It was a little warm for the outdoor cocktail hour on the patio of the Sheraton 4 Points Conference Center, but the guests had a great view of the lake from the hallway of the indoor cocktail area.  We set up a second set of speakers so the guest could enjoy music while having cocktails and appetizers before entering the main ballroom, which was decorated beautifully.  Ashley and the staff at the Four Points really did an amazing job.  The food, drinks and service were excellent, an we even had cake and ice cream for dessert!

Although the group of family and friends in attendance was just a little over 100 in number, I was pleasantly surprised when they kept us working for six entire hours. This group had some fantastic music requests and showed their appreciation by staying on the dance floor. Rachel and Anthony even enjoyed taking part in the Chicken Dance.

What a fun group!

Congratulations Rachel and Anthony…

We hope you life together is happy, healthy and prosperous!

As the bridal party filed out of the bus at the Collinsville Knights of Columbus Hall I realized that I might need a second song to play while I introduced the wedding party.  With eight pairs of bridesmaids and groomsmen, ushers, flower girls and a ring bearer, this was huge wedding party!

The hall was packed to capacity with friends and family, and this large wedding party helped to keep the party lively.  In fact, I was concerned that it might be “too lively” towards the end of the reception.  The stage provided a great place for me to set up and overlook the dance floor, but it also facilitated the means for the wedding party to “stage dive” into the crowd during their favorite songs.  Fortunately we got them settled down before anybody got hurt, and this group decided it would be much safer to just dance the night away and scream out the lyrics to their favorite songs until they had no energy left.

This was truly a fun-filled evening to remember.

Good luck to Brandy and Anthony!!!

The weather was perfect; it was actually a little cool for May which made for beautiful weather.  The wedding party arrived right on time, and I began to line up the bridesmaids in their beautiful red dresses.  As I gave instructions on the entrance announcements, one of the groomsmen exclaimed “hurry up, that smell of fried chicken is killing me!”

Yes, Turner Hall in Columbia is famous for their fried chicken. They also have a new dance floor; it’s one of those big wooden dance floors that you’re happy to have when the guests want to polka! The guests made good use of that dance floor until we finally wore most of them out after six hours of music and dancing.

Best of luck to Kimberly and Scott!

Even after moving all of the tables to one side of the room, there was barely enough room to fit all of the dancers on the floor!  This is the fifth year in a row I provided the entertainment for the Mascoutah prom and it was a rockin’ event as usual The staff the Sheraton Four Points always does a fantastic job - the facility, staff, and services are first class.  After a fine meal and some photographers, the students were anxious and ready to make their music requests and hit the dance floor.  Except for a short pause to announce the court and select the king and queen, the dance floor remained full and the students were excited by the music, lights, dancing and of course great camaraderie of their friends.

Good luck seniors!!!

Andrea and about 80 of her friends and family members “took over” the bar and downstairs banquet room of the O’Fallon Knights of Columbus Hall to celebrate the big 3-0! We enjoyed six hours of good food, fun music, dancing, and even some singing! Maybe we can do it again in 10 years…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREA!!!!

This was a night when it all came together - a nice venue, great vendors, and a crowd that really believed in audience participation!  Corey did a fine job as usual as our hostess at Albert’s in Belleville, and we had the pleasure of working with one of our favorite photographers, Joe Vavak.  Jenny and Dustin’s friends and family really enjoy a good party and they stayed actively involved for seven full hours of entertainment.

Immediately after the spotlight dances Jen’s grandfather started things off by singing the classic country song “Young Love” on my second microphone.  The participation dances filled the entire dance floor; in fact there were very few people in their seats during the line dances and chicken dance.  All of the musical requests from the guests we met right up till the last song and group hug during “American Pie.”

The St. Libory American Legion hall was packed with nearly 400 guests to celebrate with Kelly and Matt!  I recognized some of the friendly guests, since I provided the entertainment for Kelly’s sister’s wedding last year.  In addition to the traditional reception activities, Kelly also had some interesting ideas, like the “Newlywed Shoe Game.”  Immediately following the spotlight dances, Kelly and Matt sat back-to-back in chairs in front of the DJ stage.  Each held one of Matt’s black shoes in one hand, and one of Kelly’s white shoes in the other.  As I asked various questions like “who made the first move” and who has the wackier family,” the couple held up the appropriate shoe representing their answer.  The guests erupted in laughter during this spontaneous and fun game.  The volunteers at St Libory did a great job in hosting this large party, and the reception was a big hit with the family and friends that attended.

“Come Fly With Me” was the theme for Courtney and Josh’s wedding.  Josh recently completed his U.S. Air Force pilot’s training, so their first dance to ”Come Fly With Me” from Frank Sinatra was indeed appropriate.  From the ice sculpture of an A-10 aircraft, to the cutting of the cake with a military sword and the Air Force dress uniforms of Josh and several wedding party members, it was truly a patriotic evening. 

Nearly 300 guests joined the celebration, so fortunately there was plenty of room at St. Gregory’s Armenian Hall to accommodate the lively dancing crowd.  Best of luck to Josh and Courtney as they embark on their adventure, and I thank Josh for his service to our country. 

It was a great day for an outdoor wedding ceremony and reception, as long as you don’t mind a little rain!  The weather cooperated for the ceremony, but soon after a steady rain began to fall.  Danielle and john were not “dampened” one bit; in fact they danced in the rain for their bridal dance and the other spotlight dances.  They were rewarded for being such good sports; the rain cleared for dinner and dancing and everyone had a great time. 

Danielle and John did a great job preparing for their big day, and it showed.  They had all the details taken care of to transform their yard into the perfect reception site - Bully’s Barbeque; a wide array of chilled wine, beer and soft drinks in giant tubs; tents with tables and chairs; lights; a wooden dance floor; and of course great music! 

Hiring a disc jockey is like hiring any other professional – do your market research, establish some evaluation criteria, and hire the best value service provider. 

Let’s assume that you’ve done your research, and you realize that choosing the cheapest DJ from the phone book is not a good idea.  How should you select the best DJ to suit your needs?  What should you look for?  Which questions should you ask?  Here are some evaluation criteria for consideration:    

-       Experience.  How many years as a DJ / how many events has the DJ done?  Do not get confused with the number of years the company has been in existence.  A DJ company with multiple disc jockeys may have been in business for 20 years, but the DJ they send to do your event may be a rookie on his first job. 

-       Who is your DJ?  Is the actual DJ guaranteed, or will he or she come from a “pool” of DJs to be determined later?  Ask to meet your DJ, or request personal references from recent events.

-       Responsiveness.  Are phone calls and e-mails returned promptly?  You should certainly receive a reply to your inquiry within 24 hours.

-       Customer Service.  Is the DJ easy to deal with?  Is he or she knowledgeable and helpful?  Do you feel you can trust them to direct your event?  Will they offer to meet with you in person after signing a contract to discuss all of your event details?

-       Music.  Does the DJ have an extensive music library?  If the music is digital was it legally obtained?  Does the DJ have a vast knowledge of all genres of music?  Does he take requests at your event?

-       Equipment .  Is the music and lighting equipment of high quality and well maintained?  Is it professional in appearance?

-       Business Operations.  Does the DJ company run a professional business?  If so, they should have the following:

o   A business license

o   Liability insurance

o   A business phone

o   Professional business and marketing materials (website, forms, business cards, etc.) 

-       Contracts.  Does the DJ use a written contract?  A contract protects both you and the DJ company.  Normally a deposit or retainer fee is required to execute the contract; is the deposit reasonable?  Some companies ask for one half or even the entire invoice price when the contract is signed.  Do you normally pay for something in full before you receive it?

-       Professional development.  Does the DJ belong to any professional organizations that promote the entertainment industry like the American Disc Jockey Association (ADJA) or the National Association of Mobile Entertainers (NAME)?  Does the DJ attend conferences, seminars and association meetings to constantly improve their business operations and DJ performances?  Do they read trade publications to stay current in their profession?

-       Price.  Of course price is always a factor.  When establishing your price range, you should consider the importance of the event, the overall budget, and the prevailing rate for professional DJs in your area.  Unless your event is very informal and your budget is very low, choosing a “discount DJ” is usually a bad idea.  Sure, you could save $100 or so by choosing the cheapest vendor.  But there is a reason a DJ is charging less than the industry standard.  Chances are he is inexperienced and needs to improve before he can charge higher prices.  Or he does not operate a legal business, is not declaring his income for tax purposes, and is just trying to make a few extra dollars “under the table.”  If the DJ embarrasses you in front of your friends and family and everyone leaves the party early, was the savings worth it?

Consider these points when selecting your wedding entertainment, and your reception will likely be a big success!