When to Contract a Bakery for Your Wedding Cake

The industry standard for a wedding cake purchase is clearly 3 to 6 months prior to your event.   It usually is one of the last items that is purchased, however several things should be considered effecting the availability of one of these professionals.  As a owner of a cake specialty bakery, I have noted some considerations that Brides and Grooms should think of.

Is it a novelty date?  7/7/2007,  10/10/2010, etc.  These date book out sometimes over a year in advance.

When is the high season for weddings in this region.  Florida has two high seasons, Oct/Nov and again in Jan thru May.

Do I really want a specific artist to do your cake.  If so book a tasting, agree on a cost, and dont hesitate to contract them.

Have you contracted a venue and or caterer.  Absolutely have your venue booked first before seeking a cake baker.

Our shop has has a policy not to book a tasting design session with Brides further out than 9 months, it is just to early for most.

Whenever you decide that you are comfortable contracting your cake artist, by all means check them out and only hire a professional that is skilled in exactly that.  Custom Cakes…

I was able to relax and enjoy . . .

Some brides can be so nervous that they just don’t have fun on their happiest, special day. If you think you are prone to being somewhat nervous in stressful or unfamiliar situations, try some of these techniques to help keep yourself focused, on track and most of all, able to look back and say, “Wow, I really had a lot of fun on my wedding!” PRACTICE these techniques before your wedding so that you will have some level of assurance in using them BEFORE you really need them.

Breathing is something we do every day and we certainly don’t think about it. But when you start to feel stressed or nervous, remember this breathing relaxation technique. Simply stop whatever you are doing and close your eyes take a deep breath inhaling through your nose, with your mouth closed. Relax your belly so it bulges out when you are inhaling. Make it a deep breath, but not so that it is uncomfortable. Hold it in for just 2 or 3 seconds. Keep your eyes closed and exhale through your mouth with your lips forming the word “Oooo” (not “Oh”). Pause for 2 or 3 seconds and repeat one or two more times.

This, by the way, is the same technique used by Buddhists and cigarette smokers, so we know it works; although I don’t know about Buddhists who smoke – that data has not come in yet!

Visualization is also something that can be used by itself or at the same time as the breathing to increase the relaxation effects. Here are a couple of examples.

Quiet place visualization (easier):

While breathing (example above) imaging yourself on the beach, listen to the waves crashing over themselves, hear the gulls cawing, feel the sun and the warm breeze on your face, see the sun blazing, the clouds passing slowly by and the palms slowly waving. Make your visualization as vivid as you can.

Cleansing breath visualization (Buddhist derivation – more difficult, but better results):

While you have your eyes closed and you are breathing, imagine the air coming in through your nose; think of it as though it were hundreds of small colored dots, red, green, blue, orange. As you breathe in and you feel your belly bulge out, imagine these dots bouncing around and off one another and going down your wind pipe and into your lungs. Visualize them becoming oxygenated in your lungs and turning brightly colored. Now imagine them going up into your brain and attaching to all of your stressful thoughts. As you exhale, imagine these air-dots coming down from your brain, back to their original colors, and flowing quickly out of your mouth, taking a large part of the stress back out of you and flowing away in the breeze. Make your visualization as vivid as you can.

I hope this helps you get more fun out of your wedding!

Guestbook and Picture Signing at the reception

There are two items in particular that this post applies to:
your Guest Register, and some couples also have a large, matted picture frame that they want guests to sign.

After your wedding day, the last thing you need is a wedding guest book, or picture frame that’s half empty, and as an entertainer, I see this nearly every week.

Most couples place these items near the entrance, which seems perfectly logical.  However, most of your guests will arrive at the same exact time, and may be more interested in finding their seats, and getting inside for the cocktail hour, rather than waiting in a line at the door just to sign in.

A better position would be someplace that your guests are likely to pass several times during the reception, such as near the Wedding Cake, or even near the service bar area.

Also ensure that the signing area is well lit.    Many older guests that may not be able to see well in low-lighting situations like the reception, will be tempted to just skip signing altogether.

Additionally, ask your entertainer to make some periodic announcements reminding your guests to sign.

Another idea we’ve recommended to our brides, is to ask one or two of the attendants to go to each table during the reception (WITH THE GUESTBOOK, or picture in hand), to encourage people who didn’t sign on their way in to do so.

Finally, consider bringing the guest book or picture frame to the rehearsal dinner, or even to the ceremony so that your closest friends and family have extra time to sign.

With close attention to these details, you’ll both take away a priceless memento of your wedding day!

If only I positioned the card box in a better location

Through the years, I have noticed many gift tables (including the card box) are placed outside of the main reception room.   Maybe in the lobby where the cocktail hour is being held, or near the door right outside of the reception room.    We get so caught up in our special day, we never consider that somebody might be tempted to lift a few cards in hopes to find some cash.   Worse yet, when the gift table isn’t in a location where it can be watched, somebody can walk off with the entire card box.  

When making your plans, don’t risk the safety of your gifts.  Be sure to include a place for them in the main reception area.   And don’t forget to give somebody the assignment of getting the gifts to safety after the reception.  

Don’t risk a bad ending to your perfect day by thinking ‘it won’t happen to me’.   Take precausions and enjoy!

If only I placed my DJ in a better location

When deciding how to arrange the room where the reception will take place, many couples (and banquet facility managers) focus ONLY on the general appearance of the room, and fail to consider the practical impact as it relates to proper placement of the entertainment.   There are many suggestions online about the placement of the head table, and how to arrange the guest tables, but there are very few helpful suggestions regarding the positioning of your entertainment (which may have a serious, detrimental impact on your guests enjoyment of your reception).   As a DJ, there have been so many occasions that, when arriving at a facility, I am told “The DJ table is back in that corner…”, with tables between that corner, and the dance floor in the middle of the room. While this setup may seem visually appealing, there are many reasons why it’s a bad choice: The tables between the DJ and dance floor will have a very uncomfortable experience during the evening, especially in the case of a large wedding.   The DJ is faced with an awkward decision…. Either play the music soft enough so the tables in front of him can enjoy the evening, or play the music loud enough so that the energy can be carried through the room and the tables in the back can enjoy the music. When a DJ is stuck in the corner, the visibility for the DJ to events that are happening during the evening is diminished.   It’s very difficult to effectively Emcee the event, coordinating music and making announcements, when you can’t even see what’s happening. A good wedding DJ is entertaining, and motivates the guests throughout the event by interacting with them, and servicing the many requests that are made. But from a corner location, the DJ is so much less accessible, and your guests will be less likely to request the songs that they really want to hear.   When guests can’t hear the songs they want to hear, they’re likely to leave your reception early. We make every attempt to raise our mid-range speakers up high on poles to attempt to focus the main sound levels over the heads of the guests seated at the tables between the DJ and the dance floor.  However, for larger receptions, DJ’s typically use sub-woofers to create a better sound, and there is no way to redirect the output of these low frequency, yet powerful speakers when the dance floor is not immediately in front of the DJ. With close attention to this major detail, none of your guests will complain or be annoyed because of a perceived loud presentation! So for a successful reception with great dancing, proper sound levels, interactivity and maximum enjoyment for your family and friends, physically position your DJ immediately adjacent to the dance floor.

Welcome Brides & Grooms!

We are professional wedding disc jockey’s that have performed at thousands of weddings through the years.   We have performed at a lot of weddings that could have been perfect if only the bride and groom had some guidance.   In this blog, we will post some thoughts and ideas that can help make your wedding day become a dream.   Most of the posts will be simple thoughts that you, the bride and groom, just haven’t thought about since this is the first time you’ve ever planned an event.   Weekly updates are planned for this site, so check back frequently!

Wishing you all the best as you plan your own unique wedding day!

Stephen & April
Bradenton DJ
http://BradentonDJ.com