Paul Keppel
DON'T LEAVE IT TIL LAST
With so much of the preparation time spent making sure that the big day, and all its details, run according to plan, the evening party can sometimes become a bit of an afterthought, or can be liable for cuts if the budget runs dry. "Couples can sometimes focus on the look and feel of the ceremony and overlook the reception, leaving it a bit flat," comments wedding planner, Jenny Phipps from Jenny Wren Weddings & Events (jennywrenweddingsandevents.co.uk). "But the evening is important for so many reasons: all the nerves and tension from the morning will have passed, and it's probably the first chance friends and family will get to have a proper catch up. If the two families haven't really met yet, this is their chance to talk and get to know each other, too."
Brian Robinson
GO YOUR OWN WAY
As with everything else on your wedding day, the best way to make it special is to make it a representation of the two of you. So, interests, hobbies, weird and wacky ideas - they're all fair game. This is the most expensive party you're probably ever going to throw, so you need to turn the fun up to eleven.
Wedding planner Claudia Montano (claudiamontano.co.uk) is keen to stress the importance of not just going with the conventional, or doing things to try and make certain guests happy. "Every wedding should be as unique as the couple," she says. "And that's just as true for the evening as it is for the ceremony; for instance, don't book a harpist just because it might sound nice in the background or may be enjoyed by the older guests - book the harpist because you really want a harpist."
Helen Lisk
Lucy Cox, lead singer of wedding band The Strutts, has seen her fair share of dance floor antics at wedding receptions. "We had a flash mob at a wedding once, and a dance-off between the kids (big and small) is always a great way to get the party started. Guest appearances from the wedding party (rapping, playing instruments or singing) always goes down well, too, whether it's a dance routine from the groomsmen, Uncle Johnny puffing away on the saxophone, or little Jack rapping - it always gets people engaged!"
Ben Selway
BIG BAND OR DARE TO DJ
Band v DJ: the eternal question. Bands may cost more, but they should get everyone up and dancing, while DJs aren't quite as interactive, but are logistically much easier. "Get both!" says Lucy. "There's nothing quite like a live band at a wedding. The live interaction between the band and the wedding guests turns the experience into entertainment rather than just music. But a DJ can cater to so many tastes (and give the band a chance to have a quick break). So we offer a top event DJ as part of our performance package: Fraser McAlpine, The Strutts' guitarist! Less organising for the bride and groom, no decision to make, and more cost-effective too!" says Lucy. And when it comes to booking: "a decent band should have some well recorded and edited videos (as well as live recordings) online that serve as a starting point," she says. "But the chemistry really happens at a gig, so always try to get out and experience the band before you book them," she adds.
My Fabulous Life
CATCH THE LIGHT
Now for something a bit more technical, but bear with us. With less light at your evening party, a photographer has two options when it comes to catching the evening's shenanigans: either increase the ISO (which artificially brightens the image, but can add grain), or slow the shutter speed (the shutter opens to let in light for the image, but longer times can add motion blur). Award-winning photographer, Paul Keppel, says that the real issue with evening photography is getting shots that are just as dramatic as the ones from the daytime.
Ben Selway
"With cameras these days, shooting in low light isn't as much of a problem as it was ten, or even five years ago," he says. "What cameras do still struggle with is focussing - as they need contrast (highlight and dark) to focus, which is more difficult in night shoots. I've used a continuous LED light as a backlight to help focus, but also help light the bride and groom. Or for something a little more dramatic, I've asked the groom to use the torch on his phone then turn it off once I've locked focus."
And don't overlook the evening as an opportunity to capture some show-stopping couple portraits. "If it's a summer wedding, you may have sunset occurring during the evening festivities - this is a great chance to pop outside for ten minutes and get some final photos together," says Paul. "You'll be at your most relaxed and the beautiful soft lighting can create the most amazing pictures of the day."
Keith Riley
PARTY-TIME TIPS
Boost the fun factor "There are so many different activities that can add an extra dimension to your party," says Jenny Phipps. "Try a fancy dress box (for the children and adults); a quiz about the happy couple; caricaturists (as they give people something to take away); or crowd-pleasers like a photo booth or fireworks".
Plan carefully and be adaptable "Things always take longer than you think, so allow for some flexibility," says Lucy. "As a band, so often we're waiting for up to two hours to set up because the dinner/photography/speeches are running over. The day will be emotional and beautiful, so just enjoy it - and let someone else manage the admin!"
Hire games for amused guests and fab photos "One of my favourite weddings had a village f�te theme," says Paul. "So when guests arrived at the marquee there was so much for them to do: bouncy castle, coconut shy, giant Connect Four. It was great to capture so many shots where you could see how much fun everybody had".
Khalile Siddiqui
words Christopher Wasey
Copyright Wed magazine 2016
