#Hire a Photo Booth Baltimore

[jamesvince9898]

Create Unforgettable Memories with Bmore Photos: Premier Photo Booth Rentals in Baltimore

Introduction Capturing moments that matter is the essence of any special event. At Bmore Photos Photo Booths, we specialize in delivering exceptional open air photo booth rental Baltimore services to add an interactive, fun, and creative touch to your celebrations. Whether it’s a wedding, corporate event, birthday party, or anniversary, our Baltimore photo booth rentals are designed to make your moments unforgettable while giving your guests a memorable keepsake to cherish.

In this article, we’ll explore the various reasons why wedding photo booth hire Baltimore is becoming a must-have for events, the versatility of our setups, and the value that affordable photo booth rentals Baltimore bring to your special day. Let Bmore Photos transform your event into a vibrant and engaging experience that everyone will remember!

Elevate Your Event with Open Air Photo Booths

Our open air photo booth rental Baltimore services are designed to offer flexibility, creativity, and fun for your event. Unlike traditional enclosed booths, open-air setups provide more room for creativity and group participation. These booths allow:

Versatile Backdrops: Choose from a wide range of customizable backdrops to match your event’s theme or create a unique vibe.

Ample Space: Perfect for group photos, encouraging guests to interact and join the fun together.

Enhanced Visual Quality: With professional lighting and high-resolution cameras, you get stunning, Instagram-worthy photos every time.

Whether you’re hosting a glamorous gala or a laid-back celebration, our open-air photo booths blend seamlessly into your event, offering style and sophistication.

Why Choose Baltimore Photo Booth Rentals for Your Event?

Opting for Baltimore photo booth rentals adds a layer of excitement and entertainment to any occasion. Here’s why our services stand out:

Interactive Entertainment: Photo booths are more than just a photo-taking station; they’re an activity that keeps guests engaged throughout the event.

Instant Memories: With on-the-spot printing options, guests can take home a physical memory of the day.

Customizable Features: From personalized templates to unique props, we cater to your preferences.

High-Quality Equipment: Our advanced cameras and printers ensure that every picture is of professional-grade quality.

Wedding Photo Booth Hire Baltimore: A Must-Have for Modern Weddings

Your wedding day is one of the most cherished moments of your life. Incorporating wedding photo booth hire Baltimore adds an element of fun and personalization to your celebration. Here’s how it can enhance your big day:

Guest Interaction: Break the ice among guests with a photo booth where they can bond over silly poses and creative props.

Custom Wedding Props: Use our Baltimore wedding photo booth props to highlight your wedding theme, from romantic to quirky styles.

Memory Keepsakes: Both digital and printed photo strips make timeless souvenirs for you and your guests.

Exclusive Backdrops: From elegant floral settings to classic monograms, our backdrops will seamlessly blend with your wedding décor.

Affordable Photo Booth Rentals Baltimore: Value Without Compromise

Planning an event often comes with budget constraints. At Bmore Photos, we pride ourselves on offering affordable photo booth rentals Baltimore that do not compromise on quality. Here’s what you can expect:

Flexible Packages: Choose from a variety of rental plans to fit your budget and event needs.

High-End Features: Even our basic packages include high-quality photos, props, and digital sharing options.

Transparent Pricing: No hidden fees—just clear, straightforward pricing tailored to your requirements.

Unmatched Service: Our team is dedicated to ensuring a smooth and enjoyable photo booth experience from start to finish.

With our affordable services, you don’t have to break the bank to make your event extraordinary.

Custom Props for Every Occasion

Props are the life of any photo booth experience, and our Baltimore wedding photo booth props are no exception. From romantic touches for weddings to playful accessories for birthdays, our collection is vast and versatile. Popular options include:

Themed props for weddings, such as "Mr. & Mrs." signs, floral crowns, and heart-shaped glasses.

Fun accessories like oversized hats, funky sunglasses, and comical speech bubbles.

Customized props featuring your event’s name or date for a personal touch.

These props encourage guests to get creative, resulting in unforgettable moments captured in every photo.

Seamless Photo Booth Integration into Your Event

Our photo booth rental Baltimore services are not only entertaining but also easy to integrate into your event’s flow. Here’s how:

Quick Setup and Breakdown: Our team handles the setup and removal of the booth, so you can focus on enjoying your event.

Personalized Assistance: A friendly attendant ensures that everything runs smoothly and that guests make the most of their photo booth experience.

Custom Branding: Ideal for corporate events, we can incorporate your company’s logo or event branding into the photo designs.

Real-Time Sharing: Guests can instantly share their photos on social media, creating a buzz around your event.

Baltimore’s Top Choice for Photo Booth Rentals

Bmore Photos has become a trusted name in Baltimore photo booth rentals thanks to our commitment to quality, creativity, and customer satisfaction. Here’s why clients consistently choose us:

Reputation for Excellence: With a proven track record of success, we deliver services that exceed expectations.

Innovative Options: From green screens to GIF-making capabilities, we offer cutting-edge features that enhance the photo booth experience.

Event Versatility: We cater to weddings, corporate functions, proms, reunions, and more.

Making Every Event Special

With Bmore Photos, your event becomes more than just a gathering—it’s a memory-making experience. Our attention to detail, from the design of the backdrops to the final photo prints, ensures that every element reflects your vision and style.

[bmorephotosrental]

Hire a photo booth Baltimore see the fun element you can add to your party. 

Wedding photo booth hire Baltimore will get your invitees bring home series of shots printed out in strips. 

Know more detail then visit here https://www.bmorephotos.com/

[omarandco-blog]

Richmond Wedding Photographer: How To Make The Most Of Your Wedding Photographers In Richmond

Weddings are one of the most cherished moments in a couple's life, and Richmond wedding photographer are there to capture every beautiful detail. From the preparations leading up to the big day, to the after-party, your wedding photographer will be there to capture it all. Not only will they take amazing photos, but they'll also be able to help you create memories that will last a lifetime.

Richmond is a beautiful city located in the state of Virginia and is known for its rich history. It is also home to some of the most popular wedding destinations all over the world, making it the perfect place to tie the knot. If you are getting married in Richmond, you will want to make sure that you choose the best wedding photographers to capture your special day. Here, we will provide you with a guide on how to choose the right wedding photographers for your Richmond wedding and help you get the most out of your photography experience.

Best DC Proposal Photographers For Your Big Day!

When planning your dream wedding, you will no doubt be focusing on the most important part: the ceremony. But don’t forget about the photo booth! A photo booth can provide hours of fun and laughter for your guests, and it is the perfect way to capture some memorable moments.

Here are five of the best DC proposal photographers for your big day:

1. Picture Perfect Proposal Photography offers a wide range of services, including photo booths, which makes them a great choice for any wedding. They are a family-owned business that has been in business for over 10 years, and their team of experienced professionals will capture all the special moments of your big day.

2. The Photo Booth Gallery is a locally-owned business that offers a unique and eclectic approach to photography. They specialize in creative and whimsical photo booths that are sure to make your guests laugh and feel like they are in a fun carnival game.

Baltimore Wedding Photographer | Maryland's Biggest & Bold Bridal Shops

When you are looking for a Baltimore Wedding Photographer, you may want to consider Maryland's Biggest & Bold Bridal Shops. These stunning bridal shops have everything you need to capture your wedding day in the most beautiful way possible. From gowns to flower girls, these boutiques have it all.

Not only do these shops offer the best selection of bridal products in the area, but they also have a staff of experienced and talented photographers who will help you to create the most perfect wedding photo album. From begining to end, these businesses will take care of everything, and you can relax and enjoy your wedding day.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You've chosen the best possible Richmond wedding photographers for your special day. By hiring a professional wedding photographer, you can be sure that your wedding picture will be nothing short of stunning. There are many talented and experienced photographers in Richmond, but our team is the best of the best. We are experts in capturing unforgettable memories, and we will make sure that you and your loved ones have an unforgettable wedding experience. Book a consultation today to see how we can help make your wedding photography dreams a reality!

[pbandjesse]

I’m very tired and I don’t want to have to do this for very long. So I’m doing the talk to text again. Just why my Bose last night was 4 ½ pages long. Sorry about that.

Eyes are very itchy. My allergies haven’t been so bad so it’s annoying that they’re acting up again. But today was pretty great. I’m mostly not stressed. And I accomplished almost everything I wanted to do.

I slept really well last night but it was still hard to get up in the morning. I was mostly concerned I was going to be late. Because I was going to the steel side ships and I wasn’t sure how long it would take me to bike there. So I woke up a little earlier than I really mean it to. But I got dressed and felt pretty good. I did some yoga. I couldn’t make breakfast. I just had weird stomach pains. So I just didn’t. And brought some snacks for later. I headed out of here a little before 8:30. Which is ridiculously early since I had to be there at 9. But as I was liking up the other guys were already there. So that was cool. I was working with a couple people I haven’t talked to you much. But James was there. Who’s the hot guy that gave me the cupcake. And he’s definitely my favorite. Even invited me to hang out with him and his girlfriend. Since I’m also new in town. He’s not actually knew but he lived in Philly for a few years. He’s from Baltimore originally. But he still trying to make a new friend group now that he’s back. It’s nice that he’s trying to make me feel welcome. And honestly both of these new jobs are so great for that. Almost everyone there is accommodating and relatively close to my age. And it’s just really cool that they’re all being so nice.

James showed me around Taney and help me figure out what I’m supposed to be doing. I helped him sweet. But I was very overheated. I had one long sleeves because I was cold when I left the house. But I end up changing in the closet just because I had to get that shirt off. It’s definitely a learning curve figure out how to wear pants and a uniform shirt. I’m going to have to figure it out quickly I know but for now I’m sort of fumbling in the dark.

Because I’ve only done still so yesterday they let me pick which ship I wanted to be on. And since I was on the submarine yesterday and I have the speech down I thought I would do it again. So a little after 9:30 we head over to our ships. James was on the Chesapeake so he was right by me. But I would mostly be alone for the day. One of the guys help me turn on all the lights and the TVs. But I felt pretty comfortable. It was a good day.

There’s only one weird hiccup in the morning. Something I hadn’t considered working at the ships especially on steel side, was that I was going to be alone. And on the submarine it’s the farthest from the harbor stores and restaurants and foot traffic. There’s definitely still foot traffic but it’s back where there isn’t anything besides the back of the aquarium. So if something happens like what happened today I’m all alone. And what happened today was I was harassed by some guys on the pier that then came on the ship and sort of cornered me in my box. I mean I wasn’t in danger at all they were just kind of like cat calling me. And only a little. Asked me if I had a boyfriend and try to get on the ship for free. But I didn’t really know what to do. I didn’t have a phone number for James yet and I wasn’t sure when to turn off the customer service niceness and tell them off. But eventually they left. It was just very eye-opening what I may have to deal with. But for the rest of the day it was fine. I did tell my supervisor and he was absolutely horrified. And again I was reminded that everytime I tell a guy friend about cat calling or other types of harassment they are always shocked like it’s the worst thing they’ve ever heard. But honestly I told him the same thing every time I have been a woman for my entire 27 years of life. And I am so used to this by now. It sucks and it’s scary but it’s not unusual. I mean he ended up telling me that there’s a panic button inside the ticket booth. Which is great. But do I really want to call the cops because it doesn’t seem like it would be worth it. Like it would be a waste of time to call the cops on two people that were just making me a little uncomfortable. And they weren’t really doing anything wrong per say. They were just being weird. And not even weird I don’t know how to describe it. I’m going to see if I could talk to upper management about a better way to handle cat collars or men being weird from the pier in the future. Because honestly I think they just haven’t had a lot of women on staff and they’re not prepared to handle a situation like that. I don’t know if it could be just having the managers come by more often or what. But something because I could see that situation not being good very fast.

But the rest of my day was absolutely fine. I had over a hundred people come through again. But over the span of 8 hours instead of 5. So it was a lot more spread out. But the weather was gorgeous and it’s such a nice time being out on the boat. I mostly did embroidery. But my Bluetooth headphones came in so I also listen to some podcasts. I read my book for a little while. And I talked to a lot of really cool people. It was really nice. I really like working on the submarine. And Amy the woman who hired me, made a mistake on the schedule and I do have an overnight when I come back from my trip this week. So I have a whole extra 16 hours so that’s pretty sweet. I also I’m going to try to take the test and work my way towards that pay raise and become a museum educator. I mean I am in a museum educator in everything but pay and title. So I just have to finish all these tests. But I feel like I can at least get the Able Body sailor test done this week. And then it will just be 15 test to go.

I got my lunch break really late. But I prefer that so it was totally cool. I went and sat on the pier and watch some ducks. And the rest of the day went fairly fast. At the end of the day a coast guard guy came and was taking pictures of us for possibly the defense website. I’m not clear on that. I’m also not clear on who he was. I think he might have been a student? I don’t understand. But he was very nice. And showed me how to properly fold the ensign. Which is what they call the flag on the boats. Because everything about has a stupid name. He had me pretend to be giving a tour at one point. For a photo and I was pointing at something and saying I didn’t know what it was and just making things up. Like I was pointing and saying this is just a hole in the wall that I think is for naps. But I know is actually for torpedoes and I have the guys rolling over that.

Are poor managers set off the alarm on the ship twice trying to beat the timer and run down the gangway. So that was very funny. And then it was time to go. James and he walked over to Taney to clock out and we talked for a bit. Exchange numbers. He’s a cool guy and I hope that we can actually be friends. And not just do that thing that adults do where they say we’ll hang out we never do. I’m pretty good about following through. As long as the other person isn’t flaky.

I was really glad to go home though. I had planned on getting Shake Shack but was too hot and felt dirty so I decided to just go home. I ended up making the last of my veggie chicken nuggets and french fries. And it was actually really good dinner. I had one of my avocados as well. Maybe I’ll have Shake Shack tomorrow. We’ll see.

I took a shower and chilled. I had talked to Sabrina and she’s going to check in on Sweet P while I’m gone so I had to give her a key. When she got home I ran upstairs and gave her the key and we hung out for an hour talking. Then I came down here and work in my studio, and finished my diorama for this week. Just was able to find a simpler one for me since I was very stressed out over the two more complex ones. So I’ll go back to those at some point next week but this week very simple. I did get to include lights though so that was cool.

I finished packing for my trip and now I’m just ready for bed. I’m working on the constellation tomorrow. And I’m looking forward to that. I am attempting to wear just a black T-shirt. But the two I have are a little Loca. So we’ll see if it’s all right. If it’s not I have my long sleeve one still there. I just don’t want to get too overheated and feel miserable. It’ll work out. I hope it is just a nice day. And everything is fun and good.

I hope you all sleep well tonight. And that’s the weather stays nice. Good night everyone

[sylviajackson5]

Stump Grinders Rochester Ny

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[kjs-s]

The bet

Bucky x Reader

Summary: Bucky loses a bet and had to accompany you to your sister’s birthday party

Prompt:  “I’m only letting your little sibling put this god awful makeup on me because if I can impress your whole family then there’s a possibility that I can get in your pants later” 

Word Count: 1304

Warnings: None

A/N This is my entry for @jurassicbarnes‘s writing challenge. It’s a  Roommates AU and there is a Friends reference. Tagging people who will maybe like it @sprinkleofhappinessuniverse  @buckys-fossil  @sgtbxckybxrnes @fuckmewintertucker

You were laying on the couch looking at the movie that was on, without paying attention to it. It was arguably one of the most boring days you had lately. Not knowing how to spend your time you turned your head towards the other couch in the living room and took a look at your roommate Bucky.

You two had been living together for two years after your previous roommate Emily had to leave. She was going to Columbia just like you, but when her father got sick she transferred to the University of Northern California to be closer to him. You immediately put an ad out looking for her replacement. After three weeks of interviews with a variety of people, you chose Bucky since he seemed the most normal and harmless of all the candidates.

‘’Hey Bucky, what are your plans for today?’’ You hoped he had arranged something with his work friends so you could tag along like you sometimes did. All they ever talked about in these outings are data analysis and statistics, however spending time with them beats being alone indoors any day.

‘’Nothing planned for today, sorry (Y/N). Clint’s kids got a stomach virus at school so he will stay with them. Steve and Sam are on a business trip to Baltimore and the girls have a wedding to go to tomorrow. They claimed they must sleep early to look good for the wedding pictures.’’ He shrugged his shoulders.

‘’All of them are going to the same wedding?’’ You asked being suspicious that maybe something else was going on.

‘’Apparently yes. Wanda mentioned the bride being a cousin of Jane that went to college with Pepper. I’m not sure how the others are involved in this mess. Darcy tried to untangle all the connections and that resulted in making me even more confused.’’ He grabbed his squishy stress ball from the table behind him and started playing with it. ‘’Since we are both bored why not play a game of catch? We won’t even have to move, we will just throw the ball at each other from across the living room.’’ He nodded his head urging you to agree with him.

‘’Are you sure? Don’t you remember the episode of Friends you just recently watched? The one that they played the exact same game and it ended up going on for hours?’’ You opened your mouth to speak except Bucky spoke before you.

‘’Don’t worry, it won’t be like that. First of all, we will be doing it for fun; neither of us is as competitive as Monica. And secondly, we will agree beforehand that if we are still at it three hours from now we will stop. Deal?’’

‘’Deal.’’

 Fifty minutes afterward Bucky had an idea. He had lied earlier about not being competitive, and a little addicting to bets, to be honest, so he proposed a bet. He argued that you would keep playing the whole three hours and urged you to make a beat that someone will drop before that.

‘’Isn’t that a stupid bet though? I can just drop the ball to make you lose any time. Why don’t we just bet on how many times we will throw the ball? I say around seven hundred. Or maybe who will drop first, I bet it will be you?’’ You smirked at him.

‘’Ok it’s on about who will lose first, not the counting thing, it will hurt my brain. I bet that you will drop first and lose. And when you lose the bet, then I will take you out for dinner. You always reject me so now you won’t have a choice. Also, you will have the time of your life.’’ He smiled proudly at his ability to charm all his dates.

‘’Fine and when you lose you will accompany me to my sister’s birthday party.’’ You both nodded at each other and tense up focusing on your game or rather competition.

After lazily throwing the stress ball back and forth, you decided to get creative with the way you throw. You tried doing it upside down, imitating throwing arrows and many more ways. The moment the movie, a different one than the one that was on when you started playing, reached an important part, you noticed Bucky losing focus in the game. His lack of concentration in addition to you throwing him a curve ball resulted in the ball hitting him right on the jawline.

‘’Hey, that hurt.’’ He massaged his face gently.

‘’Sorry Bucky. I will go fetch you some ice to put on your pretty face so it won’t be ruined. By the way, you lost so you better look for an outfit for Christy’s birthday party.

 When you arrived at your childhood home, everything looked like a winter wonderland. Your sister was obsessed with Frozen so your parents made it the theme for the party. Everywhere around the place were white and blue balloons, ice creams, snow cones, snow flake cookies, fake snow, marshmallows to build snowmen with, a photo booth with ice princess props and much more.

‘’Remind me something, when I told you about the party, did I mention my sister is six years old?’’ You laughed having known about the theme weeks ago. In the matter of fact, you helped make most of the decorations.

‘’No you did not. But a heads up would be appropriate. Shall we go and greet your parents? They have only met me once and I want to see if they remember me. I guess they do, I’m pretty memorable.’’ He smirked and you rolled your eyes making your way to the kitchen where your mom was making a ton of lollipops.

 After a couple of hours, a professional face painter your dad had hired came over to paint on the kids’ faces. Your sister and cousin decided to help him and put make up on some of the guests to make them become princesses too. Bucky was one of the chosen ones, for your sister had immediately liked him when he saw him before the party. She had spent literally half an hour following him around to get him to try the cookies.

‘’You know, I’m only letting your little sibling put this god awful makeup on me because if I can impress your whole family then there’s a possibility that I can get in your pants later” He nagged you like he would always do when he was flirting with you.

‘’I’m joking (Y/N). About the getting in your pants thing. However, I honestly want to take you out on a date, see if there’s something there. I was completely serious when I said that you will have the time of your life if you agree to have dinner with me in another setting.’’ He looked pleadingly at you

‘’I always turn you down because this is what you do, what we always do. You are being your cocky flirtatious self to every girl who pays you attention. But seeing you like an ice princess and considering what you have been through today I’m willing to accept your offer. I just hope you will swipe me off my feet.’’ You were trying so hard to keep a straight face and not burst into laughter with the sight in front of you.

‘’Thank you (Y/N), you won’t regret it.’’ He gave you a little peck on the cheek so neither of your make up would be smudged. The happiness was evident in his face since he couldn’t stop smiling.

‘’You’re welcome; now let’s go to the bathroom so I can wipe that green eye shadow off of you. I should have warned you about how much Christy loves it, even if it’s not part of the theme. Follow me, your highness.’’

[luckyfrogphotos]

5 Simple Statements About Photo booth rental near me

5 Simple Statements About Photo booth rental near me  15700 Belshire Ave, Norwalk, CA 90650, United States of America blackjack table rental mechanical bull overland park wedding officiant low cost mechanical bull laser situations san antonio mechanical bull rentals mechanical bull for rent in san antonio rent bounce property omaha laser rental inflatable rental atlanta mechanical bull rental kansas town mechanical bull rental michigan mechanical bull Driving in las vegas On line casino party rentals los angeles table and chair rentals atlanta ga rentals mechanical jumper mechanical bull rental philadelphia atlanta jumper rental casino party planners san jose mechanical bull for teenagers mechanical bull rental atlanta affordable Cover rentals petting zoo rental houston mechanical bull rental baltimore On line casino theme night party products rentals ct ny nj pa bridgeport, ct inflatable rentals atlanta mechanical bull rental denver rent a mechanical bull san antonio atlanta moonwalk rental bounce household rentals in atlanta mechanical bull rental phoenix mechanical bull offers mechanical bull rental va low-cost petting zoo rentals bounce household rental atlanta skeet taking pictures boise wedding officiant san jose tools rental indoor bounce residence atlanta laser rental La atlanta desk rentals We've got several exceptional wedding photo booth packages offered, but In case you have an idea in mind that isn’t listed under, don’t be reluctant to acquire in contact! Want wedding illustrations or photos in contrast to anybody else’s and timeless generational photographs from a wedding working day? Take a look at our Calgary Wedding Photographers by clicking Listed here and see what our couples are indicating. Most modern photo booths use video or digital cameras as an alternative to movie cameras, and they are under Laptop Regulate. Some booths may also create stickers, postcards, or other objects While using the photographs on them, rather or in addition to merely a strip of pictures. These often include an option of novelty decorative borders round the photos. Photo sticker booths "I built my financial investment back in 6 months. I had it booked to get a few functions right before I even bought the mirror. It truly is an awesome item." Each and every time your attendees take a look at the photo booth from our Personal Parties Photo Booth Hire package, they can receive an additional print. This extra print is intended to be stuck into our professional leather-based certain visitor textbooks alongside a personalised information. Following that, it's going to take normally about a week to make your Mirror Me Booth (your profits rep will ensure this timeline along with you) after which you can we ship it out to you personally! Your visitors will get their very own personalised keepsakes to just take home with them to recollect your party by. This causes it to be a significantly better applicant for use unattended in a party More information -- friends won't be tempted or in a position to visit other parts of the application, make changes to the options, or mistakenly finish up in A further application. They've got also been imported to Australia. Some have also bonuses started showing up in America and Canada Even though they failed to make any impression in Europe when released during the mid-nineties.[citation necessary] At the time the pictures are already taken, the customers decide on the photographs that they wish to keep and personalize them employing a contact screen or pen-sensitive display. We also use environmentally friendly display technology to concept the backgrounds of our photos. You are able to hire our photo booths and also have your photograph taken in the North Pole, in Santas grotto, or maybe sit at the top on the Xmas tree. Personalize Pocketbooth Party to complement your function by using a collection of booth skins, photo filters, and tailor made text. The two the photobooth pores and skin and also the photos you're taking can include a blurb of text you make. You never shell out to make use of Thumbtack: Get Charge estimates, Get in touch with professionals, and even e-book The work—all for free of charge.

[lovefmeventproductionslove-blog]

Tips to Hire the Best Wedding DJ

When friends and family come together, that in itself is a celebration. But when we talk about wedding function there’s nothing more exciting and cheerful than that. This is the time when we celebrate the bonding of two souls and all the happiness and wishes of the people attending this beautiful ceremony make the event even more special. As a couple, you will not want the entire function to be about you. It gives immense happiness when the attendees are also thoroughly enjoying themselves. So apart from food and drinks, there is something more that your wedding needs – a DJ. Though, finding the Best Wedding DJ in MD is not an easy job but you definitely don’t deserve to settle for anything less. This is why we have listed below some tips that will help you narrow down that one great artist that will make your marriage a happening event. 

Know What You Want

You are not hiring a DJ for fun sake or for some mediocre gathering or function. It is your wedding and everything that you opt for must be perfect. So, your focus should be on someone who specializes in the wedding department. A Wedding Dj Baltimore Md will have the right kind of experience, exposure and on-field expertise to do the job in the right manner. He/she will have a back-up ready in case something goes downhill. When a professional is there, you will not have anything to worry about because the DJ will know what exactly he is supposed to do.

Ask To Hear Samples

DJ-ing is all about playing the right kind of music and creating an environment where people just lose themselves and sway to the tunes of amazing tracks. A DJ with the right experience will not shy away from showing you some samples of his work such as video of a live performance, a mixtape, or sample playlists. This way you will know what kind of music will be played beforehand so there are no chances of any mistakes. 

Check The Equipment

Whether you are looking for Nigerian wedding DJ DC or any other type of wedding, music will set the mood when the DJ will have the right equipment. An experienced professional will have top of the line sound & lighting equipment to deliver quality service. He will not shy away rather feel proud in showing off the equipment that he owns. So, go ahead and take a look to be certain and for your peace of mind. 

Not Rigid

An experienced DJ knows that no two marriage functions are the same. So they will not try to impose the cookie-cutter technique but will be flexible enough to satisfy your needs. Along with the right DJ set up, they will also fulfill your other demands such as providing a Selfie Mirror Photo Booth Virginia DC, Cloud Effect, Decal Wrap Dance Floor, UpLigting etc. You will find the solutions and more attraction in one place. 

[wendyimmiller]

Trade Shows Turns 50. Garden Writers Party.

Lord Baltimore lobby before the arrival of 30+ boozy garden writers.

GardenRant has covered the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show several times, and I hope readers are ready for more because two Ranters attended this year, the show’s 50th!

For me the show started Wednesday night with a boozy meet-and-greet of garden writers in the lobby of the historic Lord Baltimore Hotel. I could show you photographic evidence of the general debauchery, using shots I’ve seen on Facebook, but in deference to people’s careers and marriages, I demurred. The empty lobby will have to do.

They were looking even rowdier the next morning at the MANTS breakfast for media.

You won’t see me in this shot – I’d already left to hit the floor of the Convention Center, a task I hoped to finish before lunch, by speed-walking past the almost 1,000 exhibitors. It helped that so few of them are growers or suppliers for growers and not interesting to me. That’s the nature of trade shows – they’re not for the public.

(Unless I’m way off-base and you want to know more about things like arborists’ ladders?)

One booth I stopped for was Garden Comm (formerly Garden Writers), where C.L. Fornari was spreading the good word with someone whose name I didn’t catch.

At the hotel event I’d heard a member asking C.L. for podcasting advice. Her “Plantrama” podcast with Ellen Zachos is doing very well – check it out.

Carolyn Mullet has stopped designing gardens and now works exclusively on European garden tours (with a focus on good design) and writing about well-designed gardens throughout Europe. (Her Timber Press book is coming out this fall).

Insect protection from Bugbaffler caught my eye because the fabric alone is a tight enough weave to “baffle” the bugs without the use of chemicals! On the right above is the sleeve they recommend using with a good leather glove.

There’s even protective clothes for dogs. (Just thinking about a dog romping through the brush and then coming inside my house makes me glad I have cats – indoor ones.)

At the AmericanHort booth I got to meet one of the famous Garden Professors – Holly Scoggins, Ph.D., recently retired from Va. Tech and now director of educational programs for the organization. Good hire!

The Perennial Plant Association booth was manned by Taylor Pilker of Canavo’s Perennials, Janet Draper of Smithsonian Gardens, and designer Mark Peterson of E. Erbs Fine Gardens.

Janet’s such a good salesperson, she may have talked me into attending TWO of their conferences this year – the national in Lancaster PA and regional in Baltimore. Having loved every PPA event I’ve ever attended, I guess I’m an easy sell.

The National Arboretum was showing off its introduction of a Woolly Adelgid-resistant hemlock. Named Tsuga ‘Traveler’ (T. chinensis x caroliniana), now patent-pending after 20 years of evaluation. I’m told its “expected release” is roughly 2020-2021, because you can never tell with the Patent Office.

The USDA booth presented a somewhat less hopeful face, though I suppose that poster for HungryPests.com is appropriately uninviting. I was morbidly drawn to it and went to the site in hopes of vivid images to share here but the link didn’t work.

I stopped by the Organic Mechanics booth to ask Mark Highland what’s up and he showed me two exciting developments – insect poop fertilizer, and the new “Rodale Institute Approved” label on their popular potting soil bag. It confers so much authority that some chain stores are stocking stock all such labeled products. So congrats to Mark!

Personally, this hat company was my big find of the day. That’s because as my haircuts have grown increasingly short, my interest in hats has also grown. Some of their hats are for gardening, but most are not (need a fascinator?) and they’re all affordable. (I shopped for hats on a recent trip to Nashville, where prices started at about $130!)

Some GardenComm members whose names I remember are Kathy Jentz, John Boggan, and Natalie Carmolli. Photo by Kirk Brown.

After speed-walking through the show, I joined a bunch of GardenComm members for lunch and once again, the cameras didn’t come out to record the event until after I’d left. Is it me?

MANTS-related events continued after the show ended, and there was one that I wouldn’t have missed for anything – GardenRant’s own Scott Beuerlein talking to the Four Seasons Garden Club at Brookside Gardens. What brought him to the club’s attention was his on-going “feud” with local writer Marianne Willburn. 

This is the guest rant that started it all. Somehow I missed the comment by a “Willburn follower,” calling Scott “Trumpian.” Hilarious!

Also hilarious? Scott’s talk!! And Scott himself. I’m so glad he joined us as a regular here on the Rant.

Marianne sat quietly through Scott’s talk (mostly quietly) and posed afterward for this photo of the dueling bloggers.

Trade Shows Turns 50. Garden Writers Party. originally appeared on GardenRant on January 17, 2020.

from Gardening https://www.gardenrant.com/2020/01/trade-shows-turns-50-garden-writers-party.html via http://www.rssmix.com/

[turfandlawncare]

Trade Shows Turns 50. Garden Writers Party.

Lord Baltimore lobby before the arrival of 30+ boozy garden writers.

GardenRant has covered the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show several times, and I hope readers are ready for more because two Ranters attended this year, the show’s 50th!

For me the show started Wednesday night with a boozy meet-and-greet of garden writers in the lobby of the historic Lord Baltimore Hotel. I could show you photographic evidence of the general debauchery, using shots I’ve seen on Facebook, but in deference to people’s careers and marriages, I demurred. The empty lobby will have to do.

Now look how well they sobered cleaned up by the next morning at the MANTS breakfast for media! You won’t see me there, though – I’d already left to hit the floor of the Convention Center, a task I managed to finish before lunch, thanks to speed-walking past the almost 1,000 exhibitors. It helped that so few of them (mostly growers and suppliers for growers) are of interest to retail customers, like Rant readers and ME.

(Unless I’m way off-base and you want to know more about products like arborists’ ladders?)

As to the booths I’m actually interested in, I stopped for Garden Comm (formerly Garden Writers), where C.L. Fornari was spreading the good word (with someone whose name I didn’t catch).

Carolyn Mullet has stopped designing gardens and now works exclusively on European garden tours (with a focus on good design) and writing about well-designed gardens throughout Europe. (Her Timber Press book is coming out this fall).

Insect protection from Bugbaffler caught my eye because the fabric alone is a tight enough weave to “baffle” the bugs without the use of chemicals! On the right above is the sleeve they recommend using with a good leather glove.

There’s even protective clothes for dogs. (Just thinking about a dog romping through the brush and then coming inside my house makes me glad I have cats – indoor ones.)

At the AmericanHort booth I got to meet one of the famous Garden Professors – Holly Scoggins, Ph.D., recently retired from Va. Tech and now director of educational programs for the organization. Good hire!

The Perennial Plant Association booth was manned by Taylor Pilker of Canavo’s Perennials, Janet Draper of Smithsonian Gardens, and designer Mark Peterson of E. Erbs Fine Gardens.

Janet’s such a good salesperson, she may have talked me into attending TWO of their conferences this year – the national in Lancaster PA and regional in Baltimore. Having loved every PPA event I’ve ever attended, I guess I’m an easy sell.

The National Arboretum was showing off its introduction of a Woolly Adelgid-resistant hemlock. Named Tsuga ‘Traveler’ (T. chinensis x caroliniana), now patent-pending after 20 years of evaluation. I’m told its “expected release” is roughly 2020-2021, because you can never tell with the Patent Office.

The USDA booth presented a somewhat less hopeful face, though I suppose that poster for HungryPests.com is appropriately uninviting. I was morbidly drawn to it and went to the site in hopes of vivid images to share here but the link didn’t work.

I stopped by the Organic Mechanics booth to ask Mark Highland what’s up and he showed me two exciting developments – insect poop fertilizer, and the new “Rodale Institute Approved” label on their popular potting soil bag. It confers so much authority that some chain stores are stocking stock all such labeled products. So congrats to Mark!

Personally, this hat company was my big find of the day. That’s because as my haircuts have grown increasingly short, my interest in hats has also grown. Some of their hats are for gardening, but most are not (need a fascinator?) and they’re all affordable. (I shopped for hats on a recent trip to Nashville, where prices started at about $130!)

Some GardenComm members whose names I remember are Kathy Jentz, John Boggan, and Natalie Carmolli. Photo by Kirk Brown.

After speed-walking through the show, I joined a bunch of GardenComm members for lunch and once again, the cameras didn’t come out to record the event until after I’d left. Is it me?

MANTS-related events continued after the show ended, and there was one that I wouldn’t have missed for anything – GardenRant’s own Scott Beuerlein talking to the Four Seasons Garden Club at Brookside Gardens. What brought him to the club’s attention was his on-going “feud” with local writer Marianne Willburn. 

This is the guest rant that started it all. Somehow I missed the comment by a “Willburn follower,” calling Scott “Trumpian.” Hilarious!

Marianne sat quietly through Scott’s talk (mostly quietly) and posed afterward for this photo of the dueling bloggers.

Trade Shows Turns 50. Garden Writers Party. originally appeared on GardenRant on January 11, 2020.

from GardenRant https://ift.tt/30B4zWr

[newyorktheater]

  The city has announced plans  to build a performing arts center dedicated to Immigrants. The proposed Immigrant Research and Performing Arts Center will go up in Inwood, the northernmost neighborhood in Manhattan

Meanwhile, Waterwell theater company and the Broadway Advocacy Coalition launched the  Flores Exhibits, now available online, part of a national campaign to establish legal protections for immigrant children held in U.S. government facilities. Named after the  1997 Flores Settlement Agreement that set a limit on the length of time a child can be detained — an agreement that the Trump Administration wants to rescind — the exhibits are a series of videos read by about a dozen actors from David Schwimmer to Elizabeth Rodriguez and theater artists such as playwright David Henry Hwang and costume designer Clint Ramos, along with  lawyers and advocates. They each read aloud the sworn testimony of experts and also of young people detained at the Clint and Ursula border detention facilities that were collected in June of this year by a team of immigration lawyers.

“Many of the detainees were teen mothers, already being exposed to tremendous trauma in their home countries,” Kathleen Chalfant reads the testimony of  pediatrician Dr. Dolly Lucio Sevier, who examined the detainees…The conditions in which they are being held could be compared to torture facilities….extreme cold temperatures, lights on 24 hours a day, no access to medical care, basic sanitation, water or adequate food….To deny parents the ability to wash their infant’s bottles is unconscionable, and could be considered intentional mental and emotional abuse.”

Scene at Broadway Flea Market

Celebs like Brandon Uranowitz waiting to serve their Selfie duty

Adam Cohen, who plays the rabbi in Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish, baked cookies for the Fiddler table. Notice the clever brown paper poster behind him.

Staffing The Lion King booth at the Broadway flea is Local 1 stage hand Nick Liotta, who made up his own Lion King stage hand T-shirt

flea crowd

auctioning

swag from Roundabout

child buskers

a collage of The Cher Show by the entire cast, auctioned off for Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS

Broadway Live on Netflix and Audible and…

currently on Netflix

Thoughts on the new era of Broadway streaming on the occasion of the death of Betty Corwin, 98, the founder of Theater on Tape and Film (TOFT) at the Lincoln Center library.

. @MrJasonRBrown‘s 2008 musical “13” will be adapted as a family film for @Netflix by @rhorn1 (Tony-winning book writer for @TootsieMusical.) Added to my post about the evolution of Broadway stage-to- stream (@Netflix, @Audible, @BroadwayHD etc)https://t.co/xkhtfpiNV6 pic.twitter.com/uK97JPc4Ni

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) September 21, 2019

  The Week in New York Theater Reviews

Dimitri Moise and Brandon Gill. Photo by Gioncarlo Valentine.

As Much As I Can

“As Much As I Can,” a show that illustrates the continuing AIDS crisis among African-American men, exists on two different planes, which are not in complete alignment with one another. It is a work of theater, running for just five days at Joe’s Pub (two final performances this evening.) The 14-member cast is largely comprised of professional New York stage actors.

But it is also an effort at outreach. The script, credited to Sarah Hall, is based on interviews with hundreds of men in two communities hard hit by HIV — Baltimore, Maryland and Jackson, Mississippi

Ken Barnett, Justin Genna

Novenas for a Lost Hospital

How do people care for one another in dangerous times? That’s the still-relevant question underlying this beautiful, sad, enraging, uplifting, and awesomely staged theater piece that sweeps through the 161-year history of St. Vincent’s Hospital in Greenwich Village, dwelling on two traumatic periods – the cholera epidemic, during which four nuns from the Sisters of Charity founded the hospital in 1849, and the AIDS epidemic that surrounded it in the 1980s and 90s….There are many personal reasons why I considered “Novenas” a must-see…

Madelyn Rose Robinson, Susan Ly, Mirra Kardonne, Alice Marcondes, Drita Kabashi, Ana Semedo, Macy Lanceta, Sophia Aranda, Zoe Zimin | Photo by Hunter Canning

The Invention of Tragedy

“The Invention of Tragedy,” a 70-minute excursion into a puzzling world of word play, cat ears, and synchronized neon footwear, is the third of the five plays in the Mac Wellman festival at The Flea. What I like best about it is the title. This would not be the work I would personally choose as the ideal introduction for a first-time Wellman watcher. Yet there are three ways of looking at “The Invention of Tragedy” that offer some satisfactions – as a political parable, as a metaphor for Western theater,  or as entertaining nonsense full of such surface pleasures as colorful design, pleasing music and an appealing cast.

Book: Discovering the Clown

Christopher Bayes, founder of the Funny School of Good Acting in Brooklyn and professor and head of physical acting at the Yale School of Drama,…offers  many zany Zen-like observations and instructions in “Discovering the Clown,” a brief, off-beat book that attempts to translate Bayes’ teaching to the printed page, but is more effective as a tease for his classes.

entrance to the exhibition

The “Theatre is a Gamble” roulette wheel that Prince’s associate producer Ruth Mitchell created for him as a gift in 1998, with the names of his shows.

Michael Bennett, Ruth Mitchell and Harold Prince during rehearsals for the stage production Company, around 1970.

Exhibition: Harold Prince at Lincoln Center Library

The Week in Awards

New York Independent Theater Awards

Multiple-winning shows include “Eight Tales of Pedro” by The Secret Theater; “Shinka” by Ren Gyo Soh, “Electronic City” by New Stage Theatre Company. Special awards went to Magie Dominic, one of the founding members of the Off-Off Broadway movement; playwright Barbara Kahn; La MaMa curator and long-time downtown figure Nicky Paraiso,  and TOSOS – The Other Side of Silence, the first professional gay theatre company in NY

Broadway at the Emmys: Billy Porter wins 

Billy Porter is now an O away from an EGOT.

— Mark Peikert (@MarkPeikert) September 23, 2019

Celebrate @theebillyporter‘s big five-o today by rewatching his AMAZING karaoke of “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” during a #TonyAwards commercial break – captured by @JKCorden & @latelateshow. Happy birthday to a Tony Award-winning #Broadway superstar! https://t.co/4QahcPrmy1

— The Tony Awards (@TheTonyAwards) September 21, 2019

74th Annual Tony Awards will be held once again at Radio City Music Hall —  on Sunday, June 7, 2020. The eligibility cut-off date will be Thursday, April 23, 2020 — earlier than in the past (which may mean a very crowded schedule of openings.) Nominations will be announced April 28th.

LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Leslie Uggams at the 9th annual Salute Her Awards

Black women of Broadway were honored at the 9th annual Salute Her awards:  Leslie Uggams (Legend Award), LaTanya Richardson Jackson (Director’s Award), Lynn Nottage (International Playwright Award), Alia Jones-Harvey (Broadway Producer Award), Dominique Morisseau (Playwright Award), Dr. Indira Etwaroo(Theater Community Award), Cookie Jordan (Woman of Style Award), Linda Stewart (Trailblazer Award).

The Week in New York Theater News

NYC Off-Broadway Week

Beginning today, 33 participating shows, 19 of which are new to the program this season, offer 2-for-1 performances through October 6

Added to my Broadway 2019-2020 Season Guide

“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” the fifth Broadway production of Albee’s 1962 play about George and Martha (& Nick and Honey) w/ Rupert Everett, Laurie Metcalf, Patsy Ferran, Russell Tovey. It opens April 9th at the Booth

Laurence Fishburne and Sam Rockwell will star in the fourth Broadway production of David Mamet’s rat-a-tat 1977 play about three low-level crooks conjuring up a get-rich-quick scheme. It opens April 14, though no theater yet (nor website nor Twitter!)

This apparently takes up the slot planned by the same producers for the all-female production of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glenn Ross? Its producers say it has been delayed until the 2020-2021 season.

Sara Holdren is leaving her post as the theater critic at New York Magazine in early October to go back to directing.  She was hired in July 2017.

Top 14 Most Produced Plays in 2019-2020…and 22 most produced playwrights in America

“A Doll’s House, Part 2” by Lucas Hnath and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Simon Stephens have tied as the most produced plays scheduled for the 2019-2020 season, according to the annual compilation of Top 10 Most Produced by American Theatre Magazine.

Tony Kushner at the Public

Cast for Public Theater’s revival of Tony Kushner’s A Bright Room Called Day: Michael Esper, Grace Gummer, Nikki James, Crystal Lucas-Perry, Mark Margolis, Nadine Malouf, Michael Urie, Max Woertendyke added to the previously announced Linda Emond, Jonathan Hadary, Estelle Parsons.

Quincy Tyler Bernstine

Sean Carvajal

Liza Colon Zayas

Playwright Stephen Adly Gurigis

Terrific cast announced for Stephen Adly Guirgis’s new play “Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven” at Atlantic: Victor Almanzar, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Elizabeth Canavan, Sean Carvajal, Molly Collier, Liza Colón-Zayas, Esteban Cruz, Greg Keller, Kristina Poe, Neil Tyrone Pritchard, Andrea Syglowski, Benja Kay Thomas, Pernell Walker, and Kara Young.

Choreographer Raja Feather Kelly

What a pairing – playwright Young Jean Lee and director/choreographer Raja Feather Kelly in a new production of Lee’s rock concert/confessional “We’re Gonna Die” performed by Janelle Mcdormeth at Second Stages Feb 4 – March 29

Full schedule of plays-in-progress, panels and a party, etc. at @segalcenter‘s #Prelude2019 Oct 3 – 5 mostly at @GC_CUNYhttps://t.co/luZQtHekG5 pic.twitter.com/RmXVJH62uS

— New York Theater (@NewYorkTheater) September 16, 2019

The difference between principals, swings and standbys

Scenes at Broadway Flea. Immigrants Get Their Own Theater, and a Voice. Billy Porter Wins at 50. #Stageworthy News of the Week The city has announced plans  to build a performing arts center dedicated to Immigrants. The proposed Immigrant Research and Performing Arts Center will go up in Inwood, the northernmost neighborhood in Manhattan…

[bmorephotosrental]

Get Started booking Your #Baltimore #photobooth Today! Our Photo booths unique, #entertaining & high quality #photo booth experience to make any #party unforgettable.

Book Now!! https://www.bmorephotos.com/

[carshowz]

Big Blue a custom 1999 Dodge Dakota Sport 4×4 is heading to SEMA 2017, Owner James Dark has a vision and wants to take that vision to a canvas for everyone to see, The SEMA Show 2017. It has always been a dream of James to attend the Super Bowl of all car shows in Las Vegas, Nevada. What makes this build more challenging is the lack of aftermarket parts that are available today for an older truck.

“Working with a 1999 Dodge Dakota Sport 4×4 dubbed Big Blue is going to be a challenge,” says owner James Dark. “There are not many parts available for my truck and there are very few older model trucks, aside from classics, that attend SEMA.”

James along with his team of sponsors is up for the challenge. Making the trip from the East Coast and getting the truck done in time for its SEMA debut in Nevada is going to be fun but, challenging.

Unlike a brand new pickup off of the show room floor, aftermarket companies are literally producing bolt-ons faster then the trucks are produced. The majority of the parts for James’ truck will be fabricated which is bringing together one hell of a build team to complete this build.

CarShowz.com is proud to be working with James Dark and Big Blue on this project as James’ media partner and consultant for the build. It is going to be a fun project and and learning experience as there is always something to learn when working on a build of this magnitude.

To highlight some of the latest build partners, NRG Innovations is giving Big Blue an opportunity to shine by featuring the 99 Dakota in their booth at SEMA in November. By NRG extending this gracious opportunity this has opened up numerous doors for James in getting his truck to SEMA. NRG is enthusiast operated, just like us here at carshowz.com, and if you are not familiar with their products they produce the best quick release steering wheel set-ups around. You can also find other interior and exterior products as well by visiting their website.

Absolute Perfection is based out of Sykesville, Maryland and they run one hell of a vehicle wrap business. Their shop is immaculate and their customer service is top-notch. With over 5,352 wraps under their belt and several large vehicle fleet contracts throughout Maryland, there is no job too small or too big for Absolute Perfection. They are sponsoring Big Blue and providing a full vehicle wrap which is also competing in the SEMA vehicle wrap competition for SEMA 2017.

Bent Just Right is located in Fallston, Maryland and they will be providing Big Blue with a custom exhaust. The truck has to sound right and will have the nice added touch of a custom fabricated exhaust which is always a nice addition to any build, especially for SEMA.

DB Power Coating is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland and Danny Breach is just as big as an enthusiast as we are. He is always out and about at events and supporting the local scene and seeing his work is always a pleasure. Danny has supported Big Blue for awhile now and has completed a ton of custom powder coated parts throughout the build.

Winch Ready Bumpers is located in Redding, California and if you want your truck to look mean but have a functional bumper, Winch Ready Bumpers is the place to go. Winch Ready Bumpers is one of Big Blue’s original sponsors.

Tool Maker Metal Workz is providing custom battery tie-downs for Big Blue and will be a nice added touch of attention to detail to this build.

Wits End Fabrication is based out of Hanover, Maryland and they are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to custom off-road vehicles. Wits End Fabrication will be displaying their work on Big Blue with completing custom fabricated racks.

Spark Smith Auto is based out of North Carolina and specializes in custom lighting needs for your vehicle. Spark Smith is working on a full custom headlight and taillight housing for Big Blue. We are excited to see the finished product.

SS Designs is located in Maryland and specializes in 12 volt installations and full custom interior design and installation. SS Designs will be completely redoing the interior of Big Blue and adding some modern touches.

Bullet Liner is located in Rockville, Maryland and will be giving Big Blue that finished but, functional flavor in the bed of the truck.

XS Power Batteries is one of Big Blues original sponsors and has supplied batteries for the truck for a long time now. Having them on board and knowing Big Blue has reliable batteries to handle all of the trucks 12 volt needs is important, especially when traveling to the other side of the country.

Corbeau seats definitely comes in handy when you have a big guy like James cruising around sitting on your all day. In all seriousness, a good quality and durable product is important when completing a truck build and supplying comfortable seats is what Corbeau has done.

Cyberdyne gauges is a nice added touch to the custom gauge cluster of the Big Blue build. Accent lighting and giving the interior that upgraded modernized feel all but subtle look of upgraded gauges.

To bring all of this together Downtime Designs was hired to complete the build rendering for Big Blue. It is important to capture James’ vision and put together a build visual in order to secure potential sponsors. It is also a nice motivational piece to keep marching with getting the build completed for SEMA.

For more information about the build partners and to check out their products, check out the build partner list and website links below. We thank them for the support and dedication to this project. Stay tuned as we roll out features and product announcements from our build partners.

To continue to follow this build, tune in here at: http://carshowz.com/big-blue for more to come on James’ build as we continue to upload updated photos and videos of the build progress and journey to SEMA.

James Dark Interview

Big Blue SEMA Build 2017

The Theme – Baja Recovery Truck

The desired theme for this build is a Baja Recovery Vehicle. Given SEMA is in the 4×4 capital of the world and hosted in the desert, sunny Las Vegas Nevada, James’ build should be a nice addition to the SEMA custom builds and fit in perfectly with the environment.

Big Blue SEMA Rendering

Coming soon…

Current (Product) Build Partners:

NRG Innovations – http://www.getnrg.com/

Absolute Perfection Wraps – http://www.vehiclewrapping.com/

CarShowz.com – http://carshowz.com/

Bent Just Right Custom Exhaust – http://www.bentjustright.com/

DB Powdercoating – FB/DBPowderCoating

Winch Ready Bumpers – https://www.winchreadybumpers.com/

Toolmaker Metalworkz – https://toolmakermetalworkz-com.myshopify.com/

Wits End Fabrication – http://www.witsendfabrication.com/

Sparksmith Auto – FB/Sparksmiths

SS Designs – https://www.ssdesignsmd.com/

Bullet Liners – http://www.bulletlinerdmv.com/

XS Power Batteries – http://4xspower.com/

Corbeau – https://corbeau.com/

Cyberdyne Gauges – http://www.cyberdynegauges.net/

Downtime Designs – http://www.downtimedesigns.com/

Big Blue Build Plan and Highlights:

Baja body conversion

New custom paint

Rear tire carrier with lighting

Swing arm cases

4X4 Recovery Equipment

Pace Edwards electric bed cover

New audio install

New interior

20×12 wheels

38” Toyo tires

Retro fit headlights and taillights

Owner Profile – James Dark

James Dark is actively involved in the custom aftermarket scene and has over 14 years of experience managing events, a Baltimore car club and his 1999 Dodge Dakota Sport 4×4 build. The truck has progressed over the years and has won several trophies.

James is looking to be an ambassador for aftermarket truck companies and represent your product by showcasing his Big Blue build at the 2017 SEMA Show. The partnership and representation will extend beyond the 2017 SEMA Show and into the 2018 show season by participating and competing at regional automotive events.

James Dark’s Proposal Letter:

Greetings,

Thank you for taking the time to review this proposal for sponsorship.  I have been involved in custom builds for many years, and this vehicle is my current project.  I actively participate in the Mid-Atlantic car show scene, and have done so since 2002.  Hosting local events, participating in community benefit venues, and feature displays throughout the MD/DC/PA/VA/NJ area, are all frequent activities for me throughout the show season. As time goes on, scenes and styles change, however, my passion for custom vehicles still thrives. I place top of my class / best of show in nearly every event I attend, but, ultimately find the most enjoyment from talking with people about the truck, the products that I have used, and the thousands of hours of fabrication that have been done throughout the years. Although the truck is well received in the show scene, I believe it is time for an updated build.  The goal is SEMA 2017.  I actively support all of my sponsors, and have various local shops on-board for the new build.

All sponsors on board for the new build will be represented all throughout the 2018 show season with their logos displayed on the truck as well as tagged in Facebook, Instagram and various of social media posts. Online media coverage on the build as well as the involved sponsors will be provided by Carshowz.com including products reviews, videos and substantial exposure. Not only will this build be for myself, but everyone involved. Bringing the right people together on a project to bring a vision to life is a great experience and can provide long time friendships and connections. Making that connection is key.

Again, thank you for your interest in this build, and I look forward to working with you over the coming months.  If you have any further questions, please contact me anytime.

Build Timeline

January 2017

Source Parts from Sponsors and Vendors

Partner with local shops for installation

February 2017

Design build vehicle rendering

Announce SEMA build at Motor Trend International Auto Show Baltimore

March 2017

More to come as the build progresses…

Updated Build Photos

Coming soon…

Build Videos

Coming soon…

Truck History (2001-2016)

Below you will find the portfolio of James Dark 1999 Dodge Dakota Sport 4×4, prior to the SEMA makeover. This truck has progressed tremendously over the years with the help of great partners and sponsors.

Modifications:

Engine:

5.2L V8 318

ATI Procharger

Stainless Braided Oil Feed Line

Aluminum Plenum & Piping

Aluminum Radiator (Fabricated Mount)

Aluminum Overflow Tank (Fabricated Mount)

Ross Machine Racing Fuel Rails

Stainless Braided Fuel Lines

Walbro 255 In-Line Fuel Pump

Bosch 42lb Injectors

Aeromotive Fuel Pressure Regulator

Powdercoated RCI 19 Gallon Fuel Cell (Fabricated Mount)

Powdercoated M1 Mopar Intake Manifold, Valve Covers, Throttle Body, Pulleys

Tial 50mm BOV

180 Degree T-Stat

Taylor 8mm Wires

3300cfm Electric Fan (Fabricated Mount)

MSD Ignition System

Excessive Amperage 250amp Alternator

Cyberdyne Digital Boost Gauge

Innovate LC1 LC-1 Wideband

SCT Blower Custom Tune Programmer

Mopar Performance PCM

Stainless Headers

Custom True Dual Exhaust

2 XS Power Batteries

Drag Cut Off Switch

Remote Battery Jumper Terminals

Digital Voltmeter

Exterior:

Cervinis Sniper Hood (ram-air) w/inserts

Cervinis Sniper Grille w/inserts – Flat Black

Suicided Hood with Custom Fabrication and Powdercoat

Aerocatch Hood Pins

Smoothed Wiper Cowl

Winch Ready Stealth Bumper w’ Light Bar and Fog Lights

Diamond Euro Headlights

Diamond Euro Clear Corners

Xenon Headlight Bulbs

Truckin Suspension Skid Plate – Candy Blue

Painted Side View Mirrors

Pace Edwards Jackrabbit Bed Cover

Candied Taillights

Xenon Roll Pan

Rear Color Backup Camera

Shaved Antenna, Emblems, Door Handles, Third Brake Light

AVS Shaved Door Kit

Full Custom Paint Job

Custom Airbrush House of Kolor Paint

Interior:

Cyberdyne Digital Gauge Cluster

Reupholstered Headliner

Corbeau Black Baja RS Racing Seats w “A” Harness

Powdercoated Harness Bar

Embossed Flame

Door Panel Fillers

Fiberglassed Dash, Dash Bezel, Center Console, Sill Plates, Kick Panels, Floor Console w/ 2 Airline Gauges, A-Pillars w/ 4” Speaker Pods, B-Pillars, C-Pillars w/ 4” Speaker Pods, Door Panels w/ Speaker Pods and Monitor Enclosure

Billet 4X4 Pedals

NRG Offroad Steering Wheel w’ Quick Disconnect

Suspension & Wheels:

6.5” Truckin Suspension Lift & Custom Fabrication – Powdercoated Blue

3” Performance Accessories Body Lift

37-12.50-20 Super Swamper SSRs

20X10 KMC XD Rockstars – Custom Drilled

Powdercoated Leaf Springs, Blocks, U-Bolts, Sway Bar & Diff Cover

4.56 Performance Gears (front & rear)

Edelbrock Remote Reservoir Shocks

Gap guards

Drill and Slotted Rotors

Rear Disc Brake Conversion

Stainless Steel Brake Lines

In Car Entertainment:

Clarion VRX935VD In-dash TV/DVD

2 14” Megavision Monitors in Door panels

Alphasonik 2 Channel 3000 Watt RMS Amplifier

Alphasonik 4 Channel 600 Watt RMS Amplifier

Alphasonik 2 Channel 400 Watt RMS Amplifier

In-Dash Voltmeter and Bass Boost Gauge

4 12” Alphasonik Subwoofers

4 Alphasonik Tweeters

4 6.5” Alphasonik Speakers

4 4” Alphasonik Speakers in A-Pillars & B-Pillars

Full Custom Sub Enclosure w/ Amp Rack

Past Accolades

Media Features

Carshowz.com (Upcoming Feature Write-up – advertising, brand recognition – over 33 million site visits for 2016)

Truckin Magazine – Volume 35, No. 9

Truckin Magazine – Volume 35, No. 5

Washington Examiner – February 6, 2008

Motortrend International Auto Show Feature Display Baltimore – 2006-2012 (100K+ spectators)

Motortrend International Auto Show Feature Display Richmond – 2008 (100K+ spectators)

Various Local Show Advertisements, Booth Features, etc.

Awards

Imports vs Domestics at MIR / Best of Show Truck

Creatures of the Night / 1st Place

Laws of Physics / Best Interior

OC Car & Truck Show / Best of Show Truck

OC Car & Truck Show / 1st Place

Carlisle All Truck Nationals / 1st Place

Imports VS Domestics at MIR / 1st Place

East Coast Nationals / 1st Place

Low Rollers End Of Summer Bash / Top

World Of Wheels Baltimore / 1st Place

NOPI National at MIR / 1st Place

Ocean City Hot Rod Show / 1st Place

Carlisle Performance and Style / 2nd Place

Carlisle All Chrysler Nationals / 1st Place

Tuner Evolution / 3rd Place

Carlisle All Truck Invitational / Display

Many other local and regional awards throughout the year

1999 Dodge Dakota Past Photos “Big Blue”

Big Blue More Info

To become a part of this build, contact carshowz.com directly by filling out our contact form here or reach out to James Dark directly at via email: jamesrdark [at sign] gmail [dot] com

Custom 99 Dodge Dakota Big Blue – SEMA 2017 Big Blue a custom 1999 Dodge Dakota Sport 4x4 is heading to SEMA 2017, Owner James Dark has a vision and wants to take that vision to a canvas for everyone to see, …

[stopstaringclothing-blog1]

TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com Announce New 2011 Wedding Statistics -- Including Average Wedding Budget and Top Wedding Trends

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--XO Group Inc. (NYSE: XOXO; www.xogroupinc.com), a global media and technology leader and creator of the top two wedding websites, TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com, today released the results of its annual Real Weddings Survey, which surveyed nearly 18,000 US couples married in 2011. TheKnot.com & WeddingChannel.com 2011 Real Weddings Survey captures detailed information on wedding budget, style preferences, event characteristics and other key information related to the bridal demographic. "For the first time since 2008, wedding budgets are on the rise," said Carley Roney, cofounder of The Knot. "In 2011, one in five US couples spent more than $30,000, and 11% spent more than $40,000 on their weddings. Our research shows that couples and their families are less concerned with the economy and are increasingly comfortable investing more in the once-in-a-lifetime occasion of their wedding." 2011 Wedding Statistics Average Wedding Budget: $27,021 (excludes honeymoon) Most Expensive Place to Get Married: Manhattan, $65,824 average spend Least Expensive Place to Get Married: West Virginia, $14,203 average spend Average Spent on a Wedding Dress: $1,121 Average Marrying Age: Bride, 29; Groom, 30 Average Number of Guests: 141 Average Number of Bridesmaids: 4-5 Average Number of Groomsmen: 4-5 Most Popular Month to Get Engaged: December (16%) Average Length of Engagement: 14 months Most Popular Month to Get Married: September (15%) Popular Wedding Colors: Blue (30%), Purple (25%), Green (24%) Percentage of Destination Weddings: 24% 2011 Average Wedding Budget Breakdown Category 2011 National Average Spend   2010 National Average Spend Overall Wedding (excluding honeymoon) $27,021   $26,984 Wedding Venue (reception hall) $12,116   $12,124 Wedding/Event Planner $1,753   $1,683 Reception Band $3,122   $3,081 Reception DJ $929   $900 Wedding Photographer $2,299   $2,320 Florist/Décor $1,894   $1,988 Videographer $1,486   $1,463 Wedding Dress $1,121   $1,099 Wedding Cake $535   $540 Ceremony Site $1,599   $1,393 Ceremony Musicians $536   $503 Invitations $331   $351 Limousine $669   $667 Favors $217   $222 Rehearsal Dinner $1,078   $1,127 Engagement Ring $5,130   $5,392 Figures based on respondents who hired a professional vendor for the service. Top 20 Most Expensive Places to Get Married Based on average wedding spend in 2011, these are the areas around the US where couples spend the most on their wedding. 1. NYC (Manhattan): $65,824 2. Chicago, IL: $53,069 3. NY Metro (Long Island, Hudson Valley and NYC Outer Boroughs): $50,087, $46,560, $40,356 4. Northern/Central NJ and Southern NJ: $46,600, $38,103 5. Rhode Island: $41,307 6. Santa Barbara/Ventura, CA, and Los Angeles, CA: $37,823, $37,690 7. Philadelphia, PA: $37,014 8. Boston, MA: $35,560 9. Southern Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale and surrounding areas): $34,465 10. Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland: $34,203 11. Connecticut: $33,789 12. Baltimore, MD: $32,702 13. Northern, CA, San Diego, CA, and Orange County/Inland Empire, CA: $32,261, $30,482, $29,826 14. Hawaii: $31,461 15. Pittsburgh, PA: $29,703 16. Louisiana: $28,790 *New to Top 20 List in 2011 17. Dallas, TX, Houston, TX, and Austin/San Antonio, TX: $28,717, $27,459, $27,735 18. California/Nevada (Sacramento, Tahoe and Reno): $28,028 19. Lehigh Valley/Poconos, PA: $27,339 *New to Top 20 List in 2011 20. Detroit, MI: $27,017 *New to Top 20 List in 2011 Interesting Regional Differences TheKnot.com & WeddingChannel.com 2011 Real Weddings Survey can be broken down on a region-by-region basis across more than 80 markets. Regional highlights include: Budget: New York City (Manhattan) has the highest average wedding budget ($65,824), and West Virginia has the lowest average wedding budget ($14,203), excluding honeymoon only. Age: Hawaii has the oldest brides (31 years), whereas Utah has the youngest brides (26 years), on average. Engagements: Mid-Atlantic brides (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania) have the longest engagements (16 months), while brides from Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi have the shortest (12 months), on average. Wedding Size: On average, Iowa brides still have the largest number of wedding guests (215), and Hawaii and Nevada still have the smallest number of wedding guests (77 and 63, respectively). Wedding Style: Hawaii has the most casual weddings (48%), while Long Island, NY, has the most formal (black-tie) weddings (37%). Wedding Dress Spend: Brides in Manhattan spend the most on their dresses ($2,403), while North and South Dakotan brides spend the least ($745). Registry: Brides in Central Illinois, are the most likely to register for wedding gifts (98%). Top 10 2011 Wedding Trends BIGGER BUDGETS. Brides are spending more on their weddings. For the first time since 2008, the average wedding budget has grown year over year, hitting $27,021. Fewer brides (29%) say the economy affected their wedding budget - a decrease from 31% in 2010 and 34% in 2009. Wedding standards also rose for the first time since 2009, as the average wedding spend per guest increased to $196, compared with $194 in 2009. PLANNING BEGINS EARLIER. Some brides are even starting to plan their wedding before their guy pops the question. Brides are now allowing themselves more time to plan, with one in three (31%) beginning to plan more than 12 months ahead (up from 28% in 2010). Plus, 16% of brides now plan their wedding before getting engaged. In the last three months leading up to their wedding, brides spend an average of 11 hours a week working on wedding details. Nearly one in three hire or use a wedding planner, with more than half of those brides (51%) hiring them for day-of coordination. 3-DAY-LONG, LUXURY WEDDINGS. High-end weddings are far more traditional. The luxury wedding segment (those spending an average of $100,000 on their wedding) had approximately 85,000 weddings in 2011 and represents a $9 billion industry. Luxury weddings are more formal/black-tie (46% vs. 15% of the non-luxury market) and larger (204 guests compared with 137 guests attending non-luxury weddings). Luxury weddings are also longer, with 74% of couples hosting three or more days of events. The look is also more traditional: Ivory/champagne and metallics are the most popular wedding color palettes among luxury brides. LESS FORMAL STYLE. Casual weddings grow. Wedding style continues to move toward the more casual end of the spectrum. In 2011, 16% of brides said their wedding style was "casual," compared with 14% in 2010 and 12% in 2009. While the "semi formal" category still reigns, with 65% of brides planning a wedding with that style in 2011, fewer brides are going for the "formal/black-tie" tradition, with only 16% describing their wedding that way in 2011, down from 18% in 2010 and 20% in 2009. FALL WEDDINGS ARE MORE POPULAR. Unique wedding dates alter seasonal landscape. While summer will always be "wedding season," 2011 saw a shift in seasonal popularity with only 37% of weddings taking place in months of June, July and August, down from 41% in 2010 and 2009. Partially owing to the popular wedding dates of 9/10/11 and 11/11/11, in 2011, fall grew in popularity, with 36% of weddings taking place in September, October and November months, compared with just 30% in 2010 and 2009. PURPLE REIGNS. Purple is the fastest-growing wedding color. Purple weddings continued to be extremely popular, with one out of four brides (25%) choosing the palette, up from 21% in 2010 and only 16% in 2009. Other popular wedding colors include blue (30%), green (24%) and pink (22%). On the other hand, brown weddings are on their way out, with only 11% choosing the color in 2011, down from 21% in 2008 (when brown was the "it" color). WEDDINGS ARE MORE INTERACTIVE. New types of guest "entertainment" are on the rise. Eating and drinking isn't enough anymore. Custom guest entertainment, such as photo booths and comedians, is on the rise, with 22% of brides incorporating additional guest entertainment into their wedding (vs. 15% in 2010 and 11% in 2009). In addition, interactive food stations, such as a sommelier with wine tastings, a sushi chef or a cheesemonger, continue to be popular, with 14% of brides including this option in their receptions (up from 13% in 2010). COUPLES STILL LOVE CUPCAKES. Wedding cakes have much more competition. While a majority of brides (67%) still go for a traditional tiered wedding cake, other desserts are also served during the reception. Great dessert options include items like a groom's cake (19%), candy (15%) and baked goods like pies, cookies and brownies (20%), and cupcakes, surprisingly, grew again in popularity from 13% in 2010 to 17% in 2011. EVERY WEDDING HAS A WEBSITE. Couples increasingly communicate with guests online. The vast majority of couples now have personal wedding websites (69% of couples created one in 2011 vs. 65% in 2010 and 60% in 2009), and brides are increasingly using social media to share wedding details with guests (45% of couples did so in 2011 vs. 32% in 2009). Nearly one in six brides (15%) even kept in contact with their vendors via Facebook and/or Twitter. MOBILE TECHNOLOGY. Wedding planning has gone mobile. Nearly three out of five brides use their smartphones for wedding planning. Brides who have smartphones are doing a lot on the go, from taking and sharing wedding-related pictures (58%) and looking up wedding vendor contact information (47%) to accessing wedding planning websites (33%) and managing their wedding gift registry (32%). About TheKnot.com & WeddingChannel.com 2011 Real Weddings Survey The 2011 Real Weddings Survey captured responses from nearly 18,000 US brides married between January 1 and December 31, 2011; respondents were recruited throughout the year from TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com membership, which represents nearly 80% of brides nationwide. Brides received survey invitations shortly after their wedding date and were asked a comprehensive series of questions about the event and their planning process. All qualified respondents: Were 18 or older Had a wedding in 2011 Survey respondents represent a variety of ethnic, education and income levels, and are geographically dispersed across the country. The survey and data management partner for the study was Decipher Inc. About XO Group Inc. XO Group Inc. (NYSE: XOXO; http://www.xogroupinc.com), formerly The Knot Inc., is a global media and technology leader devoted to weddings, pregnancy and everything in between, providing young women with the trusted information, products and advice they need to guide them through the most transformative events of their lives. Our family of premium brands began with the #1 wedding brand, The Knot, and has grown to include WeddingChannel.com, The Nest, The Bump and Ijie.com. XO Group is recognized by the industry for being innovative in all media - from the web to social media and mobile, magazines and books, and video - and our groundbreaking social platforms have ignited passionate communities across the world. XO Group has leveraged its customer loyalty into successful businesses in online sponsorship and advertising, registry services, ecommerce and publishing. The company is publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange (XOXO) and is headquartered in New York City. Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50212100&lang=en

[most-insane-people-are-funn-blog]

TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com Announce New 2011 Wedding Statistics -- Including Average Wedding Budget and Top Wedding Trends

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--XO Group Inc. (NYSE: XOXO; www.xogroupinc.com), a global media and technology leader and creator of the top two wedding websites, TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com, today released the results of its annual Real Weddings Survey, which surveyed nearly 18,000 US couples married in 2011. TheKnot.com & WeddingChannel.com 2011 Real Weddings Survey captures detailed information on wedding budget, style preferences, event characteristics and other key information related to the bridal demographic. "For the first time since 2008, wedding budgets are on the rise," said Carley Roney, cofounder of The Knot. "In 2011, one in five US couples spent more than $30,000, and 11% spent more than $40,000 on their weddings. Our research shows that couples and their families are less concerned with the economy and are increasingly comfortable investing more in the once-in-a-lifetime occasion of their wedding." 2011 Wedding Statistics Average Wedding Budget: $27,021 (excludes honeymoon) Most Expensive Place to Get Married: Manhattan, $65,824 average spend Least Expensive Place to Get Married: West Virginia, $14,203 average spend Average Spent on a Wedding Dress: $1,121 Average Marrying Age: Bride, 29; Groom, 30 Average Number of Guests: 141 Average Number of Bridesmaids: 4-5 Average Number of Groomsmen: 4-5 Most Popular Month to Get Engaged: December (16%) Average Length of Engagement: 14 months Most Popular Month to Get Married: September (15%) Popular Wedding Colors: Blue (30%), Purple (25%), Green (24%) Percentage of Destination Weddings: 24% 2011 Average Wedding Budget Breakdown Category 2011 National Average Spend   2010 National Average Spend Overall Wedding (excluding honeymoon) $27,021   $26,984 Wedding Venue (reception hall) $12,116   $12,124 Wedding/Event Planner $1,753   $1,683 Reception Band $3,122   $3,081 Reception DJ $929   $900 Wedding Photographer $2,299   $2,320 Florist/Décor $1,894   $1,988 Videographer $1,486   $1,463 Wedding Dress $1,121   $1,099 Wedding Cake $535   $540 Ceremony Site $1,599   $1,393 Ceremony Musicians $536   $503 Invitations $331   $351 Limousine $669   $667 Favors $217   $222 Rehearsal Dinner $1,078   $1,127 Engagement Ring $5,130   $5,392 Figures based on respondents who hired a professional vendor for the service. Top 20 Most Expensive Places to Get Married Based on average wedding spend in 2011, these are the areas around the US where couples spend the most on their wedding. 1. NYC (Manhattan): $65,824 2. Chicago, IL: $53,069 3. NY Metro (Long Island, Hudson Valley and NYC Outer Boroughs): $50,087, $46,560, $40,356 4. Northern/Central NJ and Southern NJ: $46,600, $38,103 5. Rhode Island: $41,307 6. Santa Barbara/Ventura, CA, and Los Angeles, CA: $37,823, $37,690 7. Philadelphia, PA: $37,014 8. Boston, MA: $35,560 9. Southern Florida (Miami, Fort Lauderdale and surrounding areas): $34,465 10. Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland: $34,203 11. Connecticut: $33,789 12. Baltimore, MD: $32,702 13. Northern, CA, San Diego, CA, and Orange County/Inland Empire, CA: $32,261, $30,482, $29,826 14. Hawaii: $31,461 15. Pittsburgh, PA: $29,703 16. Louisiana: $28,790 *New to Top 20 List in 2011 17. Dallas, TX, Houston, TX, and Austin/San Antonio, TX: $28,717, $27,459, $27,735 18. California/Nevada (Sacramento, Tahoe and Reno): $28,028 19. Lehigh Valley/Poconos, PA: $27,339 *New to Top 20 List in 2011 20. Detroit, MI: $27,017 *New to Top 20 List in 2011 Interesting Regional Differences TheKnot.com & WeddingChannel.com 2011 Real Weddings Survey can be broken down on a region-by-region basis across more than 80 markets. Regional highlights include: Budget: New York City (Manhattan) has the highest average wedding budget ($65,824), and West Virginia has the lowest average wedding budget ($14,203), excluding honeymoon only. Age: Hawaii has the oldest brides (31 years), whereas Utah has the youngest brides (26 years), on average. Engagements: Mid-Atlantic brides (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania) have the longest engagements (16 months), while brides from Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi have the shortest (12 months), on average. Wedding Size: On average, Iowa brides still have the largest number of wedding guests (215), and Hawaii and Nevada still have the smallest number of wedding guests (77 and 63, respectively). Wedding Style: Hawaii has the most casual weddings (48%), while Long Island, NY, has the most formal (black-tie) weddings (37%). Wedding Dress Spend: Brides in Manhattan spend the most on their dresses ($2,403), while North and South Dakotan brides spend the least ($745). Registry: Brides in Central Illinois, are the most likely to register for wedding gifts (98%). Top 10 2011 Wedding Trends BIGGER BUDGETS. Brides are spending more on their weddings. For the first time since 2008, the average wedding budget has grown year over year, hitting $27,021. Fewer brides (29%) say the economy affected their wedding budget - a decrease from 31% in 2010 and 34% in 2009. Wedding standards also rose for the first time since 2009, as the average wedding spend per guest increased to $196, compared with $194 in 2009. PLANNING BEGINS EARLIER. Some brides are even starting to plan their wedding before their guy pops the question. Brides are now allowing themselves more time to plan, with one in three (31%) beginning to plan more than 12 months ahead (up from 28% in 2010). Plus, 16% of brides now plan their wedding before getting engaged. In the last three months leading up to their wedding, brides spend an average of 11 hours a week working on wedding details. Nearly one in three hire or use a wedding planner, with more than half of those brides (51%) hiring them for day-of coordination. 3-DAY-LONG, LUXURY WEDDINGS. High-end weddings are far more traditional. The luxury wedding segment (those spending an average of $100,000 on their wedding) had approximately 85,000 weddings in 2011 and represents a $9 billion industry. Luxury weddings are more formal/black-tie (46% vs. 15% of the non-luxury market) and larger (204 guests compared with 137 guests attending non-luxury weddings). Luxury weddings are also longer, with 74% of couples hosting three or more days of events. The look is also more traditional: Ivory/champagne and metallics are the most popular wedding color palettes among luxury brides. LESS FORMAL STYLE. Casual weddings grow. Wedding style continues to move toward the more casual end of the spectrum. In 2011, 16% of brides said their wedding style was "casual," compared with 14% in 2010 and 12% in 2009. While the "semi formal" category still reigns, with 65% of brides planning a wedding with that style in 2011, fewer brides are going for the "formal/black-tie" tradition, with only 16% describing their wedding that way in 2011, down from 18% in 2010 and 20% in 2009. FALL WEDDINGS ARE MORE POPULAR. Unique wedding dates alter seasonal landscape. While summer will always be "wedding season," 2011 saw a shift in seasonal popularity with only 37% of weddings taking place in months of June, July and August, down from 41% in 2010 and 2009. Partially owing to the popular wedding dates of 9/10/11 and 11/11/11, in 2011, fall grew in popularity, with 36% of weddings taking place in September, October and November months, compared with just 30% in 2010 and 2009. PURPLE REIGNS. Purple is the fastest-growing wedding color. Purple weddings continued to be extremely popular, with one out of four brides (25%) choosing the palette, up from 21% in 2010 and only 16% in 2009. Other popular wedding colors include blue (30%), green (24%) and pink (22%). On the other hand, brown weddings are on their way out, with only 11% choosing the color in 2011, down from 21% in 2008 (when brown was the "it" color). WEDDINGS ARE MORE INTERACTIVE. New types of guest "entertainment" are on the rise. Eating and drinking isn't enough anymore. Custom guest entertainment, such as photo booths and comedians, is on the rise, with 22% of brides incorporating additional guest entertainment into their wedding (vs. 15% in 2010 and 11% in 2009). In addition, interactive food stations, such as a sommelier with wine tastings, a sushi chef or a cheesemonger, continue to be popular, with 14% of brides including this option in their receptions (up from 13% in 2010). COUPLES STILL LOVE CUPCAKES. Wedding cakes have much more competition. While a majority of brides (67%) still go for a traditional tiered wedding cake, other desserts are also served during the reception. Great dessert options include items like a groom's cake (19%), candy (15%) and baked goods like pies, cookies and brownies (20%), and cupcakes, surprisingly, grew again in popularity from 13% in 2010 to 17% in 2011. EVERY WEDDING HAS A WEBSITE. Couples increasingly communicate with guests online. The vast majority of couples now have personal wedding websites (69% of couples created one in 2011 vs. 65% in 2010 and 60% in 2009), and brides are increasingly using social media to share wedding details with guests (45% of couples did so in 2011 vs. 32% in 2009). Nearly one in six brides (15%) even kept in contact with their vendors via Facebook and/or Twitter. MOBILE TECHNOLOGY. Wedding planning has gone mobile. Nearly three out of five brides use their smartphones for wedding planning. Brides who have smartphones are doing a lot on the go, from taking and sharing wedding-related pictures (58%) and looking up wedding vendor contact information (47%) to accessing wedding planning websites (33%) and managing their wedding gift registry (32%). About TheKnot.com & WeddingChannel.com 2011 Real Weddings Survey The 2011 Real Weddings Survey captured responses from nearly 18,000 US brides married between January 1 and December 31, 2011; respondents were recruited throughout the year from TheKnot.com and WeddingChannel.com membership, which represents nearly 80% of brides nationwide. Brides received survey invitations shortly after their wedding date and were asked a comprehensive series of questions about the event and their planning process. All qualified respondents: Were 18 or older Had a wedding in 2011 Survey respondents represent a variety of ethnic, education and income levels, and are geographically dispersed across the country. The survey and data management partner for the study was Decipher Inc. About XO Group Inc. XO Group Inc. (NYSE: XOXO; http://www.xogroupinc.com), formerly The Knot Inc., is a global media and technology leader devoted to weddings, pregnancy and everything in between, providing young women with the trusted information, products and advice they need to guide them through the most transformative events of their lives. Our family of premium brands began with the #1 wedding brand, The Knot, and has grown to include WeddingChannel.com, The Nest, The Bump and Ijie.com. XO Group is recognized by the industry for being innovative in all media - from the web to social media and mobile, magazines and books, and video - and our groundbreaking social platforms have ignited passionate communities across the world. XO Group has leveraged its customer loyalty into successful businesses in online sponsorship and advertising, registry services, ecommerce and publishing. The company is publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange (XOXO) and is headquartered in New York City. Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50212100&lang=en