Weddings rely on music during the ceremony, cocktail reception, dinner hour, first dance and later in the reception. The challenge is, which music to play at what times? Well, gone are the days of old party standards. It's relevant to select wedding songs and music that reflect the tastes of the bride, groom and their guests. Popular songs include the following:

• Carbon Leaf: "Life Less Ordinary"
• Michael Buble: "Everything"
• Quincy Coleman: "Bridge Over Troubled Water"

Check out this list of 30+ songs for wedding receptions and the first dance.

Photo: Courtesy of Chesapeake Bay Beach Club

Are you holding employee and customer holiday and Christmas parties sometime in December this year? If you're looking to save money, check out 10 ideas to save on holiday event expenses this year. And my top tips for anyone planning employee or client holiday parties.

December 2011 Holidays and Events

• December 20 (Tuesday), Hanukkah (begins at sundown the previous day)
• December 25 (Sunday), Christmas
• December 26 (Monday), Kwanzaa
• December 26 (Monday), Boxing Day (UK, Canada, Ireland)
• January 1, 2012 (Sunday), New Year's Day

Check out our 2011 Calendar of Holidays and Major Special Events.

And please send your suggestions about December holidays and events. What suggestions do you have that we should include in our 2012 calendar of holidays and events? Thanks.

Sales promotion coordinators assist with administering sales promotions in order to advertise a product and maximize the profits of the organization. This includes helping with researching , evaluating and recommending ideas that will enhance the market position of products and services. Sales coordinators typically require 2-4 years of experience and/or an associate's degree,  according to Salary.com. Average salary tends to be between $41,000 - $59,000 (as of March 2011).

• Search sales promotion coordinator jobs.
• Sales promotion coordinator salary information.

Learn more about event planning careers.

We highlight event planning jobs on the second Friday of each month. Feel free to share your comments about your event planning job search here. Thanks!

Even though wedding rice has gone away as a tradition, that doesn't mean other ideas haven't taken its place. Ideas such as wedding bubbles, wedding confetti, wedding wands, wedding butterfly releases, wedding flower petals and wedding sparklers are certainly embraced today. They're used to create a memorable send off from the ceremony and/or reception with style.

Learn more about wedding bubbles, wands, sparklers, flower petals and more -- and where you can source them.

Photo: Sri Maiava Rusden / Getty Images