Before I get started, I want to preface this by saying that this may "ruffle a few feathers out there", and for those that come away from reading this feeling that way , then I sincerely apologize! Ok, no I don't, but here goes!   

      I recently had a conversation with a potential client, and  we were going through some ideas of different things that they could do with their wedding. These were just some basic ideas that they could do in terms of order of events, as well as some creative ideas to incorporate into their reception. As I got into tossing a few things around to them, an all too familiar statement was made: "But we've never seen it done that way before." More than anything, I sensed resistance as the statement was made. 

     I immediately thought to myself: "Exactly!" All too often when couples are working on their wedding planning, they tend to fall into the trap of planning their own wedding, based solely off of what they have seen at other weddings in the past. The problem with that is, that more often than not, the weddings that they have been to may have been nothing more than the "an average every day wedding reception." 

     So many wedding receptions both now, as well as in the past have been put together in more of a "cookie cutter" fashion, rather than focusing on the couple, their personalities, and incorporating the "YOU" factor into their celebration. The result of which almost always will be them having "A Wedding" rather than having "Their Wedding." (figuratively speaking)

     In relation to the above mentioned conversation, one thing that I challenge engaged couples to do every day,  is to take the time to really think about what they are wanting to do with their Wedding Celebration in order to create one that is a reflection of who they are, rather than just going through the motions and having the same "McWedding" that happens each and every weekend in cities all across the country. The most important factor in this is to make sure that you choose a team of highly skilled, and qualified professionals to work with. 

     In short, think about it for a moment: This is truly a once in a lifetime occasion for you both. It is the only time that you will marry each other, the only time that the exact group of guests will be there at that very moment. It's a very powerful moment that will only happen once in a lifetime! Take the time to put your personal touch on the entire celebration in order to walk way knowing that it was better than you could have ever imagined!

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     I don't usually talk much about this subject, other than to my industry peers and colleagues, but I got a call tonight from a bride that was looking for entertainment for her wedding that really had me scratching my head. Although I was pretty certain fairly early in the conversation that she probably wasn't my client, I wanted to do everything that I could to help her make an educated decision on what to look for when choosing the right entertainment for her wedding. 

     A few more minutes into the conversation, she really started stressing to me just how important, and how much of a priority that she placed on the entertainment as part of her wedding celebration. I began wondering if I hadn't given her enough credit in the early portion of the call. She started telling me about all of the research that she had already done in searching for the right entertainment, but wouldn't really divulge any numbers in regards to what she had found. 

     After a few more minutes, she opened up a little bit, and shared with me what she had found, and what she felt was "the norm" in our area. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks.... When I asked her the question, "How much value do you place on your entertainment in terms of the overall success of your reception? Iin short, what do you feel that quality, professional entertainment is worth to YOU on YOUR wedding day? Her answer: "about $450.00". 

     I was a little taken back by this point, but still did my best to give her an idea of where to try to find a qualified entertainer for her wedding celebration. I couldn't help but feel for her a bit, as she was truly setting herself up for failure, and didn't even realize it. 

     All too many times, couples go through that, or a similar process when searching for their wedding professionals. Now before you say it, I know that not everyone has "an unlimited budget". As a matter of fact, I've yet to work with anyone who has! But I know that the odds are not in her favor to achieve the type of success that she wants with her wedding entertainment, without setting realistic expectations. 

     To quote a close friend of mine: Cain Humphrey of DJCain.com "If there is a car for sale for $500.00, would you want to buy it?" Check out his short article entitled "The New Car Theory" on his website. It's a very thought provoking way of looking at things. 

     In short, don't make a decision on anything, especially when it comes to your wedding, without knowing each and every detail of exactly what you are purchasing. Do your research, protect yourself! After all, how many chances will you have to get married?

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     In many situations in our lives, we are wired to think "What is my backup plan?", or "Plan B" if you will. Ask yourself the question, what are some things in your life that you have a backup plan for? Even something as simple as a battery backup on your computer in case of a storm, or what about having roadside assistance through AAA, or your insurance provider? Something that we all have, and probably wouldn't think of going without is a spare tire for your vehicle, right? All forms of backup for unforeseen situations. 

     What I'm getting at, is that things don't always go according to plan. It's a good idea in important situations to have a "Plan B" just in case something does happen. Some of you reading this are business owners and service providers, and yet even more of you will be doing business with some of these same service providers in the near future who are reading this. Most of you know, that I am a wedding entertainment professional. I have the honor of working with couples nearly every week of the year, both in planning and in execution of one of the most important events in their lives, their wedding. 

     Most of the couples that I work with, know from talking to me that one of my biggest fears at their event would be equipment failure. Picture this, your guests have arrived, the atmosphere has been set, you've just had an amazing Grand Entrance into your wedding, and as you step out onto the dance floor to experience the moment that you've envisioned for months, your first dance, something happens. No, it's not the wrong song playing, it's worse, much worse..... dead silence. 

     You look over at your DJ to see him/her frantically working on their equipment trying to find a solution to the problem, only to ultimately learn that the solution to the problem isn't there. Their "viable" plan B is in their shop 20 minutes (one-way) across town, if they even have a "Plan B" at all. The rest of what happens here is trivial, but the bottom line is that you've just lost at least an hour (maybe more) of the most critical time of your wedding celebration, all because the service provider that you chose didn't have enough foresight to plan for the best, yet prepare for the worst!

     The situation that I outlined above isn't one that I've personally experienced (thank goodness!), but it is one that has happened time and time again. The one that I described is geared towards your DJ, but truth be known, it could happen with any of your service providers. Your photographer, for example: Do they have a second camera in case of failure with their primary? When you make the decision on who to use during your celebration, make certain that they have a "Plan B" in place, that is onsite and ready to go. In most cases, you'll never need it, but if you do, you will certainly be glad that you did.  

     Not only do I have a "Plan B" onsite at all of my events, it's also in the room, and ready to go if ever called upon. Something else to consider is liability insurance. I carry a comprehensive liability policy with Traveler's Insurance, that covers both liability, as well as full equipment coverage. While I've never had to make a claim up until this point, it would scare me to death to leave the shop without it. In short, make sure that your chosen service provider runs their business like a business, and that you are covered in the event of a mishap.

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     If you've found this, you've found my new website as well! I've been working really hard on the concept with my web designer over the past several months, and I couldn't be happier with her work! I've known for quite some time that I needed to do a major overhaul of my website and overall marketing material, because quite frankly, it didn't do a very good job of conveying just what my company was about! 

     When the new year was approaching (and quickly I might add!) I decided that 2012 was the right time to make this happen. I mean, after all you always hear friends and family make New Years resolutions (most of which are never even attempted!) so I decided to make a New Year's resolution for my business, one that would challenge me to set attainable goals. One of which being a marketing makeover of sorts that conveys my passion for my business, and my clients. 


     Last weekend, I again was able to be a part of something that I look forward to each year, the Wichita Bridal & Event Expo. It give me an opportunity to meet face to face with literally hundreds of brides, grooms, and their families over the course of a weekend. While it is exhausting over the course of a weekend, it's a great way for me to meet new people, and to be able to tell them what my company is all about. Not to mention being able to catch up with a lot of my friends in the wedding industry across town. (Most of which I only get to see while working together, so that part is nice as well!)

     The New Year is also always a time for me regroup and get ready for the coming wedding season, as well as to travel to different parts of the country for Wedding Entertainment workshops, seminars, conferences and much more. Continuing education is very important to me, as it should be to anyone, regardless of their chosen career. It is vital for me to be able to provide the very best service, entertainment, and overall experience to each and every couple that I work with!