Selecting Music for your Wedding

Selecting wedding songs is a very important part of preparing for your special day. Every couple wants the songs played at their wedding to be just right, but sometimes it can be hard to pick the right ones.

So how do you choose the right songs? Several factors play an important part in finding the music that works for you and your wedding.
The Setting

Your wedding music may depend on where you're holding it. It will be different in a religious setting than in another environment. If your ceremony isn’t in a church or synagogue, then you’ll be able to choose whatever kind of music you like. However, if your wedding is going to be held in a religious setting, then you’ll need to follow the guidelines of that particular church.

In a religious ceremony, the wedding is often seen as a form of worship. Depending on which church or religion, you may face strict guidelines or have very few limits. I’ve been to church weddings that have played religious music only while others have played contemporary pop.

Make sure to run your choice by whoever is in charge so that you don’t cause any problems on your special day.
Vocal Music

Many weddings have some form of live music being played in sections of the ceremony. If you want to have a live entertainment then you need to figure out what time of the ceremony is most appropriate. There are usually a few different opportunities:

• During the seating of the mothers or candle-lighting.
• Before the processional.
• Immediately before the vows
• During the lighting of the Unity Candle
• During the communion service.

You’ll likely need to hire musicians, but try contacting friends or family friends who may be singers to see if they’d like to get involved; they’d most likely be honored. Stress they should choose words that fit your relationship well.

A vocal duet with a male and female is always a safe choice, as it blends well and carries the feeling of a couple. If you are musically gifted, then you might even want to consider the option of singing a song at your own wedding.
Instrumental Music

You’ll have the option of choosing instrumental music to fill in some of those moments of the ceremony that need a little something to maintain the mood. Some of the more popular instrumental options include the violin, a piano, the church organ, a harp, or even a string quartet. You can also have instrumental music during the procession or the recession.

If your live performance isn’t going to have any vocals involved, then you’ll want to make sure that it is powerful and able to invoke emotion. Always make sure that your musicians are trained and prepared for that day – although it’s impossible to guarantee that no mistakes will be made.
Finding the Right Songs

You’ll probably want to spend most of the time choosing your vocal music, as the words usually have a special meaning behind them. If your couple has a song that is considered “your song,” then you should definitely consider using it, assuming that it is appropriate for the ceremony.

If you’re having a tough time finding a song, go through your CD collection to find a choice that reminds you of the one you love – or perhaps even something that conveys a message about your future together.

For instrumental music, the decision might be more difficult. If you love classical music, this might not be a problem, but many people don’t know instrumental songs unless they are a musician themselves. If you’re having a tough time finding a song that works, ask the musician that will perform if there are songs they recommend. Sift through your options and choose something that fits well with your desires.

If you can’t find music that works – keep looking! You’ll only have one wedding ceremony, so you want to do it right.
Custom Song Writing

If you have somebody close to you that is extremely gifted as a songwriter, then you might want to consider the option of having a song written for your wedding. It may be more meaningful in the long run. Be sure to give the songwriter plenty of time in advance to compose the right song for the moment.

If the songwriter is composing from your perspective, then be specific about what you want the song to convey. However, if they’re writing it as a close friend or family member looking at your future life, then it can be incredibly powerful to have the musician write something original on their own and sing it to you as a couple.
Reception

While most people choose a DJ to figure out the music at the reception, some couples choose to pick the songs and performers themselves. You’ll always be able to make suggestions to the DJ, and you'll have more control over choices played during the reception.
Choose Wisely

While music certainly isn’t the focal point of any wedding, music can heighten the experience or lessen it. If you choose your songs right and have everything set up perfectly, you’ll be thankful that you spent the time and effort. There’s nothing more embarrassing than having poor music throughout your wedding day!

By selecting your wedding songs wisely, your wedding will be more enjoyable - and be everything that you want it to be.

Lehigh Acres, Florida– January 25, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce Magical Moment Weddings has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Planners, and Photography!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Magical Moment Weddings stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Magical Moment Weddings for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Magical Moment Weddings is among the very best Wedding Planners and Photographers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/magical-moment-weddings-southwest/f26c44a6c7a92623.html.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

Wedding Ceremony Contest!!

Enter to win:

‎Wedding ceremony contest!! Do you know a bride/groom that is getting married? Have them submit their story on how they met and their proposal to our facebook fan page Magical Moment Weddings and Event Planning......our staff will vote for the top 5 stories and post those here for our facebook fans to vote for the winner, the best story wins... Entry deadline is July 1st, 2011

Package includes:

•Officiant – Non Denominational minister (male or female) to perform a personalized romantic ceremony for you and your fiance'. Sand or Shell ceremony included (if desired) at no additional fee.

•License – Filing of your license after the ceremony.

•Decor – Decorated 2 post bamboo arch with sheer fabric and silk floral color of your choice

•Photography – All photos of couple, family and friends on a CD copyrights to couple.

•Bouquet – An 18 rose flower bridal bouquet (hydrangea or tiger lily may be substituted) and a lapel flower for the groom. Your color choice

•Attendants Floral – Small Maid of Honor bouquet and Best Man lapel floral

•Chairs – 20 chairs for guest seating with chair covers and sashes

•Guest Bubbles – Blowing bubbles will be placed on each chair (20) for Bride and Groom exit

•Music – Recorded wedding music can be provided upon request on CD/MP3 player or you may bring a selection of your own. Microphone provided for ceremony.

•Hair and Make up – for Bride day of wedding. Attendants can be purchased separately

•Two (2) nights and Three (3) days Hotel stay

•Ceremony – This package is for up to one hour at the ceremony site.

airfare, meals and other cost NOT included! Hotel and Ceremony site is at our discretion!

Smaller Can Be Better!

There are significant reasons for planning a small wedding. If money is not a problem smaller weddings will give you an opportunity to spend lavishly on a few guests rather than conservatively on many. If money is an issue it gives you the opportunity to spend more on the things you want instead of on several guests. Smaller venues and fewer guests create a more intimate and romantic setting. A short guest list means that you and your new spouse can spend time actually talking to the people who have come to help you celebrate one of the most important days of your life. Weddings may be many things but they are first and foremost celebrations. Inviting the friends and family who are closest you can be much more meaningful and MEMORABLE than the pageantry of a large wedding. It is sad when you hear women say that her Magical day passed in a blur that she can barely remember due to having so many guests that there was no time for her and the groom to enjoy the wedding they spent so much money and time preparing. Remember your wedding is first and foremost YOUR day to enjoy with people who YOU enjoy being with!



Suggested Settings for Small Weddings

One of the first steps in planning a small wedding is determining the guest list. Who do you include? Both of you should come up with a list. Start with your immediate family and closest friends. Then set a limit and begin adding to or narrowing down the list. When you have a number and a budget in mind start compiling a list of venues from internet searches, local magazines, and suggestions from friends and family. You'll probably want to skip the local fire hall, but Inns and Bed & Breakfasts can create wonderful settings. Consider your own home and the homes of family members. Local restaurants that could not accommodate a large reception may be perfectly willing to work with you for a smaller group. Museums, historic houses, and botanical gardens are often available for a reasonable fee. Many resorts and hotels offer special packages. If you are considering a destination wedding do your homework. Ask questions, get the details of your package in writing, and check the venue's reputation thoroughly. Requesting references from any venue is perfectly appropriate. The site may also have photo albums of past weddings. If your first impression of the staff or the place is anything less than dazzling--save yourself some stress and move on to another option.

Choosing to have a small intimate wedding can actually open up more possibilities rather than limit them.

If you are planning a destination wedding be sure to check out your vendor and their references read your contracts to ensure everything you are hearing is in writing! If they can deliver what they are promising you via telephone they will have no difficulty putting it in writing for you.



Happy Planning to you

Terry

239-878-3526

www.magicalmomentweddings.com

Alternatives to Unity Ceremonies

Wedding ceremonies are not "traditional" anymore in this day and age anything goes and is always better when the bride and groom's personalities show forth!

When thinking about creating a unity ceremony, couples should begin with their interests. From there, you can develop a representative unity symbol based on the couples interests and loves.

For example, if you have a love of nature plant a tree during your ceremony at your ceremony site if your able or hang a tree house.

If you are a couple that has a love of water. Each of you can bring some water from your favorite lake or ocean and combine the water in a keepsake vase.

Look to your experiences and your values. Often, the unity ceremony will evolve from that. It will create a tradition that is unique to the two of you and engaging for your guests.

Happy Planning to you!

Till the next time
Terry
www.magicalmomentweddings.com
239-878-3526

Wedding Love Letter

WEDDING LOVE LETTER
(similar to message in a bottle)


This is a new "twist" on the traditional Love Letter and Message in a Bottle Ceremonies

A thoughtfully handwritten love letter is one of the most romantic and sentimental gestures possible, and wedding love letter ceremonies are becoming increasingly popular alternatives to the unity candle ceremony or unity sand ceremony.

In preparation for the love letter ceremony, the bride and the groom each write the ultimate love letter to each other. In each letter are the reasons you want to marry one another. These reasons may include special memories from your courtship, the moment you first knew he or she was “the one,” the proposal, plans for your future, etc. Whatever you write in it, just make sure your future spouse does not read it.

On the wedding day, the couple performs the love letter ceremony in which their sealed love letters are ceremonially locked into a box along with a bottle of wine, two wine goblets and other memorabilia or mementos they have selected. These keepsakes could include photos of the couple, some flower petals thrown by the flower girl during the actual ceremony or a vial of sand – the sky’s the limit.

The officiant of the wedding will share with wedding guests the only two circumstances when the couple will unlock and reveal the contents and love letters to one another.

Circumstance #1:
If time passes and serious doubts about their relationship cause the marriage to falter (hard to believe at this point, but unfortunately it happens sometimes), they should unlock the box together, drink the wine, read the loving words from each other and be reminded of their joy on the day of their wedding and the reasons they decided to marry and commit to be together “till death do us part…”

Circumstance #2:
If the couple is fortunate enough to never encounter the first circumstance, they will open the box on the occasion of a predetermined significant wedding anniversary or milestone in their marriage (such as their five or ten year anniversary).

Following the officiant’s remarks, the couple presents their sealed love letters, along with the selected bottle of wine, goblets and other mementos. Once the contents are in place, the box is locked with a key to symbolize the vows of love and commitment the couple have made to one another.

Following the wedding, the locked love letter box should be displayed in a central location in the couple’s home to serve as a constant reminder of the love they share for one another.  The all important key should be kept in a safe place to ensure the box can be unlocked and the contents enjoyed at the agreed upon time. Once the box has been unlocked and the contents enjoyed, write new letters, replace the wine and lock away for the next special occasion.

Don’t drink wine? Pick another drink you both enjoy. It could be a bottle of the champagne that will be served at your wedding reception, an expensive bottle of scotch or liquor – you can make your love letter box completely personalized to who you are as a couple. (Just make sure whatever you choose fits inside the box along with your letters, goblets and mementos.)

We hope this gives you another wonderful idea of what is possible for your wedding ceremony!! Visit us at www.magicalmomentweddings.com for more information and wedding ideas! Until the next time...Happy Planning!

Sincerely
Terry
239-878-3526

Favors Do them or Don't

For some reason we love favors, although they are not required and really an added expense that couples can't afford! And sometimes guests just choose to "forget" to take home! This brings up the question why do we feel the need to provide them then? Well partly because they're a great way to do something "nice" for those guests that spent time and money to attend your wedding.

To assist the couples who "have" to give favors at your wedding one thing I would suggest is put yourself in your guests shoes when deciding on what little trinket to give. In reality we all have enough candy dishes or picture frames, and who needs trinkets with another couples' name on them?

Favors more often than not take alot of your money, time and creativity. And few of these guests appreciate all that you put into them, so to not seem hurtful and rude some people deliberately leave them behind, hoping you’ll think they simply forgot, and hoping you can use them better than they can. So as a result you are left with the very gifts you spent all your time creating!

Here are some helpful and inexpensive ideas for those of you who feel you "must" give favors.

*Book of matches with writing on it like The Perfect Match and your names and wedding date below.

*Tulle wrapped candy all you need is tulle, ribbon, and candy keep in mind the weather or environment when choosing the candy itself but it is always a hit for grown ups and children alike!

*Tree or flower seeds with a small clay or plastic pot (wrap the plastic pot to disguise it)

*for children give small boxes of crayons and color book not only will they love it, it also serves a dual purpose to give them something to do during the "boring" parts of the reception

*there are many ways to create inexpensive and thoughtful favors that won't be left behind!

Until next time Happy Planning and be sure to visit us at www.magicalmomentweddings.com or call us at 239-878-3526 you can also find us on facebook Magical Moment Weddings!