wedding reception

4 Ways to Give Back During Your Reception

February 28, 2019
Wedding Planning Advice

We have an increasing number of couples that want to not only throw a great party, but also give back to the community during their wedding. From floral to gifts, there are a number of ways to share the love after the wedding is over! Here are a few ideas:

Photo courtesy of Allen Tsai Photography

Floral by Petals Couture

Sharing Your Flowers

Floral provides a great opportunity to give back, after all, at the end of the night the flowers are yours to keep. It would be a shame to just throw it all away. In our previous blog we talk you through a number of different options, but one of my favorites is to donate them. Your florist may have a preferred charity that they bring flowers to after a wedding, but you can also ask your planner about it. Here at Each & Every Detail we have partnered with Harbor Chase Retirement Home to provide their residents the remaining flowers from our clients’ events. What a great way to pay it forward! Send us an email for more details.

Photo courtesy of Tony Valadez Photography

Catering by CN Catering

Making Your Food Go A Little Further

In order to make sure that everyone gets fed, most caterers will cook slightly more food than the guest count indicates. This means that there will likely be left over food. While you could take it home and feast on left overs for a week you could also talk to your caterer about donating it. Different caterers have different rules about reheating food, but it’s definitely an option to consider when thinking about ways to give back.

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Minnerick Photography

Gift for Others

There are several different ways you can encourage your guests to give back in your name. You can set up a typical gift table but have an informational sign that encourages charitable giving rather than gifts. You can also prepare your guests by registering through a charity or list your favorite organization on your wedding website.

Alternatively, if you think your guests might be the kind to want to bring physical gifts, try having a toy drive or asking everyone to bring their favorite book to be donated. You still get a great gift table as well as the satisfaction that comes with helping others.

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Minnerick Photography

Donations as Favors

Favors are a fun way to add a little personality to your event! Rather than trying to think of the perfect little gift for your guests, how about you donate to a charity of your choice in their honor. You can leave a little card on everyone’s place setting with the details of the donation. That way you don’t have to worry if anything gets left on the table at the end of the night, because the charity has received your donation either way.

There you have it, four easy ways to give back to the community during your wedding. What is your favorite way to pay it forward? If you want advice on how to incorporate giving back with your event contact us! We’d love to help out!

Things to Consider Before You Start Planning Your Wedding

December 21, 2017
Wedding Planning Advice

Photo courtesy of Braden Harris Photography

So… You got engaged, you told everyone you know, and now it’s time to start planning! I know what you’re thinking, where do we start!? Don’t panic, you just need to think about the kind of wedding you want. The biggest thing to ask yourselves is, “What makes the most sense for us?”

Location:

When I say location, I don’t just mean venue. I mean where in the world do y’all want to say your vows? Consider where you are from, is there a specific place one of you has always wanted to get married, can your family and friends you want at your wedding get to this place?

Photo by Kylie Crump Photography

When my husband and I were talking wedding, we had to decide between his hometown and mine. We considered the fact that we both now live in Dallas, so it made it easier that we can plan in state. While the convenience is nice, my husband’s HUGE family, here in Dallas, sealed the deal on us having ours here. It would be so much easier to get my 10-15 family members here and lodged then to get his 50-75 family members there!

When deciding who you want present on your wedding day, it’s important to think about how they will get there. Can your grandma, who you can’t imagine not being there, fly on a plane? If you want to walk down the aisle with grandma Jo, then maybe consider doing it closer to her.

Photo by Dot & Anchor Photography

Guest Count:

Consider if you prefer being in your small group of friends or if you like the big crowd scene? Are you an introvert or extrovert? If you love the thought of having all your family and friends in one place, then go with the big wedding! Some people cringe at the thought of 150 people staring at you all night. Are you that person? Then do a smaller wedding. Remember, you don’t have to invite every person you ever came in contact with!

Photo by Lauren Peele Photography

Dancing, Food, Alcohol, and The Whole Shebang:

When people think of weddings a lot of times they think ceremony, then seated dinner, followed by dancing with occasional visits to the open bar. This is definatly not the only option.

Let’s go back to what makes sense to y’all. If you a morning person, you can always do a morning ceremony followed with a brunch. If you like the idea of an evening wedding, but not the crazy party, skip the dancing and open bar, and just do the dinner. There are many ways to celebrate and make your wedding perfect for you and your fiancé.

All in all, try to stay true to who you are as a couple and what makes sense for you. After all it is your day! If you need help figuring out the details to get you wedding plans moving contact us!

Design of a Groom’s Cake

June 6, 2017
Wedding Planning Advice

Photo courtesy of Kylie Crump Photography

Cake by The Cake Guys

Groom’s cakes have come a long way since their origination as a wedding tradition in Victorian England. Back in those days, groom’s cakes were heavy, dense fruitcakes, some flavored with chocolate or alcohol, which was considered a more appropriate choice for male guests than the lighter texture of the wedding cake.

Photo courtesy of Amy Karp Photography

Cake by The Cake Guys

An interesting tradition called for a slice of groom’s cake to be boxed and given to unmarried women at the wedding, who would then take it and place the box under their pillow. Legend has it that this would allow the woman to have sweet dreams of her future hubby!

Photo courtesy of Kylie Crump Photography

Cake by Frosted Art Bakery

Nowadays, the groom’s cake is mostly considered a Southern tradition and its appearance is light years away from its Victorian predecessors. Typically, a groom’s cake reflects the personality and interest of the groom and gives him a chance to have something in the wedding personalized just for him. The cakes can range from simple chocolate frosted to elaborately designed confections that look too amazing to cut.

Photo courtesy of Simple Moments Photography

Cake by Sweet Art Bakery

The sky’s the limit when it comes to design ideas. What Star Wars fan wouldn’t want a Death Star cake? What about a Batman logo for that avid Batman lover? Sports teams, alma maters, branches of the Armed Forces, firefighters and police are all popular themes.

Photo courtesy of Amy Karp Photography

Bundt Cakes by Nothing Bundt Cakes

And who says you have to have a groom’s cake? A groom’s dessert can be just as great! Does your man like pie? Then get mini pies and display as his “groom’s cake”. Popsicles or an ice cream bar make for a sweet, cool-down in the hotter months. Oreos, donuts, Rice Krispy treats, whatever dessert he loves can be re-imagined into the wedding cake’s counterpart.

Whether it’s an actual cake or a dessert, the groom’s cake is a fun and delicious way to spotlight Prince Charming on his big day.

For more information about groom’s cake options contact us. Be sure to check out our blog about Bridal Cakes as well.

Working with a Band

July 14, 2015
Wedding Planning Advice

Photo by Mary Fields Photography

Using a band for your reception? Should be awesome! Bands are a wonderful way to get all of your guests on the dance floor as well as reflecting your taste in music. Here are some key ideas to consider when you’re hiring a band or working with one to create a plan for your reception!

1. Their Playlist Should Match Yours

The first thing you need to consider when choosing a band is the style of music. If you love Motown, choose a band that has a lot of Motown on their list! If you dig the Sinatra era, there’s nothing better than a full band with brass to bring that distinctive sound to your dance floor. Be careful to select a band that does what you love, though – asking a great Motown band to play Sinatra all night makes the band unhappy and ultimately leads to a less fabulous party.

2. Equipment and Lighting

Bands need a lot of space, so be sure your venue has enough room for your guest tables and a dance floor plus a stage. During the hiring process, you should check with your band on whether or not they need a stage and what the dimensions are for their set up. Bands mostly have dance lights, but not so much the specialty lighting you might find through a DJ. Definitely ask up front if their set up includes lights, if that’s something you want!

3. Set Lists

While you don’t want to dictate every song for your band to play during the evening, be sure to go through their materials and highlight for the band any must play or do not play songs. Also, feel free to ask your band for set lists a few weeks prior to your wedding. That’ll give you an idea of how their transitions will go, and if they’re hitting the right blend of fast and slow for you. Finally, be sure to give the band any songs they might need to learn for special dances (first dance, father-daughter, etc.) well in advance of the wedding. That way, they have time to learn them and practice together prior to your wedding!

4. Breaks and Filler Music

Bands tend to have very specific time periods that they like to play, and it’s going to differ from band to band. Band breaks may have a large impact on your agenda for the evening, so it’s worth knowing when you hire whether they prefer certain set lengths, a particular number of breaks, dinner at a certain time, etc. That will help you decide when to cut your cake and when to keep the attention focused on the dance floor. Many bands will specify that they include a DJ to play during band breaks. Do a little digging to see if this is really an emcee and DJ that will be present, or just a playlist of recorded music that will play in the background while the band disappears. If your budget allows for it, hiring a DJ to act as emcee and keep the dance floor hopping during band breaks is a wonderful investment.

Working with a DJ

July 8, 2015
Wedding Planning Advice

Photo by Flashbox Photography

Using a DJ for your reception? Excellent choice! DJs offer you a level of flexibility that is unmatched by bands, plus a great emcee for the evening. Here are some key ideas to consider when you’re hiring a DJ or working with one to create a plan for your reception!

1. You Get What You Pay For

DJs, especially, are a vendor where we see a lot of brides hitting the low budget panic button in an effort to save a little money. If you’re at the beginning of your process, consider the following: your DJ is the single most important vendor when it comes to keeping your guests happy. The mood of your reception, the tenor of your dance party, and the attention of your guests is all dependent on having a strong emcee who can read the dance floor and give the people what they want. Also, a professional firm will have redundancies – a back up DJ in case yours is ill, extra equipment in case there’s a problem on the wedding day, and experienced support if needed.

2. Equipment

Don’t be surprised if there is an additional charge if you are having your DJ do the sound for your ceremony as well. To a great DJ, this means a second sound system, additional microphones for your officiant, readers, etc., and potentially stressful timing if there’s no coordinator to assist with your entrance.

3. Lighting

DJs have lighting! This is a super find for you, because it can minimize the number of vendors on your list. If you’re looking for colored uplighting or a monogram on your dance floor, your DJ can probably provide it. Larger, more established companies may have additional lighting options as well.

4. Make Your List and Check It Twice

It’s always helpful for a DJ to have a must play and/or a do not play list. If you can keep these fairly concise, that will give your DJ room to fill in with songs that will pull your guests out onto the dance floor. Even a short list of favorite songs from you and your partner will help your DJ pull together awesome playlists that reflect your taste.

5. Choosing the Highlights

Be sure to choose your special songs in advance, so that your DJ can have them all ready to go! At a minimum, you’ll need to choose songs for your first dance, any dances with parents (father-daughter, mother-son), and your private last dance, if you have one. Everything else – if you trust your DJ, leave those songs up to his/her discretion.

6. Friendor DJs

Your friend may know how to rock the dance floor at a club, and you may love his or her musical taste – but your friend is not a professional wedding DJ. There’s a lot more to a great wedding DJ than keeping the dance floor packed all night. Most importantly, an experienced wedding DJ can smoothly ferry your guests from event to event through well timed and precise announcements, then crank up the party when the time is right. Plus, then your friend gets to enjoy your wedding rather than working!

wedding reception

Sharing Your Flowers

Making Your Food Go A Little Further

Gift for Others

Donations as Favors

Finding the Right Planner for You