AboutAlan Mckenzie Expertise All music related questions for wedding ceremonies and receptions. Questions on timelines, unique reception ideas, hiring wedding entertainment, finding entertainment professionals.
Experience Over 23 years experience as a Disc Jockey with the last 15 years as a wedding entertainment specialist. Experienced in planning, helping to coordinate and entertaining clients and guests in a professional, fun and elegent manner.
In addition I have taught several seminars on interaction (as an entertainer), microphone skills, business plans, keeping yourself educated, digital DJ'ing and more.
Organizations American Disc Jockey Assoc., Pacific Coast Disc Jockey Association (Past President & also a founding member), Southern Calif. Entertainers Assoc., ABC (Association of Bridal Consultants), Bridal Assoc. of America, Oxnard Chamber of Commerce.
Education/Credentials I have attended several seminars specifically related to mobile dj's as well as workshops and seminars for coordinators, speakers, team building, presentations, voice skills and more.
Awards and Honors Past President of the Pacific Coast Disc Jockey Assoc.
Past/Present Clients We keep our clients information confidential. However, if you need some, please specify how many and we will contact some of our clients to get permission to give you their contact information.
Question Hi, I'm coordinating my sister's wedding in (1)next week and I'm starting to get the jitters. This is my first event and I don't want to be the cause of it not being perfect. Can you offer me any advise - big or small- on how to superceed in this position and make it pleasantly rememberable? The very large wedding party consists of (3) MOH, (14) BM, (2) jr brides, (2) jr bridesmaid, ring bearer etc ... What on earth have I agreed to do? When do the jr brides(maids) walk in? Do you have any suggestions for the bridesmaids walk since there are so many of them? Please respond asap, as we're only 8 days away. Appreciatively, Shai the new coordinator
Answer Dear Shai,
WOW, have you got your work cut out for you!! When you say that you are "coordinating my sisters wedding" I certainly hope you are talking about the ENTIRE event and not just the ceremony... That's really the EASY part believe it or not.
The hard part comes with the coordination of the reception afterwards with all the after ceremony pictures during cocktails, getting everyone lined up and ready for the Grand Entrance, finding all the right people for the special dances (Mother/Son, Father/Daughter, First Dance, etc.) the Toast and don't forget about the cutting of the cake and those are just the few 'basic' events...
Anyway, for the CEREMONY itself, here are a few things to help answer your questions:
First of all, there's no question you will need to PRACTICE the ceremony at least 1 day before (not more than 2 or people forget).
The best way to practice is to get everyone lined up how they will look at the alter. This way you can arrange them by height, etc. if needed. The Jr. Bridesmaids are the farthest away from the bride, then the bridesmaids and finally the (3) MOH's - same goes for the guys, put the ring bearer at the END and then the Groomsmen and then Best Man/men If these are uneven numbers, it might look a little funny, but oh well. And you can always have 1 Groomsman/Best Man escort TWO ladies back down the aisle if needed.
Of course have the B&G in the middle and also have the parents and grandparents positioned where they will be seated.
Then practice the EXIT first! Yes, the EXIT first. As everyone exits(including parents), they should stop at the point they will be STARTING FROM and stay there all lined up for the START of the ceremony walk. Now you should have them all lined up. Practice the walk TO the alter - with such a large party you should use several songs for the different people or you will run out of time.
You need songs for:
Seating of the mothers and grandmothers - just one song will do, but DO NOT spread these folks out! They should be NO MORE THAN 20 seconds apart and less if they have a long walk - time it out and try to make sure all of them are seated within 3-4 minutes.
Then we have all those Bridesmaids and the MOH's... wow, 17 of them eh? Well for that you can go two ways... 1) A very long song (over 4 minutes) and then space them about 10 seconds apart (that gives about 3 minutes for seperation time and another minute for the final one to get up to the alter) OR 2) Have the song re-played over and over until they are all up there and space them out a little more (better for pictures if they are spaced about 20 seconds apart)
Next you need music for the Jr.BM's/Jr.Brides - With 4 of them, you can give them their own song also - follow same timing as for parents/grandparents.
Next comes the Flower Girls and Ring Bearers - either use the same song for them or pick a special one just for them. Remember, the Flower girl(s) are the LAST ones down the aisle before the bride and her father. - BUT, they along with the Jr.brides/Bridesmaids will all line up at the END of the row of girls - same with the ring bearer. Boy, I wish I could draw a picture here! :)
So, when they all finally get up there, it will be (from left to right as you are looking from audience area);
Flower Girl(s)
Jr.Brides/Bridesmaids
Bridesmaids
MOH's
then B&G with Officiant
Best Man/Men
Groomsmen/Ushers
Ring Bearer
IF the Ring Bearers and/or Flower Girls or such are very young and won't stand still up at the alter, you CAN have them sit down after doing their jobs.
Some tips for BM's and Escorts. When standing at the alter, HANDS should be placed LEFT HAND over the top of the RIGHT (showing wedding rings of those already married) this way they look better in photo's - ALSO, tell them to ALL to TURN AND FACE THE AISLE to watch all the others come down, when the bride arrives, everyone turns and faces the B&G. Oh, and tell them NOT to lock their knees while standing - don't want anyone to faint and trust me, I have seen it happen!
One last thing - Ring Bearer should NOT have the REAL rings if they are tied to a pillow (those are usually fake ones) - just have him give the pillow to the Best man who 'pretends' to take them and flips the pillow over and gives it back... OR, and even BETTER option if you can do it on short notice... Get a small wooden TREASURE CHEST (from a Michaels or other craft store) put in some of that foam that florists use (the green kind) inside and put the rings into that foam to hold them. Boys don't mind carrying a TREASURE CHEST instead of a pillow AND you can let them KEEP the chest as a gift afterwards!! Maybe even give them some chocolate 'coins' to put in after the ceremony (and pictures!!) are all done. They will like that!
