Should we have a money dance? – Wedding Tips

This is a question that many couples will ask me. My answer is always the same. This depends on how you and your future spouse feels about having one.

The money dance is derived out of a tradition whereby guests at a wedding would give the bride and groom money for their honeymoon. In this manner, couples were able to afford going on a nicer honeymoon than they might have originally planned.

So, the money dance is an opportunity for your guests to send you off on your honeymoon. This is also know coincidentally as the “honeymoon dance”.

English: Greek Wedding Photography Money Dance (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wedding Tips – Choosing Music – Do Not Play List

There are just some songs you would rather not here at your wedding. Maybe you just think they are corny or you really do not like the song. Sometimes it is because the song had relevance in the past, and you just don’t think it is appropriate on your wedding day. Whatever the case may be; if there are some songs you really do not want to hear on your wedding day, then you should definitely make a do not play list. This is part of the planning process that helps your dj make sure they play the right music at your wedding reception. This is essential to making your wedding day great!

The first dance – after bridal party introductions or after cutting of the cake?

Should we have the first dance after the bridal party introductions or after the cutting of the cake? This is one of those questions that brides ask while they are planning their wedding.

While it is entirely proper to do it either way, there are pros and cons to having your first dance after the bridal party introductions. The pros being that your guests are already focused on you after the bridal party introduction, and this is a dramatic time to have your first dance while all your guests are still present. The cons being that this is one of the highlights of the reception, and then you are going to stop all the excitement to sit down and  have dinner. Many guests will think that they have already seen you dance so they may leave at the end of dinner.

When you save the first dance until after dinner, this is the time to engage your guests in your reception celebration. The first dance will be followed usually by the father/daughter dance, the mother/dance, and then an all dance number which kicks off the dancing for the evening!

Remember it is your choice and the bride should always have things in the manner she would like them on her wedding day!

Wonder Valley wedding with the Everists!

The Everists traveled from Los Angeles to get married in Wonder Valley. You may ask where is Wonder Valley? It is a gorgeous venue in Sanger; a small community just outside Fresno near Sequoia Park.

Music Express played music for their wedding, and their reception where everyone had a great time dancing!

They had a beautiful outdoor wedding. They chose our package that includes a gobo light and a candy buffet. The gobo light allows you to shine a customized design, possibly with your new name, on the dance floor making it personalized just for you on your big day!

When should you cut the wedding cake?

This is a question that brides ask me all the time (so do their mothers)! This is really up to the bride and groom.

However, the current trend is to cut the cake about 10 to 15 minutes after the toast. This works out great because then the cutting of the cake is an extension of dinner, and this is customary with weddings that the bride and groom are the first to eat a piece of cake!

It is also the trend to pick out a song for the cutting of the cake. We have suggestions on our Music Express facebook page.

In the past, a couple of decades ago the cutting of the cake would occur about 30-45 minutes after dinner and the first dance.

It is really your decision how you would like to handle this.

 

 

 

Beautiful Monterey Wedding on February 20, 2013

Last night we performed at a beautiful Monterey Wedding! The ceremony was on the golfcourse of the Blackhore Bayonet Golf Course which is on the CSU Monterey Bay campus. The view during the ceremony was breathtaking. The ocean was brilliantly blue with the sun beginning to set as the bridal party, and then the bride walked down the golf course which is populated with Cypress trees and a lush green lawn.

Following the ceremony we all had a gourmet dinner in the clubhouse with the bridal party being announced, the best man and the maid of honor giving a toast, followed by all the customary events.

The rest of the night was spent dancing, and everyone had a great time! The bridal party was especially energetic!

Related articles

• Monterey Wedding Film from Kale Fitch Productions (stylemepretty.com)

Desination Weddings – Monterey – Carmel – San Franciso – Pismo Beach

This morning I was driving along the coastline of California; specifically I was on Highway 1 in the Carmel Higlands just south of Monterey and Carmel. The coastline has dramatic cliffs, and I was thinking to myself this has  to be one of the most beautiful places on earth! The oceas was a beautiful turquoise blue, and it was so clean. The sun was shining, and of course the birds were singing!

The meeting I had today was with a bride who is getting married there in the spring. It is going to be a beautiful backyard wedding at a gorgeious house with the view below.

We were going over the details of her big day, and we were talking about the beautiful setting she would have for her wedding.

The timeline was a big concern for everyone involved. We discussed the timeline, and we came up with a great plan for her wedding!

Central California coastline looking south, with the McWay Rocks (with arch) in the foreground, and McWay Cove in the center. The high-resolution version is quite detailed. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

Related articles

• A Weekend In Monterey – Being There (motortrend.com)

How much time does it take the dj to prepare for a wedding?

 

You get paid how much? Many people think that the wedding dj just works for the number or hours that they are at the wedding. This is not true.

If you hire a true professional to perform at your wedding, then professional djs with experience know that you have to put in many many hours  of preparation to provide an exceptional experience for the bride and groom.  Consultations take from 2-4 hours, pre-reception coordination takes 1 hour, event preparation along with setup and travel is 5 to 10 hours, on site assistant production sound engineer 7 to 12 hours, and event performance 4-8 hours. This takes the total time to 19 to 35 hours of time invested in your wedding!

This is the sign of a true professionl such as Music Express wedding djs.

To read more visit our article: How to hire a wedding dj.

Related articles

• Transitioning from Ceremony to Reception ” Wedding Style, Planning & Inspiration | the Wedding Paper Divas Blog (weddingpaperdivas.com)
• The importance of a wedding dj! (weddingdjinfresnoclovisvisaliabayarealodimonterey.wordpress.com)
• Book early and get a 10% discount off your wedding! Fresno, Clovis, Sanger, Madera, and Visalia Brides! (weddingdjinfresnoclovisvisaliabayarealodimonterey.wordpress.com)
• The wedding toast should not become a roast! (weddingdjinfresnoclovisvisaliabayarealodimonterey.wordpress.com)

The wedding toast should not become a roast!

The tradition of the wedding toast is well founded within our culture. It is to acknowledge  the newlywed couple, and to share a positive moment honoring them on this grand occasion. It is typical for the best man to give his toast first. The wedding dj will act as the toastmaster and keep everything flowing smoothly.

This is to be taken seriously, and should be prepared for ahead of time. It is fine to have some goodhearted humor, but this is not the time to share embarrassing stories about the bride and groom. In recent time, it has become tradition for the maid of honor to also share a toast.

It is not uncommon for the parents to say something at this point followed by the groom and or bride.

This is not the time to open the microphone to the whole room. The celebration should continue at this point.

Disclaimer: However, it your wedding so you may choose to open it up to whomever you want. (You don’t have to follow tradition!)

Related articles

• Two Wheels Become One: A Toast of Titanic Proportions (weddingbee.com)
• The Origins of the Wedding Toast (traditionsweddingblog.wordpress.com)
• What You Need to Know Before Delivering the Wedding Toast (prweb.com)

Band or DJ?

If you want to have flexibility, you definitely want to hire a wedding dj. Whether your wedding is in Fresno, Clovis, Visalia, Madera, Merced, Los Banos, Monterey, San Jose, Bay Area, Lodi, Modesto, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, or Beverly Hills the flexibility of a dj cannot be questioned.