Phloosh Phloosh Phloosh

Even the most well planned best-organized wedding can fizzle out if the wedding music and the DJ are not good. There are thousands of good DJ’s and DJ wannabes out there. The solution is finding the right one. Choosing from among them will not guarantee you the wedding music that would add to the fun of the party.

Pick a DJ that you have already heard perform. You might have heard a great DJ in a club, a restaurant, and a hotel, at other wedding parties and celebrations. Your friends are also good sources of DJ’s because chances are you have the same taste in music as they have. When choosing DJ’s, do not shop around anymore because the best DJ’s are the ones you already have heard and liked.

If you haven’t heard a good one lately, your job becomes harder.

Then you can start looking in the yellow pages under disc Jockeys, Music and Entertainment. It will not be wise to bank on a DJ for price consideration alone. Starting DJ’s normally charge smaller than the more experienced one. Get a short list of the DJ’s that have a good and tastefully done ad. If you can find DJ’s that have conducted in several wedding events. When talking to them, try listening to the manner of their speech, the words they use and how they phrase them. The manner in which DJ’s talk tends to spill into their performance.

If the budget however is limited and you have to pick a DJ that is not as expensive, (DJ’s Services usually ranges from $100 to $2000 for a four hours work) make a shortlist of those who sound interesting. You can ask them for references and inquire about them. The more the reference the better. It would also be better if the DJ has a regular venue where they perform so you can visit unannounced. From there you can observe how the people reacts to the DJ. If you like how the DJ carries himself, how he ensures that even requests are handled well that it blends with music continuity and motivates the crowd, you could have found the right one for the occasion.

Do not be impressed by the number of music, gears and equipment that many DJ’s boast. For a four-hour performance, chances are he can only play 60 cuts. If you are not very good at music equipment, you also will not know the difference.

From his collection choose only about 60 to 70 music that he will play for your wedding music.

Pointers in selecting wedding music.

Note the venue of the ceremony. If it has to take place in a church as most weddings are held, coordinate with the minister if there are restrictions in the wedding music. There are also types of songs that are prescribed for certain part of the ceremony. A wedding ceremony consists of six basic parts.

The processional or the march. Bridal march music is meant to usher in the bride and the entourage.
The interludes (four) – which is meant to convey the emotion of the ceremony according to the message of the moment.
The recessional – Wedding music selection for this part is usually happier songs meant to celebrate the new couple and the joining of the families.

In all these you can choose the music that fits within the prescribed dignity of the ceremony. Other wedding music pieces can be played at the reception.

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Get free online ideas from his: Wedding Planner website.

It is the maid of honor’s duty to organize the bridal
shower and to ensure that the party is everything the bride
expected. The best way to ensure that everyone will have fun is
to create a theme around the bridal shower in which everyone can
participate in. The following is a list of fun and exciting
themes for bridal showers. Choose the one that suits the bride
the best:

1. Lingerie Bridal Shower – The lingerie theme has
   become more and more popular in recent years. This type of
   shower is typically for a younger bride who will be comfortable
   with the risqué nature of a lingerie bridal shower. Each guest,
   in lieu of bringing a traditional wedding shower gift, will
   bring a piece of lingerie for the bride. The groom will reap the
   benefits of a lingerie shower as well. Chances are the gifts
   will be put to great use on the honeymoon.

2. Gourmet Bridal Shower – A gourmet bridal shower is
   perfect for brides who love to cook and sample different kinds
   of food. Instead of serving traditional snacks like cheese and
   crackers, ask each guest to bring a gourmet-related dish.
   Sending out invitations in the shape of foods or hand deliver
   invitations in an apron to add a little extra pizzazz to your
   shower.

3. Around-the-Clock Bridal Shower – This is a relatively
   new bridal shower theme. It requires each guest to bring a gift
   that the bride and groom can use at a specific point throughout
   the day. For example, on one person’s invitation it might read
   3pm; while on another’s it may read 1am. The gifts are
   distributed clockwise according to the hours each guest is
   assigned.

4. Room-of-the-House Bridal Shower – Similar to the
   “around-the-clock” theme listed above; this theme requires each
   guest to bring a gift in relation to a specific room in the
   house. One guest might be assigned the kitchen; while another
   might receive the bedroom. Each guest would have to choose their
   gift pertaining to the room on the invitation.

5. Stock the Bar – This theme requires each guest to
   bring wine, beer, spirits or liquor; which the couple can use to
   stock their bar at home. You may want to assign each guest a
   different kind of liquor to ensure that the couple doesn’t end
   up with 10 bottles of tequila!

The you choose will have a great
impact on the success of your bridal shower. Make sure the theme
is suitable for the personality of the bride; otherwise she may
be disappointed with the outcome. Also take into consideration
the types of gifts the couple could most use. If they already
have a stocked bar, a “stock-the-bar” shower won’t be a helpful
theme. The outcome of this shower may determine whether or not
you’re ever asked to throw another one. But remember, above all,
have fun!

In today’s world of wedding planning, the traditions and roles of key individuals is ever-changing. While many books today cover the role of the lead in this dance known as a wedding, the bride, there is one role that many times goes overlooked, the role of the groom.

The groom’s role is one that goes undefined in many wedding books. While today’s wedding books tell brides about the roles of certain people such as the mother of the bride, the father of the bride, bridesmaids, groomsmen.etc, the books fail to mention the role of one of the key players, the groom. They go to great lengths to stress the importance of the maid of honor and best man, their duties and roles, but what about the groom? Remember brides, when your big day arrives, do not forget about that important person you’re vowing to never leave for the rest of your life. He needs some guidance as to what his role is in the show, and from the looks of the internet so do you ladies.

The groom is what I term as a floater. He is the prize the bride is allowed to dangle, no offense guys, in front of her friends and family and say, “Hey! Look what I’ve got”. Grooms, to position yourself for the most enjoyable time of your life, I advise you take the role of the peacemaker. While I agree this sometimes maybe a tough thing to do, remember that your job, whether you realize it or not, is to keep things peaceful and see to it that everyone the bride wants, makes it to the big day. Groom, take care to assure that the squabbles that typically erupt during this tense time do not permanently damage relationships that were years in the making. I advise to constantly remind everyone close to the bride “This day is about her and it is her wishes we wish to honor”. Put like this, most people involved in this process will be gently reminded to keep their opinions in check, thus making you the hero of the day to that special someone, your bride.

Another helpful hint to grooms, keep the communication lines open between both families. During these tense times that surround a wedding, make sure to involve both families in the little events. For example, why not offer each side the opportunity to do readings if the wedding is in church and toasts at the reception. These are just a few of the many creative tidbits that surround this joyous day and can help ensure that it remains that way.

In closing ladies, I remind you to every now and again check in with the groom. He may have valuable information pertaining to unstable conditions that just might save you from a disaster. Don’t forget, while the woman is normally the HEAD of the wedding planning, the groom is the NECK, and the HEAD cannot turn without the help of the NECK.

Michael Russell
Your Independent Wedding guide.

Setting the mood at a wedding is key to its success. You want to say so much without going overboard and having the event be the cause of jokes for weeks and even months to come. There is a lot that can be said with the arrangements, the location, the guest list and what not, but one of the most important aspects is the music.

Music sets the mood wherever it is used. Whether in movies, plays, commercials or celebrations, the music is what helps the people get into the environment. A wedding is no different. A good selection can aid the wedding while a bad will hinder the experience for those gathered. And a great selection will keep people glowing.

Weddings are nice celebrations for the lucky couple, but let’s state the obvious: they’re really for the friends and family to celebrate the situation. It’s a way to show off to others and really celebrate a happy time in two people’s lives. It’s a way to allow the family and friends to experience something from the marriage.

Most people think weddings need to promote one thing: love. Love is a key part to it, but let’s clarify something first. Love isn’t the only thing a marriage represents. It represents friendship, trust, hope, comfort, and so many things. Love is completely different from these and so just one thing to look at for music. Plenty of love songs will be played, but there needs to be more variety.

I’m not saying you need to put in such a variety that it appears more like an hour of music an untalented DJ would play. There needs to be some focus and unity. It has to be about the couple being married and how it reflects them in more ways than just the sappy love songs that get overplayed with no real meaning behind them. You need stuff that will keep your family and friends occupied and having a good time. Even if they aren’t directly listening to it, the music in the background is noticeable to the mind and will play heavily with their interaction during the event.

There are other things than love songs that need to be at a wedding. It is important to gather emotion from other things. There should be friendship and more bonding type of songs, both for the couple and for the guests. Good all around feel good songs to lift up the spirits and not just focus on romantic feelings. There should be more exciting songs, not necessarily anything extreme or heavy in nature, but stuff that makes people dance a little wild and let their energy out.

The key here is that weddings are important and unique events. They have to bring out the character of who is being married. Do different things, try different songs, and just have fun. It’s a celebration of hope and devotion, not just love. Let the music speak more than words can and set the environment that will keep the guests happy and the night memorable.

This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.Prye.Com which is a site for Wedding Invitations.

Jake Rose is an artist and an author from Massachusetts.

Where Else Can You Shoot a Round From a Former Soviet Bunker in Between Seeing the International Ice Sculpture Festival and Hitting the Clubs with Claudia Schiffer lookalikes?

Certainly nowhere in the UK that’s for sure. In Riga, you and your mates can get together and legally re-enact all your favourite Cold war James Bond scenes to your hearts’ content and do it all in safety and style with a vast array of armory to choose from including the legendary Kalashnikovs, commonly known as AK-47s. Latvia is also home to the ‘festival’ where almost every month there is a national day dedicated to almost everything from Baltic Ballet to International Films and, this year, The 8th International Ice Sculpture festival. Be amazed, amused and get your photo taken in front of a lot of random but cool monuments.

But What about The Claudia Schiffer Lookalikes?

It’s a somewhat minor point that Claudia herself is German and has probably never even heard of Riga let alone actually traveled there, but all accounts of clubbing in the Latvian capital attest to a very high population density of fit blondes, otherwise known as the PDFB index. Other cities that come close include Stockholm, Tallinn and most of Vilnius but a very quick, biased and unscientific poll based on personal preference and urban legend has Riga as the clear odds-on favourite. Helping you to continue this very necessary social research is a vast array of white hot clubs that have sprung up in the last five or so years. Riga is not known as the party capital of the former Eastern Bloc for nothing. Just beware of equally fit male Latvians who could probably have snared Gold in Soviet era Greco-Roman wrestling.

But Riga is, like, Baltic So Will I Freeze My B@$$s Off?

Maybe. But not necessarily. Just like the UK January is the most freezing month with lows hitting a chillin’ -9C. The record low for Riga is -34C but that was so long ago that no one really remembers and the record high is a toasty 34C. But generally from April to October Riga is cool without being cold and warm without being sweltering.

Average January Temperature: -4 C

Average July Temerature: 16C

So How Do I Organise All the Travelly Details Without Screwing Up?

Easy. There’s a London-based company by the name of Chillisauce who employ people who really enjoy tailoring packages stag groups to Riga, and a whole bunch of other cities. They do all the phoning, reserving and then come up with ideas just for you and your friends. All you actually have to do is turn up to have the most kicking ass time.

Riga has never been this good! Just drop a line to Amalia Illgner, she is a copywriter for chillisauce.co.uk; a fully bonded tour operator specialising in memorable stag nights. And there’s a whole map of possibilities for a great stag weekend, for some excellent adventure filled ideas check out chillisauce where they will tailor a Stag Weekend in Riga just for you and any number of your best friends. Now that’s what we like to call service!