There’s something about summer weddings in Florida, maybe the scorching heat, that causes people to go crazy on the dance floor. Good thing, because I am gearing up for 4SchoolOnly’s Homecoming Tour HCx11!

Megan and Matt had their reception at one of my favorite places, Eaglebrooke Golf and Country Club. As usual, their service and food didn’t disappoint. Nothing transforms Eaglebrooke like some beautiful uplighting and a ceiling wash, and that’s exactly what Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham wanted!

Their introduction song was U2′s “Beautiful Day” for the whole wedding party. To kick it up a notch for their personal intro, we dropped in the bassline from Trick Daddy’s “Let’s Go.” Check it out!

To top it off, they had a great request list of a little bit of everything, including some Hispanic (Salsa, Merengue and Bachata) music.

Check out the photos and video clips below!

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!

Every wedding has a unique playlist, but as a DJ, I see many songs requested again and again; this isn’t a big deal as I enjoy all kinds of music, but Kirby and Sharon’s wedding playlist was exceptional! They made no specific requests (other than Elvis and Black Eyed Peas), they just wanted to party all night.

As the evening went on, their intimate wedding reception (hosted at the Lake Mirror Tower in Downtown Lakeland) quickly tuned into a party. Though it was a small dancefloor, it had no effect on the energy that was unleashed. Suddenly, I got to play songs that I don’t often get to play: 867-5309, 500 Miles, Any Way You Want It, Are You Gonna Be My Girl, My Sharona, and What I Like About You… sweet!

Then I got some requests for music that have not been requested before, including David Bowie’s Golden Years and the Safety Dance… wow!

Check out the photos and video summary 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!

Wedding afternoons can be a challenge because the broad daylight may hinder the dancing atmosphere…. but that wasn’t true for John and Diana’s family. It was a small wedding reception, held at the Leu Gardens in Orlando, but they had a great time regardless!

The reception really started off once the toasts began. John’s best man, John (there were lots of Johns at this wedding reception), put together the most creative wedding toast that had everyone, including me, rolling on the floor laughing.

I had to capture this speech…. it was priceless. Check out the audio clip below:

Several guests were from El Salvador, so they needed a Hispanic DJ (I’m from Costa Rica) that could play their Hispanic requests of Salsa, Merengue, and Cumbia Salvadoreña. I had a great time (and awesome food provided by John Michael Catering) and the Orlando-based Leu Gardens is always a beautiful place to DJ a wedding reception! Check out the photos and video clip below!

Watch in HD!!!

What an AMAZING wedding! First of all, I got to work at Paradise Cove in Kissimmee (near Orlando) with some amazing vendors: Karen Lupica (and her socks that rock), Shannon with delicious Big City Catering, Seth Cohen and his awesome video capturing skills, and Bill Peck with a non-stop frenzy of shutter-clicking.

Then we had Rayan and Sheila… Sheila is the bubbliest bride ever and Rayan was cool as ice about everything. With a couple like this– NOTHING could go wrong.

Then we have the guests– I believe everyone was Filipino which meant non-stop dancing.

Oh, and the coolest part? The groom’s party– it’s really hard to describe the epic awesomeness of their awesome epicness, just watch the video!

We brought out sound for both areas (tent and patio), three light trees with wireless control so there’s no mess of cables, a couple of centerpiece effects a lá discoball effect, a few rigged lights with their wedding colors to light up the patio and first dance area, and glowsticks. Yes, glowsticks.

Yes, I am aware that this is a LONG video at 13 minutes long… but it’s worth the watch, trust me! When we got to the club-style music, music was mixed in and out very quickly with some songs being 1-2 minutes and others only being 15-30 seconds long. Click below to see the awesome photos and video!

Watch in HD!

I love doing military weddings.. and this one was no exception! Held at the Surf’s Edge Club at Mac Dill Air Force Base in Tampa, FL, the weather couldn’t have been sweeter, the people couldn’t have been nicer, the Aramark-hosted food couldn’t have been better tasting, and the people couldn’t have been more fun!

The grand intro and first dance were a challenge as my sound system was behind  THICK curtain since a slideshow was to be played during dinner. However, it was no match for the BOSE sound system as the sound came through crystal clear!

Bonus: Once again, I got to work with Karen Lupica who helped make things flow extra smoothly. This wedding reception was nothing but pure party… I had such a blast!

=

Check out the photos and awesome video below!

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!

I still remember short lil’ Adam when he came to my skating rink dressed in spongebob Pajamas.

Now he’s much older, one of our DJs, and a client. Not necessarily in that order, haha.

His wedding was an afternoon wedding, but you certainly can’t tell that thanks to Eaglebrooke’s roll-down curtains. With some lighting, we can make the place look like a late evening wedding/night club. With Joann doing the linens, Maggi doing the cakes, Bob Snyder for video, KC Photography for the beautiful photos, and of course A Premier Entertainment for DJ, MC, lighting, game show, and our special Dance on the Clouds feature, Adam helped create a wedding reception that took the breath from Bethany.

This wedding was a piece of cake for me, and professionalism almost flew out the window. I’ve known a lot of these people for a while… Sarah and Stephanie from the skating rink (and I’m doing Stephanie and Bryan’s wedding soon), I performed at Casey and Jeff’s wedding. We saw Sally Mele, who’s daughter, Erica, used us for her wedding; (Hmm, that wedding cake looks familiar, lol). Last but not least, most everyone there was also at Bethany’s birthday bash.

The hardcore party tradition continues!

Check out the video below for the beautiful Dance on the Clouds and the real fun game show!

Video!

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!

This was an early reception, spanning from 5 to 9… but after 9:00 rolled around, Charles and I were beyond tired! Why? This was a pure party crowd. Then again, I knew most of the guests from school or from the Lakeland Skate Center. Adam and Bethany were good friends, current clients (their wedding is in October 16, 2010), but Adam also works fun us… Sarah, Stephanie and Josh are all friends from back in the rink days; Sarah and Josh worked alongside me there.

I’m used to plenty of dancing during afternoon receptions; but this wedding transcended beyond that. Charles and I worked up quite a sweat watching this crowd. Even Michele and Rachel from R&M Photography were scrambling to get the action which spanned all over the Cleveland Heights Golf and Country club.

As usual, I enjoyed the food there followed by an amazing dessert by Its a Piece of Cake by Maggi. Delish! Thanks to Casey and Jeff for the extended invitation for the food!

So yes, check out the photos and AWESOME video below!! Please leave a comment– I’d love to hear your thoughts!!

And of course , the video! Click the link below it to watch it in HD!

WATCH IN HD

What an amazing couple… and they created the ultimate destination wedding! With her family hailing from the UK, his family from China, and guests from all over the world, Lindsay and Jayson were having a true United Nations wedding! That being said, lots of international music was requested. Black Eyed Peas, Amy Winehouse (yes, she has danceable tracks), David Guetta, Akon, Pnk, the Beatles, and many others were played/remixed live/thrown in as party breaks/etc!

No formalities except a cake cutting and first dance… this was 6 hours of pure party!

Sounds exhausting? Not really… thanks to the amazing Orlando Wedding Team, headlined by Allison, Francesca, and Laura. They were great to work with. As for food… the Lake Nona Country Club has to be the best in the area; Lobster Ravioli, cheese ravioli, sushi, and Asian-spiced prime rib filled me up and left me craving more by the day’s end.

JR Sterling and Perfect Sky Productions shot photos and video… and these guys are a blast to work with! I’ll be sure to post a link to their blogs!

So yes, check out the photos and HD video (thank you, iPhone 4) below.

And the video! To watch it in HD, click here: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=412530994287&ref=mf

…. Florida is very hot. Enough said. It must’ve been about 100º in the middle of the night with all the dancing.

Did it stop anyone? Nope. They only danced faster, harder, and sang a LOT louder! This is by far the most high-energy wedding I’ve ever done. Scratch that, make it the most high-energy event you could imagine!! I have a few schools that I’m going to have to tell to step their game up in terms of energy!

Then again, Derek and I knew this was wedding was going to end in epic proportions (the last song was Peanut Butter Jelly Time). Irene is Greek and George is Mexican…. you heard right, two amazing families who are KNOWN for being in a culture that throws parties often shut down by authorities.

I’ve done Greek weddings. I’ve done Mexican weddings. They’re always loud, proud and lots of fun! I even did another Mexican/Greek wedding that required me to get 18 hours of sleep the next day in order to recoup. However NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, could have prepared me for this night… there was just SO MUCH ENERGY!

Located at the beautiful Bilmar Beach Resort, where Justin and Megan had a very similar-paced reception, music was flying in and out of cue. How fast-paced where we? 18 songs in 15 minutes… the second video shows you this megamix. This wasn’t a rarity, this was ALL NIGHT with the exception of Greek music which should never be mixed. Leave culturally-revelant traditions alone, I always say!

Check out the amazing photos, then videos below!! MUST WATCH! Treasure Island (or is it St. Pete Beach?) will never be the same again!

This is the main gig log… watch it full screen, it’s an HD video.. thanks to my new iPhone 4!

Remember that 18 song mix in less than 15 mins…? It’s below.. and it’s a must-watch!

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!

….not for the Lochness Monster, lol! It seems Josh and Merideth love South Park, too, and wanted that joke tossed in somewhere during the dollar dance.

And so we talked about that dang Lochness Monstah and other things for 2 hours on our final meeting…

…yes, this was another fun couple!

So here comes their wedding day.. they had a beautiful 1:00 Ceremony at Ana Maria Island, just avoiding the 60MPH+ winds that hit us out of nowhere. Their reception was held at the Elk’s Lodge in Sebring where they had a catering team that had the most DELICIOUS prime rib I’ve had in that area. Jenny, Adam, and I had a lot of fun providing DJ, MC, and a surprise Photobooth (SnapYourselfSilly.com) and Dance Under the Stars courtesy of Merideth’s sister, Leah.

On a personal note, I used to hold a leather notebook with the names of people I would introduce. After a while I ditched this and used my iPhone. Now… I use NOTHING, allowing MUCH better eye contact with guests!

Check out the photos and video below!!

And now a YouTube 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!

Oh man… this wedding was just crazy good!!!

Megan and Vince are such an outgoing couple! We shared quite a few laughs during our final consult. Megan told me her family loved to dance, and she wasn’t kidding: we had a 90 year old guest and her son who danced non-stop– including during the cocktail hour and dinner!!!

Vince is one of the most easygoing, fun grooms I’ve ever seen. He didn’t leave the floor the entire night. He introduced me to think group called Slightly Stoopid. It’s a former punk band now turned reggae group– and I loved everything I heard!

The Bok Tower was such an amazing place to work at! Rita treated me like family, even though this was our first time working together. The best part is I got to work with Terrie Lobb, who provided the most delicious food ever. She even had chocolate covered strawberries stuffed with cheese cake. It was TO DIE FOR!!!

Couple cool things… Megan decided to do the coolest photo shoot as she took over my role! Check it out!

Then we had a young man named Ashton who wanted to play Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby.” I let him cue the song up and play it as he became DJ Ashton!

Check out the photos and video below! The first set of photos are mine, and the second set, marked with ©RM, were provided by  R&M Photography. They were the ones who referred Megan and Vincent to us. Thanks!

Package Chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• 4Bar Light Show
• Wireless Cocktail Hour System

Facebook seems haunted… here’s a YouTube video!

Rich and Melissa Galinat had an incredible reception— Pete and I had a blast and we were honored to be part of their amazing reception!

Both their families are huge Steelers fans, so we had some fun sneaking a few fight songs in between things. Rich’s grandfather caught on quick, as he’s a big sports buff.. and he danced– even after Rich gave me a challenge and said he wouldn’t dance. I enjoyed talking to him and his wife (Rich’s grandmother, of course)….. they shared that they used to love dancing and have shared 62 years of marriage together. WOW! Can you believe that????

Once we opened up the dance floor, the kids had a blast dancing with the adults. Rich and Melissa stayed on the floor the entire time. They were so energetic, I was worn out watching them! I got to play a little bit of everything– from rock to country to rap!

I’ve attached some photos below as well as a great video!

Highlights:

• Taps was played for Steve, the guy who caught the garter as we gave a “moment of silence” to his bachelorhood!
• Rich did the moonwalk to Billie Jean!
• Pete and I were invited to enjoy dinner with the family. The Lakeland Hilton Garden Inn is AMAZING and their food is spectacular!
• 90s Alternative, Motown, 60s, and 70s & 80s rock were all played during dinner!

Package Chosen: Entertainment Coordinator

Pics and video below!

Delicious cake!!!!

Pete stands in front of my console. Nothing much to see… move along, people, lol. Pete was a great assistant– I enjoy picking on him!

First dance!

Melissa dances with her dad…

Rich dances with his mom…

These two little ones were dancin’ away during dinner!

And the floor opens!

Lynn (Hilton’s Captain), myself, Melissa, Rich, and Pete.

Lynn and Sherman (Banquet Mgr) as well as the cook migrated from the Imperial Swan. The Swan’s loss was the Hilton’s gain— they are an amazing team!

Wow— what an amazing reception– I’m still pumped up!

I’ll be honest, the day started in my least favorite form: a 115º heat index. Really, Florida… REALLY??? Kelly and I set up our awesome BOSE sound system along with our D’Elegance lighting and Starfield at the Bilmar Beach Resort in Treasure Island, Florida. While setting up, Kelly and I had a debate on whether Treasure Island is an actual city or a suburb of St. Pete… hmmm…

As we wired our setup to their TV system for the slideshows and music videos, the weather cooled down just in time for the ceremony… beautifully laid out by the beach.

While Kelly supervised the ceremony, I created an image in Photoshop to be shown on the screens as they walked in. It was their monogram laid out as “clouds” on the beach sky. A couple of guests were so impressed they even asked “when did the skywriter come in?”

Along starts the reception and the venue laid out sushi. Truth be told, it was the most delicious sushi I’ve ever had.  Kelly did the MCing and I did the DJing and lights… we’re a good team, this was a DOUBLE Entertainment Coordinator, lol.

The dancing started out like any typical Arnoldo/Kelly wedding (which is usually amazing).. but progressed into something even more….well… amazinger! We got requests for lots of gangsta rap (Snoop Dogg, Dre, 2Pac’s California Love), Old School (This is How We Do It, Jump Jump, Bust a Move), 80s Pop (I Wear my Sunglasss at Night, Walk the Dinosaur) and my personal favorite: FREESTYLE! I felt like I was working at the skating rink again (our good friend Tony would have a chuckle as he always made a joke about us being nothing but skating rink DJs, hahahaha).

You have to watch the video and look at the awesome photos that Kelly took. I must say, I am impressed.

Package chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• Outdoor Ceremony
• D’Elegance Package
• Dance under the Stars
• Video Slideshows
• Music Videos
• Custom Ambients

I have to go now… but click the link below to look at even more photos! Ciao!

The setup:

The ceremony…

The most delicious prime rib in St. Pete!

Outside the hotel:

Dancing!

Video!

Eric and Robyn are a lot of fun! Though their wedding was in the afternoon, with the Florida sun shining bright, it didn’t stop them from dancing!

Good thing, too…. we need to continue my “BEST WEDDINGS EVER” Month!

You have to see the videos to believe how many people danced in the middle of the afternoon. The location, colors, setting, and everything was perfect and seemed to really fit their personalities!

First, the location was the beautiful Huntington Hills in Lakeland, Florida. Denise is one heckuva Chef, and her staff is always prompt, effective, and smiling! The big windows allow plenty of sunlight to come in, but their effective AC system keeps the place comfortable. It’s amazing how many weddings one has to do in a Florida Summer before you really appreciate air conditioning.

The colors were chocolate and apple green elegantly splashed throughout the whole room.

And of course, Maggie made the cake. It was delicious– you’re darn right I had some. Yum!

Lots of unique things were done, and I want to share a couple:

• Father Daughter Dance: The Hokey Pokey — the ultimate in cheese became something fun and special for Robyn and her father Bud
• Families were encouraged to bring in their own homemade cookies for a “cookie buffet.” It was very unique and delicious! Any wedding with Snickerdoodles, Chocolate Chip, and Oatmeal is a good wedding!
• Instead of a guestbook, there were cards to be filled out. Guests were able to fill out their best wishes in these cards, seal them up, and place them in the bowl.
• This wedding was another example of using colors wisely. Their wedding colors matched Huntington Hill’s signature colors perfectly!

Package chosen: Premier, upgraded to Entertainment Coordinator compliments of us.

Check out some great photos and a video in the link below!!

Half of the head table!

My setup!

Myself, Robyn and Eric!

And a YouTube video!

Lots of videos and lots of photos on this blog post!!!!

Albert & Jenni remind me a lot of my wife and myself. Albert and I are both Hispanic, love music, but aren’t dancers. Jenni and Monica both love country music, are very outgoing… and all 4 of us love the Lord. We were going to work well together!!!

Albert lied to me though: for someone who said he doesn’t dance, Albert was on the floor the ENTIRE time! This was one heck of a party!

Their wedding reception was one of the most unique things I’ve witnessed. Here’s some highlights:

• Reception held at Windy Hill Ranch in a quaint little barn (quaint meaning HUGE, haha) with AIR CONDITIONING!
• The most unique first dance ever. They created their own choreography. IMPRESSIVE!
• No wedding cake– Blue Bunny Ice Cream instead– DELICIOUS!!!
• Father Daughter Dance was Disney’s “Under the Sea.”
• Very Unique garter removal, thanks goes to DJ Rob from Indiana for his help!!
• Bridal Party dance was the Chicken Dance, the ultimate cheese was made FUN again!!!

Monica and I had a blast watching everyone dance to anything that was thrown in the music. I got to play some songs I’ve never played at a wedding before… you’ll have to check out the video!! There’s a few photos and 4 short videos, because I had to separate all the awesome clips– definetly worth watching!!!!!

This continues my “Best Wedding Receptions Ever!” month and I can’t wait for the next two.

Package chosen: Entertainment Coordinator

Click below for photos and videos!!!

The Windy Hill Ranch in Apopka was decorated in celebration of Albert & Jenni.

My setup. The big white holes on the bottom left are the AC intakes.

My setup with the super-cool new 19″ widescreen monitor.

First dance!

Best wishes were written on a “clothesline” as well as a quilt– VERY unique!

Monica, myself, Albert & Jenni!

Now 4 videos!

The first video is the longest. It features a custom introduction and the first dance. Must watch!

The second video the father/daughter dance introduction as well as the opening of the dance floor!

The 3rd video is the bouquet and garter toss.

4th Video is the finale!

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!

Often in the DJ community there are many arguments about what makes a DJ. Many old-school turntablists say you still need to use turntables or some form of controller… not just pressing buttons on a laptop. However, I’ve seen many DJs who keep a floor packed without beatmixing and with just one button on a computer.

I personally use a computer with a controller, and I can tell you I can outmix anything I could do with CDs or Turntables.

With this thought in mind, take the following at note. I went skating today, which means I busted out my raggedy, dying, need-to-replace skates– they still work… and they probably do better than 80% of the skates out there. Quality never dies, lol. The DJ there uses Microsoft Windows Media Player. 

We always make fun of him, but not because of his choice of DJ software, after all he also uses high-end Denon CD Turntables and always manages to trainwreck his mixes. Even then, that’s not why we pick on him.

The crowd is 99% preteens to teens. I think I’m the only person there that’s old enough to drink, hahaha. Adult night’s are always on days when I’m working so I’m stuck skating on teen night. Many of the patrons are jam skaters (people who skate to the beat of the music and have set routines).

The DJ doesn’t read the crowd very well: he played rock songs NOBODY recognized (not even I), rap music with profanity, and obscure music that made everyone shrug their shoulders. Of course, when it came time to make announcements everyone ignored him as there was little respect for him. His attitude could’ve been a bit better– unless you were a single girl, you were not going to get any kind manners from him.

Since he would rather stay outside or talk to girls, he ignored the 10 second gap between each song. We watched in amazement as people kept leaving the floor.

Here’s why we laugh: he calls himself a DJ.

With the description I have given you, would you call him a DJ?

No?

So why believe anyone who says they’re a professional DJ?

Where’s the proof?

Don’t ask a DJ what he uses to mix with– that’s irrelevant, what’s important is his style.

• Does he read crowds?
• Does he take requests?
• Can he mix the music with a smooth transition that will keep the appropriate level of energy on the floor.
• Can he earn respect on the microphone?
• Will he be too busy flirting with girls to do his job?
• Is he courteous to everyone, including those who are less than pleasurable to talk with? (I’ve had my fair share of those)

I’ve also had the delight of talking to an amazing bride who’s doing very thorough research. As a matter of fact, she may be reading this right now. We’ve communicated several times, and even though she likes our company, she’s still researching before she makes the decision! Right on! If she chooses us, I know that she’ll be 100% confident and appreciative of what we will offer for her wedding day.

She has also gone as far as asking for proof of the DJs availability. Whether it’s YouTube, a DVD, or any form of video. Peter Merry’s Book The Best Wedding Reception… Ever!, talks about how every DJ should have a highlight reel (or numerous ones) as well as UNCUT footage. I can take the worst wedding DJ and make them look phenomenal on tape– it’s all about editing skills– so ask for raw footage.

As the aforementioned bride has done, ask for proof of MCing style. While the wedding you see may not be your wedding, a good MC should be able to shape your style into the event.

Is this a shameless plug for our company’s YouTube page? Well– yes… but many DJs in the area have videos, too. Remember, ask for real event footage, not testimonials (really, who will post a BAD testimonial), not demo reels (people dancing with music layed over), and not a generic reel. Ask to see their MCing, mixing, and interaction with the crowd.

Don’t ask to see them at an event… if they say no, it’s because they don’t want to invite people to someone’s special day, not because they’re hiding something.

One last thing– EVERY DJ can provide proof of their work. Even if they don’t have someone to film every event, they’ve worked with a videographer at some point. That videographer can provide a sample video. There’s just no excuse.

After all, you wouldn’t buy a cake just because it looks pretty on a photo without ever tasting it.

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:

Wow, what a wedding!

To the future couples reading this, take the following tip: if you don’t want dance floor lighting, but still want the most unique of atmospheres, choose color-changing uplighting!

Very few DJs in Florida have color-changing uplighting, and this is one of the many reasons Elizabeth and Jeremy Voss knew we were the right DJ company for them. Being in the middle of prom season, I was worried that my “high-dance energy rush” I’ve been stuck on may be a bit too much for the wedding. Alas, the opposite was true. These people were here for two reasons: 1) to celebrate a once-in-a-lifetime moment with Mr. and Mrs. Voss 2) to party, and party hard!!

Ashly with Olivier Events did a great job creating the room setup– you have to check out the photos! She helped Jeremy & Elizabeth create some details that really made the wedding pop. One of my favorites was choosing a Norwegian Brand of water, Voss, to serve guests. I had to find out if Jeremy was associated with the company (same name)…. but it was just a [really cool] coincidence.

When you click the link below to see the photos, hijacked from Kelly’s blog, and the video, be sure to pay attention on how much the uplighting changes the room ambiance.

Speaking of Kelly, he was the MC for the event whilst I DJed and took care of the lighting. As always, he did an amazing job customizing every part of the reception. I will brag here, I rocked the house! I can’t lie there– I left the wedding pumped up and energized even after helping break down 42 cans of uplighting. That’s a LOT of cable! Cypresswoods is an easy load-in/load-out… not to mention their food is exquisite and service is out of this world!

By the way, just to throw in a shameless plug (no punintended) on how energy efficiency: the outside setup had 12 cans of uplighting and our BOSE system setup to handle the 200+ guests as well as our console (computer, mixer, CD player, peripherals, etc) and everything ran on ONE outlet! This is a huge advantage to anyone who’s doing a wedding outdoors where power is limited OR where the hotel charges and arm & a leg for power.

Highlights of the evening:

• The uplighting!
• Tri-location setup: cocktail, dinner, and dance floor all in different sections.
• Very elaborate decorations
• Hip-Hop was the preferred genre here, but everyone of all ages got down to it!
• Old Time Rock & Roll is still the ultimate party starter song!

Package chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• Color-Changing Uplights
• Static Uplights with custom colors
• Compact Dinner Sound System

Now click below for photos and video!!!

Check out the beautiful room without uplighting…

…. Now we plug in the switch and …

…to quote the Kool-Aid man, “OH YEAH!”

Elizabeth and Jeremy’s 1st Dance

James is delivering a well-written toast.

Showing off our LED uplighitng, it looks even better in the video!

Ann deserves the award for one of the coolest parents in a wedding!!

Can you believe this is a TENT?!?!

The happy, (and worn out), couple!! Congrats guys!!

And now, a YouTube 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!!!

Brides & Grooms: What have you done to make your wedding unique? Watch Rock the Reception and you’ll see what I am talking about. Now, not everyone can do something as fancy as that… but you get the idea.

This really isn’t a tip as much as a segue to the coolest toast I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure where this video came from, because I’d love to meet the people who put this together!

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

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!