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Q&A: Virtual and Hybrid Weddings

 

As many couples are being forced to shift their wedding plans, the Rock The House team has been adding to our services so we can help you pivot! Last week, our COO, Ryan Konikoff, and Marketing Manager, Stephanie Rose, hopped on a webcast to talk about the ways the wedding industry is changing and how we can evolve with it. Check out their chat above or read below to learn all about virtual and hybrid wedding options!

Rock The House - Virtual Wedding Live StreamingNext Steps: Postpone or Go Virtual?

Stephanie: We’re seeing everything change every single day. If you’re a couple and you have to postpone your wedding, which we’re seeing a lot of for this summer, what are the next steps in that process?

Ryan: That’s a great question, and you’re right, we’re seeing a lot of changes day by day. The rules for [social distancing in] Ohio are different than the rules for Pennsylvania, which are different than the rules in Michigan. As we’re talking to friends locally and nationally, and brides they work with throughout the country, it’s about finding what works for them, with the information we have available today and making sure we are nimble enough to pivot as different things open up.

So, the first thing we’re saying to them is “Ultimately, what are your goals?” And when we look at how they want to tell their wedding story, we want them to be able to hit most of those goals when they look back on their wedding day. Is it best for them to go virtual/digital, hybrid, or at the end of the day, is postponing a better option for them? And then doing something small for them right now because in their hearts of hearts they’ll never feel like they got what they fully wanted.

Virtual vs. Hybrid Wedding?

Stephanie: That’s great that you bring that up because every couple is different. They might want to postpone, they may want to do a Zoom commitment ceremony, or do something totally hybrid. Can you go into the difference between a virtual commitment ceremony versus a hybrid wedding?

Ryan: There are so many options out there! At the end of the day, it’s just like a regular wedding where you’re going to break it down into a series of smaller events.

You’ll look at getting ready with your bridesmaids as one event.

You’ll look at your first look with your partner as another event.

You’ll look at the ceremony as a third event.

And then some sort of reception/celebration as that fourth event.

There are so many DIY product options, like Google Hangouts and Zoom, or you can enlist professionals like us that are helping navigate the different options that are out there and streamline it for you.

Once you isolate those events and break them down… it really does open up a lot of options. There are so many DIY product options, like Google Hangouts and Zoom, or you can enlist professionals like us that are helping navigate the different options that are out there and streamline it for you. You can really accomplish almost everything you want for your special day. At the end of the day, I believe in live and I look forward to being able to have great events in person with other people. But I think, not even for the foreseeable future, but really for the rest of events, having a virtual/digital component is going to become a mainstay.

So, let’s take a ceremony, I’m going to give you a couple of different options…

The first is to do a teleconference style ceremony. When we say that, we’re talking about something like Zoom, this means there is two-way information flow. You as the presenter are presenting out and your guests can see, wave, chat, and be part of it, so you have information going both ways. For smaller functions, this tends to work really well and be a nice, simple option.

If you want to take it a step further and have a company like us get involved and assist you, we can give you something a little more produced where you’ll see different graphics come up. Maybe your maid of honor in Boston can’t join us so we’ll bring her in and she can do something like a reading or she can be a part of that ceremony for all the people that can’t be together. You’ll still get the clean, crisp look that you’d get normally. What’s great about this is you get to decide where you want your guests to see it. If you want to keep it private and use a password protected room, that’s one option. If you’re like, “Hey it’s my wedding day and I was only going to be able to invite 200, but now I want to invite 20,000,” we can help you use services to post it onto Facebook Live, LinkedIn, Twitch, ParaScope, all the different streaming platforms that are out there, as well as your own wedding website that you made on any of the larger platforms. Guests can join, they can chat and ask questions, and you can help with that 2-way information flow for them.

What’s a Drive-In Wedding?

Stephanie: I’ve heard talk of drive-in weddings becoming an option. Can you tell us a little about that?

Ryan: Totally! I love drive-ins! Growing up, it was so much fun to go to the drive-in movies! The idea of a drive-in wedding is so much fun. I was watching a stream the other day and a wedding officiant was talking about signing marriage licenses on the roof of a car for them.

[Drive-in weddings] will give people a chance to safely social distance while still feeling like they’re a part of somebody’s special event.

This will be the next progression of live events altogether. You’re going to see it in concerts, movies, and now weddings. This will give people a chance to safely social distance while still feeling like they’re a part of somebody’s special event.

We were working with a client of ours who is having a barn wedding. They said, well what if we can’t have everybody in the barn? So, we’ve drawn up plans to have a stage right outside of the barn. We’ll have the officiant and couple up there. All the guests will join from their cars. This allows them the option to see the wedding and be there in person. Guests with convertibles can have the tops down, or guests will have all the windows down, and some will even choose to sit on their cars outside. But they’ll be present in person for the ceremony.

Stephanie: I love it, it’s like a wedding tailgate!

Ryan: Totally! And we’re Clevelanders, we know how to tailgate!

Drive-In Wedding

Photo: Greg Fulks

How will the wedding industry change?

Stephanie: These are great suggestions, especially with these upcoming summer weddings. How do you think this will change the wedding industry as a whole?

Ryan: It’s definitely going to change the industry forever, and not even just weddings, it’s going to change live events. I don’t think we’re ever going to go back to 100% live events. We’ve been 100% live in the past, and now we’re 100% virtual. We are going to slowly start working our way back but we’re never going to go back to 100% live events.

We’re going to create a great experience for you digitally where guests don’t have to book a plane or hotel room, and the hosts don’t have to pay to have another seat at the venue or provide a meal.

This will be done for the family member who can’t travel, or the children back in the hotel room because it’s too late for them, for all these different people who still want to be a part of it. Or for weddings where there are budgetary constraints where before you had an A list and B list and some people couldn’t be invited because the couple couldn’t afford it. Well now there’s a great way to say we’d love you to be a part of our day, we’re going to have this many people live and in person. We’re going to create a great experience for you digitally where guests don’t have to book a plane or hotel room, and the hosts don’t have to pay to have another seat at the venue or provide a meal. Plus, that open bar can get pricey, and this will alleviate another cost for our couple.

Looking at the Upside

Stephanie: I love that! As much as there’s a lot of negativity in regard to how Coronavirus is changing things for us and impacting us, we’re seeing it bring together people in new, digital ways. It’s funny to think of the options we hadn’t thought of before. From my personal experience, I had so many family members in other states that couldn’t come to my wedding and I could have just live-streamed them into my wedding. I didn’t even think of it at the time.

Ryan: I think the biggest thing that will come out of this in a positive way, is that the technology has been there but I think people were scared of it. Those of us that work in the industry have been using it for years, but the idea of my mother joining on a web-stream or jumping into Zoom just wasn’t even a viable option. But all of a sudden, when it’s the only way to see her grandkids or the only way to be a part of the family Seder, then they go okay what do I have to do. And then when they realize it’s just clicking a button or two, they’re engaged with it, it becomes less scary for them. As a country, we’ve really taken that fear away from a lot of people that wanted it distanced and they’ve said okay, I can do this, and a lot of them are going to start to embrace it.

For more information on virtual and hybrid weddings, visit our website.

To try out the virtual photo booth for any special event, click here.

 

ROCKstar of the Month of February: Scott Kutil

Congratulations to last month’s ROCKstar of the Month, Scott Kutil! He’s been a part of the team for about 4 years now and has grown into a well-rounded, hard-working Event Technician. You will frequently find him on the move in the Warehouse and making things happen. He helps the team stay organized by keeping track of our shows and ensuring his teammates are up-to-speed on everything they’re going to encounter for the day. This goal-oriented ROCKstar has made great strides in the work he delivers and we’re proud to call him this month’s ROTM!

ROCKstar of the Month: Scott Kutil

“My favorite part about being on the RTH team is the family atmosphere. It’s a place where I’m always learning new things, as well as strengthening the skills I already have.” – Scott Kutil, ROCKstar of the Month

Scott feels that being on the RTH team is the perfect place for him to be because he has an incredible passion for the entertainment industry. Plus, through his work at RTH, he has gained life-long friends, mentors, and improved his customer service skills in many ways.

ROTM_Scott_Kutil

A Few Fun Facts About Scott Kutil.:

  • Favorite guilty pleasure song? “Scotty Doesn’t Know” by Lustra
  • Favorite song and/or artist? “Indulge” by Sebastian Paul
  • Favorite movie? Uncut Gems
  • Favorite TV show? It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
  • Favorite pre-event snack? Sugar-Free Redbull
  • Favorite post-event snack? Chipotle
  • Where’s the most interesting place you’ve ever traveled to? I lived in LA for a summer and I really enjoyed it.
  • What gives you energy? The perfect song.
  • If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why? The ability to time-travel. I’d love to go back and experience different eras.
  • Favorite pizza topping? Pepperoni
  • Do you have any pets? A Yorkie named Fergie.

ROCKstar of the Month: Scott Kutil

“When Scott was hired roughly 3 ½ years ago he came in with limited experience in this type of production/entertainment. But now he just knows what needs to get done and accomplishes it in an efficient manner. He is hands-on in the warehouse and it shows!” – Tricia Adams, Production Assistant

One of Scott’s favorite events to work during his time at RTH was the RNC a few years ago. “It was great to see the city of Cleveland so alive and to be involved in it in some way,” says Scott.

When he isn’t down at the Warehouse, you can find him producing music and watching movies. 

Congratulations to Scott on being February’s ROCKstar of the Month! Interested in working with ROCKstars like Scott to produce your next event? Contact our team of event professionals today to get started! Photos courtesy of the Rock The House Photo Archive.

2020 Wedding Trends

While we highly encourage each couple to cater their wedding to their personalities and style, it never hurts to include a few trends. Of course, you want the details of your wedding to be timeless –especially when you’re looking at photos 10 years later. These popular 2020 wedding trends can be easily manipulated to fit your wedding and will look stunning next decade, too!

Vibrant Colors

Wedding Uplighting (Photo courtesy of New Image Photography)

Say goodbye to pastels and millennial pink, and say hello to bright and vibrant colors! Pantone’s color of the year is classic blue, which pairs nicely with a wide array of colors. We recommend sticking to the “classic” description by looking for colors on the elementary color wheel. These are colors in their purest form!

Wedding Uplighting (Photo courtesy of New Image Photography)

Instead of blush pink or maroon, choose hot pink and red. Some of our favorite combinations are: green and white; blue, yellow, and gray; and pink, orange, and red. Bright colors make such a loud statement that you won’t need as much decor. Less decor means more money saved!

Statement Lighting

Wedding Lighting & Chandeliers (Photo courtesy of Genevieve Nisly Photography)

Leave dull, overhead lighting for the office! One of the easiest and most powerful ways to wow your guests is with statement lighting. Every entry will be a grand entrance if you light your venue with unique lighting options. Consider uplighting, monogrammed gobo projections, moving spotlights, dramatic chandeliers, or an LED dance floor.

One new trend we’re in love with is tube lighting – like our Astera Titan Tubes. You can adorn your bar, create a geometric design above the dance floor, hang them from the ceiling, or create one killer entranceway. Your guests’ first impressions will be lasting, and it’s something your guests will talk about long after the wedding is over!

Pro Tip: Save on décor needs and add flexibility by using projected patterns and colors to decorate the walls, ceilings, and dance floor! Click to check out all our lighting options.

Maximum Décor

Ceremony Lighting & Audio (Photo courtesy of Genevieve Nisly Photography)

For 2020, it’s all about maximalism. One gorgeous way to do this is with florals and greenery – whether with breathtaking flowers adorning your ceremony chuppah or by turning your reception into a garden with an abundance of colorful arrangements. Try a flower chandelier or “cloud,” overflowing centerpieces, and beautiful arches.

Wedding Lighting & Custom Gobo (Photo courtesy of Making the Moment)

Make a wall display with custom gobo projections, hoops or geometrics, wood, flower wall, or linens. If there’s one day where it’s ok to be a little dramatic and over-the-top, it’s your wedding day!

Pro Tip: Go big and majorly memorable by adding an enhancement like Sparkular, a confetti drop, or more – check them all out here!

Video Memories

Still photos are so last decade. From GIFs to Boomerang to IGTV, 2010-2019 saw an undeniable progression and obsession with video. Wedding videography isn’t meant to replace still photography, but to supplement it! But this isn’t your mama’s wedding video. You can do a 60-minute film, perfect for sitting down with your spouse each year and watching on your anniversary. Or, opt for a 30-minute video that shows your favorite parts of the day. Finally, there’s the oh-so-popular highlight reel, which is 5-10 minutes and edits together the “highlights” of the day. This can include getting ready, your vows, parts of the toasts, your first dance, and shots of your guests. Rock The House Entertainment has videography options that fit your vision!

Upgraded Photo Booths

Photo booths have always been romantic – they’re classic first date activities. It only makes sense that they should be part of the most romantic day of your life – your wedding day! While close-curtain photo booth kiosks are fun in their own way, an open-air photo booth can be even more fun! You can create a custom backdrop or use a green screen; your guests can write a message or share them on social media; they can leave well-wishes in the form of a video, pose in large groups, and use fun props.

Aside from our Classic Booth, Mirror Booth, and Photo Kiosk, we also offer a Custom Photo Station and Photo Magic. They’re the PERFECT upgrades to your wedding. Not only will your guests have a blast posing for them, but you’ll love looking through the photos of your guests making memories.

Pro Tip: Get inspired! Hop over to our Photo Galleries to check out what other clients have done for their custom photo designs!

Sustainable Weddings

Toast Time! (Photo courtesy of Matt Erickson Photography)

Cheers to Mother Earth! One of our favorite trends in 2020 is that of a green wedding. We’re not talking the color – we mean a sustainable, environmentally friendly wedding. We can all do our part to save the Earth, and weddings can be extremely wasteful. There are ways to combat this, and 2020 couples are doing their best to minimize their footprint. Ask for donations to charity rather than gifts; let your bridesmaids wear dresses they already own; rent decor rather than buy; choose a local venue to limit your guests’ travel; choose local foods and flowers; and use paperless signage like wood, slate, chalkboard, acrylic, or glass.

Pro Tip: After your wedding, consider reselling items at an event like the Recycled Wedding Boutique, hosted by our friends over at Beloved Ohio!

We’d say these guests look “wowed”… (Photo courtesy of Making the Moment)

It’s impossible to include each of these trends in your wedding, but including one will ensure that your guests are wowed, impressed, and recall your wedding as one of the best parties they’ve attended! The many options available at Rock The House Entertainment can help bring one of these trends to life and make your wedding day truly spectacular!

ROCKstar of the Month of January: Stephanie Rose

January’s ROCKstar of the Month is Stephanie Rose! Stephanie began her career with RTH as our Director of First Impressions and in a short amount of time, she moved into the Marketing Assistant role, and then into the Marketing Manager role. Her ambitious attitude and can-do personality have taken her far and it’s no wonder why she’s become such an integral part of the team. After all her hard work in this very busy wedding show season, we’re happy to call Stephanie our ROCKstar of the Month!

ROTM_Stephanie_Rose

“My favorite part of being on the RTH team? I will gladly join the bandwagon with my teammates and say that it’s the people. This is truly such a hardworking, hilarious bunch. Never in my life have I had coworkers who make me laugh this hard, push me to always be better, let me be my weird self, teach me when I don’t know what the heck lighting fixture I’m talking about, let me snuggle their office dogs when I’m anxious, and high five me when we succeed together… and that’s just in the events of a single day.”  – Stephanie Rose, ROCKstar of the Month

As Marketing Manager, she primarily works trade shows and non-profit events. But the most memorable event she’s ever worked was a celebration of life with the theme “Love is all there is.” Stephanie says, “It was the most beautiful memorial to a much-beloved woman. Our team had the honor of assisting with audiovisual needs and creating a scrapbook of memories from the night. It was a reminder of just how large a ripple can be created through simple love and kindness.” She feels this impactful event will stay with her forever.

ROTM_Stephanie_Rose

A Few Fun Facts About Stephanie Rose:

  • Favorite song and/or artist? Song: “Moonage Daydream” by David Bowie |  Artist: Real Estate
  • Favorite guilty pleasure song? “Good Vibrations” by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
  • Favorite movie? Pride and Prejudice
  • Favorite TV show? Veronica Mars
  • Favorite pre-event snack? Usually Uncrustables and/or microwave burritos from home
  • Favorite post-event snack? Probably the classic RTH answer: Taco Bell. As Marketing Manager, I should probably work on a sponsorship deal with them!
  • Where’s the most interesting place you’ve ever traveled to? When I was young, my family and I went to a bioluminescent day in the Carribean. It reminded me of my favorite movie as a child, FernGully. In the movie, a fairy jumps through puddles that light up when touched. It was just like that on our vacation. That day had my sisters and I convinced that magic was real.
  • What gives you energy? Honestly, whenever I’m with my family playing games, throwing darts, and cracking each other up. Laughing with family and friends is what I find most energizing.
  • If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why? I definitely want to be able to fly – I’ve had reoccurring dreams since I was a kid about flying.
  • Favorite pizza topping? I know this is a very Popeye the Sailor answer, but spinach all the way.
  • Do you have any pets? No, I don’t. I wish. I’m very much a dog person and when Steve brings Frank and Blue into the office I just snuggle them and pretend they’re my dogs.

“January is a very busy time for the Marketing Department as on top of their normal responsibilities, they plan and execute the beginning of Wedding Show season. As Stephanie’s second year with these responsibilities, she has taken what she learned and applied it to provide the best possible experience for our clients. Stephanie continues to innovate and doesn’t rubber stamp any responsibilities. She has taken every effort to not only grow professionally but also personally and I’m very proud of her and her achievements so far!” – Amy Van Duyne, Partner & Vice President of Operations

ROTM_Stephanie_Rose

Stephanie credits Rock The House in helping her grow in courage and build connections throughout the Cleveland community. “When I started, I was working at the front desk, assisting with sales, and not quite sure what the future would hold. The leadership team must have seen something I didn’t and opened the door for me to grow into my current role. As someone who is always “my own worst critic,” it has meant the world to have teammates that believe in and support me through new challenges and growing pains.”

When Stephanie is not at RTH leading the Marketing Department, she can be found exercising, working on her web coding skills, and taking care of her 30 house plants. She also enjoys spending time with her friends and family, especially playing board games together. 

Congratulations to Stephanie on being January’s ROCKstar of the Month! Interested in working with ROCKstars like Stephanie to produce your next event? Contact our team of event professionals today to get started! Photos courtesy of the Rock The House Photo Archive.

ROCKstar of the Month of December: Roger Davis Jr.

Congratulations to last month’s ROCKstar of the Month, Roger Davis Jr.! If you haven’t met Roger yet, that’s probably because he’s fairly new to RTH. He has now been a part of the team for 5 months as our Accounting Specialist. In this short amount of time, he has positively affected our team in spirit and efficiency. We are proud to call him December’s ROTM for all his hard work!

ROTM_ROGER_DAVIS_JR

“My favorite part about being on the RTH team is the energy this team has. There’s always something fun happening in the office and the warehouse at any point and it’s contagious. I work in accounting, which is usually pretty drag, but in this industry, everything is fast in all facets. I love that because it’s helped me to be efficient and push the envelope in a short amount of time. Seeing this growth in myself has been really cool.” – Roger Davis Jr., ROCKstar of the Month

As an avid music lover, Roger was attracted to the live events industry for its entertainment and musical elements. From collecting vinyls, to going to concerts, it’s always been a huge part of his life. Being in an environment where that’s such a big part of the everyday is perfect for him.

A Few Fun Facts About Roger Davis Jr.:

  • Favorite song and/or artist? Song: “Dead Presidents II” |  Artist: Jay-Z
  • Favorite movie? The Departed
  • Favorite TV show? New Girl
  • Favorite snack? Mini Kit Kats and Talenti gelato
  • Where’s the most interesting place you’ve ever traveled to? Savannah, Georgia because it’s such a historic city. I had no idea before I got there, but it’s known for being very haunted. There’s a lot of spiritual stories surrounding the city and you can do ghost tours and all that. It was such a cool place to be!
  • What gives you energy? Podcasts; I’m a big fan and have been for about 5/6 years. Being able to listen to a good story, no matter the subject, really gives me energy for the day.
  • If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why? The ability to breathe underwater, like Aquaman. Mainly because it would be cool to just have the ability to hang out in the ocean for a long period of time.
  • Favorite pizza topping? Banana peppers
  • Are you a dog or cat person? Cat person; they match my personality very well. They’re low maintenance and chill like me.

“Roger has become a full extension of the Accounting department in ways that have impressed and continue to impress those around him. He’s kept open lines of communication and continues hitting deadlines which has not only created an environment that is efficient, but has also allowed the train to continue moving while his supervisor Steve is spending time with the new addition to their family. And more than anything, he continues to provide efficiencies for us to win the race together! ” – Amy Van Duyne, Partner & Vice President of Operations

ROTM_Roger_Davis_Jr

 

Though Roger hasn’t worked any events as of yet, he is excited to change that in this new year. “I’m not really hands-on with our events, but hearing the evaluations from all the happy clients in our Monday morning meeting makes me want to be involved as soon as possible. Being able to really make someone’s day in the way we do is just amazing!”

When Roger isn’t at the office, you can almost always find him running. He will likely be training for the next half or full marathon he’s competing in. You can also find him at a record store collecting vinyl, attending a concert, or at a comedy club. He also spends a great deal of time with his daughter and girlfriend because he values family above all else.

Congratulations to Roger on being December’s ROCKstar of the Month! Interested in working with ROCKstars like Roger to produce your next event? Contact our team of event professionals today to get started! Photos courtesy of the Rock The House Photo Archive.