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Weddings come in all shapes and sizes and the ceremony is one of the most unique and memorable moments throughout the day. Naturally, you want it to be as perfect as possible. To make sure your ceremony goes according to plan, there are a few common mistakes you should be aware of. 1. Failing to Communicate with Guests. Your wedding ceremony is going to have a start time, so remind your guests what time they need to be seated by. Encouraging guests to find seats ensures nobody is left standing for the entirety of the ceremony. It’s also important to remind guests to turn off their cell phones. The last thing you want is for some crazy ringtone to start playing as you say your vows. 2. Not Communicating with Your Officiant. All too many couples have a first kiss photo with an officiant in the background. Speak to your officiant ahead of time about moving out of the way during the first kiss, giving your photographer a clear shot of you and your partner. Another good reason to keep the lines of communication open with your officiant is to make the ceremony more meaningful. All too often, officiants don’t focus enough on the couple. Your guests want a deeper view of your connection and working with your officiant to shape what’s said during your ceremony can help with this. 3. Forgetting to Get the Rings Ready. Before you head down the aisle, make sure your rings are easily accessible and don’t need to be freed from any unnecessary packaging. This also includes removing any price tags. 4. Failing to Do a Mic Check. If you are planning to use a microphone during your ceremony, make sure it’s checked ahead of time. Technological issues can’t always be avoided but the risk of something going wrong during your ceremony (or before it even starts) can be reduced. 5. Not Looking at Each Other. When you’re wrapped up in what your officiant is saying, you may forget to look at each other. Make a point of looking at your partner as much as possible during the ceremony. Not only does it make the moment more special, but your photographer can get some romantic shots too. Planning your ceremony doesn’t need to be complicated, it just helps to be aware of a few small details. Being a lasting memory of the day and with so much investment – not only money but also time, you’ll want to ensure your wedding photos are everything you wanted and more. Not only will they be photographing you as a couple and documenting the day but they’ll also be capturing each little detail you’ve painstakingly put together over the past few months. There’s going to be no second chances getting these right so we’ve put together the photography tips that’ll help you get the best out of your photographs for years to come. Your Prep Your first set of images on the day will likely be of your wedding prep and whether you are getting ready at your venue, your house or your parents house cluttered images do not make for good photographs. So make sure you have a little tidy up and that the room is as clear of stuff as possible – removing all of the non essentials. This way your photographer can really concentrate on you and capturing the emotions during the wedding day build up. Aim to get ready with plenty of time so that there’s time for your photographer to capture some images of both of your wedding preparations. If you’ll be traveling to the venue from wherever it is that you’ve gotten ready, leave with time to spare so you can compose yourself, soak in the moment and have a few extra images just before you walk down the aisle. Unplug You may have heard of an ‘Unplugged’ ceremonies or weddings before but do you know what they mean? An unplugged ceremony is when you ask your guests to not take photos during the ceremony or other parts of the day. It enables them to really be in the moment for your special moments but also ensures that your photographer is able to get unblocked shots of those key moments for your wedding album too. These usually happen when you are both walking down the aisle and you have guests leaning into the aisle to get their own photographs. Unfortunately this sometimes means that the shot is blocked and there’s not really another opportunity to capture that particular moment again. It’s never nice but it does happen. Consider telling your guests that there’ll be opportunities to take their own photos at specific times, such as signing the register or after the I do’s. Some couples even ask their guests to not post any photos online until the day after their wedding – enabling their evening guests to enjoy all the moments of the wedding through fresh eyes too. Let your guests relax and be present in the day and your photographer produce their best work by considering an Unplugged Wedding. Couple Shots Schedule in some shots and capture those romantic moments by getting away just the two of you and enjoy some time together. Whether you schedule this to be just after your ceremony and on the way to the reception venue or whether you do this after your group formal photographs. It enables you to have some alone time as a newly married couple before all of the hustle and bustle of the day, enjoy some private moments and really let your commitment to one another sink in. It’s always a nice idea to go out together nearer the end of the day too as you’ll get some great photos with the sunset. You’ll likely feel more relaxed and be more used to your photographer too, and the light fading away makes for beautiful images. Group Shots If you are having group wedding day shots ensure you plan ahead and give your photographer a list so that nothing gets missed out. Many will ask you for your ‘must have pictures’ before the wedding day so have a think as to which group pictures you want and let your Ushers have a copy ahead of the wedding day too so they are able to help round up bodies. It’s much quicker for you to plan your bigger group shots early so that you can have more time for everything else. Another great tip is to have this part of the day scheduled and share this with everyone. Let them know who’s needed, when and where that way you’ll have more time to enjoy the pictures and also get to your reception much quicker! Trust Your Photographer You will have likely spent many hours searching through huge amounts of photographers and their work to find yours and you booked them ultimately because you liked them and love their work. So, trust their judgment! Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in wanting everything to be perfect on the day but trust their creativity, allow them to work in their own zone of genius and trust that the result will be beautiful images. You’ve seen their portfolio and what they can do and you’ve booked them for a reason. Listen to their instructions and although it may seem a bit unnatural for you to pose a certain way, the result on camera is likely to be beautiful and most probably your favorite image! How NOT to get swayed by what OTHERS say you should do…
It’s easy to get swept away by the latest industry trends. What’s hot & what’s not. But your wedding is your wedding. Make it uniquely you. Your wedding day will be something you remember & share with your friends and family for a lifetime to come. Whatever your style or your taste, make sure that your special day represents you. That’s why choosing a DJ is so important.
I have your back! “My wife and I were skeptical about getting a DJ for our wedding at first but after having Matt as our DJ we're having a hard time imagining any event without him as our DJ. He went above and beyond in every aspect. Along with having the perfect arrangements of songs, being extremely flexible and making sure that everything was how we wanted. He also took the time between everything that was going on to video some special moments for us and put together a beautiful video. We're already looking ahead to try and find birthdays and other events that we can hire him for. Matt if you're reading this, you really were a big part of making our wedding something special for us to enjoy .” - Corey Brasseaux I would love to hear more about your big vision and how we can make your beautiful day exceptional. Book a time to chat with me personally and let’s see your dreams come to life! Book a consultation meeting here - https://bmaoztomvlrnvzjszv.10to8.com/ P.S. Would you LOVE to see some of my FAVORITE projects? Visit my Instagram to see - www.instagram.com/djmattblake  Whether it’s your own children, nieces and nephews, or your best friend’s child, it’s
always so special to be able to include children in your wedding, but how? It’s especially tricky to navigate this when you want to include more than one child. Here are a few ideas to inspire you as you plan your big day. 1. Give Them Something Important to Do If you plan to do a lot of DIY for your wedding day, get the children in your life involved – if they are old enough that is. Whether it’s placing invites in envelopes or having them help you with your wedding favors, there are so many little tasks they can assist you with. Plus, showing that you trust them with a project for a big day will really make them feel special. 2. Include Them in the Ceremony There are so many fun ways to include younger children in your ceremony, particularly the procession. Get them to lead the procession as flower girls or ring bearers or hold up fun signs right before you and your wedding party enter. If there are older children, you can always get them to hold onto your bouquet or speech during the ceremony, anything that makes them feel involved and important. 3. Plan Some Photos Since family and wedding party photos are an integral part of the day, why not plan a few special shots with the children in your life. Just make sure you work this into your timeline with your photographer. To make the photos fun for the kids, you can even work in a few props that fit in with the theme of your wedding. 4. Plan Something Special for the Reception Children can also be a part of your reception. Using some fun, upbeat music, get them to lead you into your reception. You can even plan a special dance with them in the months leading up to your wedding, giving them something to look forward to on the Day. 5. Have Them Join the Cake Cutting Who doesn’t love cake? Especially young children! This is another part of your reception that you can include children in. Plus, the moment makes for some wonderful photos. You can even offer them the first slice of your cake as a way to make them feel special in that moment. See! Including children in your wedding is easier than you might have thought. We hope these ideas have helped inspire you. Making wedding decisions that are important to YOU!
We often hear stories of brides-to-be getting overwhelmed by their wedding preparations.
“Why are there so many decisions?! We just want to get married!” But planning the right wedding for you should be an amazing, exciting time! All it takes is smart preparations and the right information to make wise decisions. So how can you CHOOSE when you’re feeling overwhelmed? Sit with your spouse-to-be together, decide what’s *most* important to you both. What do you want to remember about your special day? What do you need to create that? This isn’t the time to try and figure it *all* yourself (*cue the overwhelm*). Take inspiration from Pinterest, Instagram, and magazines but always put your own spin on it. Just because it’s trendy right now, it doesn’t mean it’s right for you (or your budget). And that’s ok! I work hard to make your dream wedding a reality without the overwhelm. Let’s chat about your dream wedding and how I can help with entertainment. Book a consultation meeting here - https://bmaoztomvlrnvzjszv.10to8.com/ THANKS! Let’s start by saying that when it’s your wedding, you don’t need to do anything you don’t want to do. This applies to both wedding rehearsals and rehearsal dinners the night before.
These traditions might’ve become the norm over the years, but they absolutely aren’t necessary, no matter how much family and friends might be telling you that they are. You can brief your wedding party and your vendors on the order of the day without having a rehearsal and still have everything run smoothly. As for the dinner, there are so many other ways you can spend time with the people closest to you the day before the wedding without having to sit down to a meal. Here are a few ideas you might want to steal: ● Arrange a picnic. Getting married at an outdoor venue such as a beach? Why not arrange a small picnic for your immediate family and your wedding party. The food and setup are simple, and you get the chance to create some special memories. ● BOB. If you need to save some money, get everyone to bring a six-pack of beer and some wine that they can share. Kind of like a wine and beer potluck. Your guests get to have a tasting while spending time with each other. ● Arrange a spa day. If you would prefer something really intimate, why not arrange a spa day just for you, your partner, and your wedding party? This way you can spend time together and relax before your big day. ● Schedule a boat outing. If you’re getting married near water, schedule some sort of water activity such as a boat outing. Just make sure that it’s nothing that would lead to someone getting seriously hurt before the wedding day. ● Spend a day at the pool. Another way that everyone can relax and spend time together before the wedding is a day at the pool. A few snacks, drinks, and some music make for the perfect pre-wedding setting. In the end, whether or not you want to spend time on a rehearsal and money on a rehearsal dinner is entirely up to you as a couple. If you are planning something significant, you might want to get your photographer to snap a few photos, so check if that can form part of your wedding package.  The practice of giving and receiving wedding gifts should be about love, but it often ends up in confusion and disappointment.
If your wedding guests are left to their own devices when it comes to choosing a gift, they will often select something they would want, without taking your needs into consideration. And while the gesture may be heartwarming, having a roomful of gifts you have no use for is never a good thing. Luckily, you can avoid this kind of situation and miscommunication by creating a wedding registry. Should You or Shouldn’t You? There is no right or wrong answer to the "should you or shouldn’t you" question. However, in the interest of having the wedding of your dreams and creating wonderful memories that will last the rest of your life, a wedding registry makes a lot of sense. When you register at a specific store or through an online service, you are helping your guests by guiding them toward gifts you will truly love. You are also helping yourself by ensuring the gifts you receive will be in line with the overall tone and feel of the rest of your wedding. Helpful Wedding Registry Tips Far from being greedy or presumptuous, a wedding registry simplifies a process that’s going to take place anyway and makes it far more efficient. Here are some tips to ensure everything goes off without a hitch:
Receiving Money If you decide to forgo a traditional gift registry and would rather receive money as gifts, make sure you give the money a purpose. When you don’t have the money earmarked for as specific purpose, it’s very easy to use it for other things and watch as it dwindles without really doing anything meaningful with it. Whether it goes toward a down payment for a new house, a car, home furnishings or the honeymoon, give it a specific job to get the most out of it. Making a Charitable Donation More and more couples are choosing to use their wedding gifts as a way to give back through charitable donations. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, choose two charities; one that is close to your heart and one close to your partner’s heart and then let your guests decide. When you get the wedding registry part right, it helps maintain that warm and fuzzy feeling and keeps the flow of your wedding process moving right along. What are you planning to do for your wedding registry? Comment below, I’d love to hear what you are planning. 1. Decide on a budget beforehand. It’s important to have a budget in mind before you attend a bridal show. This will help you narrow down your choices and allow venues and suppliers to provide you with a quote based on your specific budget.
2. Create a separate email address. Chances are, you’re going to be handing out your email address quite a bit during a bridal show so it’s best to create an email specifically for wedding planning purposes. This ensures that you can keep all quotes and communications in one place that’s away from your work and personal emails. 3. Take Pictures. There is so much to see at a bridal show and you never know when inspiration might strike so either bring your camera along or just use your phone so that you can easily some pics of ideas that you might like to use. 4. Come hungry. Bridal shows include caterers and bakers so come hungry if you want to try out food and cake samples from various suppliers. Most bridal shows will also have their own general food booths so you definitely won’t leave with an empty stomach. 5. Have your calendar ready. Many suppliers are ready to offer discounts to couples who book a consultation with them at the show so have your calendar at the ready so that you can take advantage of these types of offers. 6. Wear the right clothing. Not only should you wear comfortable shoes because you will be on your feet all day but you should also wear clothes that will make it easy to try on wedding gowns should you want to. 7. Be prepared to spend money. There will always be sales at a bridal show and you never know when you might find a suite or gown that you love so come prepared. You may even find a supplier that you love, which means there’s a chance you will need to put down a deposit there and then to secure them for your wedding date. 8. Bring your colors along. If you already know what colors you will be using in your wedding, bring a few fabric swatches along. Many of the vendors will be more than happy to offer advice and tips based on your colors and ideas. 9. Be patient. Bridal shows are busy so it’s important to be patient and take the day slowly. Don’t get overwhelmed. Chances are, most vendors will spend several minutes with every couple so keep this in mind when walking around. Bridal shows are one of the few times where you will have everything you need under one roof so be sure to take full advantage of this opportunity.  Here are 3 Things to Consider When Choosing Their Attire
With so much focus on the dress, the venue and the flowers, choosing the grooms suits can perhaps get forgotten in the wedding planning process! It may appear a simple task but there’s a lot of things to consider, plus the wedding suits will be a major feature in your pictures so it’s important to get it right! Make sure you do your research. Take a look at Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram – they are great places to start when thinking about your wedding suit. Also, don’t forget to check out your venue and photographers on social media for inspiration. Make sure whatever you choose compliments the bridesmaids dresses whether it's the suit colour or keeping a pop of colour to the chosen neckwear and pocket square. If you’re planning on hiring your wedding suits, we’d suggest starting the process 12 to 6 months before your wedding date. A lot of advice online suggests to start planning suits at around the 3 month before the date mark. However this doesn't leave a lot of time to find your chosen suit company and with a lot of lockdown wedding rearrangements to consider - it's best to book early and secure your date. For those of you planning to buy your suit, we’d suggest that you start this as early as possible. A suit can be designed and delivered in 4 months, but we’d advise having your first appointment at least 6 months before so that you are able to fully enjoy the experience. Are you considering hiring your suits or buying? Do you have any other tips for suit shopping you can share with our future Groomsmen? Leave them below #djmattblake #FortWorthWeddingDJ #DallasWeddingDJ #EventDJ #DfwDj #BridesOfNorthTexas #TexasWeddingDJ #DjLife #DallasWedding #FortWorthWedding #NorthTexasWedding #TexasWedding #NorthTexasParty #letsgetmarried #weddingrituals #loveandmarriage #tietheknot #gettinghitched #weddingmusic #mobiledj #weddingdance #partyentertainment #eventpros #luxuryevents #weddingsongs #evententertainment #weddingmusicentertainment #entertainmentideas #weddingfun #weddinggames  Now I am pretty sure that you stumbled across my little part of the Internet because you are a bride-to-be, but you are feeling a bit stuck and really need some help to get things moving with your planning.
Am I right? If I am, then that is actually really awesome, because this blog is aimed specifically at helping you to get unstuck, by answering the two most common questions/problems that brides have. 1 - How do I know I am making the right wedding decisions? 2 - How do I take the stress out of planning my wedding (and start to enjoy it and be a laid back bride)? In today's blog I am going to help you out with problem 1. Sound good? Awesome, let's do this. So, what are the main reasons you are struggling to plan your wedding without stress.. and how do you fix them?? #1 - You need a comprehensive budget to break down my category with easy up-to-date tracking. #2 - You are using too many resources to plan your wedding. #3 - You are trying to plan your wedding on your own. Figuring out your budget is one of those first hurdles that every bride has to overcome (that and picking a date, venue, vendors, catering, invitations, figuring out decor & themes and other fun wedding stuff). My best advice for planning your wedding is A - keep reading this blog because the stuff below is going to be super helpful, and B - To keep it simple. You don’t need to complicate your planning process. Not at all. In fact, I normally advise my brides to do the following two things; 1 - Focus your time and energy on your priorities as you plan your wedding. And to do this you need to make sure you have a very solid idea of what is important to you and your fiance. If you don’t yet have your priorities, or you need more help figuring these out, don’t worry I’ll be posting some awesome tips on that soon too! 2 - Focus on one planning task at a time. Doing this will allow you to complete tasks quicker and make progress on your planning. And if you get stuck, ask for help! Ask for guidance! Ask for what to do! So to do that you need three things. 1 - A strategic and organized plan. 2 - A wedding insider/expert in your back pocket to answer your specific wedding-related questions (that’s me!) 3 - You need to know your numbers and plan accordingly + update your wedding budget. As a wedding Dj I am participating in weddings just about every weekend, I've been to literally HUNDREDS of weddings each year... So, not only am I able to handle the entertainment and timeline of your wedding day, but I know the ins and outs of pulling off a successful wedding celebration. So what are you waiting for? Click the following link, pick the time that works best for you and let’s chat! https://10to8.com/book/bmaoztomvlrnvzjszv/1659056 Thanks... I look forward to helping your big day be an amazing day! DJ Matt BlakeWedding tips & Event recaps and stories! Need pricing for your upcoming event - Click here to get a quote!
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