Madison’s Best DJ

Wedding season is in full force and this year has been our busiest and most successful year yet in 19 years. This past Saturday I had the pleasure of working an event with Chris and Amber at The Wedding Flashers for Ian and Laura Behm’s wedding.

In the past, our two companies completed a case study on the lighting equipment that we use versus the competition. We found that the lighting that DJ Magic Entertainment has to offer creates better pictures for customers of The Wedding Flasher. There’s no doubt that no one in our competition can match how well we are able to light up dance floors with 1.2 million candle power. Anyways, this past weekend’s wedding was attended by about 180 people. It’s the first time in 19 years that I counted 180 people and the hype and enthusiasm of these guests felt like we had 350 guests. It was incredible.

One main reason that I would point to for this incredible phenomenon would be the love for our bride and groom, Laura and Ian.  But also our ability to lead and emcee an event to the point that every single soul in the room was enjoying his/herself. On top of that, we had one of the most beautiful days of the year and a staff at this venue that did a really nice job of making sure everyone’s needs were handled.

Ian and Laura planned out their event well. It started with a cocktail hour outside the dinner room near the bar. Guests were also able to head outside and enjoy the beautiful views of the Bergamont Golf Course and socialize. After the introductions were having fun with our Wedding Wheel game. We had contestants come up who wanted to see Ian and Laura kiss. This can be used as an alternative for those customers who do not want glass clinking at their event. Each contestant lined up to spin a game wheel and we emceed the results. For example, Ian’s Dad, Roger spun the wheel to a spot that allowed him to pick any couple at the event to kiss. To be original and not point to Ian and Laura, Roger pointed to Ian’s grandparents to rise and kiss and then the newly married copied that kiss. It was FUN!

Planning a wedding can be a lot of work and there is no way one can accurately plan out every single detail.  That’s why it is so important to hire vendors who are flexible and passionate about you and your needs is important. Just after dinner as we were preparing to start our first dances, The University of Wisconsin Marching Band showed up for a quick preamble to start the dance. What a great way to start a dance at a wedding!

It was also great to see some of our past customers at this event. Congratulations to Phil & Melissa Lindemann who will be celebrating their third anniversary. Check out their customer service survey too.

Below is a picture of The Legend at Bergamont in Oregon, Wisconsin taken by The Wedding Flashers:

Vendors:
Photographer, Chris and Amber Foss of The Wedding Flashers +
The Legend at Bergamont – Lisa, Kurt, Andrew and Risa +
The University of Wisconsin Marching Band +
Entertaiment, Andrew Accola of DJ Magic Entertainment +

Recently we received an email from a new customer wanting us to answer these questions. These are all very good questions so we felt we would like to share them with you and hopefully make your decision easier. If you find that your question has not been answered, please give us a call or shoot us an email. It is our pleasure to add to this list.

1. Will you help us put together a timeline of events for our reception?
   Absolutely! We will act as your Event Coordinator while making sure all of your vendors are in the loop. We have established great working relationships. Not only will we help facilitate everyone by sharing your expectations but we also provide you the free software tools to help you plan out your experience.If you are looking for fresh ideas that is another area where we are experts. We do over 60 weddings a year. We are trend setters!
   
2. How do your entertainers interact with our guests?
   This question should be written differently because it is not about how we interact. Instead, it should be how do you want us to interact with your guests? We have been in business for over 17 years. When you hire us you are not hiring inexperienced professionals. We will customize your event by first understanding your expectations and then executing accordingly.
   
3. What kind of equipment do you use?
   We use commercial grade professional equipment. We bring the best show to every event and do not charge you extra for a wireless microphone and other essential items. Additionally, we also have such great relationships with venues that they will let us integrate our system into their house system. For example, Madison’s Overture Center Great Room is a prime example of where you would want a company like DJ Magic as we have worked with them on this type of an integration.Also note that we cycle out our equipment every few years in order to keep our shows looking fresh and on the cutting edge. We also bring a back-up system with us.
   
4. If we want the entertainer to play longer, what to we do?
   All you have to do is ask! We love entertaining.
   
5. What will the entertainer be wearing to our reception?
   It is up to you. At a recent wedding, our bride and groom requested that we wear Hawaiian outfits with flip flops. We accommodated their request. More often than not though, we wear Tuxedos.
   
6. What time will the entertainer arrive for our reception?
   We base everything off of when your first guest will walk in the room. We always arrive 2-3 hours before every event starts.
   
7. Do we need to offer the entertainer dinner?
   This is completely up to you. Whatever you decide please advise us as soon as possible.
   
8. Can we make song requests during the dance?
   We welcome requests as long as you are open to this type of format. Our experience has shown that a structured play list included with taking request from your guests will make for a better event.
   
9. If we don’t want a song played, what do we do?
   Our online planning system provides our customers an area to create a “Do Not Play” list.
   
10. If you don’t have a song, can we bring our own CD?
    It is very seldom that we do not have a song. We have played many culturally diverse weddings over the years and have a pretty good collections of all genres of music. As long as an Artist Name and Song Title is provided we can guarantee you will hear it. Additionally, we also are open to playing a custom CD if you provide it to us ahead of time.
    
11. What types of music can you play?
    We play all genres of music. We are against playing music which might be offensive so please keep that in mind.
    
12. What is the deposit amount and when is it due?
    The deposit is $50 and is due with a signed contract or via our online Secured Payment Gateway.
    
13. When should we pay the balance?
    The balance is due prior to the date of your event.The last thing a customer should have to deal with on their special day is a payment.
14. Do you have back-up equipment?
    These are essential pieces of equipment that we bring with us anytime our company leaves our offices. Not only do we have back-up equipment, we never need to use it.
15. Do you have insurance?
    We are insured with a multi-million dollar insurance policy.
16. Do you use a written contract?
    YES, YES, YES! This is imperative and you should only do business with people who use a formal contract. The more expectations are known the higher the probability that services requested and services delivered will match.
17. Are you able to do First Dance Voice Talk Over Recording?
    Absolutely!  We have some of the best technology in the industry.  We’ll meet with you ahead of time or by telephone to discuss your expectations for this dance.  If you do not know what you want, let us consult you and take charge of this service.  We are trail blazers in our industry and have no problem creating a master piece for you.

Recently we had the opportunity to sit down with one of Madison’s finest wedding vendors who has a take on wedding planning in a unique way. Her name is Jessica Bangert of Uniquely Yours. Below is a guest posting from her on some of the services she offers. Pay attention as we think she is onto something, specifically she has differentiated her services quite well versus the rest of her competition. If you are on a budget or want to pick and choose different wedding planner services, Jessica’s services might be perfect for you!

Hello trusting friends and satisfied customers of DJ Magic Entertainment. My name is Jessica Bangert and I am the owner of Uniquely Yours Wedding and Event Planning. Matt has asked me to share with you my vision of how professional wedding services can be tailor fitted to your needs as a future bride and/or groom.

At Uniquely Yours, we believe that marriage is a special ceremony that you will remember for the rest of your life. Therefore, the planning of your wedding or event should be a fun and exciting time, however, at times it can become stressful and overwhelming. At Uniquely Yours, we are here to assist you through those tough times. To keep your special day the momentous event that you have dreamed about since you were a child, we want to help you to make this YOUR day and we can give you the tools necessary to accomplish any feat.

To put it simply, we are not your typical wedding planner service. For example, one of our best packages is that our customers can take an ala carte approach. We act as not only a wedding planning manager for you up until your wedding day but also offer some other specialty services. Specifically:

• Invitation Assistance
• Decoration Planning & Set-up
• Beauty Consultations
• Proper Goal Setting
• Best Practices for Planning a Wedding
• Expertise to which Vendors would meet & exceed each individual couple’s needs
• Last Minute Consultations & Assistance
• You Name It – we are service oriented and we will be there for you when needed

We challenge you to match us up against the other planners you might find. Our fees are reasonable and we even offer those who are semi-interested in creating a relationship with us a free consultation. Contact us today and see the difference we can make to help make your event “uniquely yours”.

Finally, if you find yourself or someone you know in need of a helping hand, needing recommendations for a great vendor or perhaps in the middle of a “crunch time crisis”, I strongly encourage you to checkout my website at www.uniquelyyoursweddingandevents.com to learn more about the ways I am eager and prepared to serve you.

We received a special call earlier this month and were advised by a well-known, highly respected third party, The Knot and Wedding Channel, that our organization, DJ Magic Entertainment ~ Madison’s Best DJ, was awarded as one of Wisconsin’s Top Ten Entertainment Companies. According to Matt Long, operations manager, “We are humbled by this award. It adds value to the company that we are building and speaks to the ongoing training and dedication all of our entertainers afford to each and every customer. We look forward to continuing the ultimate customer service in 2010 as this is only the beginning!”

It is not every year that July 4th aligns with a Saturday.  Plus the weather that day was perfect, not overbearingly hot and not too cool.  One can not complain about the location either. Right next to Lake Mendota, 2,000 people outside overlooking the lake and our wedding ceremony and reception inside.  Yes, that is correct, we performed at The University of Wisconsin’s Memorial Union Building with a wedding ceremony and reception in the Great Hall. It was an exciting day!

As we are a Premium Custom Service company, we pride ourselves in the fact that we are able to accommodate almost any request from a customer.  And for this customer, Jeff & Maria-Elise, it was not different. Below, I will provide a quick summary of some of the services we provided last weekend to Jefft & Maria-Elise on their special day:

• Wedding Ceremony – Not only did we provide the music for their ceremony we recorded the event and produced a nice CD for Jeff & Elise to archive now and remember later. Additionally, we also were able to provide lapel microphones and execute their special production.  By the way, if you are wondering they both said yes and are not Mr. & Mrs. Endres. Elise was not sure if she would be taking Jeff’s name or going the hyphenated route at our last meeting.
• Photography Services – Our great friend, Karen Beard, provided her expert skills throughout the evening to enact our “Live Photo Montage Display”.  This is much different than a static montage, rather, it is dynamic and occurs through out the evening as we mixed in special effects.  For example, we provided transitions from picture to picture, information slides and let us not forget the firework slides.  It was the 4th of July after all. Karen does a really nice job of capturing photos during the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and dancing and at the end of the night we provided Jeff and Maria-Elise a copy of our product.
• Cool Video Presentation – About 2 months ago, we obtained pictures of family, friends and Jeff & Elise together.  We worked our “magic” and produced them a static Cool Video Presentation that we played during dinner synced to music.  This is not the average presentation that one might see, instead one which is produced in four separate movie and graphic design programs fully integrated with our sound system.  And at the end of the evening we delivered two DVD’s for our couple to enjoy later.
• Audio Recording – Jeff & Elise wanted to capture special moments of time throughout the day.  For a minimal price, we provided them copies of the ceremony, special speeches by their Best Man – Joel, Maids of Honor Sarah & Amy and their parents speaking throughout the evening.  I wish this technology was available when I was married as my sister-n-law and best man gave great speeches and that is all I can remember – they were great.  Now, Jeff & Elise have physical copies and can cherish them forever.
• Video Productions – Our staff that evening was a bit larger than normal.  Just this 2009, we have rolled out an HD video production service. Want to catch excerpts throughout the evening?  Give me a call and we can go over this service more in detail.
• DJ / Entertainment – Dan Beard headed up our emceeing, event coordination and entertainer services that evening.  He played a variety of songs that evening which kept a mix of guests on the Great Hall’s floor while always integrating our Must Plays, Do Not Plays and our guests requests.
• Child Interaction – The UW Great Hall was really set-up well for a lot of guests including children.  DJ Magic helped provide supervision and some games for all the children at the reception.  This all occurred in a room next to our main reception hall.  One of the nice items I liked about Jeff & Elise’s planning for the children was that they had separate meals in a fun environment for the children.  Plus the meals were appropriately chosen to be different than the adult meals so that the kids would be excited about having their own room with different food and lots of games to play.  (Games included coloring books, Nintendo Wii and some other interactive games led by DJ Magic).
• Party Props – Our main focus that evening was not only to ensure a great time for Jeff, Elise and all of their guests, but also create a FUN environment.  We brought our party prop expertise and handed out over 125 props including glow sticks, air guitars, air saxophones, air rock guitars and a few other props.  This was a nice way to keep people engaged and reinforce the fun environment we had established.

All in all, a huge thank you goes out to Greg & Jennifer Larson for the referral (see our blog entry on their wedding or their satisfaction survey from their wedding last October).  And we wish Jeff & Maria-Elise nothing but the best for their new marriage.

Here is a list of the vendors we worked with from that evening:

+University of Wisconsin Great Hall
+Appletree Images – Lori Ronspiez
+DJ Magic Photography – Karen Beard
+DJ Magic Entertainment – Dan & Matt (That’s Us!)

I was thinking about how I would write 5 new blog entries for Madison’s Best DJ blog last Wednesday.  I mean, I think it would be cool to have an entry for every wedding I did while also inviting the other staff members to chirp in whenever they please.  Really though, it is not a reality.  Business pulls me away from my blog along with family responsibilities.  Yes, my garden is officially weeded after 3 full hours on the hottest morning of the year last week and I am catching up on some other personal household chores like tiling my kitchen (well not really, I am putting that off!)

June has been a really good month for Madison’s Best DJ and the crew.
So here is what my schedule looked like the week of June 13:

Wedding, Saturday, June 13 for Jeff & Marissa Schloesser.
Wedding, Sunday, June 14 for Maria & Greg Anilao.
Wedding Tuesday, June 16 for Mikaela and Anthony Figueroa.
Wedding Show, Wednesday, June 17 in West Madison.
Wedding, Saturday, June 20 for John & Kate Vasudevan.

That was just me and none of our other staff.  We also booked everyone out for the past few Saturdays too.  So I’ll just talk about me, I’m selfish….

So what is the best way to tell you about my busy week in the “usual way”? Let’s do a quick summary for each event, talk about some of the vendors and hit the highlights.

Jeff & Marissa Schloesser – Saturday
Large wedding at the Comfort Suites in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin.  I arrived early as I wanted to ensure we had our Montage Equipment set-up in time while also preparing to record all speeches and ensure a quality wedding reception video. (Early = Usually about 3 hours before the first guest)

It was quite apparent that their guests had a great time as we had a few referral calls the Monday after the wedding reception.

Vendors:
Heidi Lee Photography – Jason
Comfort Suites, Johnson Creek – Kim Mungen
DJ Magic Entertainment – Matt Long

Maria & Greg Anilao – Sunday
Andrew and I left early around 12 pm Sunday. This was a super special day for Greg and Maria.  Their facility, Parkway Banquets, is nicely located near Lake Long in Ingleside, Illinois.  Plus it is highly recognized by many national wedding publications such as The Knot dot com and Wedding Channel dot com.

Our first order of business that day was to assist providing ceremony music, wireless microphones and audio recording services for their wedding ceremony.  Our banquet manager, Jerry, was handling almost all of the coordination activities.  We were happy to work with Jerry that way but also recognized that this was highly out of the ordinary. Bottom line though is that we are highly flexible and able to adapt to various ways of business.

Greg and Maria’s wedding had a few special needs and was quite culturally diverse. Fifty percent of our wedding guests were of Mexican heritage while the other 50% were of Philippine backgrounds.  Plus, Maria, who had an unfortunate disability, was deaf.  One of the ways we accommodated everyone was to not only provide our emceeing by microphone but we also had a person who knew sign language and was able to speak both Philippine and Spanish. Through all of these unique additions and special accommodations it did not stop everyone from having a great time.  It was great to see everyone using all of their senses that evening.

Did you know we not only played Salsa, Meringue and other South American music but we also played a lot of Philippine music.  I can honestly say that we are probably the most flexible entertainment company you will have the pleasure to work with in planning and following-through in a wedding.  Don’t believe me, check out our references! Click here.

Vendors:
- Parkway Banquets – Jerry
+ Sharrett Studios – Tammy Sharrett
+ DJ Magic Enterprises, Inc. – Andrew Accola

Mikaela & Anthony Figueroa – Tuesday
A Tuesday wedding occurred at the beautiful Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin.  Being that it was a Tuesday, we did not let that stop us from providing the absolute best customer services in Southern Wisconsin!

Let me tell you a little about our bride and groom.  Mikaela comes from Wisconsin and within the last few years fell madly in love with Anthony.  Anthony’s family came all the way from New York.  Many people of Puerto Rican decent came from the Bronx to help celebrate.  It was great to see the two sides, who were of completely different backgrounds come together.

We kept everyone on the floor the whole evening.  One of the custom services that we were able to offer Mikaela and Anthony was our custom recording services.  When Mikaela initially contacted us she wanted to take 20 songs from totally different genres but with similar lyrics and sounds and mix them together. Check our her customer service survey, we exceeded her expectations.  Are you interested in doing something like this?  Let us know, we have the whole compilation on Audio and we also made the extra effort to record the event so you can see us in action.

Vendors:
+ Monona Terrace – Sales Manager: Edit Lonkay
+ Images by Joe – Joe DeGroot
+ DJ Magic Enterprises, Inc. – Andrew Accola

Madison Summer Wedding Show – Wednesday
So at this point you are probably thinking we are running out of gas.  Nope, we filled up last night and we found a good deal on East Washing Avenue near Blockbuster. Anyways, this show went really well to the point that we have set-up several meetings and have reserved a handful of new customers.

Below is a link to a picture of our ice sculpture that we made for showing at our booth.  By the way, we do Ice Sculptures too.

Awesome Wedding Ice Sculpture Picture Link

John & Kate Vasudevan – Saturday
Classic scenery for a wedding in a good way is what we had at Madison’s Masonic Center near beautiful downtown.  Our bride and groom were originally from Wisconsin and had worked with us planning their wedding all the way from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Definitely call me if you are reading this and are from out of state wondering how the dynamics might work.  I would be happy to direct you to John and Kate for their opinion on our awesome experiences together.

The evening started upstairs at the Masonic Center for a Cocktail hour.  Although a bit warm that day, it did not stop their guests from getting to know each other and preparing for a fun celebration downstairs in our main reception hall.  Our cocktail hour music consisted of great artists like Harry Belafonte, Ella Fitzgerald, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw, Frank Sinatra, Nat “King” Cole and Tommy Dorsey. Timeless music!

Once our cocktail hour was over, I led our guests to our wonderfully air conditioned reception hall (and if you were there you would also agree that it was wonderfully cool and a nice change).  All in all, our speeches and dinner went well. Dancing started and we kept everyone on the dance floor all evening.  Our groom, John, commented that he noticed we played their must play list and he was worried because some of the songs he listed he advised he was not sure if his crowd was dance to all night.  No worries, that’s our specialty in knowing when to play the right song at the right time and reading crowds.  It’s priceless!  Anyone can go our and purchase the equipment but do they have the skills to motivate your guests? May be worth the money to pay for the Best Service in Madison – DJ Magic Entertainment!

Check out John and Kate’s customer survey.

I knew from my first view of Andrea and Sam’s arrival that we were in for a fun wedding! There is no doubt that Andrea wanted a Grand Arrival by the old classic convertible car she was transported in with her new husband, Sam. And by the way, we were back in Rockford this past weekend for another wedding. I guess the word travels fast that we are a great company to work with for entertainment and customer service.

For this wedding, we decided to provide some added value to our customers and decided to do Audio Recording while also bringing our HD Video Camera for recording. The product turned out great and really was not that much additional effort in addition to what we are regularly doing. Especially considering that we had two professionals at the helm, me – Matt and Andrew. The video turned out nice after I spent an additional 10 hours of editing. Want to see it? Give me a call to set-up an appointment. I have also included a quick edit of Sam and Andrea’s arrival: (sorry for the small screen format – it runs faster this way)

Besides some add on products that Sam and Andrea wanted, one specific one we brought and set-up for them was from our sister company, Solid Ice Displays. We helped deliver two Ice Sculptures that were made as Swans and when we put the two together the middle made a heart. Andrea did a nice job by procuring rose petals that matched her wedding colors nicely. The reception facility then surrounded the centerpieces in the cocktail room with lots of tasty hors d’oeuvres.

Did I mention we did a live “Cool Video Presentation Display“? YES and Andrea’s mom, Nola, mentioned that it was her favorite part of the reception. About one month before when we sat down with Sam and Andrea, they mentioned they had wanted this presentation so we made arrangements for the photos to be forwarded to me. From that point, I added many edits to the photos along with adding some special effects and synced the show. If you decide that you want this type of presentation, it is important to try to start in the planning process for this in advance. Not only will it give you less stress but it will also provide for a better presentation. I would highly recommend having us bring our giant movie screen and HD DLP Projection unit that we can integrate with our 5,000 watt system. Believe it or not, I have been to places (as an attendee) where the hotel provides this equipment and it either does not work or the sound is awful. Trust me, we put a lot of time into these presentations. Want to see one? Contact me and we can set-up a meeting.

One of the programming items I liked from this past weekends wedding was that Sam and Andrea chose to have their wedding party introduced, then the Cool Video Presentation Display be played and then have their grand entrance. The one major advantage I saw by completing the video right away was that it helped the event flow smoother and enabled their guests to be ready to dance once they were done with their dinner instead of having to wait to get up and be active after dinner.

All in all, it was a pleasure working with Lisa at Forrest Hills Country Club. Her 18 years experience was demonstrated by the leadership and friendliness of her staff. If you are having a larger wedding reception and believe your party will not fit at Anderson Gardens, your next best option might be to take a look at Forest Hills Country Club if you can find yourself a member to sponsor your event.

Notable Vendors:
+ Joe Jann Photography —> Joe and Beth Jann were fun to work with and we both have been in business for many years.
+ Forest Hills Country Club (FHCC) —> Lisa Morrison works hard to make everyone feel at home at FHCC. Let her 18 years experience wow you!
+ Solid Ice Displays —> Custom Ice Sculptures delivered all over from Illinois to Iowa to Wisconsin. They are a custom shop and can sculpt just about anything.
+ DJ Magic Enterprises —> Custom entertainment for your needs. Have an idea? Let us know and we will exceed your expectations one at a time. Get a quote now!

Having grown up not too far from Rockford, Illinois, I had heard of Anderson Gardens. Even during my time dating my wife and driving past it every visit, I have forgotten how much natural beauty that was housed there. This past weekend, I had the pleasure of performing at a wedding ceremony and reception for Lori and Danny Robinson.

Lori and Danny planned their wedding and reception at this facility and if one is planning a wedding in Rockford, by far, Anderson Garden’s should be at the top of any lists. They easily can accommodate a small to medium sized wedding while comfortably serving everyone very well. Even vendors! From our initial contact with Julie Pastore at Anderson Garden’s to discuss the Event Time Line, I could easily tell they were easy to work with to plan an event. To support this further, I was shown around the property and their staff served a healthy and tasty reception meal to all the guests. Anderson Gardens stands out in my mind as a top facility in Rockford.

Take a look at some photographs I took before all the guests arrived in the Japanese Gardens area:

(We are currently fixing our blog to upload the photos – Stay Tuned!)

Some of the other vendors we had the opportunity to work with include:
+ Kara Schultz of Karatography (Kara is willing to travel just about anywhere!)
+ Pastor Don Lyons – Don is the founder of Faith Center church in Rockford and also helped start 88.3 FM.
+ Julie Pastore of Anderson Gardens – Julie is professional and friendly. She will provide you the best
service possible while exceeding your expectations.
+ Andrew Aacola & Matt Long of DJ Magic Enterprises – “Hire the Best & Forget the Rest!”

The first real day of spring happened last weekend and the weather could not have been any nicer for two people in love, Sara and Jonathan.  Ahead of time at our pre-event meetings, I could tell we were in for a great event just by the way the couple treated each other and their inclusion of the groom’s mom, Jill – that is “J” “I” “L” “L” (all you at the reception know what I’m talking about!), into the wedding planning.  This was an inside joke among the family as this was how Jonathan’s mother introduced herself to customer service people.

Upon arriving at the event at 2:00 pm, the Wingra room at the Crown Plaza was decorated especially nicely with beautiful flowers on each table along with the elegant effects of chair linens with the wedding colors.  In addition to those details, the bride and groom had ordered an ice sculpture that had their initials etched into the ice.

The cocktail hour started outside the banquet room with fine hors d’oevres at 4 pm.  By that time both Andrew and I were dressed in our tuxedos welcoming the guests.  We also were busy moving the gifts to the gifts table within the banquet room.  As 5:30 pm rolled around, a beautiful bus arrived with our wedding party having a good time within it.  I boarded the party bus and welcomed our wedding party of 20.  They were excited and hungry to eat.

One could tell there was magic in the air this evening.  Everything seemed to flow perfectly and our newly married kissed and posed well when their guests requested by clinking glasses.  Did you know there can be multiple ways to stimulate your crowd and have them act in a manner you desire?  Everything from DJ Magic emceeing the event with trivia questions about the bride and groom to spinning a wedding wheel– come talk to us if you need ideas!  For our occasion though, Sara and Jonathan let the evening flow without much worry and that organic approach worked perfectly.  Congratulations and best wishes to the happy couple!

Wedding Vendors:
Photographer: Carl Stevens of Artistic Eyes
Banquet Facility: Kate of The Crown Plaza Madison
Music & Entertainment: Matt & Andrew of DJ Magic Enterprises, Inc.

This past weekend’s event started for me on Thursday.  Our two companies were involved, DJ Magic Enterprises, Incorporated and Solid Ice Displays.  It is not everyday that a family member is married, therefore, I wanted to make sure it was even more special to all involved, especially Brynn and Andrew.

Thursday morning started out with a 45 minute trailer loading session.  Not only were we bringing down our entertainment equipment, but we would also be packing the Photo Montage gear, Ice Sculpture gear, Cameras, and Video Camera.  Once loaded, we were on the road and delivering our Claddagh Ring Ice Sculpture to a good friend, John Hayes of Cafe 20 in Marengo, Illinois, who graciously allowed us to store our sculpture overnight in his walk in freezer. (Thanks John!)  He really came through for us as our facility in Rockford, The Radisson Hotel & Banquet Center, did not have a walk in freezer.  Can you believe that?

One unique thing we did to make Brynn and Andrew’s wedding weekend special was we created a Photo Montage.  This was no ordinary montage though; I ended up using four separate programs to edit our pictures and add our music effects.  Did you know most well prepared photo montages can take up to 10-20 hours of time, while we only charge $150 for that service?  What a deal!

We decided to show the montage at Kiki B’s in Rockford, Illinois during the rehearsal dinner.  This is somewhat more intimate and does not take away from the time at the wedding reception.  Have you ever been to a wedding, eaten dinner and then had to watch a montage?  If the montage is not scheduled at the right time, it can adversely affect the guests’ moods by adding too much time sitting when in actuality those guests are ready to dance.  For this reason among others, we decided to show the montage at the rehearsal dinner.  It was great!

On the day of the wedding, I had no worries as our DJ, Dan “The Man” Beard, was in charge of this wedding.  I met him early in the morning to set-up the reception site and then I promptly drove to St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rockford for the wedding.  Everyone played a role in the wedding: my wife was the Matron of Honor and I was in charge of watching JJ, my mother-in-law’s three year old.  The bride’s mother (kind of like Mother Teresa to some) adopted three children a few years ago and already had raised 5 kids.  Yes, a total of 8 lives blessed by this woman!  JJ did very well for a three year old.  We ended up in the balcony of the church and I was able to record Brynn’s brother Greg singing Ave Maria.  See the video below (and see if you can hear JJ try to sing along).  Being that this was an Irish wedding, JJ and I were pleasantly surprised with the cool sounds and were lucky to have a first row seat to see Greg sing and listen to the bag piper in the balcony.

Before, during and after the ceremony, Dan Royer of Dan Royer Photography, did a great job coordinating all of the family members. All in all, the reception flowed perfectly.  So well that our ending time changed from 8 pm to 11:30 pm.  Yes, everyone stuck around and enjoyed themselves greatly.  Below, I also posted a picture that my brother-in-law’s girlfriend, Hillary of Dallas, Texas, graciously shared with me, showing everyone literally ‘getting down’ and having a great evening.

Vendors:
Banquet Hall: Radisson, Rockford, IL
Music: DJ Magic Enterprises, Incorporated
Ice Sculpture: Solid Ice Displays
Photography: Dan Royer Photography