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Disco Diary OUR DISCO DIARY is intended to make your wedding planning process pleasurable! It is an additional service courtesy of The Shattered Glass Group utilising our combined skills, providing you with trendy and valuable tips and advice around your wedding, particularly pertaining to sound, music, and speeches....... HOW TO CHOOSE A MOBILE DISCO There are a number of ways in which to source a mobile disco company: By word of mouth / by ear: Selecting a mobile disco by word of mouth or even better – by ear is generally deemed the safest way, If you have heard a mobile disco at a function and were impressed by the entertainment that they provided, request a quotation and if the price and the service that they offer suits your needs, book them. From a directory / specialist publication: When you open a publication, you will be astounded at the number of mobile discos advertised. Listed below are some hiring tips and good questions to ask. From a venue’s preferred suppliers list: Most venues offer couples a preferred suppliers lists. On the lists will also be their recommended mobile discos. You will more than likely visit more than one venue, check the names of the mobile discos that consistently appear on the lists and contact them. Using the World Wide Web: There are a number of wedding planning websites and you can use search engines to find the website addresses of mobile disco companies. The website of a mobile disco company will speak volumes about the service that they offer and this will be a good indicator of the level of service that you can expect from them. Once you have a list of mobile disco companies to contact, keep the following in mind when making your selection: Price: Prices vary tremendously from R1000 up to R7000.00. As with any product or service, price is relative to expertise and quality. You cannot compare a mobile disco company charging you R1000 to one reasonably charging you upwards of R4000. Ensure that you know exactly what the price quoted includes. Equipment: Is the disco using professional equipment? Is the equipment regularly maintained and does the disco company have some form of backup if there is a technical issue? Remember that professional equipment costs a great deal of money and this will have an impact on the price that you are paying. The speeches are such an important part of the wedding - if the sound is poor the speeches will be ruined. A cordless microphone will assist you in facilitating the speeches. Music Selection: Age and music preferences vary considerably at a wedding and the DJ must be equipped to play a wide selection of music, mobile DJ's need to carry a little of a lot rather than a lot of a little. The DJ: You must actually meet with your DJ before your wedding. A pre-function meeting will enable you to establish a rapport with your DJ. At this meeting discuss your first song, walk in song, song for the cutting of the cake, throwing of the bouquet and your order of events. By selecting a mobile disco with good references, professional equipment, a wide selection of music, an experienced DJ with SADJA accreditation, you will have the musical score for an evening to be enjoyed by everyone! MUSICAL ELEMENTS FOR THE CEREMONY: The music for the Ceremony will be especially moving, try and chose music that means something to you, that has sentimental value and most importantly that you both like. There is absolutely no point in selecting and singing hymns that you have never sung or that you don’t know, your DVD will no doubt capture you mouthing, just perhaps not as successfully as Milli Vanilli at the Grammy’s! There are no rules with regards to music choice. You can choose to go very traditional and classical or you can break with tradition and select your repertoire around more contemporary choices. The Musical Elements of the Ceremony: The Prelude: The prelude music is the music that will play while your guests are arriving and being seated. The selection will be approximately 15 – 20 minutes in length with a few extra songs, just in case you run late. The music should be selected from a similar mood – and this is not somber! This is a happy occasion, a celebration and this is what you want to create! You can incorporate a blend of classical and contemporary numbers. The Processional: This is the music that will be played when the bride walks down the aisle. If you choose for your retinue to walk down the aisle before you, you can select music for them and then follow their music with what you have chosen. The Interlude / During the Ceremony: Couples will choose to include music during other significant moments during the ceremony, these will include the Candle Lighting Ceremony and the Signing of the Register. You can add music to any part of the ceremony that you deem important. Cocktails and Sundowners: Once you leave the ceremony to have photographs taken, your guests will move to an area for cocktails and sundowners before moving to the reception area. It is important to have background music for the cocktails and sundowners. What is important is that you are needing to create and then enhance your guest’s mood. The music needs to be slightly upbeat, recognizable and not all from one artist! Stay away from elevator music and if you have a number of special song choices – this is the best time to have them played. TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY MUSIC CHOICES FOR YOUR CEREMONY THE PRELUDE THE PROCESSIONAL INTERLUDE / DURING THE CEREMONY THE RECESSIONAL THE SPEECHES - WHO SPEAKS / WHEN AND WHAT SHOULD THEY SAY Toasts and Speeches Please stamd and raise your glasses..... The speeches are a formality of your wedding that need to be approached with careful planning, preparation and communication! Communication not just on the night, but during the preparation stages too. It is so important to communicate to each of the speakers when they will be speaking, what their duties are, who they need to thank and toast and the order of who is speaking when. In this way, the same people won't be thanked over and over and toasts won't be repeated. The Order of Speeches and Who Says What: Master of Cermonies This is a very important role and the selection of the Master of Ceremonies needs to be done with care and considering many criteria - not a role for someone you did not know what to do with! More attention will be paid to the Master of Ceremonies in our next communication. Father (and Mother) of the Bride
Best Man
Bride and Groom (if she chooses to accompany the Groom)
THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES All of the speakers at your wedding will have been selected for the role that they play in your lives and not necessarily for their public speaking prowess. The one speaker, and undoubtedly the most important for the evening in terms of holding together the proceedings and being the facilitator for the order of events, is the Master of Ceremonies. More often than not, a Master of Ceremonies is designated as you need them to play an important role in your wedding and am not sure what else to do with them! This is not good criteria for the selection of your MC. An MC should be chosen for their public speaking skills and we are seeing more and more often that a professional is being hired in this capacity. It is essential that you select a strong speaker as your MC, someone who is well versed in the arena of public speaking, who is not microphone shy, who is witty and able to speak off the cuff and able to ad lib effortlessly. In this way, if any of your other speakers are not particularly strong, the MC will be able to buoy them up and ensure that everything runs seamlessly. Preparation for writing the speech: What you should do:
Speaking Time The MC shouldn't speak for any great length of time. He isn't there to make a speech, he is there to introduce and link speeches, tell a few jokes and get the guest's attention. There is no set speaking time but try to keep it short. FINDING OUT, PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER AND NO NO’S FOR YOUR SPEECHES Find out: Now you can put it all together! No No's A TRADITIONAL ORDER OF EVENTS FOR A RECEPTION There are variations on this as it has become increasingly popular to mingle with your guests from the onset. Should the couple have joined the guests for cocktails, they may wish to lead the guests into the reception. Should you want the traditional grand entrance with all the razzmatazz, then a fun adaptation is to go straight into the first dance and cutting of the cake. It is not always wise to leave this until the end as so much time has been spent on the design of the cake and the selection of dance music that it has a far greater impact at the beginning and dispels that awkward silence after the applause upon entering. This is also a cultural tradition in South Africa and one that should be considered by all as an excellent ice breaker. Whichever custome you bring to your reception, carry them out in style and make alot of noise!
The most important advice we can give you at this point is to enjoy the wedding and try your utmost not to sweat the small stuff. Should you find (upon entering the reception) that the napkins are not folded n the correct style or the candle on Table 23 is slighty lopsided, please don't let this upset you as the guests have not noticed anything except the splendour and welcoming atmosphere that has been created through yours and the venue's months of careful planning. Let it go, let your hair down (only literally after the speeches when you remove your veil for damcing! and make this the happiest time of your life....... SOME IDEAS FOR YOUR MUSIC DURING THE FORMALITIES AT THE RECEPTION - PART ONE Many couples have a particular song that they like to think of as "our song" - for those couples the choice will be easy! Others may need a little inspiration. To make the choice, think of music that you both like, decide whether you want something slow and romantic or something more up beat. Look for songs with lyrics that you can identify with and be sure to listen to the lyrics very carefully, some may be about breaking up and not quite the right choice to play!! Listed below are the songs that you will need to specify and some suggestions to get your feet tapping: Walk in Songs First Songs Golden Oldies SOME IDEAS FOR YOUR MUSIC DURING THE FORMALITIES AT THE RECEPTION - PART TWO The Father and Daughter Dance Mother and Son Dance Throwing of the Garter When the Bride and Groom Leave CUTTING THE CAKE - TYING UP THE FLAVOURS WITH YOUR SONG CHOICE Music for Cutting of the Cake Almond Chiffon cake with an apple cinnamon filling and buttercream frosting Chilli cake with a vanilla Bavarian filling and white chocolate frosting Chocolate Ganache cake with chocolate truffle filling and chocolate frosting Carrot cake with a passion fruit filling and lemon cream frosting Fudge Marble cake with cannoli cream filling and Moccha bttercream frosting Orange cake with a ginger cream filling and rolled fondant frosting Strawberry Sponge cake with a vanilla creme filling and strawberry cream frosting Tiramisu cake with a macadamia mousse filling and sugar paste frosting THROWING THE BOUQUET - THE SYMBOLIC MEANING OF FLOWERS IN YOUR BOUQUET AND SOME SONG CHOICES Wedding flowers symbolising fertility and everlasting love have long been a bridal tradition. Traditionally, different flowers and even different colours were considered symbolic, conveying messages and emotions. In the days of arranged marriages, the bride would incorporate certain blooms in her bouquet to send a clandestine message to the man who she would rather have married sitting in the congregation! The interpretations do tend to vary a little and are not often taken seriously these days, but here are some that yo may wish to contemplate: Asters are an amulet of love - Celebration by Kool and the Gang The custom of throwing the bouquet originated in medieval Europe. Traditionally a bride did not expect to wear her dress again and as the dress was considered good luck for other women - a type of fertility charm - after the wedding, single women would chase the bride and rip off pieces of the dress leaving it in tatters! Over the years, wedding dresses became more expensive and it became traditional for women to keep them. To prevent guests from ripping the dress, brides began to throw other objects as a distraction - one of which was the garter. However, impatient and unruly guests were sometimes known to try and take the garter from the bride while she was still wearing it! Later the bouquet became the most traditonally thrown object. The wedding bouquet is particularly suited to this use, as, mentioned before, flowers symbolise fertility. So, whichever flowers you have in your bouquet and whatever music you choose to toss it to - just have fun doing it!!!! SUPPLYING YOUR DJ WITH A PLAYLIST A playlist is the music that you supply your DJ with of your song choices. At Shattered Glass, our DJ's meet with you at a pre function meeting. The meeting is best scheduled two weeks prior to the wedding. The purpose of this meeting is to develop a rapport with the DJ and to supply him with details pertinent to your wedding and this includes a playlist. The playlist is one of the most controversial aspects with regards to the DJ in planning a wedding - but it really needn't be if you are confident with the DJ company that you have hired. Do's and Do Nots for your Playlist Do not give the DJ a list of your top 100 songs of all times and expect him to play all of them! There will not be enough time on the evening to play all the songs and you are setting yourself up for disappointment. The DJ is a professional and will be able to judge the crowd and mood on the evening. Do specify to the DJ the artists for your speacial song choices - especially if the songs have been done by numerous artists. Do Not be time specific - ie. give the DJ a listof songs and the exact time they should be played. You will be so busy looking at your watch you will miss out on the fun of the evening. Trust your DJ, he has done this many times before and will do a fabulous job at your wedding. Do give him a list of music that you don't like and would prefer him not to play. If he is a professional he will gladly listen to this request! Do Not forbid the DJ from taing requests from your guests. He will have received your list of songs and artists not to play and will adhere to this. Your guests are also there to have a good time and by the DJ playing some of their song choices, this will ensure their enjoyment of your wedding too! Do be specific about your speeches - may your DJ play songs inbetween - ie. Jolly Good Fellow, Another One Bites the Dust, or would you rather he didn't? Do Not limit your DJ's abilities by being overly prescriptive, communicate what you want out of your wedding and let him do the rest. Do give the DJ an indication of your favourite artists/groups and songs of all time as this will give him an idea of the music you like to listen to. Do feel confident in your choice of DJ and Mobile Disco Company! If you have madethe right choice, then you will have the musical score for an evening to be enjoyed by everyone! IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR DJ AT YOUR WEDDING There are a few important considerations with regards to your DJ on the evening of your wedding so it is best to be aware of these during your planning stages so that the DJ is not slotted in as an afterthought, which could pose some challenges closer to your big day. Once you have decided on your venue and that you will indeed be hiring the services of a mobile disco company, take the time to look at the floorplan of the venue and the choices you have in terms of placement of the DJ. 1. It is ideal that the DJ be set up in the reception venue and not in an adjoining venue such as a patio or outside. The minute you remove the DJ from the room in which you are hosting your reception you cause unnecessary challenges. 2. It is essential that the DJ be set up on the perimeter of the dance floor - not hidden in the corner! Once again, by having the DJ out of immediate sight of the dance floor and the guests affects his rapport with the guests and what is going on on the dance floor. A DJ connects with his audience and having him stashed in a corner does little to establish a relationship between the DJ and the dance floor. Never underestimate the power of the relationship between the DJ and his dance floor for this relationship can make or break the function! 3. The DJ's table that you have set aside for him to set up on should have an accessible power point ie. one really close by. The closer the plug point the less cable he will have to run. It is the responsibility of the DJ to have all of his own leads and very importantly tape to tape them down! 4. It is not advisable to try and hide the DJ behind a pillar, draping, flower arrangements, screens or fairy lights! If you have chosen wisely, the equipment that the mobile disco company supplies will be aesthetically appealing and will not cause you embarrassment. By hiding the DJ, you will once again have the same problems as mentioned in Point 2. 5. Look carefully at the placement of the dance floor. If you have taken our advice, consider that the DJ is set up adjacen to the dance floor, now look at your tables and the guests that you have placed at them - it is advisable that if any of your more mature guests are placed around the dance floor so that you move them to the further reaches of the room. The sound will be concentrated onto the dance floor, by moving the more mature folk further away you will ensure that they too have a great evening and will not be griping out the volume of the music. If you take these 5 factors into consideration, you will make the world of difference in planning the entertainment for your wedding successful...... DJ EQUIPMENT AND WHAT IS A TECHNICAL RIDER? The definition of a Technical Rider is a documentation detailing the specifications of the artist - in this case the DJ. In the case of a chart topping band or best selling artist, this would then include everything from catering to transportation to arrival at the venue, exact sound specifications, lighting design, layout and precise sound requirements. The Technical Rider is the outline towards a successful function. For a "celebrity DJ", when they arrive to play a set at a function, the rider could include information regarding audio playback needs - ie. professional pitch control CD players with MP3 playback, whether additional fold back monitors are required, mixing desk preferences, if s(he) will be using vinyl, if s(he) will require microphones, if s(he) will be making use of DVD's or PC Audio and if special cabling is required. For Mobile DJ's, they bring their own equipment, so the onus is on the Mobile Disco company supplying the equipment. Technical Riders are often very specific in terms of brands, however, in the Mobile Disco industry each and every company has a brand preference, as long as the equipment is professional ie. specifically for PA and not for home use, then you are on the right track. These are the questions that you should ask the Mobile Disco Company:
It is very important to remember that the fee that the Mobile Disco Company requests relates directly to the equipment that they are utilizing. If they are charging R1000, donlt expect too much, much less professional equipment. In terms of the DJ supplying you with a Technical Rider - and yes, we have heard of this - including his specific meal requirements and his preferred choice of beer, in our 22 years of experience, we suggest that all you shouldbe supplying the DJ with is a table set up adjacent to the dance floor (as per our previous article), an accessible plug point, a meal (normally he is quite happy to eat behind his console and please just remember to provide him with cutlery), and non alcohoic beverages! By asking the correct questions and planning well, you will choose the right Company that always comes to the party! TRADITIONALLY, WHO PAYS FOR THE DJ AND WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS? Traditionally, the Groom/Groom's family pays for the DJ and here is the traditional list of who pays for what: Bride and Bride's Family:
Groom and Groom's Family
Best Man
As with all traditions, things have changed with time. As most Brides and Grooms are financially successful in their own righ, they generally contribute to their wedding budgets and less is expected of their parents. One of the easiest forms of managing the wedding budget is to have a wedding account - for each of the parties to make paymets into - according to their means and for the Bride and Groom to allocate funds accordingly. SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE - THE TRADITIONAL MEANINGS AND DOING IT TO MUSIC.......Something Old - The Traditional Meaning Something Old - The Music Something New - The Traditional Meaning Something Borrowed - The Traditional Meaning Something Borrowed - The Music Something Blue - The Traditional Meaning Something Blue - The Music Whether you choose to celebrate Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue traditionally or to music - just have fun doing it! WORLD WEDDINGS, CULTURES AND MUSIC From all around the world, weddings are a celebration of love and unity. Each culture has its own traditions, cultures and music for this joyous celebration. In Greece, weddings are traditinally held on Sundays. Greek brides tuck a sugar cube into their glove to sweeten the marriage union. Greek couples circle the altar three times to represent the Holy Trinity. There are two significant dances associated with a Greek wedding. The first, the Isiah, is performed by the bride and groom during the ceremony. Afterwards the couple is part of another dance, the Kaslamantiano. Japanese couples sip thee times from thre cups of saki, three and nine being lucky numbers. The Japanese wedding song is called Imo se o chi Giru. Jewish couples stand underneath a Chuppah, an ornamental canopy of flowers or hand painted or embroidered silk cloth to symbolise the nomadic tents of Israel and the new home the couple will share. Jewish grooms smash a glass with their foot to remember the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and that sorrow always tempers joy. Couples may preserve the shards in a symbolic keepsake box. The entrance of the bride is accompanied by a tune called Baruch Haba. After the ceremony, there is a raditional dance called the Hora. This is a circle dance with the men circling the groom and the women circling the bride. At a Scottish wedding, it is traditional to wash the bride's feet on the eve of her wedding. At a traditional Scottish wedding, there is often a dance after the ceremony called a Cellidh. The Cellidh involves traditional Scottish music and has dances such as "Strip the Willow" and Mairi's Wedding". In China, brides wear red and gold. The traditional Lion dance is performed at Chinese weddings. At a traditional Italian wedding, the groom carries a piece of iron in his pocket. The Italian newly weds dance the Tarantella. At Egyptian weddings, the bride is pinched for good luck. In Egypt, there is a specific rhythm called the Zaffa. Traditionally a belly dancer will lead the bride to the wedding hall, accompanied by musicians playing the elzaff, on drums and trumpets. Ducks join Korean wedding processions, because, like many other fowls, they mate for life. The fan dance is celebrated at Korean weddings with lotus printed fans. Mexican couples are bound in marriage with a long rosary. Ater a short speech at the reception, the bride and groom enjoy a waltz which is just before the traitional money dance. An Indian Sikh circles the couple six times and then showers them with rose petals to ward off evil on life's long journey. Music is the soul of any Indian Marriage Ceremony. The dancing of the Gidda or a mind blowing performance of Bhangra creates the festive, boisterous atmosphere. In South Africa our culture is as rich as it is diverse. Our heritage is enriched with the cultures of countries rom around the world. The language of music transcends all cultures and Shattered Glass Discos speaks the language of music! THE FINAL COUNTDOWN - 12 MONTHS AHEAD.....
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN - 6 MONTHS TO GO 4 - 6 Months Ahead
1 - 2 Months Ahead
3 Weeks Ahead
1 Week Ahead
THE BIG DAY!! The Day Before
The Night Before
Your Big Day!
All information supplied is from the Ring Bound Wedding Planner. The Ring Bound Wedding Planner is a product of The Marriage Meander Company, a division of The Shattered Glass Group. For more information, please visit www.marriagemeander.co.za or email info@marriagemeander.co.za. |
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