Going Live!

Happy almost Christmas everyone! Music can be a tough area to address as wedding planning unfolds, and it’s difficult to identify what will suit you and your fiancé best. Today we’re exploring live music options with you to uncover what sparks joy in your heart musically. There are a few different routes you can go with if you are interested in having live music on your special day. Let’s go through a few ideas to help you find the right ensemble that fits best for you! Does one of these ideas make your heart sing?

Band. If you want a live band at your reception, you might as well utilize the band you choose for your ceremony as well. This creates a perfect flow from your vows to the dancefloor, and the lead singer can double as a bit of an MC also. You don’t have to worry about who has the mic next or the order of events if you decide to choose a reliable band to play on your special day.

String ensemble. A string quartet consists of a viola, cello and two violins. This is an elegant choice for your ceremony, even for a cocktail hour before and/or after if that will be the order of events. If you are looking to stay low key at your reception, all string quartet options are beyond suitable, especially if you add a vocalist.

Duos. String duos are composed of a combination of violins and cellos. As with the classic string quartet, this choice creates a simple, whimsical, and romantic ambience that can be enjoyed before, during, and after your ceremony. It is a low-key version of the string quartet.

Trios. As you can probably guess from the description of a duo above, a trio is simple an extra violin to accompany an already existing violin and cello. A step more intricate than a duo, but still less intricate than a classic string quartet. This is most couple’s sweet spot, especially if you add a vocalist as mentioned before.

Harp. Harps are especially lovely outside because the sound carries so effortlessly across large, open spaces. You can accompany the harp with a violin or something of the like if you’d like to expand the ensemble for a larger crowd, but this is especially beautiful for a small garden wedding. Harps always add a little bit of magic to any celebration.

Harpist Susan W. Haas and Cellist Nichole Williams. Photo by Crozier Photography

You can take these ideas and modify them to reflect anything you want—it’s your day! These are simply a few thoughts to get your mind inspired. Go with a band of your choosing or explore an ensemble. Or, go a step further by adding a vocalist to any of the instrument ensembles listed above to give your music a little extra pizazz. Choose whatever musical combination that makes your heart happy! 

Skip the Registry, but Utilize the Gift Giving Spirit

Do you and your partner already have everything you need to start your new life together? Does this mean you don’t need to create a wedding registry? Have no fear, because we have some wonderful alternative ideas to registering for your wedding that you need to take a look at.

Honeymoon fund. You already have everything you need to begin building your home with your person, but you are in dire need of a few extra bucks to get you to your honeymoon location; begin a honeymoon fund! Family and friends can then donate any sum of money to help get you to your honeymoon destination.

Donate to a charity. If you already are in good shape with your honeymoon expenses and future living situation, the best idea is to ask friends and family to donate to a charity (or charities) of your choosing. Decorate a table as guests arrive listing the charities you’d like donations for, and offer envelopes for them to do so. Make sure you have a secure way to store the donations (lock box, etc.) for those willing to donate.

House hunting fund. Is buying a house your #1 priority after you tie the knot with your partner? Similar to a honeymoon fund, a house hunting fund is a great idea. Meaningful, logical, and practical, friends and family will literally be contributing to you and your partner’s journey building a new home together.

Gift cards. If you don’t know exactly what you need, but know you will need to reassess after you’re married, simply create a list of stores you will be shopping for various items and ask for gift cards with no specific amount. These will come in handy when you just need dish soap and happen to be low on funds after a move.

Travel fund. You have everything you need and are just looking for friends and family to come celebrate with you on your big day! However, you want to have some form of donation to take the place of your registry. Think about offering a way for guests to donate to a travel fund for you and your partner that you can begin building for your future. Maybe you have a trip in mind that you’d like to go on in about 5 years? Perhaps for your 5 year anniversary? Begin saving now, and utilize this gift phase!

Hopefully we’ve sparked a few ideas with this list, but per usual, go with what your heart tells you! There are a lot of different options you can utilize in the place of your registry, just consider what you and your partner can use the most. Cheers to beginning your new life together! 

Registration Nation

Recently engaged and onto the registering phase? Unsure what to register for? Every couple needs the core essentials for their new lifelong partnership, so we’ve compiled a rough guideline to help you choose what yours will be.

What you already have. First and foremost, you need to sit down and take notes about what you already have. Everything that will be joining you and your partner in your new home will not need to be replicated, so make sure you’re accounting for all your dishes, towels, and that fancy Kitchenette mixer that you haven’t taken out since last winter. You want to utilize the free gift phase by only asking for the items you don’t have yet. This is easier if you already live together because you can go through what you both have instead of what you both have individually. If you won’t be moving in together until after you say “I do,” you should make decisions about what stays and what goes as you compile your belongings together before registering for anything new.

Extracurricular Activities/Hobbies. Take into consideration what lifestyle you and your partner lead. What are you two into? Do you both love to cook and/or bake? Do you love the outdoors and go on a lot of hiking and camping trips? Ask for items that you can use for the activities that you love to do on a regular basis. I say “on a regular basis,” because you need to be registering for items that you know you will utilize. If you already host parties, and you know that you’ll be hosting a lot of parties in the future for example, ask for dishes that you know you will be utilizing frequently, and legitimately need. If you start asking for items because you want to try a new hobby, you may not stick with it and be left with something expensive that a family member or friend bought for you that is now just taking up space in your home.

Location. Think about where it is you two will be living after you’re married, regardless of whether or not you’re already living there. What will be useful? Will you be living in the mountains and in need of warm blankets? Think about what will be useful in your home.

Living space. How much space you’ll be living in plays a big factor in how much and what you’ll be asking for as well. If you’ll be living in a small apartment, there’s no need to request large baking items that will take up a lot of counter space. If you’ll be living in a large house where counter space is abundant, then go for it! Make sure the items you’ll be registering for aren’t going to overload your space.

Future goals. Will you two be moving somewhere new or staying around your current location after your wedding? Will you be scaling down or ramping up? Aim to ask for items that will contribute to future plans with your person. Anything that doesn’t seem necessary probably isn’t, and items that you know you’ll need are most important.

Don’t take advantage of the power. Registering for a wedding can feel like you’re creating your best birthday list yet; but that’s not the case. These should only be items that you and your partner need, that will ultimately make the best contribution to your life together. Don’t take advantage of your friends and family by asking for anything you want just because you want it. On that note, don’t ask for items that are unreasonably priced either. You want this to be fun for those you love, not stressful.

Before you do any registering, these are the types of things you’ll need to consider to create a successful wedding registry. If you don’t want to create a registry at all, tune into our blog on Thursday to discover some great alternative ideas!