What do you do about the Cake?

I go to a lot of weddings. (I’m in a wedding band after all) So I have the luxury of seeing how lot’s of different couples handle all the details of their wedding.  It’s always interesting how many ways there are to do stuff, like the cake.

There’s lots of options today.  Some people have the traditional layer cake, others cupcakes, a few couples are not having cake at all.  What is the right option for you?

I propose you ask the following questions:

1.       Is your crowd going to eat cake? I have been to weddings where most of the cake just gets served and then ends up in the trash.  I’m sorry, but that seems like a waste to me.  Just like in all aspects of planning your wedding, know your people.  Make sure it’s the right choice.

2.       Are you having a sweet table? Honestly, cake and the sweet table compete with each other.  One idea is to serve the cake as part of the sweet table.  You can then get a smaller cake.  This might save you some money or allow you to spend more money to get the best tasting and looking cake.

3.       Is the cake for looks or eating? Believe it or not, this is a decision that need to be made.  Often, the best looking cakes do not taste good.  I was told by a cake bakery that certain types of frosting, look great but cannot be made to taste good.  The same can be said of the cake itself, some designs require the cake to be so stiff, that it won’t be moist or flavorful.  Talk to your baker and make the right choice for you.

4.       What is your personality? I think you should reflect who you are in all of your plans.  Cake is no exception.  Cupcakes can show a fun individual style.  One couple we worked with donated the money they would have spent on a cake to their favorite charity.  Who are you?  Make your cake or no cake a reflection of your unique person.

Whatever you decide, have fun, check out a lot of cake options, eat a lot of sample cake, and make the right choice for your wedding!

How to Make Sure the Music Played at Your Reception is Perfect!

Choosing the perfect music playlist for your wedding reception is a complicated job, and you want to make sure it’s done right.  Getting it wrong will mean an empty dance floor, and a dull party.  You sure don’t want that to happen at your wedding.  Here’s 3 steps to getting it right.

1.       Tell the band leader what songs are a “must play” for your group. You know your friends and family better than anyone else.  Are there special songs your friends always go nuts for?  How about frat or sorority songs?  Grandma and Grandpa’s first dance song? Do you need a few swing or salsa songs? Can you think of any others?  Communicate all of these to the band in the planning stage to make sure your favorites get played.

2.       Choose a band that can cover all the music you want to hear.  Besides the “Must Play” songs, what other music do you want to hear?  You probably have 3 or more hours to fill so how do you make it interesting all night.  Also, most weddings have attendees that range in age from 7 to 75+.  How can you make sure there is something for everyone?  Make sure to ask the band leader if they can play music from many different styles and eras.  Hopefully you can see the band play these live.

3.       Let the Pro’s do their job.  It’s easy to get caught up in the planning process and “over plan” your dance music.  Experienced bands can make the night magic by feeling out the crowd and mixing up the set list to fit the mood of the room.  A dance floor filled with people takes on a life of its own and you don’t want to kill the mood by playing the wrong song just because it’s next on the set list.

To recap: Choose a versatile, experienced band, give them some hints and guidelines, then, let go and have a great night!

The Number One Rule for Having a Great Wedding

Thanks for reading our first blog post.  As I was thinking about what to write on this momentous occasion, I had 2 thoughts.

First, Just get it done.

Second, Make it relevant.

So, here goes…..

Take it Easy!

As you plan your wedding, I’d like to give you one piece of advice…. Relax (a little) .

I know that you want your big day to be perfect.  I also know that your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, but, don’t forget that you need to enjoy your life up to that day, and more importantly, all of your years after your wedding day.

Now, I know you’re thinking that this is so obvious, and of course, everybody knows this……. BUT……

The TRUTH is, everybody knows it, but most people forget to do it.

So don’t forget….

1.       You have to live with your family and the family of your fiancée forever.  Do everything possible to be kind and considerate in the planning process.  Many marriages suffer for years because of damage done before, or on the wedding day.

2.       Have fun in the planning process, take “field trips” to see wedding bands you are considering.  Watch the crowd and the band.  Is everyone on the dance floor having fun? Is this the kind of event that you would want guests at your wedding to experience? Please, however, keep in mind that this event was planned specifically for someone else, so song selection, volume, band/crowd interaction, will be different when you are the one making the decisions.

3.       Plan, Plan, Plan but when your wedding day arrives, relax and have fun.  Stay in the moment and experience your wedding.  The time for worrying about the details is over.  Have a great time and let the pro’s you hired, do a great job for you.

I wish you, a great time in planning your wedding, an amazing wedding day, and a fabulous married life.  I also hope that if you are planning a Chicago wedding or a wedding in the Chicagoland area, that High Society can be a part of your amazing day.