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Congratulations to the Winner of the First Dance iPod Nano Give Away!!!

February 1, 2009 | editorial team

J. Garner Photography, romantic wedding first dance songs
(Image by J. Garner Photography)

After over 200 comments and nearly 300 first dance songs suggested, we’ve tallied the results and randomly chosen a lucky winner! Big congratulations to Bernadette who has won the iPod Nano, and who’s first dance song will be “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” by the king himself, Elvis Presley. Thanks to everyone who commented and contributed their fantastic ideas!

John and Joseph Photography, La Vie Photography and GH Kim Photography, wedding first dances
(Images by John and Joseph Photography, La Vie Photography and GH Kim Photography)

It was amazing to read about all the meaningful, romantic, creative and quirky first dance songs being chosen. I wish I could witness them all! It just goes to show that every couple is unique, and no matter what, their wedding is a reflection of their very own personal style. Love it!

We’re working on compiling the list of songs into a useful and interactive format, but until then here are the fascinating top 5 results…

1. “Everything” by Michael Buble (with 9 comments)(YouTube)

2. “Better Together” by Jack Johnson (with 6 comments)(YouTube)

3. “You are the Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne (with 6 comments)(YouTube)

4. “At Last” by Etta James (with 6 comments)(YouTube)

5. “Grow Old with You” by Adam Sandler (with 5 comments)(YouTube)

John and Joseph Photography and J. Garner Photography, creative and unique first wedding dance songs
(Images by J. Garner Photography and John and Joseph Photography)

And since we’re doing top 5 lists, here our our top 5 tips for a successful first dance!

1. If you feel like you have two left feet, grab your sweetie and take a few dance lessons! They’re a great date night activity leading up to the wedding and they’ll make you feel far more confident when the big moment arrives.

2. If photos of your first dance are important to you, be sure your dance floor is nicely lit, and that you dance together through the entire song (no cutting in by parents or wedding party) so you really have time to enjoy the experience and your photographer has ample opportunity to capture this emotional moment.

3. If you’re having a live band at your reception, be sure you’ve given them a recorded example of your first dance song. There are many versions of songs out there and they’ll want to know which one you have in mind. If you plan to play a recorded version, be sure your band or venue has the correct equipment available and set up ahead of time so there’s no last minute scrambling!

4. Be very careful if you are organizing the music yourself. Though we adore iPods, we’ve repeatedly seen difficult situations and heard disappointing stories from couples about using them at weddings as a substitution for a DJ or band. No one wants that! The most common culprits? Equipment that unexpectedly breaks, sound systems that aren’t loud enough for large event spaces, not being able to easily match the music to the flow of the event, and all the time it takes for the bride and groom to continually manage the music instead of enjoying themselves at their reception.

5. Have fun! Relax and enjoy this once in a lifetime moment. Everyone at your wedding loves you, so you’ll never have a more supportive audience while you’re in the spotlight.

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Real Weddings- Heather and Chris

January 30, 2009 | editorial team

Today’s Real Wedding is an absolute feast for the eyes! Heather and Chris are a fascinating and full of life couple, who besides being gorgeous themselves, hosted a gorgeous Indian inspired wedding celebration late last August that was absolutely bursting with personality. It was photographed by Stephanie Cristalli and is a pure delight to see!

Stephanie Cristalli Photography, Indian inspired summer wedding

Just after Heather and Chris returned from a life changing 3 week trip to India, they saw a Hermes ad campaign called Hermes Orange, India Pink that reminded them of the colors and people of Rajasthan that they loved so much. These rich and exotic images became the base of their wedding style and color palette inspiration, which made a striking combination with the ultra modern setting of Seattle’s Olympic Sculpture Park, overlooking the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountain Range. How fabulous is that?

Hermes Orange, India Pink ad campaign

To create the wedding they envisioned, Heather and Chris hired the talented team at True Colors Events, and the thoughtful officiant Sean Partrick O’Reilly. Their ceremony was spiritual, personal and inclusive, combining elements of Australia (where they live) and subtle touches of Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism. They chose to have no attendants so that every guest felt their importance in the ceremony, and they released live butterflies during a special blessing to honor the spirits of their loved ones. Bright and lush flowers by Florarama Modern Design led their way down the aisle, and some guests sat in the grass on cushions hand made by Heather’s mom.

Stephanie Cristalli Photography, Indian inspired summer wedding, pink, orange blue and green wedding color palette

After the touching ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails while watching the sun go down over the water, and moved inside for dinner from Taste Events and music by DJ Sean from Seattle Parties. Heather’s blue and white wedding dress by Badgley Mischka looked amazing next to the colorful art hanging on the walls, the table tops and lounge areas were decorated in white, orange and fuchsia, and mini Trophy Cupcakes were served instead of traditional wedding cake. What a fun wedding!

Thanks so much for sharing it with us you two! It is spectacularly inspirational!

Stephanie Cristalli Photography, Indian inspired summer wedding, Olympic Sculpture Park Seattle

For more information on all that went into Heather and Chris’ wedding day, and many, many others, please visit our Real Weddings section!

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Wedding Genealogy Charts from Melangerie Inc.

January 28, 2009 | editorial team

After being inundated with wonderful messages on Facebook this morning (It’s my birthday! And is Facebook not the very best thing to happen to birthdays?) I’ve got family and friends on my mind. What a perfect day to show off the super cool family trees and genealogy charts made just for your wedding by the gals at Melangerie

wedding family tree and genealogy chart from Melangerie

These creatively designed charts map out all of your friends, family and wedding party and how they’re related to you and your sweetie. You can display it at the wedding to help guests know who’s who, and keep it as a family heirloom long after the fact. Customize it to match your wedding colors and personal style, order one framed or unframed, and even have it turned into paper place mats for your reception! Such a fun idea. Visit the Melangerie website or their Etsy shop for more information.

 

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