Show Your Ceremony Video At Your Wedding Reception--and Other Ways To Create A Memorable One-of-a-Kind Wedding
Amy S. Patel, owner of Planning Elegance, a wedding coordination company, talks about the entertainment ideas that can enhance a wedding reception!
Amy S. Patel, Owner & Head Coordinator, of Planning Elegance, a wedding and special event business, in California, talks with Commitment about the creative ways a bride can create an unforgettable wedding experience for both herself, her groom and her guests.
Commitment: What is the most difficult aspect of planning a wedding that most people are not aware of until they are in the middle of wedding planning?
Amy S. Patel: Confirming and coordinating all the vendors to come together as one on the event day. We need to make the event look like one, smooth flowing occasion - without a coordinator, many weddings look like separate pieces that have just been thrown into the same room.
Commitment: What are the five biggest mistakes brides make when planning their wedding?
Amy:
1. Not starting to plan early enough
2. Not researching their vendors thoroughly (i.e. asking for testimonials, seeing previous work, inquiring about how flexible they are)
3. Overwhelming the groom with wedding planning choices and details - everyone needs a break once in a while!
4. Meeting too many vendors in person and confusing yourself.
5. Not reviewing enough choices for decor before making a decision.
Commitment: What are some of the most creative and exciting ideas you have done at weddings that elicited a great reaction from the bride and groom and their guests?
Amy: Most exciting for guests & the Couple: Same day edit videos are very popular now-a-days...guests go crazy over seeing the ceremony that just happened about a few hours earlier and the couple enjoys noticing things they may have missed amongst all the turmoil.
Creating Unique Memories: My favorite creative ideas are the fusion of multiple cultures - Filipino & Indian cultures blend beautifully, I also love the infusion of Jewish traditions into any ceremony and/or reception. Having a Hindu Panditji announce "You May Now Kiss the Bride" or masses of Catholic guests congratulating the bride and groom by preforming the Hava Nagillah are such beautiful moments - they really help you realize the blend of unique cultures that this country shares.
The most creative and exciting things for myself, the guests, & the couple are skits put on by friends and family members and performed during the reception program. A funny & over-exaggerated reenactment of how the bride & groom met entertains EVERYONE. When song & dance are incorporated into this - it's the best!
Commitment: What are some things a bride should consider when planning her reception?
Amy: Researching ideas through wedding blogs - magazines can be overwhelming and irrelevant. The beauty of the internet is that you only have to read what you actually WANT to read.
Commitment: What, in your opinion, makes a great reception?
Amy: The bride and the groom need to incorporate some type of fun entertainment. There's only so long guests can listen to drwan out speeches with inside jokes and memories. Having Polynesian performers or Bangra dancers that pull the audience onto the dance floor and embarass the happy couple a little are the best. This is also a great way for both sets of family & friends to all participate and laugh together.
Commitment: Why are some receptions dull, while others are great fun and full of romance? What elements does a great reception bring together?
Amy: Too many drawn-out speeches bore guests and get them out of the mood of wanting to dance. Cold food that's supposed to be hot is a huge turn-off and have guests complaining the whole night. Most of all - a great reception needs to stand out and be unique. Have something different like a dessert buffet, guest participation, new trends in decor, or something you've seen that's out of the ordinary. Try to think of a detail that even your drunkest uncle will recall three years later.
Commitment: What are some of the most poignant moments of a wedding, and how do you make those moments memorable, romantic and authentic?
Amy: Having background music at a wedding ceremony is vital. Music sets the whole mood for romance and emotion. Even just one violinist will make a world of difference in having your guests feel comfortable and mushy.
Commitment: What are some menu ideas for receptions?
Amy: My favorite is when people have stations of different cuisines. This works buffet-style so that guests can take a little of everything they want. Guests love the variety and enjoy the flexibility of getting up instead of sitting in one place for hours on end. For sit-down dinners, the servers can bring different platters of food to each tablea nd have the guests plate out their choices - this creates great conversations amongst guests at the table and they will appreciate the variety.
Commitment: How can a bride plan a reception where the dancing will be fun, inclusive of everyone and an experience not easily forgotten?
Amy: Having entertainers that will utilize the audience participation technique is the easiest and most memorable way. No one will forget grandpa shaking his hips to salsa at your wedding reception.
Commitment: What are your best ten tips for a bride who wants a wedding that is elegant, fun, romantic and authentic to the soul?
Amy:
Start planning early
Make it unique and personal
Choose your vendors wisely and make sure you trust them before you hire them
Have a "Couples Dance" after your first dance before you invite everyone onto the dance floor
Have entertainment at the reception
Involve your groom and give him the few things he asks for - but give him a break sometimes too
Don't stress the details and change your mind a wekk before your wedding - being a bridezilla will stress you out more than anything else
Have something more than just cocktails during the cocktail hour - a photobooth, conedic entertainer, cartoonist...anything to get your guests warmed up for the reception
Don't stress on the wedding day - what's done is done.
Have a trusted maid of honor, sibling, or close friend carry around your cell phone for the whole day to take care of any last minute details that might need to be finalized

Amy S. Patel can be reached at: info@planningelegance.com,
(888) 244-7235 office or (888) 316-1932 fax.
Planning Elegance is located in Orange County & Bay Area, California.
