Trimming your Budget #2: iPod Reception

To iPod or not to iPod.

I've been to two very different iPod receptions. One was hectic; the DJ (younger brother of the bride) didn't have the music downloaded until the day of the wedding. There were technical difficulties with the borrowed sound board and speakers, with no sound technicians available to help. This was a wedding where the savings didn't offset the stress costs.

The second iPod reception was meticulously calculated by the bride and groom. They had arranged four CDs full of music and named each after a Golden Girl. The first CD had the ceremony music, the remaining 3 CDs progressively sped up the beat into a full dance party. Then the newlyweds gave out one of the four CDs to each guest as a favor. It was a smooth transition of fabulous music, each song being meaningful to the bride and groom.

If you're considering a iPod reception you'll need to consider: where will you get speakers and can you get enough? Will you have a Emcee to host events such as the cake cutting and bouquet toss? Will the Emcee be up to the job? Is your wedding very formal, or a more relaxed event?

Martha Stewart interviewed New York City planner Elizabeth Allen . She uses digital music strictly for cocktail hours and after-parties: "It's a great way to create a loungey vibe." For the dinner and dancing, she prefers a band or deejay. "They connect with the crowd and can read the mood," says Allen. "If something has to shift, they can do it quickly."

Photos by Our Labor of Love