After what seems that hours have passed, the newly weds appear with their families and you see the excitement on their faces. They do not appear to be concerned that there’s no music. The cocktail hour drags on and you come to the conclusion that maybe the couple could only afford musicians for the dinner. As you are ushered into the dining room you search in vain for the dance floor, the dais or stage expecting to see a DJ or band. There is  the sound of someone clinking a spoon against a wine glass; the room gets even quieter and the wedding party enters and goes in the direction of the head table. After some seconds the couple enters preceded by their sets of parents. No one is announcing them. How odd! Finally, by the time the main course arrives, you realize that there’s not only is no dance floor, but there’s no place for any musicians. You try to make polite conversation but your table mates aren’t very interested in talking.
What a difference music makes in helping strangers become amiable, if not friends. How nice it would have been to have even a drum roll, and a DJ announcing the wedding party and the newly weds, to play background music while conversation is being made with the table mates, to have a first wedding dance for the newly weds; how nice it would be to get out of here so that you can get out of the dress up clothes and relax in the comfort of your home.

No matter what your budget is, do not consider not having music at your reception and dinner! It’s a must. A band or DJ can make or break a wedding reception, but the lack of a band or DJ will certainly break an otherwise enjoyable evening to be had by all!
When interviewing your DJ, realize that your guests are going to be of a varied age span. You will want a musician who can play a variety of music, and he/she will assist you in putting together a music selection that will guarantee that a fun evening will be experienced by all. If anyone in your wedding party has a name that is difficult to pronounce, write it out for your DJ phonetically, so that he will have the correct pronunciation for the Grand Entrance and announcements for the dances and toasts.

Take great consideration and select a First Wedding Dance song that not only has special significance for the two of you, but one whose words make sense for a Wedding Dance. (In other words, the Tennessee Waltz with its verse “I introduced my sweetheart to my best friend and he stole her away from me” might not be the most appropriate). Equally as important is to pick a suitable Last Wedding Dance tune. Too, even if you have die-hard country music lovers as guests, be considerate that a full evening of even contemporary country music may not be a good fit for all your guests. Rely on the sound experience of your DJ for advice and direction.

Let your DJ know what he should do if guests should make their requests. You may determine that you have given careful consideration to your music selection and would not want your guests to make their contributions, no matter how thoughtful. Your DJ is a professional and will know how to appropriately deal with these issues.

The overall success of your evening will require musical consideration. If you are on a restricted budget, this is not the place to make cuts. Your guests have given up their evening to wish you their bests; you in turn have a responsibility to see that they have an enjoyable evening, that they leave your wedding with joyful hearts and a song in their hearts!

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

As it is required for any major event, your wedding needs to be planned in advance to keep away the unexpected disasters that sometimes choose the oddest of times to manifest. We advise that you maintain a binder or a digital scheduler to track all the aspects of your wedding. Maintain separate tabs for things such as bakery, ceremony, catering, florist, music, reception, photography, transportation, etc., so that you can keep a track of what’s done and remains to be done.

During the planning stage you’ll be gleaning items like brochures, phone numbers, vendor estimates and bids, song sheets, receipts, pictures and contracts. Along with these you’ll obviously collect pictures of wedding gowns, bridesmaids’ gowns, flower arrangements, centerpieces and bridal bouquets, jewelry, photo samples given you by photographers, wedding accessories and other pictures that will help you plan your dream wedding. You can organize all these wedding related things with the help of your binder. You’ll have to schedule in advance your meetings with different wedding vendors, professionals and service providers.

Here are a few pointers to make your wedding as seamless as possible:

[o] DO THINGS IN ADVANCE

Things that can be done in advance…do them. This frees your time for more pressing, last-minute chores, and gives you more bargaining power because of the time you have to look and ask around.

[o] CHOOSE A WEDDING DAY CAREFULLY

Try choosing a day that’s suitable to all for your wedding if you want all your loved ones to attend it.

[o] MAINTAIN A COMPREHENSIVE TO-DO LIST

This way you can keep crossing the things you have done.

[o] GUESTS LIST

Believe it or not, sometimes we forget to invite people we really want to be present there. Make sure every important person is on the list, along with the contact details.

[o] CHOOSE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER AND CATERER CAREFULLY

They are the most important components of your wedding because pleasant food generates pleasant atmosphere, and the photographs that are clicked on that date are the precious moments captured for the coming generations.

We hope you have a splendid wedding and a harmonious future together.

Where to Begin
There are countless resources available to you online in the form of wedding directories, wedding planners, and wedding themed internet sites that can all help you find everything you need to plan the perfect wedding right from your home. The world is literally at your fingertips. You should also begin browsing through magazines like modern bride, brides, etc. They can prove quite helpful and are full of articles that delve into the various aspects of wedding planning in great detail. Everything from wedding receptions and choosing the right reception halls to finding the perfect wedding favors is covered in great detail. After taking some time to look through these online and printed resources you will begin to get a better idea of exactly how much planning and work you will have ahead of you and you can take a step back and begin organizing yourself and planning out a strategy.

Organization and Planning
You should take one full year at the very least to plan your wedding. Finding the perfect reception hall is difficult enough but reserving your date can be near impossible and doing so months in advance is a must. Securing your spot in the right reception hall is one of the most important ingredients in planning the perfect wedding and it should be the first thing you do.

Once you have the reception hall reserved you will feel a great deal of pressure lift off of your shoulders but you shouldn’t rest just yet. You still need to pick out a wedding dress, tuxedos, bridesmaid dresses, wedding invitations, flowers, wedding favors, photography and so much more. So your best bet is to start formulation your plan and a timeline. You can get much more done and in a more organized way if you do this. Start writing down everything you think you will need as you think of it. You should keep a small pad with you in case you think of something or see something new. Once you have written a few things down start breaking them up into categories and assigning completion dates to them so you can have a solid plan but always assume that something will go wrong and never assume that any date you set to complete a project is set in stone. That is the whole reason we are planning ahead here. Once you have done this you will have a clear picture of what you will need to accomplish in order to successfully put your wedding together the way you always dreamed it. And never forget to ask your friends and loved ones for help. That is what they are there for. You can assign certain projects and responsibilities to each person to minimize everyone’s stress level and make everything happen faster. If you are still in the planning stages of your wedding don’t forget to take advantage of all the wonderful and valuable online resources available to you. If you don’t know where to start try going to www.favorwarehouse.com where you can find a powerful directory of sites offering every product and service you will need from wedding favors to wedding invitations and more.

Amy’s knowledge of industry trade secrets works to your advantage. She also knows the dark secrets which could have a negative impact on your event, and she works to prevent them from happening. Amy’s broad knowledge of other innovative and creative wedding and event professionals lets her offer their artistry and expertise to you. She arranges discounts or complimentary upgrades from wedding service professionals – which she passes directly on to you.

Amy Rubins is a distinguished graduate of the Professional Development Program of the Association of Bridal Consultants, a member of ISES International Special Events Society, and a certified Destination Wedding Planning Specialist. If you dream of a destination wedding, she will be by your side throughout the entire planning process, and even accompany you to your destination to oversee the details and to make sure that everything goes off without a hitch. (Well… except for one hitch – - yours!!)

This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

Members have access to the EPA’s in-house law firm, in-house insurance agency, marketing specialists, and continuing education and affinity programs. Local networking opportunities are launching now!

Executive Membership Details

Executive Membership incorporates all programs, services and benefits into one efficient, cost-effective membership. The EPA is developing local networking chapters. Please contact us if you are interested in starting a chapter in your area.

Legal Assistance: Members receive legal benefits from our in-house law firm. This means you will have immediate access to the documents you need to operate your business as well as the ability to communicate with legal experts as you need them. Members will save thousands of dollars on the following legal benefits:
• Unlimited downloads of professionally created contracts & documents
• Contract Review Privileges: 3 contract reviews / year
• Consultation Privileges: 3 – 30 minute consultations / year
• Professional discounts on legal services outside of the benefit package
Insurance: Specialized liability insurance is offered to Event Planners Association members from Fun Pro, the nation’s leading insurance provider to the amusement and event planning industries.

Using only “A” rated carriers, Fun Pro by THOMCO provides business owners throughout the U.S. the liability protection they need. Fun Pro offers a knowledgeable, professional staff, low minimum premiums, premium financing, on-line certificates and 24 hour claims reporting. Fun Pro is also committed to the EPA practice of finding the best policy and rate among approved carriers to meet your needs.

Fun Pro offers a 5% premium discount to Event Planners Association members. Please call 866-380-3372 or email your insurance questions to Mike at mlowry@eventplannersassociation.com.

Internet Marketing: Members receive unlimited internet marketing on the search engine optimized EPA website giving greater visibility to more potential customers! Our website is currently under construction and has limited access while we execute exciting new features, functionality and design.

Amusement Safety Training Program: Members have access to the EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification program. EPA AOS is an equipment specific safety education and testing series designed to promote the safe operation of amusement equipment. All EPA approved insurance carriers provide a premium discount for successful completion of this online course.

Continuing Education: Members will soon have access to a wide ranging series of educational programs designed to help them build their businesses.

Networking Opportunities: Members have the opportunity to network with other professionals in their industry. Chapters are in being developed throughout the US now. Please contact us if you are interested in starting a chapter in your area.

Member Affinity Program: Discounts on products and services from the following companies are available to EPA members: Office Max, Choice Hotels, Alamo, Hertz, and National Rental Cars, Drop.io, Pixability, Wedlock Magazine, Galaxy America, Inc., Advertising Specialty Institute and WeddingWire.com. This program is continually expanding to provide additional ways to save money.

Questions about membership?
Call: 866-380-3372
Email: info@eventplannersassociation.com

Check out her website at www.deborahdonnely.org where you can read more about her books and order them.