“Will it ruin the moment of when we finally see each other during the ceremony?”

“How can we make it personal so it’s not the same old thing?”

“Will it really be everything it’s cracked up to be?”

There are lots of questions to think about and lots of things to decide upon – I get it, it’s a big decision!

I thought today I would lay down my own first hand thoughts and feelings (and hopefully lend a bit of insight for those of you still in the debating stage) about what first photos are really like.

I, just like you, had all of the same thoughts running through my mind. In the case of my own wedding the main factors driving our decision to do a first look session were that we really wanted lots of time for photos PLUS we wanted a later ceremony (5:30pm) PLUS we wanted to have a chance to enjoy our cocktail hour. So for us a first look was really the only way to accomplish all of these things. While I’m not superstitious in the least and had no issue with seeing Bryan before the ceremony, that’s not to say that I didn’t have hesitations from time to time about some of the other things.

I kept hearing from other people “oh you’re doing a first look – well when you walk down the aisle it’s not going to be nearly as special because you will have already seen each other” and for a while I was quite concerned and I started to believe them. Well I am now confident to kibosh this theory. Our first look session was fantastic – it was fun, and exciting and accomplished everything we’d hoped it would. And a few hours later, when it came time for the ceremony and I first saw Bryan at the end of the aisle looking back at me, it was a completely different set of emotions. I wasn’t nervous to see him, I was just hopelessly in love at that moment and the butterflies came back in the form of ‘uncontrollable excitement’ rather than ‘I-feel-like-I-might-puke nerves’.

If I had to say just one thing about what a first look photo session will do for you on your wedding day it would be that it will eliminate a ton of stress!! Believe it or not, when you think it all through, doing a mini photo sesh before the wedding ceremony with just you and your hubby is such a fabulous way to destress. Not only is it a relief to see each other and get some of those butterflies out of the way, but AFTER the ceremony when many brides are in overdrive trying to rush around and fit in all of the photos that they want YOU will be relaxing with a cocktail and enjoying time with your guests. In my eyes – it’s a win-win!

I love so many things about first look sessions now, and I can’t recommend them enough.

I love the photo op’s and the incredible photos that always result. I love that you can inject so much personality into how you first see each other. I love the emotion and the sincerity from the bride and groom at that moment – it’s so raw and honest. I love that you can run up and grab each other and smooch right then and there! (can’t do that during the ceremony!!)

Stay tuned in coming weeks for a little piece on doing a “first NON-look” session! I made that up…I have no idea if these have a totally cute name by now or not, but basically people are starting to come up with all kinds of adorable ways to be with each other before the ceremony without necessarily seeing each other!

A picture is worth a thousand words. 

What do you think?! Are you going to do it?? We love your comments!!

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© 2011 Kate Vanderlugt, www.thelittlewhitedress.ca

Want to use this article in your Blog, E-zine or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: 

Wedding Planning expert Kate Vanderlugt publishes the “Inspired Bride” weekly e-zine. Get your FREE eReport: “How to Get the Most Bang for Your Wedding Budget” at www.thelittlewhitedress.ca/freeereport

Believe it or not, the tradition of the bridal registry has been around for as long as we humans have been getting hitched! However, it has not always been referred to as a “registry”. Prior to 1924, when Marshall Field’s, a department store in Chicago, introduced the first gift registry, the idea of gift giving to newlyweds came in the form of a dowry. Dowries have been around for centuries and included necessary items a couple would need to start a successful household, which usually came from the bride’s family. The dowry eventually evolved into the traditional Hope Chest, which many now know as the modern wedding registry. How was that little bit of Wedding History 101? Hopefully not too boring, but I figured there needed to be a foundation laid for this post to really get the message across about why bridal registries came to be, and how they have evolved over the years.

The registry has changed dramatically and its purpose is not the same for today’s couples as it was for those of matrimonial past. Since many young individuals tend to move out of the home and live on their own or with a significant other prior to marriage, and many are choosing to get married later in life, they already have the necessary household items one would find in a traditional registry. Therefore, the need for things like silverware, china and linens has diminished, which means couples are either eliminating this tradition from their wedding plans all together, or they are seeking out unique alternatives. I have put together a list of some of the most popular registry options that couple’s are utilizing in today’s wedding world. Take a look and maybe you will be inspired to incorporate one of these ideas into your big day!

1. Registering with a favourite charity/ charities

This is a great alternative for couples that may not like the idea of traditional department store registries and/ or are financially stable. They can register with their favourite organization(s) and friends and family can make donations in the couple’s name.  A number of local and national charities offer their own registry services. For example, World Wildlife Fund offers their Weddings and Celebration Site and Registry. Couples can create their own web page and registry with the organization, which gives guests the option of making a donation to one of WWF’s conservation programs!

2. Registering for a dream honeymoon

This has become a very popular option for couples. What is great about this is that couples can set up their registry so that guests can choose which element of the honeymoon they would like to subsidize (i.e. airfare, hotel, spa services). Some popular sites include ehoneymoonregistry.com and flightcentre.ca.

3. Registering for a “big-ticket” item

This alternative registry option is an open and honest method for couples to use without setting an inappropriate precedent for their guests by simply asking them for money. A couple can select one desired item (i.e. a down payment on their first home or a mortgage) and guests know that their money is going to that specific item and not something they would not want to contribute towards. Ask your bank if they offer this type of service or visit Home for the Honeymoon!

4. Registering for an education fund

I never even thought about this before reading it on weddingbells.com, but it is such a great idea! A number of couples hope to start families after they are married and do not need household items or assistance with the purchase of a home. Everyone knows how expensive post-secondary education is and you can never start saving too early for such an important part of a child’s future. Check out Upon Our Star, it is great for this type of registry!

5. Registering with a local nursery

I love this idea because this type of registry can literally be everlasting. Some nurseries take donations toward trees and shrubs for country houses and backyards. Sheridan Nurseries in Toronto offers a registry service that allows a couple to select the plants and accessories they want for their home. Getting something like a tree as a wedding gift is special because it becomes a permanent part of your home. My family gave a plum tree to a cousin and her husband for their wedding and it reminds her every day of the love shared between us. This registry option allows memories to bloom and last forever.

I personally love how unique registries have become. Even though it is no longer a necessary element of the wedding planning process, it is an option that has countless possibilities. Couples can really have fun with all of these options, and so can their guests!

Happy planning!

How do you feel about wedding registries? What are some unique registry options you have stumbled across?

Leave us some love!

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Article written by Katie Dennison – Intern at The Little White Dress

© 2011 The Little White Dress, www.thelittlewhitedress.ca

Want to use this article in your Blog, E-zine or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: 

Wedding Planning expert Kate Vanderlugt publishes the “Inspired Bride” weekly e-zine. Get your FREE eReport: “How to Get the Most Bang for Your Wedding Budget” at www.thelittlewhitedress.ca/freeereport

I’m sorry this post isn’t very ‘pretty’…but I promise, it’s informative!!

Are ‘value added’ services provided by wedding vendors really adding value to your wedding? This is a question you should be keeping top of mind at every meeting throughout your planning process. When a vendor asks if you would like this or that to your quote for an additional fee, just be wary that these things might be costing you more than they’re worth. Don’t get me wrong…this isn’t true in every case and some services are very much worth your money (ex. cake delivery/floral delivery….BELIEVE ME these things are scary to transport!) Just be cautious of what kind of bill you’re racking up as you say yes to all of these seemingly lovely ‘little’ additions.

The thing about vendors adding extra elements to their service packages is that they offer them to you right from the get go at your very first meeting and you don’t know much yet about where your budget will end up. They may all seem well and good when you’re just getting started with your wedding plans – but once you have all of the additional components added to your quote and have paid a deposit, you generally can’t have them removed later. And once you account for the added services from each vendor compounded by the number of vendors you’ve hired, you may end up with a laundry list of items you wish you could take back.

A few examples of added services you could probably do without:

1. Photo albums or large prints from your photographer are things that you can definitely have done yourself by another company after the fact – and usually for a much better price!

2. DJ’s are fabulous and I would never EVER suggest hiring a DJ at a discount (refer to ‘Tip No. 4 – Don’t Skimp on Your DJ’) but they also do come with a lot of added bells and whistles that they will offer you at an additional price. My advice is not to worry about those bells and whistles. Having fabulous music + fabulous guests = oodles of fun on the dance floor regardless of flashing lights and dry ice!

3. Gown alterations (ugh! my worst nightmare) – this, for me, was one of the most irritating and stressful parts of my wedding planning. My suggestion (to save you some money) is to purchase your wedding gown, and then run away haha (not literally). Just pick up the gown from the bridal store and take it to a well known and well respected seamstress in the area. For example – my wedding dress alterations were apparently going to cost me upwards of $500 if I’d done them through the bridal salon and that was “IF” they could do them. They weren’t entirely sure. So I took the gown to my mom’s long time seamstress in town and the alterations were done in 2 weeks for $120 total. Best decision ever.

4. Renting (or buying) tons of vases from a florist will put you out a fair chunk of cash. An alternative would be to have your florist quote you on flowers per table and then supply them with all of your own vases! You’d be amazed at what you can find at Value Village/IKEA/online for a steal! AND…the best part is…if you’re left with a ton of vases in the end – take some of the photos from the wedding of the fabulous décor setup and post the items on Kijiji, Ruffled’s Recycle Your Wedding, Recycled Bride (or a similar site) and bride’s will buy them from you! Ta da – you may actually make your money back!

Stick with the components that you NEED and then be on the lookout for sales and better deals for the rest.

The moral of the story is: You can almost always add things later on, but it’s much more difficult (and sometimes impossible) to take them away. Be cautious of your budget up front so you don’t end up in a pickle, and if it ends up that you’ve got some wiggle room later on, go back through each of your vendors and their service offerings with your fiance and have the things that are most important to the two of you added to your quote(s).

We love your comments! Leave us some love!

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© 2011 Kate Vanderlugt, www.thelittlewhitedress.ca

Want to use this article in your Blog, E-zine or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: 

Wedding Planning expert Kate Vanderlugt publishes the “Inspired Bride” weekly e-zine. Get your FREE eReport: “How to Get the Most Bang for Your Wedding Budget” at www.thelittlewhitedress.ca/freeereport

I’ve had a bit of a rough go the last couple of months and the timing of this internship could not be more perfect. I am beyond thrilled to have such an incredible lady join my team and get immersed in the world of weddings. She’s jumping in with both feet and she’s been such an amazing help already – I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings! She will be posting daily on the Facebook page and will be helping out with blog posts too so make sure to check them out and show her some love.

Get ready Katie…wedding season starts NOW!

The great debate about wedding cake! While it is a lovely idea to have a big gorgeous cake on display at your wedding reception, more often than not a good amount of that 6 tiered $3,000 dream cake will go to waste. Here are some fabulous alternatives to your typical wedding cake options to save you a bit of money while still getting you exactly what you want!

Tip #1 – Simple is Good

Simplified designs are much less expensive than elaborate designs and they’re very trendy right now! Why not have a simple cake iced with buttercream and either purchase or DIY a super cute cake topper! Something like….this!

Tip #2 – It’s Fake…but no one has to know!

If a real showstopper cake is what you’ve always dreamed of then you can make it work. Ask your cake designer to cover a few fake tiers to make up the majority of the cake, and just one tier that you can cut for the tradition of the cake cutting! Then you can serve a slab cake that is hiding in the kitchen! No one will know! Plus, since no one will be eating the fake tiers (I really hope) it will be easier to affix certain detail elements with a spot of hot glue rather than an equivalent edible material! This will likely save you some money as your cake designer won’t be so concerned about making all components edible!

Tip #3 – Come up with Alternatives

If you’re not all that worried about everyone having a piece of wedding cake you could have one tiny cake to cut for tradition-sake, but serve a completely different dessert! Many cake designers offer lots of other fun dessert option – from cupcakes to cake pops and even cookies!

Tip #4 – The more the Merrier

Tiny cakes have become extremely popular lately. Imagine a dessert table with several cakes all fitting your colour scheme and vision and displayed on beautiful cake stands to create a real focal point! Lovely, right? Well this is totally achievable by ordering a few cakes from your cake designer, which have minimal to no structural/stacked elements to them, making them less expensive. How fabulous is this?

Happy Planning!

Are you planning to have a real full sized wedding cake? Or are you opting for an alternative?!

Leave me your comments below!

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I hope this article has helped make you an Inspired Bride!

© 2011 Kate Vanderlugt, www.thelittlewhitedress.ca

Want to use this article in your Blog, E-zine or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: 

Wedding Planning expert Kate Vanderlugt publishes the “Inspired Bride” weekly e-zine. Get your FREE eReport: “How to Get the Most Bang for Your Wedding Budget” at www.thelittlewhitedress.ca/freeereport

You may remember my post “What Favours Do You Favour” here, from a while back. Well this is a budget friendly expansion on that post! The trick to coming up with brilliant, well received wedding favours that your guests will LOVE is to use your imagination! In the brainstorming stages be as outrageous as you want, and throw out every idea you can think of. Make a fun evening out of it! Grab a big sheet of paper, make some popcorn and sit down with your hubby-to-be and think about all of the things that the two of you love. Things you love to do together, places you love to go, things you love to make etc and just write every single thing down. At the end of the evening you’ll have a giant list of all kinds of fun things that can totally be turned into a special and personal wedding favour.

DIY guest favours can be a lot of fun, and are a great way to add a personal touch to your wedding that guests will remember and enjoy! It’s a great way to get your creative juices flowing and gives you full control over the finished product! Here are a few of my personal faves:

1. Bake cookies with your grandma’s secret family cookie recipe! Put them in a cute little bag or a box and affix a nice tag that explains why the family recipe is secret, or where it came from, or even why you and your fiance love them so much. I think it would even be cute to do some little ‘directions’ on how to eat! Such as…

Step 1: “Remove cookie from plastic bag”

Step 2: “Place cookie on microwave safe plate”

Step 3: “Microwave for between 5 and 15 seconds depending on your microwave’s intensity”

Step 4: “Pour approximately 1 cup of milk into a coffee cup”

Step 5: “Dunk cookie in milk”

Step 6: “Put warm, milk-dunked cookie in mouth”

Step 7: “Say Mmmmmm out loud”

Step 8: “Repeat, as necessary”

hehehe….ok, so that might be a little too quirky for your taste, but customize it to say whatever floats your boat!

2. Or why not give each guest a gift basket or a blend of herbs and spices that you use to make your favourite dish, print out the ingredients and cooking instructions for the dish so they can try it themselves at home? Maybe some incredible cooking oils that have your monogram or names and wedding date on them! Or perhaps a relative of yours makes the best pasta sauce in the world and you could convince them to spend a day with you and your fiancé making up some jars. I found these fun spice mixtures on Etsy here and love them! Popcorn seasoning…amazing…who doesn’t love a little Dill Pickle on their popcorn?!

{Etsy Shop ~ Dell Cove Spice Company}

3. If your wedding is in the winter (or heck, any time of year really), why not buy some warm (but cute) socks!! Totally practical! I mean…who doesn’t wear socks!?! You could even buy them in your wedding colours so that every time your friends and family put them on, they’ll think of you! (Plus – they won’t get mixed in with all the other black and grey socks you’ve got). This fun frenzy of colourful socks is from HappySocks.com!

{Happy Socks.com}

Happy Planning!

Even if you’re not a DIY bride, would you DIY your wedding favours?!

Leave me your comments below!

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I hope this article has helped make you an Inspired Bride!

© 2011 Kate Vanderlugt, www.thelittlewhitedress.ca

Want to use this article in your Blog, E-zine or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: 

Wedding Planning expert Kate Vanderlugt publishes the “Inspired Bride” weekly e-zine. Get your FREE eReport: “How to Get the Most Bang for Your Wedding Budget” at www.thelittlewhitedress.ca/freeereport

Attire can very easily be an area of a wedding budget that blows over very quickly. If you’re trying to save some cash for yourself and your bridal party take some of these suggestions into account!

Shop smart. That might seem obvious…but seriously. Use your head before you use your wallet! Come up with all of the possible options of how you can get yourself and your attendants their wedding day outfits and then decide which is going to be the best option for you and your fiancé!

Let’s start with your bridal party…

Have the groomsmen wear a suit that they already have. Or if they don’t have the right colour, and you’re a stickler for matching, they can go out and purchase a suit that’s the right colour but is within their own price point so they don’t feel pressured to buy something too expensive.

Bridesmaids can either all wear a similar dress shade – some may already have a fabulous dress that will work and they may be happy to have an occasion to wear it again, or some might want to hunt for something new! But either way, they are able to spend as much or as little as they want as long as they stay within your specifications. If you do have a vision of all your ladies in the same dress that’s totally fine…but stay away from bridal shops for this purpose. Go to a fun little boutique or even a store at the mall and purchase the dresses there! You will find more fashion forward styles and get a lot more bang for your buck. P.S. there are some tres fabulous outlet stores that you can check out and get gowns for a steal! Personal fave – the BCBG outlet store in Mississauga…If you haven’t been there – you must go!!!

Use Etsy to your advantage! I swear this site has more stuff on it than you could ever hope for – plus, some shops will even do custom pieces. Does your grandmother or your fiancé’s grandmother sew?! Chances are that at least one of them does! So pick out some fabric and a really cute pattern and ask her if she’d do you the honour of making your bridesmaids dresses (it could be her wedding present for you!). You could even have her make ties for the groomsmen too!

And forget about trying to match everyone’s shoes! The fact is that everyone’s feet are different and most of your friends would probably rather wear a pair of their own shoes that they know are comfortable! Or would like to at least buy the shoes from a store they know they love. If you want to suggest that they stay in a certain colour scheme that’s great, or if you want them all to wear heels or flats that’s a fine request too – just give them the opportunity to choose their shoes and their tootsies will thank you.

Heck – non-matching dresses and non-matching shoes…as long as they’re all carrying a bouquet, isn’t it fairly obvious that they’re a bridesmaid?!  I think it is.

So whether you’re going to be the one purchasing the outfits for each of your attendants, or you’re going to have them pay for it themselves, these are all great ways to keep the costs down.

Now – for the bride and groom…

If you’re going for the ‘drama’ factor of having multiple looks on your wedding day (aka changing into a reception gown), consider some of the fabulous convertible gowns that are out there these days!! Vanessa Minillo rocked a fabulous convertible Monique Lhuiller gown for her wedding to Nick Lachey last year and I think she was onto something!

A piece of advice. DON’T…I repeat, DO NOT purchase a dress that is on sale or that you think you like enough to wear on your wedding day. Not only will this stress you out, but it is foolish to think that even though you don’t love it or it’s not what you were envisioning, that the price tag alone will make you fall in love with it. Not the case. And more often than not a bride that purchases a gown on a whim, or because it’s on a great ‘one day only’ sale ends up in a pickle later on when they realize they still don’t love it and they’re going to have to buy yet another dress. So save your ‘sale’ money that would be wasted on a gown that’s not the one and put it towards the gown that IS the one when you find it! And you will find it.

And for the lucky groom – I will suggest similar things as I did for the groomsmen. However, it’s his ‘big day’ too, so if he wants a new suit, I think he should be allowed to have one! Personal tip – check out the Harry Rosen outlet (right beside the BCBG outlet in Mississauga – I’m not kidding. It’s almost not even fair) and be wowed at the fabulous designer suits that you will find. And at the end of the day – having a designer suit it tailored to fit will cost a heck of a lot less than a made to measure.

Happy Planning!

What do you think of these alternative wedding attire options?!

Leave me your comments below!

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I hope this article has helped make you an Inspired Bride!

© 2011 Kate Vanderlugt, www.thelittlewhitedress.ca

Want to use this article in your Blog, E-zine or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: 

Wedding Planning expert Kate Vanderlugt publishes the “Inspired Bride” weekly e-zine. Get your FREE eReport: “How to Get the Most Bang for Your Wedding Budget” at www.thelittlewhitedress.ca/freeereport

So – think about having a fall or winter wedding! And don’t think for a second that just because your wedding is in the winter your colour palette has to consist of Christmas colours, or be a Winter Wonderland. Far from it! It’s YOUR wedding! You could have your wedding decor be a little ‘escape’ from the chill of the winter and do really colourful flowers! It’s completely up to you. Oh – and lots of candles will bring warmth to any space – winter or summer. The ideas are endless (and gorgeous by the way)!

I saw this photo the other day and thought it looked bright and springy but when I looked at it further I realized how fabulous it could be for a winter wedding! Why not!? The bright whites with punchy purple and yellow. I love it!

And if you’re a little bummed about being ‘stuck’ indoors why not add some string lights to the ceiling of your venue. The glowing light will almost be like having the stars overhead!

But if you’ve always dreamed of being a spring or summer bride, you can save big by booking your wedding on a Friday or Sunday as mentioned in my post here. In some instances, an automatic 50% is knocked off the venue rental price. If you decide to go with a Friday just make sure to schedule your wedding at a time that allows your guests enough time to get finished with work, and you give them plenty of advance notice. A save the date is often a good idea if your wedding will be held on a day of the week other than Saturday.

If you’re booking your wedding in peak season and you’re pretty set on a Saturday, why not save some money by having a non-traditional reception?! You could do an early ceremony followed by a brunch reception! This will save you a lot of money on the alcohol that will be consumed, and breakfast foods are always less expensive than dinner foods. Or you could do a late ceremony followed by an all night cocktail reception! This saves on a ton of centrepieces and formal table decor that may otherwise be required, as most of the guests will be standing and dancing and mingling for the evening!

And if you’re not down for the off-season, you don’t like the Friday/Sunday option and you’re determined to do a full sit down meal…at least keeping the ceremony and reception in the same location will save you the extra fee of renting two separate spaces!

Happy Planning!

Would you ever go for one of these budget saving venue alternatives?!

Leave me your comments below!

For more Inspired Bride articles that will go right to your inbox, sign up for your FREE eReport “How to Get the Most Bang for Your Wedding Budget”!

I hope this article has helped make you an Inspired Bride!

© 2011 Kate Vanderlugt, www.thelittlewhitedress.ca

Want to use this article in your Blog, E-zine or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: 

Wedding Planning expert Kate Vanderlugt publishes the “Inspired Bride” weekly e-zine. Get your FREE eReport: “How to Get the Most Bang for Your Wedding Budget” at www.thelittlewhitedress.ca/freeereport

6 months, 1 year, 5 years after your wedding – who is going to remember what type of vehicle you arrived in?! Unless one of your guests is a major car connoisseur…probably not a lot of people! If you’re trying to save some cash, maybe opt for a school bus instead of a limo or a classic car. There’s something retro and fun about a school bus, and you can decorate the heck out of it! Ask your bridesmaids to be the “interior bus designers” and let them go to town putting up some streamers and balloons inside! They could even put some fun bunting along the outside.

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If you’re city slickers and aren’t crazy about the school bus scenario, why not opt for pre-ordering a number of cabs to transport you to your venue? Think of the great photo op you’ll get of you stepping out of a cab in a wedding dress – it would be such a fun shot! Just make sure to pre-order them!!!! It would be a little sketch if you were late for your ceremony because your cab was late!

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Another option is to rent a few smaller vehicles for the day – hybrid vehicles perhaps? Saving the environment one wedding at a time! Haha But seriously – You can rent large or small vehicles for a fraction of the cost it would be to rent chauffeured transportation and if you ask a good friend or an uncle or something (even a neighbor that isn’t in the wedding!), chances are they’d be thrilled to be a part of your wedding day and won’t mind being the chauffeur.

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Or if you really and truly don’t care how you arrive, just ask a few people to drive you and to your venue in their own vehicles! I promise, people won’t think less of you and chances are they won’t even remember the next day.

What are your thoughts on wedding day transportation?!

Leave your comments below and SHARE!

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I hope this article has helped make you an Inspired Bride!

© Kate Vanderlugt 2012 The Little White Dress www.thelittlewhitedress.ca

Want to use this article in your Blog, E-zine or website? You can as long as you include this complete statement: 

Wedding Planning expert Kate Vanderlugt publishes the “Inspired Bride” weekly e-zine. Get your FREE eReport:

“How to Get the Most Bang for Your Wedding Budget” at www.thelittlewhitedress.ca/freeereport

Having been to a LOT of weddings, I am going to give you a piece of advice.

“A good DJ is so worth your money!”

You may be inclined to skimp in this area, because come on…how hard can it be to play music right?! I mean, everybody and their mother has an iPod these days! Isn’t it the same thing?!

NOT EVEN CLOSE!

It is not an easy task at all! Playing music that appeals to a crowd of 100+ guests is tricky by any standards. And not only does an experienced DJ play good music that you’ve requested, but they read the crowd and will change songs accordingly if one is not getting the best response. They mix in enough slow songs with more upbeat ones, and they really do the legwork on the front end to find out what kind of music you and your fiancé like best. Don’t make the classic mistake of “well my friend’s dad’s cousin’s ex-step brother is a DJ, I might just use him because we won’t be charged much at all” – Fair enough – there are lots of DJs around, everybody knows someone that DJ’s whether extensively, or just as a hobby. But be VERY careful. There are so many horror stories when decisions are made based solely on the least expensive option. Going this route is like buying a Kitchenaid mixer and claiming you’re now a gourmet chef (*Note: I have a Kitchenaid mixer…and I burn spaghetti sauce). Or buying a really fancy car and claiming you’re now a race car driver. You still need training and experience in order to have a good reputation.

The DJ is definitely not an area that I suggest try to “skimp” on. The DJ has more of an impact on an event than you might think. Essentially, they can make or break the party! My tip for DJs is to really do your research. Talk to as many people as you can about their experiences with DJ’s at their own wedding, or other weddings they’ve attended. Ask your venue if there is a DJ that they recommend, or that has successfully done a number of weddings in the space. You’ll want to know what the DJ’s style is. Are they interactive or do they fade more into the background? Use social networking sites to your advantage. Try posting “Know any good DJs?” on Twitter or Facebook and be prepared for several suggestions. Firsthand references are always best and may even end up getting you a deal. Make sure that whoever you choose clicks with your personalities and understands the way you want the party to run.

Here are a few things I highly suggest you investigate before hiring any DJ.

1. Insist on a DJ who specializes in weddings. There are radio DJs, club DJs, and mobile event DJs. Each one is trained to specialize in a completely different kind of entertainment. A club DJ will have mixing skills, while they will likely have no idea how to formally make announcements to guests at your wedding, as an event DJ will.
2. Make sure your DJ will customize music to your taste, play music you want, and avoid music you really don’t want YET they have a wide variety of music on hand and are able to read the crowd and play music accordingly.
3. Find out how long they have been DJ-ing and how many weddings they have done. You definitely don’t want to be the guinea pig for anyone!
4. Make sure that your DJ has the highest quality sound equipment as well as backup equipment should some unforeseen circumstances occur.
5. Ask what their typical attire would be, and what you expect them to wear.
6. At what time will they be arriving to setup?
7. Find out whether they carry liability insurance?
8. Ask if they provide a wireless microphone for speeches? Are any lighting effects included?
9. Find out about contracts, guarantees, refunds/cancellation terms, and what the terms of payment are (Is tax included? Are travel expenses extra? What will you be charged for overtime if the party is in full swing and you’d like them to stay an extra hour?)

Good luck in your search for the perfect DJ for your fabulous wedding!

What are you doing for your entertainment?!

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© Kate Vanderlugt 2012 The Little White Dress www.thelittlewhitedress.ca

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