To Flower or Not to Flower

According to Bridal Guide this years flower will be the Peonies, but with that being said a lot of Wedding experts believe flowers will no longer be presented in the average bouquet and will appear in special designs or not appear at all.

On Pinterest, the ideas are endless and it seemed to be all about what the flowers are in, not just about the flowers themselves. Many flowers have been featured inside candles or in homemade jars. Loose bundles of flowers seem to be in. Letting the flowers hang over the vase or off of a bigger centerpiece, like a metal tree, is key.

Bright Bold and Beautiful, a popular Wedding Blog, noticed at the 2013 DIY Floral Arranging Seminar at Vogue Flowers that flowers were scarce. The Wedding centerpiece trends now are bird cages, terrariums and decorated lanterns. Brides are trying to come up with new and exciting ways to decorate their weddings.

Tall vs Short

Some people say keep the centerpieces short, some say let them climb to the ceiling but many say mix it up. It all depends on your venue and how big the room is. If the room is huge and grand then the centerpieces need to match the grand venue. If its an intimate setting then candles may be the way to go.

Also think about your guests. Are they short or tall? Is it going to be hard for them to catch up with Aunt Sue from across the table? Are they going to be able to catch a picture perfect moment without a flower getting in the way? These are all questions that need to be answered. Try testing your centerpieces at home and see if you can see under them, through them or over them.

The WOW Factor

Bottom line all Brides want that WOW factor. Prowling Pinterest is the modern day thing to do. Here are some crazy, fun, cute and beautiful wedding centerpiece trends we have found…

Remember you want your guests to move around and be amused so the more variations you do the more your guests will walk around. Many people will make it a point to visit every table just to see all of your centerpieces.

The post Wedding Centerpiece Trends for 2013 appeared first on MDM Entertainment.

A festive mood was created at Germania Place with up lighting that changed colors throughout the night. Spring colors, like purple, blue, green, yellow and pink, lit the walls to fit every mood of the night.

Youth Outreach Services also decorated the room with startling statistics and interactive information. From the Ping Pong Ball exhibit that showed the number of deaths in Chicago, to the anonymous “What Mistakes could have gotten you here?” survey, there was information in every corner and on every table.

The eye catching displays were also accompanied by flat screens, supplied by MDM. The screens showed inspirational quotes, shocking statistics and many YOS success stories for the guests all night.

The Art Gallery

Youth Outreach Services takes pride in their students and their programs, especial Art Beat which was showcased at the Spring Soiree. Three students, Michelle Fulgencio 15, Kenneth Radcliff 18 and Markell Green 17, were asked to paint while at the event.

“I am nervous but excited to be painting here. I going to paint the Skyline for everyone,” said 15 year old, Michelle Fulgencio.

Art Beat is a support program that allows students to express themselves through art. They not only express their artistic skills through painting, but also through poetry, graphics, drawings, dancing, rapping, photography and music. The mission of this program is “Youth Reaching Youth Through Art.”

The Prizes

Youth Outreach Services also held a silent auction and a cork pull raffle in the Germania Place Royal Ballroom. The silent auction tables were lit up with pin spot lights and offered everything from cute pet supplies to sports tickets.

There was something there for everyone, especially when it came to the cork pull raffle. With a $20 donation participants were able to pick a random wine cork from a bowl and go home with a bottle of wine ranging in price from $9-$84.

Photo Booth

The whole night was a huge success, especially when it came to the Photo Booth. All the guests lined up to take a funny picture in the photo booth from Photo Booth Express. There was a goofy hat / prop for everyone who was so inclined.

It was great too see so many people smiling for and supporting such a good cause. The whole night was a huge success, that MDM was proud to be a part of.

For more information about how MDM can provide the lighting for your Germania Place event contact us today at 773.253.4986.

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The wedding ceremony was held in the Everest dining room with music provided by the Mike Jeffers Trio and wireless lavaliere microphones by MDM. David looked handsome in his dress uniform and Stacey stunning in her wedding gown.

Guests were then ushered into the  cocktail area for delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks while the staff transformed the ceremony space back into the dining room.

The cheering crowd during the introductions, the moving toasts and the overall atmosphere of the evening displayed how much love there was in the room for Stacey and David and how much love there was between the newlyweds.

During dinner Stacey presented her new husband with a poster of the scale model of David’s ski boat she had made for him. Stacey told a touching story about how their boating trips helped play an important role in the development of their relationship and how over the years she has become an excellent boat mechanic! This was even more touching as David is  going to be stationed overseas soon and they couldn’t take the real boat with them. The model will always be with them even when the real boat couldn’t be.

The wedding was on a Sunday and sometimes Sunday weddings are a little more difficult to get people to really cut loose. This was definitely not the case for Stacey and David’s wedding!

Their friends and family came to celebrate, and celebrate they did! The dance floor was packed all night and almost everyone stayed till the end. It was an amazing party full of dancing and celebrating. You could feel the love and joy in the room throughout the whole night! 

Special thanks to the talented Chicago wedding photographer Jason Kaczorowski for providing the beautiful images. You can see more incredible photos of  Stacey and David’s Everest wedding on Jason’s blog.

A big thank you to the wedding planner Kristin Galbraith from Sweet Pea Wedding Studio who put together and executed a flawless event!

Another big shout out to Megan and the staff at Everest for the unbelievable service and utmost professionalism, they were a real pleasure to work with.

Most of all, a thank you to Stacey and David for letting us be a part of their wedding!

For more information on Chicago wedding DJ services for your Everest wedding contact MDM Entertainment today at 773.253.4986!

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Prop, Prop, Prop It Up In the Photo Booth

Using props in your photos is a great way to add some flair to your pictures. With all the different hats, glasses and wigs that come in the photo booth, there is something for everyone. Take on as many different personalities as possible. Are you having a theme to your wedding or special event? Why not get matching props!

The More the Merrier

Some photo booths are good for big groups of people. The more people you try and squeeze into a picture the more fun and outrageous the picture becomes. With tons of excitement the chaotic picture will come out great.

Be Artistic

Everyone loves a famous pose reenactment, so try and copy your favorite art. For example the Mona Lisa smile, The Scream or the three wise monkeys. Remember the more poses you do the better.

ACTION!

Putting movement into your photos is not the easiest pose but it is the funnest. Action makes everything more exciting. So try pretend to run out of the box, jump up with the picture, or take Madonna’s advice and Vogue.

No matter what pose you choose, it will surely be something to remember after your wedding or event.

Contact MDM Entertainment today at 773.253.4986 to add a PhotoBoothExpress photo booth to your DJ package.

The post Strike a Pose, Come on Vogue… In a Photo Booth appeared first on MDM Entertainment.

Vintage vs Modern

Architectural Artifacts Wedding is a gorgeous venue that framed Cheryl and David’s modern ceremony and today’s top 40 dance music, while at the same time feeding into traditions and classic music, like Frank Sinatra. The vintage artifacts lit up beautifully with purple uplighting and the heated dance floor shined under the purple lanterns. Some of the artifacts were even seen on the tables as centerpieces. The dinner tables were very distinctive because not only did they have vintage artifacts but also trendy mustache party favors and the table numbers being represented by places the Bride and Groom have visited.

While vintage artifacts could be seen everywhere a modern flair was always close behind. Bride Cheryl and her daughter shared a special dance to Nicki Minaj, “Starships” before welcoming the Groom in and opening the dance floor.

A Photo Booth

Going along with this modern twist Cheryl and David had a wedding photo booth. Their guests were given the chance to put on props, pose for snap shots and write cute messages to the bride and groom. Everyone visited the booth multiple times, each picture getting funnier by the minute.

The modern yet vintage feel of Architectural Artifacts Wedding was wonderful. The venue set the stage for Angel Eyes photography, as each moment was saved in a wonderful photo. Also, Stefani Catering caught the vibe with their delicious food and dessert table. It was a beautiful night.

Congrats Cheryl and David and thank you for including MDM in your fun night.

Venue: Architectural Artifacts
Entertainment: MDM Entertainment
Photographer: Angel Eyes Photography
Cater: Stefani Catering

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“The easiest purchase was my DJ. I have seen their work at another wedding and was beyond impressed. I knew I was making the right decision, and this was the least of my worries,” said Bride Amy.

The music had a very contemporary feel with classics from the 60’s and the 90’s, surrounded by today’s top hits. The couple had a taste for country music with “Lost in this Moment” by Big and Rich as their 1st song and Hip Hop as the garter was tossed to “Hot in Here” by Nelly.

To start off the evening, MDM made the Belvedere Banquet dance floor sparkle with pattern lighting. Later, MDM’s lighting technician used intelligent lighting and made lively patterns drift across the dance floor and over the crowd with every beat of the music. The Bride and Groom danced the night away in style while also adding a few surprises for their guests.

Special Surprises

As dinner was being served the Amy and Nick’s wedding DJ presented a slide show of memories. The Bride and Groom provided the pictures and MDM set them to music. It was a beautiful touch that made everyone giggle and smile with each picture.

Amy left her Belvedere Banquet Wedding covered in pink boa feathers and with a little country shake in it. She handed out pink boas during the song “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and cowboy hats during “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” by Luke Bryan. All of her guests loved the props and couldn’t put them down.

“This was actually my mom’s idea. She like’s props,” said Bride Amy. “Even when I was little and had to do high school speeches or College speeches, she always said, ‘use props, it makes it more interesting.”

Amy looked absolutely stunning dancing in Nick’s arms on their big day. Night Owls Media videographer, Jaysin Osterkamp, did a fantastic job catching each moment in action and photographer Pavel Gigov of Timothy Whaley took timeless photos.

“Everything about this day turned out to be more perfect than I thought which is hard to say, because I have very high expectations. It was amazing that I was surrounded by all my friends and family,” said Bride Amy.

We were thrilled to help them celebrate. Congratulations Amy and Nick!!

Venue: Belvedere Banquets
Entertainment: MDM Entertainment
Bakery: Sugar Hills
Brides Jewelry and Headpiece: The Left Bank Jewelry, Chicago
Grooms Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Photographer: Pavel Gigov, Timothy Whaley
Videographer: Night Owls Media, Jaysin Osterkamp
Florist: Blooming Florist, Bartlett, IL

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Wedding Traditions With a Twist

There are many different traditions in a wedding and Kristin and Brad’s Marriott OHare Wedding celebrated many traditions but in their own way.

Having a guest book for the guests to personally congratulate the new couple is a must. Kristin and Brad took it one step further by asking their guests to sign and circle words of wisdom in an old dictionary. It was a very cute idea that took the guest book to a new level.

Wanting to honor their married guests, Kristin asked them to respond to the RSVP card with their wedding songs. MDM Entertainment then complied the songs and played a mix of over 60 of the married couple’s first dance songs during cocktail hour and dinner. It was a beautiful surprise that touched the guests and sent them on a quick trip down memory lane.

Finally there are many traditions when it comes to hitting the dance floor, such as the first dance, the mother/son and father/daughter dances and dancing to Gangnum Style, but what about a Sorority Champagne circle? Kristin and her 13 Sorority sisters couldn’t wait to hit the dance floor, not only to dance but to take part in their tradition. When the time came the room went silent as the girls sang a song while each one drank Champagne out of a golden bowl. The song symbolized the sisterhood, their love for each other and the celebration of one of their sisters getting married. It was a beautiful moment MDM was excited to experience.

A Cute Little Touch

Kristin and Brad’s Wedding had a couple more cute ideas such as their adorable “Bride & Groom” Chairs and their guests dancing shoes.

Knowing that her guests were going to be dancing all night with Chicago’s Wedding DJ MDM, Kristin gave them flip flops or “dancing shoes” to use when high heel shoes were no longer an option.

Kristin and Brad’s wedding was a great celebration. We had the pleasure of working with Chicago Wedding Photographer, Orange2Photos, who documented the fun night and unique ideas with beautiful pictures.

Congratulations Kristin and Brad! Thank you for including MDM Entertainment in your big day.

Venue: Marriott OHare Wedding
Photography: Orange2Photos
DJ/ Entertainment: MDM Entertainment

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The event, hosted by Wedding Guide Chicago, was held at Pinstripes in Oak Brook.  By the way, if you’ve never considered Pinstripes as an awesome venue for your wedding or event, think again. They provide a unique, roomy, elegant space with a staff that will accommodate your specific needs.

I had a great time mingling with the Chicago wedding vendors and nomming off a buffet of cheeses, meats, caprese on a stick, chicken skewers and more tasty treats. Mix that with all of the cake and dessert tasting by vendors such as Toni Patisserie & Cafe, The Baking Institute and Wells Street Popcorn and I was rolling out the door at the end of the night.

Cake by Toni Patisserie & Cafe

While checking out all of the great vendor booths and mingling around the event, I became mesmerized by and made a beeline for the Cotton Candy machine.  Oh, but this isn’t just any cotton candy. This cotton candy is less than 100 calories per serving, fat free, gluten free, nut free, there are no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, all Kosher ingredients, dairy free, 100% organic sugar…no pesticides or GMO’s! I had a choice of Margarita or Salted Caramel.  I chose the Margarita and I was HAPPY.  What a fun idea for corporate events, bar/bat mitvahs, you name it!

Spin-Spun Cotton Candy

Spin Spun handing out delicious fluff

I was getting thirsty, so I decided to give the Goose Island people a visit.  What a concept here!  Instead of pairing wines and food, they pair beer with food. Beer and food pairing solutions for every occasion. Dreamy, right?  The company’s experts “will help you choose the right beers for every flavor and every occasion as you plan your event.”  I had the beef brisket crostini with a side of Pepe Nero. Delish! Tim Lane, the Director of Catering, was so engaging and excited about the company. I’m excited about them too!

Goose Island

OK, if you are planning a wedding, I want you to focus here. WedSocial.  Remember when it was fun to buy all of the disposable cameras and leave them at each table and everyone would take fun and crazy photos? This takes that same idea to another level.  Imagine not having to collect all of the cameras, bringing them all in to be developed, only to have half of the photos end up blurry, unrecognizable, and THEN how do you share them with all of your friends?

“With WedSocial, images stream effortlessly between all of your guests mobile devices and your website. The best part is, everything is stored in one location for you to easily download after the wedding.”

Guests download the WedSocial app to their phone. Your event gets assigned a name or a “code”. Guests take photos at your wedding.  They upload them to the WedSocial site on their phone and everyone you give the “code” to can view the photos of the entire event, real time. Anyone, anywhere. They also have a partner program. Get bucks to refer people.  Loves it!

Mike was chill all night while he was mixin’ the beats.  Hard not to be when you have a DJ Booth made ENTIRELY OF ICE!

MDM Entertainment, DJ Mike

Nadeau’s Ice Sculptures, Inc. provided some fun designs.  A couple of benches (they were perfectly comfortable), high tables, champagne holders and a bride and groom.  That DJ booth was off the hook! What do you think?

Nadeau’s Ice Sculptures, Inc

All in a all, a great event!  Thank you to Wedding Guide Chicago for putting together this event. Please refer to weddingguidechicago.com for ideas and guidance with your wedding.  Thanks also to all of the sponsors for a fun night!

And of course, always remember MDM Entertainment for all of your DJ, Event Lighting and Photo Booth needs! Call 773.253.4986 to schedule a complimentary consultation.

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What Makes an MK Wedding

We were so very impressed by the venue, the attentiveness of the staff and the amazing food prepared by the Executive Chef Erick Williams. This venue has immediately become one of our favorite places for a smaller, more intimate wedding reception in Chicago.

A Beautiful Wedding Venue

MK is already a gorgeous space and with a little extra pin spot lighting on the centerpieces and lots of candles it turned out absolutely beautiful.

As Brian and Nadya arrived near the end of the cocktail hour, all the guests were called into the front area for the introduction of the couple and to witness their first dance.

Amazing Food AND an Amazing Wedding Cake

After the couples first dance the guests were seated for possibly one of the best wedding meals I have ever had. The food was out of this world!

The pastry chef at MK, Stephanie Mazzone, created a beautiful (and extremely delicious!)wedding cake for Brian and Nadya.

..And a Great Party!

As soon as dinner was over guests were invited back into the front room for a rocking dance party. Everyone was having such a great time we ended up staying an hour later to keep the party going.

If you are looking for a intimate wedding venue in Chicago I highly recommend you contact Kate G (who is fabulous to work with!) at MK. And of course, if you need DJ entertainment, lighting or decor for your MK wedding MDM Entertainment will be happy to help!

Contact us today at 773.253.4986 for more information on entertainment, lighting and decor for your MK wedding!

The post Brian and Nadya’s MK Wedding appeared first on MDM Entertainment.

The ceremony music was a string quartet provided by Katherine Andrick and one of Rich’s friend sang Hallelujah by Jeff Buckly as Reese entered the room. It was a touching and moving moment for the whole crowd. Everyone smiled and giggled as the ring bearer and flower girl entered the room. The laughter didn’t stop as the officiant, Douglas Fulmer conducted a funny, warm and moving ceremony.

After the ceremony was over guests moved to the lobby area for cocktails and then into the main ballroom for dinner and dancing.

As always the staff at the W executed dinner service and the whole event flawlessly. It is always a pleasure to work there as they do such a great job and the weddings are always fun!

After the first dance and the parent’s dances Rich and Reese’s family and friends danced the night away and as soon as the reception was over headed down to the lobby bar to continue the party.

Thanks to Rich and Reese for letting MDM Entertainment be a part of their W City Center Wedding! Special thanks also goes out to the amazingly talented Chicago wedding photographer Jason Kaczorowski Photography for the beautiful wedding photgraphy.

For more information on DJ and lighting services for your W City Center wedding contact MDM Entertainment today at 773.253.4986.

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