I adore penguins.

No other way to say it. I think these lil’ guys are the coolest creatures ever. I’ve no idea why…. but I want a penguin bad enough that I’d sell a lung to get one. Even though we were still wrapping up homecoming season, when Edward and Stephanie said “oh yeah, there’s going to be penguins at our event,” I just had to be there.

Glad I did, too, because these two (the couple, not the penguins) were the coolest, most chill people ever. They just wanted a stress-free wedding where they could enjoy the company of their loved ones, have a good meal while enjoying some awesome 90′s alternative, and dance to an eclectic mix of music.

All this while enjoying the enchanting sights the Florida Aquarium has to offer. I’m not going to lie, load in SUCKED as I had to walk a long way, but the amazing staff did everything they could to make this as super comfortable as they could. This was my first time there, and they treated me like family.

Edward and Stephanie also treated me like one of their guests and let Carlos and I have just as much as fun as they did.

Truly, it’s an experience I won’t forget. I always tell each one of my couples to find an element that turns your wedding day into an EXPERIENCE…. and that night was a huge #WINNING in my book!

Pics and video below!

Talk about one heck of an event… with a beautiful ceremony (despite the intense heat) and a huge party crowd, you’d think that I’d be talking about how great things were from my end? Well, they were going well until the outlet DIED (not a breaker, not my system… the OUTLET itself) in the middle of a HOT dance set!

Crissy, Neil and the guests were SO cool that they didn’t react to the issue and gave us time to run power to a new outlet and reboot the computers. Once the music began again, they resumed from where they left off!

We provided the ceremony sound, DJ/MC, dance floor lighting, ceiling wash, uplights, and monogram!
Check out the pics and video below!!

Pure insanity: there’s no other way to describe it. They saw Gino and I’s performance at Iris and Jason’s wedding, and loved everything that we had to offer. They told me that their crowd would be just as wild…

….and they delivered! The dancing, joking, mixing, and partying was non-stop the moment the dance floor opened. The ceremony (at the Lake Mirror Dungeon) was beautiful, even when it was so hot; the reception, at the Terrace Hotel, did not disappoint either. The food was delicious. My favorite part was where they started cheering for us at the end of the night.. talk about a compliment!

Check out the photos and video below!

Watch in HD!

David and Nancy are an awesome couple… they love Disney (well, they also work there), watch The Office, and adore “How I Met Your Mother.” Perfect, Barney Stinson could’ve co-hosted this wedding with me. On top of it all, they’re huge Glee fans. (You know, huge isn’t the word to describe it, so I’ll begin with dedicated.) This means that on top of a great sense of humor with creativity, they’re gonna have a very eclectic music taste.

Boy, did I profile this one right. The overall party was a blast, and I had a lot of fun with the HIMYM references! With Carlisha as their coordinator, they created very unique centerpieces portraying various Disney movies.

As usual, the Paradise Cove in Kissimmee was beautiful, and a blast to work in. After the photos of the wedding, you can see some shots of the place itself. Make sure to check out the video, too!

Watch in HD!

TK and Jessica wanted to party and party hard. They had a big variety of tastes in music and so did their family and friends… after our last meeting prior to the wedding, I knew that Monica and I would have a blast. They did a great job planning their own wedding, as the Admiral’s Inn in Winter Haven was completely transformed; Our uplighting, flood lighting, monogram, stars, and under table lighting added the perfect final touch!

As we provided DJ and MC services for the ceremony and wedding reception, Snap Yourself Silly provided a photobooth that was used the entire time, including all the props!

Check out the photos below as well as the video summary. Though TK and Jessica left, the party continued for another hour, and several guests stayed all night… especially for a special performance of Bohemian Rhapsody from Dave and Mike.

Video summary:

Watch in HD!

…and below is Dave and Mike having a good time. No the room wasn’t empty, the guests were on the other side while others were piled up in the photobooth!

Watch in HD!

Jason and Nikia wanted something that we love to do: TOTAL VENUE TRANSFORMATION. The Lake Eva Banquet Hall in Haines City, FL is already a beautiful place. This means monogram on the floor, total flooding with lights, uplights in a custom array, and of course our awesome spotlight to highlight them amongst the 250+ people there. Joanne did a great job with the coordination and linens while Maggi impressed everyone with a beautiful bride’s cake and a unique groom’s cake… see the photos below to be surprised!

A large variety of music was played from Nikia’s favorite group, Lady Antebellum (also my favorite), to lots of flashback booty music per request. This is the first time I played “Shake Ya Tailfeather” in years and even got to play Rated R – In Here Tonight! Check out some awesome photos and a video below! The video shows a before and after shot of the whole room. Thank you to my good friend and colleague, Jason Jani, for the idea!

Watch in HD!

From Elegant to Latin-Flavor to Old School Freestyle to Rave to Crunk to CRAZY party.. in ONE NIGHT! WOW!

I must preface my overall gig log with the following statement: The Bella Collina in Clermont is HANDS-DOWN the most BEAUTIFUL place I’ve EVER been to. Designed with tribute to Tuscany and reminiscent of  many Italian heritages, this venue is a MUST-SEE!

Ron and Tharsis are an awesome couple, and I knew this right away after our sales consult. They knew exactly what they wanted and left me in control of the day to achieve their vision. The only thing I couldn’t stop was the rain, which didn’t allow for the BEAUTIFUL field to be used. It wasn’t a worry because the backup location, the lobby (with a beautiful fountain and scenic overlook), looked just as amazing.

The overall party was off the chain, that’s the only way I can describe it. We only had 45 minutes of dance time, but we crammed almost 2 hours worth of music in, thanks to some tight mixing, bumpers, and quick cuts. At the end, the family brought out a sound system, several instruments, and played Paranda music. The party did not end when the DJ left– that is a TRUE Latino family!

I had SUCH a great time and Ron and Tharsis treated Monica and I like family.. actually, their whole family did! Check out the AMAZING photos (second part also taken by wifey) and video below! Video shows lots of the mixing, of course!

Watch in HD!

The day after Timbercreek’s exhausting homecoming (we got home at 6:30AM), I had a wedding to gear up for.

My biggest worry with weddings in homecoming season is that they may not be as energetic as the homecomings (100 close friends and family in a formal affair vs 1200 students screaming for their lives)… this was not the case at Jessi and David’s wedding.. no sir! The energy was THROUGH THE ROOF!

Held at the awesome Admiral’s Inn, Charles and I knew that setup and timeline arrangement would be a breeze! Paul, Christi, Norma, and the rest of the crew are such easy people to work with!

So how high-energy was the reception? One word: FIST POUND. For a good 20 minutes, we played electro remixes of Top40 music while everyone fistpounded away!

So check out the photos below…. the very last set, watermarked, are by Cabrera Studio Photography based out of New York. The videos are a must watch, too!

Must watch video!

Watch in HD!

This video is of Joe’s toast… watch it and laugh!

Watch in HD!

I met this awesome couple, who LOVE to dance by the way, through Jerell’s father, Alvin, whom I’ve done a few parties for in the past. They held the ceremony and reception at the Lake Mary Events Center (past Orlando) and everything looked beautiful. They chose a deep red color for their uplighting which really added to the effect!

Check out the photos and video below!!

And video!

Watch in HD!

First, I would like to share a poem I wrote about Florida:

#*&^, It’s Hot.

I most certainly hope your life has changed upon reading my classical piece of Shakespearean rivalry!

In all seriousness, it was hot… but it didn’t stop Robbie and Shannon and their guests from dancing ALL NIGHT LONG. Shannon is Elizabeth Voss‘s sister and I still remember that wedding clear as day. Kelly and I were worried that it may appear to be the same show…. we had the same family and friends, so would music and style be the same? Nope!

After talking to Anne, the super-cool mother of the bride, we were assured that they would be polar-opposites… and yes they were. One had air conditioning, one was at the beach. Just kidding, of course; In all reality, the weather wasn’t that bad… the outdoor ceremony was breathtakingly beautiful and the reception site was beautifully done including the Chinese lanterns that lit up the room in a soft glow.

The mood was kept upbeat the entire night as we played slideshows and music videos during dinner…. ooh, and I forgot to mention that we played Soca during cocktail hour. You can’t beat that!

Just like Jeremy and Elizabeth’s wedding, everyone danced all night! We didn’t have a chance to shoot photos at this wedding, but Tina Sargeant, the photographer, will provide me with some to share– I can’t wait to see it!

Watch the video below and check out an amazing party– including a hot old school set featuring Snoop Dogg, DMX, and Biggie, some Jersey-style Fistpounding, and double-dutch jump rope… without the rope!

It was an amazing evening… I can’t wait for this family’s next big party! Tune in about a year from now to see it!

Go enthusiastic bridal party!! Watch the video– these girls (there were only handful of guys there) were cheering everyone on!

This is the first wedding I’ve been to where 1) There was a guest MC (the wedding coordinator) and 2) everyone matched! The colors were tan and cream white and everything look tres chic. Monica and I had a blast working with the La Playa Staff in Naples, and they treated us very well.

After Kingsley and Felicia left, the guests continued to party, sing karaoke, and ended strong on Usher’s OMG. They ended this amazing Jamaican/Trini wedding with STYLE!

Check out the photos and video below! The video features the cutest little boy dancing!

And the video!

Pete and Erin did NOT travel all the way from Cincinnati, Ohio to Ruskin, Florida for a beachside ceremony to see rain stop it all. Nope. A little drizzle never hurt anyone– and in the sunny weather, the COLD rain felt great– guests loved the light sprinkle!

Fast forward to the reception… the food at the Little Harbor Resort was fantastic! A tender prime rib, amazing mini-crab cakes, coconut shrimp, and stir fry created a very eclectic menu that everyone, especially yours truly, enjoyed. The sunset was AMAZING. I hear many travel to this area just to see the sunset. I can see why!

As for dancing– they were NON-STOP! The requests were all over the charts so as a DJ, I enjoyed NOT sticking to sets. I was mixing from disco to country to rock to rap to dance mixes… it was crazy– even the bartenders were dancing behind the bar!

Check out the photos and video below!

ARGH! I wish I had an assistant… just to film! I’m going to have to hit them up for a copy of their wedding video and I failed to capture the best parts from one of the most epic weddings of all time.

From my end of things, I got to try some new MC styles that involved a lot of audience-wide interaction off the mic.. of course, this would never work with 200+ person weddings, but I digress…

Patrick, Stephanie and I have been planning this party for MONTHS (just ask them, haha!) and it all paid off with a beautiful ceremony, a fun cocktail hour, the most amazing food I’ve had at a wedding (nothing beats home-cooked meals) and a packed dance floor all night.

Oh yes, and a three year old assistant! Caitlyn, the flowergirl, asked if she could help with the introductions…. it was cute and I couldn’t say no… (She’s the most adorable lil’ thing you’d ever seen). I let her start off the first dance and she felt like one-of-a-kind! She asked if she could be my helper and I realized I made a new friend.

She actually helped me dismiss tables, mingle with guests to get requests, and play music. The last part ABSOLUTELY amazes me… my set up was 200 feet away from the dance floor… not a problem if I have an assistant, but I didn’t have one of my guys with me… and my iPhone’s remote control program decided not to work today! However, Caitlyn was really enjoying her position as the head DJ for the night (I was assisting her mind you, lol) and she played all the music ON cue for each part of a VERY elaborate bouquet and garter toss (over 10 songs).. she hit every song in and out ON CUE.

Let me say this one more time… she hit the songs RIGHT ON CUE. SHE’S THREE YEARS OLD!!! Needless to say, it was the most amazing moment I’ve had as a DJ. Her parents are now on my Facebook, lol!

Such a great set of family and friends really made this wedding amazing… at the end, I enjoyed a conversation with her brother, Brian(who’s getting married– congrats), father-of-the-bride Tony, Patrick and Stephanie, and a couple other guests.

This wedding sparked something within me though… my love and passion for the wedding industry has grown anew…. stay tuned for some new ideas I’ll be implementing real soon!!

Check out photos and video below! The video does this amazing wedding no justice.. I’ll have to track more footage down!

Ceremony area.. it was later converted to the reception site in less than 20 minutes!

My setup.

Thank God I had the 4Bar lighting rig from the previous night’s gig… I needed it so I could see!

Caitlyn, getting her “wiki-wiki-phresh” on! She learned how a crossfader works and even did a simple beatmatch of two house songs…SHE’S THREE YEARS OLD!!!

We all hung out and had a good conversation during dinner and at the end of night…. Tony, Michael, Stephanie, Patrick, myself, Chris and Brian!

And now the video!

I’m still pumped up after a great evening with Zach, Helga, and their amazing friends and family! Can you imagine how amazing a wedding has to be that I pulled myself from a homecoming to be part of it?

Let me lay down the scenario for you: They’re from New Jersey. It seems that if you’re from NJ or NY, partying HARD is in your blood. Nice. Zachary is Armenian and Helga is Portuguese; I was thrilled to hear this as it stretches my knowledge and experience in ethnic weddings.

The first time I talked to Zach and Helga I was STOKED about their song choices. They wanted a club-style wedding with rap, vocal-trance, and a little old school thrown in. This was a few glowsticks short of a rave… my dream come true!

Fast forward to the evening: after a massive heatwave giving us 100º+ heat indexes, Zach and Helga where greeted with a sun-kissed beach with temperatures of 60-70º… WHOA! Is there a better sign of a wedding that was meant to be? NO! The scenery was beautiful and not one drop of sweat fell from anyone there. Could it get any better? Yes, it can! Zach & Helga came up with the perfect dress code: Casual Beach Chic: No tie. No jacket.

The DoubleTree Hotel had the room perfectly laid out sporting the new couples’ chosen colors of orange and white while our uplighting put the perfect finishing touch on the room. Britt McAllister, the photographer (and a great guy to converse with), did an amazing job capturing the beautiful scenery inside and out.

Zach & Helga treated all of us to a wonderful plated dinner of Mahi-Mahi, Chicken Marsalla, or Filet Mignon. I chose the Filet and it was DELICIOUS. We sat by the balcony and enjoyed a cool breeze, good music, Zach’s constant appreciation for our music choices, and a great conversation with fellow vendors and guests.

Once the dancing began, it was non-stop… we mixed in some 80s and Freestyle and the crowd went NUTS. Check out some photos I shot (I’ll add Britt’s soon) as well as an amazing video! They are some of the nicest, most down to earth people I’ve met!

Package Chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• 12 Deep-Orange Uplights

The room looked STUNNING!

The scenery was UNBEATABLE!

Now this is cool.. instead of a guestbook, everyone wrote their names and well wishes on a river rock and placed it in the wishing well. How unique!!!

They even partied outside!!!

My co-DJ Chevy, Zach, Helga, and myself!!

And now you a YouTube video!

Right now Hector and Liset are reading this and smiling ear to ear. You know how I know that? They’ve been reading every single one of A Premier Entertainment’s blogs (Mine and Kelly’s and so forth) and took notes on what they wanted for their own wedding. We’ve become good friends through Facebook and I knew that this would be a wild party by the time they walked in through the door for our final planning meeting!

Located at the Lion’s Eye Center in Ybor, the ceremony was elegant, but totally their style and paved the way for an amazing night to come!

Highlights:

• MARACAS!! (Watch the video)
• I had a heckler… but we got him right back! He was the life of the party.. I think he and Hector are troublemakers, lol.
• Awesome recessional to the wedding. The Lil Jon remix of Suavemente.
• A Puerto Rican and Cuban family mesh— how much crazier can it get?
• Delicious dinner thanks to Michael and his team with Affordable Catering
• A delightful candy bar station compliments of Chanda Janine Ford with Classique Soiree Weddings and Events. (Liset and Hector also won this at a bridal show– LUCKY!!!)

Package Chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator (Liset won a free DJ package through the PWG bridal show!)
• D’Elegance Lighting: Floods and animated centerpiece
• Ceremony System

As the evening progressed, the party only got wilder…. and then the maracas came out! Matt and I had a blast.. and Matt even got out there and danced with the crowd. Check out the amazing photos and video clip below!

The ever-elegant BOSE system with a custom lighting rig on top. My skirt had gone missing… luckily Kelly was at an event half a mile away and had a spare. Do you know how hard it is to make a table skirt for an 8′ table fit a 3′ and still look elegant?

The centerpiece light was run wirelessly from a corner of the room where it’s out of everyone’s sight.

Centerpieces…

Another angle of my system.

Classique Soiree set up an awesome candy bar!

The party begins!

Liset and her son, DJ. He went to JHS’s homecoming dance we performed at!

ARGH!!! I FORGOT TO GET A PHOTO OF ALL 4 OF US.

Check out the video below!!!

A big congrats go out to Collin and Jerrika Aiken!

They wanted to have a PARTY from the beginning the reception started and party they did! The ceremony was moved indoors due to the rain, but that didn’t slow anyone down. Pete (my assistant) and I rearranged certain parts of the room to prep it for the ceremony.

Everything looked beautiful and the rain was just a sign of God’s promise to a new beginning in their lives.

The reception was great, featuring their first dance on clouds using our one of a kind system.

The dance crowd was small, but they danced large! Pete and I had a blast!

Package Chosen:

• Premier (Upgraded to Entertainment Coordinator compliments of APE)
• Custom D’Elegance Lighting Package with Uplights
• Lighted Columns
• Dance on the Clouds

Check out some amazing photos by KC Photography and a video below!

Pete and I by our setup as we clean up our area.

The setup for the head table/ceremony altar!

First dance on clouds… Mr. and Mrs. Aiken look in awe at the stars on the ceiling!

Dancing begins!

Pete, Collin, Jerrika, and myself.

And now a video!

June kicks off the “BEST WEDDINGS EVER!” month!

Almost three years ago I did a wedding for Mr. and Mrs. Acevedo. This promptly led to creating an amazing reception for two more family members: Mr. and Mrs. Santiago. We got along so well that they invited me to their church, New Hope, in Winter Haven, FL. This has been the best decision in my life– I’ve finally found a church I can call home.

Fast forward to yesterday, Matt and Erica came to my office needing the wedding of the century. Knowing their family and friends, very little effort would be needed to accomplish this– and boy was I right. This was a party from the very beginning on out!

The photographer, Danny Cruz (with his son, Brandon) and Tim & Patti (with Storybook Weddings Videography) did an amazing job capturing all the special events. We felt very welcome not only as vendors but as guests by everyone there.

The ceremony was at Victory Church in Lakeland, FL and the reception was at the Lone Palm in Kathleen.

Highlights:

• Harry & Shannon Acevedo’s son, Davin, is 2 years old— he wasn’t even born when I met these two– how time flies!
• Very energetic introduction with a remix of Beegees with Lil Jon, Boom Boom Pow, and Right Round!
• MERENGUE!! NEED I SAY MORE?
• Lots of interaction without bordering on cheesy!
• My wife was there– despite her injured knee, she couldn’t lift anything up, but she handled the music very well! (I love working with her.)

Package Chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• Extra Extra Extra Bass
• Uplights in Pink
• Extra Hour

It truly was a party– check out the many iPhone photos and videos, soon! As soon as I get footage from Tim, I’ll make sure to share it!

My setup… the pink uplights look orange thanks to the iPhone’s cam.

Cocktail hour arrangement… pretty hearty! Ha ha– get it? GET IT?

180+ people!

Preppin’ before guests arrive.

Uplights behind the candy buffet.

A beautiful cake by Karen (from Lakeland).. the tiers were THICK!

Everyone went for the Dove Chocolates!

The limo arrives. As you can imagine, the curb was NOT made for a limo that long to pull up. My eyes tell me this is a Lincoln conversion, judging by the chassis. Either way– it’s absolutely beautiful.

Dancing begins!

Tim, the videographer, getting his roll on!

Erica dancing with Anthony (the ringbearer).

As you can (slightly) tell, the uplights threw a hue of pink around the room!

Tim watching me DJ.

Monica, myself, Erica, and Matt.

And a YouTube video!

Erica & Matt– I wish you both the best! See you in church.. we love you guys!

Christopher contacted me with a simple request: He needed a DJ in Orlando who can cater to the craziness that is a destination wedding. They are hard to plan, as often the bride and groom are not in the States until the week of the wedding. What made A Premier Entertainment – My Dream Reception the perfect choice was the combination of DJs/MCs/even coordination along with a great expertise in Reggae music.

Chris was a really unique client– he’s a DJ as well. As a matter of fact, many of his guests are– NO PRESSURE THERE! He’s worked with such great artists such as Tony Mattehorn and Buju Banton.

The wedding was at the Radisson Celebration in Kissimmee, in the same banquet room as the Greg & Melinda Barned’s wedding.

Photos were taken by Jenny from KC Enterprises (except the very last one)… I know I’m biased saying this, but I love working with KC Enterprises!!

Check out some great photos and videos below!!!

Package chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator

Chevy is helping me prep music for the night. Chevy knows reggae music very well so he and I made a great team!

Susan and Christopher enjoying a delicious meal!

The cake ceremony was done during the wedding itself. This was the delicious desert cake.

iPhone photo: myself, Chris, Susan, Chevall (notice we matched their wedding colors, lol)

And of course, a YouTube video:

This is APE – Pro!’s second year doing a turnkey solution for JW Mitchell High’s awards ceremony titled Night of Excellence. This time we brought out the 14′ screen instead of the 20′ screen for space reasons.

Check out some sweet photos and a quick video clip below!

Package Chosen: Keynote System – Medium

• 14′ Screen
• Dual Live-Video Feed
• Custom PowerPoint
• MC
• Teleprompter System
• Heat-less floods
• Custom Slideshow Presentation
• DJ

Room presentation.

Getting last minute details ready. One computer is to control the entire system, one for the presentation itself, one for music, and the last one controls the camera feeds and video board.

…teachers are getting ready.

Yorkville speakers fill the room with a comfortable volume.

When Greg & Melinda first met with me at our initial sales consult, I knew right away this would be an amazing wedding! She’s Puerto Rican whose family hails from Brooklyn, and Greg’s Jamaican, representin’ Queens. We kept in contact a lot recently through Facebook and I got to learn a lot about them… which helped me create some very exciting and unique introductions for them.

Fast forward to May 16th, Amanda and I are setting up at the beautiful Radisson Resort in Celebration (Kissimee), Florida. The monogram (which was designed by Melinda’s niece) looked beautiful on the dance floor. The draping white swags were glowing with color thanks to our LED floods perched gracefully on top of our BOSE sound system.

Outside, the sun finally hid and the rains stopped to create a slightly breezy, yet warm, warm atmosphere by the gazebo for their ceremony.

Watch the video for some cool clips. I’ve also attached some photos from my iPhone.

Some quick highlights:

• First dance, God Bless the Broken Road, was sung live by close friends. They were amazing!!!
• VERY custom introductions featuring a song for each couple!
• One of a kind monogram designed by family!
• Rumcake!!

Package chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• Ceremony System
• D’Elegance Lighting: Floods Only

The beautiful ceremony!

Hamilton, Melinda’s father, was choked up with joy as he danced with his little girl.

Everyone’s ready to dance.

Myself, Greg, Melinda, and Amanda!

And the video:

James & Alisha created the perfect wedding today! They chose Lake Buena Vista Watersports’s Paradise Cove, which in itself is a beautiful venue…. but we got the opportunity to transform it. Using the in-house swags, we used lights carefully aimed at various sections to color the entire reception area with an Aqua blue (one of their wedding colors) while the swag behind the head table was lit up in their secondary color (pastel pink).

Floating above their heads on the swag was a custom made monogram. This one was very unique as Alisha designed it herself. You really have to see the photos and videos to appreciate how it all turned out. We also had the chance to uplight the beautiful wedding cake made by Custom Cakes by Linda (407.673.0082)… the plexiglass base shone bright!

Next was the décor… it was STUNNING! Alisha’s mom, Suzanne, owns Suzanne Nichols Design Group (www.SuzanneNichols.com) and they did a beautiful job. I was blown away by the creative ideas!

Now, my dear brides & grooms.. Alisha  & James had some GREAT ideas that turn into AMAZING wedding tips. Let’s discuss, shall we?

• Use your surroundings! For the ceremony, the groomsmen arrived on a boat. It was awesome!
• GO ALL OUT! Mr. and Mrs. Borelli added a unique touch by including a white dove release. Some may say “it’s played out” but in all my years of being an MC, this is the second time I’ve seen it done. NICE!
• Design your own monogram! We’ll help you (some DJs won’t… but that’s them, haha)
• Guys– do something romantic and funny! James and his crew sang “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” a la “Top Gun” style!

Oh yes, I have to tell you about the food! Charles Putney, Event Designer of Arthur’s Catering, did an amazing job with the food. He and his staff were amazing to work with and created some AMAZING dishes. My favorite was the Coconut Shrimp! Theirs was the best I’ve had! I’ve work with so many wonderful couples who allow me the honor of partaking in the celebration by sharing dinner with the guests… so I’ve learned a thing or two about good eating… and the shrimp was phenomenal!!

Package chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• Uplighting, Swag Lighting, Pinspot Lighting
• Ceremony System
• Monogram

Look at the photos in the link below and check out a cool YouTube video!

Josh & Jennifer O’Neal had a secret they didn’t tell me: they were BIG partiers! She told me she liked to dance, but she didn’t tell me that she & Josh could kickstart a reception!

The wedding started at the Hollis Gardens in Lakeland, FL. The ceremony was highlighted by two gentleman singing. Nathan sang Kenny Chesney’s Me & You while uncle Roy sang “I Do (Cherish You).” Wow.. they’ve got a set of pipes on them!

As for the reception, the catering was amazing!! Chef Terrie Lobb (who makes exquisite edible treats) reminded me why I love this job.

Fast forward to the reception: the sound was amazing. The Sorosis Building (also known as the Junior League Center) has nothing but wood paneling on the walls. Can you imagine what that does to the already-rich sound of my BOSE system? Oh yes, sound was at a perfection. The acoustic panels guaranteed NO echo or harmful reverb.

You have to check out the video located in the break below. Jenny, with KC Enterprises Photography, did a great job with the photos as always!

Highlights of the day:

• Great singing during ceremony
• The grandfather being the life of the party
• Everyone dancing to Soul Man
• The ending song

Package chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• Ceremony System
• Monogram

So check out the photos and videos at the link below! Leave a comment if you enjoy what you saw, please!

Ceremony was beautiful!

The amazing BOSE sound system provided enough sound without pulling away from the beauty that is the Hollis Gardens.

Grand Entrance– very unique!

Terrie Lobb’s amazing display. The palm tree is made from shrimp! MMmmm….

Each table was elegantly laid out….

Our system was cleverly hidden using plants that Jen & Josh provided. The sound was NOT affected!

The monogram!

Wiki-wiki-ing!

Dancing would not stop!!

Derek, my assistant, always does a great job coordinating and keeping an eye on the technical things while I focus on the music.

This, too, can be your DJ! lol

Don’t get me wrong– it’s never “all about the DJ” but who doesn’t like photos of cool equipment?

An overall view of the room before the party started.

This gentleman here was the life of the party! I hope I can be that full of energy when I’m his age. He really made the night!!

He did a great job doing the worm!

Josh shares some special father/son time. His son was adorable and was fascinated by the DJ equipment. I gave him one of my LED lights that we use as flashlights.

More dancing!

A great bouquet catch!

And now.. the replacement.

Bob, the videographer, was invited to enjoy some of the most delicious groom’s cake we’ve tasted!

Yes.. we were rockin’ out hard!

Monogram up close.

Myself, Jennifer, Josh, and Derek (his DJ name is now DJ Dent… long story, haha).
Check out the video below!!!

Have I told you guys how much I love Lake Ashton? Well in case I haven’t– you’ll hear all about it again!

Kristen came to us wanting an elegant lighting package; she was very worried that the lights would make her reception look like a nightclub. After she saw the D’elegance lighting setup, she knew that would never be the problem. The lights were set up so discreetly, you could barely see them until they were turned on!

They chose their uplights to be solid white, to keep the contrast at a minimum and have the centerpieces pop out a little bit more.

To make a long story short, this crowd knew how to party… they danced the entire time.. even as they were walking out for the grand exit!

As usual, were did the ceremony as well for Lake Ashton. Aside from the music, we coordinated the entire thing, so Kristen and Bobby were able to enjoy their own special day.

You have to click below to check out some awesome photos from the wedding, provided by the best photographer known to weddings: KC Enterprises. I’ll post their blog up, soon!

Package chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• Ceremony System
• Static Uplights: White
• D’Elegance Lights: Custom

The ballroom, notice how you can barely see the speakers and the light show on either side of the stage.

The lights in action!

Cupid Shuffle!

My wife, Monica, and the photographer, Jenny, from KC Enterprises photography!

And alas, an AWESOME video!

I absolutely love Lake Ashton… the food and service are stellar. It’s even better when you have AMAZING weather and the bride and groom are the best people to work with. Yup… this wedding went VERY well.

Christine and Blake wanted to have a good time… whether people danced or not wasn’t their main concern as much as it was making sure that everyone left with a smile on their face.

My wife and I enjoyed setting up, there was a member of Lake Ashton practicing for the talent show… he blessed us with his talents on the piano playing songs from Van Halen’s “Jump” to Queen to Disney… for the first time ever, I asked for a request!

The emotion flowed through Lake Ashton during the ceremony, Christine and her father, Davis, were so excited that they shared tears of joy before David escorted his little girl down the aisle.

The reception was  a blast! The photographer, Sofia (http://www.PhotographyBySofia.com), was a lot of fun to work with and I hope to be sharing some of her photos here soon! Christine and Blake worked really hard to plan their special day to make sure their guests felt special, too… and I think they achieved that goal!

The uplighting was awesome… we designed it to change colors throughout the evening…. during dinner, they alternated between their wedding colors.
Check out some great iPhone photos as well as a cool YouTube video. The lighting setup was elegant (no trussing, no ugly tripods, but it flooded the room with color… even the uplighting changed color according to mood!)…. YouTube doesn’t do a great job of keeping the video as bright as it was originally, so click the HQ to see a better quality video.

Package chosen:

Entertainment Coordinator

Colorchanging Uplighting

Light Columns

Dance Under the Stars

D’Elegance Lighting

Ceremony System/Coordination

What better a way to end this busy week than a GREAT afternoon wedding?

Celebrating their ceremony and reception in the cozy Kennilworth Lodge, Abraham and Roxie knew exactly what kind of ceremony they wanted… even before we met!

Choosing many traditional things, they still wanted to add their own spin on things. For example, Roxie isn’t a big fan of cake so instead they opted for a cheesecake and dessert quiche buffet… it was DELICIOUS! Not to mention that all the food was provided by Simply Trish… Trish’s food is amazing!

Another unique touch was the open bar’s selections… the menu of drinks were laid out under the traditional “something new, something blue, something borrowed” phrase seen at many weddings.

I’ve posted my iPhone photos, but will soon post up the photos given to us by Kurz Studios.. they were great to work with and took some great shots!
(http://kurzstudiophotography.com)

Derek, my DJ, and I never laughed harder than at the beginning of the wedding…. we saw two grandmothers chatting to each other as they sat in their wheelchairs waiting for the ceremony room to open. One of them looked up and asked “Do you want to drag?”

That made my day.

The crowd was awesome and they were ready to dance… which was awesome, especially for an afternoon wedding. Enjoy iPhone pics and videos below!

Package chosen:

Entertainment Coordinator w/Bi-Lingual DJ
Ceremony System

Field trip for all of us! Kelly (MC) and myself (DJ) drove to the Leu Gardens with KC Enterprises Photography. Kevin and Jessica Hallmark were a unique couple who knew exactly what they wanted…. they were so busy they couldn’t give us a playlist of their favorite songs. It’s no big deal because we knew how to read the crowd… Kevin complimented us right away on the fact that we played all his favorite songs and not once did he have to request any one!

Karaoke was a big plus here as several of them sang unique songs: Manson, Bjork, Gin n Juice… you name it!

They also started the dance floor with the Time Warp and we did amount of swing music. I loved it! I’ve attached some photos below. I will post KC Enterprises’ blog later so you can check it out as well!

Oops, forgot to mention: the Leu gardens have little signs that identify each flower. Kelly took a photo of a sign and I Photoshopped it on the spot with Kevin & Jessica’s names. As guests walked in to see photos from the ceremony appear instantly on the big screen during the reception, they were surprised with the following graphic in between slide shows!

Package Chosen:

* Entertainment Coordinator
* Slideshow
* Live photo feed
* Music videos

Wow! Ceremonies couldn’t turn out more beautiful than today! Not a single cloud in the sky… the beach was PERFECT, sun was warm and well, sunny… and it was only 70*!!!! WOW! I love it!

Everything was beautiful outside. Tom & Julie chose Jimmy Buffet’s Brown Eyed Girl to start off the processional.. what a perfect way to complement the beautiful scenery at St. Petersburg beach!

The reception was held in the B-E-A-utiful Tradewinds Hotel (where the food was amazing!) right in front of the beach. Tom and Julie opted for our popular Entertainment Coordinator package and chose under-table lighting as well as the Starfield.

Halfway into the dancing, Tom had made the comment that he would go back and get some dance floor lighting because the house lights were either too bright or too dark (the Staff was very accommodating though and great to work with)… so we took two of our backup uplights and aimed at the ceiling.

See, our uplights are LED-based, so we put them on music-trigger and the entire ceiling was glowing to the beat of the music. Since the ceiling is white, the lights reflected onto the dance floor. IT WORKED!

I worked with a GREAT photographer, Greg Spivey. Check out his website here http://www.amasterimage.com/

And the coordinator, Meghan Campbell, did a great job working with everyone and keeping us in check! http://www.dreamdayproductions.com you can also read her blog here: http://www.dreamdayproductions.blogspot.com/

Greg will be emailing me some photos, so I will post those up.. until then, enjoy iPhone-pics and some video footage as well!

Ceremony photos.

We lit up some of the tables with a deep red. The phone’s camera throws it off to an orange color… but believe me when I say it was CHERRY RED.

The setup, featuring the BOSE. Screen was provided by a guest.. we use Rear Projection screens.

Even in the middle of the day you can see how bright the tables are!

“Sand Castle” cake. SWEET!

You can see the stars!

My other DJ, Matt (very energetic!), Julie, Tom, yours truly.

Now, how about the video?  :)

LIbby & Jess were a pleasure to work with and I enjoyed every bit of it– despite the rain! Even though it dumped all over the equipment for the ceremony, it still worked (thank God!) for the entire evening. We had a large setup in a tent with over 200 people.. so we had to make good use of the room we had! These people were here to PARTY… The entire celebration lasted over 8 hours!

Lights Transformed their Tent

Here’s some highlights:

* We did a Jeopardy-style game show.

* White trussing lit up to match the wedding colors

* BOSE Sound System

* Uplights

* Live Video Camera

* Starfield!

Libby & Jess wanted this to be a casual-style wedding, and requested I don’t wear slacks or a tie. So I came in dress jeans and a coat jacket. During the game show, I got to put on my “Gameshow Host Jacket.” Absolute cheese, but everyone loved it!

So check out the pics by clicking below! The first 9 are from a Alex Gilliard, an amazing photographer! Check him out at AlexGilliard.com

The rest of the pics were taken on my iPhone… and of course a video!

Gotta love it when someone answers a question 1/2 right and “judges” have to make a call. There’s my assistant, Derek.

“I’ll take ‘Before the Wedding’ for $300″

Got it right!

“She Cheated!”

An amazing shot from Alex. The lighting REALLY transformed the tent!

Teaching line dances… with a stupid look on Derek and my faces. We were still waiting for the cold front to come in. It was around 80*+ in there.

Everyone was singing along… Derek had to open a crack on the tent to let some cool air in.

Someone requested Tom Jones’s “Not Unusual”

Here’s the place on the way in… 2000+ acres. We saw deer on the way back!

No, the house isn’t tilted.. just a windshield refracting side effect.

Uplights, LED floods, video screen (only place we could put it) and the starfield!

This cute lil’ guy was chasing the lights the entire time. We had fun controlling them as he chased them around the room.

Dance!!

Ok.. the last two pics need some explanation. We were way out in the beautiful country in Hardee County. They rented porta-potties as the rest rooms. These always amuse me because people write clever (sometimes) sayings on the walls. Whoever rented this before wins hands down. Check out the writing next to the urinal.

“This way to Mexico”

I’m not sure why, but that’s the funniest thing ever!!!

And now, video!

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WOW! I left this wedding energized. Allison and Jeremy should’ve warned me how energetic their family and friends are! We had so much fun, I wish I could’ve uploaded ALL the footage.

The videos are a MUST-SEE! Jeremy is a huge Gators fan, and it shows in the first dance!

You’ll love the videos, too.. including where they sing “Chapel of Love” while counting down to the special video the newlyweds made of various photos.

The photos are a combination of iPhone photos and RAW ones from our photographer. I also hijacked a camera and shot some from the balcony (no flash) with a fisheye lens… then Jenny (our photographer) got some great balcony shots while I helped her pose everyone downstairs!

The location was at the BEAUTIFUL Lake Wales Art Center. It used to be a church, but it remains just as beautiful!

JUST WOW!

Check it out below!!

Photos may be out of order– sorry.

Ceremony

Our setup

My assistant, Kyle, and I.

Reception

Myself, Jeremy, Allison, Kyle
And now videos!

You’ll love both, but mostly the second one.. especially the Rick Roll!

Part deux:

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This was a unique ceremony from the moment it started, and my wife and I enjoyed every minute of it. Even the dance floor setup was different than we’ve ever done here at the Magnolia Building in Lakeland, Florida.

The bouquet toss was supposed to be “rigged” so the maid of honor would catch it, however things took their own twist and we all played right along!

While it was a small dancing crowd, it didn’t stop them from going wild.

Our beautiful white trussing was lit with their wedding colors. Call me at 863.324.7333 and I can give you a live demo!

Check out pictures and a FUN video at the break!

Announcements.. and I think I swallowed a fly, lol.

Gorgeous cake!

Blisslight was underneath the skirt and later focused on the cake. Green and pink were the wedding colors, so it fit very well!

Is our photographer amazing or WHAT?!

And now, event pics!

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Photos with them… go figure! The only photo that wasn’t blurry was the one where I didn’t smile. Our photographer’s time was way up by then, so here comes the iPhone to the rescue.

Contrary to this photo, I was energized and ready to keep partying!

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VLOG!

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This wedding was amazing.. besides the fact that Tiffany was an easygoing bride who had total confidence in her vendors, Gary served in the military. I feel privileged anytime I get to perform as an MC for those who fight for our rights and freedoms.

I watched a preview of the wedding video from Storybook Weddings Storybookweddings.tv Tiffany and Gary’s friends are HILARIOUS! This wedding reminded me why I got into this business to begin with! It’s about having FUN!

We worked with Linda Horn and Jodee Furlong of Beautiful Beginnings. This certainly wasn’t the first time and won’t be the last. We were at Lake Ashton in Lake Wales… the menu was amazing! We had Chicken Cordon Bleu, Prime Rib (which is to DIE for), Pasta Bar, Potatoes Au Gratin, Fondue, and a Spring Vegetable Medley with a delicious side of freshly baked bread.

Mmm.

We created some VERY VERY custom introductions… so there’s LOTS of pics and LOTS of video– check it out after the break.

DISCLAIMER: Photos were taken with my iPhone and a discreet video camera. I apologize for the lack of quality, but I am a DJ… not a photographer or videographer. My focus remains on the event, but I wanted to get some footage to remember the event by and to share with you.

Setup.

Table Setup.

Uplighting.

Dancing

Me.

My wife.

The photo of the couple with her and I will come in soon.. the photographer is supposed to mail it to me soon (she took it since my phone died).
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Now for videos!

Part 1: Setup and Intro

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Part 2: Intro of B&G, Dinner, Father Daughter Dance, Mother Son Dance

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Part 3: Bouquet & Garter Toss

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Part 4: Dancing!