Tips on Creating a Sustainable Wedding

Nothing is more on-trend for the 2020’s than sustainability! Modern couples are embracing the concept and planning their celebration with that in mind.

Ethical choices for all aspects of their wedding and creative ways to reduce the carbon footprint of their big day are first and foremost in their planning.

This concept can start with the rings and move through all of the other parts of the planning.

Some of the questions that you should ask may surprise you, for instance are your rings ethical? It’s well-documented how much cruelty is a by-product of the mining of diamonds.

I’m sure that you’ve heard the term Blood Diamonds which refers to those stones that are mined in a war-zone which is used to finance a war and conflict/

Many couples are searching out recycled stones so as not to promote the killing and are doing the same with the metals used for the actual setting since the mining creates all kinds of pollution so why create more?

Single Use Utensils and Plastics

Of course you will want to avoid using single-use utensils and table-ware. Most couples will opt for rented linens and table-ware which is also much easier and as you’re about to find out, any time that you can streamline and shorten your to-do list it’s going to make you experience a lot better.

Even when exercising your best intentions regarding your carbon-footprint and keeping things green you will still end up with a lot of waste. You are going to be worn-out and possibly a little inebriated (or not) at the end of your night and you don’t want to making decisions under that duress so make your disposal plans in advance.

Will you have any items that can be donated to a service organization that can use them or a charity facility who can recycle them by selling them?

This would be a good job to allocate to a younger Green Warrior friend or family member in advance. They can inventory your décor, favors, food etc. and pre-plan an environmentally-friendly disposal or recycling plan.

Most clients understand the importance of shopping local and ask your caterer if that is their policy also. Shopping local will not only deliver enhanced freshness but will help support other local merchants and suppliers.

Needless to say local sourcing will also minimize the carbon-emissions created by the shipping process.

Consult your caterer on what happens to your food waste at the end of your wedding and also what are you going to do with all of those expensive flowers? Can your caterer donate the left-over food to a charity or shelter etc.?

If not then you should ask them if they will compost the left-overs. Would it be possible to donate your flowers and vases to patients in health-care facilities?

Over the last few years more and more couples are saving money by either cutting down on their expensive flowers or avoiding them altogether. I have never personally ever heard of the flowers predicating the success of a wedding. In fact a growing trend is to choose potted plants for your décor which you can pick-up at a discount from suppliers.

Artificial flowers have become very popular as the quality has improved to where you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the artificial and the organic version.

Best of all that money you spend won’t go to waste as you could sell the plants or your guests who are so inclined could take them home to bring some natural splendor to their home for years to come.

As you'll see in the photo below: if you're a do-it-yourselfer you can create a family project and head out to the woods to gather some dry branches, spray-paint them and use them as a very dramatic center-piece!

hot wedding tips Creative DJ Services

Creative DJ Services and the Power of Participation

Communal Blessing of the Rings

There is nothing that elevates the human experience more than Participation does. I like to explain it this way: Watching the movie Jurassic Park would be considered an exciting experience BUT actually participating and being chased by an actual Tyrannosaurus rex would be infinitely MORE exciting and memorable. (Even if your resulting death made it the last memory of your lifetime lol)

During many religious ceremonies the officiant will typically say a blessing over the rings before the couple exchanges them. But if you’re not having a religious ceremony, consider have your family and friends bless your rings (this works best at smaller weddings).

The ritual is simple but powerful. We place the wedding bands in an attractive box or perhaps a decorative fabric pouch which will be passed from guest to guest before the ring ceremony begins or during a period of music and reflection. There is a LOT of power in PARTICIPATION.

Each guest holds the rings and silently offers a prayer or wish for the new married couple. In essence, the rings are warmed by the hands, the hearts and the souls of the guests.

Your guests will really appreciate the opportunity to touch and experience the rings that will be sealing the marital union of their good friend(s) or family!

Reverse Unity Candle

If you are not familiar with the traditional unity candle ceremony this is how it works. Each of your mothers will light a candle and then you and your fiancé will use these candles to light a larger candle together. Continuing with the concept of the Power of Participation we suggest that you consider changing it up. Why not start with a single flame and then spread the participation though all of your guests. You start by presenting an unlit candle to each of your guests as they arrive for your ceremony. You then start the ceremony by lighting a single candle with your fiancé and you use it to light the candle of your bridesmaids and groomsmen and they then start to spread the flame to the rest of the guests.

The end-result is a gorgeous spreading of the flame through-out the assembled multitude. Very sweet and a wonderfully attractive photo-op for your photographer!

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RAIN! The 4-letter Word You Don't Want to Hear at a Wedding!

It is the four letter word that NO one wants to hear at their wedding. Yes no word is more detested at a wedding than, “RAIN!” However the arrival of a little liquid sunshine doesn’t have to put a damper on the festivities if you have a back-up plan. Even if the forecast calls for clear skies, sunshine and perfect temperatures it never hurts to have a plan B standing by just in case. In fact, if you believe in Murphy’s Law you’ll know that having a Plan B in place will almost ensure that the weather will stay dry. Either way it will allow you to relax knowing that you will still have a successful outcome regardless of what Mother Nature decides to send your way.

By incorporating a wet weather scenario in your planning process it won’t seem as disappointing if you have to go to that plan as you haven’t just day-dreamed about your wedding being a sunny day affair and you’ll be much more mentally prepared for the possibility. You’ll also realize that a wet-weather wedding can be every bit as special as those that take place under glorious sunshine.

A little rain is far from the worst thing that can happen at a wedding and just like with every other element on your itinerary your reaction and attitude toward any deviations from your best-case-scenario will greatly affect the result for both yourselves and your guests.

As we’ve mentioned before, your attitude has an immense power over the success of every part of your wedding.

Crafting your back-up Plan

Talk to your venue: If you are planning on conducting your ceremony or reception out-side ask your contact at your venue what they do in the event of inclement weather. Ask if there are additional costs involved and if so, have them provide you with a written cost sheet. Have your contact person at the venue show you the back-up location for the ceremony to make sure that you like it. Ask if they have a tent rental company that they recommend and how much time is needed to book it and have it installed.

The best idea for an outdoor reception is to plan on using a tent regardless of the weather forecast. Otherwise what happens if the weather forecast is wrong and a weather system moves in on your wedding day and it’s a popular Saturday in wedding season. Many companies will be pre-booked and all of their installation staff and inventory may already be committed to pre-booked events.

A tent looks good and gives you peace of mind on a day which already has plenty of stress-inducing elements in place.

Ceremony in the Rain

Ask your Officiant how long they could stay in case you have a sprinkle around the scheduled time of your ceremony. (Many officiants perform 2 or 3 weddings on a Saturday in-season and if you are their last appointment of the day they won’t have to rush off to another booking. That way you will know if you can have some leeway to push your ceremony back a bit to avoid the rain. Your guests can relax inside the venue and the venue staff can dry off the chairs for your outdoor ceremony.

Wedding Photos in the Rain

Ask your photographer if they have alternate locations to shoot in if it is raining. You can also buy some matching parasols or umbrellas for you and the Bridal Party. (You may want to source these locally and leave them wrapped with the tags on them so they can be returned if you don’t need to use them.

It’s always a wise idea to have some extra time cushions in your time-line. It’s not uncommon to have a quick bit of rain and you can pre-plan to duck out of the reception immediately after you have your dinner. (Your guests will still be dining and you can make up a lot of your photos at this time) You’ll still make it back for the speeches and no one will be the wiser.

Make-up and Hair for a Rainy Wedding Day

The experts say that you should make sure to prime your skin after cleansing, tone it, add a light bit of moisturizer (don’t over-do it) then apply your primer and finally be sure to apply either waterproof or water-resistant make-up if you are expecting rain or high humidity. As always use a powder to set your make-up. You can also use a spray to set your make-up.

The high humidity can also bring on a case of frizzy hair so it’s always a good idea to have a humidity resistant hair spray on hand.

New Wedding Songs for your Reception

New Wedding Songs September 2020

Lifetime of Love - Tracyan (September 29, 2020)
DANCE WITH ME - Niko Moon (September 25, 2020)
Magic - Kylie Minogue (September 24, 2020)
The Great Divide (Flipped) - The Shins (September 24, 2020)
You Time - Scotty McCreery (September 23, 2020)
Love Story - Disco Lines feat. Cassidi (September 22, 2020)
The Best Part - Caleb Lovely (September 18, 2020)
Holy - Justin Bieber feat. Chance The Rapper (September 18, 2020)
Welcome Back - Ali Gatie feat. Alessia Cara (September 18, 2020)
Hot Stuff - Kygo, Donna Summer (September 18, 2020)
Without You - Luke Combs feat. Amanda Shires (September 18, 2020)
Blueberry Eyes - MAX feat. SUGA of BTS (September 15, 2020)
Gone Too Soon - Andrew Jannakos (September 15, 2020)
See You Tomorrow - Muscadine Bloodline (September 11, 2020)
Found You - Ludacris & Chance The Rapper (September 11, 2020)
Letter To You - Bruce Springsteen (September 10, 2020)
Cover Me Up - Morgan Wallen (September 4, 2020)
Whatever May Come - Jeremy Camp & Adrienne Camp (September 4, 2020)
Sweet & Sour - Jawsh 685 feat. Lauv & Tyga (September 4, 2020)
Lasting Lover - Sigala & James Arthur (September 4, 2020)
I Do - Michael-James (September 3, 2020)
What They'll Say About Us - FINNEAS (September 2, 2020)
I Feel for You - Frankie Zulferino (September 1, 2020)

Tips on Choosing an Open or Cash Bar for your Wedding!

The Open Bar

No one will argue the benefits of an Open Bar at their wedding. Many wedding hosts subscribe to the old-school sentiment that no guest should pay for anything at the wedding. This is also obviously the most expensive choice and the bar-tab at a wedding can reach a stratospheric total!

Another reality is that your guests will waste a huge amount of alcohol and money. It seems strange but it has been proven that even a toonie bar (a mere $2 per drink) will cut down hugely on the number of drinks that are wasted. You’d be amazed at the number of expensive drinks with a single sip gone that are left when a wedding features an open-bar. It’s hard to believe but many of your guests won’t throw the drink away when they have the knowledge that they paid a massive 2 dollars for the alcoholic concoction!

You are also well-aware I’m sure that the occasion of an Open-Bar can often turn a somewhat sane and reasonable person of discretion into Sponge-Bar Square Ass soaking up an insane amount of booze!

A Limited Bar

This is where you decide to offer a pre-determined selection of drinks. Keeping your menu to just beer and wine is common. You can also set specific consumption times. Many wedding hosts have an open-bar for the cocktail hour and wine with dinner and then perhaps have 2 drink tickets for each guest at their place-setting (optional) to be followed by a cash bar.

If you limit the amount of time the bar is open, make sure the waiters circulate during dinner to refill glasses of water and soda.

The Cash Bar

At one time having a Cash Bar at your wedding was simply never done. However over the last 30 years it’s become increasingly common though the hosts often provide their guests with 2 or 3 drink tickets and wine during the dining time.

A Dry Wedding

The drinking habits of North Americans have changed a lot over the last few decades. The vast majority of Baby Boomer weddings back in the 70s & 80s featured rivers of grog while many Millennials who are tying the knot will be staging a dry celebration.

There is nothing wrong with having a dry wedding as long as you are okay with the fact that it may not be as raucous as it would be with a few ounces of liquid courage coursing through the veins of your guests!

If you, your families and most of your guests don’t drink alcohol just skip it. Mind you if your venue comes with bar-service as an inherent part of your package you may want to consider having a no-host bar. This way it won’t add anything to your expenses and yet the small percentage of drinkers in attendance will be happy.

These wedding guests jammed the dance floor all night as Creative DJ Services rocked the wedding!

The Secrets to Making your Cake-Cutting Memorable

Your wedding reception is almost over, and the fun and lightheartedness of the day has finally kicked in - it's time for the cake!

One of the least stressful moments of your wedding has begun and to celebrate it, cut your cake with a light, fun song! Traditionally, many brides would use, "The Bride Cuts the Cake" (to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell), but it’s been many years since we’ve had a request for that moldy oldie.

An ever-increasing percentage of modern brides are selecting cake cutting songs that are more contemporary although the old favorites are still maintaining their hold as the most requested.

Whether you choose something traditional such as "Happy Together" by the Turtles or something a bit edgier with a rock sound such as "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard, the song you select for your cake cutting ceremony should be reflective of both of your personalities.

This is the one moment of your wedding where you do not have to be very traditional, you can be as funky and different as you want to be. When you are cutting the cake you certainly want people to remember the moment for as long as you will and playing the right music will definitely help to make that happen.

Since most songs are several minutes in length, the cake cutting ceremony may be shorter than the song itself. You will want to consult with your band or DJ and let them know exactly how to play the song. Most songs can be cut in length or have only a chorus or two played.

If you are stuck for ideas for songs for your cake cutting ceremony, a slow tempo, romantic song works well for this tradition. Songs that have sugar and sweet references have always been the most popular choices as couples labor for hours trying to conjure up a song idea with a sugary reference.

DON’T BOTHER! The reality of the situation is that more than likely only you, your fiancé and your DJ or musicians are picking up on the correlation between the sugar content of your song lyrics and your wedding cake so why sweat it?

The process is simple – if you both like the song then it is a great cake cutting song … end of story!

Before the cake is cut the MC can ask the guests if they would like to take photos.

The first dance directly following the cake cutting makes a smooth transition on the wedding timeline also.

Some song suggestions for the cutting of the Wedding Cake include:

(Remember these songs are just suggestions. Feel free to be creative)

Top Requested Cake Cutting Songs

How Sweet It Is – James Taylor or Marvin Gaye

Sugar Sugar - The Archies

When I'm 64 - Beatles

Better Together – Jack Johnson

Somewhere Over the Rainbow from “50 First Dates” - Israel Kamakawiwo’ole I

I’ll Be – Edwin McCain

Ice Cream - Sarah McLachlan

Going to the Chapel – Dixie Cups

Love & Marriage - Frank Sinatra

I Melt – Jason Mraz

Other Cake Cutting Songs

A Kiss To Build A Dream On - Louis Armstrong

Ain't That a Kick in the Head -Dean Martin

All for Love - Bryan Adams

Angel - Aerosmith

Better Together – Jack Johnson

By My Side – Ben Harper

By My Side - Sade
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd

Can You Feel the Love tonight - Elton John

Can’t Help Myself – Marvin Gay
I Want Candy – Bow Wow Wow or Aaron Carter
Sweet Dreams - Eurythmics
Theme from “Mad About You”
I Swear – John Michael Montgomery
Unchained Melody – Righteous Brothers
Love and Marriage – Frank Sinatra
Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra
Theme from "Jaws” – John Williams

Candy Girl – New Edition

Circle Of Life – Elton John

Come Away With Me - Norah Jones

Could I Have This Dance - Anne Murray

Cut the Cake - Average White Band

Cuts like a Knife – Bryan Adams

Don't Change - Musiq Soulchild

Eat It – Weird Al

Everlasting Love -Natalie Cole

Fire – Ohio Express

Footloose – Kenny Loggins

Forever – Ben Harper

From This Moment – Shania Twain

Grease Medley – John Travolta/Olivia Newton John

He’s So Fine - Chiffons
Sweetest Taboo - Sade
The Bride Cuts the Cake - John Norris
True Love - Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly or Elton John & Kiki Dee

Hit Me With Your Best Shot -Pat Benatar

Hot Hot Hot – Buster Poindexter

Hot In the City – Billy Idol

How Sweet It Is – James Taylor or Marvin Gaye

I Could Not Ask For More - Edwin McCain

I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing - Aerosmith

I Get a Kick Out of You – Frank Sinatra

I Melt - Jason Mraz

If I Had a Million Dollars – Bare Naked Ladies

I’ll Be – Edwin McCain

Ice Cream - Sarah McLachlan

Ice Cream Man – Van Halen

In My Life -Bette Midler

In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel

Israel Kamakawiwo’ole – Somewhere Over the Rainbow from “50 First Dates”

It Had To Be You – Frank Sinatra – Michael Buble

It’s Your Love - Faith Hill/Tim McGraw

Jammin' - Bob Marley

Jeopardy Theme

Keep Breathing - Ingrid Michaelson

Keep Your Hands to Yourself - Georgia Satellites

Kodakrome - Paul Simon

Last Dance - Donna Summer

Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye

L-O-V-E - Wayne Newton or Nat King Cole

Love & Marriage - Frank Sinatra

Love is all Around Me – Troggs

Love Rollercoaster - Ohio Players

Love Will Keep Us Together - Captain & Tenille

Love You Madly - Cake

Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett

Mission Impossible Theme

More Sweeter than You - K-Ci and Jojo

Our House – Crosby, Stills & Nash

Pick Up the Pieces – Average White Band

Recipe for Love – Harry Connick Jr.

Red Red Wine - UB 40

Romeo & Juliet – Dire Staits

Save the Best for Last - Vanessa Williams

Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye

Sexy Back – Justin Timberlake

Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder

St Elmo's Fire - John Parr

Stand By Me - Ben E King

Sugar Sugar - The Archies

Summer Nights - Grease

Thank you - Led Zeppelin

That's Amore -Dean Martin

The Dance - Garth Brooks

The Sweetest Thing -U2

Theme from Cops

Theme from Mad About You - Andrew Gold

This Guy's In Love with You - Herb Alpert

Time of Your Life - Green Day

Two Little Birds - Bob Marley

Two of Hearts - Stacey Q

Under The Boardwalk - Drifters

Unforgettable - Nat King Cole

Unforgettable - Nat King Cole/Natalie Cole

Wedding Song - Bob Dylan

We've Only Just Begun - The Carpenters

What I Like About You - Romantics

When I'm 64 - Beatles

White Wedding - Billy Idol

Wind Beneath My Wings -Bette Midler

Without Me – Eminem

You Got a Friend in Me - Randy Newman

You Make Me So Very Happy – Blood Sweat & Tears

You May Be Right - Billy Joel

You Sexy Thing - Hot Chocolate

You’re My Best Friend - Queen

Yummy Yummy Yummy - Ohio Express

Creative DJ Services make your cake cutting memorable!

The Secrets to a Powerful Grand Entrance!!

Most of the time the Grand Entrance is really nowhere near as grand as you are expecting and hoping it to be!

Every guest at your wedding has one thing in common – they either love you both or at least love YOU and will learn to love your betrothed in time! lol Yet almost every wedding is played out in the same ineffective way. The couple enter the hall, skitter around the outskirts of the room avoiding their adoring friends and family and take their seats at the head table.

This is NOT the best way to do it! There is one single commonality amongst your guests and that is that they all either LOVE both of you … or love ONE of you and will learn to love the other. (Okay on a rare occasion they love YOU and loathe your partner but let’s not go there lol)

YOU are the reason they have gone through the effort to be there and YOU are the person they want to see BUT you are at the head table, physically separated from them and it’s almost as if there is an invisible moat around you while they are floating at their round table in the ocean with no connection with you. They probably won’t even hear your voice until you take to the microphone as the last speech of the evening two hours later at which time you will welcome them and thank them for attending.

At Creative DJ Services we have a much more effective way to do it that delivers a bunch of great benefits for both you and your guests.

At many weddings the entrance of the Bride and Groom is basically a non-event. It is often conducted by the MC who in most cases is not a professional speaker and has no experience in conducting a dynamic entrance.

The entrance is the perfect opportunity to make a great first impression and if done properly it will establish in the mind of your guest that this is going to be a reception that is much superior to any others that they have attended.

When the entrance starts the room is generally pretty calm and low energy as it’s been relatively quiet as your guests get settled and perhaps enjoy some small talk while they get settled into their assigned seats. That is why the entrance is the perfect opportunity to elevate the energy level of your guests and at the same time leave your guests thinking, “Wow I’ve already had more fun than I had in the entire last wedding that I attended.”

Will your bridal party be introduced also?

Your first decision to make is whether you and your fiancé will be introduced or whether the bridal party and/or the flower girl(s), ring bearer and parents will be introduced directly before you.

What will your entrance song(s) be?

It will always be more effective if the music and the actions of the subjects as they are introduced are fun, high-energy and celebratory. It doesn’t matter whether your favourite style of music is rock, pop, country, punk, ethnic or jazz what is important is the feel of the selection and if it has that joyous, up-tempo and fun feeling that you are looking for.

Referring back to our mandate of NEVER LEAVE ANYTHING TO CHANCE you will have a much greater chance of a moving performance by the bridal party if you give them some instructions and coaching. Suggest to them that they hold hands and surprise you by performing a little dance on their way in. Tell them to release their inhibitions and that nothing seems goofy when it’s part of the entrance.

This is also an opportunity to validate your friends for standing by you as part of the bridal party by having them introduced either solo or in pairs. (If you decide to do anything more than a one sentence intro it’s best if they enter solo as there often isn’t enough time to intro both parties before they are finished walking. It can also get confusing for the listener as there are two intros and two people to concentrate on at the same time.

Our Jock Jam style intro of the bridal party has become very popular. This is where we play a nineties tune for the intro (Get Ready for This by 2 Unlimited is a great example) and the couple writes a 2 or 3 sentence introduction for each of them. These are read in the style of an N.B.A. team intro or famed boxing announcer Michael Buffer.

We have had some CRAZY intros that don’t pull any punches and leave everyone (except the subject perhaps) laughing with tears running down their face. A recent example was: And now introducing the starting line-up of the bridal party … the first to appear standing 4’ 11” tall and weighing in at 264 pounds and it kind of went down-hill from there. Lol Hint: if you plan to have anything more than the person’s name announced you have to read the written introduction aloud. Now imagine you are at the entrance and have to walk to the head table. How many seconds will that walk take? It is usually only 10 seconds or so and the person will often arrive at the head table before the reading of the intro is finished.

If that is the case it’s wise to have your DJ or wedding planner apply an X in masking tape on the carpet just inside the entrance doors in a spot that has unimpeded sight-lines from all of the tables. You then instruct your bridal party to walk in pumping their fist and stop on the X until they hear their name. This way the guest will not only have time to see the subject but in many cases they will get a laugh out of their reaction to the intro about them as it is read!

Referring back to our mandate maintaining the hierarchy of you and your new husband/wife as the focal point and King and Queen of the proceedings it is usually best to pick two songs, one for the bridal party and one for yourselves.

We often take a brief pause between the entrance of the bridal party and yourselves. This creates two benefits: A: it builds up the drama and anticipation for the guests as they are waiting to see you come dancing through the portal B: we will often have your guests stand in preparation for your entrance. This will elevate their energy as they may have been seated for an hour or more and it will also make them mobile in case you have decided to wind your way through the crowd

The intro is usually very anti-climactic: there is an often tepid announcement on the microphone followed by a nervous couple skittering around the outside of the guests and plunking themselves down at the head table. In many cases our couple has laboured long and hard to find the perfect song for the event and are dismayed to find that they arrive at the head table and the song is still in introduction and hasn’t even established itself enough to be recognizable to most of the people in the room.

It is for this reason (and a few others that were discussed in Section ___) that we most often have our jubilant couple dancing into the room and then they will sashay like the rock stars they are through the tables. If you raise your hand in a ready to high 5 position some of your guests will love the opportunity to touch you. At some weddings of 125 guests or less the Bride and Groom have circled each of the tables hugging each and every guest. It’s unique … it’s warm … it’s loving and it establishes the connection that is missing at most weddings.

When Planning Your Wedding the Devil is in the Details!! (I have seen many weddings be totally ruined by this ONE detail!!)

Heed the weather and other potential annoyances. Guests have been known to skip out early from hotter-than-hot summer tent weddings and improperly heated winter loft receptions. Bugs (gnats, deerflies, and no-see-ums) also swarm in certain areas during certain seasons. Consider renting pest control tanks to alleviate the problem or including bug repellent in guests' gift bags. And if you want a sunset ceremony, make sure you know when to say your vows by checking SunriseSunset.com.

Once you’ve drawn up a shortlist of suitable venues, you can start visiting them in person. Be prepared for this part of your wedding planning to take the most time – you may find yourselves with some very jam-packed weekends for a while!

When visiting venues pay attention to the little details, what the bathrooms are like, whether there’s ample heating/air conditioning and where the power sockets are for your band / speeches / DJ / ceremony music.

Also discuss with the venue how they normally orchestrate their wedding days. Are they open to your ideas and flexible with timings or are they rigid in the way that things have always been done? If it doesn’t work for you, chat about how you envisage the flow of the day and the use of the rooms.

One of the more important and most often over-looked considerations when choosing your wedding venue is the HEATING and AIR-CONDITIONING! (Or lack thereof) We have experienced far too many weddings that had all of the other pre-requisites in place yet were basically destroyed thanks to the searing temperature of the room.

It is surprising how many venues still don’t have air-conditioning in this modern era. Many of these are heritage buildings that boast about their climate control system which is in fact nothing more that a window that opens and shuts. In many cases this is not their fault as they are unable to update due to the structures original design, civic by-laws or a heritage preservation ordinance.

Either way that luxurious facility that you fell in love with could single-handedly destroy your wedding day. Protect yourself by adding a note to your Wedding Venue Checklist right now to check into the air-conditioning of any prospective facility. Does it exist and if so how well does it work? We have experienced many clients who have been placated by the Catering Manager with the assurance that, “No we don’t have air conditioning but it’s entirely unnecessary thanks to this pair of trusty fans.”

DO NOT BELIEVE IT! We have seen places with 6 foot industrial grade wind-movers that look like they should be on the back of an everglades swamp-boat and it was still unbearable. In fact as soon as dinner finished the entire guest list trotted out-side and mingled on the sidewalk until such time as they gradually dispersed and headed home. Not the rollicking end that most couples dream of for their once-in-a-lifetime event.

The fact is that if you are counting on a fan of any type to be effective it has to blow onto your exposed skin, which, unless you are having a nudist wedding, (which offers up a whole new set of circumstances … like, “Where do you put your car keys?”) means it has to actually blow onto the face of your guest to have any effect on their comfort level.

Good luck making that happen with all 100 faces in the room. This is where using the old-school paper fan can at least mitigate this disaster to a small extent. They are available in a huge variety of style, size and design and best of all they are very affordable. Now I am not saying that this is your triangular get-out-of-jail-free card but it can at least help you defray the damage a little.

Okay let’s say the venue passes the first test and they DO have air-conditioning. Now re-phrase the question and deliver it as, “Do you have air-conditioning that actually WORKS?” I’m not saying it needs to make your nipples stand up and sing the National Anthem but we have seen many situations where the system is simply not adequate for the size of the space. In these cases the system can just about cool the room UNLESS someone props open a door for any length of time.

Here is an important fact that you need to know about air-conditioning: IT WILL NOT WORK UNLESS THE ROOM IS SEALED! (That means NO open doors or windows) You will also find that it takes time for the room to get ahead of the temperature. In other words if you take possession of the room at 10 a.m. you may want to crank up the air-conditioning as your first order of business.

Use Your Imagination to Design a Wedding That Shows Your Unique Style!

Our world is seeing changes occurring at an unheard of pace! This is filtering down into weddings as well and we are seeing many of the old wedding traditions being dumped in favor of new fresh ideas!

How about having Groomsladies and Bridesmen! More and more couples are celebrating the diversity of their friendships and families by flipping the switch on the typical wedding party and having both men and women on their side of the aisle for support.

When you have Groomsladies and Bridesmen you also get to play with the latest fashion trends – will the women and men on both sides of the aisle wear the same dress but in different colors? Will the women on the groom’s side get to wear tuxedos? Will the men on the bride’s side wear colored suits? The options are endless and for 2018 weddings we can’t wait to see how the wedding party evolves!

CATERING

We’ve all been to traditional weddings where after nibbling on some passed hors d’oeuvres, you sit down for a plated meal of chicken or beef, feeling full and more in need of a nap than a full-on meal. If you and your guests are foodies then why not go all out on the food for your big day? In 2020 we’re seeing people choose buffets and food stations in place of traditional seated plated meals. Buffets and food stations are beneficial in that they let people have their pick of food and necessitates them moving around and sample different dishes while they mix and mingle with other wedding guests. Getting creative with your menu and providing a delicious meal for you and your guests is a current wedding trend we are just salivating for!

Another catering trend that is set to be big is the vegan menu. No longer intended to be a substitute the vegan menu is now taking over the spotlight as the main feature. With more than one in ten Millennials now choosing to be vegan or vegetarian it’s no surprise that couples are embracing the idea of a vegan – or partially vegan – menu.

a donut tower is always a big hit at a Vancouver wedding Many couples are opting out of the old traditional wedding cake as a sweet capper to the wedding feast. One of the most popular alternatives that we've been a part of is the Donut Wall and the Donut Tower. They were both a huge hit and so much more tasty than the vast majority of the wedding cakes that we've experienced. (The sad reality is that most wedding cakes while visually-stunning or as parched and inedible as dry-wall.

Wedding Decor Trends for 2020!

Over the past few years weddings have seen the pendulum swing over to a decidedly more casual and laid back style but the season to come looks to see a return to a more casual elegance. Upcoming weddings for 2020 are featuring more sparkle, classic tuxedos and formal wedding gowns.

The number of outdoor weddings has grown with each passing year over the last decade but this year the experts predict that more couples will be moving indoors and looking for an interesting space as a location.

TEXTURE: is a word that you’ll hear often as you look for inspiration as you design your wedding. From slick marble centre-piece urns to laser-cut linens finding a unique texture will be on many couples to-do list.

Many couples are returning to the traditional wedding cake and the iconic cake-cutting ceremony to go with it. Others are ditching most of the flower arrangements for a more ecologically and budget-friendly alternative of live potted plants. (Some couples have even worked out a deal where they could return any undamaged plants and receive a portion of their money back as a refund)

Of course you could also use these living plants as a wedding favour for the guests to take home at the end of your big day. You’ll be seeing these potted beauties adorning ceremony aisles with verdant dogwood arrangements as centerpieces and the hottest trend in the restaurant business which is the “living botanical bar.” (This is a bar area that is set-up as a greenhouse space filled with living plants)

You are probably thinking, “So the au naturel muted palette of cream, green and beige will continue to be the tones of choice,” but nothing could be further from the truth. Color is back and we are talking bold colors making a statement in centerpieces, wardrobe and décor accents of all kinds.

Couples have become more savvy about what is important in a wedding and where to spend their money in order to get the biggest bang for their buck. Many are deciding to keep their existing budget but to cut back on their guest list which will allowing them to put more of their money towards the music, entertainment and interactive elements that Creative DJ Services specialize in. (Although we do provide these for free with every package)

Vancouver's best wedding DJ will have your dance floor packed all night!!

How Do You Take Your Wedding to the Next Level?

Most weddings could use an injection of extra entertainment. Just be sure to maintain a nice balance between the entertainment elements and free time to relax and converse and connect with friends. Some elements you may want to consider adding are:

Choreograph a Dance

Dance routines are always a hit and fortunately you can dance like a mule with four left-feet and it will still be a hit! We often pre-produce a song mix that rolls through 4 different songs in quick succession and then merges it with our couple’s first dance or their dance with their parents. (Everyone loves seeing the Mom and Dad trying to perform the goofy Gangham Style dance lol)

If you’d like to use this as a bonding moment between friends or family etc. you can even learn this dance by using online video lessons before the big day and then hold a big group rehearsal at the rehearsal dinner.

Dance Floor Favours

Hit up your local party or dollar store for crazy Mardi Gras-style necklaces, hats, glow sticks, inflatable electric guitars, sunglasses, or any other party favors. Some people love to be the center of attention on the dance floor but a larger percentage of your guests feel a little uncomfortable in their dancing abilities but having a prop is a perfect bit of camouflage and is great for prying many guest’s inner rock-star out of their shell.

Everyone LOVES a parade

This only works if your ceremony is in close enough proximity to your reception venue but what a cool experience for everyone involved if you hold a parade for yourselves, your bridal party and all of your guests.SIMON REMARK PHOTOGRAPHY

Circus Performance

Everyone love’s Cirque de Soleil and there are lots of companies that specialize in presenting the type of aerial hoops performances that they’ve made famous. We’ve worked with many of these companies on corporate events and the performance is always a hit.

Late-Night Food Truck

Weddings have been plying their guests with a late-night snack for decades. This was usually handled by the caterer who provided dinner but it’s becoming more and more common for the new married couple to hire one of the gazillion Food Trucks that are working the streets of most cities.

The culinary options are endless and there are many trucks that have as devoted a following as any successful restaurant. Best of all you are not limited to standard wedding fare and can choose savoury or sweet or both. We have attended weddings where the tasty trucks have doled out Belgian Waffles, Tacos, Lobster Mac n’ Cheese, Sliders, Gourmet Popcorn, really the list is endless!

Stream your Wedding around the World

With the increased cost of travel, Covid-19 lock-downs and the risk of infection, streaming your wedding live to friends and family anywhere on the planet is the perfect solution. We have been working with them on Corporate Events since they started and they are fabulous to deal with. They have been at the forefront of live-streaming for decades: Media Streams. They are the leader in the field and best-of-all they are based in B.C.! Check them out at: https://weddingstreamers.ca

Hot New Wedding Music

In this day and age with a constant avalanche of new music washing over us from all sources it is virtually impossible to keep your finger on the pulse of the hottest new sounds. That's why we are listing these songs for you. Some are perfect for the ceremony, others for the first dance, while others could perhaps add some spice to your dinner interlude or even add some romance to your dance floor!

Best Part of Me - Jeremy Renner (March 27, 2020)
More Than Enough- Alina Baraz (March 26, 2020)
HER - Isaac Carree (March 20, 2020)
Crazy Kind of Love - Tamar Braxton (March 20, 2020)
Nobody - Brian McKnight (March 13, 2020)
Black And White - Niall Horan (March 13, 2020)
Our Song - Willie Nelson (March 13, 2020)
#1 Fan - TJ Jackson (March 10, 2020)
Invisible Things - Lauv (March 6, 2020)
Stand By Me - John Newman (March 5, 2020)
Never Worn White - Katy Perry (March 4, 2020)
Slow Down - Gone West (March 3, 2020)
Lie To Me - Kem (April 24, 2020)
Sway - Luis Fonsi (April 20, 2020)
Bigger Love - John Legend (April 17, 2020)
Love You True (String Sessions) - Lydia Luce (April 17, 2020)
Emerald Eyes - Anson Seabra (April 15, 2020)
Home - Jacob Lee (April 13, 2020)
Loving You - Marié Digby (April 10, 2020)
Detours - Jordan Davis (April 10, 2020)
I Got You - Shelby Lynne (April 3, 2020)
Toosie Slide - Drake (April 3, 2020)

Hot 2019 Wedding Trends!

Over the past few years weddings have seen the pendulum swing over to a decidedly more casual and laid back style but the season to come looks to see a return to a more casual elegance. Upcoming weddings for 2019 are featuring more sparkle, classic tuxedos and formal wedding gowns.

Wedding Tips The number of outdoor weddings has grown with each passing year over the last decade but this year the experts predict that more couples will be moving indoors and looking for an interesting space as a location.

You are probably thinking, “Oh the au-naturel muted palette of cream, green and beige will continue to be the tones of choice,” but nothing could be further from the truth. Color is back and we are talking bold colors making a statement in centerpieces, wardrobe and décor accents of all kinds.

wedding ideas Couples have become more savvy about what is important in a wedding and where to spend their money in order to get the biggest bang for their buck. Many are deciding to keep their existing budget but to cut back on their guest list which will allowing them to put more of their money towards the music, entertainment and interactive elements that Creative DJ Services specialize in. (Although we do provide these for free with every package)