Planning the Wedding Entertainment with Kibar
Kibar will be in touch several months before your wedding. He likes to give couples the option to start planning as early as possible to accommodate those who like to check tasks off their lists! He offers an online calendar to make scheduling your meeting simple. Meetings are typically done virtually and it’s best if both of you attend. In preparation for your details meeting, Kibar will ask that you complete an online questionnaire that is sent to you via email. This questionnaire will allow you to note simple details such as your first dance and the names of your bridal party. This will allow Kibar to use your meeting time to get to know you better and understand your vision!
Follow-up meetings are not usually necessary as he is usually able to capture everything he needs in one sitting. He will check in on you casually in the weeks/months to come leading up to your wedding. Kibar will always do one final check-in over the phone the few days leading up to your wedding.
WEDDING DAY!
Before the ceremony
Kibar will have all of his equipment set up and ready to go 20-30 minutes before the official start time. This will allow for music to be played while guests are seated. Don’t worry, there’s no charge for this. 😊
The Ceremony
We typically plan to have 3 songs for the ceremony.
- The Processional #1 – This will be the song that’s played while the bridal party is walking down the aisle.
- The Processional #2 – This is the song that’s played while you process down the aisle.
- The Recessional – We play this song at the end of the ceremony after the official kiss and everyone exits.
We can certainly have more song choices than this if you want, just let Kibar know what you’re looking to do and he’ll make it happen.
Kibar has a wireless lavalier microphone system with an accompanied hand-held mic to accommodate the poem/blessing read by a guest. This additional feature is complementary.
The Cocktail Hour
As you and your spouse are off taking pictures, Kibar will be playing background music during cocktail hour. This music can be any type, but he recommends it not be too loud and crazy as guests are typically getting drinks and mingling at this time.
The Reception
Introductions
Let’s have some fun with these. Kibar will gladly customize the introductions to your liking and prides himself on pronouncing everyone’s name perfectly. When thinking about the intros, consider if you want your grandparents, parents, and bridal party introduced from their seats or the main entrance to the reception. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can introduce your grandparents from their seats and everyone else from the main entrance. Mix it up however you want.
You’ll also want to choose some fun, energetic music for the intros. You’re welcome to pick a different song for each couple, or keep it simple and have one song played for everyone. Feel free to check out some suggestions here.
Finally, think about how the intros will go. Will you pair off the bridesmaids with the groomsmen? Will you have all the women come in together in a group and then the men do the same? Is there a disproportionate number of bridesmaids to groomsmen? No worries! Kibar will help with all of that. If you end up pairing the bridesmaids with the groomsmen, consider putting them in “reverse order”. This means that the best man and the maid of honor will come out last (right before you two of course).
First Dance
This is usually immediately after the intros. Consider a song that’s special to the two of you. Worried about it going too long? Don’t worry, ask Kibar about the “tap-out”. If you need recommendations for your first dance, click here.
Blessing and Speeches/Toasts
We will usually move to the speeches/toasts right after the first dance as the segue to dinner. If you have someone giving a religious/non-religious blessing, let Kibar know and he’ll coordinate the timing with that person.
The speeches/toasts are always a lot of fun because you’re allowing your loved ones to publicly showcase their love for you and your new spouse. It’s recommended that you limit the speeches to two people during this time. This is due to the timeline of the reception; we don’t want the meal to get cold! It’s also recommended that speeches be no more than 4 minutes each. Although this can be challenging to limit the length of the speeches, just remind them of the meal timeline.
If you have more people that would like to give a toast, no worries, we can have a part B towards the end of dinner.
Dinner
Kibar will be asking about the dinner type (buffet, plated meal, etc.) because he has some fun ideas to share with you for dinner entertainment. The dinner music can be anything you want. Kibar will begin to read the crowd and see what they are responding to. Some may quietly sing along, others may dance a bit in their chairs; this is when Kibar will start learning what the crowd is likely to dance to.
Cake Cutting
This is simple; you pick a song, Kibar plays your song, and you’ll cut the cake. Kibar is happy to walk you through “how to” cut the cake when the time comes. Some venues like to have the cake cut early on during dinner, while some venues like to wait until dinner plates are cleared. Either way is perfectly fine.
Spotlight Dances
Do you and your spouse wish to share a special dance with one of your parents? These dances usually happen towards the end of dinner as we get ready to open the dance floor. Feel free to expand this to include the aunt/uncle/sibling/grandparent that is special to you.
Remixes and Mashups
Kibar is happy to combine some of your favorite songs for your special dances. This is a great way to surprise your guests with a choreographed dance or something similar when they least expect it. In order to get it to your liking, he will insist on discussing your vision in person, on the phone, or through a virtual meeting; this avoids the need to clarify your expectations more than once. Mashups can include up to four (4) different songs to be mixed together. Kibar will offer two (2) revisions of the mashup and send them to you for review. More than four (4) songs and/or more than two (2) revisions will incur additional fees. Kibar offers three (3) separate mashups per event to accommodate your first dance and two (2) parent dances. For questions about additional mashup and revision fees, feel free to contact Kibar directly.
Open up that Dance Floor
The dance floor segment is Kibar’s specialty; this is what he does best. In a 5-hour wedding reception, dancing will usually last about 2-2.5 hours which is roughly 35-45 songs. In reading the crowd, Kibar will balance an appropriate number of slow songs with fast songs while accommodating requests and meeting all genre expectations.
During your meeting, Kibar will spend time explaining his process of how dance music is approached. This includes the expected “playlist” and “do-not-play list”.
Closing Thoughts
Kibar’s goal is to exceed your expectations throughout the planning process, the wedding day, and any time you reflect on this joyous occasion. With his years of experience, creative ideas, and thoughtful recommendations, Kibar will help plan the wedding of your dreams!
Kibar Moussoba - DJ - Pianist - EmCee 