Category Archives: ways to entertain wedding guests

wedding services

Four Wedding Services You Can’t Do Without

Staying on budget while planning a wedding creates a challenge, but prioritizing the wedding services you truly need to create an unforgettable matrimonial moment makes things easier. When planning your wedding, there are some must-have services that you simply do not want to overlook. Here are the top four wedding services you do not want to overlook.

1. Photographer

Hiring a photographer tops the list of needed wedding services because this individual or team of professionals documents your engagement, wedding, and reception. Some photography companies offer packages that include coverage of your wedding shower, bachelor party, and bachelorette party. According to Wedding Wire, 90% of couples hire a wedding photographer.

2. Florist

A florist or floral designer provides one of the most memorable wedding services because everyone experiences it. Most couples choose to match their flower colors to those of the bridesmaids’ dresses and groomsmen’s cummerbunds. The sights and smells of these floral arrangements create the ambiance that underlies and reinforces the romantic setting. A florist often brings the vases, planters, stands, and other decorative elements as a part of their overall design scheme. Some of these wedding professionals provide archways or other entry points covered with vines or flowers.

3. Baker/Caterer

Following your magical wedding, turn to a caterer who also bakes wedding cakes for the food at your wedding reception. Finding these combined wedding services does not take as much research as some might think. When contacting caterers initially to determine availability and menus, ask if they bake wedding cakes. Many caterers do hire staff bakers so that you can combine the two needs and contract just one service provider for both needs.

4. Professional DJ

Create an unforgettable reception by hiring a professional disc jockey (DJ) to spin records at your wedding reception. The wedding services provided by professional DJs extend to emceeing the event and entertaining guests with rapport and humor. DJ services typically include a professional digital sound system, as well as dance floor lighting, disco lights, and uplighting that transforms the reception venue. Some DJ services provide initial lighting or write your name in lights at the reception venue as a part of the dance floor décor.

Book an Award-Winning Professional DJ in Chicago

Since 1998, An Enchanted Evening has performed at more than 6,000 events in the Chicagoland area. Those standout performances have earned us over a dozen industry awards in the past decade, including The Knot’s Hall of Fame Award and Wedding Wire’s Couples Choice Award. We’ve won The Knot’s Best of Weddings Award nine times in the past decade!

No matter where you plan your wedding in the Chicagoland area, it is essential that you choose the DJ services that provide more than music. Our top-quality wedding services engage guests, encourage fun and dancing, and help create a celebratory atmosphere for your marriage. Call us today at 847-490-1000 to plan the music and entertainment for your wedding reception and book our DJ. Our team has various services that can help transform your wedding and ensure your guests remember it for years to come.

DJ, Band, or DIY Wedding Music: Pros & Cons of Your Wedding Entertainment Options

bride excited about wedding entertainment choiceThere’s so much on the line when it comes to wedding planning! You want your guests to have a good time and enjoy themselves, all the while juggling the process and the budget. Sometimes it can feel like a vice is squeezing your head; there are so many options for food, venues, and entertainment. For the latter, there are three common main entertainment options: a band, wedding DJ, or do-it-yourself music (along with a million cool ‘other’ entertainment options). Before you despair over which wedding option is right for your big day (and to preempt a panic attack!), we’ve put together the pros and cons to help you make your big decision on wedding entertainment option easier (for more info, send us a message-we can help!) so you can move on to that next big wedding planning decision.

Band

Pros: Perfect fit for vintage weddings (both in song list and attire), uses professional equipment, great live entertainment experience for guests, can emcee during dinner and the dance

Cons: Usually most expensive wedding entertainment option, often doesn’t have ‘plan B’ if emergency comes up (i.e. band member gets sick, equipment breaks, etc.), usually doesn’t offer extras such as lighting, can’t always play all the songs you want

Wedding DJ

Pros: Can provide soft dinner music and emcee reception dinners, DJ can coordinate with venue and vendors for special moments, offers extras (i.e. lighting, trivia, photo booths, etc.), professional expertise to keep people on the dance floor, often more affordable than bands, uses professional equipment, SHOULD have back-up equipment and DJ in case of emergency, personalized play list

Cons: More expensive than DIY music, crappy DJs can put a damper on your big day (signs of a bad DJ here)

DIY Music

Pros: Very affordable, play list can be built specifically to your taste

Cons: No ‘plan B’ if equipment doesn’t work, not played with quality equipment, requires time before and on day to organize and keep music going, no emcee for dinner or special events (i.e. couple entrance, first dance, etc.), takes time away from enjoying wedding if equipment or speakers break or need attention