January can be a bit slow for weddings.  Fotunately for me, the ladies from Mary Kay called and said they needed a DJ for 4 events they were having at the convention Center downtown.  It was an awesome experience with some of the nicest and most professional people I’ve ever worked with.  I had to get a picture of the obligitory pink Cadillac.  They were everywhere!  A big THANK YOU to Shunda Robinson and Courtney Haylock.

Please do not look for me on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Digg, You Tube or any other social networking sites.  It’s hard enough for me to keep this site going!

Thanks for you cooperation.

Mike

Sometimes there is nothing more frustrating than to walk into a ballroom or other reception venue only to find the dance floor in the middle of the room completely surrounded by tables.  What usually happens in this case is that your DJ is placed off in some far corner of the room with no place to put his speakers.  He then has to set them next to his system and blow the sound over the heads of the guests who had the misfortune of being placed  right in front of them.  And it never fails that it’s the grandparents who end  up in the loudest part of the venue.  Many times people will go for form over function.  I highly reccomend a consultation with your DJ to get his input on what would be a good place to set up.  This isn’t an ego thing, at least not for me.  I don’t need a riser or a stage or spot lights.  It’s not about “hey, look at me, I’m the DJ!”  It’s about getting the most out of your reception.  A DJ who’s stuck off in a corner, even if he can somehow get his speakers over to the dance floor, doesn’t feel like he’s part of what’s going on.  A DJ feeds off of the energy on the dance floor just like your guests feed off the energy that the music provides.  It’s tough to feel that energy when you’re standing next to a potted plant by the kitchen door.  Seriously, show your DJ the layout of the room and see what he thinks.   It won’t cost you a dime and it could really make a difference in the success of your reception.

The Estancia hotel in La Jolla is one gorgeous property.  It was made even more beautiful with Krystal and Andrew - mainly Krystal, but Andrew cleaned up pretty nicely too -   the bride and groom this past Sunday, August 2nd.   They were a pleasure to work for and their crowd was a lot of fun.   Along with my DJ services, they also included up lighting, monogram lighting and Topaz lighting.  This light gives off a multi-color, waterfall-type effect.  Very cool.  San Diego legend Tony McCune was there too.  Honest.  He strutted his stuff to a couple of Sinatra songs at the end of the night, which was fun to watch.  All in all, a great first trip to Estancia for me.  Can’t wait to go back.

Many articles have been written about how much of the wedding budget should be spent on the entertainment.  Well, here’s another one.  The consensus seems to be around 5%.  5%!!!  With all due respect to the other wedding vendors, is there anyone more important to the success of your reception than the person who will be front and center before all your guests, making announcements and playing the music?  Let’s face it, the reception is what most of your guests are looking forward to.  Do you really want to entrust the best part of the entire celebration to the cheapest guy you can find in the phone book, a “family friend,” or a pre-programmed iPod!?!?

Obviously I’m writing this from the viewpoint of a reception DJ.  So don’t take my word for it.  Talk to your photographer, videographer, coordinator, or the person you’re dealing with at the location your reception will be held.  These people have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Their opinions won’t cost you anything, but could very well save you from an embarrassing and heartbreaking situation.

The difference between awful and excellent when it comes to your DJ really isn’t that much when you take your entire wedding budget into consideration, not to mention the success of your event.

Don’t go cheapo!

Mike

Pardon me while I brag on my wife for a moment.  Her name is Suzie and she is one of the most incredibly talented people I know.  Her favorite things to make are wedding dresses and gowns.  She can take a client’s ideas and make them into a reality.   I have included a sample of her work.  If you’re interested in seeing more or talking to her directly, she can be reached at (619) 448-8820.  There is also an in-the-works website you can view at www.suziefarmer.blogspot.com.

WOW, in the words of one of my all-time favorite comedians, the late Rodney Dangerfield,  ”What a night, what a crowd, what a party!”  Dave and Mindy’s wedding and reception at the beautiful Falkner Winery in Temecula was soooooooooo fun.  Their crowd was definitely ready to party that night.  Many of the guests were from Boston, and as it turned out, the Red Sox were playing the Tampa Bay Rays in the playoffs that night.  The Sox won, which didn’t hurt the party AT ALL.  Unfortunately, they lost the next day.    The photographer, Kim Seidl, really captured the the fun in many of her shots.  The photo of Mindy and Dave “getting down” on the dance floor pretty much says it all.  Great job Kim!

Not sure what it is about this Journey song, but for quite some time now it has been working crowds into a frenzy.  Last night at the Grand Tradition’s Bevery Mansion was no different.  This group felt compelled to come over an use “Mr. Microphone.”  I was glad to oblige as everyone was having an incredibly good time.  Best wishes and many thanks to Dawn and Grant for having me as their DJ entertainment

Azul Restaurant on Prospect Ave. in La Jolla was the site of Nicole and Casey’s wedding reception on June 21st. As the picture shows, the view from Azul is breathtaking. The bride and groom chose a more elegant and relaxed theme for their celebration. Lots of “Pink Martini” and other lounge-type music set the mood for this affair. The emphasis was not on dancing, although there was lots of it. No disco, hip hop, or rock and roll for this crowd. But if you like Sinatra, Bennett, Martin, etc., you would have loved this reception. Everyone had a great time and it looked like all the guests were still there at 4:00 when the event ended. Well done Mr. & Mrs. Morgan!

I love the personalized CD as a wedding favor. I know it’s been done for a number of years now, and is not really all that fresh, but it’s still my idea of the perfect gift for your guests. It is something that most of your guests will actually use and keep. I did a reception recently where the bride and groom went so far as to put each individual guest’s name on the CD sleeve. Every song on the CD was dedicated to someone special, either a parent, or a member of the wedding party. It is probably the easiest, most inexpensive gift you can give, and will no doubt get used more than many of the other items I see left on the tables at the end of a reception.

What a blast! Another great wedding at the Grand Tradition’s Beverly Mansion. Only this time I had the pleasure of working alongside the Disco Pimps. This was definitely a treat playing band breaks and watching these guys work when I was on break. The bride and groom, Sharon and Jeremy Jones, were a very cool couple who really liked to have a good time - as did their crowd. Everyone made it up to Fallbrook via three large party buses. This was a smart move as not everyone was fit to drive at the end of the night. This bride and groom went all out with special linens, a chocolate fountain, open bar. and special lighting - including their name in lights on the dance floor (yes, that’s something I do). At the end of the night, as guests were leaving, they were all treated to cookies and “Jones”soda. An email from the bride the next day said they were still on cloud nine. Congrats Sharon and Jeremy!

I saw one of the coolest weddings take place this past Friday night at Gateway Christian church in San Marcos. The bride’s father, Craig Harrison, is the pastor at the church and he presided over the ceremony. Not quite sure how he did it without breaking down. Besides the absolutely incredible job he did, the guys and gals running sound and video were awesome as well. A picture of each member of the wedding party was shown on the two big screens as they walked out to start the ceremony. During the ceremony the father talked about his favorite part of the movie “Father of the Bride” with Steve Martin, and they showed that clip. There were also pictures of the bride and groom shown at different parts of the ceremony. The timing was inpeccable and the ceremony came off flawlessly. The ceremony and reception were in the same location, so the transition from one to the other was seamless. It was a really fun night and the time flew by. My best wishes go out to Courtney and Patrick Williamson, and my heartfelt thanks to Courtney’s parents, Craig and Barbara, for their hospitality and generosity.

It was a wedding reception like many other wedding receptions - everyone was dancing and having a blast. The bride had asked me ahead of time to play “When the Saints go Marching In” at some point during the reception. I threw it on right after the garter and bouquet tosses, not really knowing what to expect. Within seconds, everyone at the Grand Tradition was on their feet, waving their white napkins and making a bee-line to the dance floor. Before too long, a conga line had started and the entire crowd was snaking their way through the Beverly Mansion. I followed that song with 3-4 more Cajun/Zydeco numbers, much to the delight of the crowd. It was an awesome way to start the final hour of the reception. It is so cool when fun and unexpected things like this happen at weddings!