Maid of Honor M knows why I love this song. 
If you’ve seen Moulin Rouge, you probably know why too!
Nov
29
Sappy Song Sunday: Your Song
Nov
24
Spinning Some Hot Tunes
It took us a long time to find a DJ. We had a set budget in mind, along with a certain ambiance for our reception music. Here’s what we were looking for in our NEPA DJ:
- Our budget was roughly $500. We had some wiggle room here, but that was our median number.
- Someone who could emcee the evening and do all the introductions, etc.
- 5 hours of music.
- Lighting would be nice, but wasn’t a deal breaker.
- Someone not cheesy or creepy.
The first and last points ended up being the most difficult! The nice, classier DJs that I found online or spoke too were fairly expensive. If they were affordable, that meant they liked to dance on tables and had fake bobble heads they would wear and walk around in. 
Enter E.J. The DJ (he doesn’t have a website! There’s another E.J. out there, but he’s actually from NY). He came recommended to me by a friend from work. I wasn’t sure at first, but she’s generally right so I sucked it up and gave E.J. a call. He and I had a good talk, and he went through his whole process, and gave me some of his references for me to check into. I didn’t know it, but he’s been voted best NEPA wedding D.J. for 7 or 8 years in a row. I felt really confident in him based on our conversation, which is more than I can say for everyone else I spoke to. We’re so excited to have another piece to the puzzle locked down. Yay!
Did you find any of your vendors through a friend? What was one of the hardest vendors for you to find?
Nov
23
Engagement Photo Teasers
*SQUEE*
Our photographer has started uploading our engagement photos today. We haven’t sat down and looked at them all in detail, but we each skimmed through really quick while we were on the phone earlier. So what’s the verdict?
We love love LOVE them! They look so cool. I can’t wait to get the cd with the clean copies of the images next week. Once I have that, I’ll post some of our favorites, but here are a couple of teasers to get you through the holiday.
All images courtesy of Tammy Martines Photography.
Nov
23
Zombie Wedding?
So a while back NEPA Groom sent me this:
(source)
Sigh. Yes, those are zombies. The boy, he loves them. I’m fairly confident he’s joking about the zombie cake. We’ve made a game out of searching for the most ridiculous wedding pictures we can find and send them to each other over Facebook. I think our friends are still amused. At any rate, a lot of our friends have told us that I ‘just have’ to let him do the zombie cake. Um. Sure. 
Though I’m thinking maybe we should make some concessions. We are prepping ourselves for married life, right? He can have the zombie cake if I can do this:
(source)
Two of our favorite inspiration sources are Wedinator and Awkward Family Photos. Do you have any favorite sites that you go to for some wedding laughs?
I previewed the new John Mayer album on iTunes this week, and I really hate it. I’m a big fan and I couldn’t bring myself to buy it, or even be hassled with illegally downloading it. Yuck.
I am a big fan of his bluesy albums though, such as the John Mayer Trio album. Another Shade of Green is an amazing song. I feel like it’s my answer to some of the questions I’ve been getting from friends lately. Basically, yes, NEPA Groom is my friend, and I like spending time with him, along with being in love with him. And yes, I don’t really ever feel the need to wonder if this is right or what else is out there. We’re good, thanks. 
Nov
19
Engagement Picture Tips
NEPA Groom and I were very excited to get our engagement pictures taken earlier this week! While we wait for our proofs to show up, I thought I’d compile some of the advice I collected before we went for the photos and some nuggets of wisdom we happened upon during our shoot in the hopes it helps you too.
- Select places that fit your style. Some people thrive in the city, while others need wide open spaces. We don’t consider ourselves particularly urban. We’re not stereotypical ‘country’ either. We like big suburban back yards and camping trips that involve long hikes in the woods and lakes.
- Bring ideas to the table. We sent our photographer, Tammy Martines, a handful of inspiration photos before the shoot. We also took a look at some of her other engagement shoots and told her what locations we liked the best. She’s the expert, and she did some incredible things with what we gave her, but she’s also not a mind reader. Throw some ideas out to your photographer. Even if they’re not totally concrete or polished, they can take that inspiration and make something great.
- Be comfortable. Just because you look super hawt in 4 inch heels doesn’t mean you should wear them for your engagement shoot. If you’re a t-shirt and jeans kind of person, stick with what you know. If you don’t recognize yourself in the mirror before you leave the house, you’re not going to recognize yourself in your photos.
- Dress for the weather. It was a bit chilly for our shoot, so we skipped the short sleeves and went for sweaters. Bring a jacket and an umbrella in case you need it. You never know what you’ll encounter on the day of!
- Be open to new ideas. You might find good opportunities for pictures where you least expect them. If your photographer suggests some jumping shots, go for it! What’s the worst that happens? You hate ‘em? Don’t show them to anyone!
- Laugh! You’re getting married. Be happy.
- Be Yourself. What are you and your finance’s passions? Is he a guitar player? Do you paint? Don’t be afraid of bringing some props with you! You’ll end up with some fun pictures that will be uniquely you.
What kind of tips do you have for an engagement photo shoot? Has anyone else done one lately?
Nov
15
Sappy Song Sunday: Tender
Kind of tired and short on inspiration this week, then I stumbled across this in my itunes. It’s a really sweet and lovely emo modern rock kinda song. It’s also over 7 minutes long, so um, I’m not quite sure where this would fit in your wedding. Our guests would mutiny if it was our first dance song. Maybe during dinner?
I have an exciting guest post to share today. I was recently introduced to NEPA Harpist Giselle Pedraza, who was kind enough to sit down and answer some of the most common questions brides and grooms to be have about wedding music choices. So read on my darlings, and let Giselle give you some wonderful advice about choosing a harpist and music in general on your big day. She’s got an impressive resume, so check it out:
What are some things couples planning their weddings need to think about in terms of music?
There are a lot of options out there for your special day from DJs to full blown ensembles. What you need to think about in planning music for your ceremony, cocktail hour and reception are the following:
- You have to consider what mood you want for each aspect of my wedding event.
- During your wedding ceremony the harp is a traditional instrument choice. It creates an elegant ambiance that sets your ceremony apart from others that play recorded music. You can also have the harp paired with other instruments as well depending on your budget.
- Some couples also like to have a harp during their cocktail hour and/or reception, so decide what kind of ambiance you’d like to create.
- You also need to keep your budget in perspective, but simultaneously make sure that your event is of the quality you and your guests expect. This is a once in a lifetime event, so you have to find a balance between budget and quality. Look for musicians that can work with you and develop a plan around your budget and needs. I offer discounts to nonprofit organizations, and to couples after the first hour as well.
- It’s also important to book your music performance well in advance. Wedding performances get much more difficult to book during summer months and holidays all through out the year.
- Another thing you want to ensure is the quality of the musician you are hiring. In addition to being able to verify a musician’s professionalism and reliability, you need to make sure their music is up to par. Ask for samples, either via DVD or CD, or on their website. You can hear example tracks that I can play for your wedding on my website (http://gisellepedraza.com/music/).
What makes you a better harpist to choose than other local harpists and musicians?
In addition to pricing my services more competitively than other local harpists (of which there are very few), I have a good deal of experience and education that set me apart. I am a professional musician with international performing and teaching experience. I have a Master of Arts degree in music education and harp.
I have also previously recorded with Grammy winning producer Danny Blume as part of a trio I formerly played in. I am a certified (k-12) music teacher in the state of Pennsylvania and served as professor of aural skills, teaching popular guitar at the National Center of Artistic Learning (an arts college) in Havana City, Cuba. I am familiar with many of the local wedding venues and catering facilities and work hard to make your harp performance a special one. I am also fluently bilingual in English and Spanish and am comfortable working with diverse groups of clients.
Who are some of your previous clients? And what do they have to say about your harp performances?
I have performed for many couples and many corporate and institutional clients as well. One of the most recent weddings I performed at was for a client in South Sterling, PA. She was very pleased with her harp performance and sent me the following thank you note:
“I just wanted to write you a short note to thank you for the excellent job you did! The music was beautiful and it really added to our ceremony and cocktail hour. Thank you very much!”
Some of the corporate/institutional clients who have hired me include The Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, Misericordia University, Wilkes University, Marywood University and the Cultural Council of Luzerne County.
“Giselle is a beautifully accomplished musician, and a lovely person. She has played for several of our arts events, and I recommend her highly.” -Shelley Pearce, Director of Cultural Programs, Wilkes University
“Giselle is an excellent harpist. We have hired her for several events and look forward to working with her again.” -Mike Burnside, Executive Director, Cultural Council of Luzerne County.
How can people interested in more information get in touch with you?
I can be reached by visiting my website, gisellepedraza.com, by email at info@gisellepedraza.com or by phone at +570.575.8509.
Nov
09
Making It Work
As part of a fairly well established couple, sometimes I forget how things work on the ‘outside’. Or at least, the outside of our little universe. Sometimes I have to catch myself because friends will share relationship stories (and sometime relationship disasters) and I find myself amazed at the problems people encounter. I do my best to sympathize and offer advice, if I can. Often I find I just have to listen. NEPA Groom and I have only ever dated each other, so I can’t pretend I understand the ins and outs of every relationship problem.
Last week, a work friend said to me, “You guys are so cute. It’s nice to watch you both because you, you know, genuinely enjoy each other’s company and I’m glad to know that it’s actually happening out there.”
It was kind of heavy. I don’t like the idea that we’re out there, a happy little monogamous island to ourselves. I don’t think our relationship is as unusual and hard to achieve as it seems either. But I don’t want to fool anyone – it’s hard work to commit to someone, and I’m sure it only gets harder. But it also gets more rewarding. We went into this because we wanted to be with each other. And we still want to be with each other, so we do what we need to each day to make that bond stronger. I don’t have a magic formula, but some of the things that have helped us:
1. Stop thinking about you. Well, not all the time. You should still have goals and dreams and wants. Don’t become just half of a couple. You’re still you. But when you look at your goals and dreams and wants, do you think about how that affects your partner? Or do you think about their goals and what you can do to help? Their goals should be yours, and vice versa. You grow and improve together.
2. Be honest. Whatever it is, just tell them. You smoked weed last week in college? Fess up. You lied about drinking the last beer in the fridge? Tell ‘em and buy them more! You had some past issues with boyfriends/girlfriends/the law/your parents? Let them know. After a certain point, it’s not ok to have secret emotional baggage.
3. Lighten up. This has been the hardest for me. If you can’t laugh and have fun, then what’s the point:
What do you all think are the keys to a good relationship? What kind of advice have you been given that has helped your marriage?
Hoo boy. This one is a tear jerker. Never mind that I first heard it and fell in love with it on Roswell. It’s still an amazing song. NEPA Groom won’t mind it if our reception sounds like a Lilith Fair reunion, right?
