Hiring A DJ for Your Nashville Wedding?  Cosmo Creations Shares Advice to Aid Your Search.

Monday, April 2, 2012

We have had such a great experience with knowing and working with very knowledgable vendors, the best part is that we can take their knowledge and share it with you! We love keeping brides informed! So we went to Brent Cantrell of Cosmo Creations and asked him what questions brides should ask a DJ before booking them, and what questions he is commonly asked.

Stay informed and read on to find out what you should expect and know about your wedding DJ!

Photo by K.G. Photography

Top 3 questions you should ask your potential wedding DJ:

1. Do you have liability insurance?

2. Do you have professional equipment and back-up equipment (and a back-up DJ)?

3. Will you be my DJ on the day of my wedding or will I get someone else?

Photos by David & Tammy Wedding Photographers

What are brides' most frequently asked questions when they contact Cosmo Creations?

"Have you ever DJed a wedding before?"

Great question! Some disc jockeys (DJs) specialize in school events, car shows, proms, fraternity formals, etc. Make sure they have several weddings in their mix of events.

"What would you say your style is on the microphone?"

You need to communicate your expectations with your potential DJ. Asking “What style DJ are you?” is a great way to find out if you’re talking to someone that’s going to be over-the-top or laid back. And depending on the type of wedding you are planning, that can make a huge difference.

A good DJ will result in everyone on the dance floor having a good time. Photos by Evan Baines Photography

"Where can I find reference and reviews on your company?"

Anyone can brag on themselves.  You need to hear from past brides and other wedding vendors before you make your final decision.

"Do you belong to any disc jockey associations or networks?"

Disc jockey networking is a great way for DJs to stay on top of the latest wedding trends, newest technology, and also learn from each others personal successes and mistakes in the wedding entertainment industry.  Check out http://www.TNDJN.com.

"Do you offer a contract?"

In Middle Tennessee you never know what the most popular wedding date will be, so lock in a contract with your wedding vendors ASAP. Also, if you’re using a family member or “friend of a friend” make sure you have them sign a contract too (You want the person in charge of your wedding music to feel obligated to be at your wedding).

A DJ is also your emcee and will introduce the bridal party! Photos by Zach and Jody - Gray Photography

ABG Notes: Make sure to ask your DJ if they offer additional services, such as lighting. And you might be surprised! Cosmo Creations now offers some lighting options and a photo booth!  (One service provider for multiple services can sometimes save you time and/or money.)

Photo from the Cosmo Creations Photo Booth - their photo booth shots are so clear!

Make sure to mention ABG when you call and check out Cosmo Creations!

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Posted by Megan | Filed under: Music, Lighting + Transportation, Reception Entertainment, Photo Booths0 comments »

Wedding of Week: Jess + Gordie’s Board Game Wedding at Cellar One Pops with Personality - Pt. 2

Friday, March 30, 2012

Today is Part 2 of Jessica and Gordie's wedding coverage - we're focusing on the photo booth aspect of their reception!

According to Elaine of Picture This Nashville, Jessica played a big role in customizing her Picture This guest book and as a result, "It's amazing." We agree! Because her guest book turned out so great and everyone enjoyed the photo booth aspect, we wanted to share more photos of just that. Now, you can get a feel for what Picture This Nashville offers.

Why did you decide to hire a photo booth? Did it add to the reception atmosphere?

Picture This Nashville was part of a wedding contest we won – and it was INCREDIBLE! Gordie and I love taking photos and thought it would be a cool touch to the wedding – and it was!

See the Picture This Nashville booth set up right behind the bride and groom.

What does a typical Picture This printout look like?

Below are photos from Jessica and Gordie's own photo booth, with simple photos pages. Of course, the backdrop varies according to the brides choice to where she chooses to place the Picture This computer/camera. Part of the Picture This bonus is being able to place it wherever you want (providing there's an electrical outlet!).

Beyond winning a photo booth with printouts, you were also given options to upgrade your Picture This package?

Yes! And we chose one of their upgrade options to incorporate the photo booth as our guest book and we are so happy we did. Not only do we get a cool message from our family / friends, we also get a photo of them on our day.

We saw everyone from my grandmother to nieces/nephews in the booth enjoying themselves. I think it gave ‘something different’ for our guests to do in-between eating, drinking and dancing.

ABG Notes: Besides capturing fun moments with their guests in Jess and Gordie's guest book, Picture This Nashville also included photos of key moments to make it a true wedding photo album.

All photo booth photos by Picture This Nashville. All other photos by Jonathon Campbell Photography.

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Posted by Megan | Filed under: Real Nashville Weddings, Reception Entertainment, Photo Booths0 comments »

Wedding of Week: Jess + Gordie’s Board Game Wedding at Cellar One Pops with Personality - Pt. 1

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Jessica and Gordie won the Her Nashville wedding contest last year and their wedding has been featured in many publications, but we were all too happy to feature it ourselves with all the incredible details! We have already spotlighted their board game cake as one of favorites from 2011, but the whole affair is worth seeing.

We hope you enjoy their lovely outdoor ceremony and indoor reception with a game board theme. The theme came from Gordie's proposal with a game of Pictionary!

All photos by Jonathon Campbell Photography.

Jessica + Gordie
Ceremony & Reception Venue ~ Cellar One
Guests ~ 85

Budget

$10,000-$20,000 out of pocket – plus winning the Her Nashville contest

Wedding Team

Venue | Cellar One
Planner | Sarah Willard, Music City Events
Board Game Design | Something Detailed
Photographer | Jonathon Campbell Photography
Photo Booth | Picture This Nashville
Videographer | Truepix Cinematic
Weddings Gown | White Room
Bride's Accessories | Borrowed from family and friends
Groom’s Attire | Groom wore a tux he owned
Groomsmen Attire and Groom’s vest | Street Tuxedo
Bridesmaids Attire | Chosen from various stores (whatever the girls wanted) in different shades of brown
Hair | Lauren Henry from Fierce Salon
Makeup | Katie Russo Makeup
Stationery | Designs in Paper
Ceremony Musicians | Friends
Reception Musicians & Lighting | JD’s Music
Caterer | Chef’s Market
Cake Artist | The Cupcake Collection
Floral Designer | Branching Out
Rentals | The Premiere Event
Guest Accommodations | Hotel Indigo, Hilton Downtown
Event Guidance | Wedding 101

My Wedding Details

How would you describe your style as a couple?

We are pretty laid back and wanted our wedding to be a casual fun celebration that everyone could enjoy. We wanted everything to focus on us celebrating our love and our family / friends that took time out of their busy lives to join in the weekend.

How did you incorporate that style into your wedding?

Since we’re laid back, our friends like to party, and they know we love board games we tried to set an appropriate tone in a number of ways. The groom was the only guy in a tux. We opted to keep the groomsmen in tux pants and matching vests but with differing ties. The bridesmaids were asked to choose a dress that they’d be comfortable in, as long as they kept within our color range.

Jessica’s dad is a huge fan of Maker’s Mark so our signature drink was just that, Maker’s Mark. We also had board games and brainteasers spread around the cocktail area to keep our guests interested while we took our pictures. The Cupcake Collection provided amazing cupcakes on an amazing cupcake stand that was built out of board game boxes like Monopoly, Cranium, with the edible cake topper made to look like the board game Apples-to-Apples.

Our lighting and music was super fun with lanterns hanging over all our tables, up-lighting around the room, and a playlist that included music we handpicked to insure we’d enjoy the music, and our friends got onto the dance floor.

What was the favorite aspect of your wedding?

We are thrilled that we made the conscious choice to have as many of our friends and family involved in the entire weekend as possible. From the rehearsal dinner to the brunch on the day after, it really allowed us to connect with everyone that made the journey to Nashville to see us. On the day of the wedding our favorite aspect was seeing all of the elements we’d planned on and worked hard to assemble come together to be so much fun for our guests. The interactive photo wall that featured pictures of our guests with us over the years, our DJ and the lighting he accomplished, the puzzles, games, and brainteasers spread around the space, and the photo wall were all such a thrill.

Where did you splurge?

Our two biggest splurges were with a photographer and our venue. We wanted to be sure we were comfortable with our photographer, and since we both love photography, we felt it should be a priority for our big day to be captured properly and in a way that suited our taste and style.

Where did you save/DIY?

Winning the Her Nashville contest gave us a bit more leeway in our budget, but we still tried to stay affordable where we could. We created an interactive photo wall in our ‘game lounge’. We also made a lot of the paper items ourselves including menus for the rehearsal dinner with fun puzzles for our guests, and goody bags, and placemats for our brunch.

To continue with our board game theme we looked for a lot of inexpensive board games and old school wooden brainteasers and used them as centerpieces where we couldn’t afford flower centerpieces. For our guest favors Gordie and I took mock-photo booth pictures of ourselves thanking our guests from joining us. We bought frames off eBay and put these photos in them.

Now that the wedding day is over, is there anything about your planning process you feel you could have done differently?

For the most part we were super happy with everything about our wedding! We’d advise that you always read all of the fine print on every single contract that you see so that you understand what all of the costs can be. Also, come up with a detailed photo list and make sure you have enough time scheduled on the day of the event to get all the pictures you want. Make sure that everyone knows where your priorities are.

In one sentence, what words of advice do you have for couples in the midst of their planning?

Keep your wedding theme, goal and budget in mind and as you plan and ask yourself if the things you are incorporating add to the desired end product.

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Posted by Megan | Filed under: Inspiration & Trends, Real Nashville Weddings, Reception Entertainment, Photo Booths, Wedding Venues and Locations0 comments »

ABG Goes 1-on-1 with Rhonda Patton Weddings & Events, Design for the Stylish, Modern Nashville Bride

Monday, March 26, 2012

Rhonda Patton continually amazes us with the work she does to transform weddings to meet the bride's vision. Sometimes, photos do not speak enough for the person behind the work. Who is Rhonda? Why does she love to work with wedding design? How has she developed her skill? We asked her all of these questions, but really... her work does speak for itself, the words just explain what isn't seen in the picture.

Her style really speaks to the stylish, modern bride who wants a fresh look - especially if it's something unique! Read on to find out more about Rhonda Patton Weddings and Events; the woman that drives the company and the beautifully transforming work that could make your wedding a dream come true.

About Rhonda Patton Weddings & Events

Main Contact: Rhonda Patton
Blog: rhondapattonweddings.typepad.com
Phone Number: 615-727-4429
Email Address: rpattondesigns{at}gmail{dot}com
Follow on Twitter: @RhondaPatton
Become a Facebook Fan: Rhonda Patton Weddings & Events

Photo by The Collection

How many years have you been in business?

10 years

How did you get started in weddings?

First, I began designing interiors for homes and offices. I branched off into fresh floral design and event design beginning with my first wedding in 2003.

Photos by Townsend Photographers

Photo by The Collection

What do you like most about weddings?

Transformation! I simply love to transform. Weddings are all about transformation.

What’s your favorite wedding photo/video? Why?

I personally do not have a favorite wedding photo or video. I love all of my weddings! I ensure my weddings are not too “contrived” and really strive to help the bride think outside of the box.

Photos by The Collection

What is your service philosophy?

I’m quality driven and believe great customer service is the platform for any business.

What are your strengths compared to others in your category? Why should a bride hire you?

I am not your standard retail florist. As an event designer, I’m capable of ensuring the bride focuses on the total ambiance of her wedding. I custom order Grade A flowers and quality products for each client. I ensure the bride has a signature wedding of her own.

Photo on left by Townsend Photographers; photo on right by Phindy Studios.

What attracts brides to your service/company?

My clients have molded me into the designer I am today! My brides have an affinity for modern design. They like fresh, innovate, contemporary concepts. My brides are stylish and super chic and hire me for my modern style.

What would previous couples say was the main reason they selected your company?

I’ve heard so many times before that I am different. I bring fresh ideas to the table. I try to shy away from contrived “flowers in a vase” look. Every bride is not for me. but for sophisticated, truly modern brides, I am a top contender.

Photo by Kristyn Hogan

Describe the bride/couple that is most attracted to your service/company?

The bride that is most attracted to my company is a real modern bride who wants nothing normal. They like a little tradition but they mainly want fresh, innovative concepts. They want something new and look to me for creativity. I propose unique ideas, concepts and decorative pieces. My inventory is modern and stylish. I’ve been told that my style reminds them of Atlanta, Chicago, California, or New York.

Who are your 5 favorite Nashville wedding vendors – helpfulness, professionalism, style?

Unlike others, I personally do not have favorite vendors. I think vendor selection is based on an array of criteria for that particular bride (personality, budget, style, competency, customer service, cultural competency, reputation, experience, etc.).

Photo by Derek Wayne Lee Photography.

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Posted by Megan | Filed under: Our Featured Advertisers!, Details, Design & Florals, Luxury Nashville Wedding Finds2 comments »