June 29th, 2010
Congratulations on the announcement of your wedding day! I’m sure you’re excited just thinking about your wedding reception. We’re excited for you, too!
I’m Mark Lindemer, the founder of Trans Audio Mobile Music. After 27 years of mobile DJ experience, I am now your personal music consultant and also a columnist for Shore Bride Online. Please consider me your “go to guy” for memorable wedding ceremonies and fun receptions. Here’s the link to my latest Shore Bride column…
I’d love to hear about your hopes and expectations for “your” perfect wedding day. I think when you learn more about what we can do for you, you’ll realize that we are uniquely capable of making your wedding day dream come true. I invite you to get in touch…
E-mail: mark@trans-audio.com
Office: 219-663-3815
Cell: 219-743-7575
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
June 29th, 2010
Everyone was excited when wireless technology eliminated mircrophone cords that caused many problems including tripping over them, but wireless microphones aren’t perfect either. Like most professionals, Trans Audio DJs always arrive and setup long before guests arrive to test and make sure all their equipment is working flawlessly, including wireless microphones. Then guests arrive and unfortunately the quality of sound is jeopardized when guests forget to shut off their pocketed electronic devices (cell phones, PDAs, etc.), which will occasionally result in microphone “voice dropouts” and/or “various noises,” including ringing. To avoid this potential problem, please have someone request that your guests turn off their cell phones during your event, or ask your DJ to announce your request five (5) minutes before the beginning of your event
Posted in Ceremony Posts | No Comments »
April 20th, 2010
As a wedding professional I get asked about toasts all the time. Actually, what they usually refer to as a toast is a “speech.” These speeches are really toasts in disguise.
Get it?
This past Saturday the Best Man’s toast was part speech, radio show, stand up comedy and lecture. Oh, and it was 25 minutes.
There is no need for a toast to be quite that lengthy.
The BM went on to pull out a list of historic happenings for April 20. All 20 of them were supposed to meld the importance of history with the marriage. What does a marriage have to do with Captain Cooks arrival in New South Wales? Uhh, nothing is my guess.
This BM was literally killing time. Emphasis on “killing”
The Bride was getting a little testy after the 10th historic fact. With no end in sight after the 15th historic fact the banquet manager was freaking out as all she wanted to do was serve the prime rib on time. I think I actually saw steam escape her ears.
The only thing the BM did right at the end was “toast” the newlyweds.
Best Men and Maids of Honor pass this up all the time!
Here’s directions on how to do it properly: Hold the champagne flute at the stem, raise it to eye level and wish the happy couple good tidings.
Really that’s all that is ever asked of the Best Man. Or should be.
The lesson?
Tell your Best Man to prepare something short which is personal, touching or original.
Tell your Best Man to practice the toast until he knows it by heart.
It can funny, touching, lovely or simple.
It should be 2 to 5 minutes in length. Definitely NOT 30 minutes.
It’s not supposed to be stand up comedy (unless your BM is Jerry Seinfeld!)
And please, DO NOT embarrass the Bride with rude references, they are never needed. How would you like it if someone made a rude comment about you on the biggest day of your life? Especially when it’s in front of 200 people!
And please, don’t forget the “toast”
Posted in Reception Posts | No Comments »
April 5th, 2010
For those of you planning a May or June wedding now is the time to get those music plans finished. Why now? Why not! Look, a good percentage of our customers get it done early. What’s early? 1 to 2 months ahead of time. The reason is because most understand they will be too busy the couple of weeks before the wedding! No plans for ceremony or reception music with 14 days to go is a disaster waiting to happen. Find out from your DJ or band if they can help but I’m sure they can because that’s why you hired them right? Most couples think they are alone in choosing music but that’s not the case. All you have to do is ask for a professional opinion and you will receive guidance. Most DJ’s have large music libraries and have the knowledge to put together a wedding ceremony. So don’t sit there, get going and get it done! You’ll feel better when you do.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
February 26th, 2010
The new music season always coincides with the wedding season so we’ll have to wait a month before new Summer music begins to wind it’s way to our radios and ipods. To get a start though, here are a few song suggestions to help spice things up a little with some fresh music choices. Most of these suggestions can be found on itunes, youtube or Rhapsody. They are all song choices in the WRP library too.
“You & Me” Dave Matthews Band
* Excellent first dance, cake cutting or slow dance
“Never Had Nobody Like You” M Ward
* Cake Cutting or to cut a rug!
“Hey Soul Sister” Train
* Fun mid tempo slow dance for couples
“Say Hey (I Love You) Michael Franti & Spearhead
* Everyone (you & old) seems to enjoy this but why not use it for a dollar dance song?
“Two Is Better Than One” Boys Like Girls w/ Taylor Swift
* Slow song for the Bridal Party Dance
“My Life Would Suck Without You” Kelly Clarkson
* Good song for Bouquet Toss or when the girls need a moment of bonding.
“Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) Beyonce
* The most popular bouquet toss song ever
“Today Was a Fairytale” Taylor Swift
* Good for a late night couples dance
“I Gotta Feeling” Black Eyed Peas
* This can be used for intros for anyone & as an energizing sing-a-long on the dancefloor
“Bad Romance” Lady Gaga
* A fun song to bring everyone out to the floor anytime
“Shots” LMFAO & Lil Jon
* A great sing-a-long for late night fun!
“Everyday” Vetiver
* Cake cutting or Bridal Party song
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
February 16th, 2010
Everything you see listed on the WRP reception planner is information we DJ’s need to have. We have couples who call us all the time to simply ask “what do you need me to do?” Fill out the planner. It really is that easy. Your DJ wants to be accurate in playing all the special songs and you want him to be accurate too so list them on the planner. Whether it’s cocktail music, dinner music, introduction music, opening dances or chicken dances make sure you record them on this planner. The other very important pieces of information would be all introduction announcements, who is the DJ introducing? We need the information in the order on the planner. You need to be rather aggressive in helping us because we do not know your bridal party and tastes in music. Once you complete the WRP info then we can start assigning DJ’s and we really begin to understand what it is you want us to do. I have customers who take weeks and weeks to make up their mind about one special song and change their mind again and again. Get to work on this planner about 3 months before the wedding and you won’t need to worry about any of these decisions the week of your wedding.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
February 2nd, 2010
Are you nervous about dancing in front of hundreds of people? If not you probably are a type “A” extroverted bride or groom. Most couples are probably a little more introverted and are nervous regarding the opening dance. Most parents are probably apprehensive about the dance with their children too. Last year a Father of the Bride said to me that all eyes would be on him because everyone knew he had no formal dance lessons. We set up a dance lesson for him and his daughter. The idea was to help him gain some confidence and get him over the negative. On “Sarah’s” wedding day dad did just fine and even enjoyed the applause he and his daughter received as they finished the final twirl. He told me later he had a blast and wanted to do it again! Another way to help motivate parents is to share the dance floor with other fathers and daughters or mothers and sons in the room. Here’s the way it works; first the DJ invites child and parent to the floor. He will tell your guests the title of the song you will be dancing to and then tell your guests a couple of minutes into the song we will ask other parents and children to come forward to share the floor. The fearful parent is now “covered” by the other guests and it’s a magical way to begin a reception because those other guests will come forward to dance. Photographers and videographers are happy too because they have truly recorded some wonderful moments.
Just imagine looking back on this event many years later. The lesson is to find a way to gain some measure of confidence or comfort. Its your wedding day and your family & friends will truly want to celebrate it with you.
Posted in Reception Posts | No Comments »
January 15th, 2010
When it comes to “toasting” a bride & groom I have seen many things I would never consider doing myself. In my world that’s usually a pretty good rule of thumb to go by.
Many years ago the act of toasting was simple, easy going, happy and quick! The best man would stand up before dinner and say, “Let’s toast Jim & Carla on the happiest day of their lives!” the best man then raised his glass in honor and it was over. Lightning fast. Usually the crowd shouted “here, here” and that was it, nothing more. (for more on this simply watch any movie featuring a wedding from the 1930’s)
In the 21st century the act of toasting has expanded into performance art.
The buzzword is “speech” but a toast is not supposed to be a speech, like “4 score and 7 years ago.” Webster’s defines a toast as, “a salutation or a few words of congratulation, good wishes, appreciation, remembrance, uttered immediately before drinking to a person or event.”
Last year I entertained at a wedding where the best man couldn’t even stand up straight. He flubbed the toast, all the while crying over HIS misspent youth.
I witnessed a maid of honor cursing during a toast in front of children and family members. Another by the father of the bride took over 30 minutes to recite and dinner service was delayed 45 minutes to courteously give him the floor.
You get the idea.
Needless to say it was quite a bad year for wedding toasts. A few understood what was expected of them and the rest did not.
Here are a few things a toast can be; humorous, short and to the point but 2 to 3 minutes maximum, lighthearted and respectful of others.
Here are a few things to keep in mind; when you are assigning best man and maid of honor privileges talk with them about the toasts. Tell them YOUR wishes. Make sure there is no profanity. Keep stories to a minimum. Don’t over imbibe in alcohol before the toast is delivered. Write it down and rehearse it a few times if need be. Do not recall past relationships or bad memories. Above all just keep it classy.
I would think since most humans are afraid of public speaking, and would rather jump off a cliff or encounter a wild mountain lion in their back yard the idea of a short toast may come as relief to your maid of honor and best man.
Posted in Reception Posts | No Comments »
December 22nd, 2009
Today’s bride is choosing ceremony music to fit her personality.
More and more brides want pop tunes for all entrances and recessionals. Canon in D maybe losing ground to Vitamin String Quartet, country & western or even Michael Jackson! Why? I think today’s young couples have less of a connection to the distant past than ever before. We haven’t played the traditional “Bride’s Processional” in several months. This year has seen a major increase in using songs from Lifehouse, Clint Black, & Coldplay or classic oldies like “At Last”, “All You Need Is Love” & “I’ll Be There.” Does the bride risk losing credibility by using pop songs for a serious and solemn wedding ceremony? Lighten up, Francis! If she has dreamed her entire life of walking up the aisle to Etta James why should anyone deny her?
Why should a classical title be any different than a popular title?
There is no solid rule of thumb so use whatever you like. My only parting thought is to be tasteful and thoughtful of family & guests attending your ceremony.
Below you’ll find a list of recessional songs many bride’s have used, some classical and some different;
All You Need Is Love (String Quartet Tribute to the Beatles)
Allegro (Violin Concerto)
Allegro From Spring – Orchestral Faster
Arrival Of The Queen of Sheba
Bach Cantata No 1
Back In Black
Concerto Alla Rusica
Concerto For Two Trumpets In Bb
Concerto grosso Op. 6/1 ‘A tempo giusto’ ( George Frideric Handel )
Don’t Stop Believing (The String Quartet Tribute to Journey)
Eine Kleine Nactmusik
The Four Seasons: Winter IV. Allegro for Brass
God Only Knows
Hornpipe – Guitar
Mama Mia Overture / Prologue (edit end out)
Music For Royal Fireworks
Sweet Child O’ Mine
Tambourin – Tambourin en Rondeau ( Jean-Philippe Rameau )
Trumpet Tune (Trumpet & Organ)
Variation In Sonata In A
Viva la Vida
Wedding March – Wedding Recessional
Wedding March Recessional (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
Wedding Recessional – Guitar
Wedding Recessional – Piano
Wedding Recessional – Pipe Organ
Wind Dancer
You Shook Me All Night Long (String Quartet Tribute to AC/DC)
There are so many different ways to musically approach every ceremony, it’s best to work with your DJ or live musicians to make sure they understand and offer what you want. Music edits maybe needed so the flow of an entrance or unity candle presentation looks and sounds it’s best.
A great place in the ceremony for some personal music choices is either prelude or postlude, most brides will probably not hear much of the prelude but once the ceremony is over and you are greeting guests or releasing rows you’ll be able to pay attention to some postlude selections. Beach themes, light pop, light rock or light jazz work great for postlude music as guests are ready to now enjoy your reception and have a little fun!
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
December 21st, 2009
Getting the most out of your wedding day can be exhausting. There are so many things to plan for before the day arrives it makes you wonder just how everything will fit in it’s place. One of the questions entertainers often get asked is about the specifics of time. When will we get introduced, cut cake or do our opening dances? If you’re not experienced all these plans can make your head spin! Here are some simple suggestions to ease many transitions during the biggest day of your life.
Get organized! Use this planner to organize all of your entertainment because your DJ will need to know what you want to do. At what time of the day you do those things is usually left up to the DJ who is working in conjunction with the banquet center and photographer.
If you use the “share my planner” feature and send a copy to the banquet manager, photographer and videographer they will print it and bring it with to make sure everyone is on the same page.
A note about working together; make sure when you hire vendors they are pros who are going to work together to make the wedding day come off effortlessly. It’s my experience that all vendors are like a wedding support team who should help each other out all day long. It’s not about us as much as it’s about us serving you.
One area of concern is the transition between ceremony and reception. If you have more than 100 people then release rows after the ceremony recessional to avoid a long receiving line into the banquet center which can eat up an hour or more.
If you do not want to take pictures before the ceremony and you only have about an hour for post ceremony pictures it’s wise to set a timeline with your photographer. He’s in charge and should watch the clock. If the ceremony is at the same location as the banquet center then you may not be as rushed but still want to enjoy the start of your reception. Have your photographer set a time limit and discuss the pictures that get taken in order. It’s also in your guests best interest because dinner will be served on time. A simple timeline should look like this:
5pm Ceremony Start
530 to 630pm Post Ceremony Photos
6p Start of cocktail hour
645 to 7pm Introductions, toasts, dinner blessing
This doesn’t mean that the start of introductions couldn’t be 5 minutes later. If you consult with the photographer and DJ you will get a good idea of how they will help each other and you through all the important events of the night.
A loosely planned timeline is a little more realistic as unplanned things may happen. I worked for a bride recently who misplaced her bouquet before introductions and her bridesmaids spent about 10 minutes looking for it. Needless to say, everything got started a little late but when it was found everything fell into place right away.
Most bride’s are nervous about the flow of the reception but if you’ve hired excellent vendors by excellent recommendations there is no reason to doubt them. It’s always a good idea to ask prospective vendors how they will approach working with banquet centers, DJ’s, photographers and video. The best of the best will probably know all the players in the local wedding market which is a plus because they look forward to working with them during the wedding season.
As always, experience is the major factor to make sure all wedding plans go off without a hitch.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »