15 WAYS TO WOW YOUR WEDDING GUESTS

1.  LIGHTING THE VENUE UP

Revolutionize your venue with creative lighting. Project falling leaves or snow to add drama to a boring, beige wall; add a funky geometric pattern or your monogram to the dance floor; or get basic up-lighting for the perimeter of the room to instantly transform the space. Your guests won’t be able to stop staring (in a good way!).

2.  A DECKED-OUT ENTRYWAY

We’re not saying you should spend a gazillion dollars on a 20-foot-tall floral arrangement, but first impressions are important, so take time to think out the entrance to your reception. Add a couple flower arrangements to the escort card table or have your stationer create a stylish seating chart display. A table topped with your engagement photos, your parents’ wedding albums, and any other from-the-family artifacts would make meaningful additions.

3.  A SHOW-STOPPING CEREMONY EXIT

If you play it right, your ceremony exit will be one of the most heavily photographed moments of your wedding — so forget the rose petals and birdseed. Jazz up your exit by passing out small bags of colorful confetti, paper airplanes, mini beach balls, or even lavender buds for everyone to toss your way. Even better: Stage your own mini parade by passing out noisemakers and asking your guests to escort you to your getaway car.

4.  UNEXPECTED WEDDING MUSIC

Sure, a string quartet is nice, but you’ll blow guests away with a jazz trio or a Spanish guitar player. To get the party going during the cocktail hour, look into hiring a mariachi band, a bluegrass group, or even a barbershop quartet for some seriously memorable melodies.

5.  A WEDDING DRESS CHANGE

All eyes will be on you, so it’ll be a huge shocker when you go from a classic wedding dress for the ceremony to a shorter, flirtier dress at the reception. Whether it’s a cocktail dress you bought (but couldn’t find an excuse to wear) or a sparkly, white dress that’s just too short for the aisle, have fun with it! If you honestly can’t imagine changing out of your wedding dress, make other changes: Let down your hair, switch your shoes, or add a few new pieces of jewelry.

6.  COCKTAILS SERVED DIFFERENTLY

Grab guests’ attention as soon as they arrive at the cocktail hour by having drinks and hors d’oeuvres displayed on colorful trays or even placed along the shelves of a makeshift bookcase-turned-bar. Or, have a fleet of waiters standing at the entrance, drink trays in hand, ready to greet guests at the door. The message will be clear: It’s time to par-tay.

7.  EXTRA SIGNAGE

If it’s an outdoor wedding, create rustic, wooden signs in your wedding colors as pointers for guests (“this way to the cocktail hour” or “wedding this way!”). For a more formal wedding, make beautifully scripted table numbers, monogrammed cocktail napkins, and even bathroom-door labels that read “ladies” and “gents.”

8.  A PHOTO BOOTH

Having a photo booth is a surefire way to capture memories a photographer might miss. For an extra-special touch, outfit your booth with themed props (snorkel gear and an under-the-sea backdrop for a summer wedding, opera masks and monocles for a formal affair, etc.) to get your guests in the mood; then be sure to send them a copy of their photo in your thank-you note.

9.  WEDDING FAVORS WITH ENTERTAINMENT VALUE

Think of your wedding favors as an accessory to your reception. Want a packed dance floor? Distribute kazoos, maracas, or even rally towels for a good time that just won’t quit. Or use wedding favors as a way to up your guests’ comfort level. Set out baskets of comfy flip-flops for guests who love to shut down the dance floor, or cozy wraps to fend off the chill of a seaside wedding.

10.  A REALLY CREATIVE GROOM’S CAKE

How could your guests not take a picture of that? Find the right cake baker and go nuts with your groom’s cake for a unique photo op. We’ve seen everything from elaborate guitars to football stadiums to armadillos to library book cakes. Other non-cake ideas: a table decked out in donuts, an ice cream bar, or a giant Rice Krispies Treat cake.

11. A SURPRISE CHOREOGRAPHED DANCE

Take a few dance lessons before your wedding, but instead of the standard waltz, kick it up a notch by learning a sultry tango or a high-energy swing routine, and then surprise everyone during your first dance. For an unexpected surprise, get your dad or even your grandpa in on the act. Imagine the looks on your guests’ faces when you and your pops break into a hip-hop routine mid-father-daughter dance. (Bonus points if he can do the worm!)

12. A LUXE RECEPTION LOUNGE

Give guests a place to mingle between dance breaks by creating a lounge area at your reception. Fill the space with couches or chairs and plenty of pillows to sink into. It’s the perfect way to keep everyone in on the party even when they’re resting. Really want to wow ’em? Close off the area with curtains to create a VIP vibe.

13. KILLER MIDNIGHT SNACKS

Just when everyone thinks the fun is winding down, liven up the party with late-night nibbles that will leave everyone ready for an after-party. Think about it: crinkle French fries, fresh chocolate chip cookies and milk shooters, a fully loaded taco bar, or even a waffle truck!

14. DECKED-OUT TRANSPORTATION

Come up with a transportation plan that’ll get guests talking. Maybe your car-obsessed uncle would be willing to play driver for the night in exchange for showing off his ridiculously cool Mustang. Your oversized clunker from high school might actually look pretty cool decked out with streamers and a “just married” sign. Even your bicycles — tied off with fresh flowers — would create a memorable exit.

15. A GENIUS WEDDING WEBSITE

Start the party long before your wedding day with a brilliant wedding website (computer science degree not required). Upload vlogs (aka video blogs) of your bridal party, poll guests on the reception music, add animated elements, or even create a “wedding guest of the week” spotlight column. Start your web page on (ahem) TheKnot.com or get the souped-up version on WeddingTracker.com ($30, but so worth it!).

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10 GREAT QUALITIES OF A ROSS PRODUCTIONS DJ TEAM

Posted: 04/10/2020 by Tyler Ross

Confidence: Confidence says that they know what they’re doing. You want a DJ who is sure that they know how to bring the right sound to your special day. They know the power of a playlist and are able to help you understand how to make that work for your event.

Experience: This is one of your cornerstone vendors, and choosing someone with experience is essential. You want a DJ who has been around for a little while. Not only should they be able to spin tunes, but they should be able to adhere to a time schedule and keep the event moving along. This is your day, and you want to leave the hosting of it in the hands of someone who knows how to make sure that everything is done well.

Professionalism: Wedding DJs know that skill set isn’t a guarantee toward booking jobs. They need to be quick when responding to emails and requests. They also know that dressing well, being organized, and working well with other vendors is a part of their job. They are your host for the event, and as such, they should look the part. That also includes acting the part—they should be present, not checking their phone or wandering too far from their equipment. They have a job to do and want to do it well.

Planner: A great DJ is a master planner. When they book an event, they go the extra mile to make sure that they know the details of your day, the venue, and any special requests that may come their way.

Playlist Wizards: Wedding DJs are masters of the playlist. Working with you, they help to build the perfect list of songs that will fit different moments of an event. From cutting the cake to the perfect first dance, a wedding DJ…

Knows Their Stuff: This may seem like an obvious quality, but knowing what you’re doing is important. A DJ does so much more than just pick the next song to play. They have to blend, cut, and mix those songs to keep the party moving smoothly. A great DJ does this without missing a beat—literally.

Vibe Master: A DJ understands that there are different moods that need to be set throughout an event. You want a calm ambiance during a meal, a playful mood during the cake cutting, and an upbeat party vibe for dancing. All of these are formed with the help of the right music and commentary from your DJ.

Observant: This may seem similar to the point above, but it’s truly one of the most important qualities of a DJ. An observant DJ is able to look at your guests and see what is going to be the best song to play to keep the momentum going. They know how to change things up if need be to meet the expectations of the crowd.

Well Rounded: Most DJs specialize in one area of events, like weddings. However, a great DJ has played a little bit of everything. This allows them to know how to handle anything because they have experienced many different kinds of events. If they can work well outside of their comfort zone by working an event that is not their specialty, then they will thrive doing an event that is.

How do you pick the right DJ?

Finding the right DJ can sometimes require a lot of time and research. When you meet with our event consultant, we will go over all the things that are important to you and match you to the very best DJ for your event. The DJs we hire have all the qualities of great DJs, and they know exactly how to make your event everything you want.

There is nothing more important to us than helping to create amazing events. Contact us to learn about some of our best DJs. We can’t wait to connect you with the people who will help you through your “I do’s!”

TOP FIRST DANCE SONGS

Choosing your first dance song can be a difficult decision. With so many different songs that mean so much to the both of you, which one do you choose? Our DJs have compiled a playlist of these first dance songs for you to review to help make your selection easier.

Classic First Songs

  • Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley
  • Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton
  • Heaven by Bryan Adams
  • How Sweet it is [To Be Loved By You] by James Taylor
  • Your Song by Lady Gaga (Original by Elton John)
  • Stay with You by John Legend
  • My Best Friend by Tim McGraw
  • I Won’t Give Up by Jason Mraz
  • Better Together by Jack Johnson

First Dance Songs of 2020

  • Better Together by Luke Combs
  • Me & You Together Song by The 1975
  • Put It All On Me by Ed Sheeran featuring Ella Mai
  • Nobody But You by Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani
  • 10,000 Hours by Dan + Shay featuring Justin Bieber
  • Put a Little Love on Me by Niall Horan
  • Conversations in the Dark by John Legend
  • Homesick by Kane Brown
  • Fall on Me by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera
  • Lover by Taylor Swift

HOW TO ZOOM SECURELY

  1. Keep It Up To Date
    1. When you install the application on a computer/mac, ensure that you’ve marked the checkbox to automatically receive updates.
    2. If you are on a mobile device (Android/Windows/iOS), make sure that you update the app as soon as there is an update.
  2. Password Protect Your Meeting
    1. NEVER share your meeting ID with anyone but those who you are trying to meet with. Never post your ID on any public facing social media post.
    2. Create a difficult password.
    3. When you create a password for the meeting, use at least 10 characters using at least 2 capital letters, 2 lowercase letters, 2 numbers, and 2 symbols.
  3. Use Waiting Rooms
    1. When creating a meeting, setup a waiting room so that when participants join in, you as the meeting host can allow or deny a user in the case that one of the users you shared your Meeting ID with shared it with others.
  4. Beware Of Phishing
    1. With most people and organizations using Zoom, this is the most opportune time for attackers to phish. When you get an email, look at the sender’s email address to verify that it is a real Zoom meeting.
  5. Control Your Privacy
    1. Assume that whatever happens in Zoom does not stay in Zoom. If you need to share information that is PCI, HIPAA, etc., send it in an encrypted email rather than messaging, uploading, or verbally stating the information.

For instructions on how to Join a meeting, please check the following link:

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362193-Joining-a-Meeting

From all of us here at Ross Productions, stay safe and God Bless!

TOP 10 WEDDING RECEPTION SONGS TO PACK THE DANCE FLOOR

Looking for the best dance floor songs for your wedding reception? Our team compiled the Top 10 Wedding Reception songs that will pack the dance floor at your reception! When planning your reception, make sure that you plan for an hour of just dancing as this will keep the people on the floor all night before ending with celebration.

Here’s the list:

  1. Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
  2. Happy by Pharrell Williams
  3. Cupid Shuffle by Cupid
  4. Cha Cha Slide by DJ Casper
  5. Low by Flo Rida
  6. Dynamite by Taio Cruz
  7. Thriller by Michael Jackson
  8. Get Low by Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz
  9. Jump Around by House of Pain
  10. Bye Bye Bye by NSYNC