Jersey City's Liberty House is known for its breathtaking views of the New York City skyline. Whether you're in the garden, on the patio, or looking out from the floor-to-ceiling windows, you'll always see the bright, beautiful lights of Manhattan. This sophisticated restaurant and event venue was the perfect location for Laura and Matthew Chervenak's fall wedding.
When you think about wedding ceremony music, you probably think of pipe organs or string quartets playing Richard Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" (better known as "Here Comes the Bride") and Felix Mendelssohn's "Wedding March." While these two compositions are certainly traditional, they are far from the only options you have for your own ceremony soundtrack.
While some religious weddings require certain song or hymn selections, many couples are able to customize the music that plays during their ceremony. This is more than just the processional and recessional songs, though – there are several other opportunities for you and your fiance to choose background music that enhances the overall ambiance of your ceremony.
Whether you're hiring live musicians or having your reception DJ provide sound for all your wedding events, here are a few key points during the ceremony where you will want to plan out your music:
Prelude music usually plays for 20 to 30 minutes before the ceremony begins while guests gather and take their seats. A set of seven to 10 light, romantic songs will set the mood for the ceremony and your overall wedding day.
This is the music that plays while honored family members (e.g. grandparents and parents of the couple) and the wedding party walk down the aisle. The processional song signifies the official beginning of the ceremony, so there should be a tonal shift from the prelude music. You may even wish to choose two songs to distinguish your family members' entrance from the wedding party.
Aside from "the kiss," the bride's entrance is easily the most anticipated moment of many wedding ceremonies. Guests typically stand up and turn around to see the bride as she walks down the aisle. While you can use one processional song for family, wedding party, and bridal entrances, most couples have a pause before the bride enters to switch to a more dramatic piece of music.
If your wedding includes special traditions like a unity candle ceremony, you may want to choose a subdued, emotional song to play while this is happening. Some couples also choose to have a friend or family member perform a musical interlude during the ceremony.
Your recessional should be a joyous, upbeat song that celebrates the start of your life as a married couple. You and your spouse will exit the ceremony during the recessional song, followed by your bridal party and family members.
Depending on when your cocktail hour begins, your guests may not leave the ceremony site right away. You may want to select a song or two to play in the background as they mingle and chat. Like the recessional, postlude songs should be cheerful and celebratory.
Once you've chosen the songs for your ceremony, you'll need to think about sound amplification. A good audio system is essential if you want your guests to be able to hear your music, your officiant, and your vows.
Check with your wedding vendors to see what kind of sound setup they have, especially if you're having an outdoor ceremony. Weddings held at locations like beaches, lakefronts, and gardens may look beautiful, but it can be difficult to find a power supply for microphones and speakers. One potential solution to this problem is a wireless ceremony sound system, which we provide with each of our wedding entertainment packages.
When you hire Hurricane Productions as your wedding entertainment, we'll work with you to plan out the timing for each musical moment of your ceremony. If you're having live music, our high-quality sound system ensures that every musician and speaker at your ceremony is heard loud and clear.
Looking for entertainment and media services for your wedding day? Visit Hurricane Productions' pricing page to learn about our all-inclusive packages or contact us for a quote.
The question, then, is whether you hire one or two wedding videographers. There are pros and cons to each, and the right choice for you depends on your budget, your timeline, and your vision for your wedding film.
Here are a few important factors to consider when you're deciding which route to go for your wedding videography package.
When a couple is contemplating wedding videography services, the package they choose is often dictated by how much they can afford to spend. Hiring a second videographer means paying for an additional person's time and talent, so if you're on a tight budget, you may only be able to afford one. However, couples with a little more flexibility in their funds can explore their options for a two-person team.
A mid-point between having one and two wedding videographers is a package that includes one main videographer and an assistant. The assistant won't be operating the camera for the whole day, as a second videographer would, but this person can help the main videographer set up audio equipment, scout out good angles and locations, and direct the couple and their wedding party while the videographer captures that perfect shot.
We make our couples' edited wedding videos available within 8 to 12 weeks after their event. Most videographers give this type of range because the time it takes to create the finished video product(s) depends on the package the couple selected and the amount of footage we need to review.
There's no guarantee you'll have your wedding video a month earlier if you opt for a single, half-day videographer, but there's a chance it could take longer to edit if you choose two: Editing six hours of footage from one videographer is a very different process than piecing together footage from two videographers who filmed for 12 hours each.
Regardless of how many videographers you hire, your service provider should be able to give you access to all your raw footage long before the final edits are completed.
The biggest advantage of a second videographer is the variety of shots and perspectives that can be included in your final wedding video.
Wedding photography and videography is often heavily focused on the bride, but with a second videographer, both you and your fiancé will be able to have your moments in the spotlight. This is especially important for couples who plan to get ready for the ceremony in separate locations. One videographer can only film one of you at a time, but a second videographer ensures that both the bride and her ladies and the groom and his guys have their wedding prep time documented.
As with many creative endeavors, two heads are often better than one when it comes to shooting and editing a wedding video. While your videographers will be able to collaborate and work as a team, each will also bring their own individual style, flair, and vision to the finished product. A video that combines the work of two wedding videographers means you get two unique perspectives telling the same beautiful love story: yours.
No matter what kind of wedding videography you want, we have a package to fit your needs. Visit our pricing page to learn more, or reach out to request a quote.
This list may include local photographers, videographers, florists, entertainers, bakers, officiants, limo rental companies, etc. – and at a quick glance, it may seem like your venue has helped you plan your whole wedding in one shot.
But what exactly is a preferred vendor list, and what does it mean when a company appears on one? Most importantly, are you required to use vendors from your venue's list? These are some of most common questions engaged couples ask as they begin their vendor search, and some of them aren't always easy to answer. Here are some of the basics behind the concept of preferred vendor lists and what you should consider before booking your wedding service providers.
Venues often create preferred vendor lists with their own policies in mind. Some have restrictions about the third-party vendors that come in to work events, so the preferred vendor list makes it easy for couples to choose one that meets all the requirements. In fact, the venue may even require you to use certain vendors, such as their preferred caterer or cake baker, as part of your contract. Alternatively, the venue may charge a fee for using non-preferred vendors.
In other cases, a preferred vendor list is simply a collection of wedding professionals recommended by the venue. These vendors have an established, positive relationship with the venue and may have paid for their spot on the "preferred" list. The venue might also receive a commission from their preferred vendors when couples book them. With this type of preferred list, couples are usually under no obligation to use the recommended vendors.
Before you book your wedding venue, be sure to ask whether you would be contractually required to use certain providers. If the answer is yes, carefully consider whether you want to work with a venue that limits your vendor options. You don't want to fall in love with a wedding DJ company or videographer, only to find out the venue won't allow you to use them.
Assuming your venue doesn't require you to choose from their preferred vendor list, you should always explore all your options before going with the venue-recommended professionals. That being said, a preferred vendor list might be a good starting point for your own research if you're not sure where to begin.
When evaluating preferred vendors, approach it the same way you would if you were looking for vendors on your own. Check out the vendor's website to get an idea of the work they do and the clientele they serve. Read online reviews and find out what other people have to say about working with them. Talk to them over the phone and in person to get a better idea of who the vendor is and how they approach their work. For example, if it's a videographer, ask them about their style of filming and how they typically edit wedding videos. For DJs, ask about the planning process and how much they incorporate the couple's requests when creating the playlist.
Remember, the vendors on your venue's preferred list may have a good reputation, but that doesn't mean you'll get along with them or like their style. A wedding is a significant investment and it's important that you're completely happy with every vendor you choose. Take your time, do your research, and only book a vendor when you feel 100 percent confident that they're the right one for your big day.
Whether we're on your venue's preferred vendor list or not, Hurricane Productions wants to help make your wedding day truly unforgettable. Visit our pricing page or get in touch with us for a custom quote on our wedding media and entertainment services.
We service many New Jersey weddings near the Jersey Shore, but for Melissa and Frank Golz's Mountain Creek Resort wedding, we had the opportunity to enjoy a different side of the Garden State's natural beauty.
