Spring Towards the Best! by Guest Blogger: Marcia Mitchell

I’ve heard Newlyweds say time and time again, “We need a Wedding Band, but we don’t want a Wedding Band. Does that make any sense?” My response? “Oh yeah!”

It is important that the music played on your Wedding Day is sheer perfection and should be regarded as “The Director of First Impressions.” It sets the ambiance for the day and is primarily heard before anyone gets the first opportunity to greet another guest.

As it resonates throughout the vicinity of your venue, it is important that the music is appropriate for each phase of the event. Your Entertainers should maintain the proper noise levels, play the right selections, and most importantly, have a good sound.

A sound that is projected through high quality equipment and operated by Music Industry Professionals who take pride in their work. Professionals that care about the final results as much as you do. You’re probably thinking, ‘how do I know who the “professionals” are?’ That’s simple. Ask your other Vendors. Why? Because they work with these individuals from week to week and are usually at these events during their entirety and they see and hear EVERYTHING. Of course, getting this information from those whom have good business ethics themselves and integrity, will be a major plus for you. You will know.

Don’t set yourself up by running with Music Companies who say all the right things, compare their products to other companies, offer you the right price, and moreso, that come up short in the Customer Service Department because you will surely be in for a surprise.

No one needs drama! We all want our Special Event to be the best event that anyone has ever attended, for it to have uniqueness, good energy, and to have the most awesome music ever!

You only get one shot at this so you might as well do the right thing and ”spring toward the best!”

MARCIA MITCHELL MUSIC, INC. 

MMM, Inc is an innovative Musical Entertainment Production Company that specializes in providing the "best of the best" of Bands and "Entertainers" for the "who's who." Celebrity Events and Weddings are our forte.

Contact Information:

Florida Office, Palm Beach HQ-

1375 Gateway Blvd., Suite 21

Boynton Beach, FL 33426

561.963.5056 / 305.974.1824 / 877-FLA-BAND

By Appt TUES,WED,THURS only

New York Office-

100 Park Avenue, 16th Floor

New York City, New York 10017

646.807.4309

California Office-

11400 West Olympic Boulevard, Suite 200

Los Angeles, California 90064

424.247.5046

Guest Blogger: 11 Tips on Making Your Wedding Your Own by Violaine Diogene

1- Make Your Own Trend

So you don’t like what the magazines are preaching? Have you seen all the same elements in the past few weddings you’ve attend? Well, make your own trend! Skip what you’ve seen on TV, what you’ve read in the latest issues and just do you. You want to get married in the blush pink gown you saw, go for it. You want to have your bridesmaids were different colored dresses? Go for it! You want to wear that ultra cathedral length veil, go for it! At the end of the day, this is your wedding. Your one day where it’s all about you and a person you’ll spend the rest of your life with and celebrating it in your sense of style, passion, and ideas is the best way to inject your style and have your wedding really resemble you.

2-Send Ingenious Invitations

Designing your own invitations is a great way to show your guests who you really are as a couple. And remember that some of your guests will use your wedding weekend as a mini vacation. Take your invitations one step further by including a personalized map card of the area where you're getting married, with cute illustrations to indicate where the best park is, how to find your favorite bar, and where they can indulge in the most amazing local cuisine. 

3-Skip Technology

Your guests paid a lot to attend your wedding. Take a moment to show them gratitude by giving them a handwritten note. Instead of using a computer font, write a personalized note to each guest and place it in their welcome bag. The note can be very simple or very detailed base on the amount of time you have. You can write something like “Janice, thank you so much for flying all the way from New York to celebrate my new life with Brian. I’m excited to share this great moment in my life you. Love, Emily and Brian.”

You’re not providing welcome bags? Well, still write your notes on a small card and while making your rounds at the reception simply hand it to each guests. Your handwriting speaks volumes and your guest will feel like you took a moment to recognize their presence.

4-Your Vows

One of my absolute favorite ways to personalize a wedding; writing your own vows.  There’s just something so amazing about hearing a bride and groom say their vows. I mean, the promises you make to your loved one are the reason the wedding day is happening after all. Now if your church or house of worship will not allow this, take another route. Present your vows in the form of a poem and read it to each other. Or you can always print in onto the programs

5-Show off Your Musical Taste

There is not rule that says you have to walk down the aisle to a particular song and if there were, you can still break that rule. Love the Caribbean? Hire a Steel Drummer and shock your guests by making your grand entrance to a song you and your fiancée loves. If it’s a song that’s too fast to walk to, ask the drummer to customize it and make it a little slower for you.

To celebrate your Latin music, take tango lessons and impress your guests with a sensual first dance.

6-Honor Thy Loved Ones

Your grandparents think you’ve hang the moon? At the reception site, arrange a gallery of pictures of you and them along the years and some of their wedding photos. Use different frames reflecting on the era of the pictures.

Did your mom have the best fashion sense growing up? Have a favorite memory of her in a particular nice dress? Ask her for that dress and change into it before you make your grand departure or a bouquet toss. That will rock her night to see you do that!

7-Create Place Cards with Character

What do you like to do on your spare time? What’s your hobby? Love to ski? Show your guests how much you love to ski and affix their place card on a souvenir from a ski shop.

Love the beach? Collect shells on the shore; use a glue gun to affix a name card to each shell. Make it ever nicer by spreading some sand on the table and even get a few mini beach balls and strategically place.

8-Bring Your Childhood Back.

Loved camping growing up? Then skip the chocolate fountain and instead set up a hibachi s ‘mores station.

Skip newer, trendier desserts for gourmet takes on childhood treats like scooter pies or make your own soda float stations.

9-Tantalize Their Taste Buds

Love to travel? Show your knowledge of that country. Let’s say you’ve been to France offer a French fare, such as seafood stew, crepes, crème Brule and individual chocolate soufflés.

Did you meet your fiancée at Mardi Gras? Serve up jambalaya and Creole shrimp cocktail.

10-Add Character to your Programs

Rather than describing your attendants simply as "The Sister of the Bride" or "Friend of the Groom," surprise your bridesmaids and groomsmen by giving brief descriptions of their personalities. Try "Katie Joe, bride's friend and she’s had my back since the 9^th grade or "John Smith, groom's best man: learned to speak Spanish by watching Soap Opera and makes the best Martini!" They might actually keep your wedding program.

11-Embrace Technology

Have a loved one that can’t be part of the wedding because they’re not well? Whatever the reason why not embrace technology and have them attend the wedding via remote location? Use Skype, live video feed on your laptop and set it up so that loved one can feel like they witness your big day. 

A Few Thoughts from the Author

I’ve been privileged to plan and design events for brides and grooms from all walks of life. The one thing I always stress to them is to let their true personalities show in the design of their events. Regardless of what you passion is, bring it into the décor. You never want your guests to walk into your reception and for them to wonder whose wedding did they just attend. This past October, I planned a thirty something birthday party for myself and let me tell you, I stayed true to who Violaine is.

I’m a true shoe collector and I designed the entire evening around my shoes. When my guests walked into that room, they smiled and simply said, “oh yes, this is you!” and that’s the reaction every bride and groom should aim for. 

                             

Violaine Diogene is a renowned event planner with over 13 years of experience in planning and producing special events from spectacular galas in Massachusetts, unimaginable mitzvahs in New York City, to luxurious destination weddings on the exotic Island of Bora Bora.

She began her career in event management in 1998 at the famous Bertuccis in Boston. A short year later, she worked for one of Boston’s most sought after catering firm where she ultimately became the Director of Catering Sales.  She’s also worked as a Banquet Manager and Catering Sales Manager for Starwood Hotels, a Catering Sales Manager and Director of Catering for Hilton Hotels.

Violaine currently resides in Atlanta Georgia with her husband and two kids. 

Contact Information:

Violaine Diogene

Event Producer/Designer

Andre Winfrye Events

From Paris To Atlanta...Full Service Planning & Design

For The Modern, Exquisite & Timeless Bride

Atlanta Office:  678-971-2018

International:  (800)AWE-1431

Vdiogene@Andrewinfryeevents.com

www.Andrewinfryeevents.com

www.Andrewinfryeeventsblog.com

http://twitter.com/vdiogene 

Questions To Ask When Hiring Your Wedding Cake Designer

Here is some more great advice on what questions to ask when hiring a cake designer from the folks at Here Comes The Guide

 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN HIRING YOUR WEDDING CAKE DESIGNER

Next to your dress, the cake is probably a wedding’s most important icon. And whether you want a traditional multi-tiered confection, a miniature Statue of Liberty (hey, that’s where he proposed!) or a cupcake tower, your wedding cake should reflect your personality. Use the following questions as a guide when evaluating a potential cake designer.

BUSINESS MATTERS

1. Do you have my wedding date open?

2. How many wedding cakes do you schedule on the same day?

3. How do you price your cakes? By the slice? Does the cost vary depending on the design and flavors I choose?

4. What is your minimum per-person cake cost?

5. What recommendations can you give me to maximize my budget?

6. Do you have a “menu” of cakes and prices that I can take with me?

7. What are the fees for delivery and setup of the cake? Do you decorate the cake table, too?

8. What do you do if the cake gets damaged in transit to or at my reception site?

9. Do you provide or rent cake toppers, a cake-cutting knife, cake stands, etc.? What are the fees?

10. How far in advance should I order my cake?

11. How much is the deposit and when is it due?

12. When is the final payment due?

13. Are there any additional fees that I should be aware of?

14. What is your refund policy if for some reason I need to cancel my order? What if I’m not happy with the cake?

15. When can I expect to receive my contract from you?

BACKROUND CHECK

16. How long have you been in business?

17. How many weddings have you done?

18. Where did you receive your training?

19. Can you provide me with references from 3–4 recent brides that I can contact?

THE CAKE

20. If you’re not familiar with cake terms, please look at the cake glossary below.

21. Do you have a portfolio of your work I can view, and did you make all the cakes in it?

22. What are your specialties?

23. Can you design a custom cake to match my theme, dress or color scheme, or do I select from set designs?

24. If I provide you with a picture of what I’d like, can you recreate it? Does it cost extra for a custom design?

25. I have an old family cake recipe. Can you adapt it for my wedding cake design?

26. If I don’t have a clear vision of what I would like, can you offer some design ideas based on my theme and budget?

27. What flavors and fillings do you offer?

28. What are the different ingredients you typically use? Do you offer all organic or vegan options?

29. Do you have cake tastings? Is there a charge?

30. Do you do both fondant and buttercream icing?

31. Are there any other icing options I should consider? Which do you recommend for my cake design?

32. Can you create sugar paste, gum paste or chocolate flowers? If I decide to have fresh flowers on my cake will you work with my florist or will you obtain and arrange the flowers yourself?

33. Will you preserve the top tier of my cake for my first wedding anniversary or do you provide a special cake for the occasion?

34. Can you make a groom’s cake? Is this priced the same as my wedding cake?

35. How much in advance of the wedding is the cake actually made? Do you freeze your cakes?

USEFUL TIPS

Arrange a consultation with your potential cake designer in person, and do a tasting before you sign a contract. NOTE: Not all cake tastings are complimentary.

Make sure your cake designer specializes in wedding cakes. A wedding cake is generally much more elaborate than a birthday cake from your local bakery. Your cake professional should have special training in

constructing this type of cake.

In general, you should order your cake 6–8 months prior to your wedding.

You might be able to save money by choosing one overall flavor for your cake.

WEDDING CAKE GLOSSARY

A) Icings

Buttercream

 It’s rich and creamy, is easily colored or flavored, and is used for fancy decorations like shells, swags, basketweaves, icing flowers, etc. Since it’s made almost entirely of butter (hence the name), buttercream has a tendency to melt in extreme heat, so it’s not recommended for outdoor weddings.

Fondant

Martha Stewart’s favorite. This icing looks smooth and stiff and is made with gelatin and corn syrup to give it its helmet-like appearance (it’s really very cool looking). It looks best when decorated with marzipan fruits, gum paste flowers, or a simple ribbon,  like Martha likes to do. Although not as tasty as buttercream or ganache, fondant does not need refrigeration so it’s the perfect icing to serve at your beach wedding.

Royal Icing

A mix of confectioner’s sugar and milk or egg whites, royal icing is what the faces of gingerbread men are decorated with. It’s white, shiny and hard, and does not need to be refrigerated. It’s used for decorations like dots and latticework.

Ganache

This chocolate and heavy cream combination Whipped Cream is very dark, and has the consistency of store-bought chocolate icing. It can be poured over cakes for a glass-like chocolate finish or used as filling (it stands up wonderfully between cake layers). Due to the ingredients, however, it’s unstable—don’t use it in hot or humid weather or the icing will slide right off the cake. Delicious, but by far the most volatile, fresh whipped cream is usually not recommended for wedding cakes because they have to be out of the fridge for so long If you really want to use it (it looks extremely white and fresh, which goes beautifully with real flowers) just keep it in the fridge until the very last second.

B) Decorations

Marzipan

An Italian paste made of almonds, sugar and egg whites that is molded into flowers and fruits to decorate the cake. They’re usually brightly colored and very sugary. Marzipan can also be used as icing.

Gum Paste

This paste, made from gelatin, cornstarch, and sugar, produces the world’s most realistic, edible fruit and flower decorations. Famous cake designers like Sylvia Weinstock are huge fans of gum paste. One nice benefit: these decorations last for centuries in storage.

Piping

Piping is ideal for icing decorations like dotted Swiss, basketweave, latticework, and shells. It comes out of a pastry bag fitted with different tips to create these different looks, which can range from simple polka dots to a layered weave that you’d swear is a wicker basket.

Pulled Sugar

If you boil sugar, water, and corn syrup it becomes malleable and the most beautiful designs can be created. Roses and bows that have been made from pulled sugar look like silk or satin—they’re so smooth and shiny.

Dragees

These hard little sugar balls are painted with edible gold or silver paint, and they look truly stunning on a big ol’ wedding cake.