Category Archives: Planning

From The Expert: 7 Things To Know About Your Band

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Alison in From the Expert, Planning

On Monday, Ken Arlen of Arlen Music gave us the scoop on six helpful tips for hiring a wedding band. Today, he’s back for more to share seven good ideas and important qualities to look for when narrowing down your search. Following these guidelines will help you feel like a smart shopper and a confidant bride.

1. You want to have a good rapport with your prospective bandleader. He or she will be playing a very important role: the bandleader will not only be injecting personality into your event, but implementing your vision for the evening. My MC style is fun, warm and inviting. I do not like the stereotypical and artificial animated MC personality. I like to create a festive atmosphere where the musicians and guests are celebrating together, and I especially want our performance to be from the heart. This is what people respond to and what will connect with your guests!

2. When you meet with your prospective band leader ask him about the process he will take you through to plan your wedding. At Arlen Music, we want to work closely with our clients to customize the flow of the evening and to discuss the many specific details that will make your wedding unique. This involves a series of steps we will take you through as our client. We want the process to be enjoyable, easy and fun for you. We especially want you to sleep well the weeks before your wedding and feel confident that Arlen Bands will deliver the goods.

3. Your bandleader should be able to show you the personnel in the band. Beware of the “revolving door band.” Only well established bands who a hired for lots of work can demand an exclusive commitment from their musicians. At Arlen Music, we do not hire freelancers. All of our bands have set musicians and vocalists that have agreed to make your wedding date their top priority. When you hear the audio demo, make sure the musicians and vocalists you are hearing are what you are actually going to get at your party.

4. Before you book a top cover band, check out how well they perform contemporary dance music. It is much more challenging for a band to perform new music with an authentic sound than music that has been around for 20 to 30 years. Production values are much higher today than they were ten years ago. Also, beware of bands where the vocalists perform behind a music stand so they can look at lyrics. How can you connect to the audience as a vocalist while reading lyrics? Our guests often tell us that our Arlen Bands perform and sound like a live concert of the original artist. We deliver authentic vocal performances as well as instrumental arrangements.

5. Please do not expect to audition your band at someone else’s wedding. Imagine a dozen uninvited folks crashing your wedding to hear your band perform. To me, the bandleaders that invite you to hear them at someone else’s wedding are displaying poor judgment. At Arlen Music, we invite you to our conference room to meet in person, which allows us to direct our full attention on you and your wedding. We also have extensive materials to show you including current live performance video.

6. There is an old saying in the music business that “Frank Sinatra did not move pianos.” You want to make sure your bandleader has a solid support staff to free him up to perform at the highest level for your wedding. Take a look at both the front stage and the back stage of an organization. If the bandleader does not have a strong back stage, then rest assured his front stage is operating on thin ice. At Arlen Music, we have six full time office staff ready to take your call from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day, and multiple conference rooms all designed to support our wedding bands. In order to address new repertoire and our client’s musical requests, we have eight arrangers on staff to create multiple new musical arrangements on a weekly basis. Rest assured, any requests you have we can prepare for your wedding. In order to make the front stage performances sparkling, we also employ a choreographer and a wardrobe consultant to keep all of our musicians looking their best.

7. Sound reproduction is a huge component to the success of your wedding. So many bands play too loudly and the mix is poor, or you hear horrendous feedback when your father or the best man is giving his toast. At Arlen Music, each band has two full time sound engineers that know the band inside and out. At your wedding, one mans the controls at the back of the stage and one walks the room to ensure levels are set correctly. Our mandate is that during dinner, all guests must be able to talk comfortably across the table without leaning in. When our bands perform, it will sound like a well-mixed recording throughout your room.

I hope these ideas are helpful to you. As you are making your final decision, remember that wedding entertainment is an investment with a huge payoff. Every wedding has a budget, but a great orchestra is very much worth the extra dollars. Ten years from now your guests will remember the music because dancing to an awesome live performance is an incredibly powerful experience. But do not forget that you are the stars of the evening — not your band. This is your night! Mazel tov!

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With over 25 years of experience and a stellar reputation with venues, wedding planners and past clients, Arlen Music has the knowledge, talent and resources to make your wedding reception one that you and your guests will never forget. The Arlen Music bands have ignited hundreds of wedding receptions with the unique Arlen Music style and contemporary music selection. Following the success of the Ken Arlen Orchestra, Arlen Music began offering additional bands in the KAO mold. Over the years, demand has led to more diverse offerings, ranging from traditional string quartets (perfect for ceremony music), and a variety of fabulous dinner entertainment such as a rock and roll violin show and Oh What A Night, a tribute to the hit Broadway musical Jersey Boys. Music plays a powerful role at your celebration. Make it memorable by contacting Arlen Music.

I’ll Bet You Love These Aisle Ideas

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Alison in Inspiration Boards, Planning

Before you’ll have your eye on the prize under that chuppah, your guests will have an eye on the aisle. The space on which you’ll walk to say “I do” will be the first hint of what’s in store for the evening. This is the place to set the mood, express your vision, and impress your guests. So show your style down the aisle!

Your friends and family arrive at your venue and whether it’s a synagogue, garden, country club, museum, or hotel patio, they will no doubt comment on the arrangements you’ve chosen for the chairs and aisle. The overall set up may be traditional with rows of chairs, interactive with an in-the-round arrangement, or, even, innovative with a spiral seating pattern. It can be fun to think about how you want your guests to be seated and view your ceremony under the chuppah. If it’s your personality to be different, here’s your chance!

Then think about what you’re actually going to walk on as you mosey down the aisle. Runner or no runner? If you’d like a runner, do you want it to be a simple, solid color or white? Or, would you rather choose a runner that has a pattern stitched in like a damask or a floral motif? Is your head hurting yet?

Flowers! Rarely do we see weddings that just don’t have flowers. Flowers are a must, right? But are they a must down your aisle? Up to you! If you do choose to have flowers on your aisle, perhaps you’ll be inspired by these images of petals lining the perimeter, scattered randomly, heavily carpeted, or in a design. Florists and event designers can execute so many different creations!

You might forgo petals and use other types of arrangements. Glass containers with flowers or even fruit add splashes of color down the aisle. These can be reused in your reception, too, so you’re saving money and a little bit of Mother Nature as well. Go green and save green? Win-win!

Shepherd’s hooks are also popular down the aisle. Pomanders can be hung from the hooks for floral accents that also have depth, adding a 3D quality. Shepherd’s hooks look great especially in garden settings because they’re soft and almost fairytale-like. If you want hanging flowers, but want to nix the hooks, just hang some floral pomanders from the frames of the chairs. Super delicate and dainty — and that’s just divine!

Lit lanterns hanging from the hooks could also look formal and romantic for a dusk or night time ceremony where flowers may not be as visible. Evening ceremonies might also feature giant votives clustered down the aisle for a very dramatic effect.

If you want to minimize the tsotchkes down the aisle and prefer a cleaner and simpler look, you can just do bunches of flowers attached to every few rows of chairs, threaded together by chiffon. This is a classic look that also allows for flower repurposing at the reception.

There are so many ways you can establish your wedding look at the ceremony! Don’t be afraid to try new things, but also remember to stay true to yourselves as a couple. Voice your ideas to your florist or coordinator, but trust their experience. Remember, they’ve most likely worked the same venue before and they know what’s possible and what looks great on the property.

Ceremony decor down the aisle is a perfect environment to utilize your color scheme. You can neutralize other areas of your wedding, but flowers, ribbons, fabrics, and hard materials like jars and aluminums are perfect for producing a finished color palette. As soon as they sit their tushies down in the chairs, your guests should be able to tell if your wedding is going to be vintage and rustic, timeless and formal, modern and chic. By implementing your ideas through your ceremony decor, your wedding will become a unique representation of you!

From The Expert: How To Hire A Wedding Band

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Alison in Featured, From the Expert, Inside Scoop, Planning

Get your dancing shoes on and get inspired to start your search for your wedding band! Ken Arlen of Arlen Music drops by today for Part I of a two-parter that’s all about learning the ins and outs of hiring a group to play live tunes for your big day. Ready to start shopping for your band? Read on to find out how to successfully and intelligently check off this important item on your to-do list!

As a bandleader, I can appreciate the tough decision each bride and groom face when deciding on the best entertainment for their wedding. We all know that a great band or orchestra can make or break a special event. Although every wedding I perform is different and unique, I believe my clients are looking for one universal result – they want a combination of elegance and fun, with fun being the operative word!

“We want all of our guests on the dance floor celebrating with us all night!”

The experience of sharing this day with all of your friends and family is so powerful it is hard to put into words. I like to ask my couples, “If we are sitting here four weeks after your wedding, what had to happen for you to be completely thrilled with your celebration experience?” This is how I tune into what will make their wedding special and unique.

As I have grown my entertainment company over the years, I now have five bands that can deliver the above result. But my friends and clients often ask me, especially if my bands are not available, how do we decide? What process should we follow to find the best music for our wedding?

Here are six tips that I feel would be helpful:

1. Understand the lingo — everyone wonders about the difference between a wedding band and orchestra. A dance orchestra is a larger band, usually with multiple vocalists, a horn section, and a violin section. For example, my 15-piece Ken Arlen Orchestra has five rhythm, three horns, three violins, and four lead vocalists!

2. Recognize that you have to find a band that plays not only the music you like, but also music that will be received well by all of your guests including your friends, your parents’ friends, and your grandparents. This requires a high level of versatility and an extensive repertoire. There is no reason why your band should not sound incredible in all styles. No compromise!

3. Start by getting referrals from your family, friends, and especially other professionals in the event industry. When you think about it, photographers are a great referral source since their primary job is to document the experience in the room. Just like your bandleader, you are hiring them to pay close attention to everything that is happening. Many photographers tell me they love working with Arlen Bands because the guests are more animated and have more fun, thus the images they capture are more interesting!

4. Ask your venue for their referrals. Having a band that has experience performing at your venue and has a working relationship with the venue staff is a definite advantage.

5. Keep in mind that you may have a favorite club band, but if they do not have experience performing at a wedding, I can guarantee that you will not be happy with the result. Leading a band at a wedding requires a specific skill that takes years of experience to develop.

6. Look for a great bandleader. I often tell clients that great music is only half of what makes a wedding successful. The other half is the bandleader’s ability to read the crowd, customize the music to your desire, keep the pace of the evening as MC, and effortlessly implement a well conceived itinerary that flows from when the doors open to the end of the night!

Let’s assume after following the above advice you have your top bands lined up. Of course you will peruse their web site, but you need to take the time to meet with your prospective bandleader to make your best decision.

Come back on Thursday to read up on Part II from Ken Arlen to read about qualities to look for and rapports to have when selecting your dream wedding band!

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What Does A Maid of Honor Do?

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Alison in Inside Scoop, Jewish Traditions, Planning

It’s Purim so naturally it’s the appropriate time to talk about your wedding.

[[record scratch. Whaaaat?]]

Go with me. I promise this makes sense.

Okay, so long story short, Purim is the holiday where we celebrate and read the Book of Esther and remember that she stood up to Haman (Boooo! Hisssss!) who hated the Jews and wanted them to go bye bye (Dear Jewish Enemies, We’ve heard this story before. Though small, we’re strong and powerful, so please go away. Kthanxbye. Love, The Wedding Yentas). Esther foiled Haman’s (Boooo! Hissss!) plot to exterminate the Jews by telling the king that he was, well, a jerk. The king was unimpressed with Haman’s (Boooo! Hissss!) plan and, well, the dude got what he deserved: a little trip to the gallows. Now who went bye bye? Good job, Esther! From that pretty punim, we now have Purim!

So, Esther saved the day! And a few thousand years, too. And she’s known as the Jewish people’s ultimate heroine. I mean, who doesn’t want to be Esther in the Hebrew school Purim play? You get to wear a pretty dress and save the Jews.

Hmmm… pretty dress and save the day. Who does this describe in your wedding party?

Your maid of honor!

Photo by Jen Huang Photography

A maid of honor should resemble the same qualities as Esther: strong, determined, creative, and thoughtful. Most of all, your MOH should have your back, just like Esther had, well, an entire group of peoples’ backs!

Not sure who your own personal Esther should be? Unclear about the duties of an MOH? Read on and give great thought to choosing your heroine for the day.

Your MOH will…

Lead the bridesmaid brigade! It’s the MOH’s job to communicate with the rest of the bridesmaids any issues regarding shower planning, bachelorette partying, dress shopping and selection, and dress fittings. Your MOH should also communicate the wedding weekend’s events to the gang to make sure everyone is looped in on rehearsal dinner, rehearsal, getting ready, and photo festivities.
Pay for their own bridesmaid ensemble. MOHs can expect to dish out some cash for a dress and shoes.
Assist the bride in some prewedding tasks that require help. Whether it’s assembling invitations, helping choose wedding colors, or smiling and nodding about the details of each flavored tier of the wedding cake, the MOH is the first sounding board (other than the groom maybe) that the bride may consult.
Make sure that everyone knows where the nearlyweds are registered! Registry information should never be on the formal invitation, but it’s up to the MOH to let people know where the couple has desired gifts registered. Methods of doing this: wedding shower invitations, web sites, rehearsal dinner invites, and answering when people inquire.
Handle the gown when the wedding is over. Chances are, the bride is not going to need to take her wedding gown with her on her honeymoon (although, it’s tempting. It’s so hard to leave THAT DRESS). So, the MOH should arrange with the bride where the dress will go when the night is over and handle it for her.
Play secretary! At showers, the MOH should record the gifts from each guest as the bride opens them. That way, she has a cohesive list for thank you notes. If the MOH can’t accomplish this task for whatever reason, she should make sure that someone is appointed to this task.
Hold onto the groom’s ring during the ceremony. Big job! No pressure! One place to hold it safely is actually on the MOHs thumb. Most likely, it’ll fit and stay in place and then it’s handy (haha, no pun intended) for the ring exchange.
Pretty up the bride! The MOH makes sure the bride’s dress lays nicely and that the train is arranged properly when she reaches the chuppah at the beginning of the ceremony. Also, the MOH should know how to bustle the bride’s dress so that she can dance during the reception.
Hold the bouquet during the ceremony. The bride will need her hands free at certain points of the ceremony so the MOH, who stands next to the bride, should hold her own bouquet and the bride’s until the final “mazel tov!” At that point, the MOH should make sure to hand the bouquet back! No bride should walk back down that aisle with naked hands!
Take care of the bride — she’ll be a little scatter brained. So, the MOH should make sure that the bride has something to eat throughout the day like light snacks that won’t stain any clothes or mess up makeup. It’s also a good idea for the MOH to have the bride’s lipstick or lip gloss on hand so she can help with touch ups throughout the reception.
Be the belle of the ball… besides the bride. If there’s a dance that calls for the bridal party to dance together, the MOH will usually dance with the Best Man. So, um, make sure they like each other enough… or know each other.
Toast the couple! Usually, the Best Man and the MOH make a toast to the couple. Stay tuned for an upcoming post about toasting etiquette. But, bottomline, it should not be terribly long and the toast should include the bride and the groom and not be a roast of the bride. Save that for the bachelorette party!
Play therapist. There are a lot of emotions that run through a woman on her wedding day. So, the MOH must have a listening ear and be a positive crutch for the bride. Laughter, comfort, and a calming presence are perfect qualities for an MOH to embody.

So, as you can see, the MOH really is the bride’s hero, her Queen Esther, on her wedding day. Choose wisely! And enjoy this ride with your very best friend. It’s an honor and an adventure and the whole megillah.

A famous MOH doing her job.

Mismatched Bridesmaids

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Alison in Featured, Inside Scoop, Planning

******** THIS IS A STICKY POST THROUGH 2/29 ********
All of the MP Artworks ketubah couples are excited for your votes! We are one day closer to announcing our ketubah winners! Voting is open right now and goes through February 29 at 11:59 p.m. PST. The winning couple will be announced March 1. Find your ketubah couples here! Voting can take place on Twitter by mentioning your favorite couple and using hashtag #TWYGiveaway, The Wedding Yentas Facebook page, or the MP Artworks Facebook page, or the Ketubah Couples website page. Votes on any other page of The Wedding Yentas web site will not be counted.
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The recent trend of mismatched bridesmaids is hotter than latkes straight from the frying pan. We are seeing the gals dressed beautifully — differently — but beautifully. Brides have many reasons for encouraging this look, including each bridesmaid’s own style and look, size and body shape, and nurturing individuality instead of a cluster of girlfriends. While it can sometimes be easier to just pick out a single dress in a single color and dress your maids in that uniform, coordinating mismatched bridesmaids doesn’t have to be too complicated. They can still be your team as you say “I do” even if they’re dressed in a way that represents them for the reasons they’re your besties in the first place. And in the end, you have a great vision that comes to life down your aisle.

One Color, Many Shades
Have a view for the hue. You can choose a monochromatic color scheme for the dresses by selecting a general color and then differentiate each bridesmaid with a different shade of that color. Working with neutrals? Try beige, champagne, olive, mocha, and cream. Want something bright like pink? You can do salmon, fuchsia, ballet shoe, bubblegum, and rose.

See where this is going? All of the shades complement each other and belong to the parent color, but still showcase their own individual splash. If you’re concerned about the look being too inconsistent, just remember that your maids will most likely carry identical bouquets or you can gift them a piece of jewelry that ties the ensembles together. Take it up a notch and give the gals the same accessories like patterned tights or a sash tied in a bow.

Different Colors, Same Dress
You can still achieve the mismatched look if all your bridesmaids wear the same dress. How? Different colors! If it’s reasonable to put all the girls in the same dress, spice up the look and include splashes of color. Again, the colors are still complementing each other, but they’re changing a single dress to appear as different dresses.

This has been successfully executed with jewel toned or peacock colors. This concept also works well with pastels. The same dress in baby pink, gray, lavender, and cream would be so soft and beautiful. Likewise, a single dress that’s worn in purple, turquoise, magenta, and midnight blue could be breathtaking for a bright and dramatic look.

Different colors in similar dresses were made famous thanks to everyone’s favorite blogger, Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City. Remember her wedding? Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha all wore long, glitzy dresses but each in a different color. The dresses were not exactly the same, but they definitely landed in the same family of dresses: fabulous.

One Color, Many Styles
Another way to change up the individual look of each bridesmaid is to select one color in the same shade, but wear it on any style dress. Pick a color. Purple? Blue? Cappuccino? Great. Now, find dresses that come in that one color. The best way to do this is to choose a single dress designer. Stay within that brand and order at the same time to ensure that your color swatches are consistent. Most designers can accommodate their many dress styles and cuts in one color.

Pick two or three varieties of the dress. Maybe with straps, without straps, and one shouldered. Or long, short, and tea length. Or ruffles, sash, or sweetheart neck. All of these styles are different groupings from the same family. Make sure, though, that the varieties or more or less evenly distributed. The maids should stand out as individual bridesmaids, but not take away from each other or you. Therefore, a bridal party with four short dresses and one long dress may do more to distract than blend, especially if you’re the only one in a long wedding gown. So as you distribute styles of dresses among the bridesmaids, make sure that the same types are sprinkled evenly.

mismatched-bridesmaid-dresses

Want More?
Other ways to spice up your bridesmaids with different looks: The girls can all wear earrings… but in different colors! They can all have bouquets… but with different flowers! They can all wear one shoe color… but in various styles! Pick a theme and then go wild. You don’t have to make every piece different in a bridesmaid’s look, but stay within a range to maintain the vision. The gals in the first picture below are all wearing the exact same dress style and color. Then, your eye catches their ankles and below and it’s like a party on their feet! Super fun. Underneath, the photos shows the opposite: the bridesmaids are all wearing different dresses within the same style and color scheme, but their tootsies are all hugged by the same shoes! Swoon!

So what do you think? Are you going for a mismatched bridesmaid look? What are some ideas you have for achieving this super hot trend?