What Does it Really Cost??? Part 3

Once you have picked out where you are going to have your wedding or reception, it's time to get down to the details that the guests will get to enjoy. Some couples think that these details are not as important as venue or catering but in the long run, flowers/décor and entertainment are just as important.

There are many different flower options and décor settings that you can pick from. Depending on what your theme is or what colors you are using for your wedding, you can have an array of options to choose from. Flowers can brighten up your ceremony space even if you just place petals along the aisle with no other flowers at the ceremony. Majority of ceremony sites allow flowers and majority of couples choose to have some kind of flower decoration during the ceremony. For your reception, you can use centerpieces that are only flowers, do not have flowers at all or even a combination of both. Centerpieces are the main focal point for your guest when they are at their table so you want the centerpieces to reflect your personality and the theme of the wedding. More and more couples are drifting away from the standard flower only centerpieces and are having a detailed decoration that ties in with the theme or colors of the wedding. These centerpieces can range from $20-$150 per table depending on how much detail you put into them. This is true with flower centerpieces as well. Flowers can be very costly depending on the time of year and what type of flower you choose. They can range from $50-$350 a centerpiece depending on how big and how many flowers you want. The picture below to the left is a centerpiece that cost $350 while the picture to the right cost $65. It truly depends on how big and elaborate you want your centerpieces to be.

                                  

                                         A non-traditional centerpiece for a beach reception

When people go to a wedding they want to go and have a time to remember. Picking the right kind of entertainment can really make your reception come alive. When you are deciding what kind of entertainment you want for your wedding and reception, you may pick between having a live band or hiring a DJ company to entertain your guests. These two are very different in the ways of pricing, atmosphere, and even music styling. When you hire a live band to play at your wedding there are a few things to keep in mind. Having a band is great if you are wanting your guests to enjoy a show along with some dancing. Bands typically take a break every 20-30 songs which stops all playing and you will have a silent reception for about a third of your night if you don't have a professional group who know what they are doing. Most bands will have a prelude of music in between these times and will always make sure to fill the room with joy and excitement. With this being said, if you have a live band and want them to play the ceremony, cocktail hour, and the reception they might not be able to be at all the places to setup and perform in a timely matter so please think about the logistics and discuss with your group what they believe would be the best transition. Live bands can range from $2,000-$5,000, it just depends on who you book for your event. It's better to get a great band and create that wonderful experience than to try to cut costs here. They will really set the tone for the whole night so you want professionals who are full of personality and spunk!

The other option you can go with is having a DJ. A professional DJ company can transform your wedding and reception into the life of the party with nonstop music from beginning to end. Most DJ companies have majority of songs so anyone can request a song and have it played which allows your reception to have a large variety of music. However, if you don't check out your DJ's before the event and at least meet with them, there could be a lot of issues to arise. A man with a microphone who isn't a professional DJ could do one of two things: talk to much or kill the mood. There is nothing worse than a chatty DJ throughout the night. They need to know your balance of structure and fun. A monotone DJ or one who doesn't know how to feel the crowd can also be a killer of the night. It is very important to meet and analysis who you are hiring for entertainment.  DJ's can be very reasonable with price. If you just want a basic package you can get book a DJ for under $1,000 or if you want up-lighting, monograms, slide shows, and all the works, it can range to about $3,000-$5,000.

Centerpieces and entertainment can really show your guest who you and your fiancé truly are and can be very reasonable in price as well. These elements of your wedding will help make your day even more special and memorable to everyone that attends.