Memory Card Wedding Favor = Priceless Pictures

Of course, we are not saying to by each of your guests a memory card (that would be silly and expensive) as a wedding favor but what if you provided 10-15 memory cards so your guests can take pictures of the wedding and reception? They would then turn in the memory cards at the end of the night and you would have some AMAZING pictures of you, your guests and generally some other odd stuff.

People have been using Facebook to upload pictures of weddings and tagging the bride and groom but not ALL the pictures make it up online so this way and sometimes people only post pictures of the bride and groom.

This way you get unique angles, groups of friends and family, different perspectives and pictures that your professional photographer may not capture.

There are only a couple of types of memory cards that you need, SD and Compact Flash cards as most of consumer cameras are one or the other. If you were to buy (10) cards, I would break buy (7) SD (standard point and shoot) and (3) Compact Flash (fancy smancy cameras). A 4 GB SD card is under $5 and a 4 GB compact flash is like $10 you don’t need anything larger than 4 GB since you are only shooting (1) day.

           

So how do you set this up? A couple of options come to mind.

First you need to label each of the memory cards with a Sharpee. You’re initials or “wedding” so your guests know which card to give back.

At the ceremony site: Have a table with a sign that says, “Can you help us capture some memories” and details to pick up the memory card that fits your camera and to take pictures throughout the night. You should let them know to take pictures of not JUST you but the other guests, dancing and anything that they feel is picture worthy.

Have the DJ make an announcement for those that have the memory cards to use them but to drop them off in the gift box or at the DJ table at the end of the night before they go home.

This will cost you under $100 and you will be guaranteed some unique, one of kind shots for the wedding day. This doesn’t replace your professional photographer but it DOES replace those disposable cameras that you cost you $5 and then you have to spend another $3-5 having them printed out. Not to mention, you now have a bunch of memory cards that you can use.

In full disclosure, we didn’t come up with this idea, in fact, we can’t remember who told us about it or if we saw it somewhere but it’s a great wedding idea that won’t break the bank!

Outdoor Wedding | Do we need lighting?

Yes…Yes… and Yes!

I know that sounds self serving coming from a lighting company but believe me you will regret not having enough illumination so you and guests can see.

There are lots of ways to illuminate a backyard wedding and many are relatively in expensive. One of the best ways is to hang cafe stringers or strand lighting from a balcony or tree to add some soft elegant atmosphere to the wedding. You can even add touches of lanterns (seen below) to for a more defining look.

You don’t always need to plan for your wedding. Maybe you’re thinking about a rehearsal dinner at your parents house or you have a close family friend who wants to throw you a dinner and they have a huge backyard. Candles probably won’t cover it for the lighting and if you are outside, they will likely blow out.

The thing you have to plan for is weather. We are not superstitious at all but we will not say the word “rain” on a wedding day. Why? We don’t want to tempt the gods We will always refer to it as “weather.” So you need a “weather” plan! Yes….Yes….Yes…. Fortunately most venues have a back up plan but if you are having the event at a home or none traditional wedding venue you will need to coordinate a tent as a backup plan. Most likely your company that is supplying your chairs, tables and linen can also assist you with the lighting. A couple of companies we refer in Southern California is Create a Party Rentals, Signature Party Rentals and Classic Party Rentals. Tents aren’t cheap but when it comes to your wedding day you will want to spend the extra money.

Having great weather in Southern California is a 95% guarantee so choosing a wedding location that has amazing service, quality food and a view is pretty easy to do. We have worked at some of the top Orange County outdoor wedding venues.

Laguna Cliffs Marriott        St. Regis Monarch Beach     Turnip Rose | Promenade Gardens

In full disclosure, this wasn’t a wedding we provided the lighting for but was a great representation of what can be done for a wedding.

So how do we factor costs for the lighting? It all depends on what you are having done and how large of an area are we lighting up. On average, most of our clients will spend between $800.00 and $1200.00 for cafe stringer lighting but that is all inclusive. We never have delivery or taxes on our service but if you decide to something more extravagant you could be looking at $1000.000 – $1500.00.

Guest blog at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena

We were asked by the Langham Hotel in Pasadena to write a blog post on their website about wedding lighting and how to integrate it into the budget to get the most bang for the buck.We have the pleasure of working at the Langham about once a month with some amazing coordinators such as Ruth Wang from “Plan to Perfection/Behind the Scene” and Natalie Good from “A Good Affair” providing quality lighting, DJ and photo booth services.

Laura from the Langham Pasadena and blogger: Many couples come to me and ask about lighting. Is it necessary? How much lighting? What would I suggest? So, I went to the professional, Stephen Shanahan of Infinity Lighting. Here’s what he had to say:

Most people don’t think that lighting is a crucial part of the event’s decorations, but it is. Even some simple elegant lighting can transform any ballroom

 

When entering a room with lighting your guests involuntary feel whatever emotion you are trying to project. Lighting has the ability to create moods depending on its placement and coloring. Working with a wedding lighting company is helpful to determine exactly what type of mood you would like your guests to feel at various times throughout your wedding reception. Wall lighting, also known as decorative up-lighting, is a simple way of creating this mood. An elegant feel can be achieved by having your wall washes in amber tones. Using purple or blue wall washes give a more relaxed type of mood but you can use various colors to create different elements to fit your theme or vision.

I am having my wedding at the Langham Pasadena and the ballrooms are already gorgeous. What do I do?

Lighting can be used to make all your other decorations look amazing by drawing your guest’s eyes to them. For example, the lovely chandeliers in the Georgian Ballroom are stunning, but adding soft lavender lighting helps create a focal point in the room. Another example, your wedding cake can have a spotlight projected so that it pops in the pictures and for your guests. Your floral centerpieces can also have a pin spotlight shined on them so your guests can still notice the details and colors while the room lighting is dimmed.

Dance floor lighting is a widely used form of lighting. Floral patterns or leaf patterns are a nice way to frame the dance floor. Looking for something more fun? How about giving your guests a club feeling, with high energy, color changing dance floor lighting? Also, ceiling washes can be used to shine various projected patterns or colors on the ceiling, such as an elegant floral pattern. The lights can change colors and/or change pattern with the tempo of the music.  A customized monogrammed spotlight is also widely used for the dance floor where you and your spouse’s initials can be projected upon the dance floor. This is especially a nice feature during your first dance.

Photographer and videographers appreciate additional lighting because it helps them to get great shots and to create a three dimensional tone in the ballroom.

Pricing can range from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, depending on what you ultimately want your room to look and feel like. Generally, our clients will spend between $900 and $1,500 for lighting, but in the end you need to decide if these elements are important to you and if you want to keep/add lighting in your budget. If you ask us, we think you should!

Thank you so much for your input Stephen!

Here are some beautiful picture examples of the different types of lighting that Stephen has done for our past brides:

 

 

To find out more about lighting options, visit Infinity Lighting’s website at http://infinitylighting.net.

- Laura

Tags: Infinity Lighting, langham huntington weddings, specialty lighting, wedding blog, wedding tips

 

.

Rancho Las Lomas Wedding Venue Orange County Wedding Lighting

Rancho Las Lomas is one of the premier outdoor and indoor wedding venues in Orange County that offers a rustic, elegant setting with natural beauty and a special zoological garden with exotic animals and ambiance. Lighting can be one of the most dramatic elements for your wedding which can be affordable. Make sure you check out www.HonoredOccasions.com to see more about what we can do to help create the wedding of your dreams.

When you choose Rancho Las Lomas you have many choices for your ceremony and reception locations. You can have the entire wedding and reception (as seen in our video) outdoors with the area lit with bright and inviting colors while creating a functional space for your guests to enjoy dinner and dancing. 24 Carrots can provide you with exceptional food and beverage selections and exceptional staff and presentation.

We have worked with a number of amazing coordinators over the years at Rancho Las Lomas,  A Good Affair, High Society Weddings and Events by Melody Walker to name a few.

They also have a rustic indoor venue only a staircase away from your ceremony location that is very lovely and has intimate feeling.

For those couples that are looking for a picturesque location for your photos, this is probably the top of the list in Orange County. Make sure you make a trip out to see this one of a kind wedding venue in Orange County.

Follow us on Pinterest

Pinterest is the new social site for ideas and we are now getting on board!

Check back for new ideas for weddings!

Rehearsal Dinners…Where to go, who comes, what to do and who pays?

Rehearsal Dinners: There isn’t a lot that the guy is in charge of once we ask for your hand. Sure we go to the food tastings and look at venues and we even say “honey, I love hydrangea” (when we don’t even know what they are) but we have two major tasks: Planning the rehearsal dinner and the honeymoon. Let’s tackle one thing at a time.

Rehearsal dinners:  They are held after the wedding rehearsal at a nearby restaurant as a way of thanking your parents, wedding party and those that helped with the wedding.  They are generally filled with food, drink and toasts to the couple (which turns into a roast most times). Here is an article that may shed some more light on it rehearsal dinners

Who to invite?  Wedding party members (and dates), parents, grand parents, your wedding coordinator (if you have one),  your pastor or officiant are the most traditional.  What if you have a cousin or friend that has helped tie bows or built your party favors, should you invite them, sure. Many people will invite the out-of-town guests if they have arrived already but look at your guest list and make sure the number isn’t so great that you now have a second reception.

Where to have it? Finding a location can be very easy or very, very hard depending on your numbers. If you have 8-10 people then you can choose any restaurant but you won’t have a private room. The larger the numbers the harder to find a place that can accommodate your needs and you might have to do it at a hotel if you want privacy. Where to start looking, there is an app for that. Well not an app but a very good website RehearsalDinners.com that can help find what you are looking for. You generally want it close by the ceremony site (10-15 min) at most to make sure your guest can find it easily. If you are having your reception at a hotel, ask the hotel coordinator if they have any recommendations.

Thinking about making an evening out of it? Find a restaurant that has a club or band attached or next door so you and your friends can have the celebration before the celebration or find a good dive bar to raise a glass or two.

What to do? Sound simple, right? Eat, Drink and be Merry!  You actually have some more stuff to do. This is the night where if you give your bridesmaids and groomsman gifts for thanking them for standing up for you. Have your best man or maid of honor plan on facilitating the toasts (roasts). Remember, this evening is generally less formal so if it breaks out to a roast, it’s generally acceptable. Better to get it out of the way with 15 people versus 150 people the next day.

Thinking about having a slide show or video montage, the rehearsal dinner is maybe a better place to have it over the reception. If you need help with screens, projectors and DVD players; we can help. We can rent the package to you and you can pick it up and return it or we can set it up, run and remove it as well. Check out our Audio Visual Service for more info.

Having a large rehearsal dinner? Why not make it a party out of it with dancing?  We do about a dozen rehearsal dinner events a year where we will act as the MC and facilitate the toasts, provide the microphones, dinner music and an hour of dancing.  We have  a (3) hour package that is reasonably priced for exactly this!

Who pays? Traditionally, etiquette dictates that the grooms family is in charge of the rehearsal dinner but these days it’s up for grabs. Rehearsal dinners are less expensive than receptions for a 1000 reasons but things can add up quickly if you don’t keep an eye on the costs.

Emotions are running high at this point, people are on nerves and the big day is 24-48 hours away. Take a deep breath and enjoy the evening. Remember, rehearsals are there to rehearse (ie make mistakes) and the rehearsal dinner is there to thank and celebrate.

In the end, you are marrying your best friend.

Turnip Rose Wedding – Costa Mesa

There are a hundred + reasons to have your wedding at Turnip Rose, Grand Newport but here are a couple.

• The ceremony site exquisite with a long outdoor staircase.
• The food is to die for with the quality and choices.
• The ceiling of the reception will take your breath away for your first dance.
• Don’t forget service. In all the years, I have never seen flawless service top down from a wedding location.
• And the desserts? Liquor filled strawberry’s? Yum. Make sure you ask about donuts and milk for the ride home. Yep, I said it.

We can go on and on about Turnip Rose and their three locations (Grand Newport, Celebrations and the newest Promenade & Gardens) but we wanted to share some images of a wedding we provided the DJ, MC, Lighting and Photo Booth for last June at the Grand Newport.

Matt and Stephanie shared their nuptials last June and was captured by Lin and Jirsa Wedding Photography beautifully. We were honored to provide the lighting, DJ and MC services as well as our photo booth.

A Kiss

I told you the first dance will take your breath away. We always have the same reaction too.

As the room colors were decorated with ambers and gold tones to compliment the black and white wedding.

What a fun night for Stephanie and Matt. It’s always a pleasure to work with some many great wedding professionals from Chrissy at Turnip Rose and special thanks to Lin and Jirsa (click on THIS to see the blog)  for all the great images.

Wedding Professionals:

Ceremony and Reception Location: Grand Newport Plaza, Turnip Rose

Wedding Photography: Lin and Jirsa

Floral Designs: Fantasy Floral Design

Wedding Videography:  Lighthouse Studios Videography

Make-Up: Make up by Angela Peralta

Ceremony Music: Del Lago Trio

Cake: Rockwell’s Creative Cakes

Fun Fun Fun

Surf and Sand Resort- Lovely Lavender

The Surf and Sand Resort in Laguna Beach, California is one of the finest venues for a wedding. Ocean front ceremonies and lovely intimate wedding reception sites coupled with a hands on catering manager (Sandy) makes it the gem of Laguna.

Add an incredible wedding coordinator, Natalie Good from A Good Affair and amazing pictures with Jaimee from Capturing Moments + one of the MOST beautiful couples we have ever had the pleasure to work with makes a perfect day.  Natalie and Phil and not only hot, they are the sweetest and caring couple you will ever meet. Their families and friends made this one of my favorite weddings of the year. Oh and their dog….well take a look for yourself.

How Cute

Truly Stunning

Lovely ladies

Great Couple

This wedding was all about elegance, family and fun! The couple has a really tight family and friends circle and it was important to them that everyone was included in the day.  Right after the couple had their first dance, we invited all the guests to join them on the dance floor to share in a dedication dance. This dance was to honor and thank all those that came out to share in the wedding day.

White Dance Floors with Monogram

The lighting were saturated lavender and purples to that created an elegant but electric effect in the room. The white dance floor really popped as we had the couples initials projected on the surface.

Lovely Lavender

Pelican Ballroom, Surf and Sand Laguna

 Honored Occasions provided all the music, MC and DJ services as well a the lighting and photo booth. Steve Shanahan was asked to be the MC and spokesperson for the couple who made sure the guests had the time of their lives.

Traditional and Grooms Cake

Highlighting the cake area is one of the most important elements as most of your guests focus on it throughout the evening.  Of course, the added touch of grooms cake and bobble heads make it that much more unique.

Photo booths: So much fun

Thanks to Jaimee Hubert from Capturing Moments for all the images. We wish Natalie and Phil the best in their lives together and look forward to seeing them again soon!

How much do wedding DJ’s Cost

This is a followup to “How to find the right DJ” post from earlier. We have gotten a couple of emails and FB posts asking about pricing and what should a couple spend for wedding entertainment. Of course, every local is different but for Orange County there are so many choices for wedding entertainment.

We did some checking around on the The Knot, Bride Magazine and Martha Stewart Weddings to see what other professionals suggest brides should spend on wedding entertainment.

You know choosing the right DJ, band or ceremony music is a huge undertaking and you don’t want to make a bad decision and sometimes basing your decision on price alone can be a big problem.

2011 Wedding Stats

Martha Stewart says, on average, US couples spend $26,542 for their wedding in California.

The Knot says that Orange County weddings cost on average $26,984

Brides Magazine says wedding in Orange County/Inland Empire, CA, and San Diego, CA: $31,954,

Many wedding coordinators will suggest you spend about 8% of the total budget on entertainment: Ceremony and reception both. Most will say that a good DJ for the reception is between $1400-1900 for the entire evening including basic lighting.

8-10% equals to $2160.00 and $2600.00 total.

Good news, we are less than that! We can provide some cost effective solutions to make sure your wedding goes off without a hitch. From ceremony music, cocktails and dinner reception entertainment Honored Occasions can be your single source for all the above. Come find out why so many brides recommend they’re friends to us.

You don’t need to spend a fortune on a DJ to have a successful wedding but if you spend too little you can ruin your wedding night. Remember, if your guests leave your wedding an hour early because the DJ is bad (plays horrible music, unprofessional or is corny/cheesy) you have wasted over $4000.00 ($20,000 divided by (5) hours = $4000.00) just to save a couple hundred dollars on a cheaper DJ.

Come schedule a consultation with one of our DJ’s and what we can do to make your wedding magical.

Next topic will be Band Vs. DJ -  Which is better? We’ll tackle that topic next!