The Music In Motion Blog » Wedding News

This is NOT a Photo Booth!

Mike Fernino — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:49:11 +0000

This is NOT a Photo Booth!

The wedding market is amazing! It is all about trends and emotional buying and shopping. When a bride makes a purchase, it is based on emotion, not practicality. That is why brides pay top dollar for things like chair covers, martini bars, and chocolate fountains. No, there is nothing practical about an wedding, and that is a GOOD THING. A wedding day is supposed to be about a fairy tale moment. It is all about doing something you would never do in normal life.

Trends are a big thing with weddings. Hot today, gone tomorrow. Like with any trend, people jump onto them them fast and furiously. This is very clear with the hottest new trend known as the Photo Booth. Unfortunately, many wedding vendors are jumping into this hot trend and doing it wrong! We have seen several photographers offering a ” Photo Booth ” as part of their wedding package. If you look at the photo above, where do you see any type of booth??? Hello, this is not a photo booth, this is a ” prom shoot. ”

Buyer beware! Many photographers will tell you they have a photo booth, when in fact it is a curtain and 2 chairs. The wedding guests never get the private experience of going inside a real booth, closing the curtain, and having to press the BIG RED BUTTON. That is what make a photo booth fun! Maybe the photographers should call this a ” Photo Shoot, ” but it is most definitely NOT a ” Photo Booth. “

Read what our clients are saying…….

Mike Fernino — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:32:30 +0000

I am always happy to post what other people are saying about Music In Motion Entertainment. My words, as author of this blog are just words, but when other people say something, it is a statement.

Music In Motion provided a Photo Booth for Alisha and Carl August 28, 2010 at the Stamford Holiday Inn Select. Here is what Alisha posted on our Facebook page…….

Alisha Campos Speanburg ” Had our wedding this past weekend…. Photo Booth was the biggest hit! Best Thing we ever did!!! Highly Recommended! Thank you!! “

Music In Motion performs for Elle & Carole 8/22/10

Mike Fernino — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:24:02 +0000

Outside the rain poured, but that did not stop the enthusiasm inside Woodwinds located in Branford Ct. Elle & Carole had a wedding reception Sunday August 22. Music In Motion Entertainment provided not only the DJ, but the architectural up lighting as well. The room was festive with tall table centerpieces and the colors made everyone feel like it was a party!

Being a Lebanese couple, Elle & Carole selected mostly Arabic music. It was very obvious that the wedding guests loved the format because the floor was packed from beginning to end of evening.

The amazing photography was provided to us by Jess at Image Photography & Video. Her work is always incredible, and this wedding was no different. It is such a pleasure to work with Jess. We highly recommend her!

At the end of the evening the father of the bride came up to us and said that we did a great job with the Arabic music and the selection and order of the play list. He said, ” For an American DJ, you were right on target with the music. Thankyou! ” A great compliment and we certainly appreciated the feedback! It was a pleasure to perform for such a wonderful couple.

Deanna & Carlos have fun with Photo Booth

Mike Fernino — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:08:38 +0000

The setting was Woodwinds in Branford Connecticut. The date Sunday August 1, and the party was in full swing.

Music In Motion Entertainment provided our newest feature for Deannna & Carlos Cabral.

The Photo Booth is the most popular option with our clients in 2010, and it was very obvious why people love it. The guests were lined up to enter photo booth and take a fun photo. In addition to the photos, Music In Motion provided some ” silly ” props to add to the fun. All of the wedding guests, in addition to Deanna, took advantage of the props to make for some great pictures.

After the guests got out from taking 4 photos, which were part of the photo strip, they were prompted by our booth tech Roberto Velez to sign the Wedding Scrap Photo Album. This album was made up of all the photo strips created in the photo booth. The guests signed next to their pictures, and the bride and groom receive a very unique keepsake at the end of their reception.

There is no doubt that everyone at the Cabral wedding had a great time, and it was made extra fun due to Photo Booth! Thankyou Deanna & Carlos for having us and congratulations!

10 Mistakes Brides and Grooms Make

Mike Fernino — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:54:08 +0000

This a new series we will be working on as part of my blog. Mistakes happen everyday, but when it comes to planning a wedding, a mistake can cost you big money, stress, and time! Here now is mistake # 1 in the series.

# 1 - The Time between the church and reception.

If you are having a church wedding ceremony, the time planning process is crucial to making things convenient for your guests. Plan things correctly and the guests will arrive at the perfect time right as the wedding facility is ready to open the doors. Get it wrong, and your guests will be sitting and waiting in a parking lot. Here is the solution….

Find out the entire duration of the ceremony. If you are doing a receiving line at the church, add on an additional 15 minutes per 100 guests. On your free time, make the drive from the church to your wedding reception facility. If the route requires travel on a major highway, look into traffic issues. The highway will have different conditions for a Friday evening compared to a Sunday afternoon event. Calculate that time in and factor on your guests arriving 5-10 minutes before the reception start time. NEVER assume anything. You don’t want the wedding guests showing up 30 – 60 minutes before your contract start time. This can get ugly.

I have seen wedding guests forced to wait in the parking lot, or crowded into a hall way with the doors locked to the facility. Even if your hall lets the guests in early, it is a bad first impression when your guests are standing in a room where the staff are vacuuming, setting up tables and DJ doing a sound check.

If a caterer has another wedding during the day, they will need time to clean the room. Never assume that your guests can go wait outside in the garden area because what if it rains? What if there is a ceremony going on from another party? Always call your wedding facility and ask their policy on guest arrival. Get your facts straight and in advance so you know what to expect.

Don’t get your dream wedding reception off on a bad note. Plan ahead!
Michael Fernino – Founder
Music In Motion Entertainment

How To Get Your Groom Involved In The Planning

Mike Fernino — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:13:22 +0000

It probably won’t come as much of a surprise to you that your fiancé, the prospective groom, has decidedly not been dreaming of a perfect wedding since he was a toddler. The good news is that your fiancé has been dreaming of a perfect match, and by virtue of his marriage proposal to you, he has signaled that you’re “the One.” However, to bridge the divide between a perfect match and a perfect wedding, your fiancé will need to be coached. And to use a sports metaphor, you’re the coach, and your fiancé is a player on the team—the most important and underrated player. What follows will help you coach your groom-to-be. It was written by me, Michael Arnot—a married guy, a former groom and the founder of Groom Groove, the leading wedding and engagement Web site for men.

Define His Duties

To get your groom involved in wedding planning without even really trying, the first thing you should do is define the tasks you’d like your fiancé to tackle and make your expectations clear. Believe it or not, if your fiancé has a number of defined tasks, he’ll make sure to get them done right, if for no other reason than to impress you (and your mother). Think of it as a grocery list.

Let Him Execute

Once you’ve outlined a list of potential tasks for your fiancé to tackle, you should give him free rein to execute and plan. For example, consider the myriad wedding transportation options available and assume that’s one of the tasks he’d enjoy planning (hint, hint). Your trusty fiancé will figure out what kind of transportation is needed and when, as well as realistic options for your wedding. Trust him to get it right (and to make the required cash deposit, for example).

One Important Task

One task that brides often want a say in is getting the best man and groomsmen organized for wedding day. Whether it’s because you’re worried if the guys will deliver or because you’ve got your own ideas about the color of their ties and cummerbunds, organizing the groomsmen is ripe for delegating to your fiancé. There is more to do than getting the groomsmen fitted for tuxedos. The best man and groomsmen will need to know where to be, when to be there and whether they’re required to make a toast, among other things. Get your fiancé to take charge of organizing the guys—you’ll still have a say in how they’re dressed on wedding day.

Follow this advice and you’ll be well on your way to getting your groom involved in wedding planning—without even really trying. —Michael Arnot, founder of GroomGroove.com

A Casual Wedding in a Formal Setting

Dave Salonia — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:06:56 +0000

As a wedding professional, certain weddings stand out in my mind. In April, a wedding ceremony and reception that we did at The Aqua Turf Club in Southington was one of those standouts. The theme was “Forever in Blue Jeans”, named after the hit by Neil Diamond. All the guests, including us, were invited to attend in blue jeans! My normal attire is full tuxedo but I got to wear my jeans, which was a first for me in 25 years as a wedding DJ. The wedding cake, homemade by a family member, was sculpted and iced into a set of blue jeans. Architectural lighting adorned all the columns of the Wagon Room with, you guessed it, the color blue. The casual atmosphere allowed everyone to “let their hair down” and just have a blast. It was a non-stop dance party, reminiscent of my work in the nightclubs, spinning marathon dance sets that never seemed to end. LED multi-colored lighting kept a steady flow of pulsating colors to create energy and excitement on the dance floor. The photo booth was “buzzing” with most guests taking strips of snapshots, arcade style. But my opinion of this event really doesn’t matter as much as the opinion of our delighted clients. Here is what the bride wrote recently on weddingwire.com:

“Music in Motion Entertainment and, in particular, Dave Salonia, did a great job at our wedding. We engaged Music in Motion Entertainment because two of their DJs performed at a co-worker’s wedding and they did such a fantastic job in getting everyone out on the dance floor. Dave did an even better job at our wedding. He spent a lot of time with us to make sure that he understood what we wanted for the ceremony music, which was very non-traditional and somewhat eclectic, and he made some very helpful suggestions. He also made sure that he knew what our music tastes were and what the age distribution of our guests would be so that he would play music during the reception that people could not help but dance to. He did such an incredible job that people literally danced from 8 pm to midnight. The place was rocking! He also did a great job in personalizing the introductions of people close to us, the “newlyweds”, and some other special recognitions we asked him to make. We had the best time at our wedding and came home to three “thank you” notes from guests telling us that it was the best wedding they ever attended. Music in Motion Entertainment and Dave Salonia deserve a lot of the credit. We also rented a photo booth for the reception and everyone had a blast taking their “strip” of pictures. It also provided us with a nice keepsake since the guests could keep one strip of pictures for themselves and glue the second strip into a photo album and write a message to us. I highly recommend Music in Motion Entertainment to anyone who is considering a DJ for their wedding — you’ll end up with an invaluable partner in planning your special day.”

–Wendi

Music In Motion presents – JP Arlene Defeo

Mike Fernino — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:13:44 +0000

Have you ever heard the saying, ” It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” That is a true statement except for weddings. At a wedding, it is how you start. The ceremony is the reason people have a reception in the first place, and if the ceremony is not heartfelt and smooth the reception will have a blemish on it that will be long remembered. That is why Music In Motion brought on our very own staff Justice of the Peace. Arlene Defeo has been performing beautiful and romantic ceremonies for years. She has the perfect style to make any ceremony a memorable event. Arlene customizes the service from short and sweet , to religious with readings and candle lighting ceremony.

Music In Motion Entertainment has made the process of securing a JP easy. Just contact us at 203-627-9600.

Wedding Entertainment Gone Bad

Mike Fernino — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:46:25 +0000

Occasionally we will feature guest bloggers. I am so very proud to let one of our very own clients have the floor for this article which is called ” Wedding Entertainment Gone Bad……..” Thankyou Sarah!!!

I am writing to share my experience about a Connecticut wedding that I recently attended. I come from a family of musicians, was raised with music, and have a strong passion for music. I have been to numerous weddings yet I have never had an experience quite like this one. The DJ, was not engaging at all. From 0-10 , zero being the least energy, I rate him a zero. I feel bad saying that but this DJ was really bizarre to me. No one , and I mean No One danced at all during the wedding. The DJ never once talked to the guests; didn’t try to engage the guests to go out on the dance floor & he never talked at all the whole night. He didn’t even say his name, introduce himself or say where he is from. I looked and I didn’t even see a DJ name around his area or near his equipment. I have no clue who he is or where he is from. It was so bizarre.

Music really makes a wedding and I felt the energy was so low because no one at all was dancing. I was sooo disappointed because I really wanted to have some fun and dance and hang loose, but it never happened. No one even danced to slow songs. I feel like this DJ did not have the energy, motivation, and personality to be a wedding entertainer. I shared this wedding entertainment gone bad experience with DJ Mike Fernino from Music In Motion, who I absolutely love and have seen him work in action !!!! He is amazing and the only one I would want for my own wedding.

~~Sarah Bride in Connecticut~~

Backyard Weddings

Mike Fernino — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:22:28 +0000

Are Backyard Weddings Really Less Expensive?

By CR Socials

Everyone thinks that because they are having their wedding in a relative’s backyard, that it will be cheaper…right? Not necessarily…Let me continue by saying I am a fan of the backyard wedding. They can be meaningful and elegant, and the best part is you don’t have to be on anyone else’s watch. Have your reception as late as you’d like. BUT…there are certain things that you need to consider…Think of it this way: yes, you are saving money because you are not having the wedding at a fancy venue, but unless this is a super casual wedding with picnic tables and hotdogs, you are still going to spend a pretty penny on essentials. What if it rains? One can never predict the weather so a large tent is imperative. Where is everyone going to sit? Table and chair rentals are a must. What is everyone going to eat with? I doubt anyone has enough place settings for an entire wedding, so now you are looking at plate, silverware, glassware, and linen rental costs. I’m not trying to scare anyone out of having a backyard wedding…BUT…I AM here to show you how to do it correctly.

First off, many experienced off-site caterers have an established relationship with rental companies and can most likely rent the items you need at a fraction of the cost that you can on your own. If this is not the case, contact your wedding planner and she can probably help you out as well. Like I said, a tent is a must but you need to be sure that there is a flat, open space in the yard that is large enough to put the tent and all the tables and chairs under it.

Next, if you plan to serve alcohol at your wedding, you have to consider insurance, liability, and lots of other legal issues involved in serving alcohol. You’re not having your close friends over for a few drinks, this is a WEDDING. People tend to drink MORE at weddings and who is going to be responsible if GOD FORBID someone gets in the car after leaving YOUR wedding at your parents house and hurts someone because they have been drinking? Make sure that whoever is responsible for serving the alcohol is INSURED. I can’t stress how important this is. You could potentially be sued, along with your parents (or whoever’s home is the setting of the wedding), the wedding planner, the caterer, and any other parties involved.

Finally, an on-site wedding coordinator is a MUST! Who is going to be the one to tell your bridesmaids when to walk down the aisle, do the decorating, keep the flow of the wedding going, and direct your vendors and guests? Your family wants to enjoy this day just as much as you do, so don’t designate them to perform these duties. Leave this one to the pros.

Just a few key points to consider for a backyard wedding…You can make it unique and memorable and work to your advantage with a little help from a wedding planner. =)

Article courtesy of…………
CR Socials Event Planning