So the task is at hand - hire a DJ. Most people have never hired a DJ before and it can be hard to know where to start. You are not alone, my friend! It can be an overwhelming task. 

1. Your Event, Your Way. The thing is, we like doing things your way. Though we can offer ideas, expertise, and suggestions, we want your event to reflect you! We will work together to understand the vision you have for your event and add the necessary elements to make that happen. From music to mood to announcements, and more. We will adjust to your needs.
2. More than an iPod. A lot of people think of DJs as people who plug (in their iPod) and play (boring music while drinking your beer). Truth is, there are lots of DJs who do. Not us. We bring top of the line equipment, fun, and professionalism to create an incredible experience based on your event needs. In addition, we are actively involved throughout the event to make sure everyone is in the right place at the right time and that things go smooth. 
3. We Care. We always know when Monday comes because so many of our friends celebrated over the weekend. We are secretly sad because we MISS THEM when their events are over! Through planning your wedding or event, we get to know you - we care about you and your event and hope to become great friends in the meantime. ♥
4. Available When You Need Us. You heard it - we answer the phone AND reply to emails. We want to be available to you when you have questions or want to chat. Being able to reach someone when you need them goes a long way to creating a positive planning experience. We've got you. 
   
5. More Options. It is nice when you can knock several things off your to do list at the same time - that is why we offer DJ Services, Photo Booth, Event Lighting, and Dance Floor Rentals - all in one stop to make your life easier (and bring all the fun, of course!). 
   
   

As you are planning your event, we hope you will consider Sound Wave. We would love to help make your event one you will remember for a lifetime!

Sound Wave Events
208-891-0094
celebrate@soundwaveevents.com

Planning an event for your friends, family, donors, or co-workers? YASSSS! Events are a great way to mark milestones, celebrate successes, and raise funds for your organization. But this question lays in wait......how can this be an event that people are talking about for months and years to come? As we discussed this very question with our event team, it came down to one simple thing.....

That is the answer we keep coming back to - the more interactive an event is, the more successful it is. The reason this is so powerful is because shared experience (especially fun, embarrassing, memorable experience) binds people together. That's what this is all about right - making memories and connection? Okay, okay, sometimes it is about raising money too. ☺  So, the more you can create interactive experiences for your guests, the more they will connect with each other (and you or your organization), and the longer they will remember the fun they had.

What type of interaction is best for your group may vary depending on your goals and priorities, but here are some ideas:

• Book a Photo Booth. There is no easier way to get people having fun and being silly than in a photo booth. Plus they will leave with a printed memory (that can even be branded with your organization's message). 
• Include Ice Breakers. With so, so many ideas for ice breakers online you are sure to find something fun that can fit your group. This is an interactive way for people to meet each other or learn new things about each other.
• Raffles and Giveaways. Always a great way to increase attendance or encourage people to stay for the whole event.
• Put Your Boss in the Spotlight. We will never forget the company party we had where the Boss dressed up like Elsa and sang "Let It Go." I am pretty sure his employees will never forget this either.
• Interactive Games. Get all of your guests involved with minute-to-win-it style games. You can find endless ideas for these on Pinterest!
• Have a Dance Party. No denying that people can get a little weird on the dance floor - and it is the BEST! Feel free to throw in a dance contest or add some dance floor props while you are at it!
• Go a Little Crazy. What if you had adult bouncy houses? A mechanical bull? Some crazy carnival ride? Imagine the laughter and memories this could bring!
• Include Contests. One of our favorite parties of all time had a lip sync battle between employees. They prepared ahead of time, had costumes and the whole shebang. It was killer. We highly recommend it!
• Follow a Theme. You can include a lot of ideas around a theme - and don't be afraid to have fun with this! Remember, people go to weddings and formal events often throughout the year, but how often do the REALLY HAVE FUN? Murder Mystery Dinners, Progressive Dinners, or a magical costume party are a few to get you started :)

Hope these ideas help get you started! Whatever you choose to do - Sound Wave can help you make it amazing. Looking forward to helping with your event!

​Sound Wave Events
208-891-0094
www.soundwaveevents.com
celebrate@soundwaveevents.com

Preparing for your wedding rehearsal but not quite sure where to start?  We can help!  There are a couple of key things to go through at your rehearsal:

1. Walk the venue and review your layout, set up instructions, etc. Make any needed changes and notify applicable parties.

2. Run through the ceremony with your officiant and wedding party. The main goal of the rehearsal is to help your wedding party and family feel confident walking down the aisle. When they leave, they should know:

• Who they are walking with 
• How to pace themselves walking down the aisle (not too slow, not too fast)
• Where they should stand at the front of the ceremony (the LAST couple on your list should walk FIRST and stand at the far end of the ceremony)
• What they should do with their hands/bouquets. Ideally all the Bridesmaids do the same thing and all the Groomsmen do the same thing. This helps with photos :) :)
• How to exit the ceremony. Should they dance out, walk out calmly?
• It is fun to practice this to your chosen songs but PLEASE do not try to have you or your wedding party walk to certain parts of the songs they are walking to. This is incredibly difficult to match the day of the wedding (unless we have pre-cut songs for you) because things will happen a little bit differently when the ceremony is actually happening. People will walk faster or slower than expected, flower girls will sit down in the middle of the aisle, etc. Plan for the unexpected and have this part of your wedding be flexible. You will thank us later :) 

3. Run through the full ceremony with your Officiant so you are comfortable and confident with how the process will go the day of your wedding.

4. Lastly, who should attend the rehearsal?

• You, your fiance, your escort who will be walking you down the aisle, wedding party, wedding coordinator (if you have one), your officiant, and anyone else doing something special during the ceremony (like a reading). This will help everyone be clear on things for the day of.
• If you have a Sound Wave DJ, he will not need to attend the rehearsal. He and his assistant will help your wedding party know when to walk down the aisle and cue the music the day of and things will go fabulously! 

Hope this helps as you plan your rehearsal! Let us know if we can assist in any other way!

Sound Wave Events
208-891-0094
www.soundwaveevents.com
celebrate@soundwaveevents.com

As your wedding is getting close it is time to start planning your timeline. This can be a daunting task, especially as it is probably your first time taking this on.  We have some helpful tips for you!  Here we go:

Say what?!?!  Plan my wedding backward??  What does that even mean?  It means, start at your end time and plan backward from there. Most couples pick a wedding start time randomly or based on what times other weddings have started that they have attended. This won't always create the type of experience you are hoping for.  Take for example if you plan your ceremony at 3pm and want your wedding to end a 11pm. This will give you almost 4 hours of dancing time. This can be great IF you and your group love, love, love dancing. Maybe you plan to start your wedding at sunset, say 7:30pm, but have to end at 10pm per venue rules.  This will leave you with only 20-30 minutes of dancing. Does this fit with your ideal? So ask:

This is key. Are you a dancing fool or a hang and chat type of person? How much time would you like for dancing, mingling, and celebrating after all the festivities are done? Also consider your sunset time (look it up!).  Do you envision dancing during sunset, during the day or at night? Now next...

Think about the last wedding or event you attended, how long did you spend there? Are you comfortable asking your guests to spend 4 hours with you? 6? 8? 10 hours? How long will the guests be drinking during this time? Will they tire out? Will it be hot at your wedding? What makes sense for your group? With these things in mind, consider how much time you want after the special activities to dance, chill, and celebrate. :) 

Once you have your end time and how much dancing time you would like, you can build in time for your special activities, dinner, and cocktail hour.  Here is a guide of how long special activities take:

Anniversary Dance - 5 Minutes
Dollar Dance - 10 Minutes
Cake Cutting - 10 Minutes
Garter Toss - 5 Minutes
Bouquet Toss - 5 Minutes
Parent's Dances - 5 Minutes Each
First Dance - 5 Minutes
Toasts - 5 Minutes per Person
Dinner - Less Than 100 People - 45 Minutes
Dinner - More Than 100 People - 60 Minutes
Grand Entrance  - 5 Minutes
Cocktail Hour - 30-60 Minutes
Ceremony (Standard) – 30 Minutes
Ceremony (Full Mass) – 60 Minutes + travel time from Cathedral

Once you have worked through this exercise, you can work backward to your ceremony start time.  This will ensure that you plan enough, but not too much time for your wedding.  We hope these tips help you plan your perfect day!  

Want to talk more about your timeline and how to put it all together? Contact us today - we are happy to help!

Sound Wave Events
208-891-0094
www.soundwaveevents.com
celebrate@soundwaveevents.com

Ahhh Pinterest how we love thee! An unlimited resource for wedding and event ideas at the touch of our fingertips. The one thing we have noticed about a lot of images we see online is that they don't point out the important lighting that made the photos possible. As you are planning your decor, consider how lighting can set the mood, highlight items, and create the atmosphere you are dreaming about. Here are examples of the most popular lighting options that will help your vision come to life:

Curious about how lighting can add to your event? Contact us today for your custom lighting tour at our studio.  We would love to show you all of the options in person and brainstorm some beautiful options for you. 

Sound Wave Events
208-891-0094
www.soundwaveevents.com
celebrate@soundwaveevents.com

Have you given thought to having a First Look for your wedding?  A First Look is a special moment where the groom sees the bride for the first time, before the wedding.  This is different than the tradition of the groom not seeing the bride before the ceremony and there are some good reasons more couples are choosing a First Look for their wedding reveal.  This is a very personal decision but worth giving some extra thought: 

1. Savor the Moment: No rush, no stress, just a perfect moment for the two of you to enjoy the beauty of your wedding day. First look moments typically happen privately - just Bride, Groom, Photographer and Videographer. This makes it intimate, special, and meaningful. While walking down the aisle has it's own magic, often there are so many things running through a bride's mind (like don't trip, don't trip - lol) that it is hard to take in the moment of that bridal reveal.  A first look sets that moment aside and makes it memorable. 

2. Capture His Reaction: Having a private moment for a first look allows you (and your photographer) to capture your groom's reaction to your wedding day beauty. These photos are harder to get during the ceremony and are priceless! 

3. More Time for Photos: The time between a ceremony and the beginning of a reception should hopefully be no more than 45 minutes.  After about an hour, guests start to feel restless and ready for the reception activities to begin. You can definitely get your photos done in 45 minutes but it is much less rushed to have a couple of hours to get the shots that are most important to you - including photos with your wedding party and family.  With these done, you have time after the ceremony to spend some much needed one on one time together and get a few more special photos. 

4. Curb Your Emotions:  A wedding day can be a little emotional - or a lot emotional.  So many things going through your mind and lots of nerves.  A first look can help calm your emotions so during your ceremony you can feel more present and less nervous. One of our Brides swears she would have been a hot mess during her ceremony without the First Look - it helped her relax and feel more at ease as she said her I do's. 

When it comes to making a decision about whether or not to have a first look, remember that there is no right or wrong - just right for you and your wedding.  Happy wedding planning,

Sound Wave Events
www.soundwaveevents.com
208-891-0094
celebrate@soundwaveevents.com

A Good DJ Will:

• Cue Wedding Party for ceremony processional with the music (DJ or live performer)
• Work with all your vendors to make sure everyone is aware of important upcoming activities that involve or affect them
• Ensure that the reception timeline is followed and the evening flows along smoothly - making adjustments as needed
• Keep an eye on the important people at your wedding (like your parents) so they don't miss any of the special moments

A Day Of Coordinator Will:

• Confirm vendors - including arrival and departure times
• Assist during your rehearsal
• Ensure that your wedding party is on time to day of appointments - hair, make up, dressing, etc. 
• Complete a venue walk through and floor plan, suggestions on placement of items and setup
• Collection of any wedding items prior to wedding to be brought to and set up at your wedding venue(s) such as favors, programs, guest book, place cards, etc.
• Greet vendors, ensure all arrive and deliver as contracted, receive deliveries
• Make sure that your transportation throughout the day is prompt
• Ensure that all special items (such as unity candle) are accounted for and placed properly
• Set up centerpieces, if needed
• Assist with distribution of wedding flower bouquets, boutineers and flower girl baskets
• Assist with pinning on corsages and boutonnieres
• Make sure guests with special needs are attended to, assist guests with questions
• Ensure that the best man has the wedding bands in his pocket
• Ensure that the marriage license is signed
• Assist your maid of honor or mom with bustling your gown and changing your attire if needed
• Make sure that guest seating plan and/or place cards are displayed properly
• Manage wedding gift attendant to make sure that all cards are attached to the gifts to keep track of what was received and from whom
• Ensure that all wedding favors, photos, table numbers, signs, menus, disposable cameras, toasting flutes, cake cutter and server, etc., are placed properly
• Make sure that any special meals (such as vegetarian requests) are taken care of
• Distribute gratuities to the proper people and vendors on your behalf
• Pack up all your personal items, top tier of your wedding cake, disposable cameras, gifts, etc. at the end of the celebration and place them in the appropriate cars

Note: services may vary between coordinators/package

So, do you need a Day of Coordinator?  It may be worth looking into.  Can your mom, sister, or maid of honor take care of these things?  Sure....but do they want to focus on this all evening or enjoy the festivities?  We highly recommend researching your options.  Here are a couple of referrals for you: 

Are you planning to hire a DJ for your event, but aren't quite sure where to start?  With dozens of DJs popping up in your Google search, how do you know who is best?  Your DJ can be responsible for 80% of the success of your event - isn't that crazy? But it is true...your DJ is making announcements, taking care of the flow of the event, playing music for your crowd, and setting the mood for your celebration. But not to stress - hiring a DJ can be a made simpler as you ask these questions:

1. Will you be able to meet your Actual DJ before you book?        
2. Does your DJ do planning with you for your event?  Are they flexible to talk over the phone, email or meet in person?
3. Does your DJ have an office where he can meet you?  If not, where will meetings take place?
4. How will your DJ perform on the mic?  Does it match your style and needs?      
5. Will your DJ stick to the plan you have made and be flexible with any changes that come up at the event?
6. Does your DJ take breaks during the evening? If so, who takes care of music during this time?       
7. Does your DJ play from a playlist or choose songs one at a time based on the crowd? How does your DJ respond to guest requests? Will he honor your must play and do not play lists?    
8. Will there be two DJs at your event to help coordinate your special activities and create an awesome party - or just one?       
9. Is your DJ know and recommended by other vendors you are working with?
10. Have you read reviews from past clients of your DJ? What are past cleints saying? 

Important Questions, right?!? Don't be shy about asking these questions to a potential DJ. With 80% of your event's success at stake, it is important to know that you have the best DJ for your event. 

We would love to answer these questions for you - contact us today and we can chat!

Sound Wave Events
Photo Booth Boise, McCall, Sun Valley
208-891-0094
celebrate@soundwaveevents.com

Most of us have been to events that have had a photo booth...and some of us have even ventured in to that fun and crazy place (don't worry, we won't share those embarrassing moments on your social feed! HA!). As you are planning your wedding or event, you may have wondered if a photo booth is worth the investment. Will the guests enjoy it? Will it sit empty all night? Will it be the talk of the event?  Here are a few things to consider when deciding if a photo booth is worth it:

1. A memorable guest favor. Are you planning to provide jars of jam or customized candles as guest favors for your wedding?  We are seeing more and more couples moving away from the costly guest favors of the past and instead, investing in a photo booth. Your guests leave with a photo to remember their memories long after the candle has burned out. Plus, you have the digital copies of images that you can share after the night is over. 

​2. Great for down time. Wondering if your guests will have enough to occupy their time during cocktail hour, once they are done eating, or if they aren't the dancing type? Photo booths are a great way to keep people engaged through slower parts of an event. 

3. Connection. Perhaps our favorite thing about photo booths are the connection it allows guests to make as they laugh, smile, and let their silly side out. These are memories that people hold on to and it connects them to each other and to you!

4. Memories. At your event, you won't be able to experience all of the memorable things that happen throughout the day. What you have to look back at is all of your wonderful photos. Having a photo booth allows you to experience more of the fun times your guests had. This is always worth it.

Want to explore your photo booth options in more detail?  Learn more on our website or contact us today!

Sound Wave Events
Photo Booth Boise, McCall, Sun Valley
208-891-0094
celebrate@soundwaveevents.com