Wedding Reception Planning Tips

Posted in: Wedding Tips, Weddings by admin on May 15, 2007

Now that the wedding is over it’s time to have FUN! At least that’s the theory behind a wedding reception. Here are some Tips and Ideas to take the stress out of planning your wedding reception.

The reception is generally the most expensive part about a wedding. Feeding any amount of mouths can add up very quickly. With the expense of the meal, it can be difficult to justify spending a lot of money on making your reception a place that is visually appealing. But wouldn’t it be nice to have a room with a romantic aura about it? So, how can you decorate your reception facility in such a way that it takes your guests breath away but doesn’t cost an arm and a leg?

The answer, I think, is craftiness. Now, don’t panic. I know many of you probably think that you don’t have a creative bone in your body. Well, I say that’s not true. We all have our gifts and talents, and thank goodness, if yours is not craftiness, I can almost guarantee that someone close to you does possess this talent. Others of you are about to complain about not having enough time. To that I say, hogwash, when something is important we find a way to make the time. With this in mind, I will share with you an idea on how to decorate your reception facility.

So….what makes a room romantic? Lighting, no? Here’s what I suggest – first, decide what your reception decorations budget is going to be. It is important to stick to this, because things can quickly get out of hand. Set your limit and don’t go over it. Next, you are going to need to have an estimate of how many tables there will be at your reception. Don’t forget to include the cake table, gift table and any other tables that you might want to place your decorations on.

Here comes the fun part – head to Michael’s Craft Store (or the craft store of your choice) and check out their candle selection. Don’t get too wild, simple tea lights or votive candles will do. (I found 10 tea lights for $1.50 at http://www.dakotacandlecompany.com *) You might want to pick out your wedding colors, but if not, off-white or white candles are always great. You will want at least one candle for each table, but if it is within your budget and you are looking for a good favor idea, you could also get one candle for each person invited to your wedding.

For a more brilliant effect, but generally more expensive, buy hurricane lanterns and candles in place of votive candles. (If you don’t know what this is, ask one of the craft store personnel, they are extremely knowledgeable and helpful.) You will only want one of these per table, so this is not a great idea for a favor, but you can consider making a game out of giving these away. For instance, you can place a sticker or index card underneath one plate at each table, and when dinner is almost complete ask everyone to lift their plates to see who has won the candle.

Another candle option is to buy glass votives for floating candles. Fill the votives with water and float the candles for a shimmery effect. These can big or small, so choose according to your budget and how important it is to you. You can also give these away as prizes.

Now, before you leave the craft store, you may want to see if they sell mirrors. No, I’m not talking about a hand-held mirror, I’m talking about a flat mirror that you can place the candle(s) on. This will reflect the light throughout the room and lend to your romantic atmosphere. One round mirror per table will suffice. If you are going to give the candles out as favors, you can place 7-10 of them on the mirror or around the mirror. Plus, you don’t necessarily need to light them all, so you could just light one in the center and place the rest on each individual table setting.

Next, head to the Cashwise or Hornbacher’s floral section. (If you are hiring a florist, you could also talk to him or her about this.) You can order rose petals for around $6 a bag. Specify the date of your wedding as the pickup date (make sure you have someone who can pick them up for you) so that the petals are fresh for your reception. The petals are to sprinkle around the candle on the mirror. This adds depth of color and texture to your centerpiece and is extremely eye-catching. Consider choosing petals the color of your bridesmaids flowers if you have white candles or white petals if you chose candles the color of your bridesmaids dresses. This will produce a color contrast, also appealing to the eye.

Now there’s always the logistics. Don’t forget that on your wedding day, YOU are not going to have the time or energy to put the love that is needed into making the room look spectacular. You are going to have to trust a friend or family member to do this for you. Let your reception facility know that this person or persons will be arriving a couple of hours early to place the candles on the tables – you don’t want her to be locked out. She is also going to need a way of transporting the candles safely. Make a list for her of all of the preparations that she is going to need to be concerned with and make sure that she understands what is involved. You may want to demonstrate for her how you want the candles to look, but try not to insult her intelligence. Also, if she is a close friend or family member, she is probably going to want to attend your wedding. Make sure that there is enough time for her to both attend your ceremony and place the candles. Last, but not least, be certain to turn the lights down a bit low, so that the focus of the room is the light of the candles.

Wedding Dance Tips

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Here is a list of tips for ensuring your wedding dance goes off without a hitch.

Planning - Planning can not be stressed enough when it comes to your wedding, can it?  Plan with us (or whichever DJ you chose) when you want to do things like garter auctions, dollar dances, bouquet tosses, etc.  Then make sure that your bridal party knows which events they have to take part in so they know where they are have to be and when they’re supposed to be there.

Share Your Lives With Your Guests – Encourage your friends and family to share stories from the microphone. See if you have any friends who would like to do comedy skits regarding you and your mate. A maid of honor and a groomsmen surprised one couple with a hilarious skit about how they met and fell in love. And their guests loved it.

Let Your Guests Play – Your guests really want to have fun. Show them how. Instead of clanking their glasses to see you kiss, require each table to stand up and sing a song with the word “love” in it. If you have a big band at your reception, bring in someone to offer free (and brief) ballroom dancing lessons to your guests on the spot. We were able to find someone from our campus ballroom dancing club to offer lessons to our guests. It got a lot of them out on the dance floor and enjoying themselves in no time.

Tips For Selecting Your Wedding Reception Venue

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The location of your wedding reception has a big impact on the success of your night. One bride was almost tearful when only 30 of the 150 people who attended her wedding showed up for her reception dinner and wedding dance. For that reason, we have compiled a list of Tips and Ideas to keep in mind when selecting your wedding reception location.

Distance – If people have to drive a long way to get from the ceremony to the reception, many will get distracted or decide to do something else. Try to keep the reception within a 15 minute drive of your ceremony.

Time – This is just like the distance issue. If your reception is several hours after the ceremony, people will get busy doing other things and not show up for the reception. Try to start the reception within an hour or two of the ceremony.

Size – People like their personal space, and they have most likely spent an hour packed into a church for your ceremony. If you let them spread out, they will enjoy themselves more. Make sure your reception hall has plenty of room for your guests. The people renting the location might tell you it holds 200 people, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will hold 200 people comfortably!

Climate Control – Having a summer wedding? Is your reception hall air conditioned? If people sweat while just sitting, they won’t dance. On the flip side, if they are cold they won’t dance either (who wants to dance in a parka?). Also make sure you know who has control of the thermostat so the tempurature can be adjusted if needed.

Smoking – This is a hot button issue right now, but if your reception hall is non-smoking, you can fully expect smoker’s to leave your reception for 15-30 minutes every hour. If enough of them leave the reception area, you may find a large percentage of your guest just hanging out in the somking area. This can be a big problem if you have any smoker’s in your wedding party.

Replace Your Wedding DJ With an iPod

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Whether it’s true or not, most everyone agrees that wedding DJs are expensive. A popular tip circulating the net is to replace your wedding DJ with an iPod and DJ your reception yourself. While this may sound like a great idea, there are some things to consider. Just as with any do-it-yourself project, you must be aware of all facets before you start.

The first most important job for a good DJ is to play music that the crowd enjoys. A simple shuffle has no way of knowing who is dancing to what. A person does need to run things, but not just any person will do. Putting your 12 year old nephew won’t do you any good. The person in charge of the music needs a large amount of music knowledge. A good DJ should have this knowledge. A good DJ should be able to identify a song based on a few bars hummed out of tune or a snippet of lyrics that are slightly incorrect. Your DJ must not have a fear of speaking in front of a crowd, and this is not as easy as it sounds. One simply has to think of all the Best men who have hemmed and hawed their way through a wedding toast with the microphone held at waist level. Also, does he/she know how to auction off a garter or any of the other traditional reception activities? If not, will the bride and groom want to do these things while they should be enjoying their guests? Oh, and just like you would give your wedding singer or officiant a tip for performing your ceremony, don’t forget a gratuity for your impromptu DJ.

Unless you’re a music collector, chances are you don’t have a music library with waltzes, polkas, old country, new country, oldies, classic rock, new rock, soft rock, hard rock, hip hop, dance, etc. And, unless you want to subject your guests to your musical tastes, you should probably buy a selection of these songs. If you’re not up on popular waltzes and polkas, or don’t know which songs are currently topping the country Top 40, search the web. $25 dollars should buy you enough music on iTunes to cover enough various musical tastes that most guests will enjoy themselves.

Another task for a good wedding DJ is one who is covered by insurance. Sure, your homeowners policy *might* cover it, but I’d hate to see your premiums next year if an accident does occur. Don’t think accidents will happen to you? Are you serving alcohol at your reception? If you’re telling yourself, “All the drunk people I know never act like fools!”, stop and think about that again. Besides, many venues require proof of insurance because they don’t want to see their premiums raised because your grandma tripped on a speaker cable and broke her hip. Searching the web for “wedding event insurance” will yield a whole crop of insurers who will give you a $1 million dollar policy for around $200.

Equipment is of course another important factor a good DJ brings to your reception. Do you know where to get speakers? Or mics? Or Mixer?? Larger cities will have rental companies that can provide these things. You can even find many such companies by searching the web for “dj equipment rental”. Most wedding sized systems rent for anywhere from $250 to $500 dollars per day. In most cases, you must provide a truck or van to transport the equipment. Now, do you know how to set these things up? If not, will the rental company give you a tutorial? Some rental companies will give you a tutorial when you pick the equipment up, but make sure to take notes, because if you have to call them later they will likely charge you for a service call. Some equipment rental companies will deliver, setup, and test their equipment as well as pick up later, but this is extra.

That being said, if you KNOW your group will interact without being prompted (or just don’t care if they interact or not), and if you’ve got a person with an encyclopedic knowledge of music that will run your iPod (instead of enjoying your reception), and you have adequate insurance to cover any accidents that occur due to your iPod setup, and you have a large enough music library to make sure everyone gets to hear the music they want, and you’re able to get your hands on adequate dance lights and speakers, and will be saving money by spending $550 to $700 then by all means use an iPod. You honestly have no need for a DJ.

If planning and organizing all this sounds like just one more hassle, you’d probably do better to hire a professional so that you can enjoy your reception and spend your first day as husband and wife doing something besides returning rental equipment. For a few dollars more you’ll get professional equipment, professional knowledge from someone who has planned and performed at hundreds of weddings, peace of mind that any glitches will be resolved quickly, no hassles about tearing down equipment when the reception is over, and no worries about getting it back before you owe another day’s worth of rental fees.

Wedding Basket Shower

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I love unique ideas. If you have a friend who is getting married and don’t want to do the normal run-of-the-mill bridal shower, here is a superb idea. Throw your friend a “basket shower”. Each guest will bring a basket of goodies that has a theme to go along with it. It will help the new bride get well-stocked on supplies as well as fun items. Here are a few themes to get you thinking. Be creative and have a blast discovering all the themes ladies come up with!

• Home Organization Basket – notepads, calendar, organizer, folders, clock, phone…
• Honeymoon/Romance Basket – negligee, perfume, lotion, Throw Blanket, hot chocolate or sparkling cider with 2 mugs or glasses, picnic basket…
• Gourmet/Kitchen Basket – pasta, fancy dressings, crystal pitcher, apron, hot pads, ice cream maker….
• Gardening Basket – seeds, flower pot, water can, gardening gloves, garden tools, lawnchairs….
• Mrs. Fix-It Basket – small tool case, scissors, sewing basket, hammer….
• Homemaking Basket – laundry basket, pillows, blankets, dustbuster, air freshener….
• Memory Maker Basket – photo albums, picture frames, guest book, journals….

Dionna Sanchez is Editor of Emphasis On Moms. Emphasis strives to encourage moms not only as parents, but also as individual women. Visit Emphasis at http://www.EmphasisOnMoms.com/ or subscribe at http://www.egroups.com/subscribe/Emphasis

Unique Wedding Favor Ideas

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By Heather Diodati, DDesign

Wedding favors have always been a nice, personal gesture to include in your wedding preparations. Unfortunately, there are too many “cookie-cutter” type favors out there, which portray the couple’s lack of interest in providing something unique.

Here is a Wedding Favor Creator for you to use for your upcoming wedding or one that you’re planning for your best friend. You can mix and match to your heart’s content and according to the budget you have.

Small containers to use for candies, chocolates, small floating candles, decorative soaps, etc. (many of them can be purchased at your local dollar store)

• tiny wicker baskets or straw hats
• egg cups
• candle holders
• flat shells (scallops)
• small filigree metal boxes
• decorated wooden boxes
• coffee mugs
• wine glasses
• small decorative dish
• tiny flower pots
• little tin watering cans
• small jars
• ceramic spoon rest

Fillings to add to your favor containers

• heart-shaped candies or chocolates
• Hershey’s kisses and hugs
• small floating candles
• gourmet or flavored coffee – enough for one pot
• little decorative soaps
• wild flower seed packets or small quantity of seeds with planting instructions, wrapped in colored cellophane
• flower bulbs
• bath oil beads
• bath salts
• small bag of mixed spice (cinnamon/nutmeg) and your favorite apple pie recipe
• packets of specialty tea
• hot chocolate and cinnamon mix – enough for one mug

Sample sayings and poems to write or print onto a small note card along with your names and wedding date (punch a hole in the card and attach a ribbon to tie to your favors)

• Please plant these to celebrate our growing love (for bulbs, seeds)
• All things grow with love (for bulbs, seeds)
• Our flame of love will always be bright (for candles)
• Hugs and Kisses from the new Mr. And Mrs! (for Hershey’s kisses and/or hugs)
• Heart-felt wishes from the new Mr. And Mrs. (for anything heart-shaped)
• Love lives in happy hearts (anything heart-shaped)
• The best gifts are tied with heartstrings (anything heart-shaped)
• May there always be spice in your life! (for apple pie recipe and spice; for hot chocolate/cinnamon mix)
• We’re suited to a ‘T’ (for specialty teas)
• Nothing can wash away the love we feel! (bath oil, bath salts, soaps)
• Thanks for sharing this special day with us
• Thank you for sharing in the celebration of our love (or union, etc.)
• Thanks for joining us on our wedding day
• Thanks for sharing in our special day

Other Unique Ideas

• Personalized coasters made from CD’s (see http://www.whimsies-online.com/cdcoasters.htm)
• Personalized CD mix of your favorite music – print out a liner for the CD case with your names, wedding date and a nice background or a photo of the happy bride and groom-to-be!
• Fortune cookies with printed fortunes that you create on your computer – or add your names and wedding date (see http://www.whimsies-online.com/wedding.htm)
• small picture frames that can double as place cards
• Heart-shaped cookie cutters with your favorite sugar cookie recipe
• Homemade bell-shaped or heart-shaped cookies decorated with your names and wedding date in hard icing

Finishing Details

Wrap each filled favor in colored netting or tulle to match your wedding colors or line white or glitter netting with colored tissue paper before wrapping your favors.

Wrap the favor bag with ribbon or lace and add your note card (hole-punched). Tie into bow and add a sprig of dried or silk flowers and it’s ready for your special day!

Heather Diodati is the owner of Whimsies! By DDesign featuring Personalized Cartoon Designs for all occasions. See our unique Wedding Cartoon Design personalized with your names and wedding date! 8″ x 10″ size with free mat, they make a truly special souvenir for the new Mr. And Mrs! Wedding favor magnets are also offered in four different designs, fully personalized; something really special for your favor bags! Sign up for our free ezine, On A Whim, for your free time management gifts; and if you looooove ballroom dancing be sure to subscribe to Dancing On Air ezine, for your free gift, The Dancer’s Notebook!
http://www.whimsies-online.com

Tips on Wedding Toasts You Need to Know

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By Susan Dunn, MA Clinical Psychology, The EQ Coach

There are lots of logistics to work out during a wedding, and emotions are running high, so the emotionally intelligent thing to do is be prepared.

A suggested order for toasting during the Rehearsal Dinner is: The best man toasts the bride; the bride toasts the groom; the groom toasts the bride’s mother; the bride’s father toasts the groom’s parents.

During the Reception, the order might be: The best man toasts the bride and groom; the groom toasts the bride and her family; the (two) father(s) toast the bride and groom; the bride and groom toast each other.

Here are ten tips for giving the toast:

1. Keep the toast 3-5 minutes long and maintain eye contact with the bride and groom as you deliver it.

2. Stand and deliver! Sit down if it’s for you. Before you begin, announce your relationship to the bride and groom. Everyone may not know.

3. Use personal anecdotes; how the bride and groom met is always popular. Don’t give a long string of characteristics. Rather choose a few adjectives, hitting the high points, i.e., she’s lovely, vivacious and kind.

4. Use tasteful humor and don’t do “in” jokes that only a few will get. You want to include, not exclude. And stay PG-rated. There may be children there, and also it’s your responsibility to make sure on this occasion you offend absolutely no one.

5. End on a serious note. Finish with a wish, a blessing, cheers! or congratulations. “To the bride and groom” always works.

6. Practice your toast a lot beforehand. It’s not a good time to “wing it” especially if you plan to be imbibing beforehand.

7. Make sure all the glasses are full before you begin.

8. Do NOT mention past girlfriends, past marriage, or past relationships. That’s what the stag party is for.

9. And don’t end with something negative which may slip into your mind if you aren’t prepared like, “And I hope theirs doesn’t end in divorce like mine did.”

10. Can’t think of what to say? There are a host of services that will write it for you – ranging in price from $19 to $119. Here are three:
http://www.blissweddings.com;
http://www.wedding-speeches.org; and
http://www.theperfecttoast.com.

© Susan Dunn, The EQ Coach, http://www.webstrategies.cc/globalsusan.html. Emotional intelligence coaching, business programs, EQ Alive! coaching school, marketing for coaches, EQ products for licensing. Nothing is more broadly applicable or beneficial to your life than emotional intelligence. Let me start teaching you today. Call 210-496-0678 or mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc to schedule a sample session.

Choosing the Right Wedding Favors for a Fairytale Wedding

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Copyright © 2003, Helen Marakis
Portara, Inc.

Spring is when a young man’s fancy turns to love or in modern Greek “agapo”. Spring is the most romantic and popular time of the year to marry your sweetheart, when all is fresh and new in the world, like dew-kissed tulips at sunrise. Spring; the season of renewal is the perfect time to make a commitment to your beloved and begin making plans to spend the rest of your lives together, as one.

Every couple secretly yearns for a perfect and elegant wedding celebration without any hiccups; a romantic, fairytale wedding, that is within the elasticity of their budget. Everything has to be just right; perfect. The flowers, fresh; the bride, stunning; the wedding favors unique and the table decorations creative. Each and every one of these components should leave a lasting impression on your wedding guests long after the ceremony ends.

Wedding favors should be charming and unique and provide your guests with a feeling of awe. Wedding favors should be simple, yet elegant, leaving your guests feeling as special as you and your betrothed feel on this very special day.

Your wedding favors might include unique candle holders with Jordan almonds, wrapped exquisitely in pretty organza bags of sheer delicate pastel shades. Or perhaps you’d prefer beautiful Sweet Porcelain Roses; green leaves surrounding an assortment of fine colorful porcelain roses. These roses can also make excellent and one-of-a-kind gifts for your guests to treasure. You can accompany them with Jordan almonds embedded in wired tulle which will be displayed decoratively at the base of each stem. You may even wish to personalize these exquisite gifts with a sparkling ribbon.

Unique, ocean scented candles with an array of pretty sea shells “floating” within them, are bound to create a conversation piece amongst your guests. Even if you are nowhere near the ocean for your wedding celebration, this candle’s scent will transport everyone to a romantic beach somewhere along the Greek coastline, where music plays and the breeze dances playfully to the rhythm. You can include with this beautifully aromatic gift fine heart confetti almonds with delicious chocolate centers for your guests’ enjoyment.

Should you desire to present unique and unusual placing cards for your guest tables, an assortment of real jewels from the sea with potpourri in a jewel beaded organza bag may be the perfect complement to your ceremony. You can simply attach your guest’s name and table number to the organza ribbon. It makes an elegant piece that will be an eye-catching addition to any wedding table decor.

Adding class to the ambiance of the occasion, white remembrance envelopes presented as wedding favors will delight your guests. Remembrance envelopes made of high quality white organza tulle with exquisite white embroidered edging and coupled with a white silk flower and satin ribbon add a touch of classy elegance to the overall appearance.

Every guest will find appealing such a delicate envelope filled with sugared almonds and it would be the perfect touch to your special occasion.

Of course, no formal event is complete without the perfect table centerpiece. Imagine a Heart-Shaped Gold Wire Basket adorning the tables of your guests. Imagine further this elegant piece accompanied with silver or gold burlap bags filled with heavenly, aromatic potpourri and matching color organza bows. Each guest could select a bag of their choosing for a pretty scented keepsake as an aromatic reminder of your perfect wedding.

The final complement of the perfect wedding is the pictures taken during this most sacred of ceremonies. After the photos have been developed, a perfect after-the-event gift to the guests could be the quintessential wedding photograph framed in a beautiful bell-shaped photo frame. Styled after the Victorian era and edged with delicate pink and white rosebuds, this photo frame in the shape of a wedding bell sports a pretty bow atop of it.

You have the power to create the most perfect and elegant wedding celebration — a romantic, fairytale wedding. When a wedding must be budgeted, Portara.com delivers elegance and class at a price every one can afford.

Resource Box:
Helen Marakis owns Portara, Inc. http://www.portara.com/ a company that combines Ancient Greek history and art through its unique sculptures, dolls, semiprecious stones and wedding favors that are hand-crafted and hand-finished. Portara, Inc’s products are being sold for the first time in the United States and come with a 60-day money back guarantee.

So You’re Planning An Outdoor Wedding

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By Susan Dunn, MA, Emotional Intelligence Coach & Consultant

The best advice I can give you is to test your ideas in the actual location under realistic conditions to eliminate unpleasant surprises. Work with an experienced coach or wedding consultant if you can, and keep in mind the following things:

1. THE WIND

Wind can affect many things: the temperature, making it hotter or colder; the bridesmaids’ dresses; everyone’s hair; and whether the ceremony can be heard. Test beforehand. It can be as simple as moving the tables around a corner, or across the park to a more sheltered area.

Plan decorations and tablecloths you can anchor attractively; choose weighted fabrics for the attendants; warn them about the hair thing; and consider the need for a sound system and mike clips. If you’re renting a tent, make sure it’s wind-worthy.

2. THE COMFORT OF YOUR GUESTS.

Okay, if you’re getting married in San Diego, you can count on perfect conditions, but failing that, your event may be hotter, wetter, or colder than many guests would prefer.

If you’re having a lot of out-of-towners, particularly, include information about the weather possibilities on an insert with the invitation along with the accommodation recommendations. (I went to an outdoor wedding in Dallas in July; 111 degrees that day, and boy were the people from Colorado and La Jolla dressed wrong!)

If it’s hot, provide iced bottles of water when they arrive, and hand fans, and if you have a tent, rent fans. If it’s chilly, have a tent, warmers, a hot beverage when they arrive, and lap blankets.

3. YOU MUST HAVE A PLAN B IN CASE IT POURS DOWN RAIN.
4. HOW TOUGH ARE YOU?

Come on now, if you’re at all the fussy type, or prone to nerves, this simply isn’t for you. You’ll have to manage your hair outside, for heaven’s sake.

5. THE CALL OF THE WILD.

Inclement weather – or even just ordinary ocean waves and bird calls – can wreak havoc with still photographs and videos alike. I recall an amateur wedding video where most of the sound was the wind whistling around. There may also be a fountain or waterfall, dogs barking, kids screaming, birds chirping.

6. DECORATIONS

I’ve seen even cloth tablecloths blow in the wind, turning over glasses, candles and centerpieces. Wind, bird poop, the shades of night falling … Be extremely realistic when planning your decorations. Actually test them outdoors.

7. NATURE RED IN TOOTH AND CLAW.

It’s from a poem, okay? but that’s where you’re going to be. Don’t fantasize about how “romantic” the place is; go take a look. Think realistically about beer bottles and cans on the beach; getting the lawn mowed and weeded; planting seasonal flowers; bugs, flies, snakes and spiders; the sounds of barking dogs and (uninvited) children; or, for that matter these days, drugs dealers in the park.

Have a visit with your eyes open. Then do what you need to do, or resolve it’s “good enough” and don’t worry. The world of nature isn’t going to shut down just because it’s your wedding.

8. SAFETY … ALL AGES

You’re in love. You’re planning your big day. However, you must limit the things you have to worry about if you’re going to enjoy yourself. A celebration in a park by a lake would be nice, or by the pool at your aunt’s mansion, or even at the beach, but in actuality, if there are going to be children there, and drinking, there’s also going to be the chance for a real tragedy.

Which brings up – all ages will likely be there, and must be considered. Can you really picture your great-grandmother standing in the surf with her hair blowing, stepping over man-o-wars while picking sand out of her teeth . for long? Can the kiddos go that long without a restroom? Many people can’t stand up for a long time; others need protection from extreme heat and cold.

9. THE FOOD.

Can you say “food poisoning?” Mayonnaise (and food items with that as an ingredient) can’t sit out in the hot sun for more than an hour or so. Avoid perishable dishes. Wind can make it hard to get the grill lit. Ice cream won’t do when it’s 90 degrees outside, nor will hot hors d’eouvres last long when it’s 50 degrees outside.

10. THE SUN, THE MOON AND THE STARS.

Yes, he promised you that . and you’ll be promising it to your guests, one way or another. Keep in mind the sun moves through the sky, and plan your event (and the photographs) accordingly. One of the most beautiful weddings I went to was held on the deck of a hillside lodge, with the ceremony ending just as the sun was setting. Now THAT was an outdoor wedding!

©Susan Dunn, MA, Personal Life Coach,
http://www.susandunn.cc . Relationships, events, emotional intelligence, transitions, career. Coaching, Internet courses, teleclasses, ebooks. Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for free ezine. I train and certify EQ coaches. Email for info on this highly acclaimed, fast, affordable program with no residency requirement.

Games & Special Dances for Your Wedding Reception

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If you’re looking for a fun and entertaining wedding reception, you’ll need to include interactive entertainment. Getting the crowd involved in some kind of activity will help break the ice and let people relax. It will also make your evening more memorable because people learn by doing. If you really want to make things happen, lead some of these dances as newly wed couple. People will find it hard to be a wall flower when the bride or groom are trying to get them on the dance floor! Make sure your disc jockey is aware of any special activities you want to include in your wedding dance.

Wedding Party Dance: This is a very common dance. It is usually one of the first dances at the reception. It is simply a dance for only the people in the wedding party. Many guests take this time to get photos of everyone in your wedding party.

Snow Ball Dance: The Snow Ball Dance is a very simple dance, and is a good dance to have after your wedding party dance. In the snow ball dance, the DJ will stop the music and everyone currently on the dance floor must go out into the crowd and bring a new dance partner onto the dance floor. The music resumes for a minute and then stopped again, and the process of finding a new partner from the crowd is repeated. This continues until no one is left in the crowd.

Anniversary Dance: For the Anniversary Dance, all the couples in the audience are asked to come out to the dance floor. Music is played, and as the couples dance the disc jockey will ask anyone married for less than 6 hours to sit down. After a moment, the DJ will ask couples married less than one year to sit down. Then five years, ten years, etc. until only one couple is left on the dance floor. This will be the couple that has been married the longest, and they will get to finish out the dance on their own. After the song is done, another song will be played, but the new bride will dance with the husband while new groom dances with the wife. This is a good time for advice on how to have a lasting marriage.

Father-Daughter Mother-Son Dance – This one is pretty self explainatory, but still gives people that “warm fuzzy” to see two “kids” grown up and making a life-long commitment.

The type of games and dances you do aren’t as important as the number of people participating in them. Take the time to explain any of the activities you’ve planned to your wedding party, and things will go very smoothly. If you’ve appointed someone in your party as Activity Leader and they’re doing their job, people will have fun doing anything. It is important to note that this is not just your Activity Leader’s job. If the whole wedding party gets up to dance, others will follow.