Murphy's Law and Weddings - If It Can Go Wrong .....

Wedding horror stories.  We have all heard them and every bride swears it 'won't happen at MY wedding' ... but it can.  
Murphy's Law is real  ... Mother Nature is  a moody lady ... and God has a sense of humor

But, with a little planning you can avoid many 'Disasters'.

 1) Children 

Yes, its cute to have little flower girls and ring bearers,  but any wedding day is a long one , often starting with pictures hours before ceremony, and kids get cranky.  A few steps can help keep down the meltdowns if you really want the little urchins to be part of your big day.

A) Have them show up later -  about an hour before the ceremony, dressed and ready to go.

B) If that cannot be arranged, assign someone the kids know ( and like) to watch after them.  Equip this person with Coloring books and other small toys, or ipads with  video games and movies and plenty of snacks and drinks.  And a place indoors - away from the hustle and bustle of the wedding prep.  Even consider pillows to take a nap.

2) Pictures

It IS the most important day of a couples life, and yes, you want pictures to capture the moments.  But, you do not want the whole day be of you standing for pictures ... you do want to have some fun, right?
Again, planning is the key.

A) Plan out what you really want with your photographer beforehand . Do you really want a group picture of you and all your cousins?  A picture of you both with the entire bridal party and one with just the groom and the entire bridal party AND another with just the bride and the entire bridal party? 

B)  Don't be afraid to let the Photographer handle those extended family members and friend who 'insist' on having them take one with you and them.  A Good photographer will let them know they can take one at the reception, AFTER they are through.

C) Plan out ahead of time what and how many 'staged' pictures you want, you know, the ones where everyone looks surprised, mad, glad, sad, or looking at their phones, or holding each others leg in the air while sticking their tongue out.   If you dont want any - tell the photographer so.

D) Get as many pictures done before the ceremony as possible.  And  keep track of time for the after ceremony photos.  Remember, you have guests waiting !


3) We Will Have Perfect Weather

Planning an outdoor affair?  Like I said in the beginning - Mother Nature is a Moody Lady. 

A) Visit the Venue during the hour you plan on having ceremony.  The spot maybe nice and shady at 2pm but in the blaring sun at 3pm.

B) Have a backup plan.  If it rains, turns off too hot or cold, etc - a backup location will be needed.  And move the location BEFORE you start the ceremony - don't risk having your guests getting soaked .

C) For more on outdoor event planning click OUTDOOR WEDDING

4) Too Much To Do - Too Little Time

Don't try to 'do it all yourself'  Planning a wedding is hard enough, keeping it flowing smoothly is a job and a half.

A) Depend on the Team - your Bridal Party - especially the Maid/Matron-of-Honor and the Best Man are to do more than 'just show up to party'.  They are the make sure you have everything,  keep track of the time,  and run interference for you with the rest of the guests as you get ready.

B) Let someone else decorate!  You can have say so, even make some of the decor, but have someone else actually do the decorating and set up.  

C) Same goes for the food and the cake.

D) Hire in a good DJ - someone who can keep things flowing smoothly, hype the crowd up for your big Grand Enterance,  makes sure he photographer is ready to capture the romantic first dance, the tearful Father and Bride/ Mother and Groom dances,  the fun fight for the bouquet toss.  And they will keep the whole evening fun for everyone.

Even the perfectly planned wedding will not go perfectly ... but a little planning does avoid alot of the glitches.  Rely on your hired professionals - they are, afterall, the ones that have really 'seen it all' when it comes to wedding day problems and know just how to ensure it is a wonderful day.

What tips can you add to this?? Feel free to leave comment! 

Get the Groom Involved in Wedding Planning

Weddings should be a reflection of your style - for both you AND your future spouse.  Too many brides tend to overlook the groom's style in the excitement of planning the "Perfect Wedding".  And then, on the other hand - too many grooms simply sit back and say "Whatever you want" .  Planning a wedding should be a joint effort - but just how can you get the groom involved?

There are things you can do to incorporate and meld together different styles.

1. Groom and groomsmen Attire : Ties can be reflective of their passion - School or sports team colors or themed, Camouflage print in any color to still match the Bridesmaids,  a small charm added to the boutonniere symbolizing a passion or profession etc., even simply allowing cowboy boots or sneakers for footwear can make a huge difference.

2. Grooms Cake:  This should totally reflect the Groom.  Get his input!  If he is not big on cakes, we have seen a tier of donuts,  piles of cookies, pies, even shots of liquor used in lieu of a cake.

3. Pick out your First Dance Song together:   Make it a song with true meaning to the both of you.  If the groom is one of those 'over the moon' romantic types - let him surprise you with the first dance song - picking out one that he feels conveys his love.

4. Groom and Mother Dance song: No brainer here - he must help pick this one.

5. The Bar: If serving alcohol , delegate the selections served to the groom.

6. The General Music : More and more grooms are taking over the music selecting process.  With a professional DJ, the bride can rest assured that the groom will have plenty of guidance and the DJ will also add to the list appropriate number of slow and fast songs to balence it out.

No - generally the groom is not going to really care what color ribbon you use, what the flowers look like etc - but you can get them involved in selecting some things that make the wedding truly special.  Afterall - Marriage is the joining of two into one.

2 wolves DJ Service has worked with many grooms in selecting the music - visit www.2wolves.com

DIY - I can DJ my own Wedding ... Really?

Planning to try to DJ your own wedding via an ipod or internet service like Spotify?  One word - DON'T.  
No, not just because we are a DJ Service, there are so many reasons why hiring a Professional Wedding DJ is smarter and worth the money.


When you choose to try to DJ your own wedding, there are things you must plan for.
1. You will need a way to plug into speaker system - some venues do provide this, at a fee.
2. You will have to pick out enough music to fill the whole evening - plus arrange it in a reasonable playlist consistent with the flow of the event.
3. You will need someone constantly monitoring the setup - to keep your friends from saying "I hate this song" and hitting skip or adding songs that they want to hear (have seen fights erupt over this)
4. You will need someone do all the announcements - announce you into the room, first dance, etc - which you will also need a microphone for (unless you have a really loud friend).
5.  If using a streaming service - you will need a backup plan for if the connection gets dropped or internet goes out.
6. You also must be ready for your friends to bug you throughout the night about what song they want to hear next.

A professional DJ Service takes the hassle out of the music part of your day.  With a DJ you will:
1. Have a complete sound system setup
2. Have Dance Floor and/or Up Lighting to enhance the atmosphere
3. You still will be able to compile a list of songs you want, but with a DJ you will not have to find 4 plus hours worth
4.  The DJ will handle all announcements - from Grand Entrance to Bouquet Toss and Last Dance.
5. DJs have a vast library of music on their computers  - and can do requests from your guests -- and can also screen those requests, so a song that is not appropriate at a wedding does not get played.
6. You are Guaranteed to have the best background music for dinner - and have the switch to Dance music perfectly at the appropriate time.
7. A DJ keeps your guests happy - they read the crowd, and will pick the songs to keep them having a good time.
8. A DJ will also serve as Day Of Event Coordinator - keep you on track of time and make sure all know that you are cutting the cake, Having your First dance etc ..
(if your DJ does not offer that - find one who does)

In short - a Professional DJ is well worth the money - they not only provide the music, but they work tirelessly in keeping your guests happy, the evening flowing,  allowing you to relax and enjoy your special day.

Bottom line is - No one ever says they had a blast at a Wedding because the flowers were beautiful, the photographer took many pictures, or even the the food was good .... it is the DJ that makes it fun.