The Match Factory is an often forgotten venue in State College and located right outside the Bellefonte area. Industrial Venue settings are very popular and this is one of the only current venue’s that have this in our area
We get emails and phone calls all the time from our couples stressed out about their timeline when there really is no need to be.
A wedding timeline is not meant to be a strict minute by minute breakdown of the day, what it should be is, an order of events.
Of course there are a few things that need selected times, like your ceremony, your cocktail hour, your introduction, and dinner, but everything else should not be constrained to a specific time. Doing this will only make your day stressful by trying to force your prediction on how the day will unfold.
The truth is, some parts of your reception will take longer, or less time than expected, and it is the job of your Wedding DJ to know when to hold back or move things along. By giving us a guideline for the order of events instead of a “timeline”, you will be utilizing your DJ’s experience, and eliminating the anxiety from worrying if everything is getting done on time.
For reference, the most common order of events are as follows:
– Cocktail Hour
– Introduction
– First Dance
– Toast(s)
– Blessing
– Dinner
– Cake cutting
– Parent’s dance
– Open dance floor
– Last dance
Each wedding is unique though, and the order of events should vary based on how you want them to happen. We are always more than happy to hash out plans with our couples and offer any insight that we can to help make their reception tailored to their needs. It is not always easy to know how the flow of a reception should be, and that is what we are here for.
Give yourself the best opportunity to enjoy your wedding day free of stress by keeping your order of events simple, and letting your experienced Wedding DJ take over.
The difference between good lighting and great lighting can be seen with nothing more than the eye. You may not always see the details that go into setting lighting properly but our staff at Nittany Entertainment does. “The lighting totally made it! You have an eye!” was the recent comment we received from our most recent event. Like I mentioned before, anybody can paint if you put the paint in front of them but the results will vary. We not only want you and your guests to say “great lighting” we want them to be blown away. Create the real “Wow Factor” at your next event.
The picture of this ice sculpture was made mixing yellow,orange and red lighting to create the illusion the dragon was on fire!
When We line couples up for the introduction into the reception,there is often confusion as to which side the bridesmaids and groomsmen stand. It is common to keep the same sides that you lined up during the ceremony.
The Brides and Bridesmaids traditionally go on the left and Groom and Groomsmen line up on the right.
The tradition actually stems back to the Middle Ages when Brides were traded and sold for Marriage. In other traditions the Brides family would often provide gifts and dowry and bring that to the ceremony. The Groom and his Groomsman needed to keep their right hands, which was their sword hand, free to protect the bride and their party from bandits and thieves that would attempt to steal her or the dowry. The bride probably won’t be stolen at a modern wedding but this tradition has kept true hundreds of years later.
When we talk about the reception planning we always mention to couples the main rule. That is “There are no rules!” Wedding receptions are built on traditions, some come from family or ethnic traditions, others are regional and can vary depending on what part of the country you live in or are from. If you want to do those traditions or if they are important to your family, then add them into the reception. If you are more about getting to the party and want more time to dance, you can skip them. The tradition we have seen skipped over the most recently is the “Bouquet and Garter Toss.” Some couples skip it because most of their friends are already married. Other brides mentioned how they didn’t like being embarrassed at recent weddings they attended and didn’t want to put that on their friends. The most important decision to make is “Do What You Want To Do!” This is your wedding and we want it to happen the way you envision it. If a particular tradition makes you uncomfortable, don’t feel bad about cutting it out!
Newly planning couples may find the reception planning overwhelming at times. Here are 5 “pro tips” to make your planning easier and guarantee you will have a successful reception.
1. Do your “First Dance” before dinner. This helps break up the awkwardness you may feel by doing multiple dances in a row. The attention span of your guests is shorter too. This is your moment in the spotlight so enjoy it before you sit down to eat.
2. Do your “Parent dances” after dinner. To help maximize time guests should be eating their cake while you are finishing your dances. This makes it easier to have guests come out to the dance floor when it opens for the night. That way they aren’t competing against yummy cake versus an open dance floor.
3. The “Dollar Dance’ or “Bridal Dance” is big in our part of State College, Altoona and Central Pennsylvania. Keep it short and structured. Make sure you designate what bridal party members will help organize the lines and keep guests moving through quickly. This keeps guests from getting bored and your party vie from coming to a halt.
4. Toasts should be short and brief. A wedding toast is not a roast. One funny story and words of wisdom is enough for the guests. Remember to remind your “Best Man” and “Maid or Matron of Honor” that not every guest in the room knows them as well as you do. Keep the intimate details private and keep the attention of the guests. if you wish to have a “roast or longer toast, do this at the rehearsal dinner. For a more detailed look into “Toasts” click here!
5. Pick a “Last Dance” song. It’s a good thing to end the wedding with your guests wanting more. I recommend you pick a fun “Sing Along” song for you and your guests to expel energy and have a fun late night memory. Pick a song all guests know and are excited to be out on the floor to send you off. One of our favorites is “Piano Man” by Billy Joel. There are lot’s of great Penn State traditional sing along songs you can end with. I don’t always recommend you save a floor filler like “Don’t Stop Believing” or “Sweet Caroline” until the end because they may be better earlier in the night.