As part of the wedding planning process at Golden Note Entertainment, we ask a lot of questions. Twenty years of experience shows us that it’s absolutely necessary because, if we don’t, we may end up having to scramble to get the job done. Though it doesn’t happen often, there have been a few times where couples simply failed to tell us about changes or simple facts! Here are five things you definitely want to tell your entertainer before your wedding day:
The Do-Not-Play List
Couples get really excited about request lists, but they often forget that they can also request that certain songs not be played. It could be simply that you don’t want to hear “Cotton-eyed Joe,” but there are a lot of other factors to consider: Do you know if your friends will hound the DJ to request a specific song that embarrasses you? Do you not want to hear songs tied to past relationships? Do your parents not want to hear certain songs? What doesn’t get played can impact your day just as much as what does. Always consider your do-not-play list.
Your Parents are Divorced
These days, it is incredibly common for parents to be divorced, but your DJ and MC aren’t necessarily thinking about it—often, they’re more concerned with the couple and their wedding. Parents do, however, play an important role in your special day, too. They are often part of your ceremony, are introduced during your reception, and may be asked to dance on a couple different occasions. Letting your entertainers know that mom and dad aren’t together—or are remarried—is crucial.
Change of Schedule
We get it. Things happen. But communicating with all of your vendors about schedule changes is one of the most important things you need to do. At Golden Note, we show up to every event two hours in advance, and not because we want to bother the maitre d’! If you have a large entertainment package, with screens or intelligent lights, we need time to set those up. But it has happened to us that an event was moved—day of the event— one and a half hours earlier than originally scheduled. That’s a big change..
Changes to the “Big Three” Songs
You need to choose a lot of music for your wedding day. Ceremony music, intros, must-plays, the last song of the night. But the most important three are your first dance as a couple, and the songs for each parent dance. Since new music comes out every week, we expect that people will change their minds. As a premiere entertainment company, Golden Note keeps its music library updated weekly, too. Last minute song changes are easy to deal with but even the best DJ isn’t psychic—let us know sooner than later!
Bridal Party Dropouts
Between destination weddings being too costly, unexpected pregnancies, or just run-of-the-mill drama, bridal parties often see members drop out. While it’s not so bad for introductions (we’re just scratching a name off the list), it may be critical to the legality of your wedding! For instance, you have all the legal documents prepared in advance—witness signatures and all. If your witnesses drop out of your bridal party and don’t attend the wedding…your marriage might be, legally, void. Make sure your officiant is aware and, perhaps, have your witnesses sign after the ceremony!
Is there anything you’re worried you’ll forget on your wedding day? Let us know! E-mail us at [email protected] or send us a message on Facebook.
