Pink White & Gold: The California Bride Series Vol 2

Honestly now, if the last post of flowers didn't leave you aching for more eye candy, then go ahead and click elsewhere.  Let's skip on to some of the wedding party pictures!

 I can't even begin to explain the insane amount of fun that occurred at this wedding.  I have NEVER seen partying at a wedding like this one.  Californians know how to have a great time.
The most important thing to do to sure that you have this much fun:

 Hire the best band or DJ possible.  It is an investment you will not regret. I prefer a live band (it's a huge difference in experience), but if budget or space restricts you- get the best DJ that is out there.

 Impressions photography shot most of our spring weddings last year.  That's because they're really that good and that nice.  So it may seem like they've taken over our blog a bit over the next few weeks while we catch up on our real weddings. I'm not going to complain.  I doubt you will either.

If you missed Vol 1, click here for the entire California Bride series photographed by Impressions Photography.

A great First Dance Song

I got a call while driving to LaPlaya Beach Resort last week.

"I'm callin it!", Clint Wiley says.

Every now and again one of us will come across a new song and just know that its going to be huge in weddings. The BIG song is always going to be the first dance song, and when a new one is called- boy, that's a big deal.
About a year ago I called it with Jason Mraz's Lucky & I'm Yours. Sure enough- I've had at least 8 of our last 15 weddings use them for the 1st dance and recessional songs.

So what is the new song Clint has called? It's by Uncle Kracker and it's titled Smile. I LOVE IT. Not just a little either, a whole lot.
Click here---> to download and love it too.
Oh, what's that? Is this the new Weddings by Socialites theme song? Why yes, yes I think it is. Check it out!

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

The NEW best wedding songs.I'm callin it

Risky right? Callin it? But I'd put $10 down that this song makes Jack Johnsons Better Together step into the number 2 slot. $10 is what's in my wallet at the moment. I spent $20 at lunch. It was a good lunch. Met with some halloween party planning people at Bacchus. Ummmm Ahi Tuna. Oh, back to the song.

Okay, so the entire cd rocks. But this song in particular spoke to the wedding planner in me. It spoke so loud I actually called Clint Wiley (the best not-a-wedding-band-that-does-weddings ever) and told him he needed to get these songs on his playlist like now. Clint informed me that I am behind the times. Seems this Jason guy has been around a while. Still, I think this is going to be big in weddings.

It's Jason Mraz and the song that 1st spoke to me is called I'm Yours . Here's the one thing I see getting in the way of this song being on the top of everyones either recessional song short list or 1st dance; Jason's other song Lucky .

You can buy the cd on Jasons hilarious website or download it from itunes. He seems to be a really funny guy. A rather talented funny guy.

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.

Pimp Your Flips

This past weekend was Becky & Mike's wedding weekend. It was such a great time! Clint Wiley entertained both Friday and Saturday and let me just tell you- there were people who never left the dance floor. For all I know, they are still there waiting on another encore. You can check out the short video of little ringbearer Cole dancing to Banana Pancakes at the rehearsal dinner on Becky & Mike's wedding blog. Have I ever mentioned I love Jack Johnsons music?

Anyway, let me explain the photo here. I shoulda known something was up when Becky asked me for my shoe size and favorite color in my wardrobe (hot pink & black). She surprised me, and I think all the girls in the wedding party (moms too), with a pair of these customized Reefs. Her sister Kelly embellished each pair for all of us. Oh how they sparkled in the sand. Very cool. Yes, I'm still wearing mine. Kelly is considering taking limited orders for her Wedding Flips, if you're interested, send me an email.

Fuschia & Orange

No longer do I live in fear of Orange or Fuschia! This weekends destination wedding events were great. Lots of color, great music, fantastic entertainment, and a very happy bride & groom. Click here or on Susan & Jim on the sidebar to go to their wedding blog.

They never made it to the altar

For the 1st time ever, I had a wedding cancel. Not cancel a few months before- more like a couple minutes before (about 90 minutes). I don't know the details and am not going to ask. I imagine whatever the reason was, it was a very valid reason.
So. As you might imagine, 90 minutes before, its too late to salvage anything. But I am the "silver lining" kinda gal. I stopped being sad, grabbed the wedding cake, called up a few nearby wedding pros, and had a "The wedding got cancelled" dessert hour at my house. We all took turns cutting the cake. It was nothing short of absolutely hilarious.
Here's a photo of Clint Wiley with his gorgeous girlfriend Lauren who is currently in the Naples theatre production of Showboat. That girl can sing! She sang the Little Mermaid song to all the kids...blew us away. Clints name sound familar? Maybe because he's one of the most sought after wedding musicians in the area. Also in attendence- Rob and AnnMarie Epple from AMC video. Speaking of video, I totally had the video camera out...and we had great footage of me smashing cake all over Kelly's face (my husband and I have the same first name). Leave it to me to completely destroy the tape. Yep. I taped right over it not even 24 hours later. Ugh.

Your Big Exit

I received this question from a reader yesterday:

I was wondering if you had any creative/unique ideas for a send off at a venue that doesn't allow confetti, birdseed, sparklers, etc.

It's such a great question because there are some really creative things that can be done. Before you start to plan your big send off, take note of a few things:
1. The rules and regulations of your venue.
2. Local laws
3. If you're planning something really great- keep your photographer AND videographer until the end of the reception. Something like this is not the thing to leave out of your professional photos and video.
4. Somebody has to be in charge of staging the exit. If you don't have a wedding planner or wedding coordinator, make sure you have someone responsible and sober enough to remember their special job.
5. Timing, and the ability to move all the guests out is crucial.

Okay, so here are a few ideas:
1. Rose petal toss. This looks so great, its environmentally safe, and the petals don't hurt. I had rice at my wedding. It was the worst ever. It hurt so bad.
2. Fog machine, Disco lights, and a big funky song. Doors swing open, and the two of you come out dancing! This is also a really great segue to an after party...
3. Feathers, bubbles, or balloon drop
4. A choreographed dance. The dirty dancing finale would be perfect. See the YouTube video down at the bottom of the blog.

The Wedding Budget Series

Budgets are a big subject, so I decided to make this a 6 part series. The topics I'll hit on are:
*Average costs
*Prioritizing
*Guest counts
*Being Reasonable
*The extras to budget for (cushions)
*When you need the money
Feel free to ask a question through the comment link anonamously and I'll be sure to answer as best I can.

The winner from Part 1: Lazar Soiree! Although she was the only guess, she came really close to actual costs.
Wedding A: $13,000 Wedding B: $67,500
The 3 big differences between the 2 weddings:
*Weekday wedding = lower site fees and minimum requirements
*Brunch meal = lower catering and bar fees
*Decor and music choices

Say No to the ipod Wedding

Okay, I tried to just bite my tongue and I can't anymore. I realize its all the rage as far as the wedding magazines are saying- but have you been to a wedding reception with a "virtual dj"? Let me tell you, it virtually DOESN'T WORK. Here's the problem; or shall I say the short list of problems:
1. Nobodys reading the crowd. A pro dj can tell what kinds of songs your wedding guests are in the mood for. If they all rush the floor when Prince comes on, he knows what other songs will keep them on the floor instead of rushing off. Because we all know- that is the worst thing that can happen, an empty dancefloor. Your ipod (or laptop) doesn't know that Jack Johnson would be perfect right now because all your college friends are on the dancefloor- a pro DJ would.
2. Technical difficulties Someone tripped over the cords and now there's no music. Hmmmm. Who's going to fix that? Your cousin Simon is suppsed to be in charge of the music, but he's in the bathroom, I mean at the bar, or is he eating his dinner? Where is cousin Simon? Wait, these plugs came out, what goes where? Uh-oh, nobody knows, because the guy who set it up isn't there. How about that.
3. It isn't a cost savings. That's right, you aren't going to save anything worth raving about. To rent the equipment, have it delivered, set up, and returned is going to cost almost as much as a pro dj. And honestly, it's a huge pain in the you know what. If you really want to cut costs, let's talk about cake and bar options.
4. Announcements. Well, you certainly can ask a good friend or family member to be the person responsible for making announcements, it's not that much to ask, right? Wrong. That person is on call the entire reception. Every time something needs to be announced, I (or your wedding planner) have to go tap this person on the shoulder, interrupt their conversation, and ask them to come to the microphone. It's just not nice, they are a guest, not an employee! Unless of course you aren't going to have an entrance, a 1st dance, a toast, tradtional parent dances, a cake cutting, a bouquet toss...

Look, chances are that you have been to a wedding where there was a really bad, corny, YMCA playing, is-this-guy-drunk DJ. They aren't all like this. I can't stand those DJ's any more than you can. Your wedding planner will steer you in the direction of a quality DJ. It really is safe. You can even make a list of songs you absolutely want played, what is not to be played, and what is and isn't to be said or announced.

Here's a great note I found from a recent DJ: "Are you looking for a Disc Jockey or an Entertainer?
When looking for your entertainment, an important aspect to consider is whether you're looking for a Disk Jockey or an Entertainer. The biggest difference is that a Disc Jockey offers very little or no interactive entertainment. A Disc Jockey will play music-nothing more, nothing less. In comparison, Entertainers are fun, creative, energetic and get your guests involved."

P.S. Can I tell you how addicted I am to the Jack Johnson cd I got for Christmas? LOVE it.

A little too much music.

Quick note: Turn the volume off on the photoshows below if the music is driving you insane. I have to figure out how to run them without sound!
More blogging to come today!

Usually the first item on a to-do list when planning a wedding is the budget. Having a budget from the get go will enable you to put money in categories that are a priority to you, ensures that you're calling on vendors and venues that are right for your wedding (high quality, reputable, and in your budgeted price range) , and that you're going to have enough money at the end (2 weeks prior to the wedding) to pay for them all. So what's the 1st thing brides & grooms usually cut? Videography. What's my 1st response to this, "I suggest we hold off on removing that category for now". Here's why:
Out of all my weddings, the couples who do get videography, tell me it is the one thing that they are most glad they did. Why? They didn't get to see everyone "oohh and aaahh" at the 1st site of the reception. " The whole thing was a blur, it was over so quickly"
Out of all my weddings, the couples who did NOT get videography, tell me it is the one thing that they wish they did. " I wish I could have seen my nephew walk down the aisle, he was so excited" "I heard my 90 year old Aunt Dottie was dancing to Eminem, I wish I could have seen that" "I wish I could hear my best mans speech one more time"
A professional wedding video is not the same as cousin Joe's. That is unless cousin Joe has 2 cameras, a wireless lapel mcrophone, capability and 40+ hours to edit 12 hours of video down to 2, and add your favorite music, and won't mind working through your entire wedding ceremony and reception rather than enjoying it. Oh, and you'll be sure to forgive him for missing your 1st dance while he got a drink at the bar.
Tip: provide your videographer with everything they need to provide you with an awesome document of your big day BEFORE the wedding. This includes your song choices, your invitation, the wedding day timeline & floorplans, photgraphers name, and details/notes sheets.
Todays photo: This is the cover of Bonita Living. It's the annual wedding issue of a regional magazine here in SWFL. Many regional magazines and publications do wedding issues in May & June. They can be a great resource, so check your local newstands. Weddings by Socialites was featured in this issue (click to read: www.esocialites.com/Press.html )!
Todays links: www.AMCvideo.com See what wedding videography is these days. Also growing in popularity, wedding cinematography www.lifestoriesny.com