Happy Anniversary Marge & Henry!

A few years back I had the pleasure of working with this amazing family to plan, decorate and coordinate a 20th Anniversary party with a Christmas theme for Marge & Henry. Such a heartwarming event! We booked a live musician and they had the sweetest dance! Still gives me the feels every time I look back through the photos! Happy Anniversary Marge and Henry, wishing them and their family all the best this holiday season!

Marge + Henry

December 4

Venue Spotlight :: Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas

Today I had the opportunity to tour the Longhorn Ballroom and see the renovated event space! I visited back in April while the renovations were going on, and I have to say the finished product is amazing! If you love music history or country + western, this venue should be right up your alley! Longhorn is the oldest ballroom in north Texas, and a lot of the original wood, signs and materials were used in the renovations.

Some of the all-time music greats have played right here on this stage! How memorable would it be to get married right where the Sex Pistols played? Or George Jones? Or Selena? This place really is a local legend!

Longhorn Ballroom can seat up to 1200 guests, so it's not a small space by any means. It can be sectioned off for events like a wedding....ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner & dancing....and there are many spaces available for each. There's the classic Longhorn stage that would be great for ceremonies, an outdoor space by the water that is in the process of clearing, and the perfect bar space for rehearsal dinners! Give them a call to take a tour and see the newly renovated amazing piece of Dallas history!

Website :: www.longhornballroom.com

Instagram :: @longhornballroom

Facebook :: @LonghornBallroom

Twitter :: @longhorn_Dallas

  

25 Classic Father-Daughter Dance Songs

Looking for suggestions for your Father-Daughter dance? Here are a few popular suggestions from all genres of music:

Photo by LMAC Photography

John Mayer - Daughters

Fleetwood Mac - Landslide
Billy Joel - Lullaby
Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father
Stevie Wonder - Isn't She Lovely
Paul Simon - Father and Daughter
Frank Sinatra - I Wish You Love
Darius Rucker - It Won't Be Like This For Long
Natalie and Nat King Cole - Unforgettable
Celine Dion - Because You Loved Me
The Temptations - My Girl
London Wainwright - Daughter
Edwin McCain - Walk With You
The Beatles - In My Life
Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight
Steven Curtis Chapman - Cinderella
Rascal Flatts - My Wish
Bob Carlisle - Butterfly Kisses
Louie Armstrong - What a Wonderful World
Heartland - I Loved Her First
Tim McGraw - My Little Girl
Bruce Springsteen - When You Need Me
Eric Clapton - My Father's Eyes
Billy Joel - Just The Way You Are
Michael Buble - Daddy's Little Girl

Photo by Lambert Photographs

Planning Tips :: Wedding Budget Breakdown :: Entertainment

Entertaining your guests is an important part of any event. Give them something memorable to look back on! The suggested budget for entertainment is 10%, so for example, a $20,000 wedding would have a $2,000 entertainment budget. Keep in mind that you can lessen or not use other portions of the budget that you don't want or need and add that to your entertainment budget.

Entertainment can include the following types of vendors:
-DJ
-Live band for the Reception
-Live musicians for pre-ceremony, ceremony entrance and exit
-Live painter to paint your event as it happens
-Caricature artist to draw your guests 
-Live dancers to put on a show
-Fireworks show and a sparkler exit

Here are some ideas for FREE or extremely inexpensive entertainment:

- Create a scavenger hunt for your guests. Print the list for your guests and include it in your programs or at each place setting so they can join in the fun throughout the evening.

- Get social! Create a #hashtag and/or Snapchat filter for your wedding. Put out signs or cards asking guests to snap photos and post them using your #hashtag and filter. Entertainment plus memories to keep!

- If you have an outdoor venue, set up lawn games for your guests. Hula Hoops, Horseshoes, Lawn Dice, Cornhole, Giant Jenga, etc... If you don't have the ability to put these together on your own, they can be rented rather inexpensively....or maybe even borrowed from a friend.

-Surprise Dance! Whether it's the bride & groom, bride & her father, or groom & his mother...a surprise fun and funky dance will be loads of fun for the guests! Start out slow and then surprise the guests by switching it up into something fun! You can even invite the guests to join in and increase the fun!

- Flash Mob! Plan it with family and friends in plenty of time before the event. Pick a song and dance, teach it to some family and friends, and create your own surprise flash mob at the reception!

:: TIPS ::

1. Combine portions of your budget to get extra bang for your buck:
Fresh Made Cotton Candy Cart with Take Home Bags (entertainment/favors)
Photo/Video Booth with Props (entertainment/photography)
Surprise Late Night Food or Dessert Truck (entertainment/food + beverage)
Chocolate Fountain and Hands-On Desserts (entertainment/food + beverage)

2. Be sure to check your contract for start and end times and any additional fees or requirements. Know what the overtime charges are so you can plan accordingly just in case.

3. Make sure any musician, bands or live entertainment will deliver and set up themselves, and make sure they come with all necessary resources needed to perform (sound system, a plan for power access, etc...). You don't want to have surprises at the last minute!

4. If you're having multiple musicians (for example, a harpist for the ceremony and a band for the reception) see if you can book them all through one agency. This makes coordinating much easier, and you may even save a bit when booking this way.



Previous Post: Budget Breakdown :: Flowers + Decor

Happy Anniversary :: Stacey + Ben

Stacey + Ben

September 18

Stacey + Ben are the most adorable, bubbly, sweet couple ever! There was so much love floating around at this wedding you could see it in the air! They had a beautiful outdoor Jewish ceremony with a homemade chuppah, and a barn style reception complete with a live band and all the festivities! Colorful mason jar centerpieces, lighted lanterns throughout the whole ceiling, and rustic décor made for such a lovely event! It was a truly beautiful day, one I'll never forget! Happy Anniversary Stacey + Ben!

Photo by Steven Mastroianni

Photo by Steven Mastroianni

  

Happy Anniversary :: Emily + Bryan

Emily + Bryan

September 16

Emily + Bryan had a Catholic church ceremony followed by a beach themed tented lakeside reception. Adorable and comfy flip flops were given out for guests' dancing feet! They loved it! Details in white, ivory and shades of green made for a gorgeous palette! Each detail was so carefully thought out, and that made for some wonderful accents! Such a fun group to work with! Wishing Emily + Bryan the best and a happy anniversary!

Photo by Brooks Photography

Photo by Brooks Photography

Photo by Brooks Photography

Photo by Brooks Photography