Wedding Tips

Wedding Tips!

These instructional videos will help you plan your wedding, party or event.  It is a quick all-in-one-place education from New England’s Veteran Entertainer, Curtis Knight.

Early Planning
Booking Everything
Timing
Your Day – Segments
Timeline
First Look
Ceremony
Cocktails
Grand Entrance
Blessing
Groom-Speech
Toast
Cake Cutting
Special Dances
Shoe Game
Centerpieces
Group Photo
Dance Floor Opener
Bouquet-Toss
Dancing
Vendors
Last Dance
First Meeting with CKE
Your Final-Meeting with CKE

Check your CKE financials online 
Marriage License Tips

Quick Text Tips:

Your wedding Day Time Line divided into 3 segments
Segment 1) Getting Ready
Segment 2) Ceremony
Segment 3) Reception
The First Look: This leaves time for the bride and groom to spend with their guests during cocktail hour

Cocktail Hour: or simply Cocktails is the time where we set the tone for your celebration.

Ceremony Check List
Sound system: It is important to have a sound system for your ceremony so that you guests in the back can hear crystal clear
-sound system goes at the back, behind last row of chairs
-hand held mic is for ring exchange and vows
-lapel mic on the groom and hand held mic for JP
*have your JP step out of view before your first kiss*
-chair for every guest
-ceremony averages12 -18 minutes in length. 15 minutes is best
-hand off your bouquet (remind your maid of honor)

More Tips below, but for now, watch the videos – each page has valuable text tips!

Photo Booth: Be sure that is in the main mrom. If not, we estimate you lose 70% of your traffic through the booth!

Vendors: Book most or all of your event vendors 12 – 18 months before the date

Length of your Event: VERY important. Having your celebration go too long affects how your guests remember it

Grand Entrance: This can generate the most excitement of the entire wedding celebration

Important Speeches:
1)The blessing is done by the Minister, Priest or JP. If none of those are present then the DJ will do it

2)The Bride and groom do their “Thank you for coming speech”
Here is how it goes if the groom says it: “Marysa and I would like to Thank you for coming to our celebration… If you are here in this room, it is because we love you and we wanted you to be here with us on our special day…(pause) Tradition dictates that Marysa and I go table to table and hug every one of you and shake hands with every one of you…  We do intend to do those hand shakes and hugs, except, we will be doing them on the dance floor. So we will look forward to seeing you there. And now please raise your glasses… to the most beautiful woman on Earth!”

Bride and Groom thank you speech, also known as Groom Speech.
This happens just after the first dance, after the blessing, before the Best Man and Maid of Honor speeches / toasts.  At Curtis Knight Entertainment we call it the Groom Speech, only because it seems that 99% of the time it is the groom only that elects to take the microphone and say a few words on the day of the wedding. This Groom speech is always a big favorite at your wedding and will be remembered and mentioned often after your wedding has passed. If you are going to do a speech, please read the preparatory remarks and then the speech that follows below.

*Important: Keep the mic in front of your mouth. Slow down, say everything in bursts – like a phone number. Lots of tongue teeth and lips. Keep the mic within ¼” of your lips. Speak louder than usual*

3) Maid / Matron of Honor speech / Toast

4) Best Man speech / Toast

Cake Cutting: Cake Cutting happens 20 minutes into dinner, after the first course. Usually first course is salad, soup or sorbet. In advance, if I am your DJ, you will plan with me and we will have your details straight.  DJ will Check with coordinator first. I will always ask the staff to help me and move cake to center of dance floor. This makes it more visible for your guest who’re viewing from many directions. I will rotate your cake for best viewing and best photos. I always ask the Photographer and Videographer where he or she wants the Bride and Groom to stand. I will always offer the photo and video to orient themselves at 10:00 and 2:00 so that they are not in each other’s shot, unless it looks like they already have it figured out. I make sure there are: 2 plates, 2 forks, cutting knife, serving knife. Once you are ready, I will then explain the process: Take the cutting knife, do 3 cuts, which are the left side of your piece of cake the right side of your piece of cake and the back. Then take the serving knife and scoop it up and put it on your designated plate.

The Shoe Game: This happens near end of dinner with about 15 minutes until dancing. I, as your DJ explain over the mic to your guests in detail what will happen. The Bride and Groom each have a Bride and Groom shoe – one of each. Bride and groom are back to back – center dance floor. They answer questions by raising whichever shoe applies.

Should you do a Group Photo on your Wedding Day? YES! And if so what do you need to do? In advance, tell your MC (Master of Ceremonies) and your photographer that you want them to make the Group Photo happen.
Group Photo – All guests attending your celebration. When I am the DJ/MC at a wedding, I do the group photo near the end of dinner. With about 15 minutes to go until I open the dance floor I do the Centerpiece giveaway, immediately into the Group Photo, and then while we have the entire group on the dance floor for a photo, I start the dancing with a completely mobbed Dance floor.  I always announce with a twinkle in my eye and a smile, that “This Group Photo will be handed down through the generations that come after you…and will hang in Mr and Mrs _______’s house, over the fireplace for the next 1000 years and more.”