5 Grand Entrance Ideas To Rock Your Reception

So… you’ve said your “I do’s,” and your ceremony has come to a close, now it’s onto the party! While your ceremony is every bit as important (some would say, the most important), your wedding reception is where you get to celebrate your nuptials in whatever way you so choose!

So, whether you and your sweetie are planning a cocktail hour, a fancy sit-down dinner, or maybe even a beach party, making your grand entrance will help to set the tone for your reception and can help get the party started!

To that end… are you and your new spouse hoping to make a grand, surprising, jaw-dropping entrance, or are you simply planning something traditional or meaningful? No matter what you decide, and what your comfort level is, there are lots of great options for every couple. After all, this is going to be your first introduction as a married couple. Why not make it special?

Start The Reception Dancing!

You can have your DJ or MC announce your grand entrance, and play one of your favorite bumping dance songs! For extra effect, how about choreographing a little dance for you and your bridal party! If you’re ready to shake your groove thang, then this option may be for you! 

Reception Dance Train!

Maybe you want to enter the room conga line style with your bridal party, creating a winding path through the room, picking up guests along the way! The Conga line is over when every guest is up! Then once everyone is on the dance floor, your DJ or MC can officially introduce you as a married couple, to the cheers and applause of your guests!

Mariachi Time!

Whether you are planning a destination wedding and want to embrace the local culture, you want to celebrate and embrace your heritage or that of your new spouse, or you simply love mariachi music, you’re sure to bring the party with this grand entrance!

Take The Stairs!

If your reception space has stairs, be sure to utilize them! You could dress them up with overflowing bouquets or greenery, or keep things plain and simple if you prefer. Either way, a grand entrance down a grand staircase is sure to draw all eyes to the two of you as you enter the venue for the first time as a married couple. You’re sure to feel like the romantic leads in your very own romcom!

Dramatic Sparkler Entrance!

Planning on hosting an evening ceremony followed by a cocktail reception?! While a grand exit with sparklers is an ever popular idea, you can also do it in reverse! Our indoor fireworks add a dramatic WOW factor and set the stage for a truly magical reception experience!

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5 Reasons Why It’s Best To Hire a Professional Photo Booth Company!

We know the celebrations can be pricey, so we understand the appeal of freeing up some space in your – maybe larger than anticipated – party budget.  But, if having a proper photo booth experience at your event is important to you, that’s one area of the budget you don’t want to skimp on! In the big scheme of things, hiring a professional photo booth company generally only adds a relatively small amount to your overall budget, but that small outlay can and will  make a BIG difference at your party! Let us show you a few reasons why it’s a good idea to hire a professional like Snapshot Photobooths, which is a branch of SCE Event Group.

The Savings Will be Less Than You Think… Really!

After you finish going through the work of sourcing or making a backdrop, buying a nice variety of props, figuring out proper lighting (external flashes? studio lights?) and which camera to use (including remote triggers), your savings will be slim to none. In fact, it might even cost you more, depending on what you’re after! Not to mention all the time and energy you will have invested; meanwhile, a professional photo booth company will already have everything they need on hand to do your event! Also, they’ll have high quality/commercial versions of all of the necessary gear, which means the gear itself will be more reliable! Quality is of utmost importance, after all, it impacts the way you and your guests perceive your photo booth experience. But, it’s really not just about the gear! Professional companies will also have a history of experience setting up and running the booth. All of that comes together to mean that a professional won’t be trouble-shooting problems at your event when they could be taking photos!

No Offense… But It Probably Won’t Be As Good!

Not trying to insult anybody with that statement, just making our (very informed) opinion known! People really do always start their do-it-yourself photo booths with the best of intentions, but tend to find out rather quickly that sourcing all the materials they’ll need is both quite expensive and time consuming! And, that’s before we’ve talked about printing your photo booth photos! So, if your guests receiving prints at your event is important to you, and if your guests receiving quality prints is more important, it’s best to hire a professional! In the end, why go to all that expense to be left with an end product much less satisfying than the real deal? Your money, time and energy – all valuable commodities –  are truly better spent hiring a professional company and leaving everything to them! Trust us!

The Printing Is Complicated to DIY

With a DIY photo booth, you’re very unlikely to be able to offer your guests prints to take home at your event, due to the rather complicated process of taking the photos from the camera, and formatting them into a customizable and instantly printable format. And, trust us  – we’ve been to a LOT of events – the truth of it is that people LOVE the instant gratification of taking home photo booth prints!. For some guests, it’s really all about the prints, and many of them leave with a stack of photo booth prints, sometimes enough to cover their entire fridge doors, or tuck into every book as a bookmark! Photo booth prints are simply put, a great take home remembrance of your party for both you and your guests, and they could be used as a replacement for traditional wedding favors! 

Good Props Are Actually Pretty Expensive!

We’ve been to a LOT of parties, so we can attest to the fact that people really LOVE photo booth props! They’re entertaining! They’re bright! They invite you to Play! They can even act as an ice-breaker for some of your shyer or more reserved guests who aren’t keen on being the center of attention. They can also be a fun tool to unleash your guests’ creative potential, while also serving to get them into party mode! But, here’s the kicker! Props can also be kind of  expensive, especially when you’re building a collection from scratch!  Meanwhile, a professional photo booth company will have already invested the capital in a large variety of high quality props and signs. So if you were to do the math, and add up the cost of a comparable amount of props, in a comparable quality, that a professional brings out to their events, it would end up being pretty darn expensive! Why go to that expense and trouble? Hire a professional instead!

Do You Need One More Thing to Worry About On Your Big Day?

Weddings include SO many details, a mind boggling amount, so you really have enough to think about already! The last thing that should be occupying your mind, or causing worry on your big day is setting-up and running your photo booth! We also don’t think it should be the responsibility of one of your guests either, after all, you want everyone to enjoy your day, and it’s a big ask to leave the photo booth in the hands of a guest!  You, your new spouse and your nearest and dearest have memories to make, not a bunch of spare time to spend managing the photo booth!! 

But, when you hire a professional photo booth company they’ll take care of all of that work for you! They’ll show up at their scheduled time, get the booth set-up, run the booth throughout the night, engage with and help your guests with their sessions, make sure the whole thing runs smoothly, and pack up and haul their gear away at the end of the booking The best part is that it will all just happen. all without you lifting a finger, after all…It’s their business to ensure you and your guests have a wonderful photo booth experience!

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The Best Photo Booth Rentals in New Jersey

Hosting a wedding, corporate event or party? You can check “find unique photo booth” off your event planning to-do list. At Snapshot Photobooths, a branch of SCE Event Group, we offer the best photo booth rentals in New Jersey! 

Over the years we’ve helped clients like Kanye West, Arianna Grande, Martha Stewart and the Philadelphia Eagles make the most of their events with our diverse photo booth offerings. From mirror and social booths, to 360 video booths, the possibilities for interactive media capture are endless at Snapshot Photobooths. Check out all of the premium photo booth options we offer!  

The Mirror Photo Booth 

Your guests will have a blast taking photos in this interactive, revolutionary looking glass! The mirror booth functions like a literal mirror, so subjects can see their reflections while they pose for selfies. A bonus feature of this booth option:  customizable photo prints. Clients can add their logo, name or event date to prints for a personal, unique touch. 

The Social Booth 

Going paperless? The all-digital Social Booth is a unique addition to any event. This option can capture still photos, animated gifs and boomerangs! Guests simply choose the media they want captured, pick from 20+ filter options and submit their contact information. The booth then sends the photos via email or text so that guests can instantly share their images on social media. As an event host, you’ll receive a digital copy of all the content created throughout the party – you won’t miss a single thing!  

A “print” option is also available with the Social Booth, so clients can have tangible, hard copies of their photos. Upon request, SCE can even provide you with a genuine leather, keepsake photo album to store all of your prints from the celebration! 

The 360 Spin Booth 

Looking for something a little less traditional and a little more technologically advanced? The SCE 360 Spin Booth is a showstopper! This slow-motion 360 degree video booth experience includes unlimited digital video shares, a highlight recap, customizable digital effects and digital copies of all content. Check out the video below to see how the Philadelphia Eagles partied it up in our 360 Spin Booth! 

What Sets Our Photo Booths Apart 

At Snapshot Photobooths, we not only offer the best photo booth rentals in New Jersey, but we also provide the best service and rates. Our affordable booths are operated by professional, friendly, knowledgeable and fun attendants. Every team member at Snapshot Photobooths is committed to making your event a resounding success!  

Book with SCE Event Group 

Make your event truly unforgettable with an SCE photo booth! Whether you’re looking for an intimate booth, or an extravagant, VIP set-up, we’ve got the resources to make it happen. Contact us today to get started. 

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The 2 Biggest Red Flags To Watch For When Picking Your Venue

Meeting, falling in love with and getting engaged to your future spouse is a beautiful thing! Next up comes the wedding planning!  Now that your engagement is officially official, the next part of your wedding planning process will be finding the perfect venue. A venue that fits the vision that you and your fiancé have for your big day, and hopefully doesn’t break the bank!  

Truly, no other wedding planning decision affects the outcome of your wedding day as much as your venue choice! Not only can the location inform the plan for the execution of your big day’s logistics – the date, budget, and number of guests – but it will also influence the entire vibe of your celebration. As in… are you going for Bohemian by the beachside? Rustic farmhouse nuptials? Ultra-lux garden party? Swanky cocktail party? Traditional wedding banquet? 5 course gourmet feast?

Whatever your plans may be, before you get all swept up in the seeming potential of a venue space, and what photogenic moments you could create there, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for a couple of  major red flags! So, here’s the 2 biggest (in our opinion) red flags to watch for when selecting and hiring a wedding venue!

Poor Communication

Imagine yourself scrolling through wedding inspiration when you spot that ‘perfect for you’ venue that ticks off all of your and your fiancé’s wedding boxes. You try to arrange a site visit and hear nothing but crickets for weeks. Concerning! Or you arrange a visit and you fall in love at first sight, but when you reach out for more information and to enquire about officially booking the space, you don’t receive a response, or receive an incredibly delayed response! Very concerning! These are big red flags!

While you and your fiancé might be willing to overlook a short delay in response, especially with a proper explanation, little-to-no back and forth communication might be indicative of a much larger issue. In our experience, venues that reply in a timely fashion, are better adept at addressing problems as they arrive, and tend to prioritize customer service and satisfaction over simply filling up their calendars.

While the examples above are major deal breakers for us, less-than-perfect communication doesn’t have to be! If you’re noticing a slower than you’d like, but not excessively long response time, your best bet is to schedule a call or face to face meeting with the on-site coordinator to manage expectations, and see if these communication breakdowns can be overcome.

Long History of Bad Reviews

While even the most amazing wedding venues or vendors receive a bad review from time to time – can’t please EVERYONE after all – those bad reviews will be an anomaly in their otherwise sterling review history. What we’re talking about here is an ongoing pattern of mid to low end reviews over time! 

This point is especially salient during the venue booking process. If many of the bad reviews start off mentioning poor communication/headaches during the initial contact, or difficulty securing their dates or signing the booking contract, you should definitely take note! This is when sales reps and event managers should be especially friendly and communicative, so if you feel like you’re getting the runaround straight off the bat, you might want to run along to a new wedding venue! The poor communication and lack of professional etiquette are unlikely to get better after the contract is signed and they receive your initial payment.

Also, professional and highly regarded wedding venues and vendors, will often reply to bad reviews with patience and a spirit to resolve (to the best of their ability) whatever preceded the bad review. So, if bad reviews are replied to in a disrespectful or dismissive tone, with absolute refusal to take any responsibility, run in the opposite direction!

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Big Picture Wedding Planning Tips: Don’t Get Lost In Details

In the excitement of a new engagement, it’s easy to start getting excited about the details of the big day, but in our experience it’s best to zoom way out and get the bigger picture in order first! With that in mind, we hope these little nuggets of wisdom will make your wedding planning be infinitely less stressful and more enjoyable. Here’s some of the most impactful wedding planning advice we’ve ever shared!

Identify your Priorities First

Before you get started with the details of wedding planning, it’s best to sit down as a couple to discuss the kind of wedding you’d really like to have. Spend some time brainstorming about the feel and vibe you want to create at your wedding, try to visualize the perfect (for you) celebration. You should soon be able to identify what’s most important to you and what will be most impactful on your big day. Between you and your partner, try to settle on three or four ironclad priorities.

Next Up, Budget!

While generating a wedding budget isn’t the most glamorous of wedding tasks, we believe that it only comes second to setting your wedding day priorities! After all, what informs your budget? Well, your priorities of course! For example, if giving your guests a great party and dance is top priority, maybe a cocktail party style reception is the way to go. Or, if you and your sweetheart are huge foodies, and you’ve always dreamed of a multi-course plated dinner service at your reception, then maybe your guest list needs to be paired down. Or maybe, you’ve always dreamed about a wedding overflowing with lavish florals, then maybe you budget less for other décor or entertainment elements. 

But, whatever you decide, whether you’ve got $10,000 or $100,000 to spend, or something in between, it’s super important to decide your top priorities and how you will make those priorities work within the framework of your budget! Starting a marriage with debt up to your eyeballs, from a celebration that went way over budget, is a bad idea!

Don’t Get Research Overwhelm!

Though research is crucial when planning a wedding, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available. Of course you want to be well informed, but not so overwhelmed by information that you feel crippled to make choices. You also don’t want to waste time researching areas of the wedding that aren’t hugely important to you, so keep referring to your priorities! Doing so will free up valuable headspace, which is imperative, as there are lots of decisions to make. So, if you’ve spent weeks researching your wedding shoes or manicure, it’s really time to make a choice and move on! 

Use Discernment When Discussing Your Wedding With Friends and Family

While it’s natural to want to share the smaller details of your wedding with your favorite people, as far as we’re concerned, the less  wedding guests know in advance of the big day, the better!  You may not realize it, but by offering up information on the details of your wedding, you’re putting your choices up for debate. And, frankly, no one else’s opinion matters as much as you and your sweethearts! So, keeping quiet about the details of the day can help to  avoid  unnecessary conflict and upset, especially where the more opinionated people in your circle are concerned. In moments of pressure, it’s best to have a handy one-liner prepared, something like, “We want to keep it a surprise”, or “You’ll just have to wait and see on the day!”, served up with a smile and boundary of course!

Ditch Anything (Even Family Traditions) That Don’t Feel Authentic For You

Just like any other kind of party, weddings generally follow a formula, and, impersonal as it can feel, that formula will be extremely helpful during the planning process. That said, there comes a time when you and your fiancé will need to decide what falls in-line with your values and priorities, and what doesn’t!  There’s no point in including matching bridesmaids dresses, having a photo booth, having formal speeches, doing a bouquet/garter toss, or dressing in the color white, if those things don’t feel authentic to you. Generally on your wedding day, nobody is going to be too disappointed that your day is a tad unconventional. In fact, they often enjoy the wedding even more because it feels authentic to you and your partner, and if they are disappointed, well, harsh as it might sound, your wedding is really not about them!

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How To Avert Wedding Day Disasters

After you’ve spent countless hours planning out every little detail of your wedding, it feels reasonable to think that everything is going to be flawless! But, unfortunately, sometimes things don’t always work out the way we’ve planned, and the emotional stakes at weddings are particularly high!

But in our experience, the truth is that there is no such thing as a “perfect” wedding! After all, you and your fiancé will never be able to control every single aspect of how the actual day will unfold, meaning that even the most organized events may encounter a few bumps in the road. But, a couple of bumps along the way doesn’t need to derail the entire day!

The best thing you can do when coming up against a wedding day snafu, is to remain composed and speak calmly. The moment may already be charged with feeling, and getting swept away in the emotion of the moment will not help you to find a solution. Instead you want to focus on seeking out family, friends, members of the wedding party, onsite vendors or venue staff to help you find a solution to your problem. 

After all, professional vendors are experienced and equipped to defuse disasters and find a solution before the problem will affect the wedding! Here’s how to diffuse some of the most common mishaps encountered at weddings!

You’ve Planned An Outdoor Ceremony, And Now It’s Pouring Rain

If you’re hoping for an outdoor ceremony then generally the hard work of forming a back-up plan is done by the venue on your behalf. The majority of wedding venues also have indoor spaces, or alternate plans for moving the ceremony at short notice.

If however, you’ve opted for a venue with outdoor only options, then the venue (or wedding planner) will often have gazebos or tents that can go up quickly as needed, or have a stash of umbrellas for your guests to use! Remember, a fine mist or drizzle is probably okay (for everyone but your DJ or String Quartet), and isn’t likely to be seen in photos.

You’re Hosting A Outdoor Wedding, And Now It’s Scorching Hot

Our first recommendation in case of a heatwave, is to bring in extra bottles of water and plenty of alcohol free refreshments for your guests to enjoy, from the time they arrive, until they depart! The last thing you want is your big day being cut short, because guests are wilting in the heat, or worse, developing heat exhaustion. 

Think, giant tubs or coolers overflowing with bottled water, soda and ice, or big dispensers full of lemonade, iced tea or fruit infused water, or a visit from an ice cream truck or popsicle stand in between the ceremony and reception, or as part of the festivities during the dance. 

Another idea is to buy foldable fans, and get your ushers to hand them out when guests arrive for your ceremony, or supply a stash of small parasols to offer the guests some shade.

Oh No! My Wedding Dress Just Ripped!

Imagine that you’re getting your dress on right before the ceremony and you suddenly hear a loud rip or the zipper breaks! Don’t panic! In our experience guests expect the ceremony to run a little late, which will likely give you enough time to come up with a solution!

First things first, be sure to pack a sewing kit as part of your emergency supplies, and you might want to put your own little kit together with a roll of all purpose thread that matches your dress, a pair of scissors, a selection of needles, and maybe even a few different fasteners that match or complement your dress. 

Also, remember that it’s not just brides who are victims of rips and tears, grooms have also been known to split their pants or have wardrobe malfunctions from time to time, as are members of the wedding party and honored guests. 

So, when you’re picking your wedding day attire, make sure you choose it in your actual size, and purchase it from reputable designers and stores that are known for quality. And, if you do have alterations made, hire a reliable seamstress with excellent reviews, then ask for as many fittings as you need to feel truly comfortable.

Awkward Family Drama, yikes!

First things first, all families have unique dynamics, and are prone to some ‘drama’ from time to time. That being said, it is important to be upfront and honest with your wedding planner or venue coordinator about any sticky family dynamics or issues that may arise so they can do their best to diffuse the tension, and ensure it doesn’t spill over and affect the wedding.

This might also involve taking the time to have separate conversations with both sets of parents, siblings, etc. in advance. During which you can let them know where they will be seated for the wedding ceremony and reception and the expectations of them on your big day. That way everyone is fully aware of where they need to be and has time to get comfortable with the decisions that have been made. And, when it comes time for family photos, work with your photographer to ensure that everyone (including recently divorced parents of the couple) has an enjoyable photography experience… This may include planning a more set timeline/order for your formal family photos.

Cringey Or Long-winded Speeches & Toasts

While it’s typical for the emcee to give a welcome toast, along with speeches from the maid/matron of honor, the best man, the parents of both the newlyweds, and of course, you, the newlyweds, it best to give them all a little direction along the way, and to seek out some advice on speech writing for yourselves!

A few basic tips are: give them a time limit that is definitely less than five minutes, make sure to discuss your expectations regarding the subject matter of the speech, and the acceptable language to be used in the speeches.

It’s also important to let whoever is emceeing your wedding know your expectations about spur-of-the-moment toasts. That way, if others inquire about speaking, your emcee can politely let them know that though you are honored, you don’t want the evening to turn into a free-for-all, and you want to keep the formal portion of your wedding brief, so you can get to the party!

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What To Know About Dancing The Hora At Jewish Weddings

The Hora dance, also sometimes referred to as the chair dance, is traditionally performed at Jewish weddings. During the Hora dance the newlyweds are lifted into the air while their family and friends dance in circles around them, while the couple holds hands, or each person holds one end of a handkerchief or napkin to signify their union. It’s very high energy and can go on for hours at some weddings, it also takes stamina, but it’s lots of fun and is generally considered one of the big highlights of the wedding celebration! 

A Little History Of The Hora

It surprises some people to find out that, the hora was not actually a Jewish dance at all until it traveled to Palestine from Romania, where Zionist pioneers, or halutzim, adopted it in the early 20th century. The word “Hora” comes from the ancient Greek word khoros, which also the root of words words such as “chorus” and “choir.” 

And, traditional circle dances that have derived their names from the Greek word khoros can be found all over the Balkans and southeastern Europe!  The dances include the Turkish and Romanian hora, the Bulgarian horo, the Montenegrin and Macedonian ora, and the Russian khorovod. The dances all have a long history and are danced in a similar style. 

The hora as we know it today, dates back to 1924 when a welcome hora was performed for the Jews that were settling land in Palestine. The Hora dance became associated with joy and has since been performed at special occasions like weddings, both in Israel and America. In more traditional Jewish communities men and women still dance the Hora separately in their own circles, while in more modern Jewish communities men and women dance together in circles with the couple in the middle.

When Should The Hora Be Performed?

The hora dance is generally performed during the wedding reception; however, there is no set rule for when in the festivities it should be completed. Many couples opt to dance the Hora as soon as the couple is introduced to the guests as part of the grand entrance, and many couples wait until after dinner is done, and dance the Hora to open the dance floor for the evening.

Who Joins In On The Hora?

The short answer is everybody who wants to and is able to join in! And, because all the guests are encouraged to join, it is recommended to have a large dance floor and enough space in the ballroom to accommodate the Hora dance. 

Who Is Lifted Up On Chairs During The Hora?

While the couple (of course) is always lifted on chairs, sometimes other special wedding guests also join in! For instance, sometimes the couple’s immediate family members such as parents, and siblings are also lifted on chairs into the middle of the circle.

Who Does The Lifting?

Anybody can get in on the fun and do the honors, as long as they are strong enough! After all, It can be hard work, so it’s quite common to swap people in and out as the dance goes on. Sometimes lifters are decided beforehand while other times, lifters spontaneously run into the middle of the circle to do the honors.

Who Plays The Hava Nagila, And For How Long?

The couple can choose either a live band or a DJ for the music for the hora! They will just make sure to plan in advance and discuss the details with the DJ or the live band, i.e.: when they want the hora to take place, what music they would like for dancing the Hora, and the crucial detail of the length of the dance as well! All of these factors are variable when it comes to dancing the Hora!

But, no matter how the couple chooses to dance the Hora at their wedding, our wish for them will remain the same! May today’s joy continue to fill your life forever! Mazel Tov!

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