOUR WEDDING IN 2014 –
If you want success at your wedding, attendance plays a big part.
There are a billion things to think about when planning your wedding in Albany NY or around the world, but what some people do not take into account is the importance of the actual date selection itself on the calendar.
NEVER NEVER NEVER select a wedding date because that is the only day a wedding hall has open. There could be a reason it is open that nobody has booked for that day! Do your homework and figure out what else could be happening that day before selecting.
What are the days around they day you are thinking of choosing? What other things could be happening on this date that could create competition? Choosing a “Holiday Weekend Wedding” can totally have it’s pros and cons, but however, sometimes the nostalgia is not really worth it, in the end.
THE PROS OF PLANNING A HOLIDAY WEDDING –
1) HOLIDAYS ARE EASY TO REMEMBER
2) HOLIDAYS HELP PROVIDE YOU WITH A THEME TO FOLLOW
3) GUESTS MAY HAVE OFF OF WORK – Another great thing about planning a holiday wedding is that your guests will have an extra day off of work 9usually a monday) for recovery and travel time. Or, a holiday weekend can allow for a better Sunday wedding, which incidently, is often more affordable that a Saturday wedding works out to be.
THE CONS ON SELECTING A HOLIDAY FOR YOUR WEDDING –
1) TRAVEL INCREASE – Traveling costs are traditionally more on holidays, bottom line. Your costs and the the cost for your guests’ airfare traveling and/or hotels are often higher on holiday weekends, due to supply and demand of travelers.
2) GUEST ATTENDANCE – Choosing a holiday wedding might hurt your wedding guest attendance list. Let’s face it. People are creatures of habit, and nobody likes change. Some families have other regularly scheduled commitments and traditions for on-going standing holiday weekend and, more often than not, these are traditions are ones that some people would not want to change, no matter what the cause.
HOLIDAY WEEKENDS FOR 2014
Monday, January 20, 2014 Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, February 17, 2014 Washington’s Birthday
Monday, May 26, 2014 Memorial Day
Friday, July 4, 2014 Independence Day
Monday, September 1, 2014 Labor Day
Monday, October 13, 2014 Columbus Day
Tuesday, November 11, 2014 Veterans Day
Thursday, November 27, 2014 Thanksgiving Day
Thursday, December 25, 2014 Christmas Day
3) RELIGIOUS DAYS –
While you may or may not recognize a number of religious holidays, your guests might. Think about religious holidays when choosing your wedding date. There may even be church restrictions on if you are allowed to marry at these times, so you may have to make some calls if you go against this one.
Palm Sunday
April 13, 2014
March 29, 2015
March 20, 2016
Easter Sunday
April 20, 2014
April 5, 2015
March 27, 2016
Passover (begins at sunset the night before)
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Friday, April 22, 2016
Friday, April 22, 2016
Tisha B’Av (begins at sunset the night before)
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Saturday, August 13, 2016
Rosh Hashanah (begins at sunset the night before)
Thursday, September 25, 2014, until nightfall on Friday, September 26, 2014
Monday, September 14, 2015, until nightfall on Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Sunday, October 2, 2016, until nightfall on Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Yom Kippur (begins at sunset the night before)
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Hanukkah (begins at sunset)
Wednesday, December 17, 2014, until nightfall on Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Monday, December 7, 2015, until nightfall on Monday, December 14, 2015
Saturday, December 24, 2016 until nightfall on Sunday, January 1, 2017
DJ TIPS – MORE WEDDING DATE SELECTION TIPS
COSTLY HOLIDAYS – Valentine’s Day will make your floral bill shyrocket, and New Year’s will make your venue more too!
PERSONALLY SIGNIFICANT DAYS – Check your own calendar for college reunions, family weddings, anniversaries or other events, like big conventions or festivals in your city (call your local chamber of commerce), and any annual occasions that involve your family or close friends.
HOLIDAY WEEKENDS – Holiday weekend weddings have pros and cons. You’ve got an extra day for the festivities (and recovery!); plus, a Sunday wedding is often less expensive than a Saturday one would be. However, costs of travel and hotels may be higher. And if you’re looking to marry around Valentine’s Day, be wary of your floral bill, especially if you’ve got your heart set on red roses — they’ll likely be more expensive than at any other time of the year. Likewise, reception sites often charge a higher fee for a New Year’s Eve wedding. Also consider the impact of a holiday weekend on your guest list: Some families have standing plans or traditions that they’d prefer not to miss.
By now, you have probably heard of Key Hall at Proctors in Schenectady. It is a super nice looking place that is a former all-marble old antique bank. Many people like it for it’s classy look, despite the acoustics being “echoy” since it is entirely constructed in stone. A similar marble bank venue to Key Hall has recently opened in Albany, NY, however, I like Sixty State Place even better!
THE LOOK
Today, the historic National Commercial Bank and Trust of Albany has been transformed into a classy ballroom for luxury events and social engagements. Restored in 2013, Sixty State Place combines the most modern amenities with the elegance of the building’s historic origin to give you the best of both worlds for your wedding or special event.
In 1902, the historic bank hired York and Sawyer to create a “temple of finance.” Over 100 years later the exquisite styling and details are still evident. Now customers can create the backdrop of their events in the uniquely to showcase their dream theme and design.
THE ACOUSTICS
One of the things for me, a mobile DJ, that really sets apart Sixty State Place from Key Hall is the painstaking effort Sixty has taken to make sound NOT AN ISSUE. Their beautiful 45 foot ceilings in the main ballroom would have created an acoustical challenge without the extra added steps they have taken. For one, their are well-camouflaged sound absorbers everywhere, to diminish the “singing in the shower” feel you would have had without them.
Rising to the challenge, their sound engineers “designed a built in custom audio system that ensures every person within the space hears the same steady, intelligible sound.” This means as a mobile DJ or band, you can plug into Sixty’s system and be heard all over the establishment with ease.
GREAT FOR A WEDDING YOUR WAY
SPACE – Sixty State Place believes in giving each client the opportunity to create their own perfect event. There are some really neatrooms downstairs and an additional backroom off the main ballroom. These extra options allow for cocktail hour, bridal suite, and photo booth opportunities that other halls don’t always allow for.
FOOD – Clients are guided through the event planning process, but given the freedom to select the vendors, layouts, menus, color schemes and event schedules of their choice. All professional licensed vendors are welcome to participate in events in their facilities, including wedding/mobile DJs, bands, photographers, photo booth services and even INCLUDING CATERERS – which means you can pick whatever food services you wish! There is a full kitchen for your vendor of choice, as well as a nice bar and cocktail area downstairs.
MY RATING – I would not hesitate to recommend this hall to anyone. The event organizers are SUPER HELPFUL! I give this place a 9 out of ten, only because of a potential parking issue for massive parties. However, at the wedding I was the DJ for over the weekend, the bride and groom reserved a private lot behind the facility and there was no problem for anyone, so it can be done.
If you found this review helpful, please consider us to DJ your event! Our number is 518-506-3305. Here are some SIXTY STATE PLACE WEDDING pictures: