During specialized consultations, I often talk to married couples who fear the classic wedding that is boring, mundane, and the same as so many others already experienced perhaps by guests.
That is why in recent years focusing on the entertainment aspect, which is not to be confused with the music aspect, has proven to be a trump card for many wedding couples.
But how do you choose and plan the right entertainment so that all your guests will be entertained from the moment they arrive at the venue until the moment they leave with the confidence that you have provided them with a dynamic and fun day?
I have to give you some bad news right away…. It is really difficult if not almost impossible to find a person who can at the same time act as DJ, vocalist, entertainer, facilitator, organizer etc. during the wedding. The “factotum” unfortunately often offers several services but performed each one in a mediocre way so from the top of my experience I recommend you to diversify the services by going for one or more professionals who specialize exclusively in that particular field.
The solutions then can be 2:
- Turn to trainings that already offer an ad hoc packaged product with entertainer and DJ
- Choose an entertainment service to go along with the music service.
Every moment will have to be perfectly decided and planned so that you do not witness the pitiful room turned off with guests looking at you with bored looks taking advantage of every free moment to leave the room and go outside or worse can’t wait to leave!
So here are the 10 services to focus on to make your day fun and dynamic.
1. Music service
We cannot fail to put the music service first since everything revolves around music, from the arrival of the guests, to your entrance into the hall, from the cutting of the cake to the evening party, so it becomes essential to create an artistic direction between the professional and the different protagonists who will have a specific role during the wedding day. The professional can if requested join friends in games and jokes, or he can take the reins of entertainment and become a guide for all the different funny moments prepared by friends or by proposing small gags or funny and engaging situations himself.
It certainly could be an added value to your party.
However, try to learn more about the type of entertainment offered;
There are brides and grooms who prefer resort-style entertainment, despite the fact that it can sometimes be too intrusive; other couples, on the other hand, want entertainment that is present but not intrusive, elegant but at the same time fun.
Entertainment should be structured in detail, should be centered in focused, one-shot appearances to entertain guests without becoming frustrating or nagging.
As written at the beginning of this article, avoid those who tell you “I do everything.”
Hire seasoned professionals who specialize in a particular service because being able to take care of the music, guests, friends, entertainment, and planning for the day is no easy feat.
2. Vocalist
When we talk about DJs or musicians, we often tend to think that the professional will also be in charge of interacting and entertaining guests, in short, that he or she will also be a vocalist or as this figure is often called the microphone entertainer.
However, there are DJs who do not like to talk on the microphone, maybe they are great at mixing and creating engaging musical situations but are shy on the microphone and are limited to a few service announcements, so when you hire the professional make sure he is also a vocalist.
It may seem like a small detail but instead it will help make a seemingly ordinary event into a wonderful, unique and unforgettable celebration.
Why is it important for the DJ to also be a vocalist or is it necessary to pair him with a microphone entertainer?
There are many reasons for this, for example:
– You can entrust him with the presentation of the different moments of the day, from your arrival at the venue to your entrance into the hall, remind guests to find their place in the hall by looking at the tableau du mariage placed at the entrance of the hall, invite parents and groomsmen to dedicate a thought to you newlyweds making the moment exciting but at the same time nice and fun.
– You can entrust them with the organization and planning of what friends have prepared for you, in fact sometimes containing the group of friends can be really complicated.
A DJ is unlikely to be simultaneously behind the console directing the different situations prepared by friends and at the same time be a valuable ally focused on coordinating and indulging friends in all their requests or supporting them in organizing any games and pranks.
A dedicated figure is needed so that any tedious moments during the meal can be filled and at the same time prevent interruptions at the most inopportune times or avoid running into unpleasantness.
– You can entrust him with the task of keeping the level of involvement high, especially during the evening party, considering the fact that the DJ not knowing the musical tastes of your guests will be focused on choosing the songs to offer.
Sometimes just the “right” music isn’t enough to guarantee a full dance floor; Knowing how to put on the right energy in the underwhelming moments or knowing how to put on the right energy when you need it will, I assure you, make your evening party extremely participatory and fun.
– You may entrust him or her with the task of coordinating the music service because, at times, the DJ’s view may be reduced if not even hidden from the guests or, in other cases, the positioning does not allow you to see extensively what is going on at certain times of the party with the real possibility of getting the timing and manner previously agreed upon with the bride and groom wrong.
3. Illusionist/Comic Magician
Among the entertainment services that have emerged strongly in recent years the comic magician/illusionist is definitely one of them, just think of Andrea Paris the winner of the TU SI QUE VALES 2020 edition. Obviously you have to rely on experienced professionals, people who have a full-bodied track record not the wizard who offers the classic rigged and unrepeatable games. Age in this case does not matter.
There are very young artists who have been manipulating cards, coins and sponges since they were children and therefore very good professionals on a practical level but what cannot be learned but is honed with years of practice is the presentation of the magic trick, it is the ability to interact with the audience to bewitch them first with words and then with deeds; If then the whole thing is expressed in a comic key see Raul Cremona or Magician Forrest then success is assured.
This service lends itself to warming up the audience as early as the appetizer and then moving to the dining room to offer different games and tricks to all diners by going from table to table between the lunch breaks. In the long breaks such as sorbet or the preserale, a show can be included for all present, perhaps involving a few guests all while maintaining a fast-paced performance.
You will then be assured that your wedding will not fall into oblivion or even be branded as dull and boring. Rely on a professional, however!
4. Loader
During the specialized consultation at our venue when we present among the various entertainment services the figure of the caricaturist, many wedding couples discard it thinking of those portrait artists usually found in big cities or seaside resorts, who portray you perfectly but you have to stand still for more than half an hour. Nothing could be further from the figure of the caricaturist, who instead offers not a portrait but a caricature of the subject by amplifying its features and particularities.
It can be single, couple or family, but what makes the service distinctive is that the person portrayed can continue to chat, eat, move around without constraint and in a few minutes get a sympathetic caricature that is sure to bring a smile to her face. In some cases then some brides and grooms have asked the professional to package the caricature with a ribbon prepared with their name and wedding date, turning that simple drawing into a real wedding favor certain that more than a few guests will frame and hang it as a reminder of a very special wedding.
5. Jugglers
This service has carved out more and more space in recent years by attracting circus or street art professionals leading them to structure extraordinary performances adapted to a complex event such as a wedding.
Figures like these can amaze guests with stunts or games of skill that will leave everyone speechless.
They, too, like the magician can entertain your guests during the aperitif, lunch and different breaks by modulating their product according to the specific moment engaging the guests whenever possible.
However, don’t forget mail the mood of your wedding and the location you are in; Juggling is an art that requires the right setting so make sure the service structures a performance that is in keeping with the context in which it will operate.
For example, if you have chosen a location with a swimming pool, imagine an evening performance of synchronized swimming in it or a waterball show to the notes of your favorite song against a backdrop of torches or candles. Simply magical!
6. Comedian waiters
This service is truly hilarious precisely because guests do not expect anything like this.
Sometimes during the cocktail hour they mingle with the guests impersonating characters as absurd as they are hilarious and then, during table service, transform into demented waiters who engage the guests in gags and skits that will make the meal a succession of hilarious and entertaining situations.
In some cases they can become minstrels who draw from the Italian and popular repertoire and involve all the guests in group songs perhaps to dedicate to the bride and groom.
7. Comedian/Jokester
Hiring a professional comedian will definitely be a plus that all your guests will remember.
Take care, however, to choose a figure that matches the mood of your wedding to avoid the proposed service clashing with location and environment.
An 18th-century location or the main hall of a luxurious hotel does not go well with dialectal/popular entertainment that does not match in manner and attitude with the outline chosen by the bride and groom.
Again, you should aim for a professional who has experience and can structure a performance built specifically for your wedding since he or she will have to relate to different ages.
8. Dancers
Haven’t you ever, while attending a wedding, seen Brazilian dancers, burlesque dancers, or belly dancers arriving at some point to perform for the bride and groom?
Sometimes with 3/4 speeches throughout the day to cheer all guests.
Less intrusive than other entertainment, focusing on this type of entertainment can be a trump card if entrusted as always to professional dancers.
Turning a pleasing artistic intervention into a vulgar performance sometimes takes very little; We happened several times to see performances by Brazilian dancers who did not know what samba was, with outfits picked up on sale in some carnival costume store, or belly dancers who to call amateurish is to pay a compliment. When focusing on performances in which aesthetics matter as much as skill, it is essential to rely on a service that is not only good-looking but also beautiful to look at without ever being vulgar or offensive.
Therein lies the difference.
9. Waders and Masks
Hiring stilt walkers that hark back to fantastic creatures or enriching your 18th-century villa with ladies and knights dressed in the opulent Rococo style displaying the luxury, wealth and power of the aristocratic class of the time would certainly make a very strong impact on guests who would find themselves right from the aperitif immersed in a fantastic or surreal atmosphere making the mood of your wedding emerge from the first minutes but above all the care and meticulous preparation devoted to it.
Who knows what other surprises will await your guests who will live with eager anticipation every moment of the day, bringing with them an enchanting memory of the journey you will have wanted them to experience.
10. Children’s entertainer
If you have already seen, from a first estimate, that there will be several children at your wedding between the ages of 3 and 10 years old thinking about entertainment dedicated to them is essential to allow them to experience a fun and exciting day.
You will be thanked by their parents who will be able to enjoy the wedding in all its phases, dine comfortably together, enjoy the food while it is still hot, with the assurance that their children are having a constructive, creative and controlled time with entertainment tailored to them and entrusted to the skilled skills of professionals in the field.
Again, make sure that the service you choose is professional and offers a wide range of activities capable of keeping children entertained for at least 5/6 hours. A few toy cars, dolls and drawing sheets will surely not be able to be a suitable solution for your wedding, but on the contrary you will find yourself paying for a service that will not meet your needs but especially those of the parents.
That said.
We have given you the 10 possible solutions to get entertainment that will stick in the minds of your guests that will keep them entertained and make them remember this day as one of the best weddings they have attended without seeing them looking bored and looking forward to leaving.
Now with this knowledge you can devote yourself to finding the entertainment service that suits you best, or you can visit our website www.weddingsymphony.it and go to the contact page to book a specialized consultation with our Paul and figure out what forms of entertainment to lean toward to leave your guests with a pleasant, indeed, indelible memory of your wedding.
Remember that
“Marriage is a live movie. You can’t go wrong because you can’t buy a memory.”
We always say this to all our wedding couples.
A few simple tips combined with a dash of common sense in choosing entertainment not just based on price will make your wedding a memorable event.
I am Paolo Furlan the first Wedding Music Planner in Veneto and founder of the Wedding Symphony music agency specializing in music for civil or religious ceremonies and music and entertainment for wedding receptions.
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