Events

Essential Tips for Hiring a Wedding Photographer

Hiring a wedding photographer is an essential step in planning a wedding. You want to capture and document snippets of one of the most memorable events of your life. Hence, it’s crucial to hire a professional photographer to avoid unnecessary slip-ups that can ruin your wedding.

Today we will be giving you some tips for choosing a videographer for your wedding.

• Experience – Is your videographer experienced?  This is your big day and you need a videographer who has seen it all.   Don’t rely on a newcomer to get everything right.
• His Work – Take a look at his previous work.  Is it beautiful and inspiring?  A top videographer should have plenty of videos for you to peruse, on his own website and also on either Vimeo or YouTube.
• Ideas – You probably have some ideas for your wedding video, but does your videographer have suggestions?  If he is a professional, then he knows how to make the best video possible.  He should have dome suggestions for making your wedding video the best it can be.
• Equipment – Does your videographer have the professional equipment to do the job right?  Your wedding video should look like a Hollywood movie from 2011, not 1950.
• References – Does your videographer have references?  His wedding videos may look great, but did he make the videos as the bride and groom wanted?  Be sure to ask how happy his previous clients were with his work.
• Accessibility – Does your videographer take the time to work with you?  Does he return all phone calls and emails quickly?  If he has time for you now, then he will likely have the time to make your wedding video a smashing success.

Create a candidate shortlist

Talk to your friends and family and check Angie’s List to find potential photographers, then narrow your choices by creating a candidate shortlist based on your personal preferences.

Ask for a portfolio

A portfolio is a selective compilation of the photographer’s best work. When viewing a photographer’s portfolio, ask to see a complete wedding set in order to get a better idea of how consistent the photographer is with his or her style and how uniform the quality of the shots are in various locations throughout the wedding.

Consider value when comparing quotes

Photography packages include a selection of hours of coverage, number of photographers, number of proofs delivered in CD or flashcard and a wedding album. Many photographers include frills such as loose prints, a parent album, post-wedding artistic shots and personalized thank-you cards. By selecting the items relevant to your needs and cutting back on the extras, you can dutifully stick to your initial budget. Alternatively, don’t be afraid to make special requests in place of irrelevant services in a particular package to get value out of the pricing.

Length In Minutes Does Not Equal More Value!

This is a big one. Often times couples assume because a wedding film is longer it must be worth more money. For example, if someone offers a 20 minute edit, 45 minute edit, or 60 minute edit. But the truth is, the film is only valuable up until the second it loses your interest. What’s the point in having a 60 minute wedding film if you stop watching after a couple of minutes?

This is exactly why we specialize in short wedding films. We never want to create something that you’re only going to watch once. We want to create something that is long enough to tell your whole story, yet, short enough to be awesome from start to finish.

The value of wedding videography is not the length of your film. But, the overall experience and quality of each minute in your film!

Filmmaking Style Is Important!

There is no right or wrong when it comes to a studio’s filmmaking style. But, you’re going to want to ask about it ahead of time. For example, some studios are silent storytellers. They don’t direct at all during your wedding day and they let the photographer run the show. Other studios may like to create scenes and direct a little more than usual. And, some may put on a Hollywood level production. Knowing which style you want and which style is compatible with your photographer is important. At the end of the day, all of your vendors have to work well with each other. Knowing how each vendor works will help everyone succeed!

Personality

After you decide which style you prefer, it is time to talk to your videographer in person. You may start the conversation like, “How long have you worked for the weddings?”, “How do you normally work with photographers?”, or “What is your film style?”. Most videographers, including me, are quiet, but it does not mean we are bad in communication. Like the other good vendors, we answer the emails within 24 hours. I meet my brides and go through the timeline a month before their wedding days. Both my 2nd videographer and I arrive on time and communicate with the photographer during the day. It is never a bad idea to communicate with your videographer and understand their personality.

Contract Policy, Pricing & Turnaround Time

When you decide to book the videographer you love, make sure to ask them their contract policy. Do they have liability insurance? Do they charge for traveling? What happened if the videographer gets sick? Here are some questions you may ask:

• Do you offer additional hours? Can we add it later?

• Who is shooting with you at our wedding?

• Can I choose the music or you choose the music for us?

• What is your video turnaround time?

• Do you charge for revision?

• I am not sure about this package. Can I upgrade it later?

• My venue requires insurance from all the vendors. Can you provide it?

• If I postpone my wedding, what is your COVID policy?

• How do you handle our footage? If the files corrupted, what would you do?

What you need to do for your videographers

An informed videographer is a happy videographer.

Keep in touch with your videographer. Contracts for wedding professionals are often entered into months before the wedding. Be sure you keep your videographer advised of such things as the time set for the rehearsal, additions to the wedding party list and special aspects of the ceremony that you want covered.

A hungry videographer is a grumpy videographer.

Make sure you and your videographers agree on eating arrangements. Videographers usually work eight to ten hours on the day of a wedding. They need to eat if they are to do their best work.

If only one videographer is to shoot your reception, try to arrange that he or she eats in the same room as the guests, so that he can keep an eye on what is going on and be ready to capture events on tape at a moment’s notice.

Many couples suggest that the videographers go through the buffet line. However, for a sit-down dinner, where meal costs skyrocket, it’s appropriate to provide sandwiches and coffee. You may even decide that the videographers should provide their own meal. In this case, make sure everyone understands where they are to eat, since you probably don’t want a brown bag lunch and can of pop at one of your guest tables.

Remember, it’s your wedding, and you’re paying for the videographer. Whatever you decide will be alright, so long as the videographer knows in advance what to expect.

Essential Equipment for Beginner Wedding Photographers

Even though you may be new to wedding photography, it’s very important to have a good DSLR, several lenses and a flash. An entry-level DSLR will suffice when shooting your first weddings, and for use as a backup camera. However, you should consider investing in high-quality equipment for the long run, especially if you plan to shoot weddings professionally.

To begin with, you can rent much of the equipment you’ll need.  Rental prices for a DSLR body range from about $50 – $200 / day, and many lenses can be rented from about $10 – $25 / day. Some rental departments offer a multi-day or weekend discount. Renting is a great way to go when you can’t afford the initial outlay of cash that professional camera equipment requires, and it will give you the opportunity to try out equipment before purchasing it. Renting several days before the big event will give you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the camera gear you plan to use.

DSLR Body

Many professional wedding photographers use full-frame digital cameras, which are becoming more common in today’s marketplace. Full-frame DSLRs offer excellent image quality in low-light situations, as well as great wide-angle capabilities. Some wedding and event photographers use more economical DSLRs with smaller sensors, which also have great imaging and AF features. Their smaller sensor size also offers greater magnification than those with full-frame sensors for telephoto work

Video

Because of the rising popularity of videography at weddings and other important events, most of today’s DSLRs incorporate video. It’s possible for the wedding photographer to shoot brief video clips on his/her primary camera, but it’s better to have a second person shooting video with a DSLR or camcorder. The videographer also needs a fluid head tripod, remote microphone system and/or audio recorders. Just as with still photography, it’s important to document all the important events at a wedding.

Lenses

A maximum aperture of f/2.8 or wider is important for gathering light in dimly lit situations and for shallow depth of field. You may need to shoot in low light in a church where flash would be disruptive to the ceremony. Some wedding photographers utilize several prime (single focal-length) lenses, while others use zoom lenses that cover a broad range of focal lengths. You can cover the spectrum of wedding photo opportunities with three zoom lenses—a wide-angle zoom, a wide-to-telephoto zoom, and a telephoto lens.

A Complete Guide To Choosing The Right Wedding Photographer, From A Pro In The Know

Weddings are a nightmare. Well, okay, that’s not explicitly true; a wedding has the potential to be one of the most glorious celebrations of love and friendship that you can ever experience, but achieving harmony between all the moving parts that go into wedding planning can be a monumental task.

Possibly the biggest challenge, besides saving up a lot of money, is that you’re relying on all your various relatives to come together in the same room and get on with each other for a full day. When you’re not juggling requests about who they’d rather not sit next to, you’re fielding their opinions on every single detail from the dress through to the champagne.

There are some that will caution you to budget more for your wedding photographer than for your wedding dress, as a good photographer can make a cheap dress look good and not vice versa. There are others, though, who blindly assume that because everyone, including Auntie Janet, can operate an iPhone these days, there’s no need to draft in a pro.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the right approach is probably on neither the ‘bankruptcy’, nor the ‘just wing it’ end of the scale. That being said, finding the right photographer for your event can still be quite a big project.

Undoubtedly, for one of the most important days of your life, you’ll need to turn to a professional wedding photographer to capture the moment. That’s a given. But which wedding photographer to choose? And how to go about establishing the best relationship with them?

Not-so-Obvious Things Photographers Should Bring to a Wedding

As a working photographer, your essential gear list is probably emblazoned on your heart. You know exactly what gear goes into your photographer’s tool bag and maybe even have a backup bag packed with duplicate gear, because you know it’s better to be safe than sorry. But if you really want to be prepared, especially when shooting for hours at a wedding, you’ll want to bring along some extra goodies to help you get through the day and deliver a stellar client experience.

Important Information

Phone numbers, venue names, and addresses are all essential bits of info you need to have on hand before and at the wedding. Have the couple provide the names of venues and the specific addresses, as well as addresses for any other places you’ll visit, like the couple’s home or photo locations.

Photo Shot List and Wedding Timeline

The day of the wedding is not the time to wing it. Show up prepared with a detailed list of formal shots your couple has requested and approved and a wedding day timeline to help you stay on track. On your wedding questionnaire or at the pre-wedding meeting, have your couple provide you with a list of the bride and groom’s immediate family, a list of family photos they would like, and the names of each person in the group. You can also discuss with the couple when and where to do the formal shots.

Layers/Extra Clothes

You never know what the weather will do or what a venue’s temperature will be set at, so bring a rain jacket, a sweater in case the AC is cranked up, and/or an extra set of clothes in case of an emergency. You might also consider packing a pair of comfortable shoes to slip on later in the day.

Business Cards

You never know where you’ll meet a potential customer, so it’s a good idea to have a stack of business cards in your bag

BRIDAL DETAILS CHECKLIST

You have a million things to think about, plan and prepare for your wedding day. Things are going to fall through the cracks and you will forget stuff. I am hoping this bridal details checklist makes your life a little easier! It will be one less thing you have to stress about the week of your wedding.

Photographing the bridal details is not only the very first thing I photograph on every wedding day, but it is always one of my favorite things! The more details the better! Starting my day off this way gives me plenty of time to get warmed up, sneak a few pictures of the bride and bridesmaids getting ready, and allow everyone to adjust to me being around. This part of the day is so important because it tells the story of your wedding day and allows for everyone to get warmed up without being rushed in front of the camera.

After I arrive, greet everyone with hugs, I get settled in and immediately ask for the following details :

Dress (Don’t forget a pretty hanger!)

Rings (His, Hers & of course the engagement ring)

Ring box

Veil & Hairpiece

Shoes

Earrings

Necklace

Other Jewelry

Keepsake

Perfume

Invitations (Full invitation suite & save the date)

Bouquets & boutonnieres

Gifts 

These are a few of my favorite details to photograph but really you can include anything for your wedding day! These are just the most common details that most all brides & grooms have. The best way to keep all of these details organized is to have a designated bag or box the week of your wedding. As you are packing everything, you can place all of the details in the same area and it makes it super easy to find everything on the wedding day.

For dress shots, a custom hanger isn’t necessary but a pretty wooden hanger would make a huge difference. You spent a lot of money on your wedding dress, took all of your favorite girls with you to find the perfect dress, it deserves to be photographed on something better than a plastic hanger!

THINGS YOUR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER WISHES YOU KNEW

Hire a photographer whose photography style you like

Wedding photographers can have a variety of different shooting styles such as photojournalism/documentary, traditional, and fine art (or be a mix of a few), as well as different editing styles (light & airy, bold & vibrant, dark & moody, etc). It’s important to understand the differences between all the styles and which one you and your future spouse like the best. Be sure to do your research  and know what style calls to you before booking a photographer. That way  you don’t end up with someone whose style doesn’t work for you.

It’s important to establish a relationship with your wedding photographer

Get to know your wedding photographer! After all, they’re going to be snapping photos of you two on the most important day of your life. They’ll want to get to know you as a couple, from how you interact with each other, your cute quirks, and the way you show affection towards one another. Understanding these things about a couple prior to the wedding day helps the photographer capture the little moments that make your big day so special. I personally like to meet a few times before the wedding so that we have that opportunity (consultation, engagements, timeline meetings, etc).

Engagement sessions are important

You have a trial run for your hair and makeup and you try on your dress a number of times before wearing it on the big day, so why wouldn’t you do a practice run with your photographer? Engagement sessions allow you to get comfortable in front of the camera and allows your photographer to get used to photographing you both. When you see the images it will give you an idea of what your wedding day pictures will look like. Still not convinced? Here are a few reasons you should have an engagement session.

Your photographer doesn’t need a shot list

It might seem like a helpful idea to give your wedding photographer a list of all the moments you want captured, but it actually ends up stifling the photographer’s creativity. On the big day things are moving quickly and trying to organize everyone for photos is stressful enough without having to worry about a checklist. You can actually miss out on the candid moments when you’re too busy double-checking the shot list.; and candid photos end up being some of the best! Photographers are experienced professionals and they’ve shot enough weddings to know what kinds of images couples want. Have a general chat before the wedding day about any moments you definitely want pictures of, especially things we may not know about, but providing a detailed list isn’t necessary.

Chat about the wedding day timeline

The wedding day timeline is largely based off the photography timeline. Your wedding photographer (or planner if you have one!) is likely an expert in creating these and can be a helpful resource for this part of your planning. They know exactly how long family, wedding party and couples portraits take and can help plan out the day accordingly. The bigger your family and the bigger the wedding party, the longer pictures are going to take, so keep that in mind when you’re planning out your day.

How to Choose a Wedding DJ

What Makes a Good Wedding DJ?

Being a DJ is about way more than pushing “play” on an iPad playlist. Here are three qualities that set a good wedding DJ apart from the crowd.

1. Personality

If we could only give you one tip, it would be this!

Your DJ is going to be responsible for setting the tone of the evening. If you have a boring DJ…that means a boring wedding.

A DJ’s personality is the most important clue you’re going to get. Instead of relying on emails and texts, meet with your DJ in person to talk about your vibe, needs, and favorite music. This will help you decide whether they can create the party atmosphere you’re looking for.

2. Communication

You’ve probably been hearing how important communication is during all those premarital classes. Well, working a DJ is no different.

Playing music is only part of what a DJ does. The other half is talking. From making sure you’re on the same page regarding the “do not play” list to making sure the photographer captures the cake cutting, wedding DJs need to communicate and they need to do it well.

This is why it’s so crucial to hire a wedding DJ that can also MC. Other than your wedding planner, your DJ is the one person keeping everything together!

3. Flexibility

Any DJ who specializes in weddings will end up working a lot of them, so they need to be organized. But when those plans go awry, they also need to be flexible.

An organized DJ has a copy of the evening’s timeline so they can keep events on track. But if the bride and groom are an hour late, they should be able to adapt on the fly so that you and your guests are able to enjoy the evening without feeling rushed (with plenty of time for dancing).

Tips To Pick Your DJ

Finding the right DJ is imperative to ensure your wedding happens just as you planned. A great DJ can take your wedding to a level you never imagined. However, a bad DJ can make it a nightmare. Below are 5 tips to guide you through the process of finding the perfect DJ for your wedding.

Experience/Professionalism

One of the single most determining factors in the decision making process should be experience. You can plan every detail to the exact second, but no wedding occurs exactly as planned. There is a flow to weddings and an experienced DJ will make any change or delay appear like it was planned and rehearsed. In fact, a proactive DJ will anticipate common situations and prepare accordingly. You spent hours upon hours planning, scheduling and stressing about every single detail, the last thing you want is to do is spend your entire wedding worrying that something will be missed. A great DJ can put you at ease because he or she has all the necessary details and the ability to improvise should things change or fall behind.

Price

Deciding a budget for entertainment can be very challenging because prices can range anywhere from $300 to $3,000. Many DJ companies offer various pricing packages along with a la carte options, travel fees, and/or per hour add-ons. Similar to buying a car, you have to be aware of what the overall price will be after all the add-ons, extra time, additional audio system (for the ceremony, cocktail hour etc…), and additional fees.

You also have to consider you get what you pay for. Although often overlooked as not being one of the most important vendors, the DJ/Emcee controls the flow for the entire wedding. With all that responsibility, you need to know that he or she has what it takes to make your day perfect.

So how do you know what price you should beget for and if the price justifies the value you should expect? The following nine tips will give you insight on the “must haves” that any professional DJ or entertainment company should provide. But before we conclude with pricing segment, keep in mind that the average DJ package for 4 hours in Northern California is roughly $1,200.

Meet with the DJ and make sure he or she will actually be you DJ

Make sure to meet with your DJ before you book. You want to get a feel for his/her personality and mannerisms. Especially if you want your DJ to also emcee the event, overall appearance and professionalism is key. You should feel comfortable having conversation during the consultation.

Equipment

You can find a DJ with great personality, experience, talent, affordable prices, but it is imperative he or she uses the proper professional equipment. Beginning with the sound, professional speakers make all the difference in the world. Professional mics are also important. You don’t want microphone to cut in and out of signal because of insufficient range. There are also many different types of microphones for different applications. Make sure your DJ has the right type of mic for your event. A DJ should also have backup equipment in the event of technical difficulties.

Questions to Ask a Wedding DJ

These are the 40 most important questions to ask any professional disc jockey you are considering for your wedding, and will help you accurately gauge the professionalism, reliability, and honesty of any wedding DJ you are considering. This list of questions will certainly help you once you reach the DJ interview process, but doing some research beforehand will help you determine whether certain wedding DJs are even worth interviewing.  Good luck in your search!

1. Do you offer a written contract?

All of the wedding disc jockeys you interview may not have the same standards of professionalism. A written, legal contract is one of the first indicators of whether a DJ is professional and reliable. Furthermore, a contract establishes the DJ’s obligation to the client and outlines what is required for the DJ’s success, by outlining his setup requirements and other factors related to his performance. For this reason, a written contract is absolutely essential and any DJ not using a written contract should not, in our opinion, be considered for a wedding reception.

2. Will you be the DJ at our wedding?

Often, the person you speak with is not the person who will be your DJ on your wedding day. This is a very common practice among large agencies. It is absolutely paramount that you have an opportunity to interview the specific DJ that you will be working with and determine whether you feel comfortable with them. You should also expect that the individual DJ’s name is specified on your contract – it is the only way you can be guaranteed his or her services at your wedding.

3. May we meet our DJ before we sign a contract?

Many DJ companies will try to get clients to sign a contract without speaking with their DJ first, asking couples to simply trust that whoever the company sends to perform their wedding will be a good fit. In our experience, this is a terrible idea. The only way you’ll actually know whether the DJ you’ll have at your wedding is to interview them before you sign a contract. Your “gut” feeling is very important in selecting the right disc jockey, and you’ll be in a tough spot if you finally speak to your DJ a week before your wedding and realize they aren’t going to be a good match.

Here is everything you need to know about booking DJs for a party.

Whatever the occasion, hiring a DJ can add life and excitement to a party. Finding the right DJ for hire will ensure your party has the perfect soundtrack, and turns into a night your guests will never forget. Hiring a DJ doesn’t have to be difficult. Follow these simple steps to do it right.

KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR IN A DJ

Before you embark on hiring a DJ for your event, you must consider what you are looking for, as it will save on time and confusion later in the party-planning process. While many DJ’s can be versatile performers with catalogues of varied titles, many also specialize in certain events or musical genres.

A DJ for a corporate party will offer something quite different to one who specializes in wedding celebrations. For this reason, it is useful to establish what the type of party is that you are throwing, and what style of music will suit the occasion, so that you can find the best possible match for your function.

EXPLORE YOUR DJ OPTIONS

DJs often advertise using a variety of media platforms and many are registered on booking agency websites that contain a whole roster of DJs to choose from. Many clients, however, like to act on recommendations as they offer a clear and more personal indicator of what you can expect. Therefore, it is a good idea to ask around and see what presents itself.

A testimony from a friend or colleague is something more reliable to go on in these beginning stages than choosing an unfamiliar act. Alternatively, you can contact establishments that enlist DJs for similar events such as nightclubs or wedding planner companies, as they may be able to provide you with suitable recommendations.

DISCUSS THE DETAILS

It is best to consider too many than too few potential performers, so once you have selected several candidates, get in touch with them to see if they’re a good fit. You could include creative discussions about what you are looking for in a performance and what they can offer. This is also the time to hash out the essential details, checking their availability and that the date, time and location are agreeable as well as their price, the lighting and equipment costs, their set-up and performance times and anything else that you feel is worth asking.

Here is a complete guide to which vendors you should tip (and how much!) on your wedding day.

Catering:
If your contract doesn’t include gratuity, you should tip 15 to 20 percent of the total bill. Another way to tip is offering $50 to $100 for each chef and $20 to $50 per server.

Wedding planner:
Wedding planners won’t expect a tip, so this is optional based on service. If you were given a huge discount or the planner went far above and beyond their contracted services, offering a tip of 10 to 20 percent is a nice way of saying “thank you” for the efforts.

Photographer and videographer:
You’re not required to tip them if they own the studio. If they don’t, then giving them an extra $50 to $200 is a nice gesture. If there are two or three shooters, giving a $50 to $100 tip to each person (who doesn’t own the business) is optional.

Ceremony staff and reception staff:
It’s not mandatory to tip the ceremony staff, reception staff and delivery staff, but if you’d like to, then you can offer them $20-$50 each.

Officiant:
Often times officiants won’t accept tips, but a $100 donation to their church is a great way to thank them. If the officiant is non-denominational, consider giving them a $100 tip, especially if they aren’t charging for your service.

Hair and makeup artist:
A 15 to 20 percent tip is expected, just like it would be for any other regular salon visit, but it isn’t required.

Band or DJ:
Offering a 10 to 15 percent tip is a nice gesture to your band or DJ, especially if they have to carry a lot of heavy equipment from one location to the next. For musicians, a $25 to $50 tip per band member is appropriate.

Reasons Why Your Corporate Event Needs a Videographer

If you’ve got a corporate event coming up, you’ll want to capture it with a corporate event video, there’s no question about that. Event video coverage is a great way to build brand awareness for your company and get people interested in and excited about what you do.

After looking at event videography rates, you might be tempted to try to figure out how to film an event yourself. Videography is like photography, writing and other pursuits, in that everybody can do it, but it takes specialized skill to do it well.

A Professional Corporate Event Video Reflects on Your Company

People who are watching your corporate event video aren’t just learning about who your company is and what your company does. They’re also learning about your commitment to quality.

A Professional Videographer Stays Out of the Way

A professional videographer knows how to film (by film people might think we are actually using film instead of digital 4k for the event) an event unobtrusively, allowing activities to continue uninterrupted.

A Professional Videographer Knows How to Edit

Videoing your corporate event is about more than just filming, it’s knowing how to cut the event together, how to mix the shots and the sound, and add music and any subtle effects or graphics that will make the video really shine without appearing overproduced.

How to choose the perfect videographer for your wedding

Your wedding photographs form an important memento of your big day – pictures that you’ll cherish for an entire lifetime. As time moves on, though, so does technology. With increasing regularity, happy couples are turning to professional videographers to capture the finest essence of their special in the sun.

A memento that will last generations

The days of videographers struggling under the weight of an enormous camera, in an effort to gain grainy, low-quality footage of your big day are all but over. Technology marches ever forward, and today, miniature, high-quality digital cameras are the norm.

Not only will you receive a shimmering, technicolour keepsake of your wedding, it’ll arrive on DVD, meaning that it’ll last well over 100 years. Therefore, your great-great-great grandchildren will be able to watch their ancestors’ wedding in crisp quality, unlike if you’d used videotape, which has a maximum lifetime of 15 years (less if you watch it over and over, which you surely will!).

How to choose a great videographer

Sometimes, choosing a videographer gets pushed right down the list of many things you need to sort out, but try and book one in as soon as possible. This way, you’ll have a broader range to choose from, ensuring that you aren’t forced to go with someone who lacks the necessary experience and knowhow when it comes to making films. Here are four things to consider.

Check his or her previous examples

Just as you would with your photographer, examining your potential videographer’s portfolio is an absolute priority. Try and watch a broad range of their work, as this may help you find a certain style to go for. What’s more, don’t be tempted to skip scenes or fast-forward – you need to discover if your director will capture the whole event, and not one narrow part of it. You can even ask for a reference from previously filmed weddings if you want to delve a little deeper.

How to Choose a Wedding Videographer

Choosing a videographer is just as important as your photographer. It’s really a movie capturing all the special elements and magic of your big day in living colour, from the wedding day preparations through to the dancefloor antics!!

And thanks to advancements in digital technology, the quality of videos today has improved dramatically over the years. Instead of using the large, obtrusive cameras that were standard 10 years ago, most videographers now shoot with small discreet digital video cameras.

A video is a very personal thing, some couples love to have it and it’s a must, whilst others choose not. It has its pros and I would recommend one, it’s lovely to look back on, even my kids now look at our wedding video! For those who have passed on since it’s nice to look back on those special moments

There are some ideas I have here when choosing a videographer and questions you need to know.

Get recommendations from friends & family

Check dates first to see if they are available for your wedding.

Check out their websites where you can view sample reels. If a videographer does not have a website or it’s poorly designed, take it as a sign that they are not technologically up to speed

When you start to meet with them, ask to see an example of an entire, edited tape from one wedding rather than a demo

What is their standard coverage, decide how long you wish them to record and what is most important for you both.

Budget for your video also: some can start in the bride’s house, church, reception, first dance, up until Midnight – choose which package you would like. Videographers can range anything from €1500.00-€2500.00, depending on your preferred package & style.

Experience: make sure you are choosing someone with a lot of experience, it pays at the end of the day!

Check if they have a wireless transmission of sound for the vows and speeches

Personality: make sure you get on with the person you have booked, you will know this when you first meet to discuss everything. Have a good rapport, feel you can say what you wish to have, discuss everything and have no regrets. They should also get on well with your photographer.

Be sure to specify the music you want to be included in the soundtrack.

Are video messages included in your package – maybe this is something you would like or not

Get 2/3 copies of your video in Blu-Ray or DVD

Tip of the week:

Ask your videographer how long the turnaround is and when would you expect to have your DVD in your hand, some take 3 months and I have heard of others can take longer. Also, ensure you have a lifetime back up – just in case your DVD gets destroyed in fire or anything, you can get another copy.

GET THE BEST EVENT VIDEOGRAPHY

Why choose our videographer?

When it comes to finding cheap wedding videography – or any event video production for that matter – many companies compromise on the quality of their creation in order to offer affordability. But here at PPM, we make sure to give you a value for money service that goes above and beyond everything you’ve ever wanted. Not only are our professionals friendly and experienced, but they will edit your video to perfection before giving it to you via USB or Dropbox. It’s the perfect way to remember the most special days of your life – without breaking the bank.

Your event captured the way you need it captured – whether you want our videographer at your complete disposal, or if you want to just let us do our thing. It’s up to you!

Get in Touch – We’re FriendlyEnquire with us, and discuss the details of your event with no obligation – we will always have a solution for your requirements

Post Production EditingWe take great pride in our post production editing process. Our videos are edited with our professional video editing software, exported digitally for online use.

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Capture every moment of your special day (and even the ones you missed) with professional videographers. We can provide videographers for your meeting or special event to help capture the moments to remember. We work with only the most talented and creative videographers and we can save you the time required to research and hire a great video company.

From corporate videography to full length documentary video production, we offers you a true “one stop shop” solution when your only requirement is that it must be the best! From concept to completion, our talented network of videographers will handle your video production with the skill and dedication it deserves. In every step of video production from the initial concept, through the entire production process to completion, our highly trained videographers can do it all. Our goal is to exceed your expectations. Please contact us at any time to experience life in HD!

Choosing the Right Photo Booth Style

Choosing the Right Photo Booth Style?

With a range of different photo booths, choosing the right photo booth style for you can be tricky. You may have used one at a weddings, birthday or corporate event, and sure it was easily to use but maybe not so much easy to choose.

What is it?

This is where it all began, a small box! We call ours a “Traditional Enclosed Photo Booth”. Nowadays enclosed photo booths come in a number of different styles and sizes. Generally with the enclosed photo booth they normally have a hard sturdy wall or a curtain (or an inflatable shell, but we will talk more about that later).

Why choose it?

If you’re having an event in a public place or venue where everyone (including people who aren’t apart of the event) can see you, then this is a great choice for privacy. Unlike some enclosed photo booths, our booth allows more than 2 or 3 people in it. You can fit 12 people in our photo booth! You can also choose from our range of different curtains.

Rather than having a curtain or wall that boxes you in and make you feel claustrophobic (unless you like to be close to other people), this booth has more space. Hence why it’s call “open air” photo booth. Some people also refer to them as a kiosk photo booth.

Open air photo booths have more options when it comes to backdrops. You could go with one the photo booth company can provide, which are normally a curtain or print design on a portable stand. There is also the option of using the venue’s wall or creating your own backdrop. Lastly you could use the beautiful view outdoors or from inside.

How To Choose The Best Photo Booth Rental

Choosing a photo booth rental company for your event is exciting but with so many companies out there, how do you decide on which one to book? Well, there’s some things you should look for so that you’re choosing the best photo booth rental for your needs

Budget

The amount of money you want to spend is always important because you don’t want to go over the allocated budget you have for your event. Pick a dollar amount you feel comfortable with before choosing your photo booth rental company but keep in mind that a low budget will likely prevent you from finding top quality photo booth rental companies to hire. Also, remember that sales tax will usually be added to the base price.

Type of Photo Booth – Not all photo booth rentals are created equal. There are enclosed photo booth rentals where guests step into a box. These photo booth rentals are very compact but don’t allow the best lighting since the light is so close to the guests. Also, typically these photo booth rentals have small light sources which means harsher shadows. Open air photo booth rentals don’t have walls but instead have a photo booth control station that houses the equipment and the background is set up separately. This allows more room for guests and allows the use of larger light sources and better depth for light distribution.

Prints – On-the-spot prints are awesome but not all prints have the same quality. A big problem with many photo booth rentals is that the color accuracy and/or brightness is bad. What this means is when a guest uses a photo booth rental with bad color accuracy settings, the photo may look fine on the screen, but the prints come out looking pale, dark, or too bright. Higher quality photo booth rental companies know how to color match prints to the screen so that what you’re seeing on the screen when using the photo booth, will be close to what you see on the actual prints

Lighting – Photography is all about light and not knowing the proper way to set up lighting can mean that your photos will come out too dark or overly bright. Not only that, but the light modifiers help make photos look even better with softer shadows and more even distribution of light. Higher quality photo booth rental companies know how to properly set up lighting for amazing looking photos

Tips for Choosing a Good Photobooth

Photobooths are used during events or parties. Events organizers should choose booths that are fit their budgets and requirements. Many companies are specialized in offering these services. This has allowed both old and young guests to engage with the machine and enjoy their time

You can hire one to give your guests an opportunity of having some informal and relaxed fun by hiring one. It is the best tool for making memories and capturing special moments. Event’s organizers in Melbourne can get good booths by hiring from reliable companies

Type of Booth

There are different styles and types of photo booths that you can choose from. This will help you in choosing the best tool for the next party

Enclosed Photo Booth-This tool can help you in getting and experiencing the feeling of an old school. An enclosed tool is obtained by drawing the curtains you can make this tool by drawing shut the curtain and letting it loose. This means that you will have nothing to worry about since people will not be looking at you.

GIF Booth-This tool has made it easier to take photos and create animated images, which can be distributed easily. It has become one of the popular alternatives for parties.

Insta Booth-People uses this machine to take selfies on their phones, creating hashtags and orienting photos for their parties.

Open Air Photo Booth –Open-air booths don’t have secrets. It is the best place where people can have fun.

Digital or Hard Copies

This is a tough decision that you need to make. You should try as much as possible to minimize wastage when it comes to printing. Any backlog in printing can lead to wastage of ink or paper. This is an issue that can be avoided by using digital photo booths. These are tools that allow the guests to email their photos directly. This has significantly eliminated the need for carrying prints around during the events.

Tips for Creating an Awesome Photo Booth

Photo booths are fun. Photo booths at parties are extra fun. Whether you’re stepping back in time to sit in a vintage “two-seater” with someone you love or standing in front of a sparkly backdrop with several friends at a wedding reception, chances are you’ve enjoyed the printed results—so much so that you’ve decided to make your own photo booth for your upcoming holiday party or your own wedding reception. Whether you’re working with an iPad and natural lighting or a more elaborate setup with a DSLR camera and lights, here are a few tips and ideas to make your photo booth a success, regardless the size of your system

Tailor your backdrop to your event. For a crisp, clean background of your choosing, Savage offers rolls of seamless paper in a variety of colors. While white, gray, and black are more traditional photo booth backgrounds, consider a color that matches your event. Tech Green seamless paper can even be utilized for green screen photography, allowing you to mix it up and explore a variety of images and backgrounds. For a more rugged background, consider an Infinity Vinyl Background. Much like seamless paper, this vinyl background hangs straight but allows for quick cleanup if a guest accidentally spills their drink or desert while they take a quick picture.

Alternatively, you can add dimension to a wall in your home or event space with rows of balloons or something even more unique, like decorated plates lined up in a row. Removable wall paper or sticker decals can also quickly transform your background without the residue. Metallic fringe designed for a doorway, or party streamers draped over a background support system could provide a unique and fun look to your photo booth without breaking the bank. For outdoor venues, add a string of lights to the foliage, drape fabric, or hang lanterns over lower hanging tree branches.

If your photo booth isn’t a traditional “booth,” and it doesn’t have anyone supervising image capture, clearly mark off the area with gaffer tape and write out instructions that even your youngest guest can follow easily and walk away with an instant print. Adding a rug to the area your photo booth occupies can help set the mood and can provide something of an escape from your event. Adding a seat or two in front of the backdrop can not only help frame the area in focus, but provide a welcome relief where older guests can take a load off.

If you don’t already have a photography prop box, now is the perfect opportunity to put one together. Grab an old crate or basket and fill it with oversized glasses, stick-on mustaches, cowboy hats, feather boas, whiteboard or chalkboard conversation bubbles, and more. The more props in your box, the more likely your guests will pose for multiple pictures, experimenting with different looks and different groups of friends or family members.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PHOTO BOOTH

Photo booths have quickly coming to be a need for any event lately. If you are thinking of having a photo booth at your wedding event or event, there are some things that you must consider before you decide which one is best for you. There are many photo booths available

Layout– Exactly what type of layout are you trying to find with the prints? Do you want picture strips with several little photos, a 4 × 6 with 3 pics and a logo design, or one huge 4 × 6 design photo? Can you include you own individual touch like a logo, quote, a photo of the mountains where you are having your wedding event, or color that matches your wedding/event? If you are going the photo strip path, does the printer cut the strip for you and will it make a straight cut? Very few printers have the capability to slice the image strips and just the best of the very best can do it straight. Too many booth companies end up having an attendant cut the strips with scissors– slowing the service and providing a less than professional technique to the product.

Props– Are the props enjoyable and appropriate for your party? How will they be displayed? Will they be thrown on a table haphazardly or will they be arranged in a wardrobe or nicely on expert display screen racks? Can you request specific themed props like mustaches, or sports stuff? Exists an extra expense for props or are they consisted of?

Staffed by an attendant– Will there be somebody onsite to help your guests, keep the props in order, deal with any technical booth problems, and most notably be the entertainment concierge to make sure the enjoyable is being enjoyed by everyone?

Referrals and online presence– Any business worth hiring has reviews and a strong online existence. If a business’s site looks inadequately designed, what does that inform you about the pride they take in themselves? If a company can not stand happy and look excellent online, how can they look good at your event? An excellent looking site with testimonials and pictures of recent setups at events states a lot that words alone can not. You wish to see photos!

How to Choose the Right Photographer and Videographer for Your Wedding

Finding good vendors for your wedding (like caterers, DJs, etc.) can be a challenge. For both of our upcoming family weddings, we are utilizing the services of wedding planners to make the process go more smoothly and keep our sanity. I’m not an expert on event planning, so I’m happy to release control to those who are – but when it comes to anything photo-related, or the best ways to tell the story of the big day, I have lots of opinions!

Why You Should Hire Separate Companies to Handle Photography and Videography

These days, we have the technology to capture photos and video of your event – and I recommend doing both. If you have the funds to do so, I recommend leaving room in your budget for a photographer and a videographer.

My Best Tips for Hiring the Perfect Wedding Photographer

Here’s a list of questions and things to think about when you are screening wedding photographers: Check out the photographer’s style in advance. Get examples of his work, and see if each wedding seems unique and personal. Most well-established photographers have websites these days, so having a high-quality site with a solid portfolio is a good sign.

Ask about costs upfront. Of course, you want to make sure the photographer’s services are within your budget. You do want to make sure you get a high-quality photographer, though, since it’s such an important choice, so you may need to make adjustments to your budget so that you can hire someone who will do a great job for you.

How to Choose and Hire the Best Videographer

As the latest statistics and research continue to hammer home the fact that video content is a critical component of every business’ content marketing campaign, marketing departments all over the world are scrambling to find professional videographers to fill this gap and bring their company’s content marketing strategy up to speed. Video content is a creative and engaging way to help your company stand out from the competition and a professional video production company can create video content that can be of considerable value to your business. At SteadyTake, we specialize in assembling the most qualified creative team for your video project, including skilled videographers, editors and creative support as needed. We pride ourselves on doing everything we can to ensure that our clients get what they are looking for in a video production company and we offer reasonably priced packages for a wide variety of video production needs, from entry-level packages to premium packages.

Tips for Hiring a Video Production Company

Unless you have hired a videographer or video production company before, you may not know what to expect from the process, how to prepare for it or how to know what is a fair price for the work you want. For many people, hiring a videographer to produce videos for their business may seem like a daunting task. There are countless video production companies out there offering a wide range of services that vary a great deal in price and they all promise to deliver high quality, professional video content. So how do you know that the video production company you hire will create video content that effectively markets your business?

Don’t settle for anything less than quality

Video marketing has become one of the most powerful marketing tools for businesses today and finding creative ways to market your business using quality, engaging video content is the most productive way to stay competitive in today’s market. The best way to ensure that the videos you are producing are of the highest quality is to hire a professional video production company with extensive experience and a vast network of creative talent. At SteadyTake, we are a team of more than 1,000 professional, vetted videographers and editors nationwide and our specialists produced more than 1,000 videos in the last year alone.

Keep your video destination in mind

Before you hire a video production company, you should consider where your videos will ultimately live. If you are planning to post the videos to YouTube and your website, they can be longer than two minutes depending on the content and your specific purpose for producing them. However, if you plan to share them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, you will need to tailor the content to suit viewers’ shrinking attention spans. According to research, Instagram videos that average 26 seconds receive the most comments, while top-performing Twitter videos average 43 seconds. Facebook audiences appear to engage the most with videos that are one minute long, while YouTube users prefer longer, in-depth content in the form of two-minute videos.

Look at the company’s recent work

A demo reel is a great way for a video production company to show what it can do, but looking at a prospective videographer’s more recent work will give you a better idea of what you can expect on your video project. If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for, don’t be afraid to ask for more. You don’t want to miss out on working with a great videographer just because you didn’t see what you were looking for in the demo reel or in recent projects.

Tips for Shooting Event Video and Photography at the Same Time

Consider the following advice for recording video and taking photos (at the same time) before shooting your next live event.

On paper, it makes perfect sense. You have a nice, multipurpose, digital camera with great video recording and photography capabilities. On top, there is a simple button to quickly switch between the two. You’ve probably already attended an event and shot either video or photos, which seems pretty straightforward. So, how hard could it be to just shoot both?

The Right Camera and Gear

First off, you’ll need a good multi-purpose camera that can easily switch between photography and video modes. And given the situation, it should be a good camera for both. Personal preference is important here. It doesn’t really matter if you prefer DSLRs or mirrorless cameras, the key is to find the right camera for your needs.

Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Personally, I feel like I’ve always been an unusual photographer/videographer because I feel stronger shooting video than photos. Often, photographers are looking to add video to their coverage. In which case, this is a great resource.

Video Loves Motion

Also, when deciding when to shoot video over photography, a general rule is to decide what looks good in motion versus static. Video loves motion. Yes, it may be a little harder to set the focus and adjust on the fly. However, consider the situation. If there is something interesting going on that is in motion, say a first dance or a popping champagne bottle, always go for video.

Photography Appreciates Static

Meanwhile, for photography, I’d look for more static situations. Obviously, shooting event photography requires singling out groups of people and getting them to turn, smile, and pause — photography is simple and elegant. There’s no need to record people awkwardly waiting for a flash.

Tips for Shooting Live Stage Events

Thinking about shooting a live event? Here are 14 things you need to remember.

For videographers, a live event can be an exhilarating experience that pushes you outside of your creative comfort bubble… but if you’re not careful, a seemingly insignificant technical error can ruin the entire video. Don’t let this happen to you! Here are 14 tips for shooting your next big live event.

Pick a Style

Before you shoot a live stage event, do some research into what you want the look and feel of your video to be like

While they may be the most popular lecture series in the world, TED talks are surprisingly simple when it comes to shooting style. Most TED talks consist of a few cameras on tripods with a master camera. It’s all pretty stationary, which is not a bad thing.

Most modern live events consist of a mixture of tripods, shoulder rigs, cranes, and sliders. These events can become incredibly complicated to edit in post (or direct live). But when done well, a mixed-camera shoot can bring a lot of life to an otherwise boring event.

Sometimes your client will only want a “highlight reel” of the live event and not the entire event itself. This is your opportunity as videographer/filmmaker to show off your cinematography skills. Good event highlight videos will feature complex movements. It’s also more common to see highlight videos shot on DSLRs instead of more traditional video cameras.

Wedding Video Tips: Choosing A Wedding Videographer

Wedding videography has provided the bride and grooms nowadays the opportunity to have produced a marvelous video documentary of their wedding. Today’s couples invest in selecting the ideal reception venue, bridal flower bouquets, wedding cakes, wedding ceremony decorations, invitations, wedding dress and possibly end on that checklist is the wedding videos. But wedding videography should not be neglected because it preserves the memoir of the wedding celebration.

Actually, there are two options to record virtually every significant event in a person’s lifestyle. Through wedding photography and videography, all the stuff you wish to recall a decade in the future like the laughters and tears, the fun times with your bridesmaids and best man, and all that jazz. The wedding photographer has to direct and pose the couple and their guests to be able to position those worthwhile wedding album images. The videographer, alternatively, has to blend on the background and record additional informal scenes like a ninja!

Wedding Video Styles

Documentary Video Style – reveals the events as it happen continuously right from the start through the end of the wedding.

Cinematic Video Style – filmed and edited to represent the captured wedding videography as a movie film that includes special effects like black and white film, slow motion, or additional sound track.

Traditional Video Style – a compilation of various shots inside the wedding without any editing involve.

Tips in Choosing A Wedding Videographer

Your videographer should be ready to frame an incredible scene, and change things around from wide angle shots to close-up macro and not merely a series of extended shots panning across the whole room

An essential part of the video service is the editing of the raw footage to put together breathtaking sequence. Video editing generally includes taking off the extra unwanted scenes. Your wedding is transformed into a narrative story in a very different light. The combination of creative concepts, high-end equipment, and artistry will bring out the beauty of your wedding event celebration. You may want to include a voice over incorporated in the post production phase with striking music or some special effects that enhances a significant wedding ceremony in one’s life.

All the Things Your Wedding DJ Can Do (Besides Play Music)

Your wedding DJ will play a vital role on your big day—and it’s actually more than just playing music to fill the dance floor. In fact, a wedding DJ has many jobs to do, some of which you’ll see, others that are more under-the-radar. That’s why hiring a well-reviewed professional is totally worth it (meaning, creating a Spotify playlist, plugging your iPhone into some speakers, and calling it a day really won’t cut it).

Here are the things you probably didn’t know your rockstar wedding DJ can do—aside from playing major tuneage, that is.

Helps enforce the day-of timeline 

While your wedding planner and/or venue will likely take the lead on creating your wedding-day timeline, an experienced DJ will certainly contribute, since he/she knows how long certain parts of the reception will take. What’s more, your wedding DJ is responsible for executing and enforcing the timeline during your reception, making announcements to ensure that events occur on time and if there are any hold-ups, adjusting accordingly.

Provides sound equipment

Having high-quality, working sound equipment is an absolute must—and your wedding DJ will have that all covered. Without microphones, speakers, and the like, your guests won’t be able to hear your first introduction as a married couple, the lyrics to your first-dance song, your best man’s toast, the announcement that dinner is being served, or that the last dance is being played.

(May) supply lighting

While we do recommend hiring a company that specializes in lighting for more extensive needs, many wedding DJs offer uplighting as part of their services. Uplighting consists of smaller lighting systems that can be placed on the floor and aim light upwards to highlight your tables and dance floor. Talk to your wedding DJ to see if this is something that can be included in your package, or if you’re better suited to hire a professional lighting company.

Makes sure all equipment is working

There are few things more annoying during a wedding reception than music that’s too loud, too soft, or muffled, or worst-case scenario, dead air due to malfunctioning equipment. Not only do experienced wedding DJs utilize top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art equipment, they also do sound checks at your venue well before the reception begins to ensure that everything is working properly so there won’t be any awkward silences.

Tips for Hiring an Awesome Wedding DJ

Unlike a live band, a DJ can play the actual recordings that your guests love and crossfade them so there’s no awkward silence between songs. Which DJ you hire will depend in great part on what kind of music you want and what your guests will be excited to hear. If you want a dance party, you’ll find plenty of DJs who can give you one. You can also find DJs who will customize a playlist for you, whatever your tastes. Here are some tips to keep in mind when hiring a wedding DJ.

1. Don’t automatically go with someone you know. You may have a cousin, friend, or acquaintance who is a DJ, so you feel like you should choose them for your wedding. Maybe you should and maybe you should not; let their qualifications, not your relationship, be the determining factor. If you do choose to go with someone you know, don’t keep things casual- make sure that you are in a contract that specifically spells out your obligations and theirs!
2. Check with the venue. Does your venue have a preferred DJ? If so, that DJ probably knows the venues acoustics and any special concerns. You might not decide to go with that DJ, but their preferred DJ should be on your interview list.
3. Ask for referrals. That friend whose reception was awesome? Ask her for her DJ’s name.
4. Look at wedding forums for your area. Who do people recommend? Dig deeper than the star rating and actually read reviews to find out why people recommend a particular DJ.
5. Make a short-list of DJs and interview them. If a DJ won’t make time for an interview, how likely is he or she to make time for you during the wedding planning.

Know what to look for and where

The most common option is to go with a DJ whose primary business is weddings. These wedding DJs know the ins and outs of wedding receptions and may even be great at serving as an emcee to make announcements. To find one of these, do the usual web searching and asking for referrals from other vendors.

Ask to hear samples of the wedding DJ’s work

Once you’ve found a DJ or two that seems right for your wedding, ask to see examples of their work. This could be a video of a live performance, a mixtape, or sample playlists. The more important to you the quality of the music is, the more you should see and hear before hiring.

Give the DJ your playlist and your “do not play” list

If you’re already set on a playlist, discuss it with DJs and make sure they are willing to follow it. You may also want to create a “do not play” list and share it to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

If you include the ceremony then this is what’s typical of the DJ:

1. Prelude music 30 minutes to start of ceremony as guests are arriving and being seated waiting for the ceremony to start.
2. Processional song for the wedding party
3. Processional song for the bride
4. Possible music in middle of ceremony for unity sand or other similar event
5. Recessional music for bride, groom and wedding party after being introduced as husband and wife.
 
As you can see there are a lot of different things to consider. Wedding ceremonies usually only need one hour for everything from the prelude music all the way to the recessional song at the end. Receptions typically require 2 hours of background music for cocktails and dinner and then 3 hours of dancing and everything in between.

How long will a Wedding DJ perform for?

The length of a DJ’s set is pretty much up to you, to fit with your wedding day timing. It’s usual for Wedding DJs to provide music for around 4-5 hours. Just bear in mind that even the most professional DJ needs a break now and then, and your guests would probably welcome a breather from dancing every 90 minutes or so too!

Your wedding venue may have a curfew time for music or dancing according to their licence. You may need to stop at midnight if your venue is a hotel or in a built-up area, for example, or you may be able to continue on to 1am or beyond

Tips for choosing the best Party Bus

A wonderful fleet:

All the coaches that come in this fleet are motor coaches and buses. These come at a length of 40 to 45 feet. Any bus that is less than 40 feet is not the kind that will offer you the best of comfort. This is one important criterion to keep in mind whilst hiring a bus. Buses that are less than 40 feet in length will not offer you the best of comfort. Their driving characteristics are also different compared to the other bigger vehicles.

Wide selection:

You can select a mini-bus if you are a group of 20 to 30 and for larger groups, say between 45 and 60, you can opt for the motor coaches and passenger buses. These forms of travel offer you the best in safety, comfort and other driving characteristics.

Ergonomically designed:

These buses are constructed with passenger comfort in mind. The seats are made of plush leather to offer optimum comfort. They are ergonomically designed to give your spine, back and neck muscles the right kind of support. There is enough leg space so that you do not feel cramped. The luggage space is enough to carry all your cargo with the greatest of ease. No ride is as smooth as that of a party bus. The seating layout is optimized for comfort and provides the passengers with the most delightful of traveling experiences.

Safety measures:

The weight and the size of these vehicles make them far easier and one of the safest of options to ride around in. The trained drivers will take care of all the safety regulations. Moreover, you will not to have to worry about paying any tolls, parking fees, or any other fees as all of this will be taken care of by the driver.

Tips On Choosing The Right Party Bus For Hire

Cost-effective

You can have a safe transportation as well as ample entertainment when you are on board. Moreover, it doesn’t cost you a fortune to experience this. If you happen to travel in a group of friends and divide the rates, the cost is even more affordable. You’ll also find a number of very cool features and amenities on party buses these days. Most vehicles will come with standard things such as limo style seating, washrooms, sound systems, and party lighting but you may come across vehicles that try to go the extra mile to impress.

VIP Service

Forget about waiting in line to get into the hottest clubs in the town. With your chauffeurs to lead the way, you will move to the front of the line every time. They also provide VIP entry to the club without even a pass. Now how cool is that! The first thing is to have your own prerequisites lined up. List the names of people you intend to invite. This gives you a good idea of what sort of seats arrangement you will require.

Check on the reputation of the party bus companies

Prior to using a particular service operator you really want to make certain to do your due diligence to check the company is able to supply a well equipped and maintained vehicle, which comes with a sufficiently licensed and experienced driver.

Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Party Bus Rental

Always Tip Your Party Bus Driver

It is a normal thing to tip the driver 18 to 20 percent of the initial tour price. Still, many companies have this tip already added to their full price, while others leave the tipping to the client.

Select Your Music

Even if some companies offer radio or satellite radio, you may want to bring your own music on a CD or iPod. You will have to discuss this aspect in advance. Most limo companies have iPod docking stations and surround sound systems, subwoofers and connections for iPods, MP3 players, tablets and others to set the party mood.

Select Your Refreshments

The fun part of renting a party bus is that you can party while on board. Speak with the company about its policies and contribution for food and beverages. Some of the companies will let you bring your own food and beverages.

Make Party Bus Rental Reservations

You should reserve a month in advance and confirm the reservation within a week before the event. Even if you are planning to rent a party bus for a wedding or another event that does not have a flexible date, the reservation should be made as far as a year before.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SIZE PARTY BUS FOR YOUR SPECIAL OCCASION

THE PLUS 3 RULE FOR A GREAT EXPERIENCE

There’s one more thing to keep in mind – there’s almost always an extra body or two that will make its way into the party. It will be easy for you to welcome these additions if you’ve planned for a little cushion in the seating space ahead of time. It’s a good rule add 3 to the number on your guest list, possibly a few more if you know your group tends to spread the word and invite others along.

HELLO STRANGER

Just because a party bus is filled with all your favorite people doesn’t necessarily mean that they all know, or are comfortable, with each other.

A party bus rental is a great opportunity to introduce people and let them mingle, but nothing is worse than feeling obligated to sit next to someone you don’t know that well simply because they are no other seating options. If your group isn’t exactly close-knit, give them the courtesy of a few extra seats and a little breathing room.

KEEPING THE PARTY GOING

One of the biggest perks of a party bus rental is that the festivities can continue while you’re in the bus. It’s important to consider any onboard activities when planning for the size of party bus you need.

How to Choose Party Bus for Your Event

Is the party bus company licensed?

You will be required to deal with a licensed and insured company and to ensure you are safe to travel. This is important in the case of an accident; the company should be able to cater for your lose. You should insist on checking the license of the company and driver together with the insurance cover to ensure they are genuine. This will help you build trust on the company’s service that they will provide to you.

Capacity to can accommodate

It is important to determine the capacity that the party bus can accommodate. Some party bus rental has a maximum capacity to accommodate. You will, therefore, be charged an extra fee for the extra seats. The bus party rentals have different size of party buses; you need to select one that can accommodate a good number. You are also supposed to book some extra seats in case you are expecting some visitors.

Select your music and refreshments

Before you book a party bus, you need to discuss with the company if you are allowed to play your music using their systems. Remember it is a party bus. Therefore you need to find a bus that you will be allowed to be selective in your music.