Hurricane Wedding

I would have never thought that I would have to DJ a wedding and play "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and really mean it, one day.

This past weekend, I played the tunes for a fun wedding in Poestenkill, high up on the mountain. Everything was really beautiful and all was going well, until the rain started up just five minutes before the bride was about to walk the aisle. It was the first of the bands that would become the harbinger for Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene.

The actual wedding ceremony was scheduled to occur just outside a big white wedding reception tent, and underneath a gorgeous apple tree. There was an nice white arch decorated in flowers all set up and waiting. The scene was picturesque with Mother Nature as the backdrop, until the sky turned dark as the bride was stepping out of her limosine.

At show time, 6:30pm sharp, we figured we would shoot for the delay and try to wait it out. Fifteen minutes or so went by, however, and things only bega to look worse. We decided our delay tactics were to no avail. As the rain really started dumping on us, I could see that the guests were upset. I acted as wedding planner and took charge. I ran back to the log cabin where the bride and her mother were gathering umberellas.

"How about we just switch it to under the tent on the the reception intro entrance way?" I asked. "The guests won't be able to hear anything out there." They agreed and we were on our way.

A few guests helped me move around a few tables and we were back on. As the town justice found his place with the groomsmen, it was evident that there too, was probably no way that the people were going to hear him over the crazy hurricane raindrops hammering hard on the vinyl rooftop above. Easy fix... give the man a microphone.

So far so good, right? But just as the bride's aunt read a prayer into the mic, water began to flood the electrical panel behind my DJ Booth set-up. It seemed that the tent must have been a little off-level and all of the tent's rain water irrigated towards me, making an exit-spout out of an electical box. That is right about when the water started to short out the power surges for the bar and my set-up.

We lost microphone power for all of 20-30 seconds, but people just smiled patiently. Any other circumstancs, if your microphone were to go out when the bride was ready to say her vows, the guests would probably kill you. However, because of a hurricane, they seemed more forgiving.

I quickly re-routed the cord with the bartender to the power line that lit the tent lights and soon after, it all came off without a hitch.

Just as Murphy's law would have it, five minutes after the ceremony, the rain stopped for about an hour, and then came and went off and on for the rest of the night. But at that point, it didn't matter. People were drinking, flowers were tossing and garters were coning off. In the end, the people all rocked like a hurricane during a hurricane, and all had a rocking great time!

WeddingTable Decorating Idea: Table Sash

Being a local DJ means, also, quite often I have to pinch-hit as a wedding planner. Therefore, whenever I see a new activity or decorating idea that I like at a wedding that I am the disc jockey for, I really feel the need to share. This past week I saw one of the coolest table settings I have ever seen and I had to really stop to figure out what was making it so different.

The answer was a strip of fabric, a runner or a table scarf / sash, placed right across the center.

Are you planning a wedding and looking for a fresh idea to spice up your table centerpieces for your wedding? Here is a noble idea. Why not jazz things up with table sashes?

This new decorating trend is an affordable way to really flash some color at your wedding reception.

Performing as the disc jockey at The Franklin Terrace in Troy, NY, I got to see first hand how the bride and groom added to the hall's linen with some linen of their own. They gave the event planner some really great sashes that they purchased online for their tables housing a guest list of about 180 people.

Over the hall's already sharp black table clothes with dark pink napkin accents, the white table scarfs brightened the center, accenting detail in a black Oriental print running right down the center.

No matter what you choose, this idea can really make your wedding colors pop.

Cost-Effective Wedding Photographer Review

As a wedding DJ, I work with a lot of photographers and there are many of them out there I love to work with. However, one recently did a great job for me personally. If you want a photographer that offers great print print packages or just hand over an image disc at the end of the night - not forcing you into a large print package, you may want call Manny Ortiz of Affordable Photo Pros. Manny is who shot my Pirate Theme wedding, to compliment out magnet photo shoot favors by Homes Photography.

I worked with Manny again recently and he was great, just as he was for my reception.

Here is a sample of his work: http://www.affordablephotopros.smugmug.com/

Manny gets to the hall very early and even shows up the night before for the rehearsal, and did house shots before the wedding started if needed! After the special day, where he paid close attention to detail, he also sent some early proofs via email to the customer for feedback on edits.


Great job and thanks to Manny!




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Wedding Flip Flops Idea

Have you ever dressed up to go to your friends wedding and realize that despite the fact that you look great, you know that your feet are going to kill you within a few hours? You are really not alone. This happens to us all. Fear not. If your bride and groom have stood up and done their homework, it is possible that sore toes will not be in your future.

Here is a modern idea some of you may not have seen yet. Rather than have your guests walk about and dance in uncomfortable shoes, why not provide a basket of cheap, but nice wedding flip flops? USually the biggest offender to "Wedding Feet Syndrom" is the dancing and that takes place when the lights go out anyhow, for the most part.

Think about it. Many women, imparticular, struggle with a balance of comfort for their feet and wearing the right shoes to go with their dresses. No matter how much you spend, most high heel shoes cannot hold any woman up for a full 4 hours or more, without some discomfort.


As a bride planning your wedding, it is important to note that you really cannot expect the majority of your guests to make the comfortable decisions in their footwear for your night. They are trying to look their best for you. Getting together the perfect ensemble almost never translated into comfortable footwear.


FIVE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WITH THE FLIP FLOP BASKET:
-Designer stores like Old Navy carry a variety of colors for around $2 a pair.
-Some local dollar stores even stock some decent flip flops and sandals.
-Try and make your flip flops available to your guests in your wedding colors.
-You can make your flip flopss look pretty in a stylish basket with vibrant ribbons holding pairs together.
-Keep your flip flop basket conveniently right near the dance floor.



For more ideas cheack out Albany Wedding DJ Kenny Casanova

Alternative Nontraditional Wedding Resource

Being a wedding DJ who specializes in modern weddings, I found a resource on the world wide web that I thought stood out as being a bit different from the rest. This web site, I think, is a great option for brides who do not want their wedding to be the traditional ceremony and reception that we have grown accustomed to here in the states. They want it to be different.

Here is the url:

www.offbeatbride.com

The Offbeat Bride website launched on four years ago, now, to support the release of Ariel Meadow Stalling's book entitled, "Offbeat Bride: Creative Alternatives for Independent Brides."

Since the book promotion, the web site slowly grew into a multi-writer blog with tons of photos from "offbeat" weddings and wedding advice for couples planning weddings full of originality and personality.

Let me know if you like it!

A WHITE WEDDING? - Snow Changes Wedding Dates Nationwide

This time of year, people start to plan their weddings. As you know, some common places they like to hold their receptions often include high end golf clubs and ski resorts, like Jiminey Peak. With all the snow we are getting this year, it seems as if some of the planning has been put off, for fear of the weather. Therefore, I expect to see more weddings being scheduled for later in the year, than usual.

However, if you are a Capital District bride or groom, you can still count your lucky stars. If you were in Lake Tahoe, California right now, your wedding season might be skipped altogether! Snow on your wedding day is usually considered to be a sign of fertility and prosperity, but in this case, it is just plain ridiculous!




Yes. That is what 31 feet of snow looks like on the ground. This crazy picture is not Alaska, or the North Pole. This JPG was recently taken outside Tahoe Donner Ski Resort in California, where they have lots of weddings yearly, just like Jiminey Peak.

The Weather Channel has reported that the Tahoe area, a popular destination for many weddings, is in rough shape. It has received over 50 feet, that's 600 inches of snow this season alone. Different storms recently dumped over 100 inches each, in only the span of few days.

Can you imagine driving up to a wedding like this?

Now that's a white wedding.

DJ Kenny Casanova
www.TheDJservice.com

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