This week has been pretty hectic with us getting our record store ready for Record Store Day (TOMORROW!!!) so I haven’t gotten the time to spend perusing my google reader for all the goodies…however, here are a few things that made me swoon!

a sweet engagement with their favorite records!

LOVE this sheet music wreath!

afternoon delight!

check it! I did a guest post of song ideas for the reception entrance!

hip hop like ya don’t stop!

Last but not least, an adorable Save the Date, spotted on Brooklyn Bride!

This must be it…invite heaven…because HOLY SHIT this is awesome. I don’t even know where to begin. I can’t even do this justice. Basically, I’m in the rare form of speechless. Hats off to Kelli and her impeccable execution of the Amazing Record Player Invite.

From Kelli hertalentedself: Although this project really begins with Mr. Wizard re-runs in the 1980s, we started thinking about it a few months ago when Karen and Mike realized that they needed an invitation to their Spring wedding. Mike and Karen are two pretty awesome friends of mine—Karen advocates for the rights of programmers/inventors/coders as a lawyer at the Software Freedom Law Center (and DJs by night) and Mike is a Grammy-nominated sound engineer. I’ve long considered their love of music and collaborative auditory endeavors (such as their Oscar Meyer WeinerMobile-Girl song) a touching aspect of their relationship and an important part of our friendship (I met Karen at a concert.) It therefore felt really important that the invitation reference the social role of music in bringing people together… and ideally would feature an original song by the couple to seal the deal. Karen and Mike immediately got it, loved the idea, and wrote the catchy track that appears on the flexi. We then only had to figure out how to make the invitation play it…

Here is a video of the invite in action:

In the booklet-style invitation, a bit of paper-folding amplifies the sound of a sewing needle moving along the grooves of a flexidisc record. The hand-spun record yields a garbled, but scrutable listening of an original song by the couple. It requires a bit of tinkering and folding – effectively championing the inner science-nerd kid in the recipient. The whole thing serves as an interactive packaging for the song – which can be experienced on the paper record player, unscrewed and set on a regular turntable, or enjoyed online (for the non-nerds and/or audiophiles out there.)

Find out all of the details on this project at Kelli’s site!

This session is packed full of San Francisco relics…and loads of love! I totally dig Dimelsa and Juan’s style and sense of humor. Know what else makes me love them? These two designed their own album invite…and that VIP RSVP card is awesome! Check it!

Photos: anapaul photographers

Click to listen, right click “save as” to download:
Quintron – All Night Right of Way

A new Quintron album?! YES PLEASE! You wanna see a dance party? Go to a Quintron and Miss Pussycat show. You wanna bring a dance party to your wedding/bbq/birthday/car ride? Throw this into the mix and people won’t be able to keep their seats. The new album “Sucre du Sauvage” dropped today and you can stream the full album here!

Still hankering for more music?! Check out all of the past Tuesdays!

What do kitties, beards, bangs, comic books, and music have in common? Aside from being a few of my favorite things, they are also all elements of Maia and Chad’s radtastic engagement. When Maia sent me their session, I was instantly hooked. What made the deal even sweeter? Her explanation of her and Chad’s love for music (and the kind words about Hi-Fi Weddings):

I love your website. Its fresh, and not too floral (or pink), but offers the kick that music lovers as well as non-traditional wedding folks, like I want to see. Looking at the images, I feel like I walked out of an Old 97’s video shoot. My fiancee Chad, and I are both music lovers. We are also huge comic book connoisseurs and appreciate good venue spots, or dive bars that offer up a photobooth somewhere in the dark corner. In fact, our love for music, can go hand in hand with where we went to on our first date. Though we couldn’t get photographed inside (early day photoshoot), we still got a great snapshot of us outside the bar, Rainbo Bar, were we went to the first night we met. The bar was actually used for the film in High Fidelity (favorite movie), the spot were John Cusack character, Rob, met up with Marie on that little couch where we squared ourselves at for the fateful night.

Photographer: Sean Dorgan

What started as a super cute way to send out an eco-friendly save the date card turned into the ultimate sweetness captured forever! Add to the fact that Kassandra and Sean chose one of THE best love songs (“Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) and you’ve got quite the hot commodity and an ultra hip, personalized music video! In addition to the snazzy motion picture, check out the stunning stills snapped by Kassandra’s sister, Katrina Taylor!

Photos: Katrina Taylor

No worries this week y’all! I have no (April Fool’s Day) jokes or tricks up my sleeve…just some awesomeness that was this week!

every single one of THESE are absolutely gorgeous!

a lovely elopement in the woods followed by a reception at their favorite taco truck!

CHECK IT! I’m guest judging this awesome contest….can YOU plan a party?!

desktop calendar happiness!

awesome!!!

Best Coast on daytrotter!

I adore this music-themed wedding at Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music! The couple incorporated found instruments they painted high-gloss white, and were later displayed as art throughout their ultra slick reception. There was live music throughout the day, including a soul choir during the ceremony, and an amazing live band in the evening…topped off with a few epic ballroom dance performances by the newlyweds during the reception.

There isn’t a complete list of every song played, since the pianist and live band were given guidelines, not lists per se.

Ceremony
Guest seating: Live piano pop and gospel, loud and proud
Processional: “You and I” by Stevie Wonder, live piano
Gospel choir: “Right Now Praise”, “I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You”, “Oh Happy Day” , “Love is a Wonderful Thing”
Lyric readings: “Cherish the Treasure” by Steve Green & “What a Difference a Day Made” by Dinah Washington

Cocktail Hour
Pop, blues, rock, gospel, and bluegrass played live on piano

Reception
Bridal party entrance to reception with live band: “Sir Duke”
Live family vocals with piano accompaniment: “To Make You Feel My Love”
Bridesmaid speech: Over 200 song titles strung together to tell their story
Bride & Groom Dance Performances with Live Band: Hustle to “You’ve Got What it Takes” and Tango to “Sway”

* Live band music was by guideline only, with a solid “do not play” list. No chicken dance-like tunes, no metal, no country. Loads of R&B, jazz and Motown.
* Canned tunes played from an iPod in between sets. Titles included:

Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
Ain’t No Other Man – Christina Aguilera
We’ll Be Together – Sting & Annie Lennox
Uptight – Stevie Wonder
SexyBack – Justin Timberlake
4 Minutes – JT & Madonna
Whatta Man – En Vogue with Salt-‘N-Pepa
I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ – Scissor Sisters
Yeah! – Usher
A Little Less Conversation – Elvis
It’s Your Thing – The Isley Brothers
Mercy – Duffy
Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy – Big & Rich
I Was Made to Love Her – Stevie
Money (That’s What I Want) – Boyz II Men
Baby I Love You – Aretha Franklin
If I Never See Your Face Again – Maroon 5
The Heart of Rock ‘n Roll – Huey Lewis & The News
Boondocks – Little Big Town
Faith – George Michael
Freedom! – George Michael
Gold Digger – Glee Cast
Bust a Move – Glee Cast
Footloose – Kenny Loggins
The Humpty Dance – Digital Underground
Getting’ Jiggy Wit It – Will Smith
Ladies Night – Kool & The Gang
Blame It On the Boogie – The Jacksons
I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
Sun Comes Up – John Legend
I’ve Got the World On a String – Michael Buble
Call Me Irresponsible – Michael Buble
Ribbon in the Sky – Stevie Wonder
Got a Thing On My Mind – Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
Everybody Knows – John Legend
Take Me There – Manteca
We’ve Only Just Begun – The Carpenters
Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
I Just Call You Mine – Martina McBride
The Trouble With Love Is – Kelly Clarkson
You Needed Me – Anne Murray
Time Of Our Lives – Bonnie Raitt
The Tracks of My Tears – Boyz II Men
Hold On – Michael Buble
I’m Your Man – Michael Buble
Crying – k.d. lang
Poker Face – Glee Cast
The Way I Am – Ingrid Michaelson
Save It For Your Prayers – Duffy
You’re All I Need To Get By – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
She – Elvis Costello
Lift Me Up – Christina Aguilera
We Belong Together – Mariah Carey
I’m Your Man – Michael Buble
I Am Your Man – Rockapella
7 Day Fool – Jully Black
As I Love You More and More and More – Shirley Bassey

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Photography: Renaissance Studios Photography
Hair Stylist: Ritual 2
Caterer: Daniel et Daniel
Musicians: Dog’s Life Music, Ron Elrod
Reception Venue: Royal Conservatory of Music
Transportation: Men In Black Limo

The couple that bowls together stays together…and the gent that teaches his lady to play guitar is just plain ole’ adorable! Pat and Jess had a fun filled afternoon of bowling and jamming. I love how much of their personalities shine through this session! Cade did a wonderful job capturing Jess and Pat’s love for each other.

Photos: Cade Bowman Photography

Holy smokes you guys! Hold on to your headphones for this shindig! Lauren sent me SO many great details about her fabulous wedding to her best friend Matt. Their DIY wedding was focused around an American Football/Mike Kinsella quote: Best Friends and Better Halves. They have that same quote as a tattoo. His says: “Best Friends” Hers Says: “Better Halves.” How adorable is that?! Read on to swoon over their tale, see how they tied the knot, and what music kept the party going!

Matt and I met in December 2007. He said he was a musician and that he was going to be famous, but I did not believe him. Ha. He is in a band called Go Radio. His only source of income is being a touring musician. I guess I was wrong. So, we dated for a year. Matt of course showed me thousands of amazing bands in that first year. In that same year, Go Radio went through 3 guitar players and from a “so-so local band” to a touring national/internationally known mega fan based indie rock band. We got engaged exactly one month and 10 days after we met. Matt proposed to me in Montana on December 22, 2008. Go Radio had not signed to a record label yet. When we returned to Florida that Christmas vacation, Go Radio switched management to Unrivaled Management of Tallahassee, FL. Now, music is literally our life. We decided to have a long engagement, so we waited for 2 long years to get married.

A string quartet played all of the ceremony music and Lauren walked down the aisle to a stings version of The Funeral, by Band of Horses.

Pre Ceremony
Avett Brothers: The Weight of Lies, The Ballad of Love and Hate, Go to Sleep, The Perfect Space, Backwards with Time, Die Die Die
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Shuffle your Feet
Brett Dennen: Ain’t No Easy Way
David Dondero: South of the South
Kings of Leon: Back Down South
Old Crown Medicine Show: Tell It To Me, Wagon Wheel, Hard to Love
Iron and Wine: Such Great Heights
Dolly Parton: Jolene

Cocktail Hour
Andrew Bird: Tables and Chairs
Band of Horses: No One is Going to Love You More
Bruce Springstein: Radio Nowhere
Cold War Kids: Hang Me Up to Dry
Coldplay: The Scientist
Copeland: Thanks to You
Counting Crows: Catapult
Dean Martin: Everybody Loves Somebody, That’s Amore
Death Cab: Soul Meets Body, Marching Bands of Manhattan
Eels: Novocaine for the Soul
Frank Sinatra: Come Fly with Me
Jack’s Mannequin: Dark Blue
Kings of Leon: The Bucket
Lucero: All Sewn Up, Drink Till We’re Gone, Chain Link Fence
Manchester Orchestra: Shake it Out, I’ve Got Friends, Everything to Nothing
The Promise Ring: The Deep South, Best Looking Boys
Queen: Radio Ga Ga
Rilo Kiley: Bulletproof
Smashing Pumpkins: 1979
TV on the Radio: Staring at the Sun
Vampire Weekend: Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance
Cold War Kids: Hospital Beds
Death Cab: Crooked Teeth

Specialty Songs
Wedding Party Announced to: Ratatat
Groom and Bride Announced to: Johnny Cash – Ring of Fire
Matt and Lauren’s First Dance: Band of Horses – Marry Song
Matt and Mom First Dance: Cat Stevens – Wild World
Lauren and Dad: Frank Sinatra – The Way You Look Tonight AND The Jungle Book – Be Like You

Reception
Prince: 1999
Billy Idol: Dancing With Myself
The Beach Boys: I Get Around
Franz Ferdinand: Take Me Out
Gnarls Barkley: Crazy
Kenny Loggins: Foot Loose
Jay-Z: Change Clothes
Kanye West: Touch the Sky
The Cure: Just Like Heaven
Kings of Leon: Taper Jean Girl, King of the Rodeo
Madonna: Into the Groove
Michael Jackson: Beat It, Billie Jean
M.I.A.: Paper Planes
LMFAO: Shots
The Knife: Heartbeats
Queen: Under Pressure
Neil Diamond: Cherry, Cherry
The Killers: Mr. Brightside
T.I.: Live Your Life
MC Hammer: You Can’t Touch This
U2: Sweetest Thing
Lucero: Sweet Little Thing, Drink Til We’re Gone
Enter Shikari: Juggernauts, Solidarity
Tone Loc: Wild Thing
Ratatat: Crips, Seventeen Years
Phil Collins: Sussudio
Van Morrison: Brown Eyed Girl
The Murder City Devils: Boom Swagger Boom
Phoenix: 1901

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Venue: Barrington Hill Farm
Photos: Matt Miller & Amber Fouts @ Our Labor of Love
Flowers: Flowers By Edith
Wedding Day of Coordinator: Signature Events
Food: Good Food Catering
Tunes for Ceremony: Alafia String Quartet