Choosing Wedding Entertainment for Your Reception

So you've just got engaged! It's now time for the excitement to begin. You've got a wedding to plan! At this point you've probably got a lot of questions running through your mind. Where do you begin? What questions should I ask vendors? Where am I going to get the money? Wait, how much money are we talking about? On the contrary to what most couples believe, wedding planning can actually be fun. With proper planning and allocated time to complete it you can create your truly unique and exciting Chicago Wedding reception.

When it comes to the entertainment portion of your reception this should be treated with care as with all your other very important wedding details. The entertainment seems to be one of, if not the most important components to a reception. Sure, the food, decorations, and socialization are very important but without entertainment, these events would take on an entirely different personality.

For affairs that are focuses around the entertainment, or at least ones where it is responsible for a major role in the success or failure of the event, some serious considerations must be taken when hiring the right entertainment.

Will you find the right entertainment by hiring the one that answers the phone first or the one that has the lowest price or would you select one just because they live in your hometown? These are actually several things you should consider before selecting your entertainer:

1. Is the entertainer experienced in providing services for your event type? This question can't just be answered in a yes or no question either. You'll want someone who knows the ropes. How much experience do you want your entertainer to have? Consider getting a list of references from previous clients.


2. Who will actually be the entertainer at your event? Often times with larger multi-operational companies you won't actually know who your entertainer is until that night. Is this something you're willing to accept? Always ask this question when shopping for entertainment and make sure it's laid out clear and concise in your contract.


3. What type of equipment do you deserve to have at your event? Imagine not being able to understand announcements or even worse hearing a hiss or buzz during your event. Imagine having part of your beautifully decorated event contain an eyesore of wires and beat up equipment. Another important face is just because an entertainer charges top dollar doesn't always mean they'll bring top dollar equipment to your event. Getting a picture of their setup is a must!


4. What additional services are included other than just playing music? Will you need a master of ceremonies (emcee) at your event, a coordinator, or even someone to interact and participate with your crowd? Is your entertainer willing to step up to the plate and deliver those services? These can be important things to ask before your event. You'd hate to hire an entertainer who can't entertain.


5. Is your entertainer and elegant public speaker? Do they speak in complete sentences without stuttering and using um and uh? Public speaking is said to be one of the number one fears in the United States. If someone isn't good at speaking in person odds are they won't be able to speak in front of your crowd. This is a very important aspect of the entertainer can be over looked.


6. Is backup equipment provided and immediately available? As you know all electronics are man-made and with all man-made products they can fail. So it's important that your entertainer have not only backup equipment but also a backup plan. Ask your entertainer for their backup plan.


7. What happens if the entertainer is ill or otherwise cannot attend your event? These details should be laid out in a written contract form with EVERY service provider. Always lay these things out prior to your event to prevent any situations later on.


8. Is your entertainer insured? Every legitimate business has insurance. This may not seem important upfront, but heaven forbid something were to happen at your event. Are you willing to hire an entertainer without it? Ask your entertainer for his proof of property AND liability insurance.


9. Are there any hidden additional charges or expected necessities from your entertainer? For example, are you required to pay a service charge for stairs at the reception hall? Or are you required to pay for their dinner? Will they need to take smoke breaks? If you're entertainer doesn't cover these issues in their sales pitch perhaps you should ask them.


10. How much input will you be able to give on your music selection? This can also be a very important question when you're shopping for entertainment. Everyone has their own tastes and preferences when it comes to music. Will your entertainer be able to cater to those tastes or will they stick to their own routine. Also does your entertainer offer online music planning?

With so much riding on the success of your event your entertainment should never be over looked. There should be several factors that come into play rather than just price when shopping for your wedding entertainment. Don't ever be afraid to ask questions as the entertainment will have a direct impact on the entire success of your reception.

Stevie Dee works for Operation Getdown DJs. His company provides DJs and lighting for Chicago wedding receptions. Visit the following links for more info about the services we offer. Chicago DJ Blog or Chicagoland DJs

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Men's Carved Wedding Rings and Wedding Bands

Wedding rings are important part of every wedding event. The groom and the bride were pronounced as husband and wife after the event of sliding both wedding rings in each others finger. Sometimes, choosing a wedding ring for men can be very crucial. Simply because men are not usually fond of wearing jewelries unlike with women. For a simple man, they are contented of wearing the only jewelry they will ever wear for the rest of their life and that is their own wedding ring.

It is so common to see a man wearing a simple wedding band. Either made of the traditional metal bands for wedding rings which are yellow and white gold, platinum and titanium. Each has differences and great qualities to be considered as desirable type of bands for rings. Platinum is more expensive than yellow and white gold for it is the hardest metal on earth. White gold is modern and fashionable. Titanium weight so light that it would seem like you are not wearing a ring. Yellow gold is of course the traditional band for wedding rings.

While people are looking for something unique and different, there are persons who prefer to wear a traditional type of ring to represent their simple personality. A simple wedding band is one example. Men still chose a simple band than the modern rings. A simple thing can look elegant once you personalized it. A simple ring can be unique if you personalized it too. The options of personalizing your own ring includes choosing your own ring settings and band. Then carving or engraving your personal message follows. You can carved your spouse or your name, unforgettable date, a sweet message like the words " I love you,any design of art, an object or animals. Carving is an art that best expresses one's personality.

Carved wedding bands and wedding rings are popular when it comes to men's choice of rings. Simply because it is simple. In general, men just wear a ring if it is their wedding ring. It has to fit them comfortably for they will be wearing it for a lifetime. It has to be a ring with good quality. There are many choices for men's carved rings such as greek and celtic rings, art deco, milgrain, pattern, two- toned and texture. Any type of metal bands is desirable. A two-toned carved rings are also popular. It is usually a combination of yellow and white gold. The knot pattern is popular design for celtic rings. Greek rings represent ancient and greek designs, milgrain wedding bands features distinctive edges to compliment the entirety of the band, art deco is a decorative and architectural styles, while texture shows different textures carved on around the ring.

In choosing carved wedding rings, make sure you choose a metal band with good quality. A wedding band with good quality can truly last a lifetime. For a wedding ring is a token which represents both your love,care, fidelity and commitment as a couple.

Latoya Jones has been in the jewelry business for the past 20 years. An expert when it comes to polishing of Engagement Rings, Wedding Rings, rings and diamond rings. Also a consultant of marketing, advertising and merchandising. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Latoya_Jones

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The Sheffield Live Music Scene

You would expect a city with a large university student population to have some dance clubs and other live music venues that cater to a young crowd. To say that about Sheffield is an extreme understatement. The vibrant live music scene in the city has been the soundtrack to life for citizens of Sheffield for over 30 years.

Past and present Sheffield musicians have enjoyed great success. Names from the not too distant past include Joe Cocker, Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker, Def Leppard, The Human League to name a few. More recently the Arctic Monkeys, Pink Grease, and The Long Blonds are very popular in and outside of Sheffield. The live music venues, such as clubs, pubs, halls, and stadiums fill the air with music, and vibrate the cities streets with a baseline.

So many talented acts come from Sheffield that is seems an odd coincidence. Perhaps something in the water that helps vocal cords develop, not likely, but something has to explain the large volume of musicians coming out of this fairly small area. Well, it’s not that big of a mystery.

It seems that in the early 1980s when the steel industry was on a down turn, someone on the Sheffield City Council heard about the big money involved in music. The multi-million dollar incomes of rock stars looked like an attractive way to bring a lot of money into the city. By 1982, a year that saw double-digit unemployment rates and 20,000 jobs lost, the City Council decided to do something about it by producing a few rock stars of their own.

It may not have occurred quite that way, but the fact is, the council got involved in the music business. They figured out that to have a great income producing music scene several things were needed. An infrastructure for the music industry was necessary, so the Council began funding projects related to music. A recording studio was needed to attract top acts and lot of live music venues were needed to showcase the local talent.

Sheffield City Trust owns Sheffield International Venues and operates Hallam FM Arena, and Sheffield City Hall to name a few of the 13 venues for music, sports, and entertainment. (SVI) Sheffield International Venues vision is to promote Sheffield as an international and cultural centre point for sport, leisure and entertainment, something they have been quite successful at doing since 1988.

Red Tape Studios is a training site for Sheffield City Council. It offers training to people interested in careers in the music business. Band Development, Band and Artist management, Music Technology, Music Business Courses and even DJ training courses are available. Because these courses are part of a local government backed system, they are competitively priced and the program really helps promote the music scene in Sheffield.

Of course the City Council offers other training units. Aspiring caterers, (if there is such a thing) can train at Sheaf Training alongside aspiring construction workers and customer service representatives. Tritec Computer Training is the City Council’s IT training ground and every city has at least one of these. The fact that the city recognizes and promotes popular music is just so surprising, and what’s more exciting and surprising is how well it works.

That answers the question how one small area can produce so many talented musicians. Not really a mystery, it’s more of a plan. Council backing is only a small part of the music scene however, and the venues that have been committed to growing the live music scene for the past twenty five or thirty years deserve much of the credit as well.

The Leadmill celebrated its silver anniversary in 2005, and has grown from a derelict flour mill in a rundown part of the city during the last stages of the steel industry’s demise. Unemployment and hopelessness was the consensus among young people at the time. A group of volunteers, students, artists, and unemployed people, who described themselves as “insane but likable” came together to set up a centre for arts and music for people like themselves who had nowhere to go.

The Leadmill has grown into a landmark, and the live music has grown legendary. The opening in 1980 of what was a performing arts center with jazz, pop bands, theatre, education workshops, and club nights began a tradition of live music that venues the world over have tried to emulate. The “insane but likable” founders turned out to be visionaries, except when they turned down a strange young blonde girl for a gig in 1983 who turned out to be Madonna. But who would have thought a club where the toilets backed up onto the dance floor would do so well. It’s not the bricks and mortar, but the bands and the experiences of the people who have been there time and time again that are memorable. The Leadmill is a launching pad for stars in the music business, and the place to see up and coming musicians in Sheffield.

The Leadmill is of course not the only famous live music venue in town, and is just one of the great live venues. There is a club in Sheffield for whatever your taste is. Live Music, DJ & MC stuff, techno, synthpop, indiepoppunk, and whatever other combinations of music are left over are represented somewhere in the city. Starting from a forward thinking city council and bright young people who love music, the city of Sheffield has been producing musicians like other cities produce butchers for the past 30 years.

Article by Susan Ashby of Sheffield Singles. To read more articles like this or for dating in Sheffield visit http://www.sheffield-singles.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Ashby

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