Kickit Productions Is The Recipient Of The Brides Choice Award For The 4th Year In A Row!

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 US/Mountain

{Winston Salem,NC} – January 24, 2012 – WeddingWire, the nation's leading wedding Marketplace, is excited to announce Kickit Productions Mobile Entertainment has been selected to receive the prestigious WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2012 for DJ!

This is the 4th year in a row this DJ company has been selected to receive this award and the ONLY Wedding DJ Service in the Triad area of NC to receive it this many years in a row!

The esteemed annual awards program recognizes the top local wedding vendors from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the wedding industry. While many industry awards are selected by the organization, Kickit Productions Mobile Entertainment was selected based on its stellar reviews from past newlywed clients.

Kickit Productions Mobile Entertainment is recognized as part of the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire local vendor community, comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States and Canada. The Bride’s Choice Award recognizes the best local wedding vendors across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on their overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is thrilled to honor the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “Since the launch of the Bride’s Choice Awards™ program four years ago, thousands of outstanding wedding professionals have been recognized by the bridal community for their supreme service and dedication to the wedding industry. It is with great pleasure that we congratulate Kickit Productions Mobile Entertainment for their continued professionalism and commitment to enriching the wedding planning experience for engaged couples.”

We are happy to announce that Kickit Productions Mobile Entertainment is one of the very best DJs within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Project Wedding, Brides.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. Thanks to their positive feedback we were able to receive the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ for 2012.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/kickit-productions-mobile-entertainment-winston-salem/c53df5524b82f61.

To learn more about the Bride's Choice Awards™, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire™, the nation's leading marketplace serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 reviewed wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers. WeddingWire also offers a comprehensive suite of online planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire is the only all-in-one marketing platform for businesses online and on-the-go. WeddingWire offers one simple solution to build a professional network, improve search visibility, manage social media and reach mobile consumers. Businesses that advertise with WeddingWire appear on WeddingWire.com, ProjectWedding.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), Brides.com and Weddingbee.com.

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Bridal salons vs retail stores: Where to buy?

September 19, 2011 4:59 PM EST

The decision for what beautiful wedding dress a bride will wear on her big day can be quite overwhelming for some brides-to-be, as the choices are plentiful. There are also several different types of places to shop for this gown - retail stores, bridal salons or national bridal chain stores, and they all offer a different experience, according to Hattiesburg American.

If a couple is planning a wedding on a budget, they may want to stay away from bridal salons, as these stores offer great pampering and service but many might experience sticker shock. However, these stores do have discounts and sales, so brides may still be able to snatch the dress of their dreams, according to the news source.

At bridal stores nationwide, many are able to find great designer dresses but not be at the same quality as the salons. In addition, retail stores have also jumped on the wedding garment industry, and while many of their designs are beautiful, they may be a bit casual, the media outlet reports.

According to OneWed, there are many aspects of a wedding that couples can save on - the flowers, desserts and invitations. However, many agree that splurging on the dress isn't the worst idea.

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1945 Source: Saturday Evening Post; 5/26/1945, Vol. 217 Issue 48, p11-46, 4p

1990,1999 Source: Christian Science Monitor; 6/4/2001, Vol.93 Issue 132, p12

2002 Source: Fairchild Bridal Group The American Wedding

2005 – 2011 Source: The Wedding Report, Inc. Proprietary Surveys

Couples are spending less, on an average, for wedding day necessities such as Attire & Accessories, Beauty, Health & Spa needs, Entertainment, Flowers & Decorations, Gifts & Favors, Invitations, Jewelry, Photography & Video, Wedding Planners/Consultants, Transportation, and Venue & Catering. Demand for these wedding day needs has also seen a decline for the most part as well.

One of the first choices a couple makes when planning their wedding is where the event will take place. The amount of money couples spend on a venue is on the decline from where it was just a year ago. Whereas couples spent $937 last year for a ceremony location, in Q1Q2- 2011 they only spent $829 (Demand down 9%). The same decline was seen in reception location with spending last year at $2,672 compared to Q1Q2- 2011 where spending was down to $2,435 (Demand down 7%). Catering spending has also seen a decline since last year with spending in 2010 at $4,339 down to $3,645 in Q1Q2- 2011 (Demand down 10%).

Couples are spending slightly less than they did last year on wedding dresses – $1,053 in 2010 compared to $1,032 in Q1Q2- 2011 ( Demand down 3%), as well as on suit/ tuxedo purchases – suit $296 in 2010 compared to $284 in Q1Q2- 2011 (Demand down 14%). Tuxedo purchases were at $510 in 2010 compared to $417 in Q1Q2- 2011 (Demand down 7%). A greater decrease in spending was found in wedding dress preservation from last year, with couples spending $249 in 2010 to just $138 in Q1Q2- 2011 (Demand down 9%). The amount of money couples spent on wedding day accessories has also slightly decreased from last year with bridal accessory spending down from $144 in 2010 to $135 in Q1Q2- 2011 and groom accessory spending down from $111 to $91.

Spending for Beauty, Health & Spa needs also decreased slightly from 2010 to Q1Q2- 2011, with spending on diet, weight loss, and gym membership fees showing a 50% decline, falling from $306 in 2010 to $180 in Q1Q2- 2011 (Demand down 16%). This decrease in spending may be due to couples choosing to save their money for other wedding related expenses and exercising at home.

As we recently reported in our Wedding Entertainment Report 2011, as well as in our Photography & Video Report 2011, spending for entertainment services and photography and video services has decreased over the past five years. The amount of money couples are spending on DJs, live bands, and musicians/soloists/ensembles has decreased from last year with spending on DJ services down from $748 to $641 (Demand down 6%); Live Band – from $1,751 to $1,467 (Demand down 24%); and Musicians/soloists/Ensembles from $559 to $492 (Demand down 22%). Also on the decline is money couples are spending on dance lessons, down from $455 in 2010 to $357 in Q1Q2- 2011 (Demand down 21%). Similarly, wedding photography spending last year was at $1,777 while in Q1Q2- 2011, the amount fell to $1,515 (Demand down 6%). Spending on wedding videography has seen a similar decline with spending in 2010 at $1,152, down to $958 in Q1Q2- 2011 (Demand down 32%).

Almost all areas of wedding flowers & decorations have seen a decline over the past year, from bridal bouquets falling from $139 in 2010 to $125 in Q1Q2- 2011(Demand down 2%) to bridesmaid bouquets seeing a decrease from $180 to $156 (Demand down 6%), to reception flower arrangements and table centerpieces – $348/ $366 to $308/$314 (Demand down 8%/3%). The same decline has been found in spending on boutonnieres/corsages with a decrease from $134 in 2010 to $120 in Q1Q2- 2011 (Demand down 8%). One area that had a slight increase was spending on ceremony decorations, increasing from $235 to $237 in the past year (Demand down 4%).

Spending on gifts and wedding favors has also seen a decrease since 2010, with less money being spent on attendants, down from $196 to $120 (Demand down 4%), gifts for the parents, down $148 to $105 (Demand down 8%), as well as on gifts from the bride and groom to one another with spending on gifts to the bride decreasing from $202 to $148 (Demand down 14%), to spending on gifts to the groom decreasing from $188 to $169 (Demand down 11%).

Spending on weddings bands as well as engagement rings has decreased in the past year with couples having spent $784 for a bride’s wedding band in Q1Q2- 2011, as compared to $1,108 in 2010 (Demand down 9%), and $572 on a groom’s wedding band in Q1Q2- 2011 as compared to $754 (Demand down 6%). Likewise, what a couple spent on an engagement ring decreased from $3,465 in 2010 to $2,964 in Q1Q2- 2011 (Demand down 2%). Wedding day jewelry such as earrings and necklaces has also seen a decline.

Another area of wedding spending seeing a decrease in Q1Q2- 2011 from 2010 are on wedding invitations/reply cards, down from $255 to $210, as well on other communication pieces. From save the date cards, with spending down from $125 to $90 (Demand down 2%),to ceremony programs, down from $110 to $82 (Demand up 3%), to guest books , down from $59 to $52 (Demand down 8%), to menu cards , down from $119 to $81 (Demand down 7%),to place cards, down from $84 to $59 (Demand down 14%), to thank you cards, down from $94 to $76 (Demand down 7%), brides and grooms have spent less. This decrease in wedding spending may be due to more DIY couples, looking to cut costs by making their own communication pieces. This may be more time consuming for the bride and groom but more cost effective.

For couples choosing to hire a full service wedding planner/consultant, the amount they are spending has decreased as well from last year. Couples went from spending $2,491 last year to $2,273 in Q1Q2- 2011 (Demand down 7%). Also, for those choosing to have limo transportation service for their wedding, the amount they are spending decreased from last year. Couples spent $446 for a limo rental in Q1Q2- 2011 down from $487 last year (Demand down 8%).

Two areas in which spending has increased since 2010, are in wedding cakes and in tipping of vendors. Couples spent $374 in 2010 on tipping while they spent $402 in Q1Q2- 2011 (Demand down 1%). The amount couples spent on wedding cakes in 2010 $386 has also increased, to $427 in Q1Q2- 2011 (Demand down 1%).

Research thus far in 2011 has found overall wedding spending, as well as overall demand to have decreased since 2010.

Full results of this study are available here:

US Wedding Cost Update Q1Q2-2011 http://goo.gl/YCzCX

http://www.weddingaces.com/2011/02/staying-budget-savvy-six-tips-for-sticking-to-your-wedding-budget/

By Kristen Klett ~ February 16th, 2011 ~ Wedding Planning	What Do You Think?

It’s the peak time of year for engagements and couples are getting down to the nitty gritty of launching some serious wedding planning. And most couples are also realizing that those picture-perfect weddings à la Martha Stewart can come with a pretty hefty price tag! So I’ve got a few tips for sticking to that budget as you commence your wedding planning:

Image courtesy of Big Wedding Tiny Budget

1. Know your budget and stick to it! It is never a good idea to start your new marriage with mountains of debt! This means knowing what is feasible for your budget and being honest about that with your vendors from the get go. A good vendor will similarly be up front with all of their pricing and will not hesitate to answer any questions you have about fees and service charges.

2. Research, research, research! Don’t make the all-too-common mistake of thinking you can book your dream vendor now and then try to renegotiate the pricing or ask for a discount later. Once you’ve signed your contract, you are committed to the agreement.

3. You get what you pay for: Don’t fall for the temptation of hiring the least expensive choice in venues or vendors! Good vendors go a long way in making your day stress-free. I too often hear brides complaining that this vendor they got a “great deal” on doesn’t return their phone calls promptly. If they are hard to get on the phone before they have your deposit, it is not going to change once you sign the contract and give them your money!

4. Consider value above price: From a budget standpoint, you should carefully consider what services are included for each vendor versus how much you are willing to arrange on your own. This is particularly key when researching venues. For example, some venues provide all of your tables, chairs, silverware, glassware, and etcetera while others don’t. If you’re trying to plan from out of town or if you don’t plan on hiring a professional wedding coordinator, then it is going to be much less hassle to pick a place that will take care of those little details for you.

5. Crunch the numbers: The cost of a “more expensive” vendor that includes more services in their base fee very often is actually less in the long run. For example, do those discount wedding invitations come with reply cards or other accessory pieces that you need? Carefully calculate all of the costs for “less expensive” vendors so you can feel confident you’re comparing apples to apples and getting the most for your money.

6. Sleep on it: Don’t feel pressured to make any decisions on the spot. Giving yourself the distance of a good night’s sleep (or two) can go a long way towards removing the often pricey emotional component from budget-impacting decisions.

Finalizing the Guest List

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:34:00 US/Mountain

February 15th, 2011 by Magnolia Bud

Ah, the famous list. We drew one up shortly after we got engaged, but since then the “list” has not been revisited. Time to take it out – and finalize it! We have a strict venue person limit, so we have to make sure to not go over it. At the same time, it’s important to invite the “right” guests.

(Source)

Umm, yeah. I wish it was as simple as following a flow chart, LOL.

So many questions! Family we haven’t seen in years… yes or no? My coworkers, who change every year since I’m not “stable” in my job yet… yes or no? Where to cut? Where to add? A list and B list – yes or no?

So, we’ve gone with the “People We are Related To and see Frequently + Close Friends” formula.

Anyone else have trouble with the famous guest list?

The Man Shower

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:25:00 US/Mountain

February 15th, 2011

(copied from http://blog.weddingwire.com/index.php/twitter/)

When I received the invitation for my friend’s bridal shower, it came with a little note at the bottom.

“Groom’s wishing well.”

I’m sorry, what?

Her maid of honor informed me that a groom’ wishing well would comprise of small gifts meant for the groom. My contribution was a set of shot glasses. He also got items for his truck, barbecue grill and small tools.

During an email conversation with my friend, L, she informed me that even though she and her husband registered for tools, no one showed up at the shower with anything from Craftsman in hand. Since Orchid Boy and I still planned on heading to Sears to do the same, it dawned on me that it’s quite possible all the tools we register for may go unbought unless we include a Groom’s Wishing Well (or my family reads this and realizes, yes, it’s okay, you can buy me the laser level instead of towels. Then all my wall art won’t be crooked).

I created a registry online and handed him the computer so that he could put on it what he wanted. Some of his items included a mechanic’s tool set, a shop vac, and overhead LED flashlights. He tried putting a mix of cheaper tools and more expensive ones though he’s fairly certain that no one will show up with his mini-work bench. Since we rent, it may take some time for us to use a lot of these items, but at least we’ll have them when we buy a house. This thinking ahead was extra important since we don’t have family near by. There’s no sneaking into dad’s garage to steal a few wrenches.

I’m sure most dudes don’t mind getting forgotten at the bridal shower, but when it comes down to it, these presents are for both members of the relationship. As useful as they are, your fiance isn’t getting excited about those new towels. Unless he likes to cook, all that cooking stuff you’re getting isn’t going to thrill him either.

Even if you’re not going to register for man stuff, a groom’s wishing well is a great way to share the spotlight with him.

Right before you make him haul all that crap out to his car.

FacebookPlanning Application For WeddingWire

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 05:02:00 US/Mountain

Attention all engaged couples! Now you can share everything about your wedding day and the planning that goes into it with the rest of your Facebook family!

Get your WeddingWire Facebook planning app here:

http://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-planning/facebook-application

Thumbtack.com Offers Free Advertising!

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 04:50:00 US/Mountain

Thumbtack.com, a new website created for business owners to list their services is now available. Better than a free listing on Craigslist, this site allows you to create a custom business listing profile with pictures. The best part is that once you post a listing with the site, Thumbtack.com will list your business with Google, Yahoo, Dogpile.com, Ask.com and all of the other major search engines, to give your business that extra boost of visibility.

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BETHESDA, MD – January 28, 2009/February 18 2010/January 2011

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that KICKIT PRODUCTIONS Mobile Entertainment has won the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™ and 2010 Brides Choice Awards™! and most recently, has been selected as one of America's Best Wedding Vendor Values for 2011!

Over the last three years, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network & Martha Stewart Weddings that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means KICKIT PRODUCTIONS has been voted as one of the very best Mobile Entertainment & Professional Disc Jockey Services providing wedding entertainment not only in North Carolina, but in the entire nation.

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

KICKIT PRODUCTIONS is extremely humbled and very very honored by the presentation of this award, and I would like to thank my past clients for speaking on my company's behalf and helping us win the 2009, 2010 and most recently, the 2011 Bride’s Choice Award!

Trend Watch: Weddings 2011

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 04:37:00 US/Mountain

(article shared by Bambi Madsen Rabe, Seven Enhancement Street, Inc)

Weddings are still a large part of many floral retail operations. When asked why they enjoy doing weddings, many respond with answers such as, "It gives me a time to be wildly creative", or "I really enjoy making a brides dream come true". Trends for weddings are just like those in other regular fashion or home décor. Some changes are quick to appear and then quickly disappear. Those we refer to as fads. While others are slow to emerge, stay around for a while, and then start to decline. Here are a few trends that we are seeing around the country.

While white is still the strong choice for bridal gowns, the white is shifting to warmer whites. Soft flowing lines are replacing cinched waists and stiff skirts. Strong colors are being seen as choices for some wedding dresses as well. Recently, Valerie Bertinelli sported a strong blue wedding dress on the cover of People Magazine. When "stars" are seen doing something, everyday people tend to follow. Also, keep an eye on the Royal Wedding this spring. We remember the influence that Prince Charles and Lady Diana had on our trends for weddings in the US. Exaggerated cascading bouquets were once again all the rage.

Dress designers are adding many options this season for trims and interest. 3 Dimensional trims are very popular this year. Lots of appliquéd fabric flowers such as roses and other fantasy flowers are being seen on gowns in various amounts from subtle interest areas to shirts completely covered. Another way of adding the 3-D look is the use of fabric flounces. These are different than ruffles of old. Flounces add a softer, more fluid line to the gown. Beading is still a very popular choice for interest areas as are pearls. While we are seeing a diminished use of sequins, crystals and rhinestones are making a strong appearance.

Fashion gets its influences from many sources. Right now we are trending to the Art Deco and Art Nouveau time periods. Strong geometric shapes and bold colors give us the Art Deco influence while softer more fluid curvaceous lines are gathered from the Art Nouveau time era. Art Nouveau also gives us a softer more cosmetic color pallet. Peaches and pinks are skin tone friendly so they work with a larger target market. Coral and rich dulled down greens are this season's newest choices for color. Lavenders are being paired with Champagne for a softer more romantic feel. Also influenced from the Art Nouveau time era, are the use of bridal metallics. Platinum, silver, and a newer look call Champagne Metallic are showing up in both jewelry and fabric finishes. While gold is an emerging choice, most brides are still choosing the lighter whiter metallics.

Sashes are once again becoming more developed as an area of interest. Often seen in white or neutral, we are seeing more and more color accents appear in this area. The cue for this change goes to Michelle Obama. Also influencing fashion change is the movie Black Swan. Look for the use of tulle to reappear. This usage will be not as it once was with layer upon layer of tulle for the skirting, but will instead be used as accents and abbreviated ballet skirting. For those brides who still want the romance of tradition but want a more modern look, watch for the return of the glamour of old Hollywood. The Coco Channel of the 1930's silhouette will once again make its way down many aisles this year.

As fashion changes, so do the choices for flowers. It is important to remember that not all bouquets fit every dress style. While hand tied garden bouquets or tightly compacted nosegay bouquets may look great for some dresses, the return of cascading bouquets is becoming more and more predominate. Also, as dress lines soften, flowing arm bouquets will be in demand once again.

Marriage is in the top three special events that most ladies think of from childhood on. It is important to help make her dreams come true.