Food Bars - Fun Food Trends For Your Next Party

Who doesn’t look forward to the food at a party? We all have to eat, right? Make the meal something special by getting the guests involved.
A recent trend that is popping up is food bars. Take one base item and make a buffet of side items so party guests can make their own treats. This way guests can make what they actually like instead of having a pre-assembled meal or treat.
Have an ice cream bar. Start with a bowl of vanilla or chocolate ice cream. Put out lots of toppings for people to choose from such as rainbow sprinkles, chocolate chips, graham crackers, M&M’s and cherries. Then add bottles of chocolate, caramel and peanut butter topping. Don’t forget the whipped cream.
You can do this with the main meal as well. Have a hotdog or hamburger bar. Give guests a plain hotdog or hamburger and let them put as many toppings as they want on it- cheese, onions, tomatoes, relish, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, mayo, even pineapple! Try it with pizza. Start with a plain cheese pizza. Put out any combination of toppings you like from pepperoni and sausage to french fries and mozzarella sticks.
Already have the main meal planned? Have a baked potato bar or popcorn bar or hot chocolate bar- the possibilities are endless.

Extra Entertainment Bonuses Make for a Great Party

When throwing a party the number one goal is to make it enjoyable. We all just want to have fun. Having a great DJ and great food can make a party. To make it even more memorable add some fun extras. Your guests will enjoy the effort you put in to make sure they have a great time. Here at Create Excitement we offer numerous bonuses you can add to your package.

Want to get everyone involved in the party? Try Karaoke. Everyone will get to pick their favorite song to rock out too. And the audience will be laughing and singing along watching their friends and family put on a show. You can find our song list here.

Add a photo booth to the party. Provide fun and silly props for guests to use in the pictures. Everyone will get a great keepsake from the party and have fun doing it. Have two copies of the pictures printed out- one for the guests to keep and one to put in a scrapbook for you.

Want to make the party more personal? Make a photo montage. Photo Montages are a great way to keep guests entertained during dinner. Compile your favorite photos and give them to us. We’ll help you put it all together. We can even set the montage to music of your choice.
 
To see even more party extras check out our website.

DIY Wedding Ideas By Dana Ricci

Incorporating do-it-yourself items into weddings is one trend that has been popping up with increasing frequency. From fashion accessories to favors, throwing in some DIY items into your wedding will allow you to add a personal and unique touch to your wedding. Not to mention, it's a great way to save money and get exactly what you want. Since it's becoming so popular, there are a number of resources on the Internet and in magazines for fun and easy wedding DIY projects. Here are some of my favorites.

"Mustache and Muah" chocolate lollipop favors - When it comes to making party favors, there aren't too many ways to go about it that are more fun than making chocolate. These adorable mustache- and lip-shaped chocolate lollipops will make stylish and delicious favors for your guests. Plus, the instructions come with a template that you can download and personalize with your names and wedding colors! Source: The Wedding Chicks

Crepe Paper Flowers - This helpful how-to from Martha Stewart provides instructions and patterns for many different types of crepe paper flowers. You can use these in bouquets and boutonnieres or make centerpieces, garland, and other decorations from them. The possibilities are endless! Plus, you'll get to keep these flowers much longer than you would fresh flowers. Source: Martha Stewart.

Paper Lanterns - Paper lanterns are always a lovely addition to an outdoor wedding. With these instructions, you can make them match any color or theme. Source: Green Wedding Shoes

Terrarium Placeholders - These terrarium-inspired placeholders are sure to be a conversation piece for your guests. They're made from Christmas ornaments but don't look like they're for the holidays at all. Also, if the garden theme for the terrarium isn't your style or season, you can fill the ornament with sequins, glitter, tinsel, small silk or ribbon flowers, shreds of sheet music, or a combination of items. Be creative! Source: Green Wedding Shoes

Sequin Clutch - Anyone with a plain clutch, some sequins, and a glue gun can make this beautiful sequin clutch! Use silver or gold, or find sequins to match your colors. Source: Style Me Pretty

Painted Heels - A great way to incorporate a splash of color into your ensemble on your wedding day - or any day, for that matter - is with colorful shoes. These instructions make it a piece of cake to make any plain pair of shoes a one-of-a-kind accessory. Source: Style Me Pretty

Remember at Create Excitement, your music selection is always DIY. We offer a number of options that allow you to personalize the entertainment so it perfectly fits your event! Be sure to browse through our packages for more details.

Renee & William – Married at the Eagle Ridge Golf in Lakewood NJ

We're always happy to have the opportunity to create a video highlighting one of the events that we were a part of Renee and William's July Wedding of the Eagle Ridge Golf Club in Lakewood was an evening to remember, and we were there, providing the music. Renee and William chose many of their songs, making the reception truly personalized and unique - and of course, a whole lot of fun.

Renee and William carefully preselected many of their song choices, including introduction songs for each couple in the bridal party and both the bride and groom's parents. The reception was off to a great start with 12 Wedding Reception Introduction Songs in under four high-energy minutes. Renee and William's shared their first dance to a custom edit we made of “Something” by the Beatles. We removed part of the middle of the song and created a seamless blend. It was a special moment indeed.

As the night no we list up the dance floor while the guests showed off their moves. We provided our intelligent Dance Floor Lighting option as well as custom color up Lighting around the fireplace. The dancing continued until the very last long. “Glad you came,” played. The guests and the couple all went home happy from a joyful evening where memories were made.

At create excitement our goal is to make your event a night to remember that's completely inspired by you. For more information on the services we provide to make your event a night to remember, browse through our Wedding Reception Package.

Organize the Perfect Photo Montage

Dana Ricci 

 

Photographs have always been popular, but they are now more than ever in an age where people are always carrying small cameras and camera phones to capture and share moments with friends. So why not share photos with guests at your wedding or special event? One great way to do this is with a photo montage. At Create Excitement we offer photo montages that will display your photos on our large screens during the cocktail or dinner segment of your reception and are set to the music of your choice.

If you’re choosing a photo montage, there are a few techniques that can make the montage even more special. When selecting pictures, a good method for going about it is to think of the montage as an opportunity to tell a story through photographs. If it’s a wedding you’re choosing a photo montage for, it will work nicely to start by doing a few baby pictures of the bride, then switch to the groom’s baby shots, then show photos of the bride when she’s a tad older, and alternate that way until you get to the first photographs of the couple together. Organizing it chronologically like this really visualizes the story of the newly-married couple. If you are making a photo montage for a graduation, birthday party, or a religious celebration and there is only one guest of honor, use the same model and start with baby pictures and work up chronologically to current pictures.

For whatever occasion the photo montage is for, try to include family and friends who will be attending. Use photographs that include people who will be at the event, that way they can see their part in the story. Another tip: everyone always goes nuts for the adorable baby pictures and the goofy shots, so be creative! Include posed and charming photos, but don’t forget the candid shots of mismatched outfits and funny faces.

A photo montage is something that always brings smiles to faces. It’s a way to bring back pleasant memories and share a story. This is why they are great at any occasion. At Create Excitement, all of our photo montages come with a DVD of the photos and music that you can keep and revisit. Even if you don’t have an event to display one at, you can give a DVD of one as thoughtful, personalized gift. A photo montage is the perfect add-on to any of our services too! And we will work with you to make a custom photo montage that is perfect for your event. Please wedding photo montage music for more information about our services. Also, see our list of song suggestions photo montage anniversary songs.

For more inspiration for your special event, check out our Pinterest page here!

Make Your Vintage Wedding Complete with Vintage Wedding Songs

Dana Ricci

While modern and traditional weddings are popular, one style that keeps popping up in wedding trends is vintage. Vintage weddings are elegant and fun, and people are choosing vintage styles in all aspects of their weddings – from bridal party attire to decorations and favors. But if there’s one touch that will make a vintage wedding even more authentic, it’s music. We have plenty of songs from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s in our extensive music library that will set the mood and take guests back in time. Here are seven classics:

The Man I love – Billie Holiday: This 1920s slow song is sure to turn anyone into a hopeless romantic.

It Had to Be You – Frank Sinatra: It’s hard for me to say no to Frank, especially with the strings and horns going throughout the song, but we also have the Isham Jones orchestra version. Either one is a perfect addition to a vintage wedding.

Someone to Watch Over Me – Ella Fitzgerald: A true 1920s Gershwin classic, this song will slow things down and make the crowd nostalgic.

Cheek to Cheek – Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw: This 1930s hit is a little more upbeat and sure to get people doing some swing dancing!

Night and Day –Artie Shaw, Cole Porter: This song sounds like it’s straight out of a 1930s love story. It’s catchy and fun!

Swinging on a Star - Bing Crosby: Would you like to swing on a star? Carry moonbeams home in a jar? This is a 1940s classic that guests will likely know the words to (heck, I do). It’s a memorable favorite.

Opus One – Tommy Dorsey: This is a big band song where the horns and clarinets do all the talking.

Here at Create Excitement, we’re happy to work with you and help you choose the right song selection to make your event extra special. We have over 100,000 songs to choose from including many more vintage songs. Also, be sure to check out our Pinterest 2012 Wedding Trends board for more vintage inspiration!

Get Your Guests Moving with Crowd Participation Songs

Dana Ricci

A favorite part of any reception is the open dance. This gives your guests the chance to let loose and have some fun on the dance floor in the company of family and friends. Open dance time is also when guests will celebrate your reception with you, so it’s definitely a time when fond memories are made.

As a former wedding photographer, I’ve been to quite a few weddings. One thing I’ve noticed is that sometimes it takes some time for guests to make the transition from sitting at their tables after their meal to getting up and dancing. People may feel awkward hitting the dance floor if it’s empty aside from a few people swaying in the corners, so what you’ll need are songs that will make everyone get out of their seats and make their way over there!

One way to do this is to throw in a crowd participation song relatively early in the evening, and mix some in with the music for the rest of night. These songs can be line dances or a group dance songs that nearly everyone knows the choreography to. Since they are familiar and fun, these songs will get guests up and dancing. And more often than not, once they are out on the dance floor they usually stay there! Here are five of my favorites that we offer:

The Wobble – I tried this in Florida recently and it is just too fun! The moves are simple if you don’t know it, and with an upbeat horn and percussion section throughout the song, it’s almost impossible not to dance to it.

The Time Warp – Maybe this is just the musical theater junkie in me talking, but I don’t see how anyone could stay away from the dance floor during this rock classic from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The exaggerated dance moves are not only fun to do, but fun to watch other people do.

Cupid Shuffle – Another contemporary favorite, and with just some shuffles, kicks and turns, it’s the perfect song to get the crowd moving.

Grease Lightning – Even if you haven’t seen Grease, chances are you’re familiar with its most popular song. This is a great one to get the guys and the girls singing to each other, including several Sandy’s and Danny’s going for that high note at the end!

Head Snappin’ (Cha Cha Slide 3) – A new take on Casper’s Cha Cha Slide, this catchy song lays out all the steps for you.

We offer many more crowd participation songs to get your guests moving! And we are more than happy to work with you on picking out the perfect music to make your event special. For a larger list of our crowd participation songs, Disc Jockey Parties. Also see our Five Ideas to Get Your Guests Involved in the Open Dancing Segments of Your Reception on other tips on how to get your guests involved during open dance sessions.