Video Confessional Booth – Want to take the boring, played out idea of a traditional photobooth shoot to the ext level? Have your guests confess and have a video condfessional booth set up so people can tell their sins. In the spirit of reality TV, have your guests record a quick on-screen message for you of well-wishes, or better yet, some naughty or funny story that happened at the wedding. This is the perfect way to know which of your guests needed to get voted off the island!
Ceremony Cue Cards – Want a fun ceremony? Add cue cards. They can say anything and will get a great response!
Have a cue card guy, or hand cards out to random people in the audience.
Reception Ushers – Have some stubborn guests coming to your wedding? I’m sure you are going to have ceremony ushers, but why not do the same for the reception itself. Quite often, it is very difficult to coral the guest in from the cocktail hour – but this is the perfect way!
Pizza Run Midnight Snack – want to keep attendance up? Bring out more grub! A slider bar, a smores roasting table, a milkshake spread, or a DIY taco tray are all ways to keep the party rolling. If it were a straight up pizza delivery guy delivering the fun, that would probably be even better!
Hot Air Balloons – If you need to shuttle from the ceremony to the reception, why not take wedding transportation to new heights? How about a magical hot air balloon ride? Make sure to add a “Bride and Groom’s wedding or bust” sign!
A guest at the end of each aisle hands the bride a piece of her bouquet…
Built Bouquet – Have a small basket at the end of each aisle for your ceremony, each with one flower in it. Have guests hand the bride a flower as she walks down the aisle and create her own bouquet live as she walks!
Blindfold the Groom – for the first look, make the groom wear a sleep-gear-like blindfold. This way, there is further anticipation, and the first thing he sees at the ceremony is his beautiful bride in full regalia.
Face Painting Booth – Want to add color and fun to your wedding? Set up a face painting booth to make the party even more fun and over-the-top.
Air Guitar Basket – You have probably seen the basket of flip flops for dancing. Borrowing from this idea, put out an empty basket and label it “air guitars.” Then pass the basket around and have your guests mime that they are taking an axe out of it to jam with during your best rocking rock song!
Imagine the jamming potential!
Official Hashtag – Social Media is everywhere. You know already that your guests will be taking pictures of the event. Why don’t you create the official hashtag for your wedding and plaster the place with your soon-to-be-trending keyword? After the wedding reception, all you need to do is search the hashtag and find more pictures from different perspectives after your special day!
I know you have spent countless hours surfing through lists jam-pack loaded with Huey Lewis and Bob Seger, but you have finally found the right list. Know this.
FINALLY! A modern First Dance Wedding Song List!
NO OLD FART WEDDING MUSIC PLEASE!
There are a whole lot of “Old Fart Wedding DJ Song Lists” littering our internet, written by semi-retired, gray-bearded, Grateful Dead Jerry Garcia-look-alike disc jockeys. These DJs get one gig a month and therefore had plenty of time to flood the web with their power-ballad favorites! Do you really want Dirty Dancing-like smarmy smash Delilah Show hits at your wedding?
Until now, in order to find good modern first dance songs ideas on the net, you had to weed through a whole host of artists with sweet mullets who are no longer relevant today. Most brides and grooms have no idea who these singers were and probably weren’t even alive yet when they were popular. This list concentrates on newer music of today. Here is my list:
TOP 100 MODERN FIRST DANCE WEDDING SONGS – NEW/ALTERNATIVE LIST, by Albany Wedding DJ Kenny Casanova, 2017
Adele – Make you feel my Love
Adele – Someone Like You
Alanis Morissette – Head Over Feet
Alicia Keys – Fallin’
Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You
All 4 One – I Swear
Ashlee Simpson – Pieces Of Me
Avril Lavigne – I’m With You
Ben Folds – The Luckiest
Barenaked Ladies – It’s All Been Done
Beyoncé – At Last (Remake of Etta James)
Brad Paisley – Then
Bright Eyes – First Day of My Life
Bruno Mars – Just The Way You Are
Bruno Mars – Marry You
Carrie Underwood – Look At Me
Charlotte Church – Crazy Chick
Christina Aguilera – Beautiful
Christina Perry – A Thousand Years
Creed – With Arms Wide Open
Colbie Caillat – Bubbly
Colbie Caillat – I Do
Coldplay – Green Eyes
Coldplay – In My Place
Corrs – All The Love In The World
Counting Crows – Accidentally In Love
Dave Matthews Band – You and Me
Delta Goodrem – Out Of The Blue
Dido – Thank You
Dixie Chicks – Cowboy Take Me Away
Edwin McCain – I’ll Be
Edwin McCain – I could not ask for more
Ed Sheeran – Castle on The Hill
Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran – Perfect
Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You do
Enrique Iglesias – Hero
Frankie J with Baby Bash – Obsession (No Es Amor)
Frankie J – More Than Words
Foo Fighters – Everlong
Ginuwine – Differences
Goo Goo Dolls – Iris
Guy Sebastian – Angles Brought Me Here
Howie Day – Collide
Idena Menzel – Perfect Story
Ingrid Michaelson – I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You
IZ Isreal Kamakawiwoʻole – Somewhere over The Rainbow
Jack Johnson -Banana Pancakes
Jack Johnson – Better Together
James Blunt – You’re Beautiful
Jason Mraz and Colbie Callait – Lucky
Jason Mraz – I’m Yours
Jennifer Lopez – Baby I Love You
John Michael Montgomery – I Swear
John Legend – All of Me
John Legend – Love Me Now
Josh Groban – You Raise Me Up
Katy Perry – Thinking Of You
K-Ci & JoJo – All My Life
Kelly Clarkson – A Moment Like This
Kelly Clarkson – Before Your Love
Kelly Clarkson – Thankful
Leane Womack – I Hope You Dance
Lonestar – Amazed
MAGIC! – No Regrets
Maroon 5 – She Will Be Loved
Marc Broussard – Lucky
Michelle Branch – Game Of Love
Michael Buble – Everything
Mika – Love Today Miley Cyrus – The Climb
Monica and Usher – Slow Jam
Newton Faulkner – Dream Catch Me
Norah Jones- Those Sweet Words
Ne-Yo – Sexy Love
O-Town – Always
One Direction – What Makes You Beautiful
One Direction – Little Things
OneRepublic – Stop and Stare
Owl City – If My Heart Was A House
Plain White T’s – 1 2 3 4
Plain White T’s – Rhythm of Love
Paulini – Angel Eyes
Rascal Flats – My Wish
Ray LaMontagne – Hold You In My Arms
Ricki Lee – Love Is All Around
Rihanna – Umbrella
Rob Thomas – Little Wonders
Runner Runner – Can’t Hardly Wait
Sam Smith – How Will I Know (cover)
Santana & Chad Croeger – Into The Night
Sara Evans – I could not ask for more
Secondhand Serenade – Fall For You
Shakira – Underneath Your Clothes
Shania Twain – Always and Forever
Sixpence None The Richer – Kiss Me
Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars
Stickwitu – Pussycat Dolls
Taylor Swift – Today Was a Fairytale
Taylor Swift – Ours
Train – Marry Me
Train – Play That Song
The Cure – Just Like Heaven
Toploader – Dancing in the Moonlight
Uncle Kracker – Smile
Usher – U Got It Bad
U2 – Beautiful Day
Vanessa Amorosi – Perfect
Van Morrison – Days like This
Van Morrison – Faith in Me
Vanassa Carlton – A Thousand Miles
Westlife – Swear It Again
SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN GETTING TOGETHER GROOMSMEN GIFTS
In case you didn’t know, it is often customary to give little gifts to your groomsmen for helping out with the wedding and also renting the tux and all. With that being said, are you looking for the best groomsmen gifts?
Will your groomsmen only be able to use their gift once? Or will they be able to continuously use the gift and be reminded of how much fun they had on your wedding day?
GIFT IDEAS – When it comes down to actually selecting a gift, most people go between $35 – $100 or so, so it can sometimes be challenging to find just the right thing. You need to be thoughtful, but at the same time affordable. Unique, yet at the same time practical. Because your crew probably all know each other, expect them to compare notes. Therefore, all the gifts should be well thought out and roughly the same value. Always set a budget.
$50 RULE OF THUMB – I always say around $50 is good. This is not outside the realm of reason.
Here is neat shot glass idea you can get at www.groovyguygifts.com/ . Both the glasses and the nice wooden box that they put them in come in for around for under $40. The quality wooden box adds to the whole piece, as well, making it feel special.
BE PRACTICAL – As fun as it is to buy crazy groomsmen gifts, lame stuff isn’t likely to be used again. When thinking of groomsmen wedding gift ideas, it’s best to give the posse high-quality, meaningful gifts while also focusing on how practical the items are.
Back when I got married, I did cool Fossil watches, however, in the advent of smart phones, watches are becoming less used. The key to finding the very best groomsmen gifts should be ones that end up symbolizing a lasting token of your friendship. Some ideas could include watches, but why not something they will use over and over again like shot glasses, jack knifes.
Better yet, if the item is personalized, it will even more bring back the memory of where it comes from, and that it was special.
TIMING OF GIFT GIVING – There are so many things to consider when planning your wedding. Many couples will choose to give their wedding party thank-you gifts after the rehearsal dinner, but you really can do it whenever you want. Some people do it at the end of the wedding reception, others do it 2 weeks later. In short, there isn’t really a wrong time to do it.
Who wants their wedding to be just like everyone else’s? If your answer is, “Not me!” – then here is a real neat idea that you may have not seen before. How about shaking up your ceremony seating? Instead of the typical straight row layout for your chairs, remove the element of what everyone expects. Put your own “spin” on your wedding ceremony!
You can still have a beautiful traditional wedding ceremony, yet be creative with your seating at the same time. Sitting your guests in a completely different arrangement than they are used to sets the mood for the rest of the night.
Spin your guests head and set a fun and unique tone!
Surround yourself with family & friends with this fun formation
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WITH SPIRAL / CIRCULAR SEATING
1) WEDDING PARTY POSITIONING: Think about where your bridesmaids and groomsmen will stand and in what formation. In some seating arrangements, there may not be room for all your attendants to stand alongside you and your groom. Worry not as they can always be seated, instead.
2) FUN GUEST CONFUSION: Guests are accustomed to facing forward and know exactly where the couple will be positioned. Alternative layouts may leave guests guessing where the best seats are!
3) USHER ROLES: Once guests arrive, you don’t want them to be confused or hesitant to sit because they’re not used to the seating layout. Whether you have ushers directing guests or signage explaining the set-up, make sure you communicate to guests what your expectations are for them.
Choose alternatives to the spiral idea!
4) PICTURES: Whenever planning a location for your wedding, always think background. It is important to pay attention to what is behind you as your backdrop for your ceremony photos. Consider where your photographer will be positioned to get the best shots and what you’ll likely see in the background in those images.
5) SOUND: How tight or loose your spiral is will affect how well people hear the wedding officiant. If you want everyone to hear what’s being said, think about how far away the furthest guest is to be seated from the action.
6) WHERE IS YOUR AISLE? You’ll need to figure out the best place to position your walkway; one that makes the most sense for the ceremony. Angling your wedding party to enter the wedding ceremony may need to be strategic.
7) ALTERNATIVE SHAPES: These could include horseshoes, complete circles, or squaring off the edges of circular seating arrangements.
HERE ARE SOME PICTURES TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR OWN SPIRAL WEDDING CEREMONY:
Honestly, there is only one thing you really need to think about when putting your guest seating chart together… KEEP THE OLD PEOPLE AWAY FROM THE DJ!!!
God bless them, but they hate loud music.
Shelter Elderly Wedding Guests from The Evil DJ!
That is ironic, you might say, as these are the same people who can’t hear well, often due to age. However, it never seems to fail. Those who can’t hear well, will be the same people to ask the DJ to turn down to an inaudible level, all night long. Then, people in the back of the hall will ask the DJ to turn up the volume. What can you do?
Don’t let this problem ruin the party! Just sit the elderly wedding guest as away from the DJ table, as best you can!
Are you a bride or a groom and thinking about doing a sports themed wedding? DO you want to make your guests feel at home at your reception by giving their team a shout out? If you answered yes to either of these questions, here is a neat little idea for you!
GIVE EACH WEDDING TABLE A TEAM THEME
What a simple great idea. Make every table represent one team of the sport of your choice. Put a postcard with the stadium that the team plays at. For the place cards, add a team pennant to direct them to their table, which is also the stadium the team plays at.