Posts Tagged ‘wedding reception’

Wedding Reception – What to do if no one is dancing?

January 17th, 2012 | Rss Feed

The day is finally here.  The day you have been dreaming of since your were little.  The day  you have planned for the past 12 months. With all stress, with all the pains, the day is finally here.  Your WEDDING DAY.  First thing you should do is relax and enjoy the day.

wedding dance floor

The wedding ceremony is beautiful and very heartfelt.  It transpires without any hitches.  The bridal couple enters the reception hall to a standing ovation.  Then, everyone eats and the formal dances are complete.  FINALLY, the part-e begins.  Thirty minutes transpire and no one is dancing.  This is not the reception party that you had envisioned.  You pictured everyone dancing the night away.  However, no one is dancing.  What can you do to get people on the dance floor to get the party started?  We offer the following recommendations to get the party started.

  • What guests are the most likely to dance?  Yes, it’s the young adults.  Therefore, play current music hits that are to on the charts now including Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna, etc.  The younger crowd could get the party started.
  • Men typically will not get up to the dance floor to many high tempo songs.  Think about playing a couple slow songs consecutively to get couples to the dance floor.  Play well known songs by every age group such as Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers and What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.
  • Play an anthem song that everyone knows that they can sing along to.  Rock – Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey, R&B – Shout! by the Isley Brothers, Country – Friends In Low Places by Garth Brooks, Classic Rock – We are the Champions by Queen and much more.  Know your crowd and the type of music that get’s them excited.
  • Talk to the bride and groom beforehand and get an idea of their favorite music style.  Find out if they like group dances and which ones suit their fancy.  You can play a group dance but it must be headlines by the bride and groom leading the way.  Such dances include he conga, the train, the electric slide, the macarena and so on.  Reminder – keep the bride and groom in the forefront so that everyone joins in.
  • Finally, plan a group dance to get everyone on the dance floor.  This way it will be hard for them to leave!  One such planned dance is to invite all married couples to the dance floor.  Then, start removing married couples from newest to oldest until the longest married couple is remaining.  The, give a bride’s bouquet to them as a gift from the bride and groom.

Do you have any further suggestions to fill the dance floor when empty?  Please comment in!  Lastly, stay away from our list of songs not to play at weddings.

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Wedding Sheet Music Theme

December 14th, 2011 | Rss Feed

What is sheet music?  Sheet music is a music composition on sheets of paper.  Sheet music is important to your music performers so that the can perform the music notes to your desired music composition.  A music composer can include a harpist, guitarist and pianist.  Brides and grooms can also have ensembles compose music pieces during the wedding ceremony or reception entrances.  Ensembles, like a quartet, can include musical artists and instruments such as a piano, string and wind instruments.

wedding sheet music

Sheet music can be easily found by searching Google.   However, a vast collection of sheet music can be found on the website MusicNotes.com.  Musicnotes.com is the leading Internet-based sheet music store offering nearly 200,000 pieces of digital sheet music and guitar tablature.

Are the bride and groom music fans?  Bridal couples can create their own music themed wedding receptions.

  • Print sheet music and roll them up into cones.  Then, fill them with Hershey kisses or confetti.
  • Use sheet music as table place mats or table names.
  • Have your favorite song’s sheet music printed on edible paper.  Then, create a unique wedding cake by covering the cake with the edible paper.
  • Fold sheet music into creative origami to accent reception tables.
  • Fold sheet music into useful wedding accessories such as flowers and pin wheels.
  • Print sheet music as a watermark.  Then, create your very own customized wedding guest book.
  • Wrap votive candles with printed sheet music as a favor.
  • Use concert tickets as save the date cards.

 

Having a music themed reception?  We would recommend classic colors such as black, white and silver.  Having a photo booth?  Consider blow-up musical instruments as props such as guitars and saxophones.  Add a music theme to any wedding cake with enlarged musical notes as a cake topper.  Also consider incorporating guitar picks as wedding favors.

Music is a great way to set the desired mood and atmosphere at any wedding ceremony and reception.  You can also include it into a music theme.

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Wedding Reception Survival Kit

December 8th, 2011 | Rss Feed

Wedding receptions are the same as our daily lives.  Nothing goes without a hitch.  Something will go wrong but we cannot predict the severity.  However, we can offer some guidance to help prepare a wedding reception survival kit.

wedding reception

We do not want to include items that are on our other survival kits for the bride and groom.  Rather, we created a list of items that you may need in a pinch.  The kit would be more considered a must for all wedding vendors.

Items are sometimes forgot at home or even purchased for a wedding reception.  However, the following list are items that can definitely must be at a wedding reception, and it cannot go on without them.

  • Extension cords – Have extra extension cords ready in varied lengths from several 6 footers up to a couple 100 footers.  This is in case there are not any close outlets for the stringed lights to the up-lighting.
  • Server knife – What do you do if the bride and groom cannot locate their special cake and knife set?  Having a a server knife to cut and serve the cake would save the day!
  • CD/iPod of the ceremony songs and specialty dance songs with stereo and batteries.  It’s best to be safe than sorry.  If the power goes out, you will have music of the most important songs.
  • What do you do if something happens with the food?  Have phone numbers of your favorite local delivery places handy.  Pizza, Chinese, ect.  If not, they may make a great after-party snack.
  • Extra candles – If the power goes out, extra candles will save the day!  They can also add a romantic mood during dinner.
  • Write a standard dinner blessing and toast written out for the guest who cannot think on their toes.  This is particularly helpful when videographers film guests giving their blessing to the bride and groom.  Some may not think of exactly what to say and will regret forever as now it is on the wedding video.
  • Extra garter -  Bride and grooms may not always think of buying two garters – one to keep and one for the garter toss.  Have an extra plain white garter just for the toss.
  • Need to hold 2 things together?  We suggest having 3 items – duct tape, two-sided tape and safety pins.  Safety pins can help bustle a dress or act as a tie tack.

As the old saying goes: Fail to Plan and as a result plan to fail.  Just thinking of items to put in a wedding reception survival kit can make all the difference and save the day!

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Things to Consider for Your Wedding Reception

June 23rd, 2011 | Rss Feed

The Wedding reception is an important aspect of your wedding and thus proper care and immense meticulousness is required while planning the reception. This is the time when the couple as well as the guests enjoy a meal together and it takes place after the ceremony. The wedding party or festivities are a major part of wedding reception and it is generally held on the same day soon after the wedding ceremony. However, many people also arrange the wedding reception on the next day as well, especially if the wedding is at night.

Wedding receptions are held to share your happiness with your near and dear ones by singing, dancing etc. A great way to mingle with the guests, one has to take extra care to ensure that everything goes perfectly and everyone enjoys completely. Before selecting the location for wedding reception you should consider several factors like,  the number of people that can be accommodated conveniently, parking space for the vehicles of your guests, and the types of services like serving, catering, beverages  offered.

You should see that the venue has sufficient space to put up tables to accommodate all your guests along with extra space to schedule other activities. Moreover, speak to the manager of the venue about your celebration plans and activities that they have to arrange for. You need to speak about the dance floor, arranging the musicians or music systems, and other things. If you are planning a single room for all these, then speak about how the tables and chairs will be placed or relocated to accommodate the dancing part. These things have to be planned, so that you do not face any chaos later on and have unwanted delays or interruptions in the wedding reception.

We have delineated certain factors that you need to consider, before finalizing a venue for your wedding reception:

  • Guest seating capacity
  • Dates on which the venue is available for booking
  • Parking facilities
  • Accessibility and nearby taxi services for guests
  • Dance floor
  • What are the late timings for continuing the reception going and the deadline for ending the music
  • Hotel room deals for you and your guests if you are considering a hotel for reception
  • Music and PA system equipment
  • Arrangement of linen including table clothes, napkins, chair covers etc., as per requirement
  • Clean-up of reception room
  • Availability of gift table and guest book table
  • Location for wedding photos
  • Managing flower arrangements and other decorations
  • Option of using the venue for the wedding ceremony as well as reception and the time they would require to flip the room to accommodate specific events
  • Catering services including servers, alcohol license, corkage fees, facility to take care of specific food allergies etc.

Moreover, you should scrutinize the wedding venue carefully, if you are looking forward to having a reception on the lines of your theme wedding, you should look for the space and other aspects to see if they will easily blend with your theme or color arrangement.  In case you select an outdoor location, then do ensure to have a back up arrangement just in case the weather tries to play games with you. You can consider a lodge, mountain or sea side, beautifully designed tents or even your home, depending on your own personal preferences and what best defines your personality.

Let your imaginations do the work for you and come up with a unique way to make your wedding a special and memorable affair for everyone involved.

This article has been written by an expert associated with WeddingMuseum.com, a company providing wedding reception tips for today’s brides and grooms.

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Top 10 Wedding Anniversary Songs

December 6th, 2010 | Rss Feed

Wedding anniversary songs are are great way to celebrate love at wedding receptions.  We recommend starting by inviting all married wedding couples to the dance floor.  Ask who the newest couple on the dance floor is by narrowing down by newest date.  Then, remove couples 5 years at a time until you find the longest married couple in the room.  Then, invite the bride and groom, newest married couple and the longest married couple to a special anniversary song dance.

WeddingMuseum.com created a list of our Top 64 Wedding Anniversary Songs.  From that list we selected out Top 10 Wedding Anniversary Songs.

10. This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) – Natalie Cole Originally released in 1975.  A great  r&b love song celebrating an eternal love for one another.

9. Still The One – Orleans  Originally released in 1976.  A classic rock love song proving how much you still mean to one another after all these years together.

8. Just The Two Of Us – Grover Washington Jr. with Bill Withers  Originally released in 1980.  A great jazz tune with Bill Withers singing “We can make it if we try.”

7. You Decorated My Life – Kenny Rogers  A classic country song released in 1979.  This song is a great love song story.

6. Anniversary – Tony Toni Tone   Our first true “anniversary” song on the list released in 1993.  This r&b song will be a mainstay on many couple’s lists celebrating an anniversary.

5. When I’m Sixty-Four – The Beatles  A classic love song by the Beatles released in 1967.  A love story about a man growing old with his lover.

4. 100 Years – Five For Fighting  This rock song was originally released in 2003.  A song about growing up until you are 100 years old and in the end “And I’m just dreaming counting the ways to where you are.”

3. You’re Still The One – Shania Twain  Our highest raking country song was released in 1997.  Another song stating how much you still mean to each other after all these years together.

2. Anniversary Waltz – Eddy Howard  For generations that have been around for many years, they will appreciate this classic song from 1950.  Be sure you know how to waltz before playing this one though.

1. Happy Anniversary – Kelly Morrison How can a song so new end up at the top of the list?  This is a song sung by Kelly who has one of those raspy, memorable voices.  This song is one of the feel good songs that just makes everyone want to dance!

About the Author

Matt Campbell is the owner and webmaster of WeddingMuseum.com, an online wedding planning resource.  WeddingMuseum.com features free wedding websites, wedding planning ideas and tools, local vendor listings, wedding song lists and wedding store.

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