The good happens when you plan well, listen, and learn. The bad is when is what happens when you don't plan well. The ugly? Well I think you get the drift.

This segment is not for the feint of heart. This is where I lay the day out for you and show you where things can be good, bad, and yes! Ugly!

97% of the weddings I attend really go off very well. Most of the wedding vendors and service providers that are available really do a wonderful job. Though we remain competitors many of us are friends outside of the hustle and bustle of the wedding business.

The other 3% is usually caused by subcontractors and other less expensive help. As difficult as it is to pay for a long island wedding these days I continually hear stories about brides who decided not to go with the DJ of their choice to settle for a less expensive one who was three hundred dollars cheaper. Yes they saved a little money but instead had to put up with a DJ who did not bring the right records, played the chicken dance when the bride specifically said not to, and played hip-hop all night because they had nothing else!

My first order of advice is to shop early and sign with the vendors of your choice. Too many brides wait until six or seven months before their wedding to start shopping for vendors and end up finding that most of the people they want are already booked for their date. Sixteen to twelve months prior to your wedding is generally a good time to start booking your vendors. Not only will you be guaranteed of getting the MC or Videographer you really like, but you will also get locked into that year's prices.

Many of the larger DJ and Photography companies will book as many as 14 weddings on a given day. If you are couple number three or four you will probably be well taken care of. If you happen to be couple number 9, 10, or lower than you will probably be sent a subcontractor to photograph or MC/DJ your wedding. It is NO secret in the business that subcontractors bounce around from company to company. This is not only true in Photography and DJ entertainment but is especially true with Videography. Subcontractors also work for a lot less money which can also spell certain doom for a cautious bride. Imagine you wake up to the perfect blue sky with warm weather and every single detail of your wedding was perfect! The band or DJ rocked the house! The cocktail hour was second to none.........but then you get your photography proofs and/or your wedding video and half of the images are either too dark or out of focus! Or imagine that you get the weather you want along with the Photographer and the Videographer but the subcontractor that your DJ company sent you was loud, crude, and played only the music they wanted to hear! This is how things get ugly!

Many couples leave a lot to chance and can also take too much for granted. For instance, a limousine company does a lot more than show up and drive you around! What really impresses me with companies like NY Style Limousine is how well they do the other things. Once at the church some limousine drivers get out of the car and immediately let the girls out. Maybe you're thinking that's just what they're supposed to do! Right? Guys like Anthony and Dave from NY Style Limousine will first speak to someone from the church to help coordinate the arrival of the bridal party, then, before they do anything else, will make sure that the photographer and the videographer are ready to get their shots. They will also make sure that the guests are not lingering outside to sneak a peak at the bride and so they will usher everyone inside.

You'd be surprised at how many limousine companies are unaware of such courtesies!

Then once inside the church, when everyone else is nervous and busy with many thoughts, the better companies know how to fix a wedding vale or fluff out the wedding dress. They also work well with the priest to coordinate the processional. And then finally, when the service is over and the bride and groom walk down the isle the groom should NEVER have to open the church doors for his bride. A professional and courteous limo driver will be paying attention and have the doors open for the happy couple. A good limo driver will also take charge and line-up the bridal party and parents for the receiving line. Wedding professionals like the people at NY Style Limousine will not only work for you, but they'll work with everyone else to see that everything goes well and in your favor.

The next adventure on your busy wedding day is the photo shoot. Depending on the amount of time you have between the ceremony and the cocktail hour you will either go straight to the reception hall or stop off at a park or beach along the way.

Every couple I deal with wants to be at their cocktail hour. If you leave enough time between the church and the cocktail hour this can easily be done. If you scheduled a 4:00PM ceremony and a 6:00PM cocktail hour then you must be realistic and accept the fact that you will be taking photographs through out cocktail hour and possibly through salad as well. Too many brides get caught up in "what will my guests do for all that time in between?" I know it is easier said than done but this is YOUR wedding day and you should not have to be rushed through it. If you can fit in a ninety minute lay-over at a park or beach in between the church and the cocktail hour you will be in excellent shape to get most of your photos done.

The easiest couples to work with are the ones who constantly smile and do little talking during the photo shoot. Your candid shots will be much better and your photographer will be able to take more pictures in a shorter amount of time. The ones who talk a lot and don't pay attention are more likely to get candids with strange expressions on their faces because they started to speak just as the photographer snapped their picture. This applies to video as well. The video editor wants to show the couple at their very best but if the bride and groom are only smiling the second before and after the photographer takes their shot then the video editor will have little to work with.

When you arrive at the hall you should be greeted by a warm and receptive staff. You will be taken to your bridal suite where you can freshen up and take a few seconds to have a drink or a quick bite of food.

To stress or not to stress? That is a good question? Having worked at more than 1000 weddings I can safely say that the couples who enjoy themselves the most are the ones who can free themselves from worry, go with the flow, and trust that the professionals they hired will do their jobs. The couples who have to micro-manage and be on top of every little detail spend too much time obsessing and too little time just enjoying themselves.

Do not be afraid to delegate responsibilities. I recommend that you have someone, particularly a parent, carry all of the contracts with them so that if an issue does arise it can be properly addressed and argued.

The next part of your big day is the fun part....party time! Hopefully you recently met with your DJ to discuss the music you want and don't want to hear at your wedding. There are so many good DJ companies out there who really know how to work a crowd and create a fun and exciting party. Some couples can get so carried away with what they want to hear and what they don't want to hear that they can really tie the hands of even the best DJ company. I know it's your party but you do have guests to consider as well. Give your band or DJ the flexibility to work the crowd.

Searching for live entertainment? If you've shopped around then you know that live music can be quite expensive. One of the main reasons for the excessive price tag is that there are agents who promote bands who take a large cut of the money for finding the band work. Bands like the After Hours Orchestra do not work with agents as they promote themselves. This brings the price down significantly and yet you still get the same awesome sound as you would get from wedding bands that run three to four thousand dollars more!

The two most important things to mention about the After Hours Orchestra is that 1) this band has permanent members. Many other bands and "orchestras" are made up of two or three regulars but have to play with new musicians every week! 2) After Hours band leader Phil Vollaro is also an experienced MC. While many bands simply play what they're supposed to play they often fail at motivating a crowd to get up and dance. Phil is the perfect MC who can easily motivate a crowd with out screaming into a microphone. He will never embarrass you or any of your guests but will almost always get your crowd on their feet for a most memorable affair.

I hope you were able to get some useful information from this forum. Everyone here at the LIWeddingNetwork wishes you the very best and thanks you for your time.