Tag Archives: party

The evening reception

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The evening wedding reception can be so important as this is when everybody comes together to really celebrate your big day. This is the moment where you can bring in your wider group of friends who maybe haven’t been part of the day as a whole, work colleagues, family members who are maybe more on the periphery, and really throw a party to remember!

Now there are many reasons why you would want to do this at your wedding. Of course it’s going to be a lot of fun for you and your guests and is a great way to end the night. However, one of the overlooked aspects of this is the importance of really making your mark and having that incredible defining moment for everyone to witness!

Live Music

Having a big party at the end of the night is a great statement and will really imprint a memory for your guests so they will never forget you or your celebration. To get the party started there are many styles of wedding entertainment you can look at depending on what atmosphere you want to create. At the very least there has to be music of some kind! Whether that’s via a professional DJ, a jazz band, a party band… there needs to be something there that people can enjoy listening to and dancing to.

Children’s Entertainment

Further to this, if you know that there will be plenty of children at the evening reception it can be a good idea to have something in the early part of the night to keep them entertained. Whether this is a face painter, a balloon modeller or something along those lines, it can be really helpful to have some children’s entertainment so your guests can mingle and chat amongst themselves. After all, there may be a few who haven’t seen each other in a while and could do with a good catch up!

Break The Ice

On the other hand, there may be guests who have never met each other before and it can be really helpful to hire some kind of wedding entertainment that will help break the ice and set the tone for a great party as the night goes on. Entertainers such as magicians and caricaturists can be really useful for this as they create a buzz. They get a small crowd involved and watching that gets people laughing together and helps them get acquainted.

Get Unique

There are also more unique ideas available that work really well such as fire performers, dancers, paparazzi photographers, LED musicians, celebrity lookalikes… anything really that fits your theme or that you feel will give everyone a party to remember. This is your chance to push the boat out and really end your wedding in style! Don’t be afraid to go for something a little different that people may not have seen before, a little bravery when booking and thinking outside the box can go an awful long way.

Dance floor tips

One of the biggest worries that couples have at this part of the day is if the dance floor is going to be full or not! But fear not, here are some tips and things to consider that will ensure your dance floor will be packed.

 

  • Book the right size band for the venue. You don’t want an acoustic duo on a massive stage, and in the same way a 12 piece band on a tiny stage!
  • Make sure you have designated dance floor. This sounds super obvious but you need to make it clear to guests where the dancing will occur! Also the size of the dance floor is important. Nothing too big to scare guests away!
  • If possible, have the bar in the same room. This goes a really long way as people will be back and forth grabbing drinks and can easily find their way back to the dancefloor!
  • Keep the lights low and watch the mayhem unfold. The brighter the lights on the dance floor, the more guests tend to stay away out of fear of being seen throwing crazy shapes!
  • Check your band’s setlist and see if the song choices are a good mix for everyone to sing along and get involved.
  • Lastly you need to lead by example! If you really want a full dance floor then round a couple of your best friends and drag them up there. Even recruit your own dancing posse of friends to help coerce people up! It’s guaranteed that once you get the ball rolling, there will have been plenty of others chomping at the bit ready to get up and cut some rug themselves! They just need that little nudge to not be the first…

We hope you manage to celebrate in style in with bags of fun, and booking the right wedding entertainment will really help to end your wedding with a bang!

 

Think about your guests enjoyment

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You’ve found the love of your life, you’re getting married, you want your night to be a party to remember, so you hired a band for the wedding entertainment… what next?

Your aim is to make sure you and your wedding party have an absolute whale of a time – to end the night having that much fun you haven’t noticed you’re only wearing one shoe and your Nan has found herself a table to dance on. If you’ve booked the right band, there’s a high chance that these things could happen… here’s a few party tricks that will help make this mission a success.

Timing is Key – Start the band as late as you can. Ideally the first set would start at around 8.30pm/9pm to make sure everyone is limbered up and ready to start throwing some incredible looking shapes. This kind of timing also gives the evening guests time to arrive, catch up with the newly weds and get a few drinks down them… There’s nothing wrong with a bit of dutch courage to prepare you for the dance floor.Dancing in the Dark – Think about your Auntie Sue… She loves a good boogie but like a lot of us, she’s a little shy and may need a nudge to make sure she’s feeling confident enough to get up and dance. Now imagine if you put a spotlight on her, poor Sue would be back to her chair and tapping her feet under the table. The point to the ‘Sue story’ is that bright lights can be a bit scary, so to create the perfect party atmosphere, dim down the lights and hey presto! Your dance floor will be full of shape throwers.Trust Your Band – Your band is playing ‘Mr Brightside’, everyone is singing their socks off and the dance floor is chocca… next up is your favourite Ed Sheeran song, the band plays it and everyone leaves. Now we all love a bit of Ed but it might just not be the right time. Being particular about what the band plays means they won’t want to upset you by going against your wishes but they also want you to have the best possible time.

Your band have played at tonnes of weddings, to hundreds of cousins, friends, auntie’s, uncle’s and grandma’s… To everyone you can possibly think of. Putting together a set list that keeps such an eclectic bunch of people is an art form and this will be one of the main reasons why you will have such an awesome party. You will always be able to choose the odd song or two but being as flexible as possible with what they play will mean they can read that Grandad Joe has been praying for ‘Baby One More Time’ and that wish of his just might come true.Less is More – You’re wondering how you can get the most of your band but you’re not sure how? Most bands will offer 2 x 60 or 3 x 40 minute sets during the evening, so what do you go with? Sometimes this can be completely down to what you have planned for the night but we would usually recommend 2 sets works much better.

Having 3 sets of music can mean a lot of stopping and starting, the last thing you want to do is stop the music when your wedding party has just formed a dancing conga. If you’re still stuck, let the band worry about it, they will do what’s right Look After Your Band – We’ve all heard the horror stories of bands requesting 3 course meals and bottles of champagne for all 12 of them… now in most cases, these stories aren’t true, so don’t worry. Luckily there isn’t too many divas out there but it’s always good to have a hot meal/buffet food and drink set out for the band. They all understand how much weddings can add up but something to keep them going will mean they keep their juices flowing and energy levels up. The best thing about booking a band… Being able to leave your night in their capable hands whilst you have the time of your life. So go on, give it a go.

 

Engagement Party Ideas

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If you’re recently engaged then you might look to hold an engagement party to celebrate this massive moment and get all your friends and family together ahead of the wedding in a year or two. We all know that weddings are expensive so we’ve come up with ideas that put under ‘fun but affordable’.

Food and Drink

This is certainly the thing that people get most excited about when called to attend a party at the last minute and where an engagement is concerned, it makes sense to spend the majority of your limited budget on a variety of food and drink options. Naturally, many people will be more than happy to pay for their own beers. If you’re wanting to get  a little bit more fun, why not hire a food trike to delight attendees both old and young? Foods include hot dogs, sweets, ice cream and many, many more.

Balloons

Everybody loves balloons and the best bit is that they come in all kinds of different colours. With this idea, you need simply find some time in your schedule to blow up a lot of balloons! We highly recommend buying a pump if you’d like to do it yourself as very few people have the huff and puff to make blowing up fifty to one hundred balloons a doable task.

DJ

What’s a party without hiring a DJ?  How to make it more of a party? A DJ of course! Easily fitting in the corner of the pub, the tunes went on for a number of hours and everybody had a fab time; even if there was no dancefloor, the music was great for creating the right atmosphere in the room.

Photobooth

Easily one of the most popular forms of entertainment at weddings, there’s no reason why you can’t hire a photobooth for an engagement party as well! With most coming with a variety of fun props and a photo album where your snaps can be placed, they go down a storm no matter the occasion and anyone who’s anyone will have at least one photo taken if given the opportunity. A no brainer when it comes to organising your engagement party.

Of course these ideas for your engagement party can also be hired for when planning a wedding too.  This is just good practice for the big day!!

 

Tips for hiring Wedding bands

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Although many wedding bands may be able to learn a special song just for you, it’s often easiest to pick a first dance song which is already in their play list. Likewise, classical musicians may read sheet music but a well rehearsed tune for your ceremony is far more preferable to putting manuscript in front of them and making the best of it.

Many professional bands perform so regularly that they don’t rehearse more than once in a blue moon and, with the best will in the world, may not be able to book rehearsal space in what little free time they have to learn songs for all their clients.

Can the band physically play your song?

If you’re booking a jazz band to play at your wedding reception but want your first dance to be ‘Rock DJ’ by Robbie Williams, chances are the band is not going to be able to accommodate. Be aware of the instrumentation and style of the band you’re booking and realise what limitations this might have on what they can play.

Another good example of this would be a rock/pop party band being asked to perform a tune like ‘Fly me to the moon’ by Frank Sinatra. The popular Sinatra version of this song has an orchestra playing on it and whilst your party band may be able to busk the chords on guitar and piano, it won’t sound like the original.

Get your first dance song on CD

When planning your wedding dance, a good idea is to get your first dance song on CD and have either the DJ or band play the song through their equipment. This is a very popular choice as it’s the least hassle and allows the band to create an impact when they kick off their set immediately afterwards.

 

Hen Party tips

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The Hen party is one of the events surrounding your wedding that you may be anticipating but not know too much about- which is why we are pointing you in the right direction that will help you, your friends, and your family know what to do when it comes time to plan your Hen party.

1. Don’t be afraid to offer a few suggestions.

Both you and your groom have already built up a rapport with a team of vendors you can’t wait to work with on your wedding day, so don’t be afraid to share their names. Although your best ladies might have ideas of their own, offering the contact information of the pros you love will cut their research time down to a minimum. Also, if you’ve been dreaming of a specific Hen party theme, make it known and share your Pinterest board. Lastly, make sure to share the names and contact information of the ladies that must be included on the guest list. Then step back and let the others do the planning.

2. Decide if the Hen party is a surprise.

Traditionally, Hen parties were always a surprise; however, there are times when a surprise just isn’t in the cards. If the bride does not like surprises, fill her in on the bare minimum specifics – date, time, location, and a hint about what to wear. If none of these points sound like your situation, then surprise away! Whatever you opt to do, make sure to decide early on.

3. Contact a photographer.

Although the number of pros you opt to work with for a Hen may be far less than a wedding, a professional photographer is simply a must. And their calendars fill up quickly! Personal recommendations, chatting with the bride, and taking a peek at the guest lists are all great places to start in order to find a photographer. Let the hosts and guests enjoy the party rather than worrying about capturing every moment from behind a lens.

4. Choose your venues, theme, menus, and time.

One point influences the other, which is why they are often a package deal. Some of the most popular venues are country clubs, wine bars, restaurants, and private homes (gardens are a wonderful option!). If you are thinking about hosting the Hen party at a country club or restaurant, know that you’ll be working off of their menu options. A home allows you to completely customize everything from the colours and décor to the menu and length of the event. In terms of menus and times, plan your Hen party for brunch or lunch and have a length of at least four hours in mind.

5. Know your DIY limits.

Taking on a few projects as a group, such as décor design, wedding menu planning and preparing, creating escort or place cards, or creating an event timeline (writing down the key moments that must happen during the shower and when will help you immensely) is completely fine. But, don’t feel as though you have to tackle every project without a professional. Know your limits whether that’s in regards to time, comfort, or creativity, and consult with a pro if you no longer feel comfortable or confident.

6. Games or no games.

Hen parties are known for their games, but sometimes they might not feel completely organic to the event you have in mind. Playing your own version of the newlywed game complete with the bride or groom answering fun questions about their relationship on video and guests voicing their guesses tends to be a great option. Another plan – create a ribbon bouquet for the bride to use at her rehearsal as a group. Leaving the games to a minimum will allow all of the guests, including the bride, to relax and mingle instead. Plus, it leaves more room in the event timeline in case lunch or opening gifts takes more time than you had initially intended.

7. Invitations!

Similar to a planning a wedding, plan to mail your invitations at least 6-8 weeks in advance of the party, if many guests are traveling in from out of town, send the invites earlier to allow everyone time to make arrangements. Make sure to include all of the basics on your invitations – time, date, location, and what to wear.

8. Event lead up & day of…

If you hired professionals, make sure to confirm all of your plans and provide any additional details at least two weeks in advance. Attempt to complete DIY projects several days, if not a week, in advance (obviously, this excludes wedding food and wedding flowers). Know your rainy day plan – whether that’s moving to a marquee or moving indoors, make your decision at least two days prior to the Hen party. Finally, allow more time than you initially thought necessary to set in terms of events, there’s no such thing as too much setup time. Finishing early just means you have time for a another glass of champagne.

 

A USA Wedding theme

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With an American themed wedding, you don’t want to just ‘have a go’, you want it to be full of all things Americana because let’s be honest, our friends across the Atlantic aren’t exactly the most subtle bunch of people on earth. No, they love a celebration and they love their country! No matter whether you’re looking to host a wedding with an American theme because you and your partner met in New York or perhaps one of you is American or because you just love the country, this is the ultimate guide to holding an American themed wedding with the finest US entertainment around.

An all american wedding band

If you’re looking to hire wedding entertainment then we know for a fact that you’ll be wanting to hire a band or two. The thing about the US is that it has so many genres so if you’re looking for common requests like Motown or soul.

Cheerleaders/Dance Performance

You can imagine it already, can’t you? If you met over a mutual love of cheerleading or want as good a reference as you can to the American High School system, then cheerleaders are a must.

Hot Dog/Candy Floss/Snow Cone Trikes

An American themed wedding will be nothing without an appropriate decoration of your wedding venue. We’ll leave the actual nuts and bolts of design your space to the professionals. You might want a Hot Dog, Candy Floss or even a Snow Cone trike. There are many more to hire, just let your imagination run riot!!

 

Hiring a silhouette artist

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When it comes to booking wedding entertainment, you might not be a hundred percent sure of what you want. Deliberating between hiring a band or a DJ is something that many brides and grooms go through ahead of their big day – you may even want a Ceilidh – but other forms of entertainment are also available! Magicians tend to be very popular as do photo booths, but we thought we’d use the blog today to talk about the wonderful idea of hiring a silhouette artist for a wedding.

Silhouette art is one that has been around for well over 200 years. Since the late 18th century, silhouette artists have been able to create almost instantaneous art by cutting a profile of their subject from card and mounting the image on a contrasting colour. The creation was often referred to as ‘paper cuts’ as well as simply ‘silhouette imagery’. Famous artists of the past who made their living from this impressive artistic ability include author of The Ugly Duckling and The Little Mermaid, Hans Christian Andersen.

Since becoming a highly popular form of art, silhouettes were also used in shadow theatre and also on film with Lotte Reiniger pioneering the use of shadow and silhouettes in numerous silent films that utilised a variety of iconic graphical images of the age. With the advent of photography, the silhouette artist became more of a curiosity but one that always goes down incredibly at numerous events and weddings throughout the year. Guests are often absolutely stunned at the skills and ability of a silhouette artist, with most performers able to complete their cutting within two minutes or less. It really is a piece of entertainment that needs to be seen!

When hired for a wedding, silhouette artists will stroll through your friends and family and offer to create a cutting for them. Generally speaking, they can manage up to twelve in an hour, though naturally numbers fluctuate depending on how difficult the subject is! Gifting your wedding guests with a free memento of your big day is something that will stay with them long into the future. The simple and unique beauty of a silhouette ensures that many can even display the creation on their wall. Such is the popularity of this idea, some artists have even created whole exhibitions devoted to famous characters and what their profiles may look like.

Hiring a silhouette artist for your wedding day may not be an obvious choice but we certainly feel it’s one of the more unique choices out there. Perfect for the drinks reception or as the bride and groom are having their photos taken, it’s a genuinely interesting addition to the best day of your life. Oh and it goes without saying that the bride and groom will receive their very own cutting if requested!

Make your music work for you

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Music is a very personal to each individual and it will play a very important part of planning your perfect Wedding. You don’t have to be from a particular faith to enjoy a piece of music, just go what feels best for you. The Wedding ceremony music has to be right for both of you, and to have the right piece played, you will remember your wedding day for years to come.

To help you choose, this is a list of some wedding music that you might want to consider including in your repertoire:

Wedding Ceremony Music– The Common Requests

 

1. “Air in G” from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D (J.S. Bach)

2. “Ode to Joy” from Symphony No. 9(Beethoven)

3. “Trumpet Voluntary” or “Prince of Denmark’s March” (J. Clarke)

4. “Clair de Lune” (C. Debussy)

5. “Hornpipe” from Water Music Suite (G.F. Handel)

6. “Wedding March” from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (F. Mendelssohn)

7. “Canon in D” (J. Pachelbel)

9. “Allegro from Spring”, first movement theme from The Four Seasons (A. Vivaldi)

10. “Bridal March” from the opera Lohengrin or “Here Comes the Bride” (R. Wagner)

Favourite choices for Christian weddings:

 

1. “Amazing Grace” (American Folk Melody)

2. “Ave Maria” (F. Schubert)

3. “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” (J. S. Bach)

4. “The Lord’s Prayer” (A.H. Malotte)

5. “Simple Gifts” (Elder Joseph)

 

Favourite choices for Jewish weddings:

 

1. “Dodi Li” (N. Chen)

2. “Erev Ba” (O. Avissar & A. Levanon)

3. “Siman Tov” (traditional Israeli song)

4. “Sunrise Sunset” from the musical “Fiddler on the Roof”

Favourite choices for Celtic weddings:

 

1. “Mairia’s Wedding”

2. “Star of the County Down”

3. “When Irish Eyes are Smiling”

4. “Skye Boat Song”

5. “My Wild Irish Rose”

Have a wedding photo booth

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When you’ve been to a number of weddings over the past few years then you are sure to have ran into a photo booth whilst attending at least one of them. They become more and more popular with each passing year and if anything, their popularity is only increasing. But why have a photo booth at your wedding? What makes it a must have? What are the benefits of having one? Here are 5 reasons why you should have one.

They’re Great Fun

It seems like an obvious thing to state when hiring wedding entertainment – all of it is fun! – but a photo booth will give you more value for money then many other forms of wedding entertainment through the sheer amount of fun and laughter you’ll hear coming from the booth over the course of your wedding evening. It’s not a singular activity and people tend to visit the booth in large groups for a photo. Upon seeing the props available for their snap, even the most camera shy love to get involved as you take your four photos. And that fun and laughter we mentioned? It keeps other people at your wedding interested in the booth as well.

The Guest Book

Perhaps the main reason to have a photo booth at your wedding is for the guest book that comes with it. Once your wedding is over and upon return from your honeymoon, you’ll finally be able to have a look through your photo booth guest book and take in the photos. If pressed to write a message, many guests might struggle to know what to say but when delivered in the form of a photo that can be captioned, you’ll find some truly lovely thoughts from your nearest and dearest. Friends and family alike will have contribute to a unique wedding gift that you can treasure for the rest of your lives.

The Wedding Photographer Can’t Photo Everyone

A great reason to hire a photo booth for an evening and one of the main points as to why it’s a must have at your wedding is because your wedding photographer simply can’t photograph everybody in attendance. Some don’t like to be photographed for whatever reason whilst others might just keep missing the photographer as they come round. With a photo booth though, you can rest assured that you’ll have at least one snap of your guests to enjoy. Sure, they’ll probably be sporting ridiculous fluorescent glasses or have a random bowling pin in their hand, but at least you’ll have a photo!

It’s Somewhat Fascinating to See…

When it’s finally time for your photo booth guest book to be laid out on the table, you’ll realise a certain charm to proceedings. Although we said that most guests will head to the booth in groups, there are some moments during your wedding where it will be a tad quieter for whatever reason. It is in these moments that your booth really shines for you get to see what friends and family – some whom you never thought capable of creativity – got up to when they were by themselves. Whether it be your grandma in a pink wig and shades or your grumpy Uncle holding up a caption card, you’ll see those in your life like you’ve never seen them before! Weddings really do create wonderful moments, which leads us onto our final point…

Memories

Perhaps the number one reason for having a photo booth at your wedding is the memories that it creates. Not only do guests create photos for your guest book but they receive a strip of their photos as well. They could even send a digital copy to their email address if they so desire. So many people will see these photos over the next few years and so many people will ask questions as to where it was taken. Your wedding will live long in the memory thanks to just a few photos taken at a photo booth. They really are a wonderful addition to your wedding day.

Wedding doesn’t have to be conventional

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If you are not a conventional couple and you don’t want to go by the book of how a Wedding should pan out for the day, why not incorporate your personality into planning your wedding day and have fun!!

1. Walk Down Memory Lane

Make the guest feel like integral parts of the day by incorporating them into the décor — in a gallery of meaningful photos. Why not hang pictures of the bride and groom with friends and family along the walk from the ceremony to the reception. It’s a fun cocktail party conversation starter. As guests take a leisurely stroll and find pictures of themselves with you, they can reminisce and socialize.

2. Break the Ice Creatively

When you enter your reception for the first time as husband and wife, don’t just take a conventional arm-in-arm stroll. Run. Skip. Dance. Swoop in on a rope swing! Brainstorm with your groom about the most creative, appropriate way to make a big impression. This is a great way to break the ice and set up for a fun vibe for the rest of the event.

3. Play Party Games

How about the menus being puzzles, so each person got one piece of the puzzle at their place setting, then everyone had to put the pieces together to get the full menu description. Crossword puzzles are fun for the back of a program or if you have guests going on a long bus ride to get to the reception venue.

4. Be Entertaining

Guests always love the energy of a live band but tend to want to hear the original artist sing their favourite tunes. As a compromise, a bride may hire a dance band but also play DJ music during the breaks, or she’ll arrange to have live music during some parts of the event and recorded music during others.

5. Surprise them!

Love poems from a book makes a wonderful, lasting guest favour that’s much more meaningful that a bag of sugared almonds! If you buy in bulk, you might get a discount — contact your bookseller directly. And don’t forget to add a personalized bookmark thanking your friends and family for sharing your big day with you.