Archive for January, 2010

true meaning of songs

Jan

It was brought to our attention this week by a wonderful bride-to-be that there are some songs on our do not play list on other song lists for weddings. This is a great point that we will consider this week and make necessary changes. For example, My Heart Will Go On is on the best 90s songs and American Pie is on the best rock songs list.

We would like the make the point that not every bride knows the true meaning of songs they are requesting for their wedding. Many songs are very popular and many people like them. If brides like a particular song and it makes them feel good, then why not play it at your wedding? It’s YOUR wedding!

We are just trying to get the word out about certain songs. The song I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor is a fantastic party song to get people dancing. It’s up to you if you want a song played at your wedding reception that represents a woman who will survive after a breakup. Not really wedding themed but then again it’s your choice. Another example is American Pie by Don McLean. The reason it’s on our do not play list is because the song is more that eight minutes long. This is a long time if no one is on the dance floor. However, there are weddings I was a DJ at and the song created a singing frenzy on the dance floor with the bridal party as they loved the song.

The Macarena by Los Del Rio is on our do not play list for the simple reason of being well overplayed. This is not to say you should not have it at you wedding if you love the song and know you and all your friends will line dance to it. We are just sending a friendly reminder that the Macarena is played at the majority of weddings and many people have grown to hate it.

In conclusion, it’s your wedding. Play the songs you love, give the music entertainer the songs you don’t want played, and leave the rest up to them. It’s the music entertainer’s job to get people dancing!

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Grooms preparing for the Big Day

Jan

Are You a Groom-to-Be? What You Should Know When Preparing For your Big Day

Your wedding day is one of the most important and memorable days of your life. When planning your proposal to your soon-to-be wife, you no doubt will have thought long and hard about how exactly you should execute it in a way which will not only be memorable to the both of you in the future, but also so that it will remain a surprise to her (unless of course she’s been hinting for an engagement!).The same thought and planning must also go into your wedding day as to your wife; this is likely to be all more important than the engagement was. Planning a wedding can take a very long time with many different factors to consider. Regardless of whether you are looking to plan every aspect of your wedding day together or allow your partner to plan the wedding of her dreams, it is a good idea to be aware of what goes into planning a wedding.

One of the key things which should be taken into account before you plan any aspect of your wedding is your finances. Weddings are known for being expensive, so planning out an initial budget before hand is always a good idea. Some couples may find that either set of parents will offer to pay for parts of your overall costs, which is also something to remember when planning the different elements of your wedding. Once you are aware of your financial situation, you can begin with the important planning and details of the wedding. For some, the perfect location can make or break their wedding. Some may have already thought long and hard about a dream location, but it is important to ensure that you visit each potential location with each other to ensure both are happy with the end choice. Depending on the location of your wedding, also think about where you plan to spend your first night as man and wife, and if you are looking to book rooms to spend the night in, think about whether you will be booking for any of your guests also. Once you have decided on the scene for your wedding, book a date which will not only give you enough time to plan the rest of the day, but also so that your guests are well informed of the date they need to save. ‘Save the date’ invitations are a great way to not only announce your wedding celebration, but also to provide your guests with a formal invitation. Invitations can potentially take up a substantial amount of your budget depending on the style and design you are looking for, but this can also help you think of an initial theme for your wedding as a whole. Many women look to having a color theme throughout their wedding whether it be the color of the bridesmaids dresses, lapels on the men and even down to the ways in which the tables at the reception are decorated-all of which adds cost. If your partner is looking to theme your wedding, this may also carry through to your invitations. Before ordering any invitation, ensure you have decided on your guest list as to not risk ordering too many or too little; this will also help you determine who would require a room to be booked for the big day.

Next, you should think about the menu which will be provided at the reception. Depending on the budget you have will heavily determine what you can afford in terms of food, but you may have already discussed this with your partner. Traditionally, guests will be provided with a delicious, traditional meal, but as times have evolved, many couples opt for buffet style food which not only lowers the costs, but also gives the guests more variety as they may not enjoy a set meal. The final part of your big day will be the reception. This is a very important part of the day, as this is the time for everyone to enjoy the day together in a less formal manner, whilst also having some fun in the process. Think about what kind of entertainment you wish to have which not only your guests will enjoy, but you and your new wife also. You may enquire about hiring a DJ, or karaoke facilities or even something a little out of the norm. Your entertainment can sometimes take up a large chunk of your budget, so ensure that the choice you make is one you are completely sure about. Once you have made your decision, enquire about what your first song of the night will be. To many in your family, this will be a great moment as you and your wife take to the dance floor for your first dance. This is a decision you should make together as something which is a little cheesy may make you feel embarrassed as your guests watch you.

A good way to keep track of every aspect of your planning is to keep a check list so you can keep tabs on what you’ve planned, any ideas you’re deciding on, and also the totals of what you’ve spent so far. Typically, a wedding is seen about being all about the bride, but remember, it is your big day too. By putting your input into certain aspects of the wedding, it will not only help make things go smoother, but will ensure you enjoy your day as much as she does.

About the Author: Matt Campbell is the owner of WeddingMuseum.com. WeddingMuseum.com offers online wedding planning and wedding website museum.

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Travel Destination Favors

Jan

Ideas for Travel Destination Favors and Wedding Gift Bags

You have finalized travel arrangements and booked hotels for your destination wedding. Now you are deciding what kind of travel destination favors to give your guests and how to present them. This article provides wedding favor ideas for your destination wedding guests.

You want your destination wedding to be a memorable and enjoyable occasion. One way to ensure your guests get the most out of their hotel stay for your wedding weekend is to give them a wedding gift bag or out-of-town bag, also called OOT bags, filled with goodies and neat treats upon their arrival at the hotel rooms.

Wedding Gift Bags can be filled with anything from bottled water and snacks to miniature bottles of champagne and a set of plastic toasting glasses with a few fine chocolates and a scented candle. A small travel sewing kit is a winner every time. You will not believe how many of your guests will thank you for this wonderful and practical gift. It is not uncommon for guests to comment on how their sewing kit saved the day when they used it to sew on a button that popped off from a suit or dress just before your wedding.

Another idea is to research the local customs and favorite cuisines around the area of your destination wedding. Local travel pamphlets about area attractions are free in most areas. Simply contact the chamber of commerce for the area where your wedding will take place. Your travel agent is also a great resource for finding small favors to add to your wedding gift bags.

An 8″ x 5″ x 10″ paper or poly gift bag is the most common size used as gift bags. Ask the hotel host or hostess to place one of these bags on the vanity or night stand of each hotel room, welcoming your guests to your city or an exotic island or location. You may also want to make arrangements for your gift bags to be handed out by the host or hostess as your guests check in to the hotel.

You will probably want to assemble your guest welcome bags and box them up before you leave for your destination. This will make it easy to transport and deliver to your hotel. In some cases, you may want to wait until you have arrived at your wedding location so you can purchase local goodies to add to your bags. Another option is to check with your hotel to see if they have staff available to set up the gift bags for you.

Your wedding guests will be delighted to find the treasures that await them when they check in to their hotel rooms. Add a personal message by having your wedding gift bags custom printed with a personal message from the bride and groom saying “Welcome to Our Wedding Weekend” or “Thank You for Joining Us” along with the bride and grooms names and wedding date.

No matter what you decide to give as destination wedding favors, your guests will appreciate this token of your gratitude for their participation on your most special day.

About the Author: Ray Miller is the founder and president of My Wedding Reception Ideas.com. My Wedding Reception Ideas specializes in premium personalized wedding favors, accessories, and wedding party gifts. For more information on choosing and ordering wedding gift bags for your reception or party, visit My Wedding Reception Ideas.com.

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Writing Wedding Vows

Jan

5 Easy Steps to Writing Your Own Vows

written by: Jeff Kear

Whenever someone mentions writing your own vows, most people (especially guys) suddenly get clammy hands and a rapid pulse. Now, there’s nothing wrong with using the standard vows that your officiant provides or that you find in a book, but your wedding is one of the most personal forms of expression in which you will partake in your life, and writing your own vows would make it even more personal and memorable for both of you. Plus, writing your own vows isn’t nearly as difficult as it seems. You just have to get over the initial fear and follow these five simple steps.

1. You’re not Shakespeare … and that’s perfectly fine (in fact, it’s great)
Most people assume that if they can’t write something profound and poetic, that they’re better off using the words of someone who is. This is just plain poppycock (or baloney, whichever is more your style). This is your day, and anything that you can do to put your stamp on it makes it even more personable, fun and memorable. So what if you can’t rhyme well or if you can’t write in iambic pentameter … most people will daydream through that poetic stuff anyways. But they will remember something that sounds like you and is in your words, regardless of how poetic they sound.

2. “Take you” phrase
So that you don’t stare at a blank page or screen for an hour, begin by writing out a first line that says something to the effect that you take _________ to be your wife/husband. This is a simple line, but it gets the ball rolling and is essential in that you are vowing to have them as your wedded spouse.

3. Include these basic themes
There are a few fundamental themes when writing a vow. First of all, this is a “vow,” which means you are making a promise to your fiancee or fiance. So there are a few important things that you need to promise when you are committing yourselves to each other for life.

Caring/loving – A marriage is (or should be) a safe haven, so promising to love your spouse through all circumstances and always trying to be caring and understanding is a must to include.

Honesty and faithfulness – The foundation of every successful marriage is rooted in being honest and faithful to each other, and this is not only a promise you should make in your vow but one that should be the anchor of your relationship for eternity.

Giving/generosity – This is the person who you will walk through fire for, and you should include this in your vow to let them know that any goals they have, any challenges they may face, you will be there to help them in any and every way you can (because you would also want the same kind of support from them).

Change and constancy – This is the “thick and thin, sickness and health” theme. Your individual lives and the world around you will continue to change over time, but it’s your marriage that will ground you and is the constant in life that will keep your feet on the ground as life revolves and churns around you both.

Growth – This is an extension of the change theme, but it points to how each of you will grow in all sorts of directions. You will change jobs, make new friendships, possibly have children and raise them. There’s lots of personal growth here, and you may want to include in your vow something about looking forward to growing with each other and encouraging such growth in each other.

4. Mention the attributes of your spouse that you admire
You fell in love with your fiance/fiancee because of certain things about them that you adored or admired, and you should include these traits in your vow. And don’t worry if they sound insignificant or even a little risque, because they were and are important to you and they are the things about them that you either admire (their kindness, selflessness, integrity, openness, etc.) or that attract you to them (their penetrating eyes, long, flowing hair, etc.). Mentioning these makes your vow much more personal and heartfelt.

5. Tie in the ring
Finally, try and tie in how the ring is a symbol of your commitment and will stand for you as a constant reminder of your vows to your fiance/fiancee. This brings it back around to the rings, which is what you will exchange when the vow is finished.

There, that wasn’t so hard, was it? It still may take you an afternoon to flesh out a few drafts and get your vows to a place where you are comfortable reading it (and I would encourage you to read it aloud to see if there are any rough spots or tongue twisters you have created). And you should also practice it before your big day. You don’t have to memorize your vows (I wrote my own vows and read them from a sheet of paper), but you certainly shouldn’t stumble through them as if it’s the first time you’ve seen them in months. Now go to your computer and start writing.

About the Author - Jeff Kear is a writer and owner of My Wedding Workbook, the online wedding planner for engaged couples that’s easy-to-use, comprehensive and helps them manage all their wedding events (and its basic wedding software tools are free). He’s also the owner of My Wedding Workbook Pro, wedding planner software for professional wedding consultants.

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What Not To Play at a Wedding Reception

Jan

Groom’s Guide for What Not To Play at a Wedding Reception

Grooms selecting music for their wedding reception sounds easy. Play the music the bride and groom like. If it were only that simple. We encourage bridal couples to select music that means something to them for their special dances. However, we still have a few guidelines to follow when selecting songs for a wedding reception.

Do not play music with explicit lyrics. Don’t assume this is the case. Verify music entertainers have all radio edit versions of songs to be played at your wedding receptions that contain explicit lyrics in their original releases.

Do not play songs that reference death. My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion. Who will not think of the lives lost on the Titanic when this song is played? Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton. This song was written by Eric in memory of his son.

Do not play songs that reference suicide. Examples include Don’t Close Your Eyes by Kix and Jumper by Third Eye Blind.

Grooms, be sure you discuss with your bride-to-be about the type of music to be played as background/dinner music. Options for background music include jazz, classical and pop. The music entertainer needs to know so they can prepare the correct style of background music. Classical music would not be appropriate for a country theme reception.

Do not play music that is suggestive or offensive. Songs that may be considered offensive that are mainstream include My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas, Wild Thing by Tone-Loc and I Touch Myself by the Divinyls.

Songs to add to a do not play list at a wedding reception may include songs that refer to the stressful wedding planning process. Stressful wedding planning songs include I’m In a Hurry by Alabama and Rush Rush by Paula Abdul.

Please add stalking songs to your do not play list. Stalking songs include Every Breath You Take by the Police and Somebody’s Watching Me by Rockwell.

You must decide if both of you would like group dances to be played at your reception. Some people do not like such dances as they consider them goofy and/or well overplayed at wedding receptions. Group songs include the Macarena by the Los Del Rio, Y.M.C.A. by the Village People and Hokey Pokey by Ray Anthony.

Many people feel the money/dollar dance is inappropriate at a wedding reception. The reasoning is because guests are expected to bring a present and to ask for more money in the dollar dance is greedy. However, others feel it is a great way to have multiple one on one conversions with many guests.

You must consider if you would like songs played that have an extended playing time. The standard song is about three minutes. The following songs are in excess of seven minutes each. Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin, Paradise by the Dashboard Lights by Meatloaf and American Pie by Don McLean.

Finally, please consider adding songs to your do not play list that are just plain in bad taste. Song titles considered to be in bad taste include Love Stinks – J. Geils Band, You Give Love a Bad Name – Bon Jovi, My Best Friend’s Girl – The Cars, Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield, Should I Stay or Should I Go – The Clash, Mother-In-Law – Ernie K-Doe, Suspicious Minds – Elvis Presley, To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before – Julio Iglesias, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2, She Hates Me – Puddle of Mudd, Everything About You – Ugly Kid Joe. For a complete list of all of our suggested songs not to play at weddings, please follow the previous link.

About the Author – Matt Campbell is the owner of WeddingMuseum.com. WeddingMuseum.com offers online wedding planning and wedding website museum. One of the most helpful features of WeddingMuseum.com is our song suggestions and advice for a wedding ceremonies and receptions.

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