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Top 5 Tips on Creating the Perfect Playlist for Your Wedding

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Music – it brings your wedding guests together and sets the mood at one of the biggest celebrations of your life, BUT it can also be a daunting task to create a playlist that everyone will be sure to enjoy. The experts here at Ball have gathered some tips on building the ultimate wedding reception playlist that perfectly fits you and your fiancé’s special day.

The first step is to decide whether you want to hire a professional or if you want to create a DIY playlist. Live bands and DJ’s will be pricier, but will also take some time and stress off your plate. Setting up, timing, and MC’ing are just a few parts the professionals can take care of. We do recommend still meeting the DJ or band and discussing genres of music and artists that you want or that you don’t want to hear at your celebration. Prior to your big day, talk about toasts, special “dances,” like father-daughter and the order of events that will take place, and then let them do their magic, while you dance the night away with loved ones!

The beauty in playing the part of DJ yourselves is having complete control over what is played at the wedding reception, and it can truly be a compilation of the bride and groom’s favorites! Here are some tips for creating a one-of-a-kind playlist for the big day.

  1. Make a list with your fiancé. This is the day about the two of you and the playlist should be a collaboration of all your favorites!
  2. Use an app like WeddingDJ. An app such as WeddingDJ is pre-programmed with all of the day’s events, which can keep you organized, along with ways for guests to request songs and make changes on the go.
  3. Ask for requests. A wedding reception can last up to 6 or more hours, so the more music, the better. Consider having a playlist making party prior to your big day with your family, the bridal party and/or all your best friends!
  4. Listen to your entire playlist. Before your wedding celebration, listen to your playlist all the way through. Make sure there are no long gaps, moments of silence, or awkward transitions.
  5. Stay true to your musical taste. The best part about creating a DIY playlist is that it can truly reflect you and your fiancé’s love story, so don’t hold back and pick the tunes that will make the night even more special.

When the big day comes, whether music is played by professionals or by a music app, Ball Conference Center is a beautiful venue to dance the night away in. Check us out here!

Wedding Spotlight: Matt and Nicole Knoche

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Ball Conference Center is delighted to have hosted Matt and Nicole Knoche’s wedding reception on October 6, 2018! The rain in Kansas City didn’t stop the newlywed couple from celebrating their big day with family and friends inside our elegant and spacious ballroom.

Matt and Nicole were living in Chicago when they met on Match.com. When Matt received a job offer in Kansas City, the pair packed up their things and decided to plant their roots in KC! The couple celebrated the big move at their favorite Chinese restaurant, where Matt decided to pop the question – the rest is history!

When asked why Matt and Nicole chose Ball Conference Center for their reception, “Besides the fact that the ballroom is absolutely beautiful?!,” Nicole exclaimed, “My cousins have spent quite a bit of time fostering children over the years, and I really liked that we would be supporting KVC by booking our reception at Ball Conference Center.” Nicole continued, “We didn’t even tour any other facilities, we were sold the moment we walked inside.” Guests were greeted with beautiful purple and blue up lighting as they entered the ballroom. A dancefloor, photobooth and Kansas City BBQ were also enjoyed by all in attendance.

If you’re ready to start planning the wedding of your dreams without the hassle of dozens of decisions, look no further. Book your dream wedding at Ball Conference Center today! Planning will be a breeze and your special day will be filled with wedding bliss.

Our Director of Event Planning and Operations at Ball Conference Center would love to show you around and talk to you about all that Ball has to offer. For more information, give us a call at (913) 322-4980. We look forward to showing you around and helping you create the wedding of your dreams!

Take a look at the Knoche Wedding Reception photos below!

6 Tips to Save Big on Your Wedding

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First comes love, then comes marriage – and with marriage comes quite the financial commitment. If you’re anything like the majority of our brides, you will do anything and everything to save a few bucks on your wedding. Fortunately for you, there’s a way to achieve the wedding of your dreams without breaking the bank. Take a look at these tips to save on your wedding with the help of the experts at NerdWallet.

The Invitations

Go paperless! Electronic invitations are a wonderful way to cut costs as well as track RSVPs. Not only will you save money, but you also eliminate the risk of an invitation getting lost in the mail. If you would rather send out a traditional wedding invitation as opposed to sending your invitation electronically, try printing your own. There are plenty of downloadable user-friendly templates making it easier than ever to create your own invitations from the comfort of your home while saving money.

The Dress

Who says you must buy your wedding dress at a bridal shop? Department stores are a budget-friendly place to starting your dress shopping. Most every department store has a prom/formal dress section filled with beautiful white dresses. This option can work particularly well for brides having a beach wedding. Why drop a pretty penny on a dress from a bridal shop if you’re going to be standing with your toes in the sand? If this is out of the question for you as a bride, consider borrowing your accessories. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also check “something borrowed” off your list.

The Décor

Consider borrowing centerpieces or other left-over items from one of your recently married friends. If you don’t have any recently married friends, try Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. You are sure to score some great items that you can re-sell and make your money back after your big day. Used not for you? Try looking at craft stores. Hobby Lobby and Michael’s are both reasonably priced and have huge sales often. Creating your own centerpieces will not only save you money, but you will also have the power to ensure your décor will turn out exactly how you envisioned it.

The Catering

When it comes to catering, plated dinners tend to be the most expensive option. Save money by asking each potential caterer about having a buffet or family-style stations. Contact us today for a list of preferred vendors! As for alcohol, start by eliminating children and guests you know will not be interested in drinking alcohol. After you’ve got your headcount, we suggest purchasing your alcohol in bulk at Costco. The best part about buying your alcohol at Costco is their return policy – allowing you to return any unopened bottles for full price!

The Guests

The greater the number of guests, the greater the cost of your wedding. Keep things intimate with a small wedding. Limit the number of plus-ones given out by only inviting couples you socialize with regularly. If a small wedding isn’t something you view as possible for you, trim your guest list by just 10 to 20 people. Although this doesn’t seem like many people, you would be surprised how big of a price difference this can make.

The Venue

When setting your date, save money by contemplating a less popular month, such as January or February. The more demand for a given date, the higher the price you will pay for your venue. Seeing as Saturday is the most expensive day to get married, consider getting married on a Sunday or weeknight. Also, be sure to take advantage of what is included in each venue’s rental fee. Ball Conference Center makes this easy by laying all pricing out from the beginning. To see all Ball has to offer you on your big day, click here!

Ball’s Favorite Summer Blooms

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April showers bring May flowers and May flowers make for beautiful summer weddings! With all the beauty that comes with spring and summer blooms, we know it can be difficult to choose the perfect floral combination for your wedding day. Ball is here to help you find the elegant flower palate that suits your unique style while embracing the trends of 2018.

Embrace the summer with beautiful pastel blooms. A good flower to achieve the perfect summer palate is the Peony. These flowers start to grow in late spring and are at their best from May through early July making them a perfect candidate for your summer wedding! Peonies are most commonly seen in light pink but come in all shades. Pairing perfectly with white – Peonies are sure to complete your ideal wedding look.

If you’re looking to make a bold statement with a bigger bloom, Hydrangeas are the perfect choice for you! These blooms come in darker shades including purples, magentas, and blues. Hydrangeas make for a perfect pop of color to add to your summer ceremony. With seven diverse types of Hydrangeas to choose between, the options are endless!

Brighten up your summer wedding with Gerberas! Turning heads with their vibrant range of colors, Gerberas bring the fun of summer to your wedding. Lucky for you, Gerberas tend to be widely available as well as affordable – not to mention they have one of the longest vase lives, making for a perfect tabletop flower.

No matter the palate or blooms you choose, your summer wedding is sure to be just as vibrant and special as you! Follow more of Balls blogs for helpful hints and tricks to make the big day everything you’ve dreamed of!

Caterer Spotlight: Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse

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When planning a wedding, a whirlwind of decisions must be made – often in a compressed timeframe. One moment the focus is picking the perfect flower arrangement; the next, choosing fantastic wedding gown; and after that,you’re on the hunt for an amazing caterer that will leave your guests delighted with your culinary decision making.

To make things a little easier, at Ball Conference Center, we’ve already vetted and hand-picked a list of multiple Preferred Vendors to help make your decision making easier. Not only will this save you time, but you’ll also have the confidence of knowing that the staff at Ball has already screened dozens of wedding vendor possibilities and included only those that we believe provide the best quality and value on our Preferred Vendor list – to help save you valuable time and money in making choices for your own Big Day!

One of our newest Preferred Vendors is Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse. Located within the Hilton Garden Inn, their menu is everything you’d expect from a great steakhouse and much, much more. Their experienced and well-trained staff works extremely hard to make sure the love and dedication they have for food comes through with every bite you take. Every bride has their own wedding dreams, the staff at Johnny’s Catering wants to make sure that your special day is exactly how you always dreamed it would be!

Johnny’s is always willing to customize and plan a special menu to make sure your Big Day is perfect. Johnny’s understands that weddings can be expensive so they’ve developed their flexible pricing program. If you give them a range on what you’d like to spend, they’ll create a custom menu that is both delicious and affordable.

Ready for the best part? If you book Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse for your catering, the Bride and Groom will receive a free room at the Hilton Garden Inn! What’s more, they’ll also provide your wedding party hotel rooms at a discounted price!

If you’re interested in more details or booking a tasting with Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse, just contact Darla Minor at (913)-815-2345. and she’ll be happy to answer any of your questions or schedule a tasting.

And, if you’ve not yet selected your wedding reception venue, you can receive more information about weddings at Ball Conference Center by contacting Director of Event Planning & Operations Michael Nicoski at (913)-322-4980. We look forward to making your wedding dreams come true!

Wedding Spotlight: Melanie and Kory Gilmore

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Ball Conference Center recently hosted a picture-perfect wedding reception for Melanie and Kory Gilmore on Saturday, June 23rd, 2018! The summer heat was no bother to the beautiful newlywed couple and guests as they gathered at Ball Conference Center to celebrate a fairytale wedding that they will remember for a lifetime!

Kory and Melanie met through their older sisters – who were roommates together at MidAmerica Nazarene University. “We were introduced in the cafeteria, and after I met him, I messaged him on Facebook,” said Melanie. The rest is history and after three years of dating, the lovebirds tied the knot!

When asked about their experience planning their reception at Ball Conference Center, Kory said, “We loved the space that was available – and the price too!” Kory and Melanie were able to set up on Friday to prepare for the big day, which was a huge relief for them. “It made our day today go so much smoother and we were able to really enjoy our special day,” said Melanie.

Guests were greeted by dreamy décor with a rustic touch – candy bar and cupcakes included! The ballroom at Ball Conference Center was filled with elegant pink lighting, greenery, and beautiful candles. It was a wonderful celebration of Kory and Melanie’s love and commitment to each other.

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Are you dreaming about the perfect wedding and reception venue without the hassle of dozens of decisions? Then look no further – book your dream wedding at Ball Conference Center today! Planning will be a breeze, and your special day will be filled with wedding bliss – not unintended hurdles or compromises.

Our Director of Event Planning and Operations at Ball Conference Center would love to show you around and talk to you about all that Ball has to offer! For more information, give us a call at (913) 322-4980. We look forward to showing you around and helping you create the wedding of your dreams!

Take a look at the Gilmore Wedding Reception photos below!

Planning a destination wedding? Celebrate at Ball when you get home!

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Weddings can be stressful with all the planning and decision making. It’s easy to lose sight of what’s important – the fact that you get to marry your best friend! Here at Ball, we realize that more and more people are deciding on destination weddings to take some of the stress away and enjoy what really matters. Although a private, intimate ceremony may be exactly what you’re dreaming of, we know that celebrating with friends and family when you return is also important.

Ball Conference Center is the perfect place for newlywed couples to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter. We partner with local vendors such as Kansas City Catering, The Sweet Nook, Complete Music and Diamond Girls – organizing your reception is a breeze! We want to be able to make this a night you will always remember with the people you will never forget because in the end were celebrating your new marriage!

Make Ball the place you celebrate this amazing adventure you are embarking on. We have different packages to fit any newlyweds budget. When it comes to Ball, we’re here to make your dream celebration come to life!

For more information or to schedule a tour, contact Michael Nicoski at Ball Conference Center at (913) 322-4980. He looks forward to showing you our beautiful facility and helping you dream up the perfect reception!

Event Booked at The Ritz Charles and Need a New Space?

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With the recent closing of The Ritz Charles in Overland Park, we know some of you may be frantically trying to find a new event space for your special occasion. Here at Ball Conference Center, we are happy to try to accommodate anyone who has been affected by this sudden closing. Book with us and provide proof of your previous event booking at The Ritz Charles to receive:

  • Dance floor included
  • Cocktail tables included
  • Day before set-up (based on availability)

If you’ve not had a chance to tour Ball Conference Center, we’d love to show you around and talk to you about all that Ball has to offer! For more information, give Michael a call at (913) 322-4980. We look forward to showing you around and helping you plan the perfect event!

Ball Conference Center

 

 

Ball Hosts Olathe East Prom!

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Ball Conference Center recently had the pleasure of hosting Olathe East High School’s Prom on April 7th, 2018! The elegant ballroom was the perfect venue for  a “Written in the Stars” Evening! The students of Olathe East put on their best dresses and suits and danced the night away!

Ball Conference Center was decorated beautifully with uplighting to illuminate the entire ballroom. With lighting accenting the space using color movement truly made it feel like “written under the stars!” With a dance floor and table centerpieces, students enjoyed mingling and dancing throughout the evening.

Ball Conference Center can easily be transformed into the perfect Prom, your dream wedding, or any event that is unique to your style! For more information and to schedule a tour, contact Michael Nicoski at Ball Conference Center at (913) 322-4980. Michael looks forward to showing you our beautiful facility and helping you bring that next event you’ve been dreaming up to life!

Take a look at a few pictures from Olathe East’s Prom below!

 

 

Save the Date – KC’s Largest Bridal Event!

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Mark your calendars for Kansas City’s biggest bridal event, hosted by Perfect Wedding Guide! Not only will you get amazing wedding and honeymoon ideas, you will also get to see the latest dress trends at the bridal fashion show! Ball Conference Center is excited to be a part of this amazing bridal show again this year! You can purchase your tickets online or at the door, so you can stop by and see Ball’s booth! Did we mention we are choosing one lucky bride to win our top-secret giveaway?

Click here for more information or to purchase your tickets.

See you May 6th!