Selecting the Right Entertainment For Your Wedding Reception
When planning a Chicago wedding many couples focus on the dress, the food, the flowers, the photos and the endless other details yet they often overlook the importance of the entertainment. While all the elements that go into making a perfect wedding day are important, it is the entertainment at the reception that ultimately has the most impact on your and your guest’s enjoyment of the day. Your guests will barely remember what they had for dinner but will remember if they had a great time dancing or socializing or left early because the entertainment was terrible.DJ or Band?Live music and a stage full of musicians adds an element of energy to a wedding that a DJ just can’t match. The right band also adds an air of style and sophistication. There are however several drawbacks to hiring a band for your wedding day. A band is usually more expensive than a DJ due to the number of people involved and the associated costs for parking, meals, etc.An average wedding band in Chicago starts out at around $1,600. This is a base price and can go up considerably depending on the number of musicians and vocalists desired and if you would like them to learn additional songs.The major limitation to live music is the bands ability to play a diverse enough range of music to please all of your guests. Bands usually have certain styles of music they excel at and don’t vary much outside of that. Will your band be able to play Big Band for the grandparents, Disco for the parents and then later on 80′s Rock and Top 40 for the younger crowd? Many bands will be able to accommodate a limited number of special requests but they just won’t have the flexibility to handle a wide range of musical styles and requests. If your and your guest’s musical tastes fall into the bands range of available selections this won’t be much of an issue.A professional disc jockey is often a good choice for wedding reception entertainment due to their ability to accommodate a wide range of musical styles and their relative affordability. A professional wedding DJ in the Chicago area averages around $1,2000. Note that this is an average price and may be higher depending on which company you choose and any additional options that you may add such as extra lighting, larger sound systems, etc.Some couples choose to solve the dilemma by incorporating both a band and DJ however, this can become quite expensive.How to choose the right wedding entertainment?First of all, do your research and seek out professionals. Just because your friend’s cousin has an iPod and has downloaded some music doesn’t make them a DJ or if they really rock at Guitar Hero doesn’t mean their band is ready to perform at weddings and someone you should trust with one of the most important days of your life.Price should not be the only factor when considering entertainment given how important it is to the success of your reception. As the old adage goes “You get what you pay for”. Cheap DJ’s and bands are cheap for a reason whether it is lack of experience, lack of professional equipment or the fact that they do not run a reputable business. As with anything, expect to pay more for higher quality and better service. The deciding factor should not solely be price but value. Are you getting a quality service at a reasonable and fair price?Another factor to think about when looking at the price of your wedding entertainment is all of the preparation involved leading up to the big day. In addition to the 8 or more hours the entertainer will be working on the day of your event you must also take into consideration all the time they will spend preparing for your event attending meetings, preparing music, rehearsing introductions, etc. A professional wedding entertainer will spend at least 10 to 20 hours preparing for your event. Amateurs will not.A true professional wedding entertainer does much more than just show up and play music. They set the tone for the entire event and are your emcee and event host, event coordinator, music programmer, lighting designer, crowd motivator and more. A professional wedding entertainer will coordinate all the activities of your wedding reception to ensure that everything flows smoothly and your guests thoroughly enjoy themselves. When it comes to dancing a good entertainer will play the right songs at the right time to keep your dance floor full.To seek out potential entertainers ask any newlywed friends for referrals, ask the other wedding professionals you are working with for their recommendations, check with the Better Business Bureau, read local wedding publications and search online.Once you have found 3-5 companies you are interested in pick up the phone and give them a call or send them an email. First of all how responsive are they? Do they answer the phone right away or promptly return your calls and emails? How professional do they appear?Ask them about their performance style. Does it match what you are looking for? Some companies are highly interactive which means they will bring props and lead dances with the crowd and maybe even sing. Some companies will act as an emcee but will not be overly interactive. Some companies do neither. Find the company whose style matches yours.Once you have narrowed down the field to 3 or so perspective companies set up an appointment to meet with a company representative or better yet your potential entertainer. At the meeting do they listen to what you want or do they tell you how they do things? How interested are they in discovering your musical tastes and your vision for your wedding? Will they help you plan the reception and the music? Do you get to choose your entertainer or do they assign them? You should ask a lot of questions to find out as much as you can about the company and the entertainer. Ask for references from past clients. After all is said and done, do you walk out of the meeting with a good feeling about what they can bring to your wedding day?Weigh your options carefully and choose the entertainment that you think best suits your tastes and budget, will provide an enjoyable atmosphere for your guests and is professional and reliable.Once you have chosen the entertainment make sure you get a thorough contract that spells out the obligations of both parties so there will not be any misunderstandings further on down the road.Whether you choose a band or a DJ make sure you do your research and find professional entertainment that matches your style and your wedding day will BE fantastic!
How to Find a Low Risk Investment
You have a lot of options available to you when searching for a low risk investment. There are tons of online options that can provide you with a high return on investment without putting you at a financial risk. You probably already know that you have to take a few chances to make money when making investments. That does not mean that you should not make smart investments.Be RealisticYou should know that you are not going to make a boat load of cash with low risk investments. You can experience some significant financial gain, but you are not going to become a billionaire. For anyone who is looking to build their investment portfolio you need to begin with finding the right low risk investments. They can provide you with a cushion and provide a safe haven for your long term investments as well as your financial goals.These types of investments come in very handy when considering your retirement plan. There are many different ones for you to consider.BondsBonds are a good low risk investment as they are a very secure way to invest. Government bonds are the best option, however if you choose to buy corporate bonds you are more likely to get your money back should the company go under. Money market mutual funds are also one of the best ones because they are not based on the stock market. They are based on securities instead.AnnuitiesAnother low risk investment that is a smart idea to consider is annuities. Annuities are usually paid on a monthly basis. You can also opt to make one lump sum purchase. You will start to receive monthly payments on your annuity once you purchase it. These investments should be mixed with other low risk investments such as bonds to create a strong and well-rounded portfolio. Be smart when making your investments to be provided with the highest return on investment.CDsCDs are the not best low risk investment, but they can be a great option for you to check out. CDs are certificate of money deposits that are great to purchase if you have a little bit of extra cash that you do not need right away. CDs are usually federally insured and they can draw quite a bit of interest and return on investment over a long period of time. You should try to avoid drawing from a CD early because you will end up losing money in the long run.BrokersIf you do not feel that you can make smart investments by yourself you should consider hiring the services of a professional broker. A broker can help you choose the smartest and lowest risk investments to suit your needs. A low risk investment should be the backbone of every investment portfolio.
Why Work With a Good Travel Agent to Locate Deals
There’s a lot more to a travel agent than just booking a flight to your destination of choice. The best travel agent can be your greatest asset in making your travel plans go smoothly, and saving you money as well.When you have decided on the place that you wish to visit, the right agent will be your first knowledgeable contact with that location. They will know the customs of the people, the places that tourist want to visit, what type of legal documents that you’ll need as well as the kind of weather that you should expect. In addition to the knowledge on the place that you are going to visit, if and when there are special discounts in hotel rooms and airfare, they will keep you notifiedOne of the advantages that a travel agent has over the general public is the ability to locate cheaper flights because of the professional courtesy that airlines afford to them as an incentive to booking a certain number of flights during any given month. Since they are in the business of planning out total vacations for their customers,they are always on the look-out for these kinds of deals.So where does one start the search for the best travel agent? The first to search is through word of mouth. Who do you know that has recently taken a vacation or a honeymoon? Find out who arranged their travel plans and get recommendations from people that you know and like first and foremost.Another great place to get recommendations of a quality agent is by joining some of the online travel forums and sites that other travelers give their unbiased opinions about who to deal with when it come to visiting the country of your choice these forums are also very helpful in helping you figure out what type of airfare and accommodations that will best suit you and your family needs.The best travel agent is the one that can be your eyes and ears to locating an affordable travel package and arranging an experience that you can enjoy not only for just a one time trip, but if they are really good at what they do you’ll return to them to plan your next adventure.
4 Reasons The Study Of Organizational Behavior Is Imperative
The managers or entrepreneurs are the leaders who can shape the success of their organization. For a successful run, a leader needs to ensure that the business carries out its internal and core operations Organizational Behavior plays a vital role in any enterprise’s success. It outlines the system in which the company will run, where it’ll fit in the industry and it also decides the future of the company. It defines the vision, mission, and goals of the company and outlines a way in which the members of the company will interact with each other. Thus, every manager or entrepreneur should learn the core principles of Organizational Behavior for the success of the business. Here are a few more reasons that exemplify the significance of the study of organizational behavior:
1. It helps in understanding the mission of the enterprise
Every organization has its quintessence or its purpose of carrying out the intended operations. Organizational behavior aids the entrepreneurs in defining the task of the organization- what a company will do and how it’ll do it. It defines an infrastructure that will be followed by the company throughout its run. It also emphasizes on establishing a mission statement that the company wants to achieve through its operations. The mission is not only monetary but it speaks of the company’s culture and aims at bringing a change in the lives of the customers, stakeholders and all the people involved with the company. The mission statement tells everyone about the goals of the organization and can be used to gauge the effectiveness of its operations.
2. It aids in establishing clear expectations
The organizational behavior not only helps in establishing a mission, but it also helps the managers or entrepreneurs in setting expectations for the employees, stakeholders as well as the customers. It helps in formulating the chain of command performed by each employee and also decides the kinds of vendors and customers the company should expect.
3. It helps in better decision making
The organizational behavior paves way for uniformity in the company and its core values. The establishment of the uniform mission, actions and messages facilitate the managers to make better decisions that are fruitful for the company. Organizational Behavior entails an identity to the organization so the managers can make their decision aligning with the nature of operations of the organization.
4. It ensures that managers hire the right person
The employees are the main pillars of organizational behavior. The people that bring new ideas and passion to the organization are considered as the perfect employees for the organization. If the organizational behavior is clearly defined, the newly employed candidates can easily understand their duties and it also makes easy for the managers to hire the right people and communicate with them effectively.