Wedding Disc Jockey

It's time to start thinking about what you like and even more importantly, what songs you want your disc jockey to avoid. Don't worry about banning certain songs at your wedding. Your wedding will not be a disaster if your disc jockey doesn't play "The Chicken Dance". A professional disc jockey has normally over 20,000 songs in their musical arsenal. Telling them that they shouldn't play 10 or 20 songs can ensure that you create the perfect atmosphere for your style.

Here are some of the most frequently banned songs at a wedding:

1. Paradise by the Dashboard light
2. The Chicken Dance
3. Electric Boogie (Electric Slide)
4. Macarena
5. Old Time Rock & Roll
6. The Hokey Pokey
7. I Will Survive
8. Wonderful Tonight
9. The Twist
10. The Conga
11. YMCA
12. Country Music (either they love it or they hate it!)

You are in charge. Don't let the banquet facility, your disc jockey or your photographer tell you otherwise. Only you can decide what is right for you - they can offer suggestions, but the ultimate decision is in your hands.

LOOKING FOR OTHER GREAT WEDDING SUGGESTIONS. CHECK OUT A LEADER IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY.

If your wedding ceremony is in a church, then you are pretty much set. Most churchs have a built in PA system so that everyone will hear you exchange vows. If you are having an outdoor ceremony - don't kid yourself. If you have more than about 50 guests, you need to have some form of PA system so that your guests can hear what is being said.

Consult your Officiant or Disc Jockey. Often, they have portable PA systems specifically designed for such things. Using either a wireless microphone or lapel (clip-on) microphone, they can capture every word said. A wedding ceremony PA system should be unobtrusive. Using wireless microphones, the speaker and sound board should be setup either to the side or at the back of the ceremony site. (Out of pictures) Make sure you know what things will look like before securing someone to produce sound at your ceremony.

LOOKING FOR SOUND REINFORCEMENT IDEAS? CLICK HERE.

It is officially spring. That means that all those wedding plans that you've been putting off - the time has come. You cannot postpone making decisions for your 2005 wedding plans any longer. If you have not secured a photographer or disc jockey for your 2005 wedding - you are so behind the 8-ball. Quality wedding vendors book up many times a year or more in advance. Why? It's simply the effects of supply and demand. There are only so many Friday and Saturday's in a typical wedding season (May - Oct). Your photographer and wedding disc jockey need to work a certain number of events each year in order to run a profitable business.

There are thousands of people getting married just in the MA/CT region each weekend. There are only so many true professional wedding vendors available. Waiting until last minute (less than 6 months before your wedding), will severely limit the quality of the vendors left open on your wedding date. Remember, finding the cheapest photographer or disc jockey only guarantees that you found the lesser service. You get what you pay for when it comes to photography and disc jockeys. We all understand that a Yugo, although it has 4 wheels and gets you from point a to point b, is not the same as a $40,000 sports car. The same goes for wedding vendors.

LOOKING FOR A QUALITY WEDDING VENDOR? CHECK OUT THIS SITE.

Exactly what should your disc jockey be doing in the weeks/months prior to your wedding? If you think that they just show up at your reception and are ready to go - you've missed out on what they've been doing to prepare.

Typically, your DJ will meet you during the sales stage of things - you get to know him, they get to know what you are looking for. Once you've decided that they are the right DJ for you, then the work starts. Your DJ would lock in your date and start working on preparation. About 2 months prior to your wedding, they would meet you again and start going over details with you. If your DJ wants to meet only a week or so ahead of your wedding - just say no. You should expect more from them.

This is what a professional DJ does in the months prior to your event:
1. They have your itinerary / wedding party names to review and make sure there are no issues and that transitions from one thing to a next have a natural flow to them.
2. They would be communicating with you regarding any last minute changes you might have, sometimes talking to the banquet facility or your photographer if questions arise or to discuss setup requirements.
3. They would review your music requests and make sure they have all your key songs. Many DJs will prepare a working CD with all your selected songs on it to even further make sure there are no issues on the day of your wedding.
4. Many DJs now will work on music programming on their laptop - they will prepare just the right mix of music for social hour and dinner ahead of time. For your dance selections, they may prepare a play list so all the songs you want are easily accessible and for quick reference.
5. They will prepare their equipment and load up just the right pieces for your event and bring sufficient backup in case of emergency.

A typical wedding might require about 5-10 hours of preparation event BEFORE the day of your wedding. Ask your potential DJ how much time they invest in preparation for your event - you might be amazed at the differences between lesser DJs and true professionals.

FOR QUALITY WEDDING ENTERTAINMENT - VISIT THIS WEBSITE.

This will be the interactive part of this Blog. Now, it's time for you to tell us your first dance choice. With a couple's first dance, sometimes it's chosen because they've taken dance lessons to a specific song. Sometimes it's the first song they danced together at when they first met. Sometimes it's a song that just kept coming up as they dated. Tell us the story of your first dance and what song it was that you picked.

Exactly what use is the wedding party dance? Most wedding parties are groups of people that don't necessarily know each other and are not true "couples". So why do you want them to dance together? In years past, it was designed mainly for photography purposes - something for your photographer to capture. What the reality is - no one ever buys copies of these photos.

What can you do? You can skip the wedding party dance altogether. Nothing is written that states that you must do it. Sometimes, we use the wedding party as a way to "seed" the dance floor after dinner. For the first open dance (typically a slow tune), we would invite the wedding party out to start the song and then quickly invite all guests to join them about 30 seconds into the song. CLICK - you have a full dance floor at your wedding with just a simple subtle crowd manipulation.

FOR A LEADING EXPERT IN THE WEDDING FIELD - CHECK OUT AFTER HOURS DJ SERVICE.

OK, so you have your heart set on the top banquet facility in the area. The only thing is once you've done that, your wedding budget is shot. The $75/pp meal charge quickly becomes $100/pp with the 18% gratuity & other hidden charges. Your heart races as you hear that the facility won't even lock in the prices. You book your wedding in 2004 and by the time the wedding comes around in 2006, there could be a 10-20% increase in price.

Once your budget is blown on the banquet facility - the thing is - you've doomed yourself. Now, you have to compromise on your photographer and which package that you wanted. You end up with a $500 DJ instead of the $1,500 one that you really liked. You can't afford a videographer and the roses you wanted quickly become carnations.

Let's look at the numbers - if the 150 guests costs you $100/pp - that's $15,000 of your wedding budget. If you were to look at a facility that was one step down in pricing - say $75/pp - now your budget is only a bit over $11,000. That extra $4,000 in savings could be the difference between all the other budget items that you wanted or wanted to upgrade. Take a very close look at what you spend in what area of your wedding budget. Remember, the meal is done in about an hour. There are 5 hours in a typical wedding reception. Spend a better part of your budget on a quality photographer and entertainment and you'll be much happier in the end.

FOR GREAT BANQUET FACILITIES AND PHOTOGRAPHER RECOMMENDATIONS- VISIT HERE.

So, you're working 50+ hours a week for corporate America. Those "take back your vacation" ads seem like they are speaking directly at you. On top of all that - you have to plan your wedding and you have no idea how you're going to get it all done. This is where a wedding coordinator comes into play.

The first thing out of your mouth is "I can't afford a wedding planner". The reality is - a wedding planner typically pays for themselves in the time and money they will save you. They are going to keep you focused on what is important and work with you to make your life so much less stressful in the months before your wedding. Instead of having to check out 20 different photographers and 15 DJs, they will already have a preselected few for you to focus in on. Just take a deep breath and you will get through the wedding planning.

How much does a wedding coordinator cost? The price ranges from $750 to $2,000+ depending on the level of service and support that you need. Some wedding coordinators even work on a per hour basis so you only pay for what you need. Do yourself a favor - before the chaos engulfs you - call a wedding coordinator and see what they can do for you.

LOOKING FOR A PARTY PLANNER/WEDDING COORDINATOR? CHECK OUT A LEADING EXPERT.

For other wedding planners - CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITES.

So, exactly what feel do you want for your grand entrance? Here are some interesting suggestions to help create the perfect start to your wedding:

1. Nelly - Hot In Here
2. Jennifer Lopez - Let's Get Loud
3. Harry Connick Jr. - It Had To Be You
4. Frank Sinatra - Fly Me To The Moon
5. Enrique Iglesias - Be With You
6. Fabolous - Holla Back
7. Eminem - Lose Yourself (Instrumental)
8. Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up
9. Jimmy Buffett - Lag Nom Ai
10. Amii Stewart - Knock On Wood

FOR OTHER GREAT WEDDING SUGGESTIONS/IDEAS CHECK OUT A LEADING EXPERT IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY

Looking for a suggestion to use as a theme song for your cake cutting? Tired of hearing "The bride cuts the cake" in your wedding nightmares? Here are some great suggestions to check out:

1. Louis Jordan - Knock Me A Kiss
2. Sarah McLaughlin - Icecream
3. Archies - Sugar Sugar
4. Natalie Cole - This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)
5. Enya - May It Be
6. Blue Suede - Hooked On A Feeling
7. Quincy Jones - Soul Bossa Nova (Austin Powers)
8. Harry Connick Jr. - Recipe For Love
9. Adam Sandler - Grow Old With Me
10. The Beatles - When I'm 64

WANT TO KNOW MORE? CHECK OUT A LEADING EXPERT IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY.

If you are planning a wedding in the MA/CT region and are looking for something special when it comes to wedding photography - we have some suggestions for you. Who wants the same boring shots in front of the same boring fireplace. You know "insert bride here" style photography. Enter the realm of photojournalistic wedding photography. Just because a photographer states that they are photojournalistic does not make them so. Take a look at their photo galleries. Make sure the photos speak to you. The emotion should clearly come through in the images that they capture.

Here are some of our favorite Photojournalistic Wedding Photographers in MA/CT:

Robert Charles Photography
Stephen Charles Photography
Ambrose Photography
Steinmetz Photography
Claris Photography
CR Photography
Studio Photo
Storm Photographic
Derek Goodwin Photography
CT Photojournalist - David Roberts

Yes, the price varies drastically between photographers. You need to find someone that fits your budget and your personal style. You will be relying on them to capture your wedding day details for all of time.

The main reason wedding couples choose a Professional DJ with many years of wedding experience such as After Hours as opposed to lower cost DJ Services is that the selection of music a Professional DJ can play spans across all ages and tastes instead of just what the lower cost DJ likes to listen to. But aside from the music, your DJ will also act as your Master of Ceremonies to help maintain the proper flow during the reception. At After Hours Disc Jockey Service, we will coordinate with your photographer to get all the right pictures for your wedding album. We will also work with the rest of the professionals (Videographer, Banquet Staff) during your event to ensure everything runs smoothly.

So while you may be thinking of hiring a DJ just for the music, remember at your personal meeting with your After Hours DJ & Master of Ceremonies, it is important to discuss not only the types of music you want, but which events you will be doing and their desired order. These would include such things as the cutting of the wedding cake, the toast, and the bouquet toss. A Professional DJ will also work with you on individualizing your wedding at this time. Your DJ should want to know what exactly you envision for your wedding. One couple may want a low-key elegant event, while the next may want a high energy party atmosphere. If your DJ wants to tell you how your event will run instead of the other way around, then they actually are not interested in working with you. At After Hours, every wedding is unique and we treat them as such.

Looking for a Professional Disc Jockey in the MA/CT/RI areas? Check out the following:
After Hours Disc Jockey Service
The DJ Network - DJ Referral Company

Having a DJ you can trust to handle all the MC duties is important, but where most DJ’s really shine is when it comes to knowing what music will get the crowd on the dance floor. Your DJ should work with you both on the types of music that you want played but also on the types of music that you don’t want played. As a general rule, the guest will not dance until after the bride and groom have had their first dance. Other special dances might include a wedding party dance, a dance for the bride and father and one for the groom and his mother.

How do you know the DJ that you are looking at entrusting your event’s fate to is a professional?

Look to see if they are a member of a Professional Organization such as the DJ Network
Ask them how many weddings they perform at each year and how long they have been in the business
Ask if they will handle all of the detail coordination on your wedding day (Making sure the champagne toast is poured before introductions, ensuring the parents of the bride & groom are available during cake cutting, coordinating with photographer and banquet staff, etc.)

Proper planning for your reception should also include giving your DJ a guideline of the types of music that you want to be played. Keep in mind that you want all your guests to be satisfied, so make sure your DJ is prepared with a wide variety of music to suit all tastes. Just remember that your wedding day is a time to celebrate, so dance, enjoy yourself and leave the coordination to a wedding professional such as After Hours Disc Jockey Service.

How To Tell An Extraordinary Wedding Disc Jockey From Someone Who Could Ruin Your Wedding Reception

You have your band (around your finger), now it’s time to find your Connecticut Wedding disc jockey. You search the internet for “Connecticut Wedding disc jockey” and come up with a list of potential wedding disc jockey choices. Now, how do you wade through the rheteroric “Connecticut’s Most Requested DJ”, “The DJ of Choice”, “CT DJ of the Year” and figure out who is going to make your reception a raving success v. a floundering mess.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you look for your Connecticut Wedding disc jockey:

• Check out their website. If it is poorly designed, lacks real information or just doesn’t appeal to your style – then they are probably not the right choice as your Connecticut Wedding disc jockey. You should discount any DJ that DOES NOT HAVE A WEBSITE. If they can’t be bothered to setup a website, then they probably can’t be bothered with the details of your wedding.
• Look for pricing. If they do not list pricing on their website – they might be trying to hide something. Many Connecticut Wedding disc jockeys will quote different pricing from one client to the next. This is a sign of a poorly run business or of hidden charges that might haunt you down the line. Your Connecticut Wedding disc jockey should be upfront with their pricing and it should be printed/posted on their website and in the literature they mail you.
• If you have specific music tastes – ask your Connecticut Wedding disc jockey to show you a list with that style music on it. Too many Connecticut Wedding disc jockeys have promised to cater to client’s musical tastes and then showed up on the day of the wedding to just play the same tired wedding music that you hear at every Connecticut wedding reception.
• Ask to see photo’s of their equipment and setup. If they have large self-promoting signs as part of their setup – stay clear of this. What right does a Connecticut Wedding disc jockey have in promoting themselves at YOUR wedding?
• Ask your disc jockey how much money they have invested in the equipment that they bring and setup at a typical wedding. At a recent Connecticut bridal show, one Connecticut Wedding disc jockey boasted about his new disc jockey setup. The main system was worth less than $500. A quality wireless microphone is worth more than $500 alone! If they have less than $5,000 in equipment (not including music value or backup equipment value) – they are entry level wedding entertainment at best. Quality Connecticut Wedding disc jockey equipment comes at a cost. Many professional Connecticut Wedding disc jockeys will have over $10,000 invested in their main system alone.

The bottom line – if your Connecticut Wedding disc jockey choice gives you any concern with regards to their professionalism, they you should keep shopping for your Connecticut Wedding disc jockey elsewhere. The difference between a $750 Connecticut Wedding disc jockey and a quality $1500 Connecticut Wedding disc jockey could mean the difference between guests gazing at their watches soon after dinner or your family & friends up and dancing the night away at your Connecticut wedding reception.

Rob Alberti, After Hours DJ Service
www.afterhoursdj.net

If you were surveyed after your wedding – what % of the success of the event would you place with your DJ? What about with your photographer or the banquet staff? Would you believe that in our survey of that exact item, we found that our clients place between 80% and 100% of the success of their event on the DJ. Your Professional DJ will help coordinate your entire reception. they keep the flow of events moving and your guests entertained. Maybe with other disc jockeys that are not as service oriented; the percentage is lower, but professional DJs pride themselves on going above and beyond the call of duty.

Why do some DJs charge more than other DJ services? The simple answer is because they’re worth it. Would you trust your event on the cheapest DJ available? Think about that. If there’s one thing you want to do right; it’s the entertainment. Remember the % of the success of your event? We’re responsible for over 80% of that.

CLICK HERE FOR A LEADING EXPERT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT FIELD.

Do you realize how many agencies and forms that you must locate and fill out when you change your name? Social Security, insurance, banks … it’s overwhelming. Now, we have found a great little item that makes a wonderful bridal shower gift or buy one for yourself. This is a consolidated, easy to use, name change kit for the new bride. It contains all required government forms, every personal record change form, an instruction guide and checklist to help the new bride change from her maiden to her new married name.

This has been voted #1 by new brides everywhere! This is good for use in all 50 states. You can receive your name change kit for $20 (includes s/h) direct from After Hours DJ. Everyone who has picked one up has absolutely loved it. It will save you so much time and effort.

If the traditional garter & bouquet ceremony seems a bit too risqué for your invited guests, why not try one of these alternatives?

• Have the bride just throw the bouquet (Leaving removal, throwing & placement of the garter completely out)
• Have the bride throw a scatter bouquet (A dozen loose flowers) so that everyone gets one
• Have the Groom tosses his boutonniere instead of the garter (No garter to contend with)
• Present the bouquet to a special friend, relative or the longest married couple

LIKE THIS INFORMATION? CHECK OUT A LEADER IN THE WEDDING ENTERTAINMENT FIELD.

Put together your own slide show (or powerpoint presentation). Show pictures of your family, friends and relatives. The slide show should be a maximum of 2 songs in length (~ 7:00 minutes). You can show this at the end of dinner and you will be amazed at the emotional impact that you will get from this. After Hours can provide a high output LCD Projector (not the inexpensive LCD projectors in the boardroom) and a 7' or larger video screen to display it on. Want to just show it on a loop during cocktail hour? We can provide a 46" plasma screen TV for this.

If you don't want to create the slide show yourself, ask your photographer or videographer. Most of them have put together presentations like this in the past.

Rob Alberti, After Hours Disc Jockey Service
Extraordinary Wedding Entertainment

1. Usher - Yeah!
2. AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long
3. Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive
4. 50 Cent - In Da Club
5. Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar On Me
6. Outkast - Hey Ya
7. Gwen Stefani/Eve - Rich Girl
8. Abba - Dancing Queen
9. Bob Seger - Old Time Rock & Roll
10. Commodores - Brick House

Rob Alberti, After Hours DJ Service

In order to facilitate better events, our disc jockey company has started to email clients a week before to give them every opportunity to have the best event possible. Here are some of the hints that we provide:

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Hello, it's your DJ. Your wedding is about a week away and I just wanted to email you and let you know a few things that you can do to help make your event run smoothly and get the most out of your time at the reception. Please circulate this email to your parents and everyone in your wedding party. The more people that are in tune with what to do that day - the better your event will be.

1. If there are any last minute changes to your itinerary - LET US KNOW AHEAD OF TIME. We need to be prepared and can help you orchestrate things much smoother only if we know about them before it's too late. We can help guide you as to the best way to flow from one event to the next. Call or email us with those changes immediately. Thank you.
2. All formal photos should be completed by the end of dinner. That means - if you need to get a group photo of your college friends, grandmother or whomever - by the time they clear the main entrée away - that photo needs to happen. If you pull people (and yourselves) out of the party for a group photo - you lose about 25 minutes of dance time. Yes, the photo only takes 5 minutes, but it takes 10 minutes to gather everyone up. It takes you about 10 minutes to walk back into the room as you will keep getting stopped by friends and family. It's never just a quick shot.
3. If you need to socialize with your guests - do as much of it between courses as you can. Get up, visit a few tables and then go sit back down and eat the next course. If you wait until after dinner to start walking around - you will lose valuable dance time. Be careful not to get behind in the meal. If your guests finish before the two of you, that is not good either. When the next course is set for you, go and eat. You can always finish talking to people later - or better yet - meet them on the dance floor.
4. The end of the meal is critical - both you, your parents and the wedding party need to be in the room. Once you start seeing the wait staff clearing plates - you should STAY IN THE ROOM. We could delay the start of dancing by 10-15 minutes trying to get the key players back in the room. The longer we wait to start - the harder it is to get people focused on the party. We will give you and your parents a 10 minute warning before activities are about to get started - use the bathroom, freshen up, take your smoke break or whatever you need to do - BUT BE BACK IN THE ROOM AND READY TO GO.
5. Once we open dancing up - the more people that come out - the quicker we can get the party on the way. If you really want to help prime the party, both you, your parents and the entire bridal party (and their partners) should spend the first 15 minutes (~3 songs) on the dance floor. Everyone is looking to you to set the tone of the event - if you are out dancing - your guests will follow.
6. If you have to leave the room (and you should really leave the room separately (never together) - leaving one of you in the room to play host for your guests at all times), make sure you quickly go and do what you have to do and return. The longer you are out of the room - the more energy is drained from the party. Also, if you are standing talking with guests be aware of WHERE you stand. If you position yourself next to the exit - you will draw people to you and out of the party. Always position yourself so you pull people away from the exits and near to the dance floor.
7. We will be able to play more of the music that you've selected if you dance. If people are not dancing - our first concern is to get people involved before they decide to leave instead. Once we have a good dancing crowd - it's much easier to fit in more of your & your guests' requests.
8. Have fun. If you are not having fun - how can you expect your guests to be? Be part of the festivities. Socialize, dance and have the time of your life. Your DJ will be there to guide you every step of the way. If you are unsure as to what to do next - we can help. We will be touching base with you over the course of the event and will let you know if you have been out of the room too long or if we need you to help us refocus attention on the dance floor.

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WANT MORE INFO? CHECK OUT A LEADING EXPERT IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY

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Whether it is a low-key event or a “dance-on-the-tables” feel that you want for your wedding; your professional mobile disc jockey should be able to paint the scene for you. Discuss your needs. Tell them what you’ve seen before – both what you liked and what you hated at other weddings. But most of all, come and have the time of your life at your wedding! Remember, if you remember the music, you’ll never forget the times.

When planning your wedding, what type of entertainment are you looking for? A comedian? A clown? A 3-ring circus? Of course not … you are looking for high quality entertainment that is tailored to your vision for this once-in-a-lifetime event. Your wedding reception entertainment or reception disc jockey should tie together all the things you have been dreaming of for many, many months.

When it is time to look for wedding reception entertainment and disc jockey, you need to consider many aspects. Cost may seem to be your highest priority at first, but as you weed through the list of considerations, you will need to find someone you trust to keep your special day flowing smoothly. Tacky rhetoric, shoddy equipment, or lack of music to please your guests should not ruin your picture-perfect day.

Need More Information? Check Out A Leading Expert In The Field.

You will want a DJ or disc jockey with a high quality, and guaranteed, sound system. The entertainment must provide a wide range of music to offer all your guests music they are requesting. You want a disc jockey who will listen to your wishes and make suggestions, not mandates, as to how the reception should flow. You want experienced wedding entertainment – people who know the pitfalls from years of past experience - and can handle little ‘emergencies’ as they arise with grace and professionalism.

Your DJ/MC will weave all the activities of your reception into a tapestry of memories to be remembered for a lifetime. From the moment you arrive at your reception, your disc jockey will orchestrate the perfect dance between music, generations, customs, and cultures. Your wedding entertainment disc jockey is more that just ‘entertainment’; it is the life-blood of your reception.

Planning your wedding entertainment carefully pays off more than you might expect. Your care when selecting the best wedding entertainment possible will ensure that in turn, your entertainment can attend to all the little details and make your day perfect in every way.