Category: Music and Entertainment

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview celebrity wedding planner David Tutera at the Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena. Even though he’s worked on events with such VIPs as Jennifer Lopez and Vice President Al Gore, I was impressed by his enthusiasm for helping non-famous brides have equally stellar weddings.

You don’t have to be ready for Dancing With The Stars to enjoy your first dance together as husband and wife. These simple tips will help you make the most of your spotlight moment.

Too often choosing the entertainment is left to the end of your overwhelming “Wedding To Do List”—but it shouldn’t be. Not only does music set the appropriate mood, but a skilled Master or Mistress of Ceremonies will gracefully guide your guests from one spotlight moment to another.

My fiancé and I have most of our wedding plans set, except the music for our reception. We can’t decide between live entertainment and a disc jockey. The reception will be indoors with about 150 guests. We have to keep an eye on cost, too. Are bands always more expensive? What do you recommend?
—Maria M., Fallbrook
Read our experts’ answers.

I confess to major butterflies for my interview with celebrity wedding planner and TV show host, David Tutera at the elegant Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena last month. I needn’t have worried. He was warm and charming, and very open to sharing his wedding planning pointers. Later when I dished the dirt with two of his “My Fair Wedding” Season 2 brides, Dee and Quiana, they both agreed that he was way more personable and down-to-earth than they had expected. I was particularly excited to confirm that David and I were in complete agreement about several key “Wedding Dos & Don’ts.”

Picture this: The spotlight’s on you and your new husband as you finish your first dance at your wedding reception. Waiting in the wings is the other important man in your life: your dad. As the final notes of that first song fade, Dad holds out his hand, ready to lead you back to the dance floor for the father daughter dance. But when the first few bars of the Village People’s “YMCA” scream their way out of your iPod, you’re frozen in horror…did you really forget to add a father-daughter dance song to your wedding playlist?!

It would be great if you could turn your entire wedding wish list into reality, but in this tough economic climate it’s not always easy to do. So rather than trying to get everything perfect, couples are striving for a more realistic goal: making just one detail of their wedding so memorable that guests will be talking about it for years to come. I like to call this the “wow” factor.

This wedding reception footage—filmed and edited by the super-talented Bob Farnsworth of Video Madness—proves that you don’t have to have even a drop of Indian heritage to dance like a Bollywood star. It’s also a great example of how a videographer can turn your raw wedding reception footage into something polished and extraordinary.

At your wedding reception, you and your newly minted husband are more than the stars: You’re the common denominator amongst your friends and family. They’re all there to celebrate with you, but you can’t be everywhere at once. So how can you make sure everyone’s mixing and mingling and having a good time when you’re off doing necessary things like getting your pictures taken during cocktail hour?

I have two good friends, both unmarried. One is a City Girl through and through. Her dream wedding would probably be at the Bently Reserve in San Francisco, surrounded by 350 of her closest friends, dancing the night away in front of a 25-piece orchestra. She’s looking for complete refinement and urban chic.

A good friend of mine recently went to Mexico to begin the planning process for her daughter’s destination wedding. While she was there, she heard a fantastic story I just had to share.
At a recent wedding in San Pancho, Mexico, guests were gathered, awaiting the ceremony. A mariachi band was playing in traditional Mexican style. When the bride appeared, the musicians changed their tune with with fanfare. But instead of ‘Here Comes The Bride,’ the band unexpectedly began to play ‘Happy Birthday!’

One of the best parts of my job is managing all the reference checks for the wedding professionals who want to be Certified By The Guide. I’ll admit it’s fun putting them through their paces, talking to countless industry folks and tons of brides for each company. Some don’t make the cut, but those who do are absolutely fantastic!