WEDDING NOTES™ - It's Entertainment!

A bride's wedding video made Yahoo this week!  Not content with the traditional father/daughter dance at the reception, the bride and her dad presented a fully choreographed 20 minutes duet that set the bar a little higher for brides looking for ways to make their reception an event to remember.  That may not be your choice - nor would most dads want to work with a professional dancer for months before the ceremony practicing like they were auditioning for Dancing with the Stars.  But this performance did highlight the changing nature of wedding receptions.

For many brides, there is the ceremony, followed by a reception with cake, a photographer who snaps photos and the couple drives off in a decorated car.  And it is a very nice day that they will remember always.  For a growing number of brides, the wedding is an opportunity to celebrate by creating guest memories that will last forever.  The focus in the ceremony is on the couple.  The focus in the reception is on the guest experience.  It is the way the bride and groom say thank you to friends and family for being there to witness their marriage.  The reward is a great party with entertainment, wonderful food and beverages, and music for dancing.

If your wedding has a strong cultural theme, consider hiring ethnic entertainers for the cocktail hour.  If you are Scottish and the groomsmen are wearing kilts, having a bagpiper pipe you into the reception seems ideal.  An Irish dance troupe can entertain your guests before dinner.  During dinner, light music from a string quartet may be in order.  Photo booths and caricaturists provide guests with plenty of diversion.  Hiring professional dancers to teach guests to do a particular routine may be ideal for some gatherings.  Magicians can also add an interesting element of surprise at your reception.

Your wedding is among the biggest parties you'll ever host.  Make it memorable.  Make it uniquely yours.  Make it THE GUEST EXPERIENCE that they will talk about for years.