Friday 20 December 2013

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.

source
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.

source
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!

source
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.

source
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!

Friday 13 December 2013

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.