1. To honor deceased love ones. Set up a nice decorated table (one of those round tables from Wal-Mart will do - under $10.00). Place a candle and a picture of the honored love one and during the ceremony have the candle lit in their honor. It is a way to honor and remember them on your special day.

2. After being husband and wife and walking up the aisle together to the back of the church, after your party complete their exit, return back down the aisle to escort your parents out instead of having the ushers do it - they will be surprised and everyone will think it's a great gesture.

3. Want plenty of reception pictures. Place disposable cameras on every table at the reception. You can get some great pictures. Just remember to announce that the cameras are to be left on the TABLE and not be removed. Designate someone to collect the camera maybe 30 minutes before the reception is scheduled to end.

4. Height issues? The groom was very tall and the bride was very short - solution: For their wedding kiss she stepped up on a little white footstool decorated with lace! many thought it would be cute and it save the awkwardness of their first kiss as husband and wife.

5. Also, a friend of mine just got married, and instead of having the annoying clinking of the glasses, she had little bells with cards that said "ring these bells to wish the couple well". People rang them constantly, but it was a sweeter sound than glasses.

6. Guest Book - Instead of having an ordinary guest book, that you hardly will look at again, create a photo guest book. Have your guest book attendants take Polaroid's or 35mm snapshots of each guest... either individually or in a group, however they come, and put it on the pages of the guest book/scrapbook.( If you have instant pictures created from a Polaroid's  the guests will then sign on the bottom of their picture). You will have a photo album of all the guests at our wedding!

7. BALLOONS! Illustration: The bride's theme colors were pinks, lavender and purple (Bridesmaids dresses and bouquets) and rice throwing was prohibited. The bride's brothers ordered helium and filled pink balloons just before the ceremony, and placed them in a stattion wagon. Guests were given the balloons outside after the ceremony. As the newlyweds exited the church - much to their surprise & delight - 200 pink balloons were released. It was quite a beautiful and emotional sight! (It did require a permit from the airport due to air traffic, however!)

8. Union of marriage and existing family. If one of you already have a child you can include the child in the covenant union by presenting a symbolic gift to the child during the ceremony (Bible, charm, necklace, etc.). This often is done after the lighting of the unity candle or after the kiss.

9. Honoring  Longevity of Marriage/ Jazz up the garter removal. Invite all married couple to the dance floor. Have the dj played several lovely, slow songs. First the dj told all couples married two hours or less to sit down (everyone got a kick out of that). Then a few moments later, any married a year or less, than five years, ten years and so on, until there was only one couple left (you may be lucky and have someone present married for over fifty years). Asked them to stay on the dance floor while the bride takes a seat and her husband made a big show of removing her garter. Then faced the winning couple, congratulate them on their fifty years and asked them for their best marriage advice as you present them with a gift or the bouquet and garter.

10. What do you know about the bride and groom? During the reception have a question and answer time with your guest concerning the bride and groom. Have a moderator ask the question and who ever answer correctly gets a little token gift. ex. How did John and Michelle meet? What is _________ favorite color. This activity will provide a lot of fun and interaction as well as provide information about the bride and groom relationship.

11. The Dating Game: Have the bride and groom along with two other couples pair off. Ask a series of questions and see who knows their mate the best. The parents of the couple would be a good slection. Just like the dating game the questions needs to be asked to the husband only and then to the wives. Escort the to an area insuring they cannot hear their mates response to the question. In the past the parent always blow away the just married. Lots of fun.

12. The Meaning of Wedding Traditions. Place cards with 4 or 5 wedding traditions on each table or in the wedding program. This can be a way remind your guest of the true symbolism of the evenings events.

13. Three Wicks Unity Candle: Buy a three wick candle, when you get ready to light the unity candle have the parents of the bride and groom come up and each light one wick, then have the bride and groom light the remaining wick to unit the families represented . This format can also be used with a three canle unity candle.

14. We are planning to do something a little different at our wedding. We are planning to have the groomsmen come to the front of the church to stand, as usual, but the groom and the best man will not. The groom and best man will be in a room at the back of the church with the bride's mother and the groom's parents, separate from the bride and bridesmaids. The groom will then escort the bride's mother to her seat, and the best man will escort the groom's parents to their seats just prior to the wedding march. After the parents are seated, the groom and best man will assume their regular positions at the front of the church just before the wedding march begins. The bride's father will then march the bride down the aisle to the altar, then he will then be seated.

15. Instead of having a guest book, have an engagement picture blown up and display that picture on an easel at the ceremony and the reception and have the guests sign the white border around the picture.

16. After your wedding video is complete, have a wedding video party, invite your bridal party, family and friends (especially the ones that could not attend the wedding). you will have a wonderful time as you relive your wedding day again with family and friends. Make sure you have a professionally produced video in order to ensure a flowing and entertaining video. Call MJC Video Production on today. Trust me you will have a great time... Don't forget the kleenex!

17. Grand reception entry. Have a love story and montage made prior to the wedding. After the bridal party has been introduced and seated, have the video shown on a giant video screen just be fore you enter. This love story will be a mini movies ( 5-10 minutes of how you met and short clips of your courtship.) The montage will consist of pictures of the bride and groom as they were growing up and then of them together up to a short time before the wedding and set the video to a special song for them. This video could also be played in the sanctuary after all the guests had been seated and the Groom and all Groomsmen andbrides maid are in place; the Bride and her escort can watch from the back and make her entrance after the video is complete. Did you say a GRAND ENTRANCE! Again, give us a call.

Atlanta Wedding Video Service Call:   770-322-3564 Email: mjcvideo@yahoo.com  www.mjcvideo.com