Choosing Your Wedding Entertainment: The Evening Reception

Third in our wedding entertainment series is the evening reception. After the ceremony, this can be the most anticipated part of the day for many of your guests - what will the food be like? Who will be coming to the evening? What music will be played? What will the atmosphere be like?

It is also the part of the day many people will remember for years to come, if the entertainment is done right. And that's where we come in!

The beginning of the evening reception is the part of the day where your guests are full from the wedding breakfast and enjoying relaxing and mingling, so it wouldn't be ill-advised to start your night off at full pace from the get-go. Don't forget, also, that in-between your day and night celebrations there will be a turnaround period where the venue staff have to change the room around ready for the next stage in events and our evening entertainer will need time to set up. It is a good idea to clear the space in order for everything to run smoothly, but also so your day guests don't reserve their seats, meaning your evening guests may find it harder to mingle.

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This may be a perfect opportunity to try a different kind of entertainment - if the weather is good you could head outside for some lawn games and when night falls paper lanterns are a beautiful and effective way entertain your guests.

For indoor entertainment try some table fun. Pier Fun Casinos offer interactive entertainment in the form of mobile casino tables, to add something a little different to your day. They will provide your guests with personalised fun money and give them a chance to sample the ultimate thrill of the Las Vegas Casino experience!

Or perhaps a chocolate fountain is more up your street? Try Heavenly Melted Chocolate for a tasty and fun experience your guests will remember for a long time to come!

One thing you need to be conscious of is that, during the evening reception, there will be certain events you will need to make time slots for such as: cutting the cake, the first dance and the opening of the buffet - do be aware of not opening your buffet too early as your afternoon guests may have only finished eating at 4pm, meaning lots of food could go to waste.

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Once the buffet is over and done with, it is time to get the party started! An entertainer who offers the complete package is a great idea, as they can start out gentle with a bit of easy-listening such as swing, and gradually ease you and your guests into the party before you've even realised!

An act who has 15 years experience in the wedding industry is John Norcott. John provides several packages and he will delight your guests with swing classics from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and more recently Michael Buble. Then once the formalities are over, he will liven up the party singing songs from a variety of artists such as Bruno Mars, The Killers, Take That and the Kings Of Leon. Once his final song is finished, John will seamlessly transform into your full request DJ to keep your dance floor rocking into the early hours!

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Once the I Do's have been said, the sun has set and party is over, many couples are choosing to close the day with an impressive firework display. Ask your venue if that is something that can be offered, as it definitely ends the day with a bang! If not, sparklers are just as pretty.

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For more inspiration head over to our evening reception board, packed full of ideas to get your mind whirling. Next time we will focus on the wedding breakfast - speeches, cake cutting and fathers of the bride!

Blackpool Hilton Showcase & Phil Wareing Photography

Last month we hosted our first showcase at the Blackpool Hilton Hotel. It was a fantastic night, read all about it here. This week we are sharing Phil Wareing's fantastic photographs of the event.

Phil Wareing is based in NW England, and has over 10 years of skill and experience as a professional Photographer. He thrives on the passion of creating beautiful images within many genres. Phil not only specialises in Wedding Photography but also works in Commercial, Portraiture, Fashion, Sports and Fine Art Imagery, working with a diverse clientele in a variety of settings his work is uniquely creative.

Here are his best shots of the night, featuring our acts and suppliers.

The Reception:

Heavenly Melted Chocolate

Lotties Bridal

Pier Fun Casinos

The Evening:

Wayne Farrow

The Retro Brothers

Just Matt

The Noel Fraser Band

John Norcott

The Live Piano Experience

 To find out more from Phil Wareing check out his page on the Ntertain website.

Choosing Your Wedding Entertainment: The Drinks Reception

Second in our mini series, guiding you through the task of selecting the right entertainment for your big day, and following on from our last post, is the drinks reception.

Whether you have a religious ceremony or a civil one, there will be a section of the day where your guests will be mingling, chatting but also waiting. Normally, this will be the part where you are off and away having your photos taken, feeling like a supermodel, posing with your new husband. It is important not to forget about your guests at this point as whilst they are waiting to be called for photos, they still need entertaining.

Any music at this stage need to be low-key. Guests will want to talk between each other, catch up with family they haven't seen in a while and get to know new people they haven't met before. Also when the ushers are calling people for the photographs, they need to be heard. It doesn't do to keep a photographer waiting whilst ushers are running from person to person trying to catch their attention, and if this section goes on too long your guests will start to get restless.

A lovely touch at this point is a string quartet. They will remain in the background, but offer an elegant setting to go along with the champagne. The Cezanne Ensemble are such an act, who will not only play traditional classical music, but can offer a twist on modern songs.

For a different type of entertainment many brides are looking outside the box and choosing things guests can become involved in. A magician can work around guests as they mingle, keeping the conversation going and often providing an ice-breaker for those who don't know each other.

A photo booth is also becoming popular in the wedding industry and is often a fun element to the day, where guests can dress up and pose, keeping the photos as a memento of your day. At our recent Showcase Night, supplier Boothtube went down a storm.

There are so many other ideas now for your wedding entertainment is really is important to do your research. From caracaturists to children's entertainers. One great resource we have come across is Pinterest, and there are some incredible ideas on there - how about a kissing booth? Or maybe you'd prefer a flame thrower? 

Next time we will be talking about the all-important Wedding Breakfast - in the meantime head over to our website where tickets are now on sale for our next showcase night in January!

Blackpool Hilton - Our First Showcase

On Friday 8th November, our first showcase took place. After months of hard work, it all finally came together and we eagerly awaited the night. Despite some obstacles, the M6 being closed a major one, the night was a great success and we want to give a huge thanks to all those who attended and all the act and suppliers who supported us on the night.

The doors opened at 7pm and guests were greeted by the lovely people at Country Brides Magazine, before entering the reception room, where they were provided with a complimentary glass of champagne and mini cakes as they browsed our suppliers.

All the acts were on hand to introduce themselves and brides and grooms then made their way around the suppliers, including Pier Fun Casino, whose tables proved very popular and The Faux Wedding Cake Company who provide beautifully decorated cakes. Guests could try a dip in the Heavenly Melted Chocolate fountain, have a bit of fun in the Booth Tube photo booth and gaze in awe at the beautiful display from Lottie's Bridal. Meanwhile The Cezanne Ensemble, a professional string quartet, provided some classical entertainment and a lovely start to the evening.

After trying all those suppliers out we then moved into the entertainment suite, beautifully decorated by Weddings Covered, which included a dancefloor and backdrop lit with stars, and our toastmaster kicked the night off.

Each act showcased themselves over four songs, giving the guests a great sample of their work. This meant that the brides and grooms could see for themselves how their chosen act would perform on the night, which we feel is crucial. It really demonstrated to many that night that whilst you can source a great entertainer via their website and videos, until you see how they actually perform you really do not know if they are the act for you. This is what we provide.

The acts really gave us some great performances and had people off their seats, dancing the night away.  We had ten acts perform who showcased a wide variety of music from swing with John Norcott and Wayne Farrow to a unique Live Piano Experience to acoustic from Ortopilot to dance with Just Matt and even rock with The Noel Fraser Band. Further to this we had the extremely entertaining and adaptable voices of The Retro Brothers, whilst amongst the audience The Wedding Magicians mesmerised the guests. There really was something for everybody.

We had some fantastic feedback on the night from brides and many of our acts came away with bookings, which proves that the Showcase concept is a great one.

We are looking forward to our next Showcase night at the Salford City Stadium on January 31st 2014, and hope to see you all there!

North West Wedding Fair

Last weekend we attended one the largest wedding fairs for us so far. Hosted at Eventcity, the North West Wedding Fair saw over 1000 brides, grooms and their entourage flock towards our little stand. It was a very busy weekend but extremely good fun and great to get the word out about Ntertain.

Several of our acts joined us at the stand - John Norcott who covered all three days, Wayne Farrow, The Distance and Just Matt. Everyone mucked in together, passing out leaflets, donning T-Shirts and having some fantastic chats to the brides and grooms.

Each act had their slots on stage which enabled the brides to get a sneak peek of just some of our talented artists.

We got a lot of positive feedback on the day and many said they thought it was a great concept and will definitely attending. With tickets to our first showcase at the Blackpool Hilton selling fast, it is important to us to get the word out there to all those brides, grooms, mums, dads and anyone involved - for £15 a ticket it is sure to be a great night out!

Ntertain Giveaway!

This competition is now closed, congratulations to our winner Pauline Hill!

Ntertain is hosting it's first giveaway - tickets to the Showcase Night at Blackpool Hilton! The night is on Friday 8th November 2013 and starts at 7pm so make sure to put it in your diary!

Our aim is the match brides and grooms with their perfect wedding entertainment, by giving you a chance to try before you buy. At our showcase nights you can watch live acts, try different suppliers all whilst enjoying a great night out!

Maybe you have always fancied having a casino night, but not sure how it would work? You can throw the dice at our Showcase and get a feel for how your night would run.

Maybe you have found the perfect act, but you would really like to see them perform before booking? We give you that unique opportunity.

Or perhaps you would like to see how your photographer or videographer would fit in around your guests? You can even chat to them at our event, and see them in action!

So if you are on the hunt for the perfect wedding entertainment; have found what you think may be the right act but want to see them perform; or want to enjoy a fantastic night out with your bridal party, on us, make sure you enter!

Just follow the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Listed on http://www.competitionsandgiveaways.co.uk/

Choosing Your Wedding Entertainment: The Ceremony

Your wedding will probably be the largest party you will plan and the day that your friends and family will talk about for months, hopefully years to come. Whilst you may plan to spend hours making stationery, choosing the perfect cake and trying on every dress within a 50 mile radius, what most people will remember is the entertainment. It is the element most guests look forward to, will pay attention to and spend the night dancing away to.

There are several aspects to your wedding entertainment and in the next few posts we will discuss these elements and using our experience and those of the professionals, we will share our best suggestions on how to choose the perfect entertainment.

Today we will be focusing on the ceremony. Here your choice of music will firstly be determined by your venue - or you having a church ceremony or a civil service? Are you holding the ceremony inside or outside? Will you be hosting a traditional day or more casual?

If you have decided to have a traditional, religious church service the church may have their own rules on what type of music you can have. Some may be ok with some live music but may restrict the type, some will only allow a CD but may let you choose the music on it, some will have a strict selection you can choose from. This is something you need to discuss before you book anything.

If you are holding a civil ceremony you will have a lot more flexibility on what entertainment you can have. Again this is something that should be discussed with the venue but generally you get to decide. Do remember if you are having a civil service that as a rule you cannot have any religious music.

The next point to think about is how many different elements there are to the ceremony and how you can use your entertainment in each. There are four key aspects:

1. Before the bride arrives, whilst the guests are waiting.
2. The bride's entrance.
3. The signing of the registrar.
4. The end of the service, whilst everyone exits.

1. Before the bride arrives:
This is the first part of the day where your guests will be arriving, saying hello to people they may not have seen in a while and mingling. The groom will be stood at the altar, anxiously waiting the bride's arrival whilst his best man offers words of encouragement. It is a time for peaceful, calming background music. You will need around two or three songs for this section and most people will choose to use a CD of music.

2. The Bride's Entrance
Depending on your choice of ceremony will dictate the music you choose for this part. Many brides will perfer the traditional Bridal Chorus, especially those having a church ceremony. This can be played via a CD or maybe you want something more impressive - here a string quartet or a harpist may work.

3. The Signing of the Register
Again this will be a time for quieter background music. Whilst the brides, groom and the wedding party go to the front, or even to another room, the guests will be mingling, discussing the ceremony and generally chatting to one another. You may choose to have slightly more entertaining music than you had before the bride arrived, so as to keep your guests entertained, so here a live performer such as a harpist or strings may work. Perhaps you may want to use a pianist or solo vocalist who can then take you through to the evening.

Jennie Sawdon is one such pianist, who will be featuring at our showcase nights. Classically trained, Jennie was voted ‘Wedding Singer of the Year 2010’ The Bridal Magazine and most recently she was awarded the title of “Wedding Singer of the Year 2012” by County Brides Magazine. As she says "I take pride in creating a magical atmosphere whether it be for your wedding ceremony, wedding reception, wedding breakfast or evening celebration."

4. Exiting the ceremony.
Once more the music here will be dependant on whether you are having a traditional service or not. Traditional weddings may suit The Wedding March, which again could be played via CD or a live act. As an alterntive many couples choose music that is more personal the them. This music is generally uplifting, happy music to celebrate the vows that have been made.

Next week we will be talking about the drink reception and your entertainment. In the meantime head over to our website where tickets are now on sale for our showcase nights - watch your entertainment live before your book!

Ntertain Has Launched!

Last Wednesday we took over Wigan's Revolution Bar, who hosted our widely anticipated launch party. It was a fantastic night and it was so great to see all the months of work come together in a spectacular night filled with live music, exhilarating performances and laser lights!

Experienced wedding singer, John Norcott kicked off the night with his swing set. His soulful voice and presence on stage was a great introduction to our live acts and really demonstrated how versatile a swing singer can be.

Leading on from John were the acoustic duo Merchant & Farrow. With over ten years experience under their belt they demonstrated a variety of styles from Swing to Dance.

Following on, The Retro Brothers kicked things up a notch. Chris and Brian sung a variety of styles and with Brian's gentle tones and Chris' classically trained operatic notes they definitely add a variation to the normal wedding act.

Next on stage jumped Just Matt, quite literally! With his contemporary act including Flo Rida and Olly Murs, he definitely got us all on our feet jumping with him!

After walking in the bar and seeing the white piano set up, I was excited to see The Live Piano Experience. Mark did not let us down as he threw at us a medley of toe-tapping tunes, all whilst playing two set of keys! Definitely a show-stopper for your entertainment.

Finally seeing the night out was rock group, The Noel Fraser Band. From the dynamic voice of Noel to the head-banging bassist, they were pure entertainment and had the dance floor full!

Not only did we have live acts on stage, but also entertainment throughout the night, really demonstrating how our Showcase Nights will provide guests with the ability to source ALL their entertainment. Magician John Danbury enchanted us all with his illusions and wit, Toastmaster Derek Timmins-Jones provided a warm welcome to the night and ensured it all ran smoothly, DJ Kevin Wilson from KDI provided the lighting and sound and Revolution Bar held some cocktail making lessons which were great fun! On hand alongside these acts were RSVP Wedding Video Professionals and Expert Wedding Photographer Phil Wareing to record the night for us.

It really was a fantastic preview to our Showcase Nights, which begin in November. In one night we experienced five acts perform a diverse range of live music, had the chance to try out several wedding suppliers as well as enjoy a sensational night out! It was a immensely successful night and we are grateful to all those who attended.

Photos courtesy of Phil Wareing

Ntertain Wedding Showcase Launch Party

Next week we are kicking off our fantastic new Wedding Showcase Nights with a huge launch party!

Ntertain have created a new and completely interactive way to find your wedding entertainment and suppliers, giving you the chance to try before you buy. The Ntertain Wedding Showcase allows you to see up to 10 acts live on stage in one night giving you the chance to enjoy, compare then book.

The launch party will be a scaled down version of the full Ntertain Showcase Nights and is a free event. Show your skiddle ticket to receive a free welcome drink and join in a cocktail making masterclass. You will even get chance to try your luck on the fun casino and sit back and enjoy some top-class entertainment.

You will have the opportunity for a preview of the nights with live entertainment including County Brides Award winner, John Norcott, Just Matt, The Live Piano Experience and The Noel Fraser Band. To buy your ticket go here

Minimum Age: 18

Date: 3rd Jul 2013 7:00pm
Last Entry: 11:00am

Venue: Revolution Bar
49, King Street
Wigan
WN1 1DY

We look forward to seeing you there!

Welcome to Ntertain Blog

Here is where we will share our years of expertise in the wedding field - not only talking about wedding entertainment, but all aspects of planning a wedding.

 

Your wedding is probably the biggest party you will plan in your life. It is a day to share a special moment in your life with the people you love and where you will begin your married life with your partner. It can be an overwhelming thought, trying to bring together all the elements involved - venue, outfits, entertainment, flowers, cake, tables, food, invitations... and the list goes on!

 

We will provide helpful tips, how to guides, information on the different aspects of the day and invaluable advice from those who have worked in the industry for many years.

 

Coming up in the next few weeks:

 

* We speak to several experts in the field and gain their insight into each aspect of planning your big day.

* A discussion on current wedding trends and how you can incorporate them into your wedding.

* Wedding budgets - from shoestring funds to the more extravagant, you can have your perfect day no matter your budget.

* We will discuss each part of your special day, breaking it down to help you find your way around the complicated planning.

* And of course we will be talking about your wedding entertainment - what you need for the whole day and hints and tips from those in the know.  

In the meantime head over to the Ntertain Website for more information on our unique Wedding Showcase nights.