Leave it to the pros to offer up the best advice…take Michael Anderson, Wedding Entertainment Director™ at Creative Memories Entertainment. We asked Mike to offer up some advice of the subject of wedding entertainment, and naturally, he was a wealth of knowledge. Here’s the first of a few tips he sent over, this particular one on the art of the search for the right entertainment vendor:

“Ok, you have started the search for wedding entertainment and you realize, you have no idea where to begin. The first thing to do is accept the fact that you have no idea where to begin. The last time you were involved with booking a DJ was back in high school, and you were in the pep club. (Don’t worry, your secrets safe with me.) The truth is that that it may have been ok to book simply by price for a high school dance, but this may not be a good idea when it comes to a once in a lifetime day such as your wedding.

The first thing to know is that there are professionals out there who specialize in weddings. Think about it, there are a lot of traditions and events, and most likely, at your wedding, your guests age will range from eight to 80. When you start your search for the perfect entertainment for your wedding start by asking vendors whom you have already booked and see who they would recommend. Don’t be afraid to ask them one of the most important questions when getting a referral, ‘why do you recommend their services.’

Interesting statistics: After their wedding, 72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment. When asked, 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment. These stat were published in 2003 and the sources include Simmons, 2001; USA Today, 2002; National Bridal Service, 2001; The Knot, 2002; and Brides Magazine 2001.

This makes you think a lot about the entertainment for your wedding day. It’s not that the entertainment is the most important part of the wedding, but most would agree that it can have the most impact on your wedding. One of the main reasons for this is a famous quote from the movie The Wedding Singerstaring Adam Sandler. ‘I have a microphone, so you will listen to every word I have to say.’”

Thanks Mike!

Stay tuned to Real Weddings Magazine for more guest bloggers with expert tips! 

For more information on Creative Memories Entertainment, visit them at www.creativememoriesdj.com or call 916-344-7000.

We’ve got some more great advice from Michael Anderson, Wedding Entertainment Director™ at Creative Memories Entertainment.

We think Mike’s got some pretty fantastic answers on wedding entertainment…so, Mike, how does a couple find the perfect DJ?

“This is a common question, and I would guess that 90% of brides think to themselves ‘Ok, what am I supposed to ask? I know, how much do you charge?’ Although this is an important question, it may be more important to ask, ‘Are you available for my wedding date?’ Let’s face it, regardless of how cheap or expensive a service is, you are not going to want to book them unless they are going to provide you with the experience and service you want for one of the most important days of your lives.

Below are some great questions to ask to get the ball rolling and find out if the service is right for you.

1. How many years of experience do you have in weddings, and how many weddings do you perform at each year?

2. What will you do to ensure I will have a good time at my wedding?

3. What are some of the unique things you have done in the past for your clients to make their day extra special?

4. Will I get to meet my DJ before I sign a contract and will his name be listed on the contract?

5. Do you have any references of past clients and other wedding professionals who have worked with you?

6. When can we meet to find out more about what you can do for my wedding?

Please keep in mind that you can only learn so much on the phone about a particular company or DJ. It is so important to take the time to meet the DJ in person to make sure their personality, service, and creativity will be a perfect accent to your wedding celebration.”

Thanks Mike!

Stay tuned to Real Weddings Magazine for more guest bloggers with expert tips!

Expert Advice: Spicing Up Wedding Introductions!

Just when we thought Michael Anderson, Wedding Entertainment Director™ at Creative Memories Entertainment had shared all his valuable tricks of the trade, he’s come at a third time with another great tip. This time, he grabs the microphone and discusses..drumroll please…reception introductions!

“You both said ‘I DO,’ the photos are done, now it’s time for the party to begin! We have all been to countless weddings where the wedding party gets introduced with nothing more than their first names and a song in the background, if they’re lucky.

The truth is that this celebration is more like a family reunion for the first time. Although everyone in the room will know who the two of you are, not everyone will know who the wedding party is and why they are so important as to be picked to be in the wedding party.

One way to ensure a great start to your reception and create a lot a fun is to incorporate a custom introduction with the help of your emcee.

A personalized biographical introduction is a great way for your guests to get a glimpse into the memories you have had with the members of your wedding party. You can include information about your relationship to each (relative, friend, how long), where they live, their occupation and /or educational status (i.e. college student, high school student), their relationship status (single/engaged/married), etc. Also feel free to include such information like, what they would be most famous for or most likely voted likely to do in life. The size of your wedding party should determine how much detail you will go into. You don’t want it taking too long or it will lose its appeal. Inside jokes will never come off well as it will leave most of your guests in the dark about the true story behind the story.

If you do choose this style of introduction, it is extremely important that your entertainment vendor fully understands how to do this properly so it won’t be presented poorly. Ask to see video footage of them doing this style of introduction to see what the guests reaction is and how well they present the beginning of your wedding celebration.”

Thanks Mike for the great advice!

Click here to find more great Tips from Real Weddings Magazine

I know, it’s pore taste to just call my couples by their last name but this one is different. It’s Megan & Phill Sheffield! If the name Sheffield sounds familiar  to you it’s because he is the owner of one of the best wedding cinematography companies in Sacramento, Sheffield Multimedia. Over the past year we have been planning an amazing evening of surprises for their friends and family. This was going to be an evening that pushed the boundaries and possibilities of a wedding reception.

This wedding had everything, a great photo booth by Profinish Design, Photography by Dream Imagery Photography, Cake designed by Shelton’s and so much more…… It was a long day for the Creative Memories Entertainment Crew. We started by setting up the lighting design and installing two projectors into the ceiling of Catta Verdera Country Club. Have two projectors we were able to project not only their Movie Monogram, but the slide show and music videos throughout the night. Phill and Megan have an adorable dog Lola and really wanted her to be a part of the wedding. We came up with the idea to green screen her into the monogram so she appeared to take a bite out of the monogram and then run off.  It was the perfect way to incorporate their pet.

One of the challenges of doing lighting for an event is when the facility has really big windows. Sun light can take away from the desired effect tell the sun goes down but Megan and Phill wanted to have a true wow factor for the guests as they walked into the ballroom. We decided to cover all the windows with a 50′ long LED Star Curtain. To the guests it appeared to be night time with the stars twinkling in the sky.

It was an honor to work with Phill and Megan on their wedding design, and there is no doubt that they and their guests will have some amazing memories to look back on.