Our last blog entries have centered around the selection of a DJ for any event.  At Amazing Sounds & Entertainment, we specialize in weddings, but we also do corporate events, private parties and other functions in which entertainment is needed.  In reflecting on weddings in the last several years, and in conversations with other wedding professionals, perhaps a guide for wedding guests is actually needed.  While weddings are still largely considered somewhat formal, it appears that decorum has eroded.  Brides and grooms, feel free to print this out and mail with your invitations or hand out as needed.

#1.  It’s not about you, it’s about the Bride and Groom:  This is the main point.  Even if only one point is taken, take this point.  It is their special day.  This is a day in which there has been planning and consulting with vendors and family members over months.  On this day the spotlight shines brightly on two people, the Bride and Groom.  Regardless of how long you have been friends with the Groom, or how much you have helped the Bride plan the wedding, it is about them, not you.  Respect that and embrace that as today is their day.

#2.  Do dress to impress:  When I first began my DJ career over fifteen years ago, suits and dresses were considered the norm in guest apparel.  My how the times have changed.  In being invited to a wedding, you should feel honored to be there.  This is one of the more important days in the lives of the Bride and Groom.  It is very rare that a guest list is unlimited.  There are usually debates as to who makes the list and who doesn’t.  You made the list, dress like it.  I recall one wedding several years ago.  The ceremony had ended and the guests were exiting to the reception.  A woman looks at the younger man and tells him, “Wow, thanks for dressing up!”  He was wearing a button-down shirt, unbuttoned, that looked like it came straight from the hamper.  Underneath the button-down shirt was a t-shirt with a skull and crossbones.  To top it off, he was wearing horribly wrinkled khaki pants and sneakers.  His response was, ”What?  I’m wearing a button-down shirt.”  I’m not saying go out and buy a tuxedo or a $2,000 suit, just dress to impress.  Don’t be that guy.

#3.  Do wait if you are late:  it is incredible to see how self-absorbed we have become.  At many weddings, we not only do the reception, but we also do the ceremony music.  Here is a rule of thumb:  If you see the wedding party lined up, either wait until the service is over, or at least wait until the service has begun to QUIETLY enter.  You received an invitation and that invitation had the time of the ceremony listed on it.  As a guest for a special occasion such as a wedding,  you should be a minimum of fifteen minutes early.  If you cannot be on time, and things do happen, your late arrival should not impact the day for the Bride and Groom.

#4.  Do consult with a professional before interrupting the day:  You are the wedding guest.  Odds are that you probably are not privy to everything that occurred in the planning of the day.  Also, you have no idea of the emotional makeup of the bride or families that day.  If you see something strange or out-of-sorts, address it with one of the several vendors on staff.  In a wedding ceremony I had performed at several years ago, the Groom, Best Man, and groomsmen had all worn their flower on the opposite side.  This was done on purpose to honor the grandfather of the bride as he had recently passed away.  When the grandfather got married, he inadvertently had his flower on the opposite side and it became a family joke.  As the groomsmen began to walk down the aisle to being the service, a guest rose from their seat, and loudly exclaimed, “Your flower is on the wrong side!”  The groom tried to quiet the guest and let her know it was on purpose, but this was after having to shove her hands away as she was frantically trying to undo his flower.  Instead of interrupting a ceremony, or causing a scene that may upset the Bride and/or Groom, find someone from facility staff, the photographer, or even the DJ and alert them.

#5.  Don’t ask for the microphone, you’re not going to get it:  The microphone is a powerful tool best left in the hands of professionals.  The only time the professionals are not using the microphone is when the toasts are done.  The persons doing toasts have already been cleared with the Bride and Groom, as well as the DJ.  It is exceedingly rare, and not suggested, that the microphone is passed around for toasts.  If you really want to toast the Bride and Groom, you can find them in a moment alone and toast them with just the three of you.  That is a much more special, sentimental toast.  Also, without the Bride and/or Groom at your side when making the request, please don’t ask for the microphone to sing.  Leave the music part for the professionals.  The memories surrounding the day should be about the Bride and Groom, not the person who tried to sing, “From this moment” horribly off-key.

#6.  Do get creative in your wedding gift:  Yes, Brides and Groom register at many different places.  Yes, there are lists of things that they would really love.  Some of the best gifts simply do not have a monetary value.  When my wife and I got married, my favorite gift came from my Best Man and his wife.  Don’t get me wrong, my wife and I received many wonderful gifts and cards, but this one really stood out.  His wife took a couple of invitations, arranged them in an ocean theme (we were to get married at the beach), and had it framed with our date.  In the several times that we have moved, we have always made sure to be careful with that framed collage.  Would a blender or toaster oven had been more practical?  Perhaps.  That being said, I would NEVER trade that gift in for anything.  Be creative in your gift and remember it is not the money, but the thought behind the gift that really counts.

#7.  Do stay out of the way of professionals:  I did the ceremony music for a wedding a couple of years ago.  During the ceremony, I watched in horror as a guest got up, walked into the middle of the aisle, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the hired, professional photographer, so he could get a picture with his cell phone.  At the end of the same ceremony, the same photographer was unable to get a picture of the Bride and Groom leaving as a guest had gotten out of her seat, went into the center aisle to get a picture of the Bride and Groom leaving.  Unfortunately, she had positioned herself between the photographer and the Bride and Groom.  Trust me when I say that the Bride and Groom, in most cases, want you to get all the pictures you can.  Just make sure you stay out of the way of the professionals.

#8.  Do get a babysitter for the evening:  Everybody, including yours truly, loves kids.  They are cute and adorable when they are dressed up.  Unless specifically directed by the Bride and Groom, get a babysitter and enjoy the evening out.  As most weddings occur at night, it will probably be well after their bedtime before you get them home.  You have to balance staying and having a good time, with a tired, cranky youngster.  Not fun.  As most weddings are at night, more times than not, there is alcohol served.  Kids really should not be in a setting in which there is alcohol for a myriad of reasons.  As I said earlier, get a babysitter and enjoy the evening as a date.

#9.  Do have a good time!  It is a festive occasion!  It is a day of love, romance, and happiness.  This is the day that two people stand and say that they want to spend the rest of their lives with each other.  Celebrate the day with them.  They spent so much time in the planning and preparation for you to enjoy the day.  Enjoy the date and celebrate it with the Bride and Groom!

 Anybody that knows me personally, or has been at event in which I have been the DJ, knows how much I love DJing events.  You may hear me say from time to time, “It’s good to be the DJ!”  In being a DJ for over 15 years, I have met many wonderful people from all different walks of life.  In doing these events, from the most elegant of weddings to backyard parties, I have met thousands of people and have experienced some wonderful and interesting situations.  With all of my experiences, there is little anymore that shocks or surprises me.

On May 5, 2012 that all changed…

Recently, I was part of a situation that I had never seen or been a part of in a wedding in which I had the honor of being the DJ.  Miranda and Trey are a wonderful couple who had booked a wedding through the Bradford House and Gardens.  I was able to meet with them and they hired me as their DJ.  Everything was set for their wedding.  They wanted fun, yet appropriate music.  They also made it clear that they wanted their guests to enjoy themselves.

While Miranda and Trey were extremely polite and wonderful to deal with, this made happened even more shocking.  I have weddings coming up in which the brides and grooms are very outgoing, but Trey and Miranda did not fit that mold.  While they are fun, their personality is little more quiet and reserved.  They did enjoy themselves at their wedding, but were not the crazy, party type.

Now the reason for the story.  I had gathered everyone together around the cake table for the cutting of the cake.  I gave direction to Miranda and Trey on the cutting of the cake and to cut the slice of cake in half.  I then told them to feed each other on my cue.  Everything went as normal except for one small thing; instead of cutting the cake in half, they cut the cake into quarters.  I saw them do this, but thought nothing of it.

They each grabbed a piece of cake and awaited my cue.  When doing the cake cutting, I have fun with the feeding of the cake, asking the crowd if they want a neat exchange or a messy exchange.  I then invited the crowd to count with me and we all reached three, Miranda and Trey nicely fed each other.  I asked for one more round of applause for Miranda and Trey.

Then it happened.

Something that had never happened to me, ever, in my years of DJing weddings.  As I was about to walk away, Miranda and Trey each grabbed a remaining piece of cake and smushed it into my cheeks!!!  Let me say that one more time, Miranda and Trey each grabbed a remaining piece of cake and smushed it into my cheeks!!!  At Amazing Sounds & Entertainment we fashion ourselves as the, “Kings of Involved.”  That being said, we are not the type of DJs to insert ourselves into every single picture or event.  The bride and groom and guests are the, “stars.”   At Amazing Sounds & Entertainment, we help create the moment, but then back away for everyone to enjoy it.

As you will see by the pictures, many people enjoyed the moment.  The person who enjoyed it the most was the, “wearer of the cake,” yours truly.  At Amazing Sounds & Entertainment, we work hard at our craft and making sure we have happy, stress-free brides.  We work to also create the moments that everyone is going to smile when the look back upon that wedding day.To have a bride and groom include us in their moment meant the world to us.  Thank you Miranda and Trey for the special inclusion into your special day.  Also, a special thanks to Charmed Life Photography for the images.

I know someone who…

I’ve heard many times from brides that they have a friend who is a DJ.  Actually, this goes along many lines for weddings such as wedding cakes, flowers, and other areas, but we will stick to DJs for this blog.  My first question is, “Are they truly a professional in the business?”  There is a HUGE difference between having a friend DJ a wedding and hiring a true professional.  If they are a true DJ, with lots of wedding experience, by all means hire them.  It would be a nice professional touch.  If they do have the experience, hiring a professional will make the difference for your wedding.

A wedding DJ does more than play music.

I recently met a bride and groom who did stated that they did not need a DJ for their wedding reception.  When I asked why, the bride said, “There won’t be a lot of dancing because we won’t be serving alcohol.”  I nodded my head and then said, “Did you realize that we do more than just play music?”  She then gave me a look like I had a third eye on my forehead.  I proceeded to educate her on everything that wedding DJs do from the planning process up until the day.  I described in detail how we share the vision for her day and strive to make that come true.  I told her how we also interact with her guests to make sure they have a good time as well.  These were just some of the points covered in our conversation.  She ended up hiring Amazing Sounds & Entertainment as the DJ for her wedding.  Whenever setting up for a wedding, there is always a chair or two behind the DJ’s table.  We laugh as those chairs will grow dust before they are ever used.

Experience is the best teacher.

A DJ may have a great stage presence and fantastic sound equipment, but if they do not possess the experience, a happy day could turn unhappy.  At Amazing Sounds & Entertainment, we pride ourselves on our experience and how to handle different situations.  There is always a human element to every wedding, party, or corporate event.  With that human element comes certain situations.  In a recent wedding, the young lady who caught the bouquet was having anxiety about the “exchange.” (the garter being placed on the leg of whoever caught the bouquet)  In having dealt with this situation before, we were able to switch things up to where there was no anxiety and everyone enjoyed the moment.  Having the experience that we possess will help any event move smoothly.

There will be more blogs on this subject in the future.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at info@amazing-sounds.com or (678) 451-9730.

You have an event coming up and you know you will need music for your event.  It could be a wedding with over 100 of your closest friends and family.  Perhaps it is an event that you are coordinating for work in which you really want to impress your boss or show your appreciation to your employees.  Maybe you are throwing a birthday party in which you want wonderful memories to last a lifetime.  How do you select a DJ for any of those events?

A Personal Decision

The selection of a DJ is a 100% personal decision.  You should be able to connect with your DJ on a personal and professional level.  You will work closely with your DJ on coordinating your event, so they should be someone that you can “hit it off” with immediately.  You have a vision of what you want your day to be and it is important that they can share in that vision with you.  After all, the right DJ will not only share in that vision with you, but will also do whatever they can to create that vision.

Communication – it’s a back and forth thing

Communication for an event is critical.  Regardless of the type of event, everyone being on the same page is critical to success.  Too many times, there have been stories of DJ’s that just “sit behind the table.”  This may be appropriate in some settings, but is not the norm.  Your choice for DJ should be the type that is communicative with all involved.  The DJ should coordinate with all event staff to make the event move smoothly.  Also, in communicating, no guests or vendors miss anything important.

DJ stands for Disc Jockey

While a DJ can also be an event coordinator, one of their biggest jobs is the music for your event.  While you may thoughts towards a specific genre, your DJ should have an excellent knowledge of all genres of music.  Your DJ should also know what songs are appropriate for which event.  For example, the popular song by Adele, “Rolling in the Deep” would not be appropriate for weddings.  This song is about a break-up and we would not want that played at a wedding!

Your DJ also needs to have the music knowledge to keep the party going.  They need to know the beginnings and endings of songs to proper mixing.  They also need to know music to get the party started and keep it going.  Finally, your DJ needs to know when to play different songs.  You do not want to begin your evening with all of the current, most popular songs.

This is the first part in many blogs regarding selecting a DJ.  There are so many different criteria for selecting a DJ.  If you have any further questions regarding the selection of a DJ, please feel free to contact us at info@amazing-sounds.com or (678) 451-9730.  We will be happy to assist you in your search for your perfect DJ!

While the “old” site was functional, you will find the “new” site to be much more interactive.  Along with the new, clean look to the site, some of the new features include more testimonials and pictures of weddings past.  Pictures and testimonials will be updated as they are received.  Also, there will be blogs of preferred vendors and other subjects for your wedding, party or special event.

The area that will be of the greatest benefit to our AMAZING brides will be the “Client Login” section!  In the past we had forms to send to our brides for information.  Now all of that information can be completed online and sent with the click of a button.  You can be as detailed as you want in the planning with timelines.  There is also a large music database if you wish to choose more music!

Feel free to look over the site and let me know your thoughts!

Amazing Sounds and Entertainment is the culmination of events started over 15 years ago.  While there are a ton of people to thank, below are some of the biggest contributors to the creation and success of Amazing Sounds and Entertainment.

Dan Kocher – Digital Soundmakers – Allentown, PA.  – Dan gave me my first shot for DJing events.  In doing these events, I could see that this is what I wanted to do.  I will never forget my first gig with Gene Connelly as the DJ and myself as the emcee.  I appreciate all the time and effort that Dan put into me, as well as the phenomenal DJs and emcees that I worked with.

Craig Wicks – Black Tie DJs – Sarasota, FL. – Craig has been, and continues to be a mentor and a close friend.  I learned a ton from Craig on the business side and how valuable a DJ’s interactions are with vendors.  Craig took me under his wing and I truly appreciate those 2:00 a.m. conversations on your back patio.  Craig is a large part of Amazing Sounds and Entertainment’s success.

Hugo Drax – President, ADJA. – Almost a year ago, I sent “Dr. Drax” a message asking how the American Disc Jockey Association would be able to help me expand my business.  I spent the next 45 minutes on the phone with the good doctor and became a member immediately.  Hugo has been, and continues to be, a wonderful resource for my business.

Ben Stone – Owner, NLFX, Bemidji, MN. – Hugo Drax introduced me to Ben Stowe and Ben has been a God-send.  As my business has expanded, Ben has been an incredible resource for equipment.  Ben is the epitome of customer service.  I enjoy our conversations about God and family as much as I enjoy our business conversations.  Ben Stowe is someone that I cannot recommend highly enough.

There are many more people to be thanked, and they will be part of the “Preferred Partners” blogs.  Enjoy the site and don’t forget to contacts us for any wedding, party, or special event!  Be sure to check back on a regular basis for updates!

All the best,

Lou