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  • How To Structure A Plated Dinner Wedding

    Here in the Pacific Northwest, an overwhelming majority of weddings feature a buffet line for the reception’s meal service. However, I’m beginning to notice an increase in the number of weddings I’m performing at that are featuring a plated dinner. This is great to hear!

    In my opinion, plated dinners are an elegant alternative to the buffet line. Conversely, in my experience, they also take longer to complete; sometimes up to two hours or more for 150 guests. In short – ironic pun not intended! – that’s less time for dancing and celebration…

    …if you do not format your reception’s itinerary correctly and leverage time.

    Simply put, you cannot run a buffet-style itinerary – Grand Entrance, Buffet, Toasts, Formalities, Dancing – when opting for a plated dinner. Well, technically, you can, but it’s a huge mistake. It often leaves minimal dance floor time at the end, and guests become antsy as they have to wait for everyone to be served and then sit through toasts, formal dances and cake cutting.

    Plain and simple: that sucks.

    So, allow me to introduce the Plated Dinner Itinerary.

    The key to plated dinners is understanding the format (i.e. how many courses and how served) and having EXCEPTIONAL communication with the banquet captain and wedding planner/coordinator, if applicable, before AND during the reception. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH.

    Let’s assume a two course plated dinner with a salad course and entrée course, as well as a champagne toast. As a disclaimer, I’m basing the proceeding from what has worked well for my clients based off my near decades of experience as a EMS DJ a Fort Wayne Wedding DJ who has experience. Here is how I would script the evening, with notes as necessary:

    • Cocktail Hour
    • Grand Entrance
    • First Dance and/or Welcome & Thank You and/or Blessing

    The latter two are optional, yet encouraged where appropriate  The First Dance is strongly recommend here as most believe that the dance floor should be opened by the bride and groom. While there are no rules, it’s always good to follow best practices. With everyone already on their feet as you enter, First Dance photos always look better with guests standing in the background.

    • Salad Course

    As soon as the opening formalities are done, servers will begin to place salads at tables, which can take anywhere from ten to fifteen minutes. As this happens, the Master of Ceremonies is preparing both fathers, as well as the mother of the groom, for their upcoming roles. As soon as the last table has been served, the Banquet Captain notifies the Master of Ceremonies, who then introduces the first father for his remarks.

    • Informal Toasts by Father of the Groom/Bride

    For the guests, these toasts are done with beverage in-hand. The Father of the Bride should speak last, as it makes for a better segue into the Father/Bride dance.

    • Father/Bride Dance
    • Mother/Groom Dance
    • Open Dancing & Socializing

    Here is why I cannot stress enough the need for excellent communication between the Banquet Captain and Master of Ceremonies before and during the reception. Most catering staffs will use this time to bus the salad plates before serving the entrées. Open Dancing here is not meant to be loud and uptempo; slow selections at a softer volume level are consistent with the elegant and romantic atmosphere that come with plated dinners. Elder guests will appreciate this! This time can also be used by the bride and groom to start the meet and greet process before re-seating for the entrée course.

    • Entrée Course

    Brides and grooms this is key: please resume meeting and greeting tables as soon as your meal is finished. By this time you’ll have met a majority of your guests, champagne will have been poured, both your Maid of Honor and Best Man prepped for the toasts and ready to go.

    • Formal Toasts by Maid of Honor & Best Man

    After these toasts, I like to lead with a segue to direct attention to the dance floor. “The Longest Married Couple Dance” works well here, as does a “Dollar Dance” or “Wedding Party Dance”.

    • Open Dancing & Socializing

    Music tempo should now be a nice mix of classic and contemporary selections at a mid-tempo pace for those that would like to dance, but not too loud for those guests that are still finishing their meal or socializing with the bride and groom. It’s all about reading the room and reacting appropriately here.

    Also, take a moment to appreciate the difference here. In the buffet-style format, the entrées would finally have been finished, and we’d just now be starting a four toaster sequence followed by cake cutting, a dessert social and possible sunset photos, and then three formal slow dances. The plated dinner format has leveraged a lot of that time and we already dancing and celebrating!

    • Cake Cutting

    Just wait for the natural time to segue to this – there is no need to do this immediately after the entrée course, unless the cake is to be served as a part of a dessert course. But since we have opted for a two course plated meal, we’ll discuss that variation later.

    • Bouquet & Garter Toss

    Since the cake table is usually off to a side or corner of the room, this directs attention away from the dance floor. Hence, we use the Bouquet & Garter Tosses as a segue back to the dance floor, immediately after the couple has cut the cake.

    • Open Dancing
    • Last Dance

    And that’s it!

    If there is a third course, say dessert or sorbet, the itinerary can be further modified to leverage time. Also to note: this is just a generalized template. The dinner format and formalities you choose to include, among other factors, may dictate a better way to leverage the time. Hiring a skilled Master of Ceremonies who is experienced at designing entertainment itineraries around plated dinners will be money well spent.


    We are a Fort Wayne, IN wedding DJ company that started in 2009. When you work with EMS DJ you will meet your Fort Wayne Dj which will be me (Eric Smith), Jason Flemming, or Clint Davis. We are a wedding team that do over 100+ weddings a year in Fort Wayne, IN, 30+ corporate and holiday parties in Fort Wayne, IN, and 40+ school dances (high school dance, middle school dance, and elementary school dance) in Fort Wayne, IN. You meet with your DJ to ensure we make the right fit with the client. At EMS DJ, a Fort Wayne DJ weddings we work with many vendors that are valued in the community and highly recognized! Set up your appointment for your wedding dj by contact EMS DJ at (260) 460-7546 or contacting us today. We look forward to being your Fort Wayne DJ! You can receive a quote today from EMS Disc Jockey a Fort Wayne, IN wedding disc jockey.

  • Fort Wayne Dj Wedding Mr. and Mrs. Richmond

    We had the great pleasure to be the Fort Wayne dj for this amazing Fort Wayne wedding. EMS DJ is a Fort Wayne wedding dj that performs weddings in the Fort Wayne, IN area.

    On May 23, 2015 Kyle and Lauren Richmond celebrated their Fort Wayne Wedding with the awesome Fort Wayne DJ, EMS DJ!

    Check out some of these amazing Fort Wayne wedding dj photos of their amazing Fort Wayne Wedding!

    Fort Wayne Wedding Reception with an amazing Fort Wayne DJ EMS DJ a Fort Wayne DJ had the pleasure to dj this amazing Fort Wayne wedding reception. Book your Fort Wayne DJ by calling (260) 460-7546 or visiting online at www.EMSServices.info.

    Fort Wayne wedding dj EMS DJ a Fort Wayne DJ had the pleasure to dj this amazing Fort Wayne wedding reception. Book your Fort Wayne DJ by calling (260) 460-7546 or visiting online at www.EMSServices.info.

    Fort Wayne wedding dj EMS DJ a Fort Wayne DJ had the pleasure to dj this amazing Fort Wayne wedding reception. Book your Fort Wayne DJ by calling (260) 460-7546 or visiting online at www.EMSServices.info.

    Fort Wayne DJ wedding reception Mr. and Mrs. Richmond had their Fort Wayne wedding with the best Fort Wayne DJ.

    PLUS we have some amazing videos of Fort Wayne dj for this Fort Wayne wedding reception.

    Time of my life! Congrats Mr and Mrs Richmond! Book EMS DJ for your Fort Wayne Dj!

    Posted by EMS Disc Jockey on Saturday, May 23, 2015

  • Currently Crushing Videos by EMS DJ a Fort Wayne dj

    EMS DJ a Fort Wayne wedding dj located in Fort Wayne, IN for your wedding reception.

    currently crushing

    Aside from being the best wedding DJs around, we stay on top of all things weddings by reading everything and anything wedding related and scour the web to find interesting, inspiring and best reads and ideas.

    Since there’s not enough time in the day to share it all, we’ve decided to give you our top 8 finds of the month!

    1. Have you heard of the blog Story Of My Life? No? Well, you must check it out – it has the best love story around! Stories like this simply melt our hearts.

    2. A blogger we’re loving right now is Fairytales Are True, she has such an adventurous life and shares everything from the travels she’s taken to her fab wedding which was featured on Style Me Pretty, one of our favorite wedding sites around (btw we’ve been featured there many times, view them here.)

    3. Big congrats to Devon of Devon Rachel, for her engagement and collaboration with Style Me Pretty! Over the next seven months, she will be sharing the ins and outs of wedding planning over on SMP – we’re very excited to follow along!

    4. Head on over to Kate Spade for all your bridesmaid gifts. They have the most adorable and sentimental gifts around, and no they aren’t sponsoring us to say this!

    5. Looking for some unique stationary for your wedding? Well then you MUST check out this amazing little website called Sugar Paperla! They got the perfect Save-The-Date cards, Thank You cards and even Place cards.

    6. You should never stress about what to wear to your friends rehearsal dinner, but if you are, take a look at Coral + Cognacs blog where she shares with you what she wore to her best friend’s wedding weekend!

    7. We love this Vodka Thyme Lemonade Cocktail that was featured on Fashionable Hostess‘s blog a few weeks ago! This is the perfect cocktail to create when entertaining your bridesmaids.

    8. And lastly, we LOVE hearing about our favorite bloggers getting engaged, so, BIG congrats to Alicia Fashionista on her engagement! Read all about her exciting day here and keep a look out as she plans on sharing all about her wedding and wedding planning on her blog.

    Have you seen any great wedding posts that you think we haven’t spotted yet?

    We are a Fort Wayne, IN wedding DJ company that started in 2009. When you work with EMS DJ you will meet your Fort Wayne Dj which will be me (Eric Smith), Jason Flemming, or Clint Davis. We are a wedding team that do over 100+ weddings a year in Fort Wayne, IN, 30+ corporate and holiday parties in Fort Wayne, IN, and 40+ school dances (high school dance, middle school dance, and elementary school dance) in Fort Wayne, IN. You meet with your DJ to ensure we make the right fit with the client. At EMS DJ, a Fort Wayne DJ weddings we work with many vendors that are valued in the community and highly recognized! Set up your appointment for your wedding dj by contact EMS DJ at (260) 460-7546 or contacting us today. We look forward to being your Fort Wayne DJ! You can receive a quote today from EMS Disc Jockey a Fort Wayne, IN wedding disc jockey.

  • Wedding Day Emergency Kit

    Wedding Day Emergency Kit

    When it comes to your wedding day, better safe than sorry should be your mantra! Having all your just in case necessities handy can turn a disaster into a laughable moment. On the big day, consider all the problems that may occur, for example, from forgetting to put deodorant on to spilling something on your wedding dress.

    To help you out, we’ve round up some must haves in your emergency wedding kit. Stash it in your dressing room, and have one of your bridesmaids in charge of it. (Hey, they are here to help!)

    Screen shot 2013-09-24 at 9.01.03 PM
    1. Blister Block & Band-Aids - All day in heels can be a bummer on any occasion and we can’t have it rain on your big day! To make sure you can make it to your first dance in heels (even if its for a few minutes,) pick up some blister-blocking balm & band-aids. You can rub it on your heels & toes to reduce friction from your shoes.
    2. Antacids - Keep a pack of Tums or Pepto Bismol on hand in case you get some last minute nerves, or the hors d’oeuvre don’t agree with your stomach. The antacids will quickly relax an upset stomach in seconds.
    3. Bobby Pins - Even the most secure up-do can sometimes get out of hand, and fall flat as the day wears on. To keep everything in place, a bit of bobby pins can easily do the trick.
    4. Dry Shampoo - If the bobby pins don’t do the trick, have some dry shampoo with you. After dancing all night, you could use a quick touch up after a sweat session. This will be a total game changer.
    5. Tissues & Make Up removers – Crying at your own wedding is a given so be sure to have some tissues by your side as well as some make up removers to give your face a quick retouch.
    6. Nail File - Breaking and chipping your nails is inevitable, even if you got your nails done the day of your wedding. Filing down the chipped nail can erase a broken or chipped edge.
    7. Deodorant - It’s a pretty busy day, there will definitely be a few things that you may forget to do. If it happens to be putting on deodorant, fear not – you’ve got that in your emergency beauty bag.
    8. Make Up - Perfect for a quick touch up after a tearful ceremony or after your maid of honors speech.
    9. Blotting Papers - Lets not deny it, everybody’s face can get a bit oily after all the activities of the day. Certain lighting and excess dewiness can give off an oily looking face in photographs. These blotting papers will come in handy when you need a quick touch up.
    10. Tied to go stick - There tends to be a lot of red wine flowing at weddings. A tied to go stick can be your ultimate savior from any wine spill disasters.

    Now that you’ve heard our wedding day emergency kit must haves, remember that it’s all about being prepared and having the most stress-free day as possible! What would they recommend to keep in your emergency bag?

    We are a Fort Wayne, IN wedding DJ company that started in 2009. When you work with EMS DJ you will meet your Fort Wayne Dj which will be me (Eric Smith), Jason Flemming, or Clint Davis. We are a wedding team that do over 100+ weddings a year in Fort Wayne, IN, 30+ corporate and holiday parties in Fort Wayne, IN, and 40+ school dances (high school dance, middle school dance, and elementary school dance) in Fort Wayne, IN. You meet with your DJ to ensure we make the right fit with the client. At EMS DJ, a Fort Wayne DJ weddings we work with many vendors that are valued in the community and highly recognized! Set up your appointment for your wedding dj by contact EMS DJ at (260) 460-7546 or contacting us today. We look forward to being your Fort Wayne DJ! You can receive a quote today from EMS Disc Jockey a Fort Wayne, IN wedding disc jockey.

  • Holiday Drinks For All Of Your Guests!

    Holiday Drinks For All Of Your Guests!

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    Tis the season for family, friends, and holiday weddings! With the holiday season in full swing, we’re rounding up the must serve drinks for all the guests attending your wedding or dinner party!

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    We are a Fort Wayne, IN wedding DJ company that started in 2009. When you work with EMS DJ you will meet your Fort Wayne Dj which will be me (Eric Smith), Jason Flemming, or Clint Davis. We are a wedding team that do over 100+ weddings a year in Fort Wayne, IN, 30+ corporate and holiday parties in Fort Wayne, IN, and 40+ school dances (high school dance, middle school dance, and elementary school dance) in Fort Wayne, IN. You meet with your DJ to ensure we make the right fit with the client. At EMS DJ, a Fort Wayne DJ weddings we work with many vendors that are valued in the community and highly recognized! Set up your appointment for your wedding dj by contact EMS DJ at (260) 460-7546 or contacting us today. We look forward to being your Fort Wayne DJ! You can receive a quote today from EMS Disc Jockey a Fort Wayne, IN wedding disc jockey.

  • Fort Wayne Wedding DJ | EMS Disc Jockey

    Catering Fort Wayne Cerutis Fort Wayne Cerutis Catering

     

    We are a Fort Wayne, IN wedding DJ company that started in 2009. When you work with EMS DJ you will meet your Fort Wayne Dj which will be me (Eric Smith), Jason Flemming, or Clint Davis. We are a wedding team that do over 100+ weddings a year in Fort Wayne, IN, 30+ corporate and holiday parties in Fort Wayne, IN, and 40+ school dances (high school dance, middle school dance, and elementary school dance) in Fort Wayne, IN. You meet with your DJ to ensure we make the right fit with the client. At EMS DJ, a Fort Wayne DJ weddings we work with many vendors that are valued in the community and highly recognized! Set up your appointment for your wedding dj by contact EMS DJ at (260) 460-7546 or contacting us today. We look forward to being your Fort Wayne DJ!

     

    You can receive a quote today from EMS Disc Jockey a Fort Wayne, IN wedding disc jockey.

     

    The only wedding dj in Fort Wayne is EMS DJ at EMSServices.info

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  • Fort Wayne Wedding DJ | EMS DJ wedding review

    Fort Wayne Wedding DJ //EMS DJ EMS DJ, Fort Wayne Wedding DJ, Wedding DJ Fort Wayne

    We are a Fort Wayne, IN wedding DJ company that started in 2009. When you work with EMS DJ you will meet your Fort Wayne Dj which will be me (Eric Smith), Jason Flemming, or Clint Davis. We are a wedding team that do over 100+ weddings a year in Fort Wayne, IN, 30+ corporate and holiday parties in Fort Wayne, IN, and 40+ school dances (high school dance, middle school dance, and elementary school dance) in Fort Wayne, IN. You meet with your DJ to ensure we make the right fit with the client. At EMS DJ, a Fort Wayne DJ weddings we work with many vendors that are valued in the community and highly recognized! Set up your appointment for your wedding dj by contact EMS DJ at (260) 460-7546 or contacting us today. We look forward to being your Fort Wayne DJ! You can receive a quote today from EMS Disc Jockey a Fort Wayne, IN wedding disc jockey.

     

    May 9, 2015 we want to give a congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Tyler and Addie Sailer for their wedding held in Defiance, Ohio at the K of C!

     

     

    Contact your Fort Wayne wedding dj today by calling (260) 460-7546!

  • Where does EMS DJ go to?

    EMS DJ a Fort Wayne Wedding DJ

    It is Bridal Show time and we are meeting with many engaged individuals that are looking for a DJ! We are EMS DJ and we have provided music for 100's of couples in our past years at weddings! We our the innovators bringing a dancing on the cloud effect, up lighting, monogram, and much more!

    However, we are always asked how far do you travel? The question is quite simple. We will travel to great lengths, but there might be a travel fee. However to avoid the travel fees, here are some places we go with links!

    These places we go do not have a travel charge on them! JUST GOOD Ol' FUN!

    Fort Wayne, IN Auburn, INNew Haven, IN Columbia City, IN Angola, IN Bluffton, IN Wabash, IN Van Wert, OH Goshen, IN Kendallville, IN Marion, IN Decatur, IN Warsaw, IN

    Now you know we go many places to bring the party to you with our music, mc, and lighting!

    Call us at (260) 460-7546!

    EMS DJ

  • Fort Wayne Wedding DJ

    EMS Disc Jockey is the premiere Fort Wayne Wedding DJ in the Fort Wayne, IN area. We work with our clients by having personal 1 on 1 meetings to ensure every detail is met! We create a detailed itearnary of all the important events and songs. Our Ultimate Show set up is consisted of LED Lights, Up Lights, Professional Sound System with 2 12" powerful speakers, and wireless microphone. During open dance our set up will be the high life of the party!

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