(Courtesy of DJ Intelligence & Mobile Beat)

When we set out for the Antrim on the 28th we had a little surprise.. our beautiful fall wedding suddenly turned into a winter wedding: complete with snowstorm!

After a 2 hour drive and a cold load-in our team went to work to transform the event space of the Antrim.
Everything went smoothly and I was very happy at how the design really come to life!

And personally, my favorite shot:

The bride and groom were extremely pleased with the results and everyone had a fantastic time.
We received many compliments from guests and the venue as well. During the father bride dance I remember Jerry (the father of the bride) tearing up a little as he danced with his daughter. Helping to create that moment was exactly the reason why we do what we do.

Photo Credits:

“EVENTPRO LIVE” logomarked photos – our in-house photographer Vince Pignetti

“Final four shots of bridal party & guests” – Ken Rochon

For this particular article, let’s focus on the Wedding DJ.

So you’re engaged- Congratulations! You have a long road ahead of planning and preparation for one of the most memorable days of your life. Here’s how to find the right entertainment…

Let’s assume you know you want to hire a DJ and not a band or some other form of entertainment- great! There are literally hundreds to choose from in any given area. This can make for a daunting task. How do we sort the good from the bad, and more importantly the good from the exceptional?

TYPES OF DJS
Not all DJs are created equal, and many specialize in different genres, styles, or venues of entertainment. There is absolutely a difference between your favorite nightclub jockey, and someone that is going to be able to rock the dance floor at your wedding for you and your friends, but also keep grandma Ethel, your cousin Vinny, and his ten year old daughter entertained at the same time. DJing a wedding is really an art. I’m not saying all nightclub jocks are unsuitable to hire for weddings (there are many that are spectacular), but there are many skills a “nightclub only” DJ often lacks to put on a quality wedding performance. If you’re considering hiring your favorite nightclub DJ for a wedding, read through the next section on what to look for and don’t be afraid to ask him/her about their capabilities.

There are two main avenues that most couples pursue their entertainment through: independent mobile DJs, and Mobile DJ agencies. Both have pros and cons. Most independent DJs are one or two employee operations. You will often deal with the person who will DJ your reception from start to finish. It can make for easier communication and provide you with a more personalized experience, but what happens if your one and only DJ gets sick? The show must go on; make sure they have a back-up plan. Mobile DJ agencies often have many DJs working under one roof. A good agency will assign you a coordinator or project manager and allow you to pick from several different options to find an entertainer that fits you best. Try and get a feel for how the organization operates to see if you are comfortable with the level of service provided.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A WEDDING DJ

SKILLSET

• Comfortable on the Microphone: Many times, a DJ will not only be the person playing music to entertain your guests, but they will also be the one directing the flow of the reception. They need to be comfortable making announcements, giving directions, getting your guests involved, and making sure everyone knows what is about to happen at any given time.
• A Good Sense of Awareness: Because they are in charge of so much more than playing music, a good DJ will make sure that the bride hasn’t left for the restroom before they announce the cake cutting is about to start, or that the photographer isn’t changing batteries in the flash on his camera before the first dance. These small details come with experience and are often overlooked.
• Musical Knowledge: Its not enough to be familiar with today’s current hits. Wedding DJs have to have musical knowledge from multiple eras- how else are they going to know what to play for Grandma, or little Timmy?
• Professionalism: This may seem self explanatory, but don’t you want someone that is going to show up on time and in clean, pressed, suitable attire? I know I would. Get a feel for this and check references.
• Suitable to your Style: Make sure your DJ fits with your vibe, or that they can adapt. Some couples just want someone that can play music, others want someone who is really going to put on a show. Think about what kind of reception you want, and make sure your DJ can cater to this style.

EQUIPMENT/RESOURCES

• Music: A good wedding DJ should have musical selections across multiples genres and time periods. Your guests are most likely going to be from various generations and have differing musical tastes. It is important that the DJ can satisfy as many people as possible. Even if you want your wedding to only have music from one style from one specific time period, a DJ that has a complete library is simply showing another sign of his/her experience. You may also want to ask how the DJ obtains their music. With illegal file sharing and downloading so prevalent today, employing a DJ with a legally obtained music selection is always a good idea.
• Technical Equipment: Your DJ should be using professional quality equipment for your reception. Not only will you and your guests see, hear, and feel the difference quality equipment makes at a party, but its also much less likely to fail. Nothing is worse than the music cutting out during your first dance. A common industry expression is “Enough rig for the gig.” Let your DJ know what size venue they will be playing in and how many guests you anticipate. Make sure they have enough equipment to adequately handle a reception of your size. Finally, although rare; even the best equipment will fail. An experienced DJ will have a back-up plan. Ask them about theirs.

OTHER/PROCEDURAL

• Insurance: We all hope that nothing ever goes wrong at an event, but in reality accidents do happen. What happens if someone trips over a speaker wire, or breaks a piece of equipment? Who is liable? Is it the venue, the DJ, or does that responsibility fall on you, the host?
• Face-Time:  It is extremely important that you be able to meet with (or at the very least speak to) the person who will DJ your wedding prior to wedding day. You want to be able to get a feel for them, their style, and assess if they have some of the skills mentioned above. Any DJ that won’t meet with you prior to the performance doesn’t have your best interests in mind.
• Contracts: You may be the kind of person that keeps their word on a handshake. Many DJs are upstanding too, but its always important to have every detail spelled out in an agreement. It not only protects the DJ, but contracts protect the consumer as well. If the DJ doesn’t follow through on his ed of the agreement, you should have some recourse. What happens when the DJ doesn’t show? What are their policies on double bookings? What happens if there is inclement weather on the day of your Wedding preventing them from being able to perform? It’s important to know the answers.

If you are ever in doubt about anything regarding entertainment for your reception, the best thing to do is ask! Good DJs will have the answers because chances are; if they are experienced, they have run into that particular situation before. If they haven’t, they should be able to come up with a reasonable solution. If you’re ever feeling uncomfortable or hesitant, trust your instincts. Its always better to have all the information up front, and make an informed decision on something so crucial to your wedding. I hope I have provided information that will help you make a more informed decision when selecting entertainment for your wedding. Congratulations again on your engagement, and I wish you and your significant other the best!

Nick Pignetti
Event Pro Live LLC

I was thrilled when we were asked to provide special event lighting for Ray Rice’s 24th birthday by the owner of Milan Restaurant & Lounge. As a Ravens fan, who wouldn’t want to be able to contribute to a spectacular birthday party for  Baltimore’s star running back? Of course, as with all the events we do- it had to be perfect. We’ve done several shows at Milan before- primarily for Lunar themed Saturday’s: a resident event hosted by HeidnSeek Entertainment, so we know the venue well- and we wanted to provide that extra special ambiance for Ray, fellow Raven’s players, and friends to celebrate in an atmosphere unlike your typical lounge experience in Baltimore.

Milan is by itself, a beautiful venue- so we didn’t want to distract from the clean decor and layout. The idea was to keep it simple and elegant. We set to work designing a scheme for the first level: the main lounge area, that consisted primarily of static purple lighting that would just highlight the VIP tables, white couches, and simple lines of the main floor. We decided to mirror this effect outside on the patio with ceiling spots. It really turned out great and made the venue pop. The tent lighting could be seen from the street- giving that vibe that “the Ravens were in town at Milan.”

Ray’s party was set to be exclusive on the second floor, and this was our primary area of focus. I decided that we should do something special for Ray to show him a little Baltimore love and had custom color matched the lighting to the Raven’s purple. We highlighted each private booth, and the Milan logo on the second floor as well as added accents to various architectural features. The effect and difference was stunning.

Time for the party: the place was packed. The line stretched around the building in anticipation for the players’ arrival. It was great to see the outpouring of support from Baltimore fans. When everyone arrived, security escorted them through the crowd in a typical Hollywood celebrity craze fashion, and led them to the private booths upstairs. When they got to the top of the stairs I remember waiting there to greet them and the look on their faces when they saw the room said “tonight’s gonna be a good night.” That look of approval was an awesome feeling for me personally, and I was glad that we were able to be a part of such a special evening and help bring it to life.

Pictures from the party can be seen here: http://www.events4goodpeople.com/photos.html

Nick Pignetti
Event Pro Live LLC

I want to keep logs of events, post helpful tips, and write on topics that will be interesting and useful to our readers. If you have a question or topic that you would like to read about, please do not hesitate to e-mail me at n.pignetti@eventprolive.net and let me know what you want to hear about!

Nick Pignetti
Event Pro Live LLC