Would you do this for your wedding???  Would you ever virtually attend a wedding - let alone be a digital bridesmaid?

That’s what Renee did at her best friend’s marriage ceremony in Colorado. She was asked to be a bridesmaid, but was unable to make the trip from Richmond, Virginia.

That’s when she virtually pinged in using Apple’s FaceTime app for the iPad 2.  One of the groomsman carried the iPad down the aisle as Renee Armstrong was able to see the whole ceremony. The bride, Jamie Alberico, was ecstatic to have her friend attend her weddingEven though she wasn’t wearing the same wedding attire, “she got to see the whole ceremony. She got to meet everybody and be here for the reception,” Alberico told the news source.

Would you do this for your wedding??
See video at http://www.saltlakebride.com/blog/bridesmaid-attends-wedding-via-ipad.htm  

Associated Press
July 29, 2011

HOUSTON (AP) - You could call it “My Big Fat Computer Geek Wedding.”

After a Houston couple couldn’t get a friend to serve as the minister at their wedding, they decided to create their own.

When Miguel Hanson and his fiancee, Diana Wesley, get married on Saturday, a computer will conduct the ceremony. Well, technically, a computer program Hanson wrote will serve as the minister.

During the wedding, to be held in the Houston home of Hanson’s parents, the couple will stand before a 30-inch monitor in the backyard. In a robotic voice, the computer will greet the guests, say how the couple met and go through the ceremony.

The ceremony won’t be legally binding. The Texas couple will still have to get a justice of the peace to sign their paperwork.

Would you do this for your wedding??

The Most Important Thing You Need To START WITH to Have the BEST WEDDING BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE!

BONUS – What to do later to Make SURE your BEST WEDDING is not DISRUPTED

When planning for a wedding we encounter every type of situation from our clients. Sometimes we get calls a year in advance and we have plenty of time to make elicit the client’s wishes and make sure all the details are in sync with those wishes. Sometimes we get calls from a caterer or planner who has a client that has 3-4 weeks to their wedding. I personally had a year and a half to put together my own wedding and this gave us ample time to deal with any last minute details easily and effectively. No matter how much time you have to prepare for your wedding weeks, months or years, universally speaking, every bride and groom want the same thing: To have the finest day they can imagine, and hopefully better than that. So the first most important thing is where to start? How do you go about preparing the easiest and smartest way?

The #1 way to start is to decide what is it that would make your party fabulous? What is the most important elements to your party? You simply have to take some time to SEE or VISUALIZE what you want your wedding reception to look like, feel like and sound like.

It’s not hard to do but it takes a few minutes of your time.  And it is SO worth it.

As simple as it sounds identifying the ideal elements of your party is the best way to begin the route to your amazing party.

Yet surprisingly many brides and grooms don’t really do that.  They have an idea of what they want, an expectation, but just get right into the planning and the chores and expect that it will all come together eventually.

And it may be that they aren’t sure what they can have or what’s available.

Here’s a quick illustration.  Rarely ever would any woman (at least those I’ve known) go to get a haircut without KNOWING what she wants her hair to look like. “Just cut it” would rarely come out of her mouth.  But guys will often go in and just get their hair cut, maybe have an idea, but once the barber/stylist gets going never say anything.  Women usually have pictures they bring in or can describe in great detail the exact cut.

That’s the kind of attention to the end result you want to have for your wedding pre-planning.  The feel, the look and the sound, all the senses are covered.  But there’s a lot of elements and stress that may come about from family, to budget etc., so that sometimes curtails the true visualization.  Don’t allow those distractions curtail you in at the beginning.  Just imagine and see what will make you feel the most happy and fulfilled.

What does the greatest vision of your party will look like: All dancing? Laughing? Great food? Quiet time? Music? Lights? Wild free-for-all or posh dinner dance? Sophisticated class or uninhibited revelry? What does the room look like? Classy? Clubby? Regal? Casual? Serene? Pulsating? Special effects? Great social environment with lots of mingling? What happens during the party? Casual Dancing, followed by gourmet eating? Wild Dance Club – with sexy guests or just FUN with relatives?

Once you identify the elements it gives you, the site and a talented planner the keys to insure you are on your way to success. Once you have an idea of the elements, you prioritize them in order of importance to you. For instance a client may decide their party is all about the fun factor and not really care about the food per se. The wedding food is secondary to the party being non-stop fun. That’s an important distinction to make, because for the venue, caterer or restaurant, normally food is their priority. And food is important, certainly we all love a great meal, but it’s your party and vendors should do their best to accommodate you.

So once you get to your vision of the best wedding, appoint a Director, whether that’s your MC, maitre’d, maid of honor, or best man that is in charge of making sure your goals and vision is being fulfilled. That’s the person who will be in charge of making sure your priorities are adhered to.

We’ve encountered situations where the maitre’d demands stopping the party for a course even against the client’s wishes. We like to make parties as seamless as possible, but obviously that makes for a pickle, when the caterer is demanding a stop to the music and the guests be seated when the client wants to keep going.

That’s another reason why it is important to be clear about your desires in advance with everyone involved in your affair. It’s your party. You have the right to your party your way. Often times when the client prioritizes their wishes, we will captain the party for them to head off these situations. All we need is a clear direction from the client and we will assure it happens. Be clear once you know the most important elements of your party and communicate them to your planner, caterer and entertainment. If you are not clear than have a planner get you clear by asking you the right questions. A good wedding planner will be able to determine what’s most important to you by asking you, getting your answers and checking in with you to make sure your desires haven’t changed.

Once your elements are prioritized, everything comes into focus and becomes much more easily managed, plus you’ll feel much better going forward because you’ll know what it is you are going for and what it’s supposed to look like when you show up. Also the vendors you have selected will be able to know exactly how to make your party great for you. So in the beginning sit down with your fiancée and begin to imagine, visualize and fantasize about the specific experiences you want to have and your clear vision will unfold. This fun 15 minutes to 1 hour can be the greatest time you spend assuring the success of your wedding.

Your journey will be much smoother and relaxed as you begin to put it all together.

About The Author: Michael Sage Schindler is the owner; Master Celebrations Director and Master of Ceremonies of Lightning Shakes New York – www.lsny.net - Events and Entertainment. Planning and working as an MC, planner, advisor and event choreographer for 20 years in the major event venues all over NYC for such well-known people as Donald Trump, Joan Lunden, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, CEO of Westwood One Network Joel Hollander and NBC sports announcer Len Berman. He’s one of the most preferred MCs at Trump Plaza, Harrahs, Showboat and Trump Marina in Atlantic City for special events. Michael has been invited to perform in Europe, the Caribbean, and Hawaii and all over the US as well. With LSNY, he has produced events for such companies as Wells Fargo, AIG, Brooklyn Museum, Merrill Lynch and Rado Switzerland.

Questions to ask when Selecting a Wedding Ceremony or Reception Center

Choosing a location for your wedding ceremony and/or wedding reception is an important decision. You will want to shop around for the venue that will best fit your needs.   Here are a few things to consider:
What is your budget?
Who will be making the final decision?
How will you be paying for the event? Does the venue offer financing?
How many wedding or reception guests are you inviting?
Is the location convenient and centrally located for your wedding guests?
Is there a safe, well lighted parking lot? How many parking spaces are available?
What kind of security is on the premises?
Does the company have liability insurance?
What kind of foods do you want to serve? Sit down dinner, buffet, finger foods, desserts?
Is there a professional chef?
Can they accommodate special dietary requirements?
Does the venue have an alcohol license?
Can you have a cash bar where guests can pay for their own drinks or do you have to pay the whole bill?
How clean is the facility and garden area?
Do they have chair covers and sashes?
How do the linens look? Do they have the kind you want?
What kind of dishes, glassware and silverware do they use?   What colors will you be using?
Does the venue work with your wedding color scheme?
Does the venue fit your wedding style or your theme?
How many guests can the venue seat?
Is the venue large enough to accommodate your wedding party, including an area which is quiet and out of the way for your older guests?
Is the venue flexible on use of space? Can you change the furniture to accommodate your style?
Is there a separate area for the Bride and Groom?
Is there a picturesque area for wedding photography, inside and out?
Is there a space to display your wedding gifts?
How many restrooms are available for you and your guests?
Are you planning to have a band or a DJ? Does the venue have an area for dancing?
What kind of sound system is offered? Is there a microphone? Is there a charge for this service?
What kind of media system is available to use for you video?
Will you have a wedding ceremony? What type of area is available for the ceremony and how many people can they accommodate?
Do you want an inside or outside Ceremony?
What is the charge for the ceremony? Do they charge extra for set up?
Is there a safe place for your guest’s coats?
Will the venue WOW your friends and family?

Thanks to The Woods on Ninth for providing this list! Be sure to check out their elegant venue.

The rehearsal dinner is the best place to relax right before the wedding.    The name is exactly what the event actually is. It is the dinner after your rehearse the wedding. The dinner is usually held the night before the wedding. The couple and the wedding party will meet at the ceremony location and the officiant will go through the wedding process with them. Afterwards, the rehearsal dinner is held in celebration of the upcoming wedding.

Pre-Announcement Planning
Before sending your formal wedding announcements, you’ll want to know the basics of “when” and “where.” This means that you will need to have your wedding site and reception site scheduled first. If planning a religious ceremony, schedule with your clergy, and talk with him or her about what wedding sites and practices are acceptable to you both. Visit several reception centers and decide which fits best in your wedding theme and your wedding budget. Many excellent sites are listed in our “Event Locations” section.

Making the Announcement
Once you have scheduled a wedding date and site, you are ready to announce your wedding! If you choose to place an announcement in a newspaper, you can call them for suggestions on announcement wording.

Staying in a bed and breakfast rather than a hotel can offer many advantages to a couple looking for a unique honeymoon experience. A visitor to a bed and breakfast can be more immersed in a visit to an area, getting the cozy, intimate home-away-from-home experience.  Bed and breakfasts are usually run by knowledgeable hosts.  Since one of the charms of a bed and breakfast is the fact that it’s not a chain hotel, you can expect a unique experience.An owner of a good B&B should be happy to answer your questions about your stay. Find out how close you are to local attractions (by foot and by car, if applicable). Find out about the B&B’s facilities (a private or shared bath) and types of rooms. Asking about the age and history of the facility will give you a better idea of what to expect.  The traditional Bed and Breakfast is a great stress reducer and an experience you will want to repeat again and again.
Here are a few questions to ask when looking for a bed and breakfast: