Daring Devoted

Favors Galore!

alibbs — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:58:59 +0000

Looking for a way to say thank you to all your guests who have come from near and far to celebrate your big day? Need a way to say thank you to your bridesmaids? Your aunts threw you a beautiful wedding shower and you want to give them a small token of your appreciation. Favors are the best way to say thanks and they can be personalized with your wedding date, monogram, or other unique detail. Below are some of may favorites!

Which of these favors do you like best for your wedding? Do you have any ideas of your own you want to share?

Daring,

Ali

Feature Article: Bride(zilla) versus Mom(zilla)

megan — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:00:25 +0000

I was inspired by this article when my new found friend Dara of [Dara Blakeley Photography](http://www.darablakeley.com/) phoned me and said these exact words “Sam, are you available May 21, 2011. I know it’s around the corner, but this mother and daughter NEED YOUR HELP! The daughter is very non-traditional and the mother is very traditional so they don’t agree on anything. And they need some organization. Please call them!” This one phone call inspired me to write this week’s feature article.

A wedding marks the beginning of a new relationship, which inevitably means changes in other relationships. The mother-daughter relationship can rarely be ignored when it comes to planning a wedding, and is a common source of stress and conflict.

First it is important to understand some of the sources of mother-daughter conflict. Much of the conflict arises from the impending change in the relationship that the mother and daughter previously shared. After years of nurturing, protecting, and caring for their daughters, mothers can fear (whether consciously, or unconsciously) being replaced by the daughter’s new husband. On top of all of this, mothers may also have regrets about their own weddings, and seek to create their own fairytale wedding through their daughter. All of these underlying feelings show themselves in a variety of ways, such as mothers having strong opinions about every aspect of the wedding planning process (opinions which often contradict the daughter’s opinions), mothers disapproving of her daughter’s relationship, and daughters not wanting to accept any advice or help from their mothers during the wedding planning. Daughters, on the other hand, may feel trapped and stifled by their mothers, believing that their mothers are being selfish by not letting the daughter grow up and live her own life. These behaviors can be very damaging to the mother-daughter relationship and can cause lasting hurt.

Planning a wedding can be exciting, fun, stressful, and overwhelming, all at the same time. To help minimize the conflict and the subsequent stress, there are things that both mothers and daughters can do to minimize conflict, while ensuring that their relationship remains strong. Mothers should try to respect the fact that their little girl is no longer a child. She is now an adult capable of making her own choices. Even when mothers do not always agree with the choices that their daughters may make, it is important for them to try to respect them. Daughters should also remind themselves of all of the time and effort that their mothers have put into raising them, and understand that the idea of letting go is probably very difficult.

Wedding planning is a significant time in the lives of both mothers and daughters. It is a time to nurture their relationship, while understanding that their relationship is changing. It is a time for bonding and connecting, rather than distancing and fighting. It is important for both parties to constantly put themselves in the other person’s shoes.

Weddings are supposed to be happy occasions for everyone involved — a time for celebrating the relationships that lead you to this point, and celebrating the future of those relationships.

Email me today at sam@blissbyam.com discuss more ways to handle your “Family Matters”.

Blissfully Yours,

Samantha

P.S. Stressed out planning your wedding?

Get our {FREE} e-guide “10 Planner Secrets Every Busy Bride Must Know

To Save Time & Money” right here – www.blissbysam.com

Want to use this article in your Blog, E-zine or website?

You can as long as you include this complete statement:

Samantha Dockery is the owner of Bliss by Sam Weddings and Occasions, a premier wedding and event planning company. Get your {FREE} e-guide “10 Planner Secrets Every Busy Bride Must Know To Save Time & Money” at www.blissbysam.com.

Samantha Dockery

1003 Lamond Avenue, Durham, NC 27701, USA

919.949.5748

Go DJ…! (That’s My DJ!)

lashaylabbs — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:00:27 +0000

Musical entertainment helps make every social gathering more enjoyable, and wedding music is no exception. That’s why it’s so important for brides and grooms to choose a terrific disc jockey, soloist, string quartet, or band for the big day. Of all the preparations for the big day, not hiring a professional DJ or musician is one of the biggest mistakes couples make that often have HUGE repercussions. Since most couples have never booked a professional musician or group, the selection process can be tough. Despite it being tough, I’m here to reassure you that hiring musical entertainment doesn’t have to be an intimidating experience.

Be an informed bride or groom and approach the situation with a plan.

There are few entertainment companies that the Bliss by Sam team will endorse. One such company is Ninety Nine Entertainment, a Raleigh-based DJ company offering music and entertainment services to all of North Carolina.

What I like most about Ninety Nine Entertainment is that they provide stylish, trendsetting wedding reception entertainment targeted towards clients who are both young and young at heart. Their approach is traditional, yet innovative and fresh. Most importantly, the bride, groom, and their guests are always and 100% the focal point of the event.

Luckily for you, I got the opportunity to sit down with the owner, DJ Jim Unger, recently to chat. Check out our interview below!

BBS – LaShayla: So, Jim – When searching for wedding day entertainment, what should brides and grooms look for?

Jim Unger: Experience is the #1 quality that couples should look for. Your wedding is one of the most important times of your life; you don’t want to experiment on your wedding day. Just because someone may be a good club DJ, doesn’t mean that they’re able to shift gears into a formal wedding event.

A professional wedding day entertainer must be able to recognize what to play, when to play it, and how/who to address in your audience at the right times. Those are things that you only learn through experience. Price should never be the determining factor in hiring entertainment.

A professional should also know how to speak and address the crowd–whether it’s an older crowd or a high school/prom crowd–appropriately. Most often, couples want a DJ AND an emcee all in one package. That package should also include knowing how to dress for the event based on event formality, setting, etc. Appropriate attire is very important. You don’t want someone showing up in jeans and a sweat shirt to work your wedding at the Carolina Inn or the Washington Duke Inn.

**Jim himself has been DJ-ing for almost 30 years. He has a nightclub background, which mixes very well with his professionalism. He has the best of both worlds.**

BBS: What types of couples do you like to work with?

Jim: I like to work with all types of clients. I’ve had enough diversity in my experiences now to be able to work with anyone from bank executives, attorneys, and doctors to young, trendy crowds to older, more mature couples. Each client is different, so I enjoy them all.

That being said, corporate and elegant wedding events are my speciality. I’m the perfect guy for polished, high-energy entertainment. If you’re looking for a DJ for a pool party with a $200.00 budget or a prom/teenage type of crowd, I have the repertoire to be able to pull it off, but I’m open and honest enough to say that it’s not particularly my strength.

BBS: At an initial consultation with an entertainment professional, what information should a bride come prepared to share with you? Specifics about her event? Budget? Guest count?

Jim: The most important thing for a client to do at an initial consultation is LISTEN TO THE DJ! You really don’t need to come prepared to share anything with the entertainment professional at first. Let them share their background, which will allow you to get a good feel for their personality and see if you’re a match. You really want the DJ to pitch themselves and what they can offer. See how and why they got into the business. From that, you can tell whether or not they’re legit and whether or not you like them. If they’re in the business just for money and really have no clue what they’re doing, you’ll get that vibe.

BBS: What is the most fun event that you’ve done?

Jim: Well, I love doing weddings. Everyone’s happy and everyone’s coming with a good attitude and the expectation to have a good time. One of the craziest weddings was 3-4 years ago in Atlanta at a country club. The DJ set-up was on a stage and the dance floor was right in front of it. The groom and a few of his groomsmen came up and asked if I could play a few Iron Maiden songs. Now, that’s not typically music that I’d play for a wedding crowd, so I was a little surprised, but I obliged. It just so happens that the groom was in a band and used to play 80s cover songs for heavy metal. Once I played the first Iron Maiden song, the crowd got so excited – even some of the older family members. It showed me that no matter the situation, flexibility and being prepared for anything always pays off. You just never know what you’ll be asked to play. It was meaningful.

BBS: I noticed the planning tools on your website. That’s pretty awesome! Talk about that for a minute.

Jim: Yes, the planning tools are so helpful, both for me and the client. The couple can create their “must play” lists and their “do not play” lists right through my website. This way, I can assist them with effectively managing things on the administrative side and I can reach out to them if anything starts looking a little too far left or right. Nowadays, music is becoming more and more important to people, and I really like the planning tool because it helps me deliver EXACTLY what the couple wants.

BBS: Would you say that you have a music specialty?

Jim: No, I don’t have one set genre that I specialize in. I generally refer to myself as a jack of all trades when it comes to music because I’ve been DJ-ing since the 80s. I can and have done every type of music out there and I have a very eclectic and extensive music library. I can appeal to any audience from age 5 to 95.

BBS: Are there any new entertainment trends that you’re seeing? We at Bliss by Sam cater to the daringly sophisticated bride that doesn’t want her event to be like everyone else’s.

Jim: Well, the trend that I’m seeing isn’t restricted specifically to entertainment trends. I’ve noticed that there are a lot more out-of-the-box décor ideas. Couples are doing more themed weddings and events. For example, I saw a “country” themed wedding where the ceremony and reception took place outdoors.

I think this is great because it allows more diversity within entertainment. The music can now match the look and feel of the event as well as the unconventional venues couples are using now. Ten years ago, I never provided DJ services for ceremonies. Now, with weddings not always being in a church, I’m being asked to DJ both the ceremony AND the reception. Brides are becoming less and less traditional and more creative. It’s becoming harder and harder to assume what a wedding will be like nowadays. Every wedding and couple are unique.

BBS: Last question – What sets you apart from other DJs?

Jim: The main differentiator is that I really love this business and I plan to be in it for a very long time. I still get butterflies every time, I arrive to the venue super early, and I have as much fun if not more fun than the bride and groom. Every wedding is different and that’s what’s so cool to me.

______

I definitely get a great vibe from Jim, and I could tell that he really loves this business. He’s very cool, confident, and passionate about music, entertainment, and most importantly, customer satisfaction. His focus and desire to make his clients happy gives him that extra step above others in the market. In terms of the music, emceeing, and entertaining, his belief is that a wedding is not a place to be experimental. Meeting and exceeding the expectations that the bride and groom has set is the most important thing.

For more information about Jim or Ninety Nine Entertainment, check out his blog here: http://ninetynineentertainment.blogspot.com/ . Sam and the Bliss team were featured on Jim’s Blog in January 2012. Check out that interview here: http://ninetynineentertainment.blogspot.com/2012/01/spotlight-samantha-dockery-of-bliss-by.html.

______

Is wedding day entertainment important to you? If so, tell me – what type of entertainment do you prefer: a band or a DJ?

Daring,

LaShayla

Feature Article: The Do’s and Don’ts of Planning a Wedding

megan — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:23:29 +0000

Wedding Planning can seem incredibly overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. I’ve collected a few quick tips for you to help simplify the process:

DO create a budget. It’s probably the hardest part of planning a wedding and the part most couples try to avoid, but if a budget isn’t created from the beginning, every other step in the planning process is going to be more difficult and you’ll end up spending MORE money than you would if you had given yourself a goal/limit to work with in the first place.

DON’T assume people won’t come. After your budget, the guest list is the next important thing on your to-do list and will affect every aspect of the wedding planning. Be realistic- write down every single person you plan to invite and then estimate that 80% of those people will want to come. You can’t assume that out-of-town guests won’t come. If your guest list is too high, start cutting! Most guests are more understanding about children and dates in today’s economy, so feel free to start there.

DO ask for your in-laws opinions. This is the ideal time to set the foundation for your future relationship. Don’t feel obligated to ask your new MIL for opinion on EVERY decision, but figure out which ones mean the most to her and ask for her thoughts. Invite her to meetings. Make sure she doesn’t feel left out. But…

DON’T forget whose wedding it is. Don’t let your parents or your in-laws take over all the decisions. The wedding is about you and your fiancé and should reflect your tastes and values as a couple.

DO compromise. While you are working on your budget, take the time to figure out what parts of the day are the most important to you and to your fiancé. If music is the most important thing to him, then defer to him when selecting the DJ or band. If flowers are the most important thing to you, he should be willing to accept your elaborate centerpiece designs.

DON’T agonize over every little thing. Yes, it’s the most important day of your life, but it still is only one day. If you really can’t make up your mind about something, ask your fiancé to make the decision for you. No decision you make should stress you out. Go with your gut instincts- don’t let yourself mull over decisions for too long or you’ll end up over-thinking and over-analyzing.

DO ask for help! You have bridesmaids and groomsmen for a reason. Delegate tasks you don’t have time to get done. Your event professionals have been hired to perform a service, let them! On the wedding weekend, give control to a non-family, non-bridal party person and let them serve as the point of contact for the day so you can relax, get ready, and enjoy your wedding!

DON’T forget to have fun! It’s your wedding, after all! Eat, drink, and be married!