The iWedding Phenomenon

There's no denying the power of the iPod.

The ability to manage your own party playlist is fantastic for nearly any casual get-together where friends can relax, hang out, and talk.

However, employing an iPod for most formal affairs, such as weddings, may not be as cost-effective as some brides seem to think.

Before I give my opinion, I want to be clear that I'm not condemning the iPod, as it can be very useful before the arrival of the wedding day. Making the preparation for a wedding, without the assistance of a wedding planner, can be a monumental task. In the past, a busy bride-to-be had to make time for reading books and magazines about planning, all while keeping herself in shape for the big day.

Today, a bride can workout and listen to a podcast at the same time. They can tune in at any time, which is a big change from the days when brides and grooms sought information on their work computers or when they come home exhausted from work.

Thanks to the iTunes Store, you can skip the bookstore with a few mouse clicks. Try doing a search on "Wedding". It will yield a massive variety of books, suggested music and podcasts, covering wedding planning, reception ideas and honeymoon guides.

Now for the bad news…

An increasingly popular idea is to save money by replacing wedding entertainers with an iPod. While this might sound like a great idea, there are some things to consider.

A wedding entertainer does more than just play music. To be blunt, hiring a DJ for their music is like hiring a photographer for their film.

A great wedding entertainer is like a great movie director. When you see all the actors hitting their marks, the lighting is perfect, and the set design is flawless, you know there is an excellent director behind the scenes helping to make that happen.

Working with an individual who can assist in the flawless execution of your event, helping coordinate the efforts of your other wedding professionals, and maybe even stepping out of their traditional job description of entertaining a wedding and assisting the photographer or banquet manager when something goes wrong is a much more valuable asset than any money you save with an "iWedding".

No matter what you choose to do for your wedding day, hopefully, after you invest some time in the matter, you can come upon an entertainment decision that makes you comfortable and confident.

Ultimately, that is all that really matters, right?