How to Hire a DJ for your Wedding

By DJ Kazmere of Starr Productions

So your getting married soon and you and your future spouse decide it's time to start planning for the big day. Besides the venue, the caterer, photographer, wedding gown, rings, cake, flowers, and more, you have to get a DJ or a band for your musical entertainment.

Let's say you decide to choose a DJ over a band. A lot of top-notch professional wedding Djs get booked anywhere from 6 months to 18 months in advance, so start looking early especially if your wedding date is in May or June. Now that you know when to start looking for a DJ you need to know where to find them. You can find Djs from a variety of sources, friends, family, the internet, print ads, from other vendors, etc.

A common mistake by most people is that they tend to believe that all DJs are pretty much the same, which couldn't be further from the truth. Just about every DJ has their own unique style and level of professionalism which they bring to the table. When looking for a DJ look for a DJ that specializes in weddings, if they do other types of events to, that's fine as long as they have a ton of experience in weddings (At least 100 weddings). A large variety of music is important, everybody has different tastes, and more than likely so will your guests. Now that you know where to find a DJ, and the basics of what to look for, it's time to start contacting Djs and start making appointments for interviewing. Keep in mind you want a professional for your wedding, not a hobbyist, this is your wedding day, and you only get one chance to do it right. As soon as you start to contact Djs you'll know very soon which are professionals, and which are just weekend warriors.

If no one answers the phone when you call, or they don't return your inquiry promptly (no later than 24 hours) move on to the next one. Why? If a DJ can�t return your phone call or E-mail promptly, that shows a lack of reliability and professionalism. If they're too busy to return your inquiry, more than likely they may be too busy for you when you have questions, plans, or issues which will arise. Now you have to look at your budget, what percentage of your wedding budget should go towards your musical entertainment?

On average most brides spend about 5% on a DJ, but numerous articles in bridal magazines and the internet stated that most brides said that if they could do it all over again they would have spent probably 10%-15% of their wedding budget on a better DJ. So the price of a DJ shouldn't be your only factor in choosing a DJ. Make sure that the DJ has references, is willing to meet with you, see the venue, has quality equipment, and probably most important, has a written contract.

I receive about 5 phone calls a year from brides whose Djs never showed up, or cancelled at last minute, and the bride never had a contract with the DJ to begin with. Before signing a contract, discuss any overtime fees, your plans for your wedding, special songs, their back-up plans for personnel, transportation, and equipment, etc. After signing a contract with any DJ, the key to a successful wedding reception (and sometimes the ceremony) is communication. I can't stress this enough, don't wait until the last minute to inform your DJ of exactly what and how you want something done.

Most professional wedding Djs do much more than just play music, some are pretty much the wedding coordinators also. They make sure that everything goes smoothly and all your wedding events such as the cake cutting, toasts, garter and bouquet toss, special dances, etc get done in a reasonable time frame. So stay in contact with you DJ, keep him/her informed, and this way you'll both be on the same page for your special day.Article is the copyright of Starr Productions 2005.

About the Author
Starr Productions Sean Thomas aka DJ Kazmere has been a professional DJ for over 15 years and has performed hundreds of weddings.

Get Swept Away on Your Wedding Day: Rent a Sailboat or Yacht

By David Dunlap

For a day you'll never forget on that special occasion, take a once-in-a-lifetime voyage to the world's waters. Rent a sailboat or yacht for your wedding or for your closest loved ones. Imagine saying your vows while sailing across the ocean blue either on a bright morning or a lovely afternoon, just as the sun is setting. It's sure to be an occasion both you and all your guests on board will never forget!

From the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Rim to the Atlantic shore, sailboat and yacht rental companies are doing big business in weddings and wedding receptions these days, promising a very romantic walk down the aisle in real style. Most sailboat and yacht companies are set up to suit your special needs, accommodating from two to 60 guests. Because the romance of getting married at sea is becoming more and more popular, most of the details, such as catering, flowers, champagne, bartending, music, and wedding cakes, are provided by the yacht or sailboat staff or their partners on land.

And, although most sailboat captains are licensed to perform weddings, you certainly may provide your own minister or rabbi, as well. Also, for the all-important photography and/or audiovisual recording of your choice, either bring your own hired hands on board or choose from an array of professional photographers specializing in nautical wedding photography. (For a sample, see www.sfbayimages.com ).

And the celebration certainly doesn't stop stateside: You can choose to be married anywhere in the world whether you choose Tahiti in winter or off England's coast in summer, the world's your oyster when it comes to a nautical-themed wedding. Sailboats and yachts await you for your special day if you can imagine it, they can make your dreams come true. And one more thing: You'll have the something borrowed already covered, leaving you one less item to check off that list!For more information, see www.allaboutsailboats.com www.allaboutsailboats.com and www.onlyforyachts.com.http://www.sfbayadventures.com/weddings_on_yachts.html

About the Author
David Dunlap is the founder and owner of multiple boating and sailing online resources. For more information on Sailboats , Yatchs or other sailing topics, feel free to send an email to david@onlyforyachts.com

Wedding Rings - How to Choose a Perfect Ring

Getting married and want to find a perfect wedding ring? With so many styles and materials it can be difficult to make a choice. Being an intelligent consumer, you should learn what your options are before you go to the jewelry shop.

Selecting a wedding ring isn't as easy as it looks. You are going to wear your ring for the rest of your life, so it should be something you won't get tired of in a couple years. You will have to look at and try on many different rings before you come to a final decision and, being an intelligent consumer, you should know what your options are. First, you will have to decide how much you can afford to spend. Then, with your budget in mind, choose the material you want your ring made of. Wedding ring materials can be:

14K or 18K yellow gold, classic and still very popular for wedding and engagement rings
white gold, which is gaining popularity because it looks stylish and very modern. Also white gold can be worn with silver or platinum jewelry and it goes with most fabrics.

Platinum is one of the hardest metals, which in itself makes platinum a suitable symbol for enduring love. It is also very pure: while 18 K gold contains only 75% gold, most platinum jewelry is 95% platinum.Platinum rings look similar to white gold, are very elegant and stylish, don�t scratch and don�t loose their look with the passing years. Platinum rings are the most expensive but, considering that you will wear your ring for the rest of your life, that doesn't really matter for many couples.

Titanium is long lasting, light and not very expensive, so it has recently became a very popular material for wedding rings. Titanium rings are similar in appearance to white gold rings but they are so light that you can hardly feel one on your finger. Titanium is a particularly popular material for mens wedding rings.

When choosing the material, think of what would work best with your clothes and the other jewelry you usually wear. Is your jewelry box filled with gold or silver? If your favorite pieces are silver, it is a good idea to get a white gold, titanium or platinum wedding ring. Alternatively, you could get two tone ring - usually made from white and yellow gold. This type of ring would match silver jewelry as well as gold. Some women also want to match their wedding rings with their engagement rings. This is certainly something to take into consideration, if you plan to wear both rings on the same hand. Another option is to wear your wedding ring on the left hand and your engagement ring on your right hand - in which case they should probably still be the same color, but don't have to match so closely.

Which wedding ring style to choose? There are many styles available, so everybody can find a ring to suit their tastes. When it comes to style, though, the first thing you have to decide is if you both will wear similar rings or if each will select one that expresses his or her personality. The most popular styles are:

Traditional plain bands - even though they are plain, they will always be stylish and fashionable. These are also best suited for men who aren't accustomed to wearing jewelry
Bands with beaded edges are a little more elaborate
Two-tone bands which can be worn with either gold or silver jewelry
Celtic wedding rings are really hot how. Covered with ancient knotwork designs, they look really stylish.

Solitaire rings with a single precious stone.

Solitaries with accents - rings with a large stone and several smaller stones around it
Channel diamond ringsThe best gem stones for wedding rings Diamonds are unbeatable favorites for wedding rings and with good reason - not only are diamonds the most beautiful and expensive of all precious stones, but they are also the hardest. Other hard stones are rubies and sapphires. Gemstones like amethyst or aquamarine are too soft, which makes them unsuitable for a wedding ring that you are going to wear every day. No matter which style and material you chose, you want a ring that would be comfortable on your finger. For this reason it is always best to go with a ring that is smooth around the edges.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tanya Turner is a wedding jewelry expert and a founder of http://www.man-wedding-rings-guide.com/, where you can find unbiased information about all types of wedding rings with pictures of most popular styles of wedding rings

Written by Tanya Turner

The Wedding Planners: Happy Idl Fitr and will be Wedding Season After That

The Wedding Planners: Happy Idl Fitr and will be Wedding Season After That

Happy Idl Fitr and will be Wedding Season After That

The Wedding Planners Wish you "Happy Idl Fitr" for Muslin TWP-ers...

Hope every sin gone with the Ramadhan and our fasting program...

The event of Idl Fitr in Indonesia is a very Huge Event, Everybody going back to their village where their parents live. So when this happen, Jakarta as a capital of Indonesia and the most crowded city in the world, looks like a dead city.

So If you want to taste Jakarta without traffic jam, come to Indonesia when Idl Fitr...

But don't try to come to city like West Java (Bandung), Jogjakarta, Surabaya, Palembang, Padang or other muslim city in Indonesia at this time, coz you will just see the traffic jam around the city.

The people also love to come to the zoo, park or other Public Place to hang out, or go the market to buy toys for the children.

After Idl Fitr, most of the moslim getting married. So for European they have 4 seasons in a year, in Indonesia you will find 4 seasons too, Rain season, Dry season, Durian season (fruit of Asia) and Getting Married Season, wich is after the Idl Fitr event. LoL

If you want to see the wedding ceremony of most Indonesian when they get married, come after Idl Fitr event. You will find the sign in front of the building or gangway what we call it (Janur Kuning), wich is made by the young coconut leaves crafted and hang with a lot of bananas. That the sign for the inviter to ease them to find where the wedding ceremony is.

The Wedding usualy done with one habit. The bride and groom seating in chairs with their parents besides them, then the inviter coming, congratulate the bride and groom for a happy married, then the inviter taste the food, seating a little bit, then go home. Its so formal...
Even the bride and groom couldn't talk to their friends, they just seating or standing in a podium watching and watched by the inviter.

But before the wedding ceremony, they have tradition to do, like "Sungkeman" means the bride and groom have to ask forgiveness from their parent and ask for blessing from them. And offcourse the other traditions they have to do days before the wedding.