iPod Wedding: Planning Tips

With the trend of cutting costs for weddings, the DJ is often the first to go.  Though a DJ will be a reliable and professional choice for the music and sound for your event, it just may not be something you can fit into your budget.  If you choose to forego a DJ and go with "I'll just use my iPod" route, here are some important tips to follow to make sure the sound goes smoothly.

1. Designate a sound guy/girl.  Do not leave this crucial job to just whoever happens to be around.  Give the official duty to ONE trusted friend who is familiar with the device you are going to use (iPod, MP3 player, cell phone, laptop, tablet). 

2. Prep your ceremony playlist.   For the ceremony and procession songs, rename all the songs so they have the same 'artist', called 'ceremony'.  Put them all in one playlist and rename their titles with numbers in the order they will be used.

party procession: 01_procession.mp3 bride's procession: 02_bride.mp3 exit song: 03_exit song.mp3

3. Prep your intercession playlists.  Create a playlist for each intercession: "pre-ceremony seating", "cocktail hour", "reception"  "dancing"  "after party".

4. Prep your first dance playlists. Create a playlist of your special dances, and rename them with the names of the people dancing.

5. Get the right equipment and test it.  You may think the stereo in your living room is fine for rocking out while you vacuum, but it may not do the job for a large room full of people, or an outdoor setting. Ask your venue if you can bring in your equipment and test it there, or take it to the park or outdoor area and have an impromptu dance party.    If you think you may need something more, some DJ's or rental companies rent portable systems you can set-up yourself, like our Peavey Portable Sound System available for $105.

6. Communicate your desires clearly with a plan.  Take time to sit down with your sound buddy with a timeline and list of songs and playlists and when to play them.  If there is a certain section of the songs you want played during crucial moments, include the start and end times for each song so they can fast forward them before playing.  I know you love your friend, but don't leave this up to "you just figure it out, I trust you".

7. Upgrade your accounts. If you are going to use Pandora or Spotify, be sure to pay for an ad-free account so your special moments won't be interuppted by ads.

8. If this seems like too much to be bothered with, Hire a DJ.  No one will do the job like a professional can. It may seem like something you can do yourself, but many couples look back after the fact and wished they had spent the extra money.

Color School: Yellow + Gray [Pinterest Board]

Online Seating Arrangements with Social Interaction

The web-based seating & planning tool, Social Tables lets you drag and drop your Facebook friends, Gmail contacts, or data from an Excel sheet (and guests you add manually) into your seating arrangement.  Invite guests to see the chart and interact with their tablemates or give you feedback.  Oh and did we mention it's FREE?

How to Choose the Right Rental Company

Choosing the right event and party hire company for your wedding or corporate event can seem like a bit of a daunting task. There are so many out there it can often be hard to choose the right one for you. Here, we’ve listed the best tips on how to choose the right party rental and event company to suit your needs.

Do your research
This may seem like an obvious one, but often people rush in and don’t take the time to do proper research. You will be spending a substantial amount of money with this company so it is important you choose the right one. Ask around to see if anyone has used any good companies they would recommend, search online and read any reviews you can find.

Look at their website
If you have a few companies in mind, take a look at their website. Often event and party hire companies have images from other events they have helped put together. Take a look at these and see if the style and different work they have done in the past suit what you are looking for. A good website should have photos of rental inventory and prices clearly posted.

Choose the right company to suit your needs
Some companies specialise in certain types of events, such as corporate functions or weddings. Other companies specialise in outdoor events and everything needed to create a wonderful event outside. Choosing the right event company to suit your needs means hiring a business that knows what you are looking for and can provide you with a number of options for the items you want to hire.

A good idea is to write a list of all of the things you will need to source from a party hire company, including things like catering equipment, marquee hire and anything else. Make sure the one you decide on can meet all of your requirements. It is better to get everything from one source than getting things from a few different companies.

Keep your budget in mind
Always keep going back to your budget to make sure you are on track. It is so easy to go off budget. It is a good idea to gather quotes from a number of businesses before making a decision. Keep in mind that sometimes it is even worth spending extra if you think they will provide better service or will be more reliable and pleasant to work with.

Good service
Never underestimate good service. The way any company treats their customers reflects the way they do business. From the very first meeting or phone call, they should be friendly, easy to deal with and helpful with what you need. This will make organising the set up and pack up of the event stress free.

Organising an event can be a bit of a stressful thing to do, but it doesn’t have to be. Through planning and taking time to hire an event and party hire company that are professional and suit your needs, you’ll find that you will have more time to enjoy the event and relax.

More information on Rentals

• Why Rent?
• How to Choose the Right Event Rental Company
• Interview Questions for your Potential Rental Company
• What is included in a rental price?
• How can I personalize my wedding with rentals?
• Pet Peeves of the Rental Industry
• How do I save money by only renting what I need?

Color School: Coral + Aqua + Charcoal

New Pinterest boards!

We got invited to Pinterest, and hope it will help you with wedding inspiration, ideas, and tips.

We will be adding to it everyday, so follow us and keep in touch!

Helpful & Fun Planning Apps for the do-it-all Bride

Super Planner touted by seasoned event planners like Howard Givner is only $9.99 and offers a ton of features for big event or wedding.  It may have some features you don't need like staffing management, but it has calculators and tools for space planning, time management, food & drink, vendors, seating, lighting, and staging.  A good investment if you are getting into event planning, or just need a more detailed planning tool.

Wedding Plandroid 

A simple Android app for budgeting, guestlists, timelines, vendor management, and checklists.

WeddingWire

If you have a wedding wire account, all of your planning tools can be at the touch of your fingertips with the integrated app.

Wedding Countdown Widget

Countdown to your wedding using days, seconds, kisses, heartbeats and more.  

Rent your Bridesmaids' dresses for about $65 each!

My new favorite website, RentTheRunway.com has amazing dresses in every style possible - many for only $60!  They have a great guarantee, if it doesn't fit, you don't pay.  If your bridesmaids don't want to be stuck with a big dress bill and a one-time dress in their closet, check out these top picks.

Spring Scrapbook Inspired Color Themes

I am an avid scrapbooker, and I search scrapbooking sites for design inspiration and realized all the wonderful scrapbook colors would be amazing wedding color themes. I have put together some themes for you using the trending spring colors of 2012.

Aqua, Pink & Charcoal This combination has so many possibilities depending on which color you choose as your dominant,base, and accent colors. Charcoal as the base with pops of pink and aqua are perfect for a modern wedding with a touch of femininity. Aqua base with accents of charcoal and pink will brighten any space but the charcoal will help keep it grounded.

Turquoise, Aqua, Fuchsia, Pink, Orange, Yellow & Gold

This theme will take you on a trip through the spring season on every continent.  It has an exotic & vintage flare (image these colors on antique china), screams "BLOOM!" and celebrates the season with true moxy.

Black, Charcoal, Eggplant, Apricot & Fuchsia

Talk about sophistication! This combo will impress your guests and will emphasize a mood of spring; rain clouds nourishing new blooms, the dark long days opening to new light, and the perfect balance of masculinity and femininity.

Charcoal, Orange, Yellow, Aqua, Beige

This theme says bold and modern, yet whimsical.  It reminisces of a desert oasis, river rocks, or the southwest. Mix hard geometrical lines with flowing floral accents for a theme that reflects a balance between the elements.

Terra Cotta, Charcoal, Turquoise, Beige, Ivory

These colors are a blast from the past! 70's inspired palettes are being welcomed back into fashion & design.  These colors remind me of my childhood home, grandma's house, and the good 'ol days.  If you want a wedding that pays omage to the past while exemplifying sophistication and style, these colors are for you.

Copper, Turquoise, Aqua, Lime & Apricot

Another beautiful vintage inspired palette. Imagine wallpaper in a victorian home or your auntie's darling baking apron.  It also infuses colors from the forest with the nacent hues of budding flora.  This theme can easily please the bride and groom and keep the atmosphere fresh and lively.

Top 50 Wedding & Marriage Movies

Snuggle down with your fiance or get the girls together for a movie night to get in the mood for love with some unforgettable wedding entertainment.

1. The Wedding Singer (1994) - Starring Adam Sandler & Drew Barrymore
2. The Princess Bride (1987) - Starring Cary Elwes & Robin Wright Penn
3. It Had to be You (1947) - Starring Ginger Rogers & Cornel Wilde
4. Father of the Bride (1991) - Starring Steve Martin & Kimberly Williams
5. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) - Starring Nia Vardalos & John Corbett
6. Betsy's Wedding (1990) - Starring Molly Ringwald & Alan Alda
7. Monsoon Wedding (2001) - Starring Vasundhara Das & Parvin Dabas
8. My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) - Starring Julia Roberts & Dermot Mulroney
9. Bridesmaids (2011) - Starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Rose Byrne
10. The Wedding Planner (2001) - Starring Jennifer Lopez & Matthew McConaughey
11. American Weddingg (2003) - Starring Eugene Levy & Jason Biggs
12. Runaway Bride (1999) - Starring Julia Roberts & Richard Gere
13. Moonstruck (1987) - Starring Cher & Nicolas Cage
14. The In-Laws (2003) - Starring Michael Douglas & Albert Brooks
15. That Old Feeling (1997) - Starring Bette Midler & Dennis Farina
16. Honeymoon in Vegas (1992) - Starring Sarah Jessica Parker & Nicolas Cage
17. Best Men (1997) - Starring Drew Barrymore & Luke Wilson
18. Bollywood/Hollywood (2002) - Starring Rahul Khanna & Lisa Ray
19. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) - Starring Hugh Grant & Andie MacDowell
20. The Catered Affair (1956) - Debbie Reynolds & Rod Taylor
21. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) - Starring Howard Keel & Jane Powell
22. It Happened One Night (1934) - Starring Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert
23. Meet the Parents (2000) - Starring Ben Stiller & Robert De Niro
24. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? (1967) - Starring Sidney Poitier & Katharine Hepburn
25. Only You (1994) - Starring Marisa Tomei & Robert Downey Jr.
26. Sense and Sensibility (1995) - Starring Emma Thompson & Hugh Grant
27. An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) Starring Richard Gere & Debra Winger
28. Green Card (1990) - Starring Grard Depardieu & Andie MacDowell
29. Fools Rush In (1997) - Starring Matthew Perry & Salma Hayek
30. The Quiet Man (1952) - Starring John Wayne & Maureen O'Hara
31. The Birdcage (1996) - Starring Robin Williams & Nathan Lane
32. Love Story (1970) - Starring Ali MacGraw & Ryan O'Neal
33. She's Having a Baby (1988) - Starring Kevin Bacon & Elizabeth McGovern
34. The Cowboy and the Lady (1938) - Starring Gary Cooper & Merle Oberon
35. Smokie and the Bandit (1977) - Starring Burt Reynolds & Sally Field
36. Sweet Home Alabama (2002) - Starring Josh Lucas & Reese Witherspoon
37. Big Fish (2003) - Starring Albert Finney & Ewan McGregor
38. True Romance (1993) - Starring Christian Slayter & Patricia Arquette
39. How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) - Starring Marilyn Monroe & Lauren Bacall
40. Anna Karenina (1935) - Starring Greta Garbo & Fredric March
41. Arthur (1981) - Starring Dudley Moore & Liza Minnelli
42. When a Man Loves a Woman (1994) - Starring Meg Ryan & Andy Garcia
43. The Notebook (2004) - Starring Ryan Gosling & Rachel McAdams
44. So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993) - Starring Mike Myers & Nancy Travis
45. Sabrina (1954) - Starring Humphrey Bogart & Audrey Hepburn
46. The Way We Were (1973) - Starring Barbara Streisand & Robert Redford
47. Ever After (1998) - Starring Drew Barrymore & Dougray Scott
48. An Affair to Remember (1957) - Starring Cary Grant & Deborah Kerr
49. Gone with the Wind (1939) - Starring Clark Gable & Vivien Leigh
50. First Knight (1995) - Julia Ormond, Richard Gere & Sean Connory