Wedding Planning

If you’re planning a wedding, it’s likely you have a vision. According to a study of 15,000 Pinterest boards, many couples share the same wedding vision — vintage. In Pennsylvania specifically, the most searched wedding theme in 2023 is the Great Gatsby. Are you one of the couples looking to throw a wedding that captures all things vintage? Then, this guide is for you!

Here are six tips for planning the vintage wedding of your dreams:

From Callowhill to Center City, Philadelphia – these tips are sure to impress

1. Choose the right venue. Fortunately, there are plenty of venues out there that offer the old-world charm vintage style is known for. From barns to historic mansions or ballrooms, invest in a venue that does a lot of the decor work for you. Think somewhere with lavish architecture or Art Deco details to really capture the vintage vibe.
2. Decide on a vintage color. Color plays a major role in capturing the vintage look. Opt for a color palette that reflects the era you love most. Colors like soft pastels, rich jewel tones, or earthy neutrals often pop up in the vintage style, so use those in decorating elements, bridal attire, and more. If you’re one of the Great Gatsby adoring couples, gold and black are excellent color choices.
3. Don’t forget the vintage decor. The best place to look for vintage props for your wedding is local thrift stores where the possibilities are endless. While shopping, be on the lookout for a treasure trove of antiques. You can find antique furniture to create lounge areas for your guests or other props you could use, like frames for table numbers, retro vases for centerpieces, and candle displays. If you don’t have any luck at local thrift stores, consider shopping garage sales for unique vintage items for your wedding.
4. Let vintage inspire your wedding attire. If you’re committing to vintage, make sure the dresses, tuxes, and gowns fit the theme. Elements like lace and chiffon are great for wedding dresses and bridesmaids’ dresses, while a velvet tux or three-piece suit equipped with a pocket square is great for the groom and groomsmen. Don’t forget to look for vintage jewelry (which could be something borrowed!) and accessories to really play up that old-world feel. If you want to go above and beyond with the vintage vibes, ask your guests to come in their vintage best.
5. Make vintage beverages and appetizers part of cocktail hour. Vintage food might not sound like the ideal thing to put on your wedding menu, but there are still plenty of ways to capture the era during your cocktail hour. From retro cocktails like sidecars to old-school appetizers like finger sandwiches, there are plenty of vintage-inspired ways to play with food before your guests sit down for their meal at the reception.
6. Hire entertainers familiar with the times. No wedding is complete without entertainment, even a vintage one! If you want the music to capture the essence of the era, hire a swing band or jazz ensemble to play during your reception. You can also incorporate vintage in other forms of entertainment, like a photo booth with old-school props or having a caricature artist who can draw your guests in exaggerated vintage garb.

It’s no secret that planning a vintage wedding is on trend for couples in 2023.

When you are ready to make decisions about the entertainment that will perform at your vintage wedding, EBE is here to help. Contact us today to find out more information about our DJs and live bands!

With the coronavirus pandemic mostly behind us, newly engaged couples are looking to go all in on their weddings. However, going all in means different things to different people. Whether you’re planning an intimate outdoor gathering in Spring Garden, Philadelphia or the lavish wedding of your dreams anywhere in Philly, there are a few trends to look out for next year.

If you’re getting married in 2023, here are five ideas to incorporate into your big day.

1. Candid photos. Over the past year or so, couples started to stray away from traditional poses in wedding photos. This trend is expected to continue in 2023. Instead, couples are opting for candid shots in natural light. This editorial style of photography allows for a more authentic memorial of your big day. If your wedding is less traditional and more casual, this is one trend you’ll definitely want to consider. You’ll be able to capture you and your guests having fun without the pressure of posing, and it’ll save you a ton of time!

2. Hire a wedding band. Having a band play at your wedding isn’t new, but full musical ensembles will continue to trend in 2023. There’s nothing like live music to get your guests on the dance floor, and EBE is home to some of the best Philadelphia wedding bands. Whether you’re looking for something intimate, like a soloist, or a full band who can keep the party going, our music experts can help find the right musician for your celebration.

3. Mismatched bridal parties. Like hiring a wedding band, the idea of allowing your bridal party to choose their own attire isn’t a new concept. However, in 2023, expect to see the variations in bridal party styles increase. Brides are no longer limiting their parties to specific colors or styles — many are allowing their friends to choose an outfit that speaks directly to them, welcoming patterns and textures in addition to varying silhouettes.

4. Disposable cameras. What’s old has once again become new. In 2023, expect to see disposable cameras on tables and surfaces throughout wedding ceremonies and receptions. Like candid photography, disposable cameras allow your guests to capture unique images throughout the day. Plus, it gives you even more memories to reflect on, considering your photographer can only be in one place at any time. If you’re looking to save money, you can do away with a photographer and encourage your guests to use disposable cameras and their cell phones to curate your own wedding images.

5. TikTok trends will dominate. In addition to these trends, expect to lean on TikTok for the latest wedding ideas. You’ll find everything from vendors to bridal style and bachelorette trip inspiration on the video-sharing app. Even when you’re done planning your wedding, you can expect song choices at your reception to stem from the app and may even find a guest or two filming TikToks during your big day. Ask them to share their creations with you so you can look back on these short, fun clips as well.

No matter how you plan to celebrate your wedding in 2023, these trends have one thing in common — individuality. After all, no two couples will have the same candid or disposable photos. And bridal parties can expand their choices beyond the traditional ones, leaving more room for unique options.

Are you planning a destination wedding? What about booking a block of rooms at a local hotel so your guests don’t have to travel home at the end of the night? No matter where you’re planning to have your wedding, welcome bags are a must if you have friends and family staying in a hotel. These bags are a great way to show appreciation to your guests for making the trip to your wedding and ensuring their stay at the hotel is as comfortable as possible.

Here are five must-have things you should include in your wedding welcome bag.

1. A wedding itinerary. Maybe you have a wedding website with a wedding weekend (or day) itinerary on it, but not all of your guests will commit that to memory. Don’t forget to include a list of the events happening throughout the course of the day, from the ceremony to when the wedding band comes on and everything in between. It’s helpful to include times and addresses as well. Providing these details gives your guests a better idea of where you’ll be and where they should be throughout the day. You can also include a list of approved contacts guests can reach out to with questions! A point of contact is helpful, so the couple doesn’t get an influx of texts asking where to park, who is playing at the wedding, etc.

2. A QR code to a curated playlist. For your technology proficient guests, include a QR code that links to a Spotify playlist they can listen to while getting ready for the celebration. Include songs that mean something to you and your partner as well as your guests. Think concerts you’ve attended, bands that your family loves, and the songs that bring you back to a weekend away with friends. You can also include a few songs that tease your reception, like a single from the Philadelphia wedding band you hired to play or your Philadelphia wedding DJ’s most requested song!

3. A heartfelt thank you. You’ll be sending out thank you cards to every guest after the fact, but that shouldn’t stop you from writing an additional thank you to the guests who may have traveled far and wide to be with you on your big day. Use stationery printer paper or whatever medium you choose, but the note itself should be hand-written and customized to each guest for the most impact.

4. Custom snacks. Whether it’s a food you and your partner enjoy or something regional to the area you’re getting married in, snacks are always in order when it comes to wedding welcome bags. Providing food gives your guests something to nosh on while they get ready or enjoy after returning to their room between the ceremony and reception. For Philadelphia weddings, Tastykakes or Peanut Chews are a perfect addition. It also doesn’t hurt to include water in your welcome bags for after the reception!

5. Hangover helpers. The next day can be rough for some of your guests. In addition to water bottles, consider adding mini packets of Advil or Tylenol to help with morning headaches. You can also include single packets of liquid IV to give guests an extra boost of electrolytes. You do want everyone to make it to breakfast if they can!

Start Planning Your Philadelphia Wedding

Curating your welcome bags is only one part of the wedding planning process. When you are ready to decide on the entertainment that will perform at your wedding, EBE is here to help. Learn more about our upcoming showcases.

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After you get engaged, the first question everyone asks you is, “when’s the wedding?” If your engagement came as a surprise, you most likely don’t have your wedding plans set in stone. And that’s okay! Wedding planning should be an enjoyable time where you and your partner can talk about what you do and don’t want to do at your wedding.

Many of the trends for rescheduled pandemic weddings were inspired by the need to be flexible and fun. Other trends were inspired by pop culture thanks to all our TV binge-watching and TikTok scrolling. If you’re newly engaged and in the midst of wedding planning, here are some ideas and trends you can look to for inspiration.

Wedding Planning Trends in Society Hill

Make memories with exciting entertainment elements. After all the wedding postponements during COVID, your guests will definitely be ready to party when it comes time for your big day. Give them unforgettable entertainment by hiring talent from EBE, known for the best wedding bands and DJs in Philadelphia. Aside from the music, have a photo booth set up where guests can take candids with each other. The photos captured here are a great way to create a photo album for yourself and a memorable favor for your wedding guests. From psychics to performers and even cotton candy artists, there’s no wrong way to incorporate entertainment into your upcoming wedding.

Play with pretty pastels. If you’re thinking of having a spring or summer wedding, consider using lush, playful pastel colors. Let shades like sunflower yellow, sky blue, and mint green inspire your wedding decorations, including the invitations, floral arrangements, and uplighting on your big day. Other dreamy shades like sage green, mauve, blush, and lavender work wonderfully for warm-weather weddings. You can also work any of these colors into your bridal party. Mix pops of color into your groomsmen’s attire with pocket squares or bowties and dress your bridesmaids in these hues.

Throw a Bridgerton wedding bash. Pop culture constantly influences wedding trends, and Netflix’s Bridgerton is no exception. You can lean into the theme and have your guests come in period-appropriate attire or incorporate elements from the period piece more subtly into your wedding. Have your bridal party dress in Prussian blue tones and accessorize your venue with plenty of bows. Get creative with your seating chart and name tables after places and titles from the show, like the “Lady Whistledown Table.” You can also hire an ensemble to play classical covers of popular songs during your ceremony or cocktail hour.

Opt for a weekday wedding. Since so many couples had to move their 2020 and 2021 wedding dates, weekends in 2022 — and even 2023 — are booking up quickly. If you want to have a wedding in the next year or two, consider a weekday! Having a weekday wedding can help cut back significantly on costs, especially in the summer months when weekend wedding prices tend to skyrocket.

Go minimal where you can. Another emerging wedding trend is minimalism. Since life is stressful enough, people want their wedding planning to be a happy time! Many couples are embracing the less is more motto. Those who choose to get married outdoors are letting the surrounding nature be the decor. And some couples are doing away with physical wedding favors, opting to give their guests a parting gift of food or donating to a cause they support.

Are you inspired by any of these wedding ideas or trends? When you’re planning your wedding, EBE is here to help. Contact us today to see how we can help you with all the aspects of your wedding.

Planning a wedding can be a little chaotic if you don’t have any sense of direction. If you’re planning a spring 2022 wedding and are looking to be on-trend, we’re here to help! These are five of the most popular wedding trends for spring 2022, with tips on how you can incorporate them into your big day.

Our Tips for a Spring Wedding

Use shades of green to dress your bridal party or decorate your reception hall. Spring has sprung, which means flowers are in bloom, and the trees are starting to grow back their leaves. Celebrate the renewal of greenery that comes with spring by incorporating shades of green into your big day. Some of the most popular shades of green for spring 2022 include seafoam, sage, eucalyptus, mint, and emerald.

Skip the buffet for your spring wedding. We’re certainly in a better place with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. But out of an abundance of caution for your guests, keep everyone’s health and safety a priority and opt for individualized, plated meals. Check with your venue to see if you can do the same for your cocktail hour. Eliminating the buffet will help prevent people from crowding and create less of an opportunity to pass germs.

Formulate a wedding playlist with help from TikTok. TikTok is one of the most popular apps right now and can be helpful when planning your wedding, too! This app is a great place to discover new music and can help soon-to-be-married couples choose popular songs to add to a playlist for their wedding DJ or wedding band. Incorporating songs from TikTok into your wedding reception will help get all of your guests onto the dance floor, including the younger generations!

Incorporate crisp, clean style into your spring wedding. Despite what the HBO series Euphoria implies is popular, it’s not all about body crystals and jewel tones. Spring weddings are all about fresh, clean styles. Think neutral makeup palettes for brides and navy or canvas-colored suits for grooms. When it comes to flowers, ask your florist for seasonal suggestions like sweet peas and pansies.

Add some sparkle to your cocktail bar or dessert station. Weddings call for sparkles any time of the year, but especially in the spring. While we don’t suggest body glitter, edible glitter is a growing wedding trend that can quickly dress up the food and beverages served on your big day. Use it to rim your champagne glasses or sprinkle on your cake.

Entertainment for your spring wedding in Philadelphia

Allowing the season to dictate some of your wedding elements will make planning your special day that much easier! When you are ready to decide the entertainment that will perform at your spring wedding in Philadelphia, EBE is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our DJs and live bands!

Want to learn more about our EBE Team Members? Vendors We Love? New Products?

Are you a big music fan looking for the perfect unique wedding venue in Philadelphia? You’re in luck! Philly is home to some of the most incredible music venues in the world, most of which can be transformed for your big day! Tying the knot at a music venue is especially ideal for those couples looking to have wedding bands perform. It’ll feel like you and your guests are at a special concert dedicated to you and your partner.

Discover four unique music venues in the city where you can host your wedding.

The Fillmore. Located in the Fishtown neighborhood, The Fillmore is modeled after the venue of the same name in San Francisco, a focal point of psychedelic music in the ’60s and ’70s. Philadelphia’s Fillmore is the perfect wedding location for the couple looking to capture the essence of early rock and roll. Because it’s a concert hall, the Fillmore can accommodate weddings of all sizes, ranging from 50 to 3,000 guests. Plus, it’s the perfect space for wedding bands and DJs to set up so you can throw the ultimate reception.

City Winery. For those couples looking for a more rustic, urban vibe, City Winery is the perfect wedding venue. The best part about City Winery is that floor plans are highly customizable, so the team there can adjust to the needs of your big day. You’ll be able to plan a wedding that showcases you and your partner’s personalities, and you’ll be able to have a full band or ensemble of your choice for your music needs.

The Kimmel Center. If you’re looking to get married in the heart of the city, the Kimmel Center is the perfect reception hall. What’s more, there are four venues to choose from! Hamilton Rooftop Garden is one of the most popular venues for weddings, boasting a glass rooftop atrium with spectacular views. The Academy of Music Ballroom is a popular option for couples looking for a more elegant vibe. Meanwhile, Commonwealth Plaza is a dramatic indoor space with a stunning vaulted glass roof. Finally, the Perelman Theater features a turntable stage perfect for those theater-loving couples. No matter which Kimmel Center venue you choose, Garces Events is their exclusive caterer, which means your reception will feature a menu curated by Iron Chef Jose Garces.

The Met Philadelphia. Another gorgeous and historic wedding venue in Philadelphia is The Met, a historic opera house built in 1908. This property once hosted theater performances, but today is a popular concert venue that could become your reception space! With an open-plan lobby and ample seating for up to 3,500 people, The Met is the ideal venue option for those couples who have booked wedding bands, DJs, and other forms of entertainment.

Philadelphia has Many Beautiful Wedding Venues

Although Philadelphia has many beautiful wedding venues if you’re a couple whose first date was at a concert or you bonded over a particular band or music artist, getting married at one of the city’s music venues is a no-brainer. Each space comes with its own vibe—edgy, rustic, artsy, and historical—so you can choose the one that speaks most to your relationship.

When you are ready to decide the entertainment that will perform at your wedding, EBE is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our wedding DJs and live bands!

Want to learn more about our EBE Team Members? Vendors We Love? New Products?

Photos are one of the most important components of any wedding. After the day is over, the pictures from your wedding are some of the only keepsakes you’ll have to look back and remember the big day! As such, you’ll want to hire a professional photographer to capture the momentous occasion. But more importantly, you’ll want to provide your photographer with a list of must-have photos to take on your big day.

Consider this must-have shot list for your wedding.

Close friends and family.

Keep a running list of friends and family you want to have photos taken with on your big day. At a minimum, provide your photographer with their names so they can ensure they’re capturing pictures of you with the right people. If you happen to know what colors your friends and family are planning to wear to your wedding, even better! Providing your photographer with as much detail about the people on your must-have photos list will help them do their job with ease.

Small group shots.

Aside from solo shots with your mom, dad, and best friend, group photos are also something to be considered. Do you want to get a picture with your extended family on your mom’s side? How about a photo with all of your college friends? Maybe you even reunited with a group of friends you took a vacation with and want to capture the reunion at your wedding. Whatever small group photos you want, make sure you tell the photographer and possibly even your wedding DJ. Your DJ can make an announcement when and where everyone from that crew needs to gather.

Your colleagues.

If you’re inviting your co-workers to your wedding and want to mark the occasion, make sure to include a “colleagues shot” on your list of must-have photos. Have your photographer pull the people you work with to a designated area for a quick group photo at some point throughout the wedding reception to capture this memento.

The minute details.

After months of planning, the minute details of your wedding tend to get lost in the sauce. Make sure you don’t forget any of the attention to detail you put into making your wedding special by having your photographer capture photos of every little accent! From the table centerpieces to the details in the wedding dress, bridesmaid gowns, groomsmen’s suits, flowers, and beyond, having photos of these details will help you feel like you’re reliving the big day when you look back on them.

Reception moments. 

These photos are going to be part of your photographer’s game plan. But make sure they’re capturing the moments you’ll want to look back on! Must-have reception photos include your grand entrance, reactions from your guests during the speeches and toasts, and shots of your wedding cake details. But don’t forget little moments like your guests mingling and interacting with each other — those often make for some of the best wedding memories.

We hope this wedding photo shot list inspires you to start your own list for your upcoming nuptials! Want to learn more about our EBE Team Members? Vendors We Love? New Products? Contact us today!