Posts Tagged ‘Entertainment’

Wedding Genie Dream Team – iPop

September 7th, 2011 No Comments
rule

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Birmingham, Staffordshire, Nottingham, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, CoventryI am always excited to add more top quality professionals to my Wedding Genie Dream Team. These guys are simply one of the best bands around. iPop not only produce a great sound and music that will keep your guests on the dance floor the whole night but are some of the nicest people I have met in the wedding industry.

They are a four piece band with a fresh funky approach. The difference with this band from some of the wedding bands I researched is that their music is current, chart music that everyone knows and wants to dance too. Their website is very different too, you feel excited just surfing around it, they have the feel good factor and great energy.

When you book a band for your wedding not only do you have to like their music but you really have to rely on them turning up on time and having all the equipment they said they would supply ready to set up. This includes lighting to give the room ambiance and create atmosphere for your guests to add to the party feeling.

Suzanne and the guys were amazing at Eve and Robs wedding. A joy to work with and I just loved their sound. It’s current and not at all cheesy, unless that is what you want of course. Suzanne who is the lead vocalist liaises for the band and is super professional.

Check out their look, it goes along way when the band looks polished and they look fantastic too. All the members of the band are professional musicians that work full time. They travel all over the UK and the world performing their sets. iPop have played at Glastonbury, the V Festival, the 02 arena and the Millennium stadium to name but a few of their gigs. Imagine booking a band who played for Prince Charles at Windsor. Not sure I can see him boogying on down but definitely can see Harry and William getting in the iPop groove.

iPop provide quality musical entertainment for any occasion. Their contemporary party set includes music from, Rihanna, Lady Ga Ga, kings of Leon, Jessie J and many more. I cannot recommend them highly enough to give your wedding party that sparkle and wow that your guests will go home talking about for a long time. If you are wondering which part of the UK they cover then worry not because iPop will come to you! If you check them out please tell them The Wedding Genie sent you.

If you want to see them in action check them out below.


 

Unique Wedding Entertainment

August 5th, 2011 No Comments
rule

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Nottingham, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Birmingham, The MidlandsToday I have a really great treat for you. If you are thinking of entertainment for your wedding and you want to find something that bit different, but also very entertaining that your guests can enjoy and become involved with, I have just the man!

What about a man who can read your guests minds?  A modern mind magician with a difference. Are you intrigued? I was when I found Looch. He comes highly recommended and so I thought it would be fun to get in touch and find out more about what Looch can do to make your wedding entertainment the talk of the town.

Our blog earlier on this week was all about personalising your wedding, well this is one of those things that would really hit the spot.

First of all I wanted to find out what does make Looch different from the normal magicians who do tricks and how he describes himself.

I call myself a mind reader, but don’t take myself too seriously in that role. The official term is a mentalist but that has a different meaning here in the UK. I’m not a traditional magician and I’m certainly not psychic. I’d say somewhere in the middle, I utilise a variety of different techniques to get inside your head and try to read your thoughts. Traditional magic relies on sleight of hand, where I suppose what I do can be described as sleight of mind, I use a mixture of psychology, influence, magic and a bit of bullshit to accomplish my “tricks”

Can the guests take part in any of the things you do or is it all watch and see?

That’s where my act stands out. With a traditional magician you stand there and watch in amazement at the visual tricks on show. At times you may be called in to briefly assist with an effect but for the most part you are just there as a spectator. For me, without you and your guests I dont have an act. I need minds to read! It’s full of interactive fun and I even teach some useful skills to let you try and read thoughts! Its a unique and highly entertaining experience.

 

How would you describe the kind of entertainment you do?

Well under the umbrella of mentalism, I perform quite range of different demonstrations, I may tell you the name of your first kiss, duplicate an unseen drawing or tell someone their pin number. Those are very direct examples of “Mind Reading” but I also play around with influencing and suggestion, Theres always certain people more open to these techniques than others and with them I am sometimes able to plant a thought into their head without them being aware of it. Then when I tell them what they are thinking they see it as a demonstration of mind reading, but for everyone else watching will see how I have done it.

There’s some gender specific skills that people are interesting in learning. A lot of the girls like to learn how to spot a liar so I teach them the elements of that but for the guys, quite a few like to learn some of the techniques surrounding playing cards, poker and winning in casinos. Theres a wide variety for everyone.

Looch can entertain your guests during the drinks reception or amaze them at your wedding breakfast and work from table to table. I have to say I had a magician at my wedding and our guests absolutely loved him. If you get the right kind of person who has a personality that is interesting as well as very engaging then that entertainment is a definite hit.

 

Looch works throughout the Nottingham and Derbyshire areas but will travel. You can contact him for an online quote on his website.
As a trusted supplier of The Wedding Genie you can be sure of Looch’s professionalism and quality service. Wedding planning is all about enjoying the  journey so engage people who make it fabulous.

Until next time, happy planning.

The Wedding Genie Dream Team – Soundsfishy Part Two

June 17th, 2011 No Comments
rule

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Nottingham, Derby, Leicestershire, Birmingham, East MidlandsHere is the second part of advice from Ian at Soundsfishy. I do love having professional be guest bloggers. If you missed the first piece click here.

 

Playlists & Timeline

We often get asked about playlists.. Obviously there’s a choice of music.. your tastes might be different to your guest’s tastes.. and it’ll certainly be different to your parents!

Please don’t take the advice that appears in wedding magazines and forums about asking guests for their favourite songs and end up giving your DJ a 200 song playlist. If you are hiring a professional – he’ll know what to play, how to read the room and will play exactly the right song at exactly the right moment.

Songs you or your guests like to hear on the radio or on your ipod may not work at a disco.. and you’d be amazed at the number of ballads that people put forward as their favourite – you can’t do a whole night on ballads. If you must have a playlist… then can I suggest you use it as background music during the meal, and limit your evening choice of must plays to your first dance?

A typical evening entertainment timeline might look like this.

Incidentally.. have you asked your DJ if he can set up early, and also play the background music… have you also asked if he can light the room/provide a radio mic for the speeches/put a spotlight on the speakers ?

Best advice is to meet your DJ or at least have a good talk on the phone. Take their advice.. this might be your first wedding – but it shouldn’t be theirs!

 

Other entertainment?

If you have a running order, or other entertainment like a band, let your DJ know so he can work around your plans – better still, see if your DJ will act as event manager/stage manager/production manager and co-ordinate with the venue and other acts/entertainment to ensure a stress free, well run evening.

We often work with bands, and because our equipment is so good, we only need to install our PA and lighting – meaning you get a better deal on the band, and there’s only one lot of equipment to set up !

 

Your DJ should be asking questions too, such as…

  • who is your contact at the venue ?
  • is there parking/access for the van/truck/trailer ?
  • is it on the ground floor or up stairs… it might affect the price if the kit has to be carried up 3 flights of stairs.

Let your DJ talk direct to the venue (we insist on dealing with the venue direct – it means you don’t have to worry) about power, access, staging, whether smoke machines are allowed etc..

 

Cost versus Value

Of course you are going to get some quotes. It’s a good idea to do this as you need to comfortable in what you’re buying. It’s important to look at the value of what each company offers, not just the bottom line cash price. £900 might sound like a lot. But, if that gets you peace of mind, ease of use, a fully co-ordinated evening, a happy venue, a full dance floor, a great selection of music and a night people remember for a long time it’s better value than the £200 that gets you the sound system out of a Vauxhall Astra and an entire evening of banging drum n’ bass.

 

When To Pay

Payment varies from company to company. For example, we simply ask for a bank transfer the week before.  However, some companies want cash on the night.  That’s OK, and sometimes we have to work like that, but it’s a bit messy and frankly giving the best man a wad of cash when there’s a bar nearby isn’t a good idea!

 

Summary

Your wedding entertainment is an integral part to your big day. Spend time working out what you want from your big day and make sure whichever DJ you chose is part of those conversations. A great DJ will be far more than just the guy in the corner playing random music. A great DJ should be your event consultant. They are in a very privileged position and should take their responsibility seriously. They should make the organising and delivery of your wedding event a comfortable stress free and fun time.

Think about how many great weddings you’ve been to and how many of the memories are linked to the entertainment. Where else could you be allowed to swing great Auntie Doris around the dance-floor whilst your friends and family watch on!

We hope this insight has helped in some way – Good luck with all the planning of your big day.  If you have any questions, or if there’s anything we can dvise you on, feel free to call us on 0121 604 8863 – or email hello@soundsfishy.co.uk – we don’t charge for advice !


Thanks Ian for a great insight. I hope to feature Ian again with more tips and advice. If you have any questions you would like him to answer why not email me.

Until next time, happy planning.

 

 

 

The Wedding Genie Dream Team – Soundfishy

June 15th, 2011 No Comments
rule

Wedding Planner, Coordinator, Lichfield, Staffordshire, Nottingham, Derby, Leicestershire, Birmingham, East MidlandsI am extremely pleased to be able to add a super professional DJ and lighting crew to The Wedding Genie Dream Team. Ian Fish of Soundsfishy is one seriously brilliant DJ. Not only does he conjure up the best music and atmosphere so your guests dance their socks off all night, but he can also make the venue look fabulous with his lighting system.

The service you get from Ian is top notch, I can verify that first hand from the weddings we have worked on together. No cheesy DJ, tacky lights or poor quality sound, Ian offers only the best in sound and lighting, the kind you would find in a top night club. Not only that he knows some of the best entertainers around so if you want to start with solo singer or band to kick off your evening Ian will help you find exactly what you are looking for.

Unusually for a DJ and lighting crew Soundsfishy also offer a Video and Production service. Ever thought of having a video at your wedding but can’t bear the thought of hours of monotonous footage. Check out Marryoke, Ian’s speciality. Two of my clients booked this service and I can tell you not only did their guests have fun all day but the video at the end of it is so much fun to watch and keep. It wasn’t intrusive or time consuming, even the photographer commented on how great it was for the guests to be entertained by starring in the video!

Ian is going to be a guest blogger on The Wedding Genie from time to time and I asked him to give us some facts and background when thinking about your entertainment.


Here is a little bit of background about Ian. It’s always good to know about the suppliers you are considering parting with your hard earned cash for.

With 20 years experience in events and entertainment we’ve built quite a reputation behind the scenes on shows of all kinds.. from big corporate parties to celebrations in the grounds of a private home. We’re trusted to work with famous performers, comedians and presenters and understand their requirements as well as the clients needs.

Now, Sounds Fishy Productions is coming out from behind the scenes, and making our services available direct. We’re passionate about making every event, or disco, the best it can be, and we have a reputation in the music and entertainment industry that proves our attention to detail pays off.

We use only the best suppliers, many of whom are trusted friends that we’ve worked on events with for years, meaning you get the benefit of a team that is experienced, professional, and perhaps above all.. fun to work with.
We’re also happy to offer advice and guidance.. free of charge.. even if that sometimes means we’re not the right people to help.

Ian is also the Multimedia and Events producer at one of the best radio station in the midlands Heart Radio!

I asked Ian for advice when booking entertainers and DJ’s. He gave me so much to think about that I have split his pearls of wisdom into two blog. Friday’s post looks at Timelines, playlists and questions to ask. So read on and digest!

Soundsfishy Great Advice

There’s so much information and so many contrasting opinions when it comes to planning your big day. Well, having worked on weddings for 20 years we at Sounds Fishy have a wealth of experience in this area.

So, whether you decide to use us or not for your big day, we think you deserve some FREE advice and guidance about what to look for when choosing your big day entertainment.

We hope you’ll find some of the below useful…

Did You Know?

  • 92% of brides say that the evening entertainment is one the 3 most important elements of their wedding day.
  • When asked 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.
  • 72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment.
  • Almost 100% say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.
  • During wedding planning, Brides say their highest priority is their attire, followed by the reception site and caterer – reception entertainment is among the least of their priorities.
  • Within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority!

(*These statistics were published in Bride & Groom Magazine in 2003)

So, getting the correct entertainment is absolutely crucial to the success of your big day!

 

What To Budget?

When budgeting for your wedding set aside some money for the entertainment in the evening. The evening may not be the big focus of the day.. but really it’s just as important as the daytime. It’s the time when guests can really start to relax and where the fun begins!

Creating the right atmosphere is essential. There’s nothing worse than some guy playing Agadoo to an empty dance floor. Whilst your vows, the table display, the car you arrive in and the flowers are all important parts of your day, most of your guests are much more likely to remember the evening party. As such, it’s important not to cut corners in this area, a dull party will be talked about for longer than most other aspects of your day.

At least one recent survey on evening entertainment by a leading wedding magazine, has suggested that as much as 20 to 30% should be budgeted on the evening entertainment (food, disco and/or band) for a wedding to be a complete success and well remembered.

With a typical wedding costing £16,000 – £20,000 .. that’s a lot of money, and we think you should be aiming for more like 5 – 15% depending whether or not you want a band AND a disco!

 

What to look for in a DJ and where to find one

It’s the role of your DJ to create the atmosphere at your wedding reception. It’s what they’re paid for. A good DJ will both listen to what you want played but will also be firm about what he *knows* should to be played. If a DJ simply takes your list and plays your songs one after another, you can ruin the atmosphere, or never get one started in the first place. A good DJ should be an expert in their field and should know what music is relevant for the audience and atmosphere they’re in.

You first stop is probably yellow pages or a google search, where you’ll find some good guys… but also lots of cheap cowboys…

  • There’s the guy who turns up with all his mates, and only plays what they want to hear.
  • There’s the guy who turns up with only 20 minutes to set up.. and complains and grumbles the whole way through.
  • There’s the guy who uses too much smoke and sets fire alarms off..
  • There’s the guy with a terrible sound system, there’s the guy with terrible cheesy lights…
  • and there’s the guy who does all of the above.
  • Then there’s the guy who doesn’t turn up at all because he got a higher paying gig at the last minute.

The higher priced DJ’s.. are higher priced for a reason. They will do a great job.. they will turn up.. they will take the hassle out of the evening arrangements for you. They should act as entertainment consultants and take you through the process to ensure you’re 100% happy and comfortable with what you’re paying for.

If you are spending £600 on seat covers, £900 on cars, and £1200 on place settings.. you really should be thinking of spending a lot more than £200 on the first DJ you find.. they are, after all, responsible for 5 hours of your day – and for the evening only guests, they’re going to make or break their whole experience of your big day.

  • Get testimonials.. even better – speak to past clients.. best thing to do is go off recommendation..
  • Is it a proper company – rather than a guy with a hobby – have they got insurance ?
  • Is everything Portable Appliance Tested (PAT TEST).. ?
  • Do they carry spares and backups in case of equipment failure ?

Wow some great tips here and there is more on Friday, pop back for the second post.

Until next time, happy planning.

Wedding Genie News – Entertainment Feature

August 20th, 2010
rule

We are very excited here at The Wedding Genie, we have been featured in the West Midlands Your Wedding magazine again for the second month running!

Danielle the features editor, asked me to help with an article all about entertainment. Click on the link below for the full article.

West Midlands Your Wedding Entertainment Feature

If you would like to learn how to entertain your guests at your wedding why not book one of our Bridal Workshops. They are brand new, designed to teach you everything you need to know about creating your own perfect day. Call or email for a chat if you would like to know more.

Until next time, happy planning.

Wedding Entertainment Tips and Advice

July 23rd, 2010 1 Comment
rule

In the second series of this blog I thought it would be good to give you some examples of what kind of wedding entertainment is available depending on your budget, and the areas of the day to consider when you allocate your budget.

Lets look at a budget: Up to £10,000

Bored guests are never happy ones so the parts of the day that you should cater for are the drinks reception whilst you are having your photographs taken, the wedding breakfast if you have a lot of time before the evening event and of course the main evening party. In my opinion the evening entertainment is where you should concentrate your effort for this type of budget. If I had to suggest three choices of entertainment that couples might be able to afford on this budget  the following come to mind.

A DJ

There are some brilliant DJ’s out there who can really make your party swing. Look around, don’t just go for the one that your venue suggests, ask your friends, look on the internet. Check out what they bring with them in terms of lights and decor. Often the DJ can put on a really good show and really create a great party atmosphere. Lots of the DJ websites now show you what their style is and give you a choice of music to play. Don’t forget that if you want to involve your guests and ask them their favourite songs, be careful they are not all love songs. You could suggest they give you their favourite love song and their favourite dance track.

Ceilidh Band

If you want to dance but don’t like the idea of a DJ then why not try a Ceilidh band. The music is lively and the caller, who is the chap that talks the guests through the dance, creates a great atmosphere, which makes everyone take to the dance floor. It’s a fun thing to do and really involves your guests. The bride and groom can then take to the floor and be totally involved in the evening’s celebrations. A great idea for a county wedding.

Live Singer/Jazz

The Rat Pack sound is great for vintage weddings. In between sets you can always fill up your IPOD so that your guests can dance and still stay in the party swing. That way you may be able to get live music for part of the evening. I have seen many weddings where this has been the case. Its a great way of getting your party started and this type of music brings a little sophistication to your evening and the older relatives in your party will love it. Your first dance can be sung live whilst you glide round the dance floor.

How about a budget: £10,000 – £20,000

Mix and Mingle Artists/Live Bands/Photo Booths

The evening reception is still the biggest area of entertainment but when you have more in your budget it would be great to entertain your guests during the wedding reception as well as during the photo’s and drinks reception. Using entertainers that mix and mingle such as caricaturists or a silhouettist is a great idea because your guests each get something to take home with them.Close up magicians can be extremely funny and entertaining too if you get a good one. I would highly recommend www.magicatyourfingertips.co.uk

String quartets and harpists are fantastic for a classy drinks reception and then can play at your ceremony if you are getting married at your venue. They create a lovely atmosphere if the weather is gorgeous and your setting dictates it. A lovely country mansion with beautiful gardens and guests spilling into the gardens being wafted by lovely classical music in the sunshine starts your wedding reception off with style.

For the evening if you budget stretches then you can’t beat a live band for atmosphere and the wow factor. Often the bands will play music to dance to in between their sets. You can work out the times they appear to suit the flow of your reception. Good bands give out a great vibe and if they are really good the dance floor should be full all night.

One other idea that is very popular at the moment, is a photo booth where your guests can take pictures and dress up in props, then write comments into your guest book. The photos are generated there and then just like a passport photo booth. They can even be projected into a slide show for the evening.

Photo booth by www.sayfromage.co.uk

The choice for entertainment is quite vast but I would urge you to choose what suits your style and personality. Choose what makes you happy and what you are comfortable with. I have decided to run one more blog next week to finish on entertainment as once I got started it was hard to stop. Next week I will cover budgets of over 20k and also how to create free entertainment for your guests. If you want me to help source you some great entertainment give me a call I will be happy to help.

Until next time, happy planning.


Wedding Entertainment Tips and Advice

July 21st, 2010 No Comments
rule

The last few weddings I have coordinated the day and evening entertainment has been superb. It can be quite tricky deciding on what is right for you and of course you have, or should have your budget to consider. The next two blogs are dedicated to helping you choose the right entertainment for your wedding. I will give some examples of entertainers you can afford within certain budgets too so that you can see what is possible.

Lets start with how much to spend out of your budget.

The average percentage is between 5 – 8% of your wedding budget. If you are a follower of the Wedding Genie then you know we believe in working out your priorities right at the beginning of your wedding planning. That way you will know right away if entertainment features highly. If so you can always spend more and cut back in other areas, but as a guide this is the average percentage.

Top Tips for Sourcing Entertainment Companies

There are many agencies on the internet where you can find excellent entertainment, many of them specialise in wedding entertainers. Their websites should be informative, have pricing guides, question and answer areas and a good selection of entertainers to choose from, along with clips of sound tracks and choices of music. It a good idea to ask for references of past clients. Talk to your friends, family or your venue coordinator to see if they know of anyone or have recommendations. Word of mouth is always a safe bet. You may have been to a wedding recently where the band or DJ was fabulous. I chose our magician from a friends wedding. I swore I was not going to have one, its not one of my things, but hey this guy made me laugh so much I booked him on the spot.

Go and see local bands in your area and if you get chance to see the band that you think you may want to book then you will have first hand evidence they are right for you. The other answer is to use a wedding planner, we work with reputable companies and can vouch for their standard of service. They will also understand exactly what type of entertainment is suitable for you and within your budget.

How do You Decide What Kind of Entertainment You want?

I guess to a certain extent its down to your personal style, and what kind of atmosphere you want to create at your wedding. Do you want high energy grooving or a sophisticated jazzy feel? Are you a country music fan or a rat pack lover? Perhaps you want dancing but without the disco, such as a Ceilidh band. Maybe your wedding has a particular theme that certain music and entertainment lend itself to. Think about what your friends and family like and how you want them to remember the evening. The more of an idea that you have will help you choose what type of entertainment is right for you.

Another factor that will help decide is the size of your venue; fitting an eight piece band into a small intimate room is not practical, also you have to check out if yur venue has a licence for entertainment. Lastly your budget will help you decide but if you choose wisely you can still have really good entertainment, just shop around and think about it carefully. Obviously the main part of the day to provide entertainment for is the evening reception, but if you have more in your budget then it’s great to have something going on to keep your guests entertained whilst you are having your photographs taken and through the drinks reception if you are having one.

Make sure you strike up a relationship with your entertainment provider

Its very important, the supplier should be able to understand what you want from your wedding day so that they can recommend the right kind of entertainment for your celebrations. If they don’t take any time to talk to you and determine what would be the best recommendation go elsewhere. The entertainment is a big part of your wedding and you want to be sure that the money are are spending is directed at the best type of entertainer for you whether its a DJ, band or magician etc. You should be crystal clear about what is included within the contract, how long the entertainment lasts for, what they need in terms of set up, and riders that are included of what you have to provide in terms of food, drink and rest areas.

I hope thats a good start, on Friday I will give you examples of entertainers you can afford with different types of budgets. If you have had great entertainment for your wedding, please let me know, I can pass them on to other brides. Also if you have any ideas you would like me to blog about just shout! And yes that is Dominic from the X factor in that picture. He was a real sweetie and brilliant. Let me know if you would like his details.

Until next time, happy planning.