Eddie and Amber saw us TWO years ago at a bridal show and said “we HAVE to have you… and the BOSE… and that sub!” They are a young, Christian, enthusiastic couple who had MANY ideas about an exciting New Year’s Eve wedding celebration with their closest friends and family.

So the challenge? The location was a church gym; A gym with a balcony that allowed some of the lighting to have a higher vantage point.

The easy part? I worked with Joette from Party People Celebration Company and Marilyn with Flowers by Marilyn. EASY WORK! These two ladies, coupled with Monica (my lead lighting designer) and Derek (senior tech) made the gym transformation super easy. I promise you won’t even recognize that it’s a gym!

Oh yeah, and there was a WICKED COOL balloon drop!!

So what did the lighting include?

• Well, we had 4 totems around the dance floor lit in a cool white (camera didn’t show it as cool) with a moving head on top of each one.
• Baby blue uplights adorned the entire room, even warming up the swag and drapes that Joette set up
• White trussing held scanners (which were used as spotlights), special requested effects lights, and dance floor floods. Trussing was lit up in wedding colors.
• The balcony held two leikos which projected a really nice pattern on the wall. The pattern rotated super slowly!
• The balcony also held floods which lit the entire area where the tables were placed. A couple of blacklights gave the white décor a very subtle pop. We didn’t want to saturate it.
• Blue and green stars grazed the area between the balloon drops.
• A blue liquid sky made a special appearance that transformed this beautiful wedding into a chic night club!

LOTS of beautiful pics and three videos… two timelapses and an event recap! What an AMAZING New Year’s Eve!!!!!!!

Oh yes, and a Snap Yourself Silly Photobooth added to the perfect ambiance!!!

First time lapse (from up high):

Second time lapse (floor level):

And the event itself!

Aside from being an awesomely awesome couple, Marissa and Ensor’s friends and family were just as epic. With a beautiful ceremony outside by the Bok Tower followed by another great reception at the Visitor Center.

I’ve done weddings for people from New Jersey, and that meant pure craziness.
I’ve done parties for hair stylists, and that meant pure craziness.

Since Marissa and Ensor have both qualities, we have Pure Craziness Squared.

Basically, it was a lot of fun, as one can tell from the photos and videos. Speaking of, check them out below!
You’ll note the uplighting, dance floor lighting, monogram, and our texture ceiling wash!

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!!

Cameron and Courtney are one fun couple– and their guests proved to be in the same mindset. The wedding started off with a lot of energy and ended just as upbeat.

The ceremony worried Sagar and I, as the weather pulled through and was clear (and overcast, yay) just long enough for the ceremony and photos to occur. Luckily, the storms ended about 30 minutes before the ceremony began. *whew*

The reception itself was a blast, as I got to play quite a few songs that are on my personal favorites list, including Cheap Trick’s “I Want You To Want Me.” Their first dance, Lady A’s I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, is also one of my favorite songs. Check out the video to see more!

We did the blindfold bait ‘n’switch garter replacement, per their request (these are always fun), but no one expected the switchee’s pants to come off– LOL!

The Magnolia building was well lit with our standard light show and also adorned with our laser starfield. Check out the photos and video clip below!

What an amazing reception! Kelly MC’d this one while I handle DJ duties (like the last two times) and the energy was intense!

To start things right, the location was Eaglebrooke which is always amazing. The crab-stuffed shrimp was amazing! The lakeland-based club was adorned with our uplighting, dance floor lighting, and monogram. Working with Tim Hicklin of Storybook Weddings, Kelly Day Photography, and Sassy Soiree made the night go ultra-smooth!

The music itself was very upbeat and I had a blast mixing all sorts of genres.. check out the video and photos to see what I mean!

And the video.. you can watch it in HD right on my blog now!

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!

Another small dance group, but they were a lot of fun; as you can tell, they danced non-stop! The location was the Omni Resort in Championsgate, Florida. This hotel ALWAYS does a great job making every vendor feel important and doing ANYTHING possible to help out with the event. Combine that with an amazing front of house service and some of the BEST food in Orlando and you have a top-notch venue for events.

The group requested all kinds of music, but responded the most to southern crunk, snap, and booty music.

Simply put, I had a blast! Check out the photos and video below. You’ll see a rotating projected logo, basic lighting, and karaoke!

Watch in HD!

What happens when you take our popular Video Explosion package used for homecomings and proms and modify it for a Sweet 16 to blow out all Sweet 16s?

Let’s talk about the decorations- beautiful! All done by Jillian’s mom, Judy. Judy gave us a very detailed planner that was beyond professional. All the vendors were impressed by her thoroughly thought-out planning! Speaking of vendors, the Embassy Suites on International drive couldn’t have been more accommodating. Monica and I were beyond impressed by all the work they put in to make things easy for us and the client. If you’re looking for a Sweet 16/wedding hall in Orlando– this is THE place!

We brought out lighting; uplighting; dance on the clouds; projected stars with our Source 4s; monogram; uplighting; table lighting; a 12′ video screen for music videos, custom videos, and photos; and of course, a crazy amount of bass. The entire hotel could hear the bass rattle so we had to keep the bass down, haha.

The choreographer, Billy, was incredibly easy to work with and adapted his ideas and work with some last-minute changes and ideas for lighting. The overall production was very VERY sharp!

Check out the photos I took below as well as three video clips. The first video is the custom video we did for Jillian’s grand entrance; the second video was shoutouts from her friends and a couple music artists; the third video is the event log!

Amazing stuff! Check it out!!

Shortly after we calle Jillian’s court in, the lights dimmed and all attention was focused on the screen.. check out her CUSTOM intro I made to hype everyone up before she walked in!

Watch in HD!

Next video shows some special shoutouts played on the big screen at Jillian’s Birthday from her friends… and a few music artists too:
Acafool, from the hot track Hatablockas.
TREAL (Not Locked Down, Swag On, Spaceship)
Thrill da Playa (With the 69 Boyz, makers of Tootsee Roll, Kitty Kitty… helped with C’Mon Ride the Train, Whoot There It Is, Space Jam)
And another shoutout from Cupid from the world-famous Cupid Shuffle!

Watch in HD!

And the event log!

Watch in HD!

The ARC foundation caters to adults with mental disabilities.

I love doing parties for these kinds of organizations.. they’re the nicest people and dance to EVERYTHING you play. Lots of high-energy songs were played, and about 1-2 minutes of each to keep their interest piqued. Along with an amazing sound system, we also brought uplights to complement their fall theme, projected their logo onto the wall (We use REAL Source-4 projectors and not LEDs), and also provided a Snap Yourself Silly Photobooth.

Check out the amazing photos and video below! Christina and I had such a blast!

Watch in HD!

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!

I was told not to expect much dancing as Efrain and Altagracia (they call her Tita) were not big dancers. Hmm… bummer. A nice big crowd of an all Puerto Rican family and no dancing? That’s not how my events go!

Sure enough… things changed. Kyle and I were busy on both fronts. Kyle manned the SnapYourselfSilly Photobooth while I DJed an ever-growing dance floor! The monogram was boldly displayed in the front near the head table!

And Tita and Efrain? They danced ALL NIGHT!

See? Events are living, breathing things: you’ll NEVER know how they’ll wind up!

Click below for photos and video!

Chris and Bridgette Waters were a lot of fun– it breaks down to being that simple. If you’re a baseball fan, you may recognize his name as he plays for the Orioles– but they were the most modest down-to-earth people you could meet. They just wanted to have a good time.

Now, I’ve been at the Peggy Brown Building in Lakeland HUNDREDS of times, even had my own wedding there, but the place has never looked as good as it did that night- thanks in part to Flowers by Marilyn. Marilyn and Bill did an amazing job with the  swags, linens, and head-table backdrop.

Michelle and Rachel with R&M Photography were not only incredibly fun to work with, but they also set up a backdrop in the foyer for guests to get family portraits taken and printed on the spot, compliments of Chris and Bridgette.

Check out some great iPhone photos and video below!

You can see our uplights highlighting the room, even in broad daylight!

Our simple “4Bar” light show flooded the Peggy Brown building and lit up the beautiful swag!

First dance. Check out the amazing monogram!

RIght in front is my brother-in-law, Nate, and his girlfriend Angela… turns out Nate went to school with Chris– small world!

Myself, Chris, and Bridgette!

And a video… I’m done with YouTube.. I’ll be using Facebook.

Sing Along, you ask? Watch the video and you’ll see what I am talking about!

Alan & Sheri George are an amazing couple– the only thing that could’ve topped this wedding was… well… um… I don’t know! As Pete and I were watching everyone have the time of their lives, singing along to every song I played, we both asked the same question: Where do I begin on this blog?? So much coolness happened, so I’ll describe everything one piece at a time.

Location: Eaglebrooke Golf & Country Club in Lakeland, Florida.
Food: DELICIOUS!!!!!
Cake Decorator: Piece of Cake by Maggie– it, too, was delicious!
Flowers: Not sure, but he did a GREAT JOB!!!
Photographer: Jenny from KC Photography. Who else?

Sheri and her family: She’s from New Jersey – they wanted 80s, freestyle, 90s, and top 40.. oh yes.. and TECHNO!!!!
Alan and his family: They’re from Texas– lots of country, rock, and 70s-80s.
Both of them: a non-stop party. At no point did the floor clear. It was crazy how they sang along to everytune!!!!!

Dinner:  I can still taste the mashed potatoes..mmmmMMMMmm. The Centerpiece Giveaway Game and the Alan & Sheri Jeopardy game were a hit!!!
Game Show: It went great! Categories where: Dating Life, Curious Georges, Alan Wrenches, My Sheri Amour, Wild Card

Dancing: A HUGE PARTY!!!! WOW! This video goes by quick because there’s only 15 second long clips… every song seemed to get them pumped up!!! They crowded around the TVs and danced while watching the music videos!

In summary: IT ROCKED!!!! You must watch the video!

Package Chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• D’Elegance Lights (Monogram,  Uplights [pink, yellow, and orange], dance floor lighting)
• D’Elegance Video with Music Videos, Slideshows, and the Game Show System

Check out the photos and video! Note: Photos were taken by KC Photography. However, they didn’t edit these… I played around in LightRoom until I get the final product from Jenny!

The setup…. Pete is getting some last minute details ready!

Bryant says the prayer. You can see the screen behind him with a custom graphic!

The game show is about to begin… the buzzers light up!

The game show begins! Guests laugh at the custom questions full of inside jokes!

The categories made everyone laugh!

“What’s that answer again…?”

“Oh… THAT’s the answer?”

Alan preps for a high energy garter toss!

Wait– isn’t it cheating if the Replacements are engaged???

Guests all focus on the excitement in the middle of the floor.. except for the guy in the red shirt, lol!

And now dancing!!!

The monogram! Sheri describes it as this: “We like it a lot! We decided it doesn’t stand for ‘Alan’ ‘George’ ‘Sheri’… it stands for Arnoldo’s Got Skills! Thanks again.”

Taken with my camera…

Pete, Alan, Sheri and myself.

And finally… a YouTube video!

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!

What an amazing wedding! I was the DJ whereas Kelly MC’d. (His blog can be found by clicking here.

The wedding was held outside Kayley’s father’s house in a huge tent in Avon Park, FL. The location was beautiful… what once was a steep hill was paved to a nice flat area with fresh sod to hold 400+ friends and family.

The coordinator, Gini Beth (http://www.ginibethsweddingsandmore.com), did an amazing job putting everything together.

This was definetly a country crowd who enjoyed hits such as I’m a Cowboy, Amarillo by Morning, Cowboys Like Us, Copperheard Road, and many other hits.

A few things Mr. and Mrs. Cobb did that are great wedding tips!

• When having your reception outdoors, make sure the DJ/band has plenty of room and coverage from the sun & wind
• PortaPotties are NOT fun. Consider renting a “trailer restroom” like they did. Spacious, air conditioned, and has working plumbing!
• Purified Water available! (Especially tasty when tap water may come from a well)
• Match your surroundings! They chose a nice green to match the grass and flora surrounding the house.
• DJ in front of dance floor. Yes! NO ONE SAT IN FRONT OF THE SPEAKERS!

Check out the great photos provided by Alex Gilliard as well as some stolen (again) from Kelly’s blog. Alex’s photos are watermarked so you can tell which ones are his. Be sure to stop by his blog and check out even more photos!

There’s also a GREAT video!

Oh yes, and there’s one more thing…. with 400 people, Kelly and I wanted to try a new speaker arrangement, so we brought out BOTH of our BOSE systems. Can you imagine a wedding with $10,000 just in speakers filling the room with rich BOSE sound?

Package Chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• Extra BOSE system (compliments of A Premier Entertainment
• Monogram

Again, pictures & video below!!

2 Pairs of BOSE systems =  $10,000.

















And below is a GREAT 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!!!

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

Kyle MCed this wedding and I let loose DJing tonight! WOW am I still pumped up! The energy was through the room from the moment we walked in those doors. It was a beautiful sunny, yet breezy day at the Hollis Gardens and Magnolia building.

I really wish we shot more video because the crowd really turned this wedding into a night club… well, nightclubs WISH they could turn into this wedding. Mixing the hottest music remixed to house/break beats, the floor wouldn’t stop moving.

I want to focus on this picture for a minute:

What do you notice? Look how elegant the DJ setup is. Megan and Jesse wanted the head table in front of the stage with us behind them… they were confident that our setup would be clean and discreet so their photos would not be ruined. The small-footprint lightshow is part of our new D’Elegance series and has JUST AS BIG AN IMPACT as our normal light shows. Look how elegant it sits on top of the 4″ thick BOSE speakers.

The uplighting changed colors throughout the evening and was synchronized to the music and mood.

Package Chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• D’Elegance Lighting (Dance Floor Lights, Monogram, Static Uplights)
• Upgraded static uplights to color-changing, wireless uplights
• Reception Under the Stars
• Ceremony System

Check out some GREAT photos taken by KC Enterprises. www.polkphoto.com. Their blog should be up soon with even more photos from one of the crunkest weddings I’ve been to.

Oh yes, and a great video, too!

Click below!

If God ever chose a personal chef for Heaven, the Hilton Resort in Lakeland, FL would be a strong contender. The food was amazing…. and even better than the food was the service… and even better than the service was Jason and Pamela Todd. First off, anybody that has fun to Lil Wayne’s Got Money remixed live to the NFL intro song shows the sign of a really fun couple. The moment we opened the dance floor up, Jason was out there having a blast and his wife soon joined. Keeping the floor packed was NO problem at all.

I love couples like these: fun, easygoing, and the kind that just want to enjoy their reception. (If that sounds like you, call me at 863.324.7333 so we can discuss YOUR party).

I did not MC this party though. Kyle Davis (www.DJKyleDavis.com <– his blog) did the MCing and half of the DJing. I tagged along and naturally brought my system. Jason nor Pam complained about the free upgrade to the BOSE system. (In the photos, you can barely see the monogram projector elegantly rigged on top).

We left from that wedding pumped up– so many weddings in 2008 were a blast, and I am so glad to see 2009 will continue that trend.

Check out the video by clicking below. No pics? OH NO! My iPhone ran out of battery.

The thoughts below were posted on a popular DJ forum, and I wanted to share this with you. Sadly, some DJs disagree with what I wrote below, believing that they have little impact on your wedding day. These are the DJs you don’t want to risk for your wedding. 

Whether you choose us or another entertainer, ask him/her if they know the impact they have on your wedding reception.

Ask them for examples! When I was asked for mine, I wrote the following… click the link.

This has been said MANY many times before by notable speakers/entertainer such as Mark Ferrel, Bryan Dodge, Randy Bartlett and Bill Herman. However, I want to bring this up because after some reflection into this, it always forces me to keep my shows fresh, never get tired of this, and always remember why I do what I do.

You’re NOT a DJ, MC, coordinator, lighting tech, A/V tech, etc. You’re an entertainer. This definition encompasses the aforementioned duties into one. Yes, we know it is our job to make sure all the guests are entertained and to give the bride and groom a night to remember. Heck, this sales pitch has been beaten against the wall so many times I have clients reciting it back to us!

Put some thought into it— do you REALLY know how many lives you are touching? Are you aware that NOTHING in that night will create the emotion that your talent can? Do you realize that no other vendor has the RESPONSIBILITY of turning that wedding into the most beautiful night imaginable or the biggest nightmare that a human mind can skew?

The counter-argument has always been that the love the bride and groom share and the emotions their loved ones share is more than plenty, all the DJ has to do is work with them. NO NO NO! Sure, there’s quite a bit of emotion between the bride and groom… but there’s also stress, maybe even arguments. Perhaps the family got into a fight about the color of the dresses? Perhaps some guests came in a crappy mood because someone got laid off the night before the wedding.

No, this isn’t a worst-case scenario– this is REAL LIFE. It is OUR job as entertainers to juice out all the positive emotion and use our GOD-GIVEN talents to void any negative energy. It doesn’t have to require a dynamic personality. It takes charm. It doesn’t take a 160 IQ. It takes attention to details big and SMALL. It takes skill. It takes timing.

Moreover, emotion is truly enhanced with music. Well, duh, everyone says this… but do you REALLY grasp this concept? What would your favorite movie be without music?

Still not convinced? Make yourself a sandwich and watch the next two videos. You must watch the WHOLE THING to get my point.

VIDEO 1:

VIDEO 2:

The same footage was used for both videos. But why are they SO different? Why was the first video completely void of any REAL emotion while the second video generated anticipation, excitement, and that “warm fuzzy” feeling?

Let’s look at the first video:

The music choice was completely wrong. This may seem obvious, but you need to keep this in mind for EVERY SONG you pick. Ask yourself: WHY did you pick this song? WILL this song enhance the emotion of the night? CAN this song create a dramatic timing? The song choices in the first video didn’t fit the event at all. You could see everyone getting ready, you can see anticipation in their faces… YET the music made it seem like “Benny Hill Attends a Rave.” Sure, some things fit well, but not enough to get over that ICK feeling.

You might not be able to explain it… but you can SENSE the music is wrong. Remember, if your gut says DON’T PICK THIS SONG, don’t even argue it.

*Dance floor is completely different since I doubt LOW or AYER would create ANY emotion except BOOTY MUSIC TIME!

Timing is KEY! The first video has NO timing at all, whereas the second video has the song choices timed in carefully! Each clip is timed to the beat of the music. While this isn’t possible in real life… you should get the point.

Attention to details. The first video has NO fades.. just a sudden stop for the music. I hope every DJ here at least fades (if not beatmix)… but some DJs (uncles with an iPod, lol) don’t. The reason I bring this up is not to talk about fading, but how such a small detail as moving a fader two inches will impact the emotion of the night.

Now with this in mind… how do YOU create emotion? How do YOU envoke the mood? No one ever cries because the DJ just made a nasty comment during a garter removal but then smiles because the cake matched the wedding colors. The cake, food, decorations, and everything else are important…. but they are TOOLS for the entertainer to use to create that emotion.

Now think about your introductions and announcements. Are they the same every time? If so, it’s not always bad… as long as you can put a twist on the outcome to create that emotion. Many of my clients watch my videos and want something done just like it was performed in the video. This can put me in a routine… which is why I try to pay attention to the SMALL DETAILS to really enhance the night.

When the first dance begins, or the father and daughter dance is in place, do people cry with emotion? Are cameras out and flashing? Is everyone’s focus on the B&G or the bride and her father? Whether or not you utilize the love story, custom introductions, improvisational techniques, lighting, video, custom soundtracks, etc…. you CREATE this emotion. You fabricated this call and response with the audience!

You are the entertainer. You are changing peoples lives on this day. You are creating memories that will last BEYOND a lifetime (since photos and video are forever). You are the reason people will know when to laugh, cry, clap their hands, and dance.

When these emotions don’t flourish how you want envisioned it in your mind, do you think: “I could’ve done this better?”

So. Do YOU get what you do?

(Think about this before your next gig and tell me how nervous you get, lol… with this post, I’m not saying I’m perfect…. these are just reflections I have based on what I learn)

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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!

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What can I say about this wedding? I was BORN to do these… Stephen is from Puerto Rico and Monique is from Jamaica.

How many guests? 250+!

The wedding started amazingly, with guests dancing during the intro! Everythin was perfect– we went overtime, of course. I got to play some amazing reggae, soca, and calypso hits that I haven’t played in a while, as well as classic goodies and the best merengue and salsa you can imagine!

Some great hits of the night:

Tiney Winey, Dollar Wine, Follow Da Leader, Signal Di Plane, Baile del Beeper, Mississippi Slide, Double Dutch Bus, Fresh (Kool and the Gang), Parliament’s Flashlight.

Some cool things they had: Rum Cake, a Coffee “bar”, and Marble Slab ice cream “buffet”

Unfortunately their cake never showed up, however Publix Supermarket created a beautiful cake last minute!

This was at the Polo Grill in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. I bought a basic lighting backage, uplights, and monogram. The pictures and video do no justice on how big (and bright) the monogram was.

Click the break below to see photos and video!!!

Room with uplighting around.. again, the pics do no justice.

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Setup

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Marble Slab ice cream buffet.

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THE PARTY!!

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Monica (my wife and coordinator), Monique (Bride), Stephen (Groom), and myself.

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Vlog!

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Cody & Kristen Guengrich.

They’re a wonderful couple with a family that “gets it!” What I mean by “gets it” is that all eyes were on Cody and Kristen. No side conversations, no eyes astray; the entire focus was dead-on the new couple.

You can’t get energy like that anywhere else but a wedding.

They were a real participative family… I really wish I had a video of the intro. The energy level was through the roof. The uncle sang Frank Sinatra’s Way You Look Tonight and he was DEAD ON. Awesome performance…

The best part? It was at Lake Ashton Golf & Country Club.. amazing venue with amazing service (and great food!)

I also learned an important lesson about the iPhone, you’ll see it in a minute.

Click the break below to see photos!!!

The system looks real obvious from here, but it was hidden from everyone else. This is what Geminis are good for… a quick ceremony system with an on-board mixer. Normally I use the BOSE, but setup would not allow it.

Large-scale chess pieces and the rest of the lake.

Ceremony view from my spot. My wife and I coordinated via bluetooth headsets. She was dismissing the bridesmaids as I did music. Using the headsets looked nicer than having a cellphone attached to our head. Haha.

Half of the room before guests came in.

Sweetheart table and cake table. Cake was made by It’s a Piece of Cake by Maggie. She’s a local vendor celebrity here– her cakes are amazing and set the standard in our county.

My setup BEFORE cleanup.

Slideshow…

Monogram in the middle of the day… still visible.

First dance.. all eyes on Cody and Kristen.

Monogram at sundown….

…and at night.

So we were invited to eat. And apparently you do not touch the iPhone lens with greasy hands. The lens gets smudgier than the screen.

See?

First slow song of the evening.

Electric slide.

Wiki-wiki-ing.

Cupid Shuffle…

And yes! The Train!

W00t!

We went longer than expected.. some of the older guests left. However the rest that stayed had a great time! 50s and 80s music went great! We even played some newer stuff such as Low and Don’t Stop the Music.

Last dance…

Myself, my wife (Monica), Kristen, Cody.

Monica hurt her foot as did I… not sure how.. but we smiled.

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Cody reminds me of Michael Buble, he has a slight resemblance… both of them were sweet people and I wish them nothing but the best!!

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Great wedding! He’s Greek, she’s Mexican and they needed a careful balance of traditions.

We started with some Carpathian music and started the lead dances as well as family traditions… We had fun and they danced the entire night! We had fun with Cumbias, Huapangos, Tejano, etc!

Click the break below to see photos!!!

My assistant, Derek, and I chillin’ before the wedding.

Introductions

The monogram flushed in lights.

First Dance, with the bridesmaids (all little girls) doing a choreographed dance around John & Jessica.

Bouquet and Garter toss followed a fun Mexican tradition. The girls run around the bride until the music stops, Jessica then throws the bouquet.

John’s turned follows the same routine, but everyone picked him up and threw him up in the air instead!

Then comes the removal. This is a regional tradition.

Yes, there was a switch.. which was not expected by either of the families.

Traditional Greek and Mexican dances were done thoughout the wedding.

All the Greek music was on CD, whether it was mine or the families. The groom’s friend helped me with translation since I don’t read Greek