Stay With You - John Legend

Make You Feel My Love - Adelle

Space They Can Not Touch - Kate Miller-Heidke

Grow Old With You - Adam Sandler

Heaven - DJ Sammy Candlelight

These Arms Of Mine - Otis Redding

Come Away With Me – Norah Jones

Burn Your Name – Powderfinger

God Only Knows – Joss Stone

At Last – Etta James

Downtown Train – Tom Waites

If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keyes

How Sweet It Is – James Taylor

I Want To Hold Your Hand – T.V Carpio

Love You Til The End – The Pogues

Secret Garden – Bruce Springsteen

Bubbly – Colbie Caillat

Night Of My Life – Damien Leith

The One I Love - David Gray

Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton

Leather and Lace – Andrew Stockdale & Holiday Sidewinder

Throw Your Arms Around Me – Hunters and Collectors

You And I – Ingrid Michaelson

Lucky – Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat

Smile – Uncle Kracker

Have I Told You Lately – Van Morrison

Falling – Keri Nobel

My Love – Sia

God Damn You’re Beautiful – Chester See

I Will Follow You Into The Dark – Deathcab For Cutie

Hard To Concentrate – Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Fly With You – Pete Murray

The Blower’s Daughter – Damien Rice

The Luckiest – Ben Folds

Share My Life – Kem

Rhythm Of Love – Plain White T’s

Fall For You – Secondhand Serenade

Choose You – Stan Walker

Sweet Disposition – Temper Trap

Angel’s Wings – Social Distortion

You’ve Got The Love – Florence and The Machine

For The First Time – The Script

The Only Exception – Paramore

Better Together – Jack Johnson

Can’t Stand It – Never Shout Never

Grow Old Together - Lior

Let’s Stay Together – Al Green

You Are The Best Thing – Ray LaMontage

If This Is It – Newton Faulkner

If you need any assistance with your wedding or would like to enquire about a DJ, please phone Mel on 02 4341 7495 or email mel@overload.net.au

Whether you are planning a Wedding, Party or Event, Facebook has become a great tool for you to utilise in your planning.

More and more service providers are realising that facebook is a great place to make a real connection with our clients. You can take advantage of this trend in so many ways, being able to access local and online businesses at a time that suits you.

Add Friends

A lot of service providers have a facebook profile so you can add them as friends, in which case their updates will be included on your home page, you can chat with them and message them.

As a friend service providers can quickly and easily refer you to other service providers. If you are chatting with your DJ and you still have not found a Make Up artist, they can quickly and easily send you a suggestion to a great make up artist they know. It is then up to you whether you choose to add them as a friend or not. So there is not pressure for you to get in touch.

And all this can be happening in your own time, at night, outside of your own work hours.

Become a Fan of Pages

If you have a service provider who has a Fan Page, become a Fan of their Page to be kept up to date with specials and offers as well as new products that the may have.

Testimonials vs Posts

Testimonials are important when choosing a service provider. Reading great testimonials on a website is a huge reassurance that your service provider has been providing great and memorable service to previous clients. Facebook can take this one step further, by checking out a provider’s profile, you can see actual posts from the clients themselves and can be assured that they are genuine feedback from real people, people that you can in fact try and contact if you need further reassurance.

Chat With Us

Don’t be scared to chat with us. We know where our offline button is, so if we are online, we are working, even if it is in the middle of the night. So take advantage of your service provider being available to you out of hours and in a casual format, and ask all those little questions that you’ve been wondering but never remember to call about during work hours.

Check Out Who Your Provider’s Are Fans Of

Browse the pages that your service providers are fans of. Most providers who are keeping their profile professional will be becoming fans of pages that are relevant to their industry and that they are interested by or they think is a good quality service. Have a look and you might find that little something you’ve been looking for.

Blogs

A lot of service providers write blogs filled with free, helpful tips and advice, which they share on facebook, which can be great for finding ideas for your function. Become a fan of or add people who do regular blog posts so that you don’t miss anything.

Hope this helps you. If you think I can be of any help to you feel free to add, message or chat with me and scribble questions all over my wall! You can also get in touch with me the old fashioned way.

Happy Planning!

There are a number of options available to you, depending on both your budget, and the mood you are looking to create.

Live music

Most couples envision a guitarist or harp playing softly in the background, this is a beautiful option, and probably my favourite, though probably the most expensive. Even though your musician is only playing for a short while, they still need to travel to and from the venue, unload, set up & pack up heavy equipment, and need to charge accordingly.

While musicians are expensive, they are still good value for money. If you find the right musician for you, they will really create that special ambience that is the soundtrack of your life.

Musicians will usually have a set list for you to choose music from, often they include learning 1 song for you, but that is an individual thing that you should ask them about.

When choosing a musician, where possible use someone you been referred to or have been able to go and see live.

Your Reception DJ

Couples often ask us if we can play the music for their ceremony. While we are happy to accommodate our clients in any way we can, I usually recommend other options (which I will discuss further).

For your wedding reception DJ to play your ceremony music, you will be charged for an additional two hours, depending on your ceremony time, which is quite expensive.

Your DJ will not be able to stay and play nice background music while your guests have canapés, as they will have to dismantle and load out your equipment to take to your reception, this means you are basically paying your DJ a lot of money to mostly pack up and set up equipment.

So as much as we are happy to do this for you if you like, it is not only expensive, but also not very good value for money.

Your Celebrant

Your first step if you choose not to have a live musician perform is to talk to your celebrant. Most celebrants that officiate outdoor ceremonies use a portable PA systems, most of these have a cd player built in or an input that you can plug your cd player or walkman into.

Talk to your celebrant and ask them if they will be using a portable PA that you can play your music on. If they agree, you will just need to arrange someone to press play and stop.

Portable Stereo or Ipod Dock

Most high end portable stereos and ipod docks are actually quite suitable for outdoor use, again you will need to arrange for someone to press play and stop. If you choose this option, always:

• Try the stereo/ipod in the location to ensure that it will give you a good quality sound.

• Discuss with the venue, whether they have somewhere you can plug the stereo into their power supply or if you need to bring batteries

• If you need batteries, ensure the device has fresh batteries, and bring enough spare that you can replace all of them if need be.

Hiring a Portable PA System

Your last option is to hire a portable PA system, which is basically a portable speaker which either has an inbuilt cd player, or an input for a cd player or ipod. Again you will need to arrange for someone to play your music, as well as pick up and return the equipment to the hirer.

A portable PA can be hired from most places that hire audio equipment and is usually around $110.

Some Tips For You

• Always have someone do a sound check, leaving time to spare to ensure that the equipment is set up correctly and in working order and your levels are correct. Leave enough time that you will be able to rectify any concerns.

• Have one person in charge of your music, it will be there responsibility to:

1. Pick up and bring equipment required
2. Set up equipment in advance and check sound
3. Bring disc/ipod
4. Know your ceremony timetable and where each song fits into it

• If you are compiling a CD of a few songs you own, always make two copies, giving one to the person responsible for your music and a spare to another reliable person, ensuring that if one is forgotten, you will have another around on the day. Always check the disc on the actual device you intend to play it on. Some CD players will not play some brands of discs.

This is a guide only and is based on a 5 hour reception.

Guests Arrive

You generally want your guests to arrive around 2 hours after your ceremony commences. This will give you enough time with your photographer. Always communicate with your photographer about both your and their expectations on how much time should be allowed for photos.

From the moment your guests arrive through to your first dance we will play some nice background music, pausing for speeches.

Bridal Party Arrives

We like to have the bridal party arrive around 15 minutes after their guests. This gives your guests enough time to settle in and get themselves a drink before your arrival.

Entree & Main

Your entree will usually begin to be served around about 30 minutes after your guests arrive. This gives you & your bridal party around 15 minutes for your entrance, getting a drink, and settling in.

Speeches & Dessert

It is up to you whether you have speeches before or after dessert. If you are having the Wedding Cake as dessert, you will need to do the speeches and cutting of the cake first. Some venues like to serve dessert before speeches, and clear the plates after speeches. I personally prefer this way, but you have a bit of flexibility. Just bear in mind if you are clearing away dessert plates before speeches things can drag on a bit.

If you have any questions about who should speak, in what order and what they need to include, please let us know as we can provide you with a Speech Writing Guide.

Cutting Of The Cake

Immediately after your speeches we will move into the cutting of the cake. Move over to behind the cake. Your photographer should guide you from there.

Bridal Waltz

We then move straight into the Bridal Waltz. Unless instructed otherwise, we try not to keep couples dancing too long on their own, as most couples aren’t particularly comfortable having everyone watching them dance for too long a period of time.

During bridal waltz, we will invite the Bridal Party to come up & join you. Most couples don’t do a father/daughter dance these days, so if that is something you do want to do, please let us know.

Second Dance

We like to follow your Bridal Waltz with another slow dance, giving all your guests the opportunity to join you in your first time dancing as husband and wife.

Following the second dance, we will then play a good variety of music for your guests to dance up until the bouquet toss.

Bouquet Toss

Around about 20 minutes prior to the conclusion of your Wedding Reception we will get you to do the bouquet toss. Some Brides like to get a smaller bouquet just for this (so they can keep their bouquet.)

Garter Toss

We then make sure we have a chair for the bride to sit on for the garter toss.

Farewell Circle

Some people are unsure as to whether or not they would like to do a farewell circle. We encourage couples to consider it. It is a great way to ensure that you get to speak to all of your guests before you go, as even with the best intentions, you may not get a chance to speak to everyone throughout the night.

It is also puts a full stop to your evening, ensuring it ends with a bang rather than fizzles out. Most couples find if they don’t do a farewell circle, they tend to spend more time saying their goodbyes than if they just did the circle.

We try to get the Bride & Grooms family or closest friends to be at the end of the circle nearest the exit you will be leaving from. This means you start at your family (ie: your parents or closest relative/friends). The bride & groom travel in opposite directions around the circle, saying goodbye to your guests, ending with your family, so they can see you off.

Sample Time Line

(Based on a 5 hour reception)

6:00 pm   Guests Arrive

6:15 pm   Bridal Party Arrives

6:30 pm   Entrees

7:00 pm   Main

8:00 pm   Speeches

Cutting of the Wedding Cake

Bridal Waltz

10:40 pm Bouquet Toss

Garter Toss

Farewell Circle

11:00 pm Conclusion of Function

This is just a guide to get you started, it is important to communicate with your venue, caterer & other service providers when finalising your program.

by Alvin Kan, General Manager, Gosford Golf & Function Centre and  Perfection Wedding Catering

Marquees have slowly grown in popularity. It is often the fantasy of having it in the open in an all white Marquee with drapery everywhere that draws the bride. This fantasy can be a reality if you take precaution otherwise it can become a nightmare!

Never think you are going to get out of it cheap!!!(Unless you want a cheap looking wedding)

Having a marquee wedding in a mates backyard on acreage may sound like a great way to save money, however costs associated with marquee wedding have to be considered and these quite often counteract the savings of room and ceremony hire.

Budget for:

The Marquee Normally at least $1600 for a decent one (including install), flooring (don’t even think about doing it without flooring) will cost at least another $350.

Caterers Will charge a premium to do a marquee wedding as they have drag all the equipment to the site and may have to supply generators and refrigeration, all big costs

Air Conditioning Most Professional Marquees (at Function Centres and Restaurants) have air conditioning. If you are hiring a Marquee you will have to hire a conditioner. Don’t be tempted to try do without it in summer as your guests will suffer and your wedding will turn into a nightmare. In winter heaters without fresh air will be incredibly stuffy.

Bar Staff You will require quite a bit of staff as a portable bar in a marquee is lot harder to staff as it is not as well set up as permanent bar.

Cutlery Your caterer may or may not include cutlery in which case you have to hire cutlery.

Glassware If you are supplying your own alcohol the caterer will not provide you with glassware. Even if they do they will only provide limited glassware and you will have to organize more to get the look of a classical wedding.

Pathway What if it rains will you guest have to walk through a muddy paddock to get to your wedding. Will they have to get wet muddy feet whenever they go to the toilet? Organise a pathway to the marquee. The minimum should be large concrete pavers. Be careful they these are flush with the ground as pavers above level ground provide a trip hazard. Ensure these pavers are large you may want put several together (don’t forget your guest have been drinking).

Electricity Do you need to get a generator to run electricity? Ensure the generator is large enough. Where will you place the generator as it is pretty noisy?

Wedding Planner People who choose to do a temporary (not at a function centre or restaurant) marquee should employ the services of a wedding planner to coordinate everything. This will take much of the stress out of your wedding planning. It is definitely money well spent in the circumstance.

Furniture Round Table, chairs and chair for the ceremony can add greatly to the cost of a wedding. Also ensure your chairs are compatible with the chair covers of your wedding decorator.

Linen Some Caterer supply table linen some don’t. Many caterers supply napkins or some sort, some times paper. Don’t settle for paper napkins it makes your wedding seem incredibly cheap, pay the extra for linen napkins and save yourself the embarrassment. Linen may be an unforeseen cost you will have to factor in.

Marquees can be an unbelievable wedding venue. They look great, can have that fairytale effect about them and can look incredibly elegant especially in the right setting. A Marquee wedding is however invariably more expensive (to a comparable venue based wedding), requires a lot more planning and effort, with contingency requirements not as forseeable. If you want the feel of a Marquee Wedding go for it with all you heart and you wallet). Trying to skimp on a Marquee wedding will invariable take away all that is great about it and to disastrous effect.

Gosford Golf and Function Centre is one of the Premier Reception Venues on the NSW Central Coast

Perfection Wedding Catering provides full wedding services to a number of beachside venues on the NSW Central Coast

For More information visit www.GosfordGolfandFunctionCentre.com.au or www.PerfectionWeddingCatering.com.au

Just got that rock on your finger and you’re busily running around searching out for reception venues. But who should you get advice from? Wedding Coordinators at the various venues you are interest in? By all means it is advisable to visit them but don’t lose site that they are biased and their aim is for you to have your wedding with them whether appropriate or not. They will highlight their strengths (and in some cases overstate them), whilst glaringly omit their weaknesses.

Some people ask advice from friend’s who attend a few wedding or friends who have just got married. This is great but these people are hardly experts, normally have consumed quite a few beverages on the night impairing their judgment and have not been to wide cross section of venues. Reception venues are one of the first suppliers that is engaged and booked. Is this right? Yes and No.

In the United States one of first people you book after getting engaged is a wedding planner. They have knowledge of service, capabilities, cost and facilities of many venues. They can tailor one to meet your needs. They may even have the priority on popular dates. In Australia however the wedding planner is nowhere near as popular. This can be down to cost (Australians see this as unnecessary cost, and in many cases it is) and also Australian Brides tend to have more control over their wedding whereas Americans quite often leave much of the control to the planners. As such Australian planners don’t do nearly as many wedding each week as their American counterparts and do not have as intimate knowledge of as many venues.

How then do you get the honest advice of wedding professional without incurring the cost? Wedding photographers, DJs (the good ones) and professional celebrant do 2-3 wedding each and every week, the average potential bride may attend 2-3 a Year!. Quite often these professionals are there for the ceremony and reception. They also do a multitude of different venues and observe the difference in service, set-up and decor and the quality of the food (as they are often fed at receptions), so can effectively pass comparisons.

So the answer to your information short fall may lie in seeking out photographers, celebrants and DJs before booking your reception venue and asking their advice on

What is the difference in service between “venue A” and “venue B”?

Why is “venue A” cheaper than “venue B””

Have tasted the food at “Venue A” and how does it compare to “venue C”

In your opinion which has the best coordinated wedding “A, B or C”

If you had to have your wedding again which venue would you choose and why

It is still advise to book both your Ceremony Venue and Reception Venue first as these should be foundations upon which to be building your perfect day but for your day to be perfect ensure that your foundations are correct. Change the order of investigation of your service providers and reap the benefits.

To contact Alvin and discover what makes Gosford Golf one of the Central Coast’s finest wedding reception venues visit Gosford Golf & Function Centre

Gosford Golf and Function Centre are proud members of Central Coast Wedding Specialists, Wedding Professionals helping you make your Special Day Perfect

Finally, I have added the song lists, here is proably a better way to do this, but for the time being, click on either of the links below to view a pdf file of our song list.

Karaoke Library by song 020509

Karaoke Library by artist as at 020509

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