Untraditional music for your wedding ceremony

Looking for some inspiration for music during your wedding ceremony or for the dinner portion of your reception?  Many of our clients have turned to us trying to figure out the best way to keep the traditional feeling of a wedding, but bring it up to date.  Two things you can try.  Check out Pandora's Classical Goes Pop station.  It's amazing how much is out there! Your string ensemble may be able to pull off some of these covers.

Want bigger? Consider having a pianist perform.  Bring in the baby grand and WOW, you have a sound that can not be replicated.  If you've never seen a pianist playing classical...find one.  Its just sublime.  If you like the idea of totally unique sound and a performance, try an electric violin duo or ensemble.

Love the sound of voices?  Want to see pure shock and awe on guests faces?  Have a choir or barbershop quartet greet guests.

Trying to think of a great way to give the band a break, but don't want that lull that always comes with it? Check out Drumadics : Y'all they are insane I tell you.

A Most Gorgeous Wedding: The Martha Paltrow SeriesThe After Glow

Once the amazing dinner was complete, and the formal dances were danced- the party really began.
Vox Blu brought down the house!


This is one of the few bands I recommend on a regular basis, and will fight over. Yes, they're that good.

The cake and cupcakes. Hello loves.
What a beautiful classic cake. This Kakes by Karen design tasted as exquisite as it appeared. Also on the dessert table there were Madelines, an assortment of candies, cookies and nuts, and my favorite Chocolate confections by the infamous Norman Love.




As a refresher, mid way through the after glow we sent around these sorbet scoops. and yes, the crowd went wild!

The Pro Series: Clint Wiley

There is nothing like a great band at a wedding. Music is one of those crucial decisions in your wedding planning quite frankly because it has the greatest impact on the celebration portion of your wedding day, and that is most likely half of the time your guests will be spending with you. This band you're about to read about is not your typical wedding band because they play the most current music on top of the standards;

"Oh you want to hear Rihanna & Maroon 5? Sure we can do that. Michael Jackson too? Got it. The Cure? Will do. Your mom wants to here Sweet Caroline? Consider it done."

With that said, let me introduce you to one band that has kept dance floors packed at my clients weddings for years now.

What are your company and profession?
Clint Wiley Entertainment. I am the owner as well as singer, guitarist, emcee and DJ.

What’s your name? Should I know anyone else from your company? Clint Wiley. My six piece band consists Lyli, Dom, Chris, Quinn, and Billy. I have other band members for horn sections, percussion, and dancers if desired.

Where do you do weddings?
I offer my services internationally, but a majority of my shows are in the state of Florida. I own a 15 passenger van and 20 foot trailer, so getting to most locations is easy.


Website Link
www.clintwiley.com

How long have you been in business?
The band was formed ten years ago when we were VERY young:) We did our first wedding in 2001. I have been averaging at least one wedding a week for about three years.

Why weddings?
I really like to be a part of 'big' things. I have pacticed my skills for decades, and the opportuinity to use my gifts to make someone's special day the best it can be is very fulfilling. I think weddings should always be about 'the best' of everything, and I find that challenge exciting.

What your clients most often commend you on?
The top comment heard from clients is that I went far above their expectations. Their guests usually say we are the best wedding band they have ever heard. I don't say that to sound cocky, but it is the most common and rewarding comment I hear.

Best piece of advice for brides & grooms?
Do lots of research before picking a band. Make sure the band actually plays the styles you want. Make sure the band has sound/movie clips of what they can do. Some bands will say they can play a style just to land the job. For weddings, I believe the selection should be diverse. Bands that focus on one style or a couple decades can be fun for a while, but it can get tiring over an entire night. Playing music from all decades will involve everyone. 80's songs seems to go over really well with all ages, and adding some modern hits makes the younger crowd happy. Also make sure bands have a good sound system and lighting package. Once you find the band you like, give them a little direction, but let them do what they do best. I've seen some brides empty a dance floor by picking a song list that doesn't work well.

What is one thing that makes working with new clients easier?
Having the client know what they want at least a month before the wedding date. Last minute changes can be frustrating at times. Also, seating the older guests away from the band is ALWAYS a great idea. Otherwise, the older guests wants the music low, and the other guests cannot enjoy the dance music.

What is the craziest request you’ve ever received? Or
What is the craziest thing you saw happen at a wedding?
The craziest thing I saw happen were a group of grown men acting like chickens(sounds and all) in front of the stage because I would not play the Chicken Dance. The bride was very adamant about not hearing that song, or anything cheesy. Evidently the men were cousins who had harassed her since she was a kid, and her wedding day would, evidently, be no exception.

What is something you hope to do in the near future?
I constantly work to improve my show, and part that consists of new staging and lighting. I now own a full intelligent light show with a professional truss and lasers. I hope to be able to use them at a wedding in the near future.

Previous Pro Series Interviews: Kelly McWilliams (Weddings by Socialites), Sue Bain (Signature Florals).
Next up: Michael Schuhmann (Photography by Michael)
Want to be interviewed? Send an email to WeddingTidbits{at}gmail.com

A Beautiful Rainy Wedding Day at the Ritz Naples

Last month we had a stunning formal wedding weekend at the Ritz-Carlton, Naples Beach. I'm not going to say, "Unfortunately, it rained" because while the rain did come, it was still an amazing evening. There was nothing unfortunate about it! We had back up plans in place and had called for all the events to take place indoors several hours in advance (this is crucial!) so that everything would seem as it had been planned that way all along. The key is to make certain it does not appear to be a last minute move.
All photos on this post were taken by me, so yeah, they aren't so good because I am not a photographer who knows everything about lighting, angles, speed and all that stuff I find unfathomable to remember all at one time. But you get the point. To see better photos- always check out the photographers websites & blogs!
Location: Ritz Carlton Naples Beach
Photographer: Michelle Reed
Flowers: Ritz Carlton
Cake: Ritz Carlton
Band: Vox Blu
The band was unreal. We had Vox Blu at a wedding last year and I was immediately a fan. I was so excited when Kim picked them out for her wedding. They have the best Michael Jackson compilation of any band I have ever heard. There was not a single soul in a seat. Honestly, the dance floor was packed the entire night. Well, until the fire alarm went off. But that's another story. Anyway, the Hora was off the charts! Kim and Steve were up in the chairs many times until Steve was ultimately dropped. Oops. No worries though, he landed on both feet.

Fun Wedding Parties

How lucky am I to be a destinaton wedding planner? Not only do I get to plan ceremonies & receptions, but I get to plan festivities! Here's a quick list of some of my all time favorites:

Casino nights- always a huge hit. We started doing these in 2005 and they never get old. You can do something as simple as a Poker table or 2 or go all out and add a roulette wheel, black jack, and craps. Be sure to get dealers- they make all the difference.

Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Tastings- YUM. 'Nough said. The trick to these events is to have a pro there to talk about what tastes so good. For wine you have a sommelier; cheese a Maitre Fromager.

Sunset, dinner, or lunch Cruises- We do these constantly because its one of those events that everyone, young or old can enjoy. You can cruise to nowhere, or cruise to somewhere fun.

Mini Carnival- casual fun is all the rage. A totally laid back party with nothing but the stuff you aren't supposed to eat but love to eat. Pizza, brownies, ice cream, chicken fingers, french fries, cotton candy, popcorn, doughnuts...you name your favorites. Try it on a manicured lawn Add a bunch of pillows, outdoor blankets, and a DJ and you have quite the shindig. Have some games available to like Cornhole, volleyball/badmitten and horseshoes.

Karaoke- This is the one party I wish more people would do. For some reason when people get away from their normal enviornment and into the celebration mode, the fear of singing aloud disappears. Don't believe me? Think about it, when you're at a wedding and the band or DJ is playing an awesome song- doesn't everyone sing along...really loud? YEP, they do. Now imagine if that's what is supposed to happen. That's right..it's even better. It's hands down the best wedding weekend party. If your budget can swing for a karaoke band- DO IT. Oh, and this one is a must have on video.

How big should my band be?

Here's a good question I got today.

Is there such thing as a band that's too big?

Yes there most certainly is. One easy way to know if you've gone a bit too far- if the stage will have to be bigger than the dancefloor to fit the band...it's too big. If you want a true live band experience, I vote for nothing less than 3 pieces. After that, another piece per 20-25 (starting with 3 pieces and 75 guests)people is a good rule of thumb.

Some things to keep in mind though:

Typically what makes that big band sound is a horn section. And that usually requires a 5 to 6 piece band.
The other element that makes a huge difference in not only the sound, but also the playlist- having a female vocalist.

The Truth about your wedding menu

The truth about your wedding menu: Nobody cares what it is as long as it's hot and tastes good.
Consider all the weddings you've been too. Is the meal what you remember most about them? Doubt it.
Think about the BEST wedding you ever attended. Was the meal what made it? Doubt it.
Chances are that the best thing about your favorite wedding was the great time or feeling you had there. It's probably the memory of a band so amazing that you were dancing for so long your feet were swollen into your shoes. Or your lack of memory due to a really great signature drink. Or maybe it was how incredibly romantic and intimate the night was. Or perhaps it was how gorgeous the ceremony & reception looked and made you feel. But like I said, chances are- it wasn’t the meal.

My point is this, don't stress about what you put on your wedding menu. It's one of the elements of planning a wedding that I have noticed clients get more stressed about, and they just don't need to. So with that said:
***Feel free to serve chicken. These days, you can get some mighty good chicken! Chefs are amazing with their accompaniments and presentations, let them kick it up a notch and get creative with it. Why chicken? It is almost always the least expensive entree on a catering menu. Those savings mean you can bump up your budget on the things that really do make a huge difference in your wedding memories (the band, the flowers, etc.).
***Have a shorter dinner. Go the 3 course route rather than the 4 course. Again, there is the cost savings. Even better though, the time savings. That 4th course could easily eat up another 30 to 40 minutes of your "party" time.
***Do go all out for dessert. It's consistently a big hit when it’s done, and because it happens later in the evening- guests do remember it.
Cool ideas: add a dessert buffet, candy bar, Venetian table, or fresh doughnut bar.

The Wedding Budget Series, Part 1: How much does the average wedding cost?

I have tried and tried to come up with a fail safe for this question and the truth is: There's no such thing as an average cost. I can tell you where to find out the average amount spent across the USA, but in no way will that hold up when it comes to your planning. Here's why; no 2 weddings are the same. In fact, I've never had 2 that were even remotely close to each other. I've planned weddings that were hundreds of thousands of dollars and I've planned weddings that were a couple thousand, and everything in between. Let me give you an example of how 2 weddings at the same to-die-for location, with the same amount of people can be so different in cost. Let's say there are 75 guests.
Wedding A:
The bride and groom decide to have their wedding on the beach on a Sunday at 11am. That way they can enjoy the gorgeous view of the Gulf of Mexico for the entire length of the ceremony & reception. Instead of a rehearsal dinner, they invite everyone out to the beach at 7:30pm, a half hour before sunset, play their favorite beach tunes on a portable cd player, and serve ice cream bars out of a cooler as they watch the sun go down. For the reception they choose a brunch buffet, which includes Salmon, Chicken, and ziti. They decide to host a consumption bar because people don’t typically drink as much during the day. For music, they hire a really good DJ to cover the entire event, but also have a soloist for the ceremony. For décor, the bride decided to stick with all roses in just 2 colors. Since it’s a Sunday afternoon, they were able to get a good deal on photography and videography coverage. The bride and all her bridesmaids had a Pina Colada-n-Papers party and made all the save the dates, invitations, and placecards.
Wedding B:
The bride and groom decide to have their wedding on a Saturday at 6:30pm. For the rehearsal dinner, they treated all 75 guests to a sunset cruise and a clambake on a nearby island. Their ceremony is on the beach with chivari chairs covered in a sheer light flowing wrap. A beautiful sunset cocktail hour with a mojito and martini bar, cigar roller, and a sushi station. A dinner under the stars is their dream. They choose a plated 5-course surf and turf meal for their guests with a five-hour open bar and wine service during dinner. For music, they have a string quartet at the ceremony, steel pan and guitar at the cocktail hour, a 12-piece band for the reception, and a DJ for the after party. For décor, the bride brings the florist a photo of Donald Trumps wedding reception and says, “I’d like this, only in my colors”. For the wedding stationary, the bride goes to a custom stationary designer and calligrapher for the save the dates, invitations, menus, programs, and place cards.

In both cases, the couple is getting their dream wedding at their dream location. So can you see how giving an average is difficult? The cost of each of these weddings- how about I let you make your best guess? Post your estimates via the comment link and I’ll post the answer and winner tomorrow. The winner will receive the next issue of Grace Ormonde Wedding Style- since it was the winner of the last survey. This is open to everybody: brides, grooms, wedding professionals…hope to hear from lots of you!

Wedding Bells

Well how about that. I hate to be harsh, I really do. But I was so looking forward to a really funny show about wedding planners and their experiences. Boy was I ever duped by the previews.
I only laughed twice during the show, both times at the assistant who was responsible for chasing down the blonde wedding crashing twins.
I guess I am most shocked because it was so absurd. There are enough hilarious wedding stories that really happen, which could totally be exaggerated into a sitcom format, to have the show run twice daily. But nooooooo, instead they have a wedding planner sleeping with married groomsmen in broom closets, a chef seducing yet another wedding planner with Putinesca, a chain smoking bride running down the street and over a guy, and a mother of the bride faking tears with visine. And that whole thing with the bride and the band leader? Give me a break. Ugh.
Seriously, if they had just taken the Law and Order method, you know, "Ripped from the headlines", the show would have been hilarious. Somebody get me a producer.

"Your job is so cool" Warning: Long Post.

I giggle a little when people say this to me. I do love what I do; I love planning weddings. You couldn't possibly convince me that there's a better job out there. However, when people say this to me its either at the wedding, when they see me smiling off to the side(dancing just a little cause the band rocks!) or crying tears of joy. Or during wedding venue tours, when we're going to all these fabulous locations looking at beaches, tasting food, and eating cake. That part of being a wedding planner is so beyond great- who wouldn't want to do that?
But I giggle because never do wedding guests or clients see me in my office, with 2 computers, a fax machine, 3 phones, bookshelves full of client binders, and filing cabinets full of vendor and resource information. On my typical day I am tied to the office for 9 hours. I get 15-20 emails per hour. Most of my 8-10 phone calls take at least 15 minutes. I wish it was just my brides calling me; because I love talking to them, but I have to actually plan their weddings, and that means talking to all their vendors too. Most weddings have about 20 contracts of some sort. I have to take care of all that. Cool right?
If I have to give up some of that office time for meetings, I'm in the office on the weekend, in the evenings, and sometimes before dawn. And that's after the usual weekend meetings with clients. Because, I meet with clients when they aren't working their jobs! Then there's the calendar on the wall. Right now there are 17 weddings on that calendar (between now and next April 2008). I am a multi-tasking master. So, what it comes down to is that my job might be fairly similar to any other project-manager-office-job most of the time. Cool right?
Then there's wedding week. Adrenaline takes over big time. No matter what, there will be fires to put out, chaos to control, and a mess to clean up. No matter what, I always end up working at least 20 hours straight 3 days in a row, I might get to eat one meal (which is cold, while standing up, in a corner, in the dark), and there's no such thing as a bathroom break. Cool right?
Truly, my friends think I am insane for doing what I do. My husband thinks I work too much. My kids, they seem to get it (kids are cool like that). My dad- he didn't think I was running a real business until he read an article about me in a magazine; and this was just a few months ago (I've been in business for years!).

My job is cool- for me. Again, I love it, and there are some seriously fun parts. But it is not for everyone, thats for sure. I'll post about the fun parts later, but right now I have 17 weddings to plan. Hee Hee.

The Hot Trends...

This was one serious cake fight! By the time they were done, half the wedding party was covered. Just hilarious.

So as you can imagine, I get to see what so many brides are planning for their weddings. I do keep in touch with many wedding and event planners across the country so that I can keep current on what neat things are going on around the rest of the U.S. These are things you'll see in the late winter and spring weddings.


The 3-part wedding reception: 1.Cocktail Hour 2.Dinner & Dancing 3.The afterparty

Two wedding dresses: One for the ceremony & one for the reception

Coffee bars, complete with an array of flavored coffee syrups, chocolate dipped spoons, and flavored sugar cubes

Strapless dresses are still on top

A band and a DJ

Luxury or custom Linens

Big wedding cakes; The bigger, the better

Low long centerpieces on long tables

Candy buffets are still huge

The new drink- Kir Royal

Late evening ceremonies followed by cocktail and dessert receptions

Out of the ordinary rentals such as popcorn carts, photo booths, and cotton candy machines

31 and still smiling

That's right! Today is my 31st birthday. So far, really good. One bride sang happy birthday to me (awwww)...just before she asked me to find a way to make her photography budget higher, again. "JULES!"
My wonderful wonderful friends have been so great to me. I got e-cards, and red envelope boxes, and plane tickets...I am so blessed. On top of all that, I am so excited to say- I am almost done with my to do list and its not even 4pm! Woohoo!

Wedding planning advice:
Today I also had a client move their event date so they could get the amazing band that they wanted. Thankfully I still had the date open. Changing your wedding date is not the worst thing in the world. The reason I say this is because without a doubt, there's going to be something about your wedding that is a number one priority. Chances are- it isn't the date. So why base all of your plans on that?
Let's say that you pick a date, have a great location chosen, and then you get to the band. The band means everything to you. And the one you just have to have isn't available on the date you chose. However, they are available the night before or 6 weeks later. Here's a great way to avoid this big snag: Before you do anything, make a priority list. Make sure you cover everything- band, location(s), food, guest list, photographer...everything (Don't think this is a complete list by the way, it's not even half a priority list). After you've prioritized, set your budget, detail your budget, and start planning. 1st priority first.

Pictures:
That's me today with my red envelope box. I'll tell you what's in it tomorrow. I'm going to save it for opening later. The other photo is the cover of the wedding program for a wedding we're doing in a couple months. We've going retro, and I think it just turned out so cute. It's inspired by a lobby card from the 1965 movie Forever Darling starring Lucy & Desi. This is just the 1st draft...still trying to decide whether to stick with the cartoon faces or photoshop in real photos. What do you think?

Sorry its been so long everyone. I've moved! My previous blog host wasn't as user friendly as I had hoped. So let's try this again!
The spring/summer wedding season is over down here in Florida. It's pretty darn hot in these parts and the rain can be ferocious at times.
My last event this season was a vow renewal and anniversary weekend. I miss my clients terribly. I truly had such a wonderful time planning with them. And then when it came time for their events- I fell in love with their family and friends too. They truly have the best people in their lives. I felt so honored to be a part of their 40th anniversary. The weekend was full of events which was called "Family, Friends, and Forty Years". My clients and their guests played golf, shopped, fished, and toured all over Naples. And that was just the 1st half day! After a welcome reception that evening, my clients and their guests jumped aboard their chartered trolleys for a narrated tour (narrated by my clients!) of some of the must see sights of Naples and ended their day with a beautiful sunset cruise. The next day they had an open house, and then everyone paraded down the block to the beach for their vow renewal. It was such a sight. A few hours after the ceremony it was time for cocktails, dinner, and dancing. Boy did they dance! The band (The Landsharks, absolutely amazing- one of the best ever!), had everyone out of their seats nearly the entire evening. Yep, we had to extend an hour because the party was way too hot to shut down! The next morning there was a farewell brunch at their home.
Photos: My favorite EVER vow renewal clients! The flowers up there- believe it or not we used them for 3 different events- and that's the last one! True sign of a fantastic florist! I used them at the welcome reception on Friday, the cocktail hour before the dinner Saturday, and finally at the farewell brunch on Sunday. And the last photo is the tail end of the parade to the beach (1 block walk from their new home).
I had a really difficult time saying goodbye to these clients. I always do, but these clients were different. It was an experience not like one I've had before. I balled all the way home. I've cried a few times since then too. Thanks Gary & Janet... it was such a pleasure.