Chicago Wedding Times – April, 2022

Famous Last Words

Test your knowledge. Can you identify the movies that ended with these words? The answers are at the end of this newsletter.

1. “Where we’re going, we won’t need roads.”
2. “Tomorrow is another day.”
3. “Where the devil are my slippers?”
4. “Attaboy, Clarence!”
5. “Didn’t I promise your fireworks?”
6. “There’s no place like home.”
7. “Kitty!”
8. “Damn you all to hell!”
9. “Naah, I’d only blow it.”
10. “Holy merde!”

The answers are at the end of this newsletter.


Surprise! Here Are Just a Few Ways to WOW Your Wedding Guests

This isn’t just a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all wedding. It’s YOUR wedding. And if you really want to make it memorable for the special people in your life, try a few of these WOW factors. 

Engagement party – not! Invite your closest relatives and friends to celebrate your engagement, and let them know it’s important to you that they be there. Then, surprise them with your actual wedding ceremony! Only your parents and attendants need know in advance. The rest of your guests will be thrilled! You won’t get a table full of gifts. But you won’t have the stress of gift registries, and you won’t have to endure that endless unsolicited advice about how to put on your wedding the way someone else wants it! 

Presto, change-o! It’s common in many Asian weddings for the bride to have two different gowns and a cocktail dress for dancing. There’s no reason you can’t do the same thing. You may opt for a gown that can be partially stripped away to reveal a shorter dress more suitable for the dance floor. The groom may ditch his tux for a comfortable blazer, or just lose the jacket and keep the vest. 

A chat room. But not the online kind. Create a comfortable lounge area, away from the dance floor, where guests who want to visit with one another can do so in a relaxed setting. Or if your venue has a fire pit, set up some seats around it.

Instagram your wedding. Create a hashtag where your guests can post their favorite “OMG! They did it!” photos in real time.

Make your First Dance something special. If your schedules permit it, sign up with a dance studio and learn a 3-minute choreographed dance. You’ll get the loudest applause of the night!

Keep the food and drink flowing. In addition to your bar, set up snack and Champagne stations around the room – anything from a s’mores bar to a mashed potato bar, from a gelato bar to a cotton candy machine or a popcorn machine.

Spring a photo booth on ‘em! It can be either a picture booth or a video booth. Be sure it includes lots of great props, like funny hats, oversized glasses, feather boas and so forth. Your guests will love to share their own personalities, and you’ll end up with some of your most memorable photos of your big night.

A late night refill. Imagine your guests’ delight when you put out a spread of pizza, or hot dogs, or cheeseburgers or pretzels, just as your dancers are getting hungry again.

A special group photo. Arrange a sparkler or bubble sendoff for the newlyweds, and gather everyone together for a huge group picture. It doesn’t have to be when the party is over. You can take the photo, then return to the party!

A designated after-party venue. 6 hours may not be enough, and a lot of your guests may want to keep the party going, even after your reception venue closes. So choose an after-hours place that can accommodate a few dozen friends, and have your DJ end your reception by announcing where the after-party will be held.

These are just a few ways to set your wedding apart from all those ordinary ones! Your guests will remember your special night for years, and you’ll have great pictures and memories to treasure when you’re both old and gray.  

Real Chicago Wedding – September 25, 2021

Sara and Nick McDermand celebrated their festive wedding reception at the elegant Ivanhoe Club in Mundelein. Fourth Estate Audio’s Chicago music professionals packed the dance floor with music from the couple’s well curated request list.

A Wedding Day Emergency Kit You’ll Actually Use

There are lots of lists of stuff you should pack for those wedding day emergencies. Fourth Estate Audio has its own Wedding Day Emergency Kit. But if you’re looking to pack light, and take only the things you’re most likely to use, here’s the short list.

Antacid. Pepto-Bismol or a similar product will get you through those digestive crises that come from wolfing down a fast meal in the midst of a stressful day. 

Insect repellent. Any outdoor exposure, whether it’s your ceremony, cocktails or dancing, turns you and your guests into an irresistible feast for mosquitoes. Your guests may be able to withstand a few bites here and there. But a bunch of red spots tend to clash with an elegant white gown. So keep the bugs away with an effective repellent — preferably something with DEET.  

Lotion. Simple hand lotion can be used for a multitude of emergency needs. No more dry skin for those close-up ring pictures. No more static cling for your wedding fashions. No more sticky zippers. No more flyaway air. 

A portable clothing steamer. You’ll have to arrange for a friend to bring this to your ceremony and reception sites. Chances are, some of your fashions will get wrinkly, and they can’t be ironed without melting or being stained. A steamer will smooth out the wrinkles and ensure beautiful wedding photos. 

Wedding vows 2.0. If you plan to read your vows at the altar, it’s wise to have a backup copy, to replace the copy that somehow gets lost in the chaos. Tuck your extra copy away, where no one will think to look. Then, if you lose your original, you’re covered. 

Lip balm. Cracked lips look awful in wedding pictures. Even if you don’t need a Chapstick for yourself, it’s another great option for unsticking zippers. 

Double-stick tape. Keeps your dad’s toupee from blowing off in the wind. Also keeps your revealing gown from flinging wide open and exposing your cleavage and more to everyone you know. 

There are lots more wedding day savers, like safety pins, hygiene products and aspirin. But these seven always seem to rise to the top of every must-have list. Be prepared!

Here are the answers to our “Famous Last Words” quiz!

1. Back to the Future
2. Gone with the Wind
3. My Fair Lady
4. It’s a Wonderful Life
5. Independence Day
6. Wizard of Oz
7. Monsters Inc.
8. Planet of the Apes
9. The Sting
10. 9 to 5

How did you do?

To learn more about professional Chicago DJ entertainment and lighting by Fourth Estate Audio: