A Special Holiday Wish

January, February 2009 Special

Lindsay & Gord October 18th, 2008

Hello!!

Bob here and I thought that it was time for me to post some of my weddings here on the Evolution Entertainment blog. Things have been super busy this year with over 100weddings done and still more to come! What an awesome job to be able to share a special day with such nice people, we always have a great time and every wedding is so unique. On Saturday I had the opportunity to be the DJ for Lindsay & Gord at the beautiful Heyden Shore Pavillion in Whitby. We produced the ceremony and the reception. The ceremony was really done well, the officiant was really sincere and also quite funny which really helped break the ice and get everyone in a great mood. The ceremony had a real celtic feel to it with music from Braveheart....






After an exiting great grand entrance everyone sat down to an awesome meal from Bunny's Catering. After dinner we really got the party going and we danced the night away!! Everyone had a great time and the dance floor was packed......Lindsay & Gord really know how to party, they were on the dance floor all night partying with their guests and they really set the tone for the evening by having an awesome time. It was an honor to spend the day with them and we had a super time with all their guests. we wish Lindays & Gord all the best for the future. Well that's it for now, I'll sign off and will be back soon with more reports from the road!!

Take care everyone!
Cheers,
Bob

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Alia & Steve........August 30th, 2008

Hi Everyone,

Gord "DJK" Kirby here reporting from the road, I hope everyone had a great summer! Wanted to let you know about a wonderful wedding that I had the honor to DJ a few weeks back. It was a nice intimate gathering at the beautiful SPEZZO Restuarant in Richmond Hill.....what a great place and amazing staff! It was an amazing ceremony bringing two cultures together...the first ceremony was a Persian wedding ceremony which was beautiful to witness then followed by the second Christian ceremony.....it was an amazing day and Alia & Steve looked so happy surrounded by all their friends and family....After the ceremony we all headed into the restaurant for an incredible dinner followed by an awesome party....we rocked on late into the night and everyone had a great time. I want to wish Alia & Steve all the best and thanks for having me as their DJ on their special day!!

A Beautiful Wedding With Kristen & Shaun

Hi Everbody,

Gord here and I thought I would pop in to say hi and tell you a little about a great wedding I just did last week in Belleville, Ontario. What a great night under the stars.....we had a beautiful afternoon ceremony by Lake Ontario and Kristen & Shaun looked amazing. Everything was decorated very nicely and it was a really beautiful ceremony. The reception was awesome, everyone had a great time and the night ended off with a spectacular fireworks display. Congratulations to Kristen & Shaun.

The IPOD Wedding Nightmare..........

Crystal and Jamie....what a great wedding!!!

Hi Everyone, DJ Gord here, it's been awhile since the blog has been updated (we have been super busy with weddings and parties) and I thought I would share some photos of a great wedding reception I had the honor to host this past week-end. The wedding was for Crystal & Jamie and took place at General Sikorski Hall in Oshawa, what a great venue. I have to tell you that Crystal and Jamie really know how to have a great time, what an awesome party. The room was beautifully decorated and right from the start we knew that it was going to be allot of fun. Crystal and Jamie are two very fun and energetic people who's outgoing personalities were reflected by their family and friends.

Both Crystal & Jamie had the right attitide......keeping it upbeat and fun..............Right from the Grand Entrance where the bridal party entered to "Let's Get Ready To Rumble" to the Kissing Game where the Kissing Dice ended up in the chandeliers.........it was party, party, party. The dance floor was packed all night and the dance floor looked amazing.

I want to wish Crystal & Jamie all the best and thanks for choosing Evolution Entertainment to be your wedding DJ's.

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Cool Wedding Reception Lighting

Why is wedding reception lighting important?

Lighting is one of the most important things you can do to create a gorgeous reception.

- Showcase those stunning floral arrangements- Warm up a cool room to create flattering skin tones

- Light the center of a table while keeping the guests in candlelight

Think about a favorite restaurant - how is it lit? Look at the lights on the ceiling, the lamps, the candles on the table. Keep this in mind when you are planning your reception. Everyone looks gorgeous in the right light.

A big bonus - your photos will look terrific when you have great light, too. Pick up Vogue or Town & Country Weddings and look at the social pages - the backgrounds look great because somewhere, a terrific lighting designer planned it that way. Keep it beautiful during the cocktail hour and dinner and don’t be afraid to create a great lighting atmosphere on the dance floor later in the evening. Your guests will be impressed with the great look of your whole reception.

Choose a DJ that offers a lightshow with their package and make sure that they do not use cheap, cheesy DJ lighting, keep it sophisticated. The overall look of your reception is imporatnt right from the moment your first guest arrives right up until the end of the night………..make sure it is sophisticated and fun!!

The Real Scoop On Limo Services

Tips to help you choose the perfect limousine for your wedding. All about premium limos, and what to look for. All the caveats to avoid, questions to ask, scams to watch out for, and what you should have included in your contract.

Many people use a limousine service for their wedding. If you have the budget, consider using a limousine rental. This takes the load off of who is going to drive who where. Plans change at the last minute and now you have to scramble. But with a limousine service, the plans are not going to change. They will pick up anyone you want and take them anywhere they need to go.

Here in the Durham Region the rates are relatively competitive unless they offer coupons, or discounts on multiple cars. Most services charge 10 - 15% gratuity for the driver up front, so be sure you are getting quality before you sign. The biggest complaint we hear about limousine services is the "no show", or late show. When you spend money, you want a professional who knows where they are going. Why do no shows happen? Let's not kid ourselves, we all know why. They didn't forget, everything is written down. They know where they have to be. They over booked on your date or at the last minute needed your limo for a bigger more profitable job, or else they would be there. Airport limo companies are not good to use for weddings as their schedules are too hectic, and there's too many last minute changes in flights and travel plans. You are much better off with a company whose specialty is weddings. The wedding limo is scheduled for you, and cannot change.

When to start Looking For A Limousine Service

A good time is 3-8 months before the wedding. We gave a deposit 7 months in advance because we chose an Excalibur and a Rolls Royce Limo, and wanted to be certain they were available. If you are using a standard limo, then 3-6 months in advance is fine. Allow 1 week to call and interview all the limousine services, and reserve one Saturday to inspect the operation of 3-5 good candidates. Ask people you know who were recently married.They can recommend the limousine service they used if they were happy. They can also warn you about companies they rejected as well. Also, ask your wedding photographer. Photo studios know who shows up on time and who does not. In the wedding industry vendors know each other. Another source is the yellow pages. Pick only the companies who specialize in weddings. Visit the limousine company and view their carsYou must make sure the cars are kept in good condition. If the are in bad shape, you can bet that they'll break down on the way to your wedding. If you plan to use a Rolls Royce, Excalibur, or other unique car, make an appointment with the limousine company at a time when you can see the car. This is usually early on Saturday and Sunday mornings before they leave for a wedding. You want to make sure the car you are going to pay top dollar for is in good condition. Believe it or not, many old fashioned Rolls Royce limousines are in sad shape, because they are too old. The average life of a limo is only about 3 years due to mileage. Some of the fancier old fashioned limousines can no longer be repaired for rips in the seating, or have other parts replaced, so you want to ensure you are paying for a car that is in good shape. If you just want plain Lincoln type limousines, they all look the same. But also ask to see the premium cars listed in their ad and see if they really own it and is it all they touted it to be. One company advertised what we call a "gimmick limousine" with an extra wide "Bridal Door", to allow the bride with a wide dress to easily pass through the door. But we checked it out and found that the car was in terrible shape. So don't just get sucked in by gimmick limousines with the beds and tubs in the back, check them out first. Don't sign the contract for a premium limo unless you have seen it, and sat in it first. This is why you must visit the limousine service to inspect their cars.

Consumer Alert: Rolls Royce Limousines

While shopping around you'll notice many companies in the yellow pages that claim they have have Rolls Royce or Excalibur limos. We discovered that many do NOT own the limousine, they contract it out from another source. In fact, most companies only have standard Lincolns and contract out the Rolls or Excalibur, while claiming in their ad that they have the car. They are just acting as brokers. If you want a Rolls or Excalibur, do like us and avoid dealing with these people. If they don't own the car, they have no control over whether it will show up or not. This is a major root cause of limousines not showing up. Avoid the middleman and go right to the source.

Ask to see their package plans if they have any. Get flyers with pricing and limo photos on them. You Must Have A Clear, Concise, Written Contract!If you end up in court disputing your limo driver, the judge will say is "Where is your contract?" Make certain there is a written contract and that everything you expect of them is in writing. If they refuse or give you nothing but a bunch of verbal claims, get up and leave. Do you think they will remember 10 months from now what they promised you? A written contract will help them remember. You want the contract to state the type of limousine, how many it seats, and what package you chose. The contract must also state how long you have the limousine for. This is very important. You don't want the driver holding out his hand for more money when you least expect it. The contract must also state what the overtime rate is for each vehicle. If they refuse to do this for you, get up an leave. Any reputable business would have this information on a standard contract without question. The contract should also list who your driver will be. Now is the time to pin them down. Then you have a basis for a claim later. If you interviewed any drivers that you liked, then have their names placed on the contract. The contract should show how much deposit you gave, and how much is owed. Most usually require payment in full 2 weeks before the wedding. One week before the wedding, call to confirm the date and time. Fax a precise set of directions to the limousine service, on how to get to your house, reception, church, etc. Any maps or mapquest printouts you include will be helpful. It helps even more to type the instructions, so the driver can't show up late and say you gave sloppy instructions. Get the driver's cellular and pager numbers also. They usually call you from the limo when they are on the way to get you. Keep a copy of the map and directions with you on the wedding day. You may need to give them to the driver if the limo company sends a different driver at the last minute and you don't want to hear "so where are we going?" from the driver. Just give them the map!

Questions to ask the Limousine Company:

How many cars are in their fleet? Some services only have a few cars, but book several weddings, and contract out cars from other agencies. One limousine service we are aware of here in the Durham Region did 17 weddings one day last year and had to contract out extra cars! The wedding we were doing never got their limo and had to use cars from the bridal party and parents………..it was very sad

Ask for a flyer that shows prices in writing. You don't want them making up inflated prices on the fly. You want a rate that is fair. Do they have a flyer with photos of their cars? If they don't have it written down on a flyer, chances are they are unscrupulous, you should scratch them off your list, and move on to the next limousine company.

Can you bring your own champagne? The champagne they give you is barely useful for cleaning hubcaps. You'll want to bring your own maybe water for your ride, you will be thirsty after the ceremony. They should provide the glasses.

Have them describe the worst wedding situations they have been in, and how they handled it. How much is the overtime rate? Some weddings could run longer than expected, and you want to know how much the overtime rate is per vehicle that you use. You want no surprises. This is a huge source of problems for many newlyweds.

If you cancel, can you get your deposit back? Most companies will not refund deposits, so choose one with a low deposit. And remember, if they don't put it in writing, it means they won't do it!

Wedding Speeches Done Right

Wedding Speeches

The great thing about wedding speeches these days is that there are no real rules, it is really up to you how you want to manage this part of the evening. You can go traditional or just wing it, it's really up to you. We do recommend planning ahead though and this is where your DJ can help out. Whether you are getting married yourself, giving the speech or just a regular guest, if planned right the speeches can be very enjoyable, enlightening, sentimental or just plain funny. One of the hottest trends is to do the speeches during dinner while your guests are eating, this way they can enjoy the speech, eat and relax. They won’t have to sit through 45 minutes or more of nothing but talking.

A great way to do it is to have the best man or MC open the evening with a welcome speech just before the salad or soup is served. After that you can introduce speakers after each course is served. The main rule here is to not have people speaking while the serving staff are in the process of serving, but once the course has been served and people are enjoying their meal there is lots of time to squeeze in a speech or two. Doing the speeches this way ensures that you will have your guests full attention and they will enjoy the process much more. If planned right, by the time we get to dessert the speeches will be over and your guests will still be smiling :)

Depending on your role in the wedding, there are different basic requirements or at least general expectations of what should be said or covered by whom during the speeches. Traditionally, there used to be a few less speeches and now more and more people are being asked to make them. While they are enjoyable, some tend to go on too long for the guests, even though the wedding couple may be having a great time, remember to be courteous to your guests. Don't forget, once the speeches are done, the dancing and partying begins.

There is no preset order that the speeches have to go in, but some thought towards order should be considered. A balanced option is to alternate sides of the family. Make sure that all your speakers and your emcee are all aware of the order they are going to say their speeches to help minimize the confusion and keep everything running smoothly.

If any of the speeches are planning to use multimedia, with projectors and music, make sure to set up and test all the stuff beforehand.

Parents of bride (Traditional)

This speech can be done by just the bride's father or both of her parents and is typically the most sentimental speech of the evening. The parents of the bride should usually thank all the guests for coming and sharing in this beautiful day. They can feel free to express their thoughts on the day so far, their thoughts on the marriage official, the food, the servers and all others that have help make the wedding such a beautiful day.

The next part of the speech is what is going to come naturally to a proud, happy father or mother. Speaking complimentary to how beautiful the bride looks and of course of other fond memories of her growing up. This is typically where things get very sentimental and some tears might even be shed. At this point in time be sure to compliment the groom and welcome him into your family. Then you can offer any words of wisdom to the newlyweds. This can be done through any means that is close and true to your heart. The conclusion of this speech should include the toasting of the newlywed couple.

Parents of groom (Optional)

This is a speech that is a new addition to the speech roster and is totally up to the bride and groom whether or not to include it. If the decision to have the parents of the groom make a speech they should start by acknowledging the speech preceding their own. They can also be sure to thank all the guests for coming to share in this special day. Like the parents of the bride, they should be sure to express their views on the day so far. This is also when speaking to the happiness of uniting two families together would be appropriate. Continuing down the same line off complimenting the new family member it is at this time that they would be making praise and compliment their wonderful new daughter-in-law. Now is the groom's side of the families turn to share their love and joy of their son. Including congratulating him on his new, beautiful bride, some fond memories of his childhood or any other happy stories. This might also be a time where a few tears are shed. Like the bride's parents, it is at this time that words of wisdom can be passed along through any anecdotes, stories or quotes. Then a toast is made to the new couple.

Groom speech (Traditional)

The groom typically introduces everyone in the wedding party and can tell a little story of the relation and why they were asked to be apart of the wedding party. Be sure to remember to thank them all for their contributions and efforts in making today possible. At this time if the bride's parents welcomed him into their family the groom should be sure to thank them and show his happiness for now being part of their family too. The groom can share his thoughts towards the new half of his family and for approving of their daughter's selection in a husband. After that, the groom should continue expressing his gratitude by thanking his family. Not only for their support for the wedding, but all the support over the years and the years to come. It is always nice for parents to hear this type of public admiration from their sons and will also likely prove to be a sentimental crowd pleaser. The groom with or without his new bride should also be sure to thank all your guests for coming and also make sure to focus on calling out your out of town guests. The groom should always make sure to toast the bridesmaids. When you do toast the bridesmaids, be sure to mention how great they look today too and remember to actually raise your glass for the toast.

Bride speech (Optional, but very popular)

Typically the groom handled this in the past. But it is growing in popularity for the bride to join the groom during the thanking of all the guests. The bride's speech would often cover a lot of what the groom's did. Including thanking being welcomed into a new family, thanking her parents, the wedding party and all the other friends and family who helped make today possible. The bride can also join the groom during the end of his speech when he is thanking all the guests.

Maid of Honor or Groomsman/Bridesmaids/Brothers/Sisters (Optional)

These are others of the newly added speeches to the reception repertoire. Due to be being a relatively recent addition, there are not really any typical expectations surrounding this speech. Pretty much all other speakers have already thanked everyone, so see if you can maybe put a slight twist on this and thank some others that might not have been thanked yet. Maybe those who helped with more behind the scenes stuff, such as helping with decorations, and people who helped with picking up things like cakes, flowers or anything else. At this time the maid of honor can choose to poke a little fun at the bride, by telling stories or other memorable events. These stories, like the best man's, should remember to keep it family safe. Once the joking has been made it is time for the open, honest, sentimental words. Sharing your fond memories and any adventures you have taken together that helped bond your friendship. Don't forget to say some kind words about the groom too. Let him know that you think the bride has made a wise selection and can do this through a cute anecdote or story.

Many people, especially brothers and sisters, nowadays are opting to present a slideshow of pictures from the bride or groom at all stages of life from a baby, a young child up until they met their life partner. This can be very touching for everyone and is also a great way to mix up the speeches. Everyone likes to see cute pictures of kids and other funny photographs that have happened over the years. Remember to end your speech with a toast to the bride and groom.

Best man (Traditional)

Traditionally, this is the last speech of the evening and is expected to be the most entertaining and humorous speech. Often including some embarrassing and or funny stories, but remember that the speech needs to be family friendly, so all those knocks you want to make at your buddy, be sure to make it subtle or still classy, people of all ages will be in attendance and do not necessarily want to hear crazy college or other inappropriate stories. The best man can acknowledge the groom's kind words towards him and the others in the wedding party. He can then get into his compliments on how great the bride looks and how lucky the groom is to have found her as well his thoughts on the success of the day. At this time, the best man can get into the part of the speech where he can tease, expose and embarrass the groom. Be sure to not give away too much information that does not need to be said just to get a laugh though. The best man's speech does not need to be all jokes, and should be sure to offer kind stories that show what a standup, honorable man the groom is. It is also very kind of the best man to show his gratitude and share his kind thoughts towards the bride.
At the end of the speech he can offer what is likely the final toast of the evening towards the newlyweds.

Length of speech

When you are asking your friends and family to make a speech at your wedding reception, be sure to specify how long you would like them to speak for. If you have been asked to make a speech and you are unsure of how long you need to speak for and what your expectations are, don't be afraid to ask the wedding couple how long you should speak for.

Speech Ideas

- be open and honest – speak from the heart, be sincere and don't be afraid to express your gratitude

- keep it relevant – make sure to keep the focus on the bride and the groom be balanced – try not to focus on just person or side of the family

- relationship advise – any words to wisdom to pass along to the newlyweds will be much appreciated

- cheers – feel free to say a toast to the bride and groom too, or to anyone else at the wedding ceremony festivities

- be complimentary – it is really nice to say how great everyone looks, what a fun/exciting day it has been so far

Different Decorating Ideas

Here are some really cool decoratiing ideas we have seen at a few of our recent wedding receptions...........check them out you might like them!!

Sweets for My Sweet

A recent trend in table decoration is the candy buffet. Glass bowls of differing sizes are filled with a variety of sweets and then scattered randomly across the tables. Wooden scoops or dainty silver spoons are placed in each bowl so guests can help themselves throughout the night and little boxes or bags can be filled with confectionary and taken home by guests as a wedding keepsake.

Layer Upon Layer Upon Layer

This is something we saw at a recent wedding we did and it looked amazing.........you will need to talk with your decorator on this one..................Instead of going with the usual starched white tablecloths. Choose an assortment of fabrics– with beading, with embroidery and other raised detailing - and begin layering them for a richly textured, complex effect. Alternatively, choose one colour and source fabrics in varying shades of that colour to create a spectacular monochromatic and multi-dimensional effect.

Ivy League

Strung up around reception centres, wrapped around candelabras, bursting out of floral arrangements and spilling onto the table, ivy has become an extremely popular wedding decoration.

The Break Away Centrepiece

This is a really great idea, as DJ's we are always asked to organize the giving away of the table centrpiece. Here is a great idea, impress your guests with stunning floral centrepieces on the reception tables and then amaze them as the centrepieces are broken down and given to each of them as a bridal keepsake. Breakaway vases, smaller glass or silver, flower-filled vases, are gathered together in the centre of the reception tables to form one spectacular arrangement, create magnificent breakaway centerpieces where imagination is your only limitation.

Got a great idea for a centrpiece, why not share it with us. Post your comment!!

Jack & Jill Game Ideas

Here are some great game ideas that are an awesome way to raise money at your jack & jill..........these are great games because they do not cost allot of money to create, they are fun and are easy to execute..................if you have any other ideas that you have discovered feel free to post them.......................

50/50 Draw, crown & anchor, blackjack, poker…………

Crazy Jokers: (Sell them at the door as people arrive)
52 Cards shuffled. Tape each card on bristol board face down. Guests purchase cards for $2 or $3 each. Write guests name with magic marker on back of card. When all cards are purchased you then turn each one over. The individuals possessing the Jokers win $20 each.

Toonie or Loonie Toss: (great game played throughout the evening)
There is a special prize of your choice placed on the floor. The choice of prize should be of decent value. Tape a line about 10 feet away from the prize, people toss toonies to try and get their toonie closest to the prize. The person with then toonie closest to the prize when the game is ended wins the prize.

Putting Game: (great game played throughout the evening)
Players pay $2.00 to purchase three golf balls, they must putt the balls on the green to try and score points, the person who scores the highest amount on each putt gets their name on the board and the person with the highest score at the end of the night wins a grand prize. People can play as many times as they like for $2.00 a round.

CROWN & ANCHOR:
You can rent this game at a local party store.

The Canadian Tire Money Guessing Game:
You must first accumulate a whole whack of Canadian Tire money...ask family and friend to chip in. Once you count up the total amount then you can prepare for this game. You make up a page with two columns. Column 1 has the person's name, column two has a suggested dollar amount for the contestant to wager their guess. You can charge $1 per guess or 7 for $5. At the end of the night the person who has written down their name beside the actual correct amount (or closest to) wins the Canadian Tire loot, must be at least $75.00 in Can Tire money

The $100 giveaway:
First your need a crisp $100 dollar bill. Display the bill in a plastic sheet on the table where you are selling the guesses. You must conceal the serial number of the bill by placing a strip of bristol board at the bottom to cover it up. You will have a an approx. 34 X 12 inch bristol board on the table with approx. 100 squares. In those squares are mock serial numbers of the $100 bill. Only one square has the real number. Each person who pays ($5) for a guess writes their name in the square. Announce the winner towards the end of the night

To Sing or Not to Sing
Place two jars with a high line on them on the drink counter. One jar will be labeled To sing and the other Not to Sing. The object for your guests is to fill the jar with change to the line. If the line is passed with the to sing then the Groom & Bride will have to sing, we can also use a hula hoop

Musical jello shot Chairs
This game is played with the help of shooters, usually Jell-O. The more entrants you have the more drinking the winner does. As musical chairs goes... you sit when the music stops, but , there are not enough chairs. The people that find a chair will get to drink a shooter until one person is left and they win a prize or get more shooters. The usual entrance fee for this is five bucks. You make the Jello shooters light so people don’t get too out of control

Pie Auction
This is a great way to raise money but the Bride & Groom need a really good sense of humour......you can also get the wedding party ot sit in as well. You need to purchase some tin trays and spray cans of whipped cream as well as some large garbage bags. The Auction is called by the DJ and introduced as follows. "Ladies and Gentlemen we are now going to commence with the pie auction. We know that many of you are here tonight and have not spent a cent because you were saving your money to buy the pie that will land in this future brides or Grooms face. The bidding will be simple and painless this evening, it will only cost you 2 dollars to hit the bride or groom with this pie, however it will depend on who has the 2 dollar bid when I say sold. The best man will stand here and collect the money as we bid". The bidding will proceed with one person bidding 2 dollars. The DJ will say "Jim has paid 2 dollars to buy the pie, he owns the pie for two bucks who wants to take it away from him for 2 dollars, going once..... going twice....Mary just paid 2 dollars and owns the pie". After some time passes with people donating 2 bucks someone will raise it to 5 or 10 ten dollars and so on until the DJ finally says sold.

Raffle off sporting tickets or tickets for a show

Welcome to the NEW Evolution Entertainment Wedding Blog

Hello Everyone,
Bob Attwell here and welcome to the Evolution Entertainment Wedding Tips Blog page. The goal of this blog is to create a place where we can answer your questions about your wedding reception entertainment, event planning ideas, production problems or just general information about your upcoming wedding plans. It is a place for us to share, discuss and help you in any way we can. Feel free to pick our brains, we have over 25 years of DJ and event planning experience and we are happy to share it with you. We will post information about the latest trends and we will share the good and that bad stories with you to help you avoid the pitfalls of poor planning, trust me we have seen it all. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to email me anytime with your questions, comments or concerns....look forward to talking with you soon.

Cheers,
Bob
Event Planning Specialist