Tag: lighting

“Do This” & “NOT That”

We’ve reached out to the St. Louis Wedding Industry to find out some of the faux pas newly engaged couples make when planning their wedding….Here are the TOP 5 RESPONSES...

selective focus photography of pasta with tomato and basil

#1 – DON’T FORGET TO FEED YOUR VENDORS… Your photographers, planners, videographers, DJ’s & Bands are working 8 – 14 hours on your wedding day, so it’s important to make sure they are included in your guest count for a meal. They’re busting their butts to make sure you have an amazing day, so keeping them hydrated and fed will ensure they don’t keel over in the middle of your event. (*This does not include bar.  Pros should not be drinking alcohol on the job.)
If you’re worried about the added expense, because the menu options you’ve selected are super expensive…

DO THIS INSTEAD: Ask your caterers if they offer vendor meal options. 99% of the time, a guest dinner ranges between $30 – $60/ per person, so you can even factor that in as part of the gratuity.

#2 – DON’T BRING THE ENTIRE FAMILY… When it comes to your wedding planning appointments, we understand they mom & dad may be paying for the party, so they want their input heard. BUT most meetings are designed for 4 people or less, so bringing Suzy, Sally, Johnny, Cindy, and Baby Wayne can make things feel extremely overwhelming and unproductive if too many opinions are being thrown into the mix. AND having small children running around, or babies crying while you’re trying to have conversation, can be very distracting for everyone involved.


DO THIS INSTEAD: If both sets of parents are adamant about attending, remember that usually Dad isn’t as interested as Mom is about discussing details….
So we suggest Engaged Couple + Mom + Mom = 4 People.

young woman thinking with pen while working studying at her desk

#3 – DON’T ASSUME TO KNOW EVERYTHING… Listen, we love a client who knows what they want, but sometimes ideas get set in stone too early, and end up needing to be changed once the pros step in. One of the biggest challenges we face, is having to explain why things need to be done a certain way.  A Wedding is a very big event, that involves multiple people doing specific tasks, at specific times, and for specific reasons.  Yes, many online resources help give couples ideas, but it takes a village to execute everything to a “T.”


DO THIS INSTEAD: Before you spend hours planning out every minute of your wedding day, create a vision board, or a list of ideas that you’d really like to include, then TALK to your vendors about the best way to bring those concepts to life.  Trust me, you’ll be happy you did!

clipboard with calendar placed on desk amidst stationery
Photo by Marko Klaric on Pexels.com

#4 – DON’T PROCRASTINATE… When you select a wedding date, be sure to allow yourself plenty of time to shop around and start making decisions at a moderate pace. Most wedding vendors will provide you with a list of important dates/deadlines that you need to adhere to.  THESE DATES MATTER!  We have them in place so you’re not cramming everything in at the last minute.


DO THIS INSTEAD: When you meet with your vendors, ask them if what the important dates are, and add them to your calendar right then and there.  You’ll keep yourself stress free and prepared this way.

low angle photography of bride and groom dancing

#5 – DON’T MAKE YOUR DECISION SOLEY BASED ON PRICE… Weddings are expensive.  And with that, true professionals are not going to be the lowest price. This is their career, and not their hobby.  Hiring a professional means getting an experienced individual who is well versed in the wedding industry, that can guide & support you while providing an excellent wedding day.  As a wedding vendor, I always have people telling me nightmare stories from when they got married, or when their friends got married… the common thread is always “I wish we would have hired a professional”

DO THIS INSTEAD: You’re essentially throwing the biggest party of your life… Spend the extra money to get the quality you deserve.  You only get one chance to make it amazing♥

by Allegro Entertainment

Fun Activities for Your Wedding Reception

Everyone knows the ceremony is bound to be beautiful, but the reception is where the party REALLY starts…and continues into the night, sometimes even after the happy couple has left for their honeymoon! To make sure you have a rocking good time ready for your guests – and for yourselves, too —remember to include some fun activity stations that encourage everyone to mingle, circulate, and capture moments the whole evening through. With a little planning, you’ll create memories that last forever for everyone who attends. There’s no better way to celebrate your happiest day!  

  1. DJs—With a DJ running the show, you have a built-in party steward making sure the music matches the moment, getting everyone on their feet, and keeping the energy flowing from start to finish. They’ll call out the toasts, the special dances, the garter and bouquet tosses, and all the other moments you’ll be too busy reveling to call out yourself. In other words: with a DJ at the helm, you can relax and enjoy the party with everyone else!
  1. Live Bands—Few elements add stratospheric levels of happy energy to a reception like live bands! Imagine a lounge band playing standards, an R&B unit cranking out smooth-as-silk classic tunes, or a dance band turning your reception hall into a house party. If you’re a lover of live music and you want a real treat for the occasion, you can’t go wrong with a live combo to bring the magic alive. 
  1. Lighting—Atmosphere is everything at a reception; you can shift from sweet and romantic to lively and energetic with the flip of a switch. Colored gels can lend mood, disco lights can signal all the party people to the dance floor, and soft spotlights can call out the cake cutting and first dances like no other aspect of your event. With a lighting professional on hand to make the most of your reception space, you’ll know the spirit of your special day will be captured at every turn.
  1. Photo Booth—What better way to get your guests laughing with one another than a fun photo booth? You can supply props for fun wedding hashtag moments, encourage long-lost friends reunited for the occasion to capture new memories, and catch impromptu family reunions among long-distance relatives in digital form to share on social media and to store away for sweet memories. It’s the best way to catch all the beautiful faces in their most relaxed revelry for reliving the moments long after the reception has ended! 
  1. Sentiment Stations—From a registry that allows your guests to leave their best wedding advice to a shadow box frame filled with wooden hearts signed by your friends and loved ones, a sentiment station or two set up around your reception allows everyone to leave their thoughts and wishes for the happy couple. You’ll end up with a collaborative keepsake that captures the spirit of your big day forever, and your guests have a chance to participate in the evening in a special way. Everybody wins! 

At Allegro Entertainment, we specialize in making your wedding celebration an occasion to remember. From lighting to DJs, from live bands to photo booths, our specialty is turning up the fun and excitement, removing the stress from the happy couple so they can enjoy a worry-free wedding and reception. Visit our Look and Book sign-ups (did we mention they come with a free cocktail party, complete with beverages, live music, and appetizers?) and let us show you how we can bring even more magic to your most enchanted day!

by Allegro Entertainment

Outdoor Wedding Season

Now that we’ve turned the corner toward spring, thoughts turn to spending more time in the beautiful outdoors. And with that comes the idea of outdoor wedding prep. If you’ve already chosen a date and venue, congratulations; it should be a wonderful season for a ceremony al fresco! If you haven’t gotten this far in your planning, or if you’re aiming for a summer or fall wedding instead, there are still considerations you can make now for how to prepare an outdoor wedding that maximizes a memorable setting for your ceremony, your reception and your photography opportunities. Here are a few aspects to consider when planning your outdoor wedding in any season. 

  1. Location—The most important consideration aside from climate is the location of your outdoor wedding. The size of your wedding will help you decide whether an intimate garden setting is appropriate or if something larger like a botanical garden if one is available and suits your expenses. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, think about friends or family who might have a pretty backyard setting that you could use; an outdoor wedding on a site that has meaning to you and your attendants is a perfect personalized choice for a smaller event.  
  1. Lighting—An afternoon wedding will have plenty of bright and happy illumination to spare; a beach setting is even brighter, though reflections off the water might dazzle your vision, or that of your wedding goers. Visit the site ahead of the wedding during the time of day when your ceremony will take place to gauge positioning for maximum lighting impact. If your outdoor wedding is an evening event, think about adding a gentle romantic glow using candles on tables and lanterns or fairy light strands hung from trees. And if you’re particularly celestial-minded, planning your wedding for the night of a full moon can bring all the elements into perfect lighting alignment. 
  1. Décor —For an outdoor wedding, the setting can serve as the décor as well. A rose garden overflowing with colorful blooms, a greenspace with lots of lush limbs and leaves, or a lakeside setting under the trees will give a striking background for the ceremony and the reception. Take advantage of the setting by choosing a focal point for the ceremony that maximizes the environment. A few simple hanging ornaments can create a visual border to hem in the space; think tasteful tulle swags or floral garlands, things that keep with the atmosphere while leading the eye to the bride and groom for the ceremony, and something like a runner or a path of flower petals to direct wedding goers to the reception area.  
  1. Table Settings—With a few easy touches, you can pull the theme of the outdoor setting into the décor of your reception. For a woodsy setting, use tasteful sprays, pinecone bundles and branches as rustic tablescapes, or fill small vases with flowers that match the background of a garden wedding setting. Shells and sand dollars in small glass globes filled with sand and tealight candles will make lovely ornaments for a beach-themed wedding, and autumn leaves with your guests’ names elegantly lettered make stunning placeholders for a fall wedding. Be imaginative with your table settings to give your wedding a cohesive feel that incorporates elements of wilderness in meaningful ways.
  1. Weather—If you outdoor wedding takes place in the fall or on a cool spring evening, your guests might need to bring jackets or gather around space heaters to keep comfortable; if it’s a summer wedding, they might need an air-conditioned indoor space to cool off, or maybe more casual dress. The time of year and setting of your ceremony may determine the attire of your guests, so be sure to outline the expectations in your save-the-date cards and invitations. Of course, you can’t control the weather on the day, but a bit of forethought will make sure you’ve covered as many bases as possible.

An outdoor wedding brings the majesty of nature to a most significant day and can lend a sense of awe to your auspicious occasion. With enough planning and ingenuity, you can create a wonderland for your special day and create a memorable event that expresses your love of the outdoors as much as it does your love for one another!

by Allegro Entertainment