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Thursday, September 13, 2007A Great DJ
There's one obvious reason to hire a great DJ for your wedding reception, but there are many not-so-obvious reasons, too. Yes, the DJ will play a lot of awesome music. And that's important, but it's actually not the most important service your DJ will provide. In addition to spinning great tunes, your professional DJ will act as a creative planner, an entertainer, a director, and as your Master-of-Ceremonies or MC.
What do these roles entail? Let's look more closely. PLANNER: your DJ will consult with you well in advance of your wedding day to help you create an original celebration. He or she will give you unique ideas to ensure that your day is like no other. ENTERTAINER: your DJ will help your guests have the time of their lives and will be a big reason why your guests are smiling so broadly in your wedding pictures. There are so many opportunities for fun before the dancing even starts! DIRECTOR: your DJ will keep your celebration moving at the right pace - not so quickly as to feel rushed, and never, ever boring. MC: your DJ will act as your spokesperson. Everything he or she says on and off the microphone will reflect back on you, your fiance, and your families. Your MC will always present his or herself as a polished professional. What are the three keys to hiring the best DJ for your wedding? Contract, consultation, and confirmation. You should ask for a well-written contract that clearly states who will be performing at your wedding and offers you protection should problems arise. Be sure to request an in-person consultation with your DJ entertainer. This will help you get excited about the person who will play such important roles in your wedding celebration. If you aren't jazzed about what they offer, don't like the person, or especially if you don't trust them, do not make the hire! Finally, you should get visual confirmation that this is the DJ entertainer for you. The best ways to get confirmation are by attending an actual wedding worked by this entertainer (as an invited guest only, not as a DJ's party-crasher), or by viewing recent, uncut video footage from a wedding where this DJ has performed. This experience will tell you if your DJ is a good choice to hire, or to send packing! Remember, your wedding DJ is so much more than just music! Tuesday, March 20, 2007Expectations
First I'd like to apologize for the lack of activity here on the blog. You could blame me or you could blame technology... either way you'd be right :)
Something that's been on my mind recently is the idea of "expectations". What do you expect on your wedding day? What do you want the reception to be like? How do you want your guests to feel? They may seem like simple and straightforward questions (and really, they are), but the answers to those questions need to be clearly communicated to everyone involved with your wedding. Here are a couple of cases to illustrate what I mean. Let's say Shawn and Sheila are getting married in town, but the vast majority of their wedding guests are flying in from out of state. Many of those same guests haven't seen the bride and groom since they graduated high school ten years earlier. Shawn and Sheila make a point of telling their photographer and their entertainer that they want to spend a lot of time during the reception catching up with their friends. A photographer who wanted to take a lot of action shots or posed sets during the reception would likely be dominating the couple's time in a way that they didn't want. So, too, would an entertainer who insisted on having everyone on the dance floor the whole night long. Another one... let's say you want your reception to be very kid-friendly because you have dozens of young children coming to the wedding. It might be awkward to combine a lot of special dances (or a big open dance party) with a bunch of kids running around the dance floor screaming. Telling your "event team" to expect this will help them better direct the flow around your desires for the reception. At wedding receptions like these, it's a great plan to tailor some of the entertainment directly to the kids. That way your entertainer can keep the kids going while the parents sit back, relax, and smile. Just a few points to ponder... Best always, Matt Monday, March 5, 2007Revolutionary Book
There is a new book available that's the first of its kind for weddings. For years, books and especially magazines have given brides-to-be all kinds of advice on how to make their weddings beautiful. From capturing the perfect new look with your hair-do to tips to find the perfect dress, the content is endless!
But there has been nothing available on how to make your celebration fun. No sure-fire ways to make your reception entertaining. Until now. I highly recommend you read Peter Merry's The Best Wedding Reception...Ever! Soon it will be on Amazon, but right now you can order it from www.thebestweddingreceptionever.com/ I hope it's the first of many books and articles designed to help you really celebrate the wedding of your dreams. Weddings aren't about photographs, favors, and food. They're about having a wonderful, wonderful time with your dearest friends, family, and that one special person you're going to spend forever with. That wonderful time isn't going to happen without quality direction and entertainment. Enjoy! Monday, February 26, 2007You Don't Have To Overspend
I think one of the biggest misconceptions about planning a wedding budget is that you have to spend a ton of money in order to have the celebration you want. Honestly, you don't have to do that, so long as you prioritize properly. Try to think first about how you'd like your wedding reception to be remembered. If the first word that pops into your head is "beautiful", then you ought to make decor your number one priority. If "fun" is your first word, then you should make the entertainment a top priority.
Sit back, smile, and remember this is your day! So do it your way! Whatever's most important to you and will have the greatest impact on your wedding day should be reflected in your budget. If you go $2000 over in one area, but can skimp from others that aren't as important to the success of your dream wedding then by all means, do it! Consider looking at all of your reception-related expenses on a per-person basis. You might be amazed at what you see! Best always, Matt Tuesday, February 20, 2007Monday Advice
Thank you so much for coming to my blog for the best wedding advice. I will start the Monday blog when I return from my convention in Las Vegas, NV. I wish you all the best and can't wait to share.
Take care, Matt Thursday, February 1, 2007Is a DJ a product or an entertainer?
As I discussed earlier, this is the wedding-planning season and one of the interesting things that happens is that DJs get to see other DJs out in public. That may sound like a strange observation, but you have to remember that most DJs perform at the same time (Friday and Saturday nights) so, typically, we're all working at the same time. So it stands to reason that we don't talk to each other very often. Wedding shows provide rare opportunities to meet the "competition" and to glean a little bit about their business focus.
I am amazed and disappointed at the large number of DJs that market their service as if it was a product or commodity. DJ websites frequently post packages like "Gold - Get our large sound system for four hours for $500" and "Platinum - Get our large system with lights for four hours for $650". Visit the next site and you'll read similar text, but for $50 less. The next reads the same and so on and so on. What's wrong with this approach? Simply put, there is no reference to the single most important element - the DJ. The person who is responsible for making the party happen, for playing the right song at the right time, for getting people up and excited, for moving people's emotions, and so much more - is not even mentioned. People with this focus seem to believe that the DJ has no talent. They believe that what makes the show is the gear. Well let me ask you, have you ever seen a bad DJ? What made him or her bad? Was it the gear or was it something else? Were they out of tune with the bride and groom's vision? Were they loud, drunk, and rude? Did they insist on playing hip-hop all night to the dismay of everyone except the five teenagers in the crowd? Imagine this DJ with the best sound system in the entire world. Are you as scared as I am? I would rather have a true professional armed with only a boombox, than many of the DJs I've seen perform. I'd rather hire a person who knows how to entertain my guests. This person has talent and he or she is worth a premium price. This person is an entertainer, not mearly an "operator of sound equipment". You'll now this person the next time you see them perform. You'll also know the "gear-operator", though hopefully you won't have to stay long. Best wishes to you for a wonderful next DJ experience! Matt Thursday, January 18, 2007Survive the wedding shows
Good day to you! Though few weddings occur during the month of January, it is a month crazy with wedding shows! You probably know this better than I do. Many of the shows, particularly those in bigger cities, can be quite overwhelming. What's the secret to successfully navigating the shows?
Have a plan. My personal experiences at trade shows (and wedding shows) have been best when I have either known exactly what I needed and who I wanted to see, or when I have taken the time to walk the entire floor making notes about who I wanted to come back and check out later. When I check a business out I gather up the most interesting literature I can find, and then I spend a minute or two talking with the vendor to see if I like them. If they give me a good vibe, I'll call them later to set an appointment. If they give me a bad one, I won't bother. I'll ask a few questions during my few minutes at their booth, but I don't want a sales pitch. I figure that these vendors at the shows are seeing hundreds of potential clients during a day or two, so it's unrealistic to expect them to be able to focus on my specific needs. Remember, too, that you get what you pay for. Don't let "how much" be the first question you ask. Here's a good idea, as well. If you do find a person you like, check to see if they're available on your date. It's frustrating to you and embarrassing to the vendor if a long conversation is for naught on account of a vendor's availability. I've been guilty of this several times (most recently this afternoon while I typed this blog... I'm sorry Denise!). Anyhow, my bottom line suggested approach is to try to spot potential at the wedding shows, but don't book on site. That's for the later meeting where you and your potential wedding vendor have clearer heads and you both can get a better sense of whether or not the relationship is right. I will be at the Oregon Wedding Showcase in Eugene, OR this weekend. The show runs 10a-5p on Saturday and 11a-5p on Sunday. The location is the Lane County Fairgrounds off 13th & Jefferson. I certainly hope to see you there! Best wishes always! Matt Sunday, January 7, 2007Welcome!
Hi! Welcome to my blog! I hope you find this a helpful place to visit to gain a little insight into my world as a DJ entertainer. I'm excited to be able to pass on ideas that can hopefully assist you as you plan your weddings, parties, and other celebrations.
In case you're curious about me and my background, I've been a professional mobile entertainer since 2001. Before that I worked professionally in radio as an on-air talent, as well as a production director (what this means is that I was responsible for creating radio advertisements... you know, the kind that would get stuck in your head for days on end... I'm very sorry). The jump to being a mobile DJ/entertainer was a perfect move for me since it allowed me to use many of my skills and was an ideal fit with my personality. You see, I love making people happy. Nothing makes me smile more than helping people have a wonderful time. That's especially why I love weddings so much! There is so much love and joy surrounding the event, and it's just such a thrill watching people have the time of their lives! My office is based in Albany, Oregon, but I do travel all over the state. I have performed in Washington, and I'll travel to California if the event is the right fit for me. Really, though, this blog is not intended to be a laborious sales pitch about why you should hire me as your mobile entertainer. It's intended to help you make the best decisions possible. Decisions that will allow you and your guests to enjoy spectacular celebrations instead of settling for mediocrity. I welcome your thoughts and comments. Thanks, ArchivesJanuary 2007 February 2007 March 2007 September 2007
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