Blog – MARX entertainment

11 Tips and Tricks to Make Your Wedding Planning Easier

We get it, wedding planning isn’t easy. Sure, it’s all hearts, butterflies and rainbows when you first get engaged, but the planning process can seem incredibly overwhelming. This is why we’ve decided to create a list of some creative tips and tricks that can make your wedding planing that much easier for you.

1. Get married somewhere for practically free!

Yup, you heard it right. Some nature reserves, public gardens or parks actually allow you to use their facility for a small donation!

Photography by C2 Photography

2. Number your RSVP cards to keep track of your guests.

If someone doesn’t respond or you can’t legibly read their handwriting, you’ll know exactly who is coming to your wedding regardless.

Photography From Adeline Rose Events

3. Have a separate email for your wedding planning needs.

You are going to have a lot of communications with vendors. To keep it well organized, have a separate email account specifically for your wedding planning needs.

Photography from Mindy Weiss Party Consultants

4. Be eco-friendly by using thank-you postcards or e-cards.

Not only will you be helping the environment, you’ll be happy to save time and money on sealing and labeling 200 envelopes to thank your guests.

Photography from WEDFEST

5. Color-code your seating chart with sticky notes.

You’ll thank us when you need to start moving people around because your Aunt Edna truly doesn’t jive with Cousin Barb.

Photography from Something Turquoise

6. Double up your programs as fans.

If you are planning a summer wedding, why not help your guests out by allowing your programs to act as fans? Remember, it’s all about making your life easier. Plan smarter, not harder!

Photography from Paper and Lace Shop

7. Have guests fill out envelopes with their addresses during the reception.

Put envelopes and pens at their table or set up a designated area to help save you time when filling out your thank-you letters. Plus, it will help you when you try to track down everyone’s address instead of scrambling last minute.

Photography by Heather Ellis Photography

8. Entertain the kiddos with activity books or other small table games.

Chances are, you’ll probably have children at your wedding reception. Treat it like a restaurant to get them coloring or doing some type of activity during points of the reception you don’t want them running around.

Photography by Something Turquoise

9. Don’t open up gifts alone!

Have one person open your wedding gifts while the other one writes down labels of who gave you what. That way you’ll have a much easier time when writing your thank-you cards.

Photography from Ever After Guide

10. Wedding and Bridal shows are your best friend.

Lots of vendor and bridal shows will give away freebies that could be useful for your wedding planning. It will also give you a chance to meet vendors you may not have heard about or have face to face interactions with ones you’ve been researching. Make sure you’re attending at least a few of these during your wedding planning process.

Photography from Premium Beat

11. Create a wedding #Hashtag!

People are going to be blowing up social media with photos, why not have a hashtag specific for your wedding so you can have those moments too?

Photography by Love Me Do Photography

Planning your wedding doesn’t have to be overly chaotic. Try using some of these helpful tips to ensure that your day is as stress-free as possible. Besides, with DJs from MARX, you’ll have all of your lighting and music needs covered for the night!

August 28, 2017

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Don’t Make These Mistakes At Your Wedding

Photo Credit from Bridal Guide

One of the most important aspects of your wedding is to ensure that the music for the procession and the reception are on point. While your wedding DJ is responsible for entertaining your guest throughout your big day, there are several key mistakes that we see the bride and groom make when creating the soundtrack to their big day. Don’t worry, MARX is here to ensure that you have a flawless day by setting the perfect ambiance for you. Make sure to avoid these common mistakes when focusing on the music for your Wedding.

Being Your Own DJ

A big trend that we are starting to see with all of the DIY weddings out there are people becoming their own DJ. We can not stress how much we do not recommend this idea. First, you are creating your own playlist that most likely won’t gracefully flow from one song to the next. Also, having your own personal DJ for the day doesn’t just ensure that the music will be catered to maintaining the feel of your wedding day, but will also provide an all night entertainer for the day. What if something goes wrong with the sound system? Or what if your iPod dies and then Uncle Joe decides to take over the DJ responsibility, and we all know how much Uncle Joe loves the Cha Cha Slide. Alleviate the stress of your day by having a DJ take care of your music needs.

A Silent Ceremony

Photo Credit from PopSugar

There will be at least 30 minutes prior to the actual wedding where guests will be coming in and out of the church or the venue as they socialize with old relatives they haven’t seen in years or friends they are catching up with. Make sure your guests aren’t sitting in a room of silence. Not to mention, when the music quiets down, you’ll have the universal sign that it is time for the ceremony to begin without having to call your guests out.

Not Mixing Up Your Genres

We understand that you probably are a huge EDM fan, but we’re going to go ahead and let you know without even meeting your guests that not everyone probably does. Make sure to mix up the genres that are on your wedding reception playlists to be considerate of all of your guests. Our DJs at MARX can help create a cross-generational playlist that fits your needs along with being able to mix with your crowd appropriately. Besides, nothing can really take away from the energy of your dancing crowds then too many slow songs.

Photo Credit Lorusso Studios

Forgetting Your Do-Not-Play Playlist

As your wedding DJ, we are here to make the perfect playlist for you. Sometimes, you may not have enough music in your collection of songs you want to play and will allow for us to take the reigns since we have years of experience working the crowds. One thing we encourage all of our couples to do is to create their do-not-play playlist. These are the songs that you and your partner have no desire to have at their wedding. You’ll have a much better experience knowing that the songs you are going to hear at your wedding will be the ones you actually want to hear.

We’ll never tell you what your playlist should and shouldn’t consist of on your big day. What we want to do is guide you along the way to help you avoid some of the most common mistakes we see as professional DJs with years of experience. Let the DJs at MARX help you to create the perfect playlist, the perfect ambiance and take away the headache of focusing on your wedding music. This day is all about the unity of you and your partner. So keep on dancing and leave the music to us!

July 26, 2017

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6 Wedding Traditions You Will Love

Something old, something new, something used, something blue. There is something truly special about taking part in traditions. From the bride wearing white or having a best man, traditions are something to be cherished. MARX works with couples through all walks of life during the planning of their Boston Weddings. Because of this, we have been lucky enough to experience some truly amazing wedding traditions that we want to share with you!

wedding traditions from around the world

Photo from Perfect Details

Releasing of the Doves in the Philippines

As tradition has it, Filipino wedding couples will release two doves at their wedding receptions. As many people know, doves represent peace, love and innocence. When the couple releases the doves, it is meant to symbolize the two of them spending a harmonious, long life together.

The Second Line Parade in New Orleans

New Orleans is known for bands parading in the streets. The first line is for the main members of the band, while the second line includes anyone who wants to join in the parade while they wave a handkerchief in the air. This signifies the start of a new life together. Usually the wedding couple will join the first line while the guests are encouraged to join the second line.

Share the Sake in Japan

The tradition of san-san-kudo, also known as sharing of the sake, is a long time tradition at weddings in Japan. The bride and groom will each have three sips of sake from three flat sake cups. The parents of the bride and groom will do the same to bond the families together for life.

House Parties in Texas

It’s common in Texas to avoid having a bridal party or bridesmaids. So what they will do instead is they will have what is called a “house party” which consists of the bride’s friends and family members. These people are assigned to partake in the ceremony, taking care of programs, guest books and other various wedding and bachelorette festivities. The main difference is that these house party guests won’t stand at the altar with the bride and groom.

Steal the Groom’s Shoes in India

Photo By London Dunbar

At a traditional Indian wedding, the sister of the bride will steal the groom’s shoes as a joke or prank once he enters into the wedding tent. In order for the groom to get his shoes back, he will have to bribe the sister to return his shoes before he leaves the tent.

Viennese Hour in New York

Originally this tradition of a Viennese Hour was from Italy which normally takes place after dinner and the cutting of the wedding cake. This is by far one of our favorites because it consists of a HUGE arrangement of desserts from ice cream and candy to chocolate-covered fruits and cookies.

Your wedding is about combining two families and making them one. You’ll be taking traditions from each of your families to bring into the planning of your Boston wedding. Now that you are starting your own family, think about starting your own traditions!

February 27, 2017

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11 Untraditional Songs to Walk Down the Aisle To

Photograph from HappyWed.Com

More than likely, your guests have been to a wedding before. Many of these weddings may feel the same, but we guarantee that yours won’t! Your wedding is a resemblance of the love of you and your partner; a unique adventure that only the two of you will experience together. At MARX, we encourage our couples to think outside of the box, especially when it comes to their music selection.

When you walk down the aisle, many people use traditional songs like Canon in D or Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Lucky for you, with a wide range of access to music, our Cape Cod DJs can help provide you with a wide range of songs to choose from. From underground indie tracks to something up-beat that takes your guests by surprise, you are the conductor and anything goes. Not to mention that there are not rules of how you have to run your wedding day because it is exactly that: YOUR wedding day. And what about the recessional? Most of the time, people think about the father daughter dance, their first dance or which of the Cha-Cha Slides they’ll be playing at their reception. What many people forget is that they need to choose a song that the newly weds will walk away from as partners for life! This is the first time that the world will see the two of you together as a married couple and choosing the perfect song will make quite the impact.

Photograph by Jessica Jane Photography

Even if the music doesn’t necessarily fit the tone of your entire wedding, you can always find a more classical approach to a more untraditional song that is out there to help create the ambiance that you desire. We like being able to give our brides and grooms a wide variety of genres to choose from which is why we developed an eclectic list of songs that will start to get your brain thinking and your feet tapping. Here are 11 untraditional songs that you can walk down the aisle to as well as for your recessional.

1. Stay With Me by Sam Smith

2. Love Me Now by John Legend

3. She by Elvis Costello

4. Halo by One Republic

5. Everything Has Changed by Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran

6. Awake My Soul by Mumford and Sons

7. God Only Knows by The Beach Boys

8. Feels Like Home by Chantal Kreviazuk

9. I Won’t Give Up by Jason Mraz

10. The Luckiest by Ben Fold

11. Grow Old With Me by John Lennon

February 10, 2017

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Don’t Make These Mistakes At Your Rhode Island Wedding

Photo Credit from Bridal Guide

One of the most important aspects of your wedding is to ensure that the music for the procession and the reception are on point. While your wedding DJ is responsible for entertaining your guest throughout your big day, there are several key mistakes that we see the bride and groom make when creating the soundtrack to their big day. Don’t worry, MARX is here to ensure that you have a flawless day by setting the perfect ambiance for you. Make sure to avoid these common mistakes when focusing on the music for your Rhode Island Wedding.

Being Your Own DJ

A big trend that we are starting to see with all of the DIY weddings out there are people becoming their own DJ. We can not stress how much we do not recommend this idea. First, you are creating your own playlist that most likely won’t gracefully flow from one song to the next. Also, having your own personal DJ for the day doesn’t just ensure that the music will be catered to maintaining the feel of your wedding day, but will also provide an all night entertainer for the day. What if something goes wrong with the sound system? Or what if your iPod dies and then Uncle Joe decides to take over the DJ responsibility, and we all know how much Uncle Joe loves the Cha Cha Slide. Alleviate the stress of your day by having a DJ take care of your music needs.

A Silent Ceremony

Photo Credit from PopSugar

There will be at least 30 minutes prior to the actual wedding where guests will be coming in and out of the church or the venue as they socialize with old relatives they haven’t seen in years or friends they are catching up with. Make sure your guests aren’t sitting in a room of silence. Not to mention, when the music quiets down, you’ll have the universal sign that it is time for the ceremony to begin without having to call your guests out.

Not Mixing Up Your Genres

We understand that you probably are a huge EDM fan, but we’re going to go ahead and let you know without even meeting your guests that not everyone probably does. Make sure to mix up the genres that are on your wedding reception playlists to be considerate of all of your guests. Our DJs at MARX can help create a cross-generational playlist that fits your needs along with being able to mix with your crowd appropriately. Besides, nothing can really take away from the energy of your dancing crowds then too many slow songs.

Photo Credit Lorusso Studios

Forgetting Your Do-Not-Play Playlist

As your Rhode Island wedding DJ, we are here to make the perfect playlist for you. Sometimes, you may not have enough music in your collection of songs you want to play and will allow for us to take the reigns since we have years of experience working the crowds. One thing we encourage all of our couples to do is to create their do-not-play playlist. These are the songs that you and your partner have no desire to have at their wedding. You’ll have a much better experience knowing that the songs you are going to hear at your wedding will be the ones you actually want to hear.

We’ll never tell you what your playlist should and shouldn’t consist of on your big day. What we want to do is guide you along the way to help you avoid some of the most common mistakes we see as professional DJs with years of experience. Let the DJs at MARX help you to create the perfect playlist, the perfect ambiance and take away the headache of focusing on your wedding music. This day is all about the unity of you and your partner. So keep on dancing and leave the music to us!

January 26, 2017

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Top Wedding Trends of 2017

Who doesn’t love the fresh start of a new year? During the holidays, especially on New Year’s Eve, more couples are getting engaged each year to begin the next chapter of their life. New Year’s Day is actually one of the top 3 days of the year when people pop the question.

As the new year begins, new trends begin to unfold in the wedding industry. Want to stay up to date with what is to come in 2017? Check out some of the top trends that the brides and grooms will be experimenting with this year.

Samuel Lippke Studios samuellippkestudios.com

Neutral Tones with Bright Accents

Color palettes are one of the first things that brides will consider when planning a wedding. In 2017, we’ll be seeing more brides focus less on color and more on neutral tones of grays, creams and golds paired with metallic accents.

Elaborate Entrances

Making your grand entrance is what will set the tone for rest of the wedding. In 2017, we’re going to see a lot more elaborate entrances including over-the-top decor for not just the bride, but for when your guests arrive to the wedding. Don’t forget to ask your Boston DJ to work with you on the perfect entrance playlist for your wedding!

Far Away Destination Weddings

In the recent years, destination weddings have been extremely popular like a beach wedding in St. Thomas or Mexico. But what we are going to start seeing more of in 2017 is the popular trend of far away destinations such as Ireland, Italy or Canada.

Weddings Tied With Lace weddingstiedwithlace.com/niagara-falls-wedding-planning-elope-in-niagara

Planning Virtually

The millennial generation is all about social media and instant gratification and with most weddings taking place being millennials, they’ll want to make their wedding planning to be that way too. In this industry, we’ll be seeing more use of mobile apps for the entire planning process to be accessible at their finger tips. At MARX, we provide our clients the option to plan their event through our online planning system which includes any song requests you or your guests may have.

Creative Icebreakers

Have you ever sat at a wedding and found center pieces that included disposable cameras or fun questionnaires? Think about that concept but taking that a step farther. Now couples are looking for more creative ways to break the ice for their guests including lawn games, interactive food stations or a photo wall.

John Robert Woods Photography johnrobertwoods.com

Removable Skirts for Gowns

When it comes to the bridal gowns, one of the major trends we’ll be seeing more of in 2017 is the removable skirts. As the bride walks down the aisle, they’ll be rocking the belle of the ball gown. When it’s time for the reception, it’s as easy as removing their skirt to reveal their party dress that is slim, slender and flows to the ground. It not only is convenient, but also saves on the cost by having only one dress instead of buying two.

The wedding industry is constantly evolving with new and innovative trends. 2017 is going to be an exciting year for us and we hope that we can be a part of your big day this year while planning your Boston wedding. Talk to one of our DJs today!

January 11, 2017

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5 Simple DIY Rustic Wedding Ideas

Rustic themed weddings are very popular right now, and for good reason. With their southern bell charm, simplistic style and touch of elegance it’s hard not to fall in love with this romantic, yet simple theme.

Today, we’ve put a list together of 5 things you can easily do on your own to give your wedding that rustic feel.

1. Chalkboards

You can’t have a rustic wedding without chalkboards. We recommend using the chalkboard for your seating chart. Today it couldn’t be any simpler with chalkboard paint. You can now turn any surface into a chalkboard. It’s super simple. Recruit your bridesmaid with the prettiest writing and handwrite your seating chart right on the board.

2. Mason Jars

Rustic weddings have given mason jars a whole new purpose other than storing your mothers jam. We recommend placing the smaller votive candles inside the medium sized mason jars and scattering them across tables, the bar top and your gift table. Mixing candles and mason jars is the perfect combination of romance and country feel.

3. Burlap

Did you know burlap was originally intended for wrapping plants and protecting them? Wow, burlap sure has come a long way. Some people tend to overdue burlap since it seems to be the mascot item for rustic weddings. Instead of using it everywhere and anywhere, just feature it instead! We recommend using burlap as your table runner and that’s it. Allow the burlap on the table to bring country charm to your guests without overdoing it. We recommend the unfinished burlap for a less than perfect look. Just buy an entire roll of it and cut them to size for each table you have.

4. Wooden Crates

You know those old school wooden crates? The ones that remind you of a simpler time, when milk was delivered in glass bottles door to door? These things really can prove to be multi useful. However, we recommend them at the bar. Have your bartender set up the drink options on them as your display. This is how your guests will know what is being served. Place the crates upside down, and display the different bottled beers and wines on it. We suggest placing sheet moss sporadically around the bottles as well for a touch of greenery.

5. Birch

Birch must be one of the most romantic looking types of wood. With its white over coating it just makes the perfect wedding accessory. We recommend using birch as your cupcake/ wedding cake display. This may not be considered DIY if you aren’t near a forest that has birch trees. But, if you are able to get your hands on some birch, get someone handy to cut them into 1.5 inch thick slabs. Sand them down and voila! Your wedding cake stand is complete.

There you have it! We have our top 5 Rustic Wedding DIY projects! Try them out and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.

March 31, 2016

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The Engagement Session: Does it Make or Break your Wedding Day?

Written by: Megan Alissa Glanville

With so many couples having engagement sessions these days it’s hard to know if this is purely narcissistic nonsense or if there is something to this growing trend. Whether you’ve had one in the past or are thinking of having one in the future, there are a few practical reasons that will guide you to a greater awareness as to why an engagement session can make or break your wedding.

Let’s face it, some of us are captivating and wholly photogenic, while others, ahem, need a little time to “warm up” when in front of a camera. No one wants to be “warming up” on his or her wedding day. No one. Think of an engagement session like this, at the very least it’s practice (!) but truly, it ends up being so much more. This type of session is one in which the engaged couple is photographed sometime between the proposal and wedding day. This is the ideal setting for a couple to relax and get accustomed to being photographed and generally just figure out what works for them and the photographer. Generally speaking, it is unlikely a couple will have experienced being continually photographed together. If either you (or your one and only) aren’t the most natural when in front of the camera together, you certainly don’t’ want to discover this on your actual wedding day, or repeatedly across many social media platforms for years to come.

An engagement session also affords you a comfortable, no pressure environment to develop a rapport with your wedding photographers. You will likely spend more time with them than anyone else on your wedding day. Seriously. Wouldn’t it be nice to feel completely at ease seeing a friendly face on your big day, totally confident in their ability (since you have a working history together)? An engagement session is like wedding photography insurance. When you consider your wedding as a whole, you plan and practice everything else, why on earth would you not rehearse perhaps the most important aspect? Give yourself peace of mind and book it, you’ll be glad you did. We are forgetting however, one of the most important reasons, which is that engagement sessions can be fun! Whether on location or in studio, engagement sessions should be easy and enjoyable. Your wedding photographer will know how to guide and pose the two of you –and better still, how to capture some amazing candid moments. This is a time to relax, laugh and think about the life you will share. If you are feeling nervous, talk to your photographer in advance. Many times including some kind of props(think umbrella, baseball and glove, a favorite antique book, retro bicycle or sparklers) can really lighten up the atmosphere and keep you focused on enjoying the moment. Engagement sessions often include an outfit change or two. It is not uncommon for couples to style their shoot, be it in connection with their wedding, a common interest or something else entirely. Consider your outfits in unison; after all you will be photographed together! A great concept many couples choose is to do two separate looks, one casual and the other more refined. Ultimately this will allow for a great variety of photos and you will feel (and photograph) differently in each ensemble. The photos from your shoot also serve perfectly should you decide to send out save the dates or use particular photos as part of the décor at your reception (and later, your home). Wall portraits are a common consideration, while wedding photos are exquisitely beautiful; there is something quiet and moving about photos from an engagement session. You will be newly weds for a year or two, so consider having your engagement photos on the walls as these are timeless. Wedding photos are focused on the big picture (venue, the gown, the flowers and family portraits etc.) whereas an engagement session is more about just the two of you. It crystalizes that ephemeral time when love is heightened by the excitement and contentment one has at the thought of saying “I do”

There are many practical reasons to have an engagement session but the main undertow is this: you will only be engaged for a very short period of time. This is a slice of your life that is fleeting and the true value of your engagement photos will last far beyond the engagement. An engagement session tends to be less fanfare than the wedding, it is intimate and beautiful and definitely something to be treasured. It is a love story and it is yours. Document it and enjoy the results for the rest of your life.

Photographer: Melanie Zacek for dani. fine photography

Couple: MJ & David

May 20, 2015

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How Do I Not Freak Out?!?!

So the big day is getting closer and there’s A LOT to keep track of. You’re feeling overwhelmed, right? Fret not. There are some simple tips and techniques that can keep you and your wedding on track!

Create a detailed event sheet: It may seem crazy, but for everyone’s sanity it may be best to actually type up a schedule of events. Your family is going to ask you a million questions; you’re going to forget things… If you have everything written down and everyone knows where they are expected to be and when it’ll make life a lot easier!
Pay as many vendors as possible before the event: Settle up all your IOUs so you don’t have to worry about it the night of the wedding. You can always go back and adjust things later, but you don’t want to have to worry about signing off on things when it’s the week of your big event!
Determine and prepare tips ahead of time and assign someone that role: Know who you are tipping, how much, and put each tip into an individual envelope. Then ask someone from your family or bridal party to be in charge of making sure everyone gets his or her tips.
Have someone bring your paperwork: You don’t want to get to your venue and realize you’ve forgotten something. Print out all your important paperwork, organize it into a binder beforehand and have someone bring it with them to the wedding venue. That way, if you need something you’ll have it with you!

Remember to relax, enjoy and HAVE FUN!

April 2, 2015

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Don’t Forget The Parents!

We recently posted an article on our Facebook page about how to find the best gift for parents during the wedding festivities. Often times, the parents are forgotten when it comes time to pass out the gifts. This happens for many reasons. In a lot of scenarios, the parents of the bride are very involved in the planning process. Sometimes they are the leaders, organizing guest lists, assisting with floral arrangements and attending tastings to ensure the day is as perfect as possible. Sometimes brides and grooms LOVE this…. And sometimes they don’t. Either way, they are an important part of day and should be acknowledge when it comes time to the gifts.

Giving a gift to both sets of parents will probably not be easy. You want the gift to be meaningful, important and something that signifies the day. However, the last thing you should add to your plate is more stress.

When considering what to get as a gift for your parents on the big day, we recommend you consider the following:

What would be meaningful?
What kind of people are they and what are their interests?
- For example, are they into gardening? If so, perhaps a plant-able version of the flowers that were used in the ceremony would make a good gift.
Are they collectors? Is their house filled with photographs?
Are they experiential or tangible?
- Would they prefer a meaningful experience as a gift (a day away after the wedding) or would they prefer a keepsake to remember the event by (an engraved, framed photo)?

No matter what you decide, they’re going to love it so don’t sweat. But give it some thought and make it standout!

March 13, 2015

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