Sometimes, simple looks better! Keith and Areej hosted their reception at the Winter Park Farmer’s Market (past Orlando). This is a former train station surrounded by brick, adorned sparingly but the charm is certainly visible.

They requested all white uplights and an all white light show, which blended perfetly with the venue.

Their family and guests were big partiers, dancing to everything from Top 40, club, oldies, and a large array of Arabic music, especially Dabke. Monica and I had a great time! Check out the pics and video below!

Package chosen:

Entertainment Coordinator
Uplighting
Dance Lighting
Under-Table Lighting

ArrMaz Chemicals had a fun group! Their theme, of course, was centered around Christmas as we were creeping up on the most awesome holiday ever! Hosted at the Lakeland Center, Adam and I set up my normal sound system and added some requested lighting to really light up the dance floor!

Check out the pics and video below… we had a great time! A big thanks goes to Michele for sending us this referral. (We did her wedding back in February)

I adore penguins.

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

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

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

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

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

Pics and video below!

Leeanne and Paul are an awesome couple. I love people who I can joke with and not worry so much about being a stuffy professional– I felt like I was able to relax and really have fun with this whole crowd. The whole night was amazing as we got to set up an entire nightclub at this wedding. Here’s the list of what we set up:

• 4 lit up columns around the dance floor with moving heads on them
• Blue laser
• Color-changing uplighting
• LED Floods
• Aerial effects lights
• Haze to bring it all together
• 2 Realistic Water Reflection Effects on the dance  floor.
• Game Show system customized with questions about Leeanne and Paul
• …and slide shows!

Crazy stuff, I’ve known Stephanie since she was eight. Her sister, Sarah, even took a job at our old skating rink. I also did the weddings for mutual friends Jeff & Casey and Adam & Bethany. Needless to say, I know this crowd always goes crazy.

Once again, Eaglebrooke (Lakeland), got to put up with me… but with rewards this time. Eaglebrooke had a totally new look thanks to our lights.

We had (write this down, and ask for it at your wedding):

• Cake Table side flood
• Memorial Table Flood
• Sweetheart Table Pinspot
• Accent wash over both sides of the dance floor over the tables.
• Accent wash on the floor.
• Dance floor color changing floods
• Dance floor centerpiece lighting
• Blue Liquid Laser Ceiling Projection
• Blue Uplights
• Undertable Light

A club member walked in and said “Oh.. sh**.” Yeah, my feelings exactly.

I set this up solo because my wife had to be sent to the hospital. An idiot slammed into us (he was picking something up of the floor) and it did damage to her back. Luckily she was released and decided to join me for the reception. Folks, my wife is a trooper and she can beat up your wife.

I got to play with my new American Audio headphones… these things are LOUD!

Check out the photos and video below.. trust me, this is a MUST-SEE!!!

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!

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!!

First off, I’d like to thank Andy, who just came back from service in the Army, for his time, dedication, and sacrifice to our country.

Now… this wedding… oh goodness. Nuts, insane, bananas… these words don’t quite compile up to the insanity that went on that night. You may remember some of the guests from TK and Jessica’s wedding at the Admiral’s Inn in Winter Haven. This time, we’re at the Bok Tower Vizior Center. Currently, we are the ONLY DJs they refer, and for good reason, too! Working with A Premier Entertainment, Snap Yourself Silly Photobooths (also ours), Terry Lobb Catering, and the Bok Tower is any bride’s dream come true. This is one of my favorite dream team combos!

The music was insane… while I went in thinking there’d be a little bit of everything played, most of the music took a club ambience. Even the older guests were getting down to Get Low, Yeah, and Shake that Monkey. LOVE IT!

This was also the first wedding where I got to play Informer (Snow) & Rico Suave. Sweetness.

Check out the photos I took and video clip that Gino shot below!

4 Points Sheraton AKA Chateau Elán in Sebring could not have expected the madness of this wedding… heck, Tim Hicklin of Storybook Weddings and myself (and wifey) included couldn’t have expected it. Every song was a floorpacker and the energy kept getting higher and higher!

Several of the family and friends were either Hispanic, Arabic (Lebanese, I believe), or a little of both. This presented some challenges from my end to make sure we could fit the cultural traditions/requests while keeping everything in balanced. This also meant I was going to have a huge dance crowd.

From the Belly Dancer during dinner all the way to the fistpumping last dance, Craig and Hannah were the most energetic couple I’ve seen in a long time. Hannah was a non-stop dancer, and the joy on Craig’s face told me he was enjoying himself. THAT, my dear friends, is a mission accomplished!

Check out the photos and video (now in HD) below.. and make sure to watch the fun Garter Replacement Switch! (Since the photographer was only contracted until a certain time, I was asked to snap a few shots of the grand exit.. shared below as well!)

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!

Matt & Holly are an awesome couple who had one big request: NO WEDDING CHEESE. By this they meant nothing overly traditional, such as line dances, cheesy 70s and 80s songs, or horrendous music no one dances to. Easy enough! Adam and I set up a beautiful uplighting display at the Bok Tower Vizior Center. The uplighting results were a result of ideas from myself, Holly and Matt, and coordinator, Staci Mandikas of Unique Event Design.

As usual the Bok Tower’s gardens were beyond beautiful. If you have not been there, do yourself a favor  and check out one of the best treasures that Central Florida has to offer. Weddings there are always unique and complimented by amazing vendors, including tonight’s catering provided by Terrie Lobb. Mmm mmm, delicious! I would also like to add that we’re the ONLY DJs in their recommended vendors list. This should come to as no surprise though.

It was a fun party and I learned something new that night: People LOVE dancing to The Proclaimer’s 500 Miles!

Check out the photos and video below!

Watch in HD!

Chrissy and Chas had some of the coolest wedding colors ever: Royal Blue and Silver. However, Sebring-based Kennilworth Lodge has a lot of brown colors in the room…. Thus they opted for our awesome blue uplighting to paint the walls as well as flood lighting to enhance the white linens and later create an inviting atmosphere on the dance floor. To complement everything, a classy monogram was projected in front of their head table.

The dance music was amazing, as I got to do a huge megamix of old-school bass music, including my favorite: 69 Boyz. The last song of the night was BEP’s “The Time (Dirty Bit)” and I got the opportunity to really mix with 4 decks as I dropped in several backbeats.. this is a must-listen!

Monica was also there handling our SnapYourselfSilly Photobooth while Jenny took some amazing photos!

Check out some of the photos and video I shot below!

Watch in HD!

Jodi and Jose had one vision in mind: a stunning wedding reception that exuded elegance but thumped like a nightclub when we cranked it up. Yup, there’s a DJ for that.

Now there’s something about the name Rodriguez that is synonymous with night club receptions, so keep ‘em coming!

That being said, we had one challenge: Jose is deaf and couldn’t hear the music. Using our powerful 4SchoolsOnly subwoofers and the awesome 4Bar setup, along with the 7′ video screen showing music videos, Jose was ableto feel and see the music.

While the Bayanihan offers LED uplights like we do, LEDs cannot do browns or certain teals accurately. Jodi and Jose’s colors were Aqua Teal and Brown… LEDs cannot produce these colors (brown– fugghedaboutit) so halogen uplights had to be brought in with carefully matched gels.

They were a great crowd– Kyle and I had such a blast! Check out photos and videos below!

And the video… I took an idea from a DJ friend, Jason Jani, about introducing what we’re offering in each video!

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!

I don’t think the Royal Plaza in Orlando knew what their venue could be REALLY transformed to…. heck, I didn’t even know. With my amazing team (Monica, Derek and Charles), we created an out of this world experience for Cypress Creek High!

What did they get? Amazing lights around the entire dance floor, black lights, glow in the dark bubbles, stars on the ceiling, clouds during the King & Queen dance, spandex pulls, a photo booth, video screen with live video and ambients to complement the music videos, uplights, color-changing tables…. annndd, get ready for it: The most powerful lasers available for school dances. (Update: We’ll be offering an even bigger pair in blue for multiple colors!)

The students were amazing and the energy level was beyond anything I could’ve imagined. Check out the photos and video below!!!

(The video is very shaky… apologies ahead of time, but there was so much energy that everyone, including my crew, were jumping!)

And the video!

Watch in HD.

Ok, now I’ve been to Eaglebrooke MANY times, (How many? Click here for an idea!) but I have to say: this is the most beautiful set up I’ve seen at Eaglebrooke.

Then again, it should be. Natonia and Alfredo, with the help of Tarra Parnell, coordinator extraordinare, chose a dream team of Lakeland/Polk County vendors. Monica and I attended to music, lighting, and MCing. Jenny of KC Photography handled some exquisite shots. Tim and Patty Hicklin of Storybook Weddings took some cutting-edge video. Flowers by Marilyn did an amazing job with the linens and drapery and made Eaglebrooke look amazing. Beth and her staff did an amazing job, as always, offering top-notch service and food… and to top off an impeccable meal, a delicious cake was provided by Andrea of Sweetcakes!

The food… ohh man, you know I could go on for HOURS talking about how good it was. I’ll just say this: I had the salmon. The filet was easily a foot long, smothered in butter and light lemon juices, and fell apart the moment you looked at it hard enough. Delicious is an understatement here, folks!

Not only did it look beautiful, with our colorful uplighting and “Dance on the Clouds” feature, but it was a real fun party as you’ll see the video. (Lots of Latin music, too, helps being bilingual!) Three highlights are the soul train as the wedding party dance, Tarra’s son bustin’ out some MJ moves, and Natonia’s 90 year old grandfather moving it to some Earth, Wind, and Fire.

You just can’t rock any harder than that! Check out the photos and video below!

Package chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• Dance Floor Lighting
• Uplights
• D’Elegance Under the Stars, custom (Sans Stars)

And two quick videos.. the first one shows the First Dance, courtesy of Storybook Weddings!

The second video is the event log.. check it out!

Watch in HD, click here!

The Bayanihan Arts and Event Center was stunningly decorated. Marquita and Kevis really went all out with uplights, pipe and drape, swags, and just everything imaginable.

I left my camera at home by accident. DRAT! So today you get blessed with iPhone4 photos!

They were a fun group of guests… especially the groomsmen who sang every old school R&B song played during dinner. I wish I gotten the caterer’s name, though… the Chicken Cordon Bleu and roast beef were delicious… so savory! This wedding took a lot of planning, but they really pulled it off! Check out some photos and videos below!

Watch it 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!

Steve and Ashley threw an epic wedding— how epic? Well, the party didn’t stop even after they left!! I’ve been looking forward to this wedding since Kelly and I did the wedding for Steve’s brother, Russell, and his wife, Tiffany. I knew their family and friends were here to party and my prediction wasn’t off at all. Not only did they dance throughout the entire night… but even after Steve and Ashley left for their honeymoon in Maui, the party kept going for ANOTHER HOUR!!!!

For me, the most memorable part will be the energy the introduction contained. Wait till you hear how LOUD everyone got when Mr. and Mrs. Villarette made their first entrance!

Check out some great photos and video below. The last photo was taken by Heather Ahrens of HA! Photography.

The sound system… before cord cleanup, lol

Kyle, Ashley, Steve, myself!

And the 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Package Chosen:

• Entertainment Coordinator
• 12 Deep-Orange Uplights

The room looked STUNNING!

The scenery was UNBEATABLE!

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

They even partied outside!!!

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

And now you a YouTube video!

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!

Sharon & Jaryd’s wedding reception was totally unpredictable! When I met with them for their final consultation before the big day, I knew we were going to have a lot of fun– but they weren’t quite sure how many dancers would come out. Well it seems almost everyone did! After an awesome introduction (they chose the Halo 3 theme song) and the “Sharon & Jaryd Jeopardy” game show during dinner, everyone knew that Mr. and Mrs. Billups just wanted to have a great time!

The reception was at none other than the Peggy Brown Building, which is now SLAMMED with weddings since neighboring Magnolia Building is closed down for renovations. Diane’s Catering Company (DianesCatering.com) did an amazing job with the food. Sharon and Jaryd were very nice and invited me & Kyle to enjoy a good meal.

I also had the privilege of previewing some of their wedding photos, courtesy of Grant Thompson Photography (GrantThompsonPhotography.com), and I was impressed. They looked BEAUTIFUL. Sharon & Jaryd will surely love them!

One of the cool highlighs of the evening was the candy bar, which Sharon designed herself. She’s got more willpower than I do, because I would’ve eaten all of it! LOL!

Click the link below for photos and video!!

Highlights:

• Halo 3 Theme song for introduction
• Jeopardy style game show during dinner– complete with buzzers.
• One of the most energetic trains– during Love Shack!
• Fun Christian music played during dinner!
• Custom slideshows were played during the first, father/bride, and groom/mother dances!

Package chosen:

• Entertainment
• D’Elegance Video
• Game Show System
• Uplighting (No gels chosen, just white)

Pics & a YouTube video below!!

My system featuring the one-of-a-kind BOSE sound!

Uplighting highlights the building!

Little Chocolate Critters.. yum!

The infamous ice swan!

First Dance.

Kyle, Jaryd, Sharon, and myself!

Now the video!

A big congrats go out to Collin and Jerrika Aiken!

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

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

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

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

Package Chosen:

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

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

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

The setup for the head table/ceremony altar!

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

Dancing begins!

Pete, Collin, Jerrika, and myself.

And now a video!

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

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

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

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

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

Highlights:

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

Package Chosen:

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

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

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

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

180+ people!

Preppin’ before guests arrive.

Uplights behind the candy buffet.

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

Everyone went for the Dove Chocolates!

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

Dancing begins!

Tim, the videographer, getting his roll on!

Erica dancing with Anthony (the ringbearer).

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

Tim watching me DJ.

Monica, myself, Erica, and Matt.

And a YouTube video!

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

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!

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

McKesson chose Tigertown (Detroit Tiger’s training stadium) in Lakeland, FL…. the only problem is that it’s an empty, metal hangar. How the heck can you beautify this place?

With the right vendors. That’s how.  

Enter Joette of Party People (http://partypeople.homestead.com) with her AMAZING balloon sculptures. Instead of boring you with text, I have supplied plenty of photos and video!

Our next step in transforming the hangar was lighting. They didn’t opt for uplighting, except in the Balloon Tunnel and entrance room. 

We used a two-column setup with LEDs that flooded the room with blue (it was a Winter Wonderland theme) with moving head lights that projected snowflakes on the dance floor.

The balloon arch surrounding the floor absorbed the lights and was bursting with color!

Enjoy some great pics and video below!

Update: Welcome DJChat and BalloonHQ members! Be sure to leave a comment!

Here’s Joette next to her giant balloon arch!

White trussing. While most DJs may use metallic trussing, we prefer white as it is more elegant. 

The left wall of the balloon tunnel.

Here’s the arch! No flash used, this is our LEDs at work!

You can see our dual-totem setup!

Here’s the arch, glowing in color!

The entrance room. Joette provided LED Christmas lights and rope light around the room while we supplied blue uplights.

SNOWFLAKES!

More white trussing.

Karen and Neville Williams. When they chose a DJ for this party, we were the obvious choice… after all, we did their wedding three years ago!!!

Here’s me. I’m blurry, lol.

This is my light tech, Derek, doing my job while I’m taking photos.

This little guy here is the life of the party. He was dancing and clapping to every song!

McKesson gave away some awesome gifts… but people had to run up to get them! This guaranteed hilarity! 

Paula, Edyta, Derek, Myself, Karen, and Neville. The three ladies in the photo are responsible for making the party happen!

We pulled the van RIGHT UP TO THE STAGE! It was a flush fit, too! How awesome is that. We loaded up in a matter of minutes!

Enjoy some great video footage below!

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)

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!

Need a DJ? Want to contact me? Click here

Want to book an amazing DJ/MC from the company? Click here

There’s no other way to describe this wedding besides unique, fun, and PACKED!!!

Haley and Jonah Brock wanted something classy, yet out of the ordinary… something that would appeal to everyone, yet blow people right out of their seats.

They did this with three simple things:

1) A beautiful ballroom.. courtesy of the Red Rose Inn. www.redroseinnandsuites.com

Noelle and her staff did an amazing job attending to 300+ people there.

2) The world’s coolest cake… created by Sweet Cakes LLC. http://www.sweetcakesllc.com

Andrea really outdid herself with the groom’s cake… it’s a deer head. Check out the video… it looks JUST LIKE A REAL DEER HEAD! The fun came to figuring out how to cut it. They cut the head off and left it on Jonah’s place in the table. He had a great time “skinning” it.

3) An interactive DJ.. did you expect anyone else? www.MyDreamReception.com

What can I say? We’re good like that, haha.

They opted for custom intros and had some very funny anecdotes. They also asked for karaoke. This is one of the few crowds were karaoke blended in very well; Haley and Jonah sang as well, so it kept the spotlight on them. Her father sang My Girl to her, and created a warm touch as guests sang along.

Uplighting was a very wise choice for Haley (seen on the stage) as well as the starfield on the ceiling. Coupled with the custom monogram they really created a fun, yet classy look.

As far as my table… we had no room but to set up BEHIND the head table. They had so many guests I couldn’t set up anywhere else. Luckily, the BOSE sound system blended in very nicely on either corner of the stage while my table disappeared into the background. I bet you’ll barely see it!

Check out the photos and video in the link right after. Better yet, leave some comments!

Haley’s dancing with her father. You can see part of their beautiful monogram.

It’s hard to see the monogram as Jonah and his mother are dancing above it, but you can see part of the starfield covering the entire ceiling.

Half of the room, most of the guests are seated and eagerly awaiting the evening to unfold.. the rest are mingling out by the bar.

The head table, 4 uplights in alternating pink and white colors bring it to life. My setup is discreetly hidden in the back.

Haley and Jonah make their rounds to each table. You can see how beautiful the Red Rose Inn in Plant City is.

Haley’s father sings My Girl to her.

“Follow De Leader” –  a popular song that is less cheesy than the Conga.

The dance floor is filling up!

“Ayer ay-ayer!”

More dancing!

Yours truly, Haley, Jonah, and my assistant, Kyle.

2nd shot… one of the groomsmen decided to join in the photo!

And of course, a video!

Need a DJ? Want to contact me? Click here

Want to book an amazing DJ/MC from the company? Need a DJ who knows how to line dance? Click here

Hmmm… ironically enough, when we bring more staff members than needed, I manage to FORGET TO CHARGE MY CAMERA! Not as many photos as usual, but you’ll be just fine.

Kelly MC’d the wedding, I DJed, and Kyle helped coordinate. It was fun…. the possible rain didn’t stop Michael and Melissa from having their ceremony outside– luckily it didn’t rain.. I guess that’s a sign from above!

The ceremony was held in their own location in Lake Wales, Florida.

Check out some quick photos and the video after the break below!

Tim Hicklin, Storybook Weddings (Storybookweddings.tv), posing in front of our setup.

Now that Tim’s out of the way (haha), here’s the console again next to the BOSE setup.

Some shots from around the room…

This was permanently etched on their floor.

Ceremony system being set up.

PUPPIES!!!

First dance!

Opening up the dance floor.

And alas, VIDEO!!!!