Flowers of the Month for May

I just love Gerber Daisies.  They are so fresh looking and fun.  They always remind me of the beginning of Summer.  Although in Las Vegas, summer is not so fun.  These gerber daisies are the thing that can cheer you up when you are feeling down.

If you still haven't thought about your Mother for this weekend, get crackin' and send her some flowers. 
Daisies preferably.

MORE PICTURES

This was Megan Bacus' Wedding.  Her bouquet was great with solid white flowers.













Her bouquet was filled with white hydrangea, White Calla Lilies, White Roses and a little bling.

Her custom bouquet handle was a fun pink and green wrap with fun butterfly style broach pins.  She loved it.

Her brides maids were this pink hydrangea, white rose and lavender calla lilies with a little bling to it as well.

This was one of her Centerpieces.  She wanted a lot of illumination.  I designed these pilsner vases filled with pink water, gems and a floating candle.  I covered the base with pink and white rose petals to really bring out some color.

Her other centerpiece was this bouquet in a vase with gems and a green LED Light for illumination.  It was really pretty at night.

THANK YOU TO LIMELIGHT Photography for your beautiful photos of my flowers.

MORE PICTURES OF WEDDINGS

Here are some more pictures of weddings that I have recently done.  I hope that you like them. 

This was Christina Ryan's wedding at the beautiful Platinum Hotel.  She had such a great idea.  She wanted to reflect the love that she felt for her new husband.  She had a whole bunch of meanings to the flowers that she wanted.  I know that I am a floral designer, so I should know these meanings, but I didn't, so I learned a lot from my bride.
Here is her bouquet.  This is an unusual bouquet, but beautiful at the same time.
This is a beidermeire Bouquet.  It is filled with Blue Dendrobium Orchids, White Mums, White Calla Lilies, and Lavender Spray Roses.  She Loved It.

This was her Maid of Honors Bouquet, her bridesmaids and her mother's Tussy Bouquet.

Christina Has some of her tables outside on the balcony of the Platinum Hotel.  It was a perfect Day.

The Bride had table cards that stated what each flower meant.































Christina was concerned about the children at the wedding.  I came up with this fun Lazy Susan style centerpiece.  It had flowers at the top, then it was filled with crayons, colored pencils, washable markers, coloring books, stickers, washable stamps and candy.   I don't think the kids did much but play at the table.  They loved it.

Hiring a professional DJ/MC for your Wedding.

Most people have very little experience in wedding coordination and therefore don’t often know what to look for when hiring DJ/MC entertainment for their wedding. Since your wedding day is not the day to take any chances, we would like to make some of the unknowns about hiring a DJ/MC known.

Let’s begin with a couple important points to keep in mind. First, you must know that your wedding DJ/MC is going to play a more crucial role in your wedding day than you may realize. His/her performance will directly affect the outcome of your wedding reception. Second, remember that you are hiring a service, not a product, and no two DJ/MC’s are ever the same. There are a number of DJ companies out there, and with this being a talent-based industry, it can be a difficult task to find the right DJ/MC for you. Therefore, we recommend scheduling an interview with at least three licensed and insured DJ companies. Please note that you should be able to meet with the actual person that will be the DJ/MC and not just someone representing them or the company they work for. In addition to interviewing prospective DJ/MC’s, another factor to consider in choosing your DJ is reviews. You can tell a lot about a company based on the feedback from its past Brides and Grooms.

I would like to offer you some information in regards to some of the less desirable strategies used by some in the industry including money back guarantees and/or an over-reliance on their equipment or the size of the music library they use. The bottom line with companies offering a money-back guarantee is that this guarantee doesn’t guarantee that they won’t ruin your wedding; it only guarantees that they will give you your money back if they do. In terms of equipment, all professional DJ/MC’s will use only high quality, commercial grade equipment that is adequate to handle your event and most have a more than adequate music library. Therefore, if “equipment, music selection and lighting” are the main focus of the sales presentation given by the DJ you are considering, they may not possess the skill and experience necessary to DJ/MC your wedding.

A wedding DJ/MC will often have three very important roles. He/she will coordinate the wedding events, act as the Master of Ceremonies, and “DJ” the wedding. If any one of these three important roles is lacking in experience or skill, the wedding will fall short of your expectations. Therefore it is important that you choose a wedding professional who is detail-oriented and has the skill and experience necessary to fill these three roles.

Coordinating the wedding: Your DJ/MC should help you to create and execute a customized timeline or, if you’ve hired a coordinator for your event, he/she should work closely with your coordinator to plan and execute your timeline. Your custom timeline should accommodate for specific times for dinner, your specialized wedding events, photographs, video, and any other added events. You will also want your DJ/MC to be ready and willing to give assistance to ALL other wedding professionals on location. The timing of your food service and the quality of your photographs and video will depend on it. As Master of Ceremonies, the DJ is ultimately responsible to make certain every event/moment is captured. Therefore, in addition to extensive experience in creating and executing customized wedding timelines, it is important to choose a DJ/MC who is detail-oriented, able to multi-task and willing to work closely with your other wedding professionals in order to make your event as successful as possible.

Master of Ceremonies: This is about presentation. What is most important to know about Master of Ceremonies is that the DJ/MC will be there representing you, and is hired to speak on your behalf. It is important that the DJ/MC is appropriate, and presents in a style that you like. Some DJ/MC’s will make only the necessary announcements, while others tend to say things on the microphone that do not need to be stated, thus, unnecessarily drawing attention to themselves. It is up to the DJ/MC to execute events smoothly and tastefully, with the level of interaction and excitement that you have pre-determined with them during the planning. Unfortunately, poor presentation can make for a disastrous wedding reception, and can be embarrassing to you. Therefore, it is important to meet with your DJ/MC to get a feel for their overall style and judgment, and to determine if you think they will represent you, to your family and friends, in a way that you are comfortable with.

Playing the music (DJ): This is what people generally think of when hiring a wedding DJ/MC, but, there is much more to it than just playing music; it’s about creating moments that will have a lasting impression on your guests. While some DJs may pride themselves on having a large music library, it is more important that they are able to help you select the right music for your wedding. Though music selection can be a daunting task, your DJ/MC should be there to assist you through it all. From the beginning of your ceremony (if applicable), to the Grand Entrance, through to your departure song, a couple will select, on average, about 15 songs just for these specialty dances/events. You should also be given the option to select as many or as few songs as you would like for play during cocktail hour, dinner, and open dancing as well as the option to create a “do not play” playlist to ensure that undesired songs are not played at your wedding. Though, truth be known, if you select enough songs on your playlist, a “do not” playlist would never be needed. Also, your DJ should not only be willing to draw on the songs you have chosen, but be able to read your crowd, and select music accordingly.

I hope this article has helped to provide you with a few things to think about when hiring your DJ/MC for your wedding. At DJs TO YOU, we are committed to providing you, the Bride and Groom, with the most unique DJ/MC services available, while maintaining the highest quality of service and preserving the level of tradition you desire. We believe that every event throughout the reception can and should reflect your personal taste and style. On average, our company will spend 20-30 hours of planning for every wedding we do. We include very unique and personalized options that your guests will have never seen before. We create moments such as personalized dances with voice recordings, a Love Story of the Bride and Groom, and a biographical Grand Entrance that will never be forgotten. We also offer well-wishes cards, and the option for your family and friends that can’t make it, to call in and leave their well-wishes message by voicemail that can later be played during your reception. We have created entrances that have been unique to the taste of our Brides and Grooms such as a James Bond themed entrance, basketball themed entrance, and a Vegas Style Grand entrance where the entire bridal party entered together. We even offer our hand-drawn carriage that can make your Grand Entrance/Exit even more Grand! These are just a few options that we offer. All you have to do is tell us a little about you, and we will help create an incredible reception that is personal and unique to you, yet fun and entertaining for all.

Kevin Cordova
President – American DJ Association Las Vegas
Owner – DJs TO YOU
702.266.6900
Kevin@djstoyou.com

Why You Shouldn't Do Your Own Flowers For Your Wedding

I have noticed that a lot of brides these days are taking the hard road to planning and designing their wedding so that they can save a few dollars.  With the economy the way it is right now, it is understandable that a bride would want to have a beautiful wedding without breaking the bank.  One of the ideas that a bride has to save money is to "Do It Themselves".  The bride puts her self in charge of all of the planning, decorating and set up of their own wedding.  This is a hard job.  Here are a few reasons why it is so hard to design and set up your own wedding.
1.  You have to find a floral wholesaler who is willing to sell you flowers at a good price.
2.  You have to be able to find a place that you can assemble all of these flower arrangements.
3.  You need to clean and process the flowers the right way or they won't last very long.  This will take approximately 2-4 hours depending on how many flowers you order.
4.  You need all of the proper floral materials to help you create these designs correctly.  This can be even more expensive than hiring a professional.
5.  It will take approximately 8-10 hours to assemble all of your arrangements.  It takes at least 1 hour just to put a bridal bouquet together.
6.  You have to assemble the flowers the day prior so that you can have enough time to get ready for your own wedding the next day.  This means that you will have to find a sufficient cooler to store all of your flowers so that they do not wilt over night.
7.  You then have to find sufficient transportation to get the flowers to their destination.
8.  You need to arrive to the ceremony site first to put all flowers in place and be able to deliver the bouquets and boutonnieres to your wedding party.
9.  Then you have to be sure that you get the centerpieces to the reception site and place all of the pieces onto the tables and then get back to the ceremony site so that you can walk down the aisle with composure and grace.


Wow, I am tired just thinking about all that needs to be done, and this is just the flowers.

 Now, most brides are smart and ask friends and family to help out by doing all of the items above.  This is a good strategy as well, but you need to consider the possibilities that your friends or family might want to be able to enjoy the day as well.

Most brides ask their mothers to help out.  I see a lot of this, where the mothers are in the kitchen and in the background working really hard to help their daughter with all of the wedding details.  Then they look at the pictures after the wedding with a little sadness.  They don't remember the wedding at all.  They were too busy helping out with food, decor, etc... They felt more like the help instead of the Mother of the Bride. They didn't get to relax and really be there with their daughter.  They didn't get to witness her happiness and memorable day with her.

This is why vendors are out there.  We are a third party who doesn't have any connection to you, like family or friends.  We are there to help your day go smoothly and be able to do all of the hard work for you so all you have to do is relax and enjoy everyone around you and your wedding day.

 These days, the average wedding in Las Vegas, Nevada is about $35,000.00.  WOW! that is really expensive.  So, here are a few ways that you can save money and time.

1.  Don't invite so many people to your wedding.  Only invite close family and friends.  You don' t have to invite everyone from your workplace, your fiance's work place and your parents workplace.  You don't have to invite the mailman, or Uncle Joe's best friend.  These people really could care less if they come.
I have heard many conversations at my work place or social functions where a couple was invited to their boss's daughters wedding or someone that they work with, etc....  There complaint is that they don't know this person, but they feel that they are obligated to attend because if they don't, they will  lose respect of that person.  They also don't like the fact that they have to purchase a gift for someone they really don't know.
2.  You don't have to have a 10 course meal.  Every bride that has come to me says that they don't think they are going to have enough food at their wedding.
When I was a coordinator, I was always there at the end of the event making sure the bride and their party didn't leave anything behind.  I made sure everything was being cleaned up by the proper people.  I would notice that there was a lot of food left over.  This food goes to waste.
If you want to enjoy your night, serve light appetizers, then a nice buffet dinner that consists of two entrees and some sides.  You can even do a sit down dinner.  This way no food is wasted.  You don't need a dessert buffet, candy station and a wedding cake.  Just do one or the other.
3.  Party Favors can get really cheap and guests always seem to throw them away.  The best thing to do is do a mini survey.  Ask your friends and family members what they would actually take home with them.  Would they want an edible item or something that they could stick on their shelf when they get home.  The best favor out there right now is the candy station.  I love this idea.  Your guests can fill up a bag with your name and date on it and take it home with them.  The candy might not last long, but the memory of them being able to choose what they want will.  This is also an inexpensive way to give your guests a thank you.
4.  When you choose a venue, make sure they don't have any hidden fees.  This seems to be the one problem that many brides face when their date is coming near.  They arrive at their venue for the final planning stages and notice that a lot of hidden fees have been added to their contract. This can cost upward of thousands of dollars extra that you weren't planning.   Make sure you read that contract carefully before you sign it.  I will have another article on this matter alone.
5.  When you are choosing your design elements, make sure that you meet with many vendors.  At least three.  Give them a budget.  A designer is going to give you the platinum look, because their passion is design.  They are going to tell you what they think will look great at your wedding.  They don't think of price when they are designing.  Give them your budget up front.  This way they know what their limits are.  You can always get what you want when your budget is out in the open.  The vendors can work with your budget, but they can't work with someone that doesn't communicate what the can and cannot have money wise.

When you are planning your wedding it is smart to make appointments with all of the vendors that you need. All vendors that I work with always spend at least 1 hour with their brides on their first consultation.  This is your opportunity to grill them. Find out everything that you need to know.  Make sure that your budget stays on track with them.

The best investment in your wedding is a wedding coordinator.  A coordinator will help you make the right decisions, keep you on your budget and make sure that your event goes well.  Also, you and your family will be able to remember your special day and not be exhausted trying to work the wedding and be the host.  At the TOP of this blog page, I have some wonderful vendor links.  These people will help you create the perfect wedding.  I trust them, you should to.

























                                                                 

This Blog is for Kim H. On Wedding Wire

I am not very good with computers, so I have to send these pictures to you through my blog page.  These are some pictures from the terms that you were not familiar with.  Let me know what you think.

For all who are wondering. Kim H wants to do a Alice In Wonderland Themed wedding from the inspiration of Tim Burton's new movie.  I suggested that she use Curly willow with bright colored orchids hanging from the branches with also a hint of crystals and hanging votives. A clear glass cylinder vase can hold the curly willow and she can make colored mushrooms from a little food coloring and glitter to fill the vase up. 

Kim, here are some pics of the curly willow with hanging flowers and crystals.  Also here are pictures of flicker votives.  These are battery operated and can be used in trees because they are flame proof.  Let me know what you think.

Flower of The Month For April 2010

I want to start a chat forum of your favorite flowers for the month of April. You can write a little comment of why you like this flower and even download a picture of it. I would love to hear from you.

Here are a few flowers that I like. If you see the flower.

 Blue Iris' are one of my favorite flowers.  They are so regal looking.  Mixed with a white rose with a silver accent is a great look for a blue and white wedding.