How to Cut Your Wedding Flower Budget in Half

Your big day doesn't have to send you to the poorhouse.

What does a DJ know about wedding flowers? Well, I know that it can take away from the entertainment budget.  So I've done some research and here's what I've found. -Hans

You really don't plan on getting married again, so you want to splurge and still come out with a top tier event. There are ways to have the wedding of your dreams and emerge with a well-budgeted event that doesn't cause a strain. One way that you can do this is to cut your flower budget in half. Here are some ideas on how to do this fancifully, gracefully and attractively.

1.      This first one might be obvious, which is to integrate more than one type of flower. For example, consider combining fresh flowers with silk (yes, you may laugh, but this is a DJ's point of view). There are some gorgeous silk flowers in all kinds of color schemes. It's all in how you incorporate the silk into the real blooms. If they are used judiciously and blended artfully with the real flowers, they can be a show stopper. Not only will you have gorgeous blooms of color for your occasion, but after time has passed you will have some real flower remnants and the full silk flowers for your memory book or other display.

2.      Don't overlook the high-end grocery stores like Whole Foods. These places often have flowers and skilled floral arrangers that can do a marvelous job of creating the floral dream you have for your wedding.

3.      Don't overlook bulk big box stores, like Sam's and Costco. Just like they offer deeper discounts for buying canned goods and other things in bulk, they will also an excellent place to buy large quantities of flowers. Costco is known for providing the entire spectrum of wedding flowers that you will need; from centerpieces to the bridal bouquet and everything in-between.

4.      Find out which flowers are in season. If you do a little studying along these lines, you can come up with a lovely bouquet and other flowers that match the décor of your wedding and save you money.

5.      Consider buying from Overstock.com or other merchants that carry surplus materials. If you can't find flowers (such as silk) on such sites, look for other deeply discounted items like vases and accents. Even Goodwill Industries and thrift stores may be a haven for at least some of the components you need, such as green stems, ribbons, lace.

6.      Who said it had to be about flowers? Pinterest and a host of other sites feature pictures and details on a variety of non-floral bouquets that will work wonders at a wedding. Some of them even have accompanying tutorials, such as one for felt flowers. See here.

7.      Less is more. If you really love having a particular type of flower, but find them a bit on the pricey side, go with them anyway. Just use fewer of them.

8.      Go wildflower picking, if it's the right season.If the wildflower option doesn't work, consider getting flowers from your neighbor's garden or the gardens of people you know. This idea works especially well if you also have people to help you arrange the blooms into bouquets, centerpieces and other floral needs. It also helps if others will do the picking for you, or with you.

If you allow yourself to think beyond the weddings you've attended and plan your own wedding flower profile with style and pizazz, you can do yourself a budget-saving favor. Your flowers can still be fly without throwing your budget through the stratosphere.

Find out more about Nice Guys DJ

What's Your Style of Wedding Music?

At my wedding we had my 90-year-old grandmother and my nine-year-old niece all in attendance. My grandmother was all about the jitterbug and my niece was all about Miley Cyrus. A big difference in musical taste.

You and I both know the number one thing you can do to make sure all people are entertained -  is hire a professional, experienced DJ service. Since The demographics of most weddings is very broad – a professional experience DJ service will know what to play and when to play it.

That being said, you may want to give your DJ some direction on your taste in your style and how you envision the night. The ceremony and the cocktail hour have their own feel and vibe – we will cover these in another blog post. Today I want to talk specifically about the reception.

Alright, close your eyes and think about it. Brides you've already done this – now grooms, I want you to do the same - close your eyes right now and envision what everyone is doing at the beginning of the reception.

For the last hour your feet haven't touch the ground. You're running on pure adrenaline and a high that is like none other! You have just married the person of your dreams. You could probably care less what your guests are doing - But that's what I want to discuss right now (A couple months ahead of your wedding).  Because you are a thoughtful bride and groom, you are going to think through this process right now and make sure your guests have the best time ever. That they leave this wedding not only with love and joy in their heart – but they can say to each other that this was possibly the best "date night" that they have ever had.

So let me ask the question again. At the beginning of the reception what are your guests doing? Whether the reception is taking place at a banquet hall, barn, tent, or a rooftop in midtown - think about the music that would fit the scene.

In most occasions you would want the energy level to crescendo throughout the night. Rarely do I see (if ever), the reception starting with 128 BPM fist pumping a Avicii or LMFAO. Noooo....  You would want to start with something cool, classy, elegant, yet still a sense of excitement – not elevator music by any means.

The "beginning of the reception" timeframe that we are talking about can last from 1 to 2 hours. This music will be played during dinner, in between toasts, all the way up till party time! This music is something that you would want to tap your toe too, sing-along in your head to you, it just feels good and is familiar. Here are a couple options that I've seen work out very well.

●     Frank & Friends (Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett)

●     Mumford & Stuff (Mumford and Sons, Lumineers)

●     Love Ballads (Norah Jones, Jason Mraz, Jack Johnson)

●     Your favorite favorites (choose a list of songs that you and your fiancé love to ride around and listen to. But the songs are not quite dancing songs)

Formality dances

We always give the bride and groom the option to pick their formality songs, and rarely we have been asked to help. The formality dances are usually very special songs that are unique to the couple dancing. As the DJ, we can manually cut the song short by fading out – so you're not dancing with your dad for five minutes (sometimes awkward).

Here's a list of formality songs to think about:

- introduction song

Something fun and crazy to get the crowd pumped up and set the tone for the night. I personally feel like it's giving the wedding party a little spotlight for buying clothes, shoes, and putting up with your pre-wedding craziness. Oh yeah - you'll be a little crazy. But it's good crazy :)

- first dance

I think the more personal this song is to the couple – the better. Start listening to songs while you are riding around, or sitting in a restaurant. It will hit you and you will say "this is our song".

- father/daughter & mother/son

I think a great idea is to let your parents pick the song. It's one of those formalities that makes everybody smile and it's definitely a peek memorable moment in your parents live.

- cake cut

I honestly have never seen this song to be one of the most important songs of the night. Nobody is really paying attention to the music and as long as it is fits the scene – anything can go here. Something with the word sugar is usually kind of cool. Sugar sugar, how sweet it is, the sweetest thing.

- garter

Depending on your personality – you may want this to be your time to shine as the groom. Getting the garter off with your teeth may be funny ...but not for grandma. So one way to break the ice and make this moment "not so awkward", is to play music that lightens the mood. Remember - You want this to be somewhat funny and create a memorable moment without having guests think OMG "save it for the honeymoon". One example that we use a lot – is the mission impossible theme song.

- bouquet

I don't know where this tradition started, but I think it's pretty hilarious. You've got a bunch of girls in high heels going up for a basketball rebound. Oh, not to mention that they are somewhat intoxicated. So any high-energy song that girls know and love – would work perfect here. The DJ plays a big role in the bouquet toss - making sure the girls are ready to catch the bouquet – the photographers ready to take the pictures – and the bride is not going to chuck the bouquet into a fan overhead.

- last dance

This is a tough one. I think that we could talk about the last dance for an entire blog post. It can go in so many different directions. But here's my thought. Have the DJ announced "this is the last song" and play a slow song. Then expecting an encore have a crazy song lined up ready to go. That way, you will have that last dance moment where you can reflect on the night - how awesome it was – and soak in the moment. But then, the crazy song you can go out with a bang!

Hopefully I have given you something to think about. Comment below if you agree or disagree and – share this post with someone who may like it. Thanks and see you on the dance floor!

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7 Tips for Top Level Wedding DJs

Thinking about DJ'ing?  Here are a few things you must know...

As a professional wedding DJ in Atlanta, Georgia, I have  been fortunate enough to be involved in over 300 weddings in the last couple years.  With a team of seven pro-DJs on staff at Nice Guys DJ, we take a very scientific approach to DJ-ing weddings.  We document what works and what doesn't.  We're constantly asking "why?" something did or did not work.  In meetings, we come up with ways to make things better.  If you're considering becoming a wedding DJ, here are 7 things you must know.

1) Have professional equipment.  The higher price tag on pro-DJ gear not only makes it sound better - but makes it more reliable.  There's nothing worse than a speaker, laptop, or controller going out on the first dance.  So, if you want to play with the big boys, you gotta pay-to-play. 

2) Know how to read the crowd.  One of our classes at Nice Guys DJ School is called "Be a Jellyfish."  In the class, we talk about having tentacles everywhere - meaning when you press play on a new song don't stare at your screen.  Watch how the people respond on the dance floor AND most importantly watch the bride and groom. (Did they just mouth to each other "What is this??")

3) You must be comfortable on the mic.  This takes the longest to perfect.  You don't want to be too shy, because no one will hear what you're saying.  You don’t want to be too over-the-top, because people will think you are annoying and taking the spotlight away from the bride and groom.  You must be confident, fun, and energetic, without being cheesy.

4) Know how to dress appropriately. The bride and groom spend a lot of money on the way their wedding looks.  They have flower arrangements placed on all the tables, chandeliers installed to hang from the ceiling, cool little chalkboard signs with sweet writing set around the room.  Yet, whether you like it or not, people are going to stare at you most of the reception.  You are the entertainment as well as everyone's "go to" person for what's happening next.  So, you best look the part.  And - Where do you go to find how to dress?  Girls’ Pinterest pages.  That's right guys - don't try to figure this one out yourselves or you'll look like a Las Vegas blackjack dealer. 

5) Be nice.  From the moment you arrive, you are on a job interview.  The catering staff, the wedding planner, and the venue owner can all make or break you as far as getting future gigs.  Open doors for people and smile. Be a generally pleasant person. This misconception that a DJ can hang back and act like he was better than everyone else doesn’t work..  Just because the DJ is the entertainment, they aren’t rock stars. You can’t expect everyone to wait on you hand and foot.  Even if you do an excellent job, the wedding planner is not going to tell her future brides about you.

6) Know a wide variety of music.  Everyone has their strong suits and their favorites to play.  I tend to like more club and EDM styles, but that very rarely is wanted or needed at a wedding.  From 8 to 80, you will need to know what they like.  What was popular when they were in high school or in college?  You will also need to stay up to date with what's going on now.  And, most importantly you will need to know what has been played out.  For example, if you're still relying on Gangnam Style to be the dance floor filler, you're obviously behind times.

7) Know how to actually DJ. I know this seems obvious.  Beginner DJs think if they have the pro-gear, they are good to go.  It takes years of experience and education to know how to DJ professionally.  Some lower level DJs can get away with iTunes and a microphone.  If you want to be a top level wedding DJ, this won’t work.  You best know how to beat match, have super smooth transitions, and have some DJ tricks up your sleeve.  This doesn't mean that you will be scratching all night, or your songs will all be beat-matched. With cake cuts and garter tosses, a simple fade works well.  But, when the dance floor is packed, keeping the energy and momentum going is vital to a successful event. 

In retrospect, it’s easy to see what works and what doesn’t.  Getting it all right in one gig is the trick.