Planning Archives - DJDaddy Entertainment

How Many Wedding Invitations Do You Really Need?

robert_xunr7qc8 — Thu, 15 May 2025 17:51:55 +0000

Planning a wedding comes with its fair share of checklists, and when it comes to sending out invitations, a common mistake is ordering way too many. So how many wedding invitations do you really need?
Here’s a quick guide to help you figure it out—and save some money in the process.

Count Households, Not People

Remember, you’re not sending an invitation to every individual guest—you’re sending one per household or couple. If you’re inviting 150 guests, that doesn’t mean you need 150 invites. For example, a family of four only needs one invitation, not four.

Add a Cushion

Always order a few extras. Things happen—names get missed, addresses change, or a last-minute guest makes the list. A good rule of thumb: order about 15%–20% more than your final count. For 100 households, aim for 115–120 invitations.

Don’t Forget Keepsakes

You might want a few extra for keepsakes, photography styling, or your wedding album. Trust us, you’ll be glad you have one untouched, pristine invite to look back on.

Final Thoughts

Before placing your order, make a detailed guest list, group them by household, and count how many individual mailings you need. Then add your buffer. A little planning goes a long way—and can save you both money and stress.

Happy planning!

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How to Keep Your Wedding Guests Entertained

robert_xunr7qc8 — Wed, 01 May 2024 15:55:24 +0000

It can be hard to know how to keep your guests entertained during your wedding.

You could leave them to just talk but having something extra can make the day much more enjoyable. Let’s start with the ceremony; there’s no need for entertainment during this time as the focus is on the Bride and Groom but a lovely idea we’ve seen at a couple of weddings is having live singers or musicians playing music whilst the bride walks down the aisle and when they exit as husband and wife.

The cocktail reception, usually lasting a couple of hours, is a prime opportunity to add some entertainment to your wedding day. While canapés and cocktails are served during this time, you can make it even more enjoyable with some fun activities.

Here are some ideas:

**Garden Games**
These are always a hit, and they’re not just for kids. Adults love them too! Some popular garden games are mini golf, giant Jenga, Connect Four, ring toss and croquet.

**Magician**
One of the most popular forms of wedding entertainment is a magician. They’re fantastic at engaging guests, and their tricks often lead to memorable reactions, which make for incredible photos.

**Caricature Artist**
Another fun addition is a caricature artist who can draw your guests. This provides a unique memento for them to take home, and it’s always fun to see their reactions to the finished sketches.

**Music**
Singers and musicians add a wonderful atmosphere to the cocktail reception. Consider a saxophonist, violinist, steel drum band, guitarist, or singers to set the mood.

**Entertainment for Kids**
If you’re expecting a lot of children at your wedding, hiring a kids’ entertainer might be a great idea. They keep the kids busy with dancing, games, and balloon animals, giving the adults a chance to relax and chat. Other fun options for kids include soft play sets, bubble wands, coloring books, and bouncy castles.

Adding any of these elements can turn your cocktail reception into an unforgettable part of your special day.

Next is the wedding reception and toasts. Usually no entertainment is needed for this part of the evening as everyone is busy eating but it might be a good idea to get activity packs for the smaller children. We have hosted a quiz during a few wedding receptions which is a great idea to keep the guests focussed while the bride and groom are taking sunset photos. Guests play on an online site where they could put their answers and we hand out prizes to the top three teams at the end.

Finally, we’re at the best part of the night: the party. Most people opt for a DJ or a band to get things going. We bring an interactive touch, engaging with guests and creating a lively atmosphere. There are other exciting additions you can consider for the evening, like casino games, sparklers, a photo booth, a magic mirror, or even a glitter bar.

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Fun Games for Wedding Receptions: Alternatives to Glass-Clinking for the Couple’s Kiss

robert_xunr7qc8 — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 14:20:27 +0000

Many couples ask us about creative ways to incorporate games during their wedding reception dinner, especially when guests request a kiss from the newlyweds.

Here are some fun ideas to consider for your special day:

1. **Sing a Song**: To get the couple to kiss, a guest or an entire table must stand and sing a song containing the word “love.” This is a popular choice because it’s engaging and creates a fun atmosphere.

2. **Hershey’s Kisses Game**: Fill a bag with two different colored Hershey’s Kisses (e.g., silver and red). Guests can draw from the bag. If they draw a silver kiss, the couple will kiss. If they draw a red kiss, the guest must return to their table and kiss someone there. This game keeps the guests involved and can be announced by the MC or DJ.

3. **Marriage Advice**: Invite guests to share a piece of marriage advice in exchange for the couple’s kiss. This is a great way to get the guests talking and engaging with each other.

4. **Kissing Die**: Use a large 6-sided die with different outcomes on each side. You can customize the game with the following variations:
– If it lands on lips, the couple kisses. If it lands on a number, the guest returns to their table and kisses someone there.
– If it lands on a number, the couple kisses for that number of seconds. If it lands on lips, the guest kisses someone at their table.
– Another variation is having the guest return to their table, count seats to their left by the number rolled, and kiss the person in that chair.

5. **Demonstration**: Announce that to get the couple to kiss, a guest or couple must come to the front and demonstrate how they want the couple to kiss. The couple then replicates the kiss. This often leads to amusing results and is a great photo opportunity.

6. **Trivia Game**: Prepare a list of trivia questions about the couple (e.g., their middle names, where they got engaged, where they went to high school). If guests answer correctly, the couple kisses. If they get it wrong, they might need to kiss someone at their table or perform another fun task.

7. **Table Name Trivia**: Name the tables with words significant to the couple (like the street where they met or the place they got engaged). To make the couple kiss, a guest must explain the significance of the table name.

8. **Name That Tune**: Play short clips of popular songs, and if a guest guesses correctly, the couple kisses. If they guess wrong, they might have to kiss someone at their table or perform a fun dance.

9. **Bell Ringing**: Provide small bells at each place setting. When guests ring their bells, the couple kisses.

10. **Chopstick Challenge**: Guests use chopsticks to pick up different items with varying degrees of difficulty. The harder the item, the better the kiss. Easy items might be golf balls or flowers, while harder items could be marbles or coins.

11. **Putting Green**: Set up a mini putting green on the dance floor. Guests who score a hole-in-one get to see the couple kiss. This game can add a unique twist to the reception, especially for golf enthusiasts.

These ideas should help make your reception a fun and memorable experience for everyone involved.

Enjoy your special day!

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Cut Wedding Costs with a Jack and Jill Party: 6 Do’s and Don’ts

robert_xunr7qc8 — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 17:38:35 +0000

Written by: Sophie Darling

If you’re trying to plan a wedding on a budget, a Jack and Jill party might just be your saving grace. But since you’re essentially asking your friends and family to help pay for your wedding, there is some etiquette that needs to be followed.

To help you do it right, we’ve created a list of the most important do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when planning a Jack and Jill.

What is a Jack and Jill Party?

The Jack and Jill party, or Stag and Doe party is to help couples cope with the financial strain of wedding events.

It’s a great way to get your whole crew together without separating everyone out on gender lines, with no need for silly games, or gigantic gift registries. The big bonus? If done right, it helps subsidize the wedding costs, or the open bar, or the honeymoon budget.

But what is the proper Jack and Jill party etiquette? Here are some handy do’s and don’ts to host your own before your big day.

Do: Charge a nominal amount as a “ticket price”

The entire point of this event is to defray the costs of the wedding and the most common way to raise the money for your wedding with no awkwardness is to simply charge an agreed-upon amount at the door. If the idea of asking for money this way make you feel uncomfortable, keep in mind:

Most couples choose a price range between $15-$25 per person. It will add up quickly, but it’s not a huge burden on any single guest.
You can also set up an optional collection basket for extra cash for a specific cause, such as the honeymoon. This will allow more generous guests to chip in anonymously if they so choose.

If you choose to indicate what the funds will help with, list wedding items that everyone gets to enjoy, such as the cake, or the wine selection. No one wants to know that they’re helping to buy wildly extravagant wedding rings.
Nowadays, it isn’t just assumed that the bride’s family is footing the bill for the entire wedding weekend. More and more couples are taking responsibility for their wedding finances so it won’t seem as odd as perhaps it would have in 1918.

Sure, it’s stressful to be open and honest about money, but your friends and family will understand if you communicate clearly. Plus, $20 is a small price to pay for guests to enjoy a big party with all their friends!

Don’t: Limit the guest list

This is a great opportunity to bring all of your friends together, even those who can’t make the wedding. Jack and Jill parties can include distant relatives, colleagues, or acquaintances who might not be attending a smaller wedding, or who can’t make your gorgeous destination wedding in Bali. More importantly, more guests equals more money (and more fun), so the bigger, the better.

Even if the majority of the guests will be at the wedding itself, the Jack and Jill party can be a great way to spend more time with people than you’ll be able to at the wedding. You’ll feel better about not sitting with great-aunt Ethel on your big day if you had a glass of rosé and chatted with her the week before.

Do: Have a fun theme

Having a fun or quirky theme for your Jack and Jill will not only make the day more enjoyable, but will also entice more guests to join you. The theme can be almost anything you can think up, for example:

Brunch with bocce
Beers with baseball
Afternoon tea by the lake
Whatever your heart desires

As long as it’s practical and something you’re sure your guests will want to attend. Remember, your grandmother doesn’t want to go play paintball.

Having a focused event will help guests understand what they’re getting into. No one will show up overdressed if the invite says “Bill and Lisa’s Wedding Weekend Kickball Kickoff”. While you’re looking to raise money, having a fun theme will let everyone know that you’re serious about everyone having a good time and getting their money’s worth.

Don’t: Go overboard

While you absolutely should have a theme and some provided food and drink, remember that the goal of the Jack and Jill party is to raise money. That means not spending too much on the party itself. To maximize the profits and minimize the stress, you can:

Choose locations that are free, or inexpensive to use, such as a public park, or a relative’s yard for a barbeque.
Use drink tickets to control the bar tab. You’ll eat into your profits really quickly if you overdo it on the booze. Two drink tickets per guest is customary as part of the price of admission.
Buy in bulk. Kegged beer or cases of wine are much more economical than bottles, and is less wasteful, too.
When it comes to the food, choose hearty, shareable options like barbeque, or sandwiches that can easily feed lots of people on the cheap. Taco trucks are also always a huge hit!

Do: Hold a Jack and Jill in lieu of another event.

Weddings can be all consuming for the bride and groom, but that doesn’t mean that your friends need to come along for a ride on the crazy train with you. Asking your closest friends to attend an engagement party, a Jack and Jill, a bridal shower, a bachelor/bachelorette party, a rehearsal dinner AND a wedding can be simply too much.

The Jack and Jill can be hosted in place of the bridal shower, the engagement party, or the bachelor/bachelorette festivities. A few things to remember:

If you’re having the Jack and Jill in place of an engagement party, make sure to be clear that gifts are not expected, as the cash/ticket price is their gift.
The same holds true for a bridal shower, so consider carefully if you were really excited to get new china, or a stand mixer.
If you’re replacing the bachelor/bachelorette party, make sure you let your friends know what type of party you’re expecting. You don’t want any risqué surprises to make things awkward when your grandmother is in the front row.

Don’t: Expect too much.

While the J&J is a great way to have some fun AND bring a little extra bling and zing into the wedding, don’t expect the proceeds to cover the entire catering bill. This is about subsidizing, not bankrolling. So don’t get frustrated if you only clear an extra few hundred bucks.

Think of it this way, when was the last time you got paid to have a party with all of your friends?

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