A great service for marriage proposals

We here at My Wedding Workbook work really hard to write blogs that keep you up to date with all of the wedding trends and wedding software offerings on our site. But what about proposals? We recently stumbled upon The Heart Bandits, a Marriage Proposal and Romantic Event Planning Company and got a chance to interview co-founder Michele Williamson.

Q. So what exactly does The Heart Bandits do? A. We help men all over the world plan unique, customized marriage proposals. Instead of turning to the scary Internet to help plan their marriage proposals, they can now come to experts to plan every detail of the day she has been dreaming of her whole life! We don't suggest corny things such as bringing a ring out in a champagne glass. We interview the man and find out details about the couple's story and with that we create an amazing proposal concept.

Q. What are some examples of proposals you have come up with? A. We recreated the Ellen Degeneres show for a man who really wanted to propose on the show. His girlfriend was a huge fan so we hired actors and made a fake talk show where the boyfriend was the guest. He proposed on "set". For a woman infatuated with the show Glee, we created a Glee style proposal complete with choreographed singing and dancing.

Q. What was your favorite proposal? A. My favorite proposal was for a soldier in Afghanistan. I am a former vet myself so I have a soft spot for all military personnel. He wanted to propose to his girlfriend in Houston, TX but since he was in Afghanistan he had no clue how he would do this. We coordinated with the girlfriends family and she thought that she was going shopping but ended up at this chic hotel where she was greeted by the Manager. He asked if she was Cindy and when she said yes a violinist started serenading her. She was led into a room that was lit with candles and decorated with roses. Displayed on the screen were her boyfriend's words and his proposal including a picture of him in uniform on bended knee. It was so romantic!

Q. Do you plan marriage proposals for women who want to propose? A. Absolutely! We love planning proposals for the ladies as well. We also help women figure out how men like to experience romance. Men aren't as into the scrapbooks and framed pictures as we are!

Q. You also provide Romantic Event Planning. What is that? A. We plan romantic events such as Valentine's Day dates, anniversaries, and any other romantic dates. We also offer a Romance Concierge Service for men that want to be romantic but are out of town a lot. We can send romantic gifts for them all year, plan their romantic dates, and make sure they don't forget any of those dates.

For more information, check out The Heart Bandits.

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Interviewing florists for your wedding - and flower shop software

When it comes to decor that sets the mood for your wedding, nothing is more important than your flowers and floral displays. Flowers not only add tons of wonderful color to your ceremony and reception locations, but they provide a freshness and newness that symbolizes your new start in life as a married couple.

With that said, hiring the right flower shop for your wedding is a big decision that should not be taken lightly. This means that you will need to interview at least a couple wedding vendors (unless you already have one in mind that you like and trust with your wedding day) to make an educated decision. Here are just a few questions you should ask during these interviews.

How many years have you been in business? You might be a little less inclined to go with a shop that hasn't been around long, has a short track record or just seems a little too "fly by night."

Do you have wedding experience? A must. Designing flowers for a wedding is a rather involved task, so if this is someone's first rodeo, you may want to look elsewhere.

How many events are you scheduled/will you schedule to work on our wedding day? You want to make sure that the florist isn't overbooked for that day and can take the time to service you properly.

Can we see photos of weddings you've done and get references? Also very important. Any vendor without a portfolio and good references is one not really prepared to be in business.

Will the flowers we want (if known) be in season at the time of our wedding? You want to know ahead of time if certain flowers are or aren't available so you can make proper substitutions, and any good florist will know the answer to this question quickly.

Do you use flower shop software? You want your florist to be organized and on top of all your detials, and flower shop software helps them manage all their business and client details. In addition, some flower shop software programs also let them give you tools to help plan your big day.

What time would the flowers be delivered and when will you/your team arrive to set up? Also a critical question, because you will be so busy on your wedding day that you won't have time to follow up with every vendor and you will need to trust them to do what they promise.

How much is the deposit and when do we need to give it to you by? You should never pay the full tab upfront, so negotiate a decent deposit (up to half of the full fee) as well as when they will need it by.

Finding the perfect photographer, plus photo studio software

Your wedding day wouldn't be complete without a photographer capturing all the pageantry and wonder of your big day, because although it's great to live in the moment and enjoy the day itself, it's also important to save those moments and have a pictorial record of them for years to come.

The importance of wedding photography for most couples is reflected in their budgets. A study we conducted a while back shows that photography is only second to the wedding reception in terms of the amount of budget allotted to it. This means that, for most people, your pictures are just as important as your food, drink, venue and DJ.

So, when you are thinking about hiring a photographer, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Look for wedding experience - Shooting a wedding is its own animal and has its own peculiar demands, so you would be taking a risk hiring a rookie or someone who doesn't have much wedding experience. Thus it's best to ask to see a photographer's portfolio and ask them questions about their experience.

2. Ask about their style - Some photographers shoot in a particular style (formal and posed, photojournalistic, etc.), so if you have a certain style in mind you need to find out if they would fit your style.

3. Ask about their packages - Any photographer that has shot weddings usually has created packages with different price tags and offerings. This can give you an at-a-glimpse idea of what they offer and how it might fit into your budget.

4. Ask for referrals - You should not only ask them for referrals but scour the Web and ask around on your own to see what prior customers' experiences have been using a photography vendor.

5. Get it all in writing - Make sure when you choose a photographer you get all the items down in writing - including the cost and date - and agree on a down payment or deposit of no more than half the stated full cost.

6. Look for value adds - Some photographers might provide extra services above and beyond just regular photography, so you should ask what else might be included. For example, some photographers use photo studio software to help them stay better organized. Some photography studio software / photo studio software packages might also include tools for engaged couples like wedding websites and such, so you should inquire what else they might be able to provide for their stated cost.

Finding a DJ - and the benefit of DJ booking management software

Today we're going to talk a little about music at your wedding.

One of the things that an engaged couple usually has in common is the kind of music they listen to. Music is the one thing that can bond people together, that can get people to move, that can set a mood or change the vibe of an event. It is truly transformative, which is what makes it such a critical component of your wedding.

Lots has been said about taking the iPod route for your wedding and just creating lots of playlists, plugging your iPod into a venue's sound system and playing your favorite tunes all night. But for this to work flawlessly, you need to know your crowd, have an impeccable sense of timing, have decent taste in music, have enough mixes for if the mood changes (or if you want it to change), have reliable staff who knows how to run the sound system and fix it if it goes down, and so on.

So if there's any doubt about any of these, you might just be better off hiring a professional DJ who has the expertise, experience and equipment to ensure your music will be a highlight of the evening. Plus, with most DJs, you get a built-in emcee who can take care of all the introductions and such.

When hiring a DJ, there are a few things to look for. First on that list is experience DJing weddings. Next is a presence as an emcee (great voice and a graceful demeanor go a long ways here), followed by a wide selection of music that you and your guests will enjoy, equipment that meets your needs, flexibility to work with your venue and other vendors and reliability/dependability. To check up on that last detail, you should also ask them for the names and contact information of references so you can check up on other weddings where they have DJed.

Finally, your DJ should run a well-organized business, so you can ask them if they use DJ booking management software that gives them tools to stay better organized. DJ booking software affords them resources so they can stay on schedule, keep their client details and song lists in good order and track all their estimates, invoices and payments. Such DJ booking management software might even provide them with tools to better coordinate with you online like shared calendars, song lists, and the like.

Enjoy your wedding planning, and happy weekend.