They’re involved not just in their wedding planning, but in the creative process as well, coming to the table with GREAT out of the box ideas to make their wedding their own!  It’s so fun and easy to work with clients like this.

Michelle & Charlie, my wedding clients for this coming Saturday, are having TONS of cool, out-of-the-box elements in their wedding.  Some culturally driven (tea ceremony during dinner, etc.), and some just plain FUN!

One of the things that Michelle came to me with was the idea to do a custom edit for her processional during her ceremony.

She wanted to use “Dreams on Fire” from the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack, and needed to extend and loop the intro, but not in a way that would have been done seamlessly by just using cue points and loops live.

So by timing the processional at the venue during the rehearsal, we were able to get an idea for the amount of time we needed to cover, and I was able to quickly edit the file itself to allow their parents, and their wedding party, to walk down to a looped and mildly effected intro, to allow Michelle herself to walk down the isle right when the vocals started!

Check out this great selection, perfect for many different parts of a wedding celebration:

Lyrics:

You Are My Waking Dream,

You Are All That’s Real To Me

You Are The Magic In The World I See

You Are In The Prayer I Saying,

You Are In My Two My Names

You Are The Faith That Make Me Believe

Dreams On Fire, Higher N Higher

Passion Burning, Ride On The Path,

Once For Forever Yours

In Me, All Your Heart, Dreams On Fire,

Higher N Higher

 

You Are My Ocean Rage,

You Are My Thought Each Day

You Are The Laughter From Childhood Games

You Are Things Further Down,

You Are Where I Belong

You Are Make Me Feel In Every Songs

Dreams On Fire, Higher N Higher,

Passion Burning

Ride On The Path,

Once For Forever Yours, In Me

All Your Heart,

Dreams On Fire, Higher N Higher

Custom edits are very common during ceremonies, but are also used for things like intros, shortening long songs for special dances, musical interludes or segues, backdrops, and so on.

What kinds of ideas can you come up with for your big day?  Is there a song you’d love to walk down the isle to, but the intro is too short – or even maybe too LONG?  Would you love to share a special dance with someone special, but the song is just too long?

Maybe you want to really do something crazy and blend two songs together?

What kinds of ideas do you have?  Let us know!

But how can we do that if guests are prone to leave earlier on in the reception?  How can we make them stay longer or, even better, GIVE THEM A REASON to stay longer?

To answer that, we need to first understand who is most likely to leave a wedding reception “early,” and WHY.  Once we know these things, we can give them reasons to stay longer, and make the most of their time while maximizing their enjoyment of your celebration!

Generally, the folks who tend to leave earlier in the reception are either older guests, or guests with small children.

There’s no telling when folks might decide or start to leave, but it’s fairly common, and almost accepted as a matter of wedding etiquette, to wait to leave until after the cake cutting.  How can we use this in our favor?  Let us tell you!

There also ways to help make sure that guests with young children hang around for the fun as well.  We have tons of ideas!

Guests who feel involved, and who are being entertained, won’t want to leave when the DJ plays the last song of the night, let alone hours earlier!

If you’re interviewing DJs for your wedding, be sure to ask each of them what types of ideas they have in this area, and ask the for suggestions on how to maximize your guests’ stay and enjoyment at your wedding.  They should be able to rattle off several ideas & suggestions as easily as if they were telling you what they had for breakfast that day.  If you’re met with something like a “deer-in-headlights” look (“Umm, well…”), it might be good idea to keep on looking.

Or better yet, just call us!  916.223.4508

All of the other DJs there had their full wedding DJ systems set up with music blaring, lots of bass, a thrown-together ramshackle of dance lighting fixtures and effects, and they were all so happy to talk about what types of “stuff” they include in their packages.  Walking by one DJ in particular, I heard him tell potential clients that he was “throwing in” over “$1000 of upgrades” in his package price.  In and of itself, there’s nothing wrong with that, and it could potentially be a great value for the clients, but…  is it really?  I wonder.

All of these DJs were so busy focusing on what happens AT the wedding – the music, the pretty flashing lights, the walls washed with fluorescent pastel hues from uplighting, etc., that they are paying absolutely NO attention to what happens before the wedding itself.  In my opinion, what happens before the wedding is just as important, if not MORE important than ANYTHING and EVERYTHING a DJ can bring or set up for a wedding.

My display booth was far more subtle.  I had a banner, a table highlighted with LED uplighting and a subtle laser effect from underneath, and I did have a single Bose Compact speaker system hooked up to my laptop, which was hidden out of sight.  I was playing a very soft background playlist, but wasn’t trying to compete with or overpower all of the other DJs in the reverberating sonic soup that filled the airplane hanger we were in.

What filled my booth, and what I talked about with brides was a PROCESS.  A Planning and coordination process.  A PERSONALIZATION process.  How can I help these brides plan, coordinate, and RUN a smooth-flowing, fun, and personalized celebration.  THAT’S what I sell.  A process. A plan.  A path to success.

Not once the entire day did a couple or bride ask about equipment brought to the event, or what I used for this or that, but EVERY ONE OF THEM just smiled and nodded while I was outlining the planning process, and they were blown away with the intuitiveness, detail, and organization in that process.  While I was talking to them, I knew that I was telling them and showing them something I knew they hadn’t seen before from any DJ at the show, or anywhere else for that matter.

I love it!  I love being the odd-man-out.  Let the other guy sell, and focus on “stuff” and “things” and “packages” and “upgrades.”

I’ll continue to sell, and focus on what matters.  And I’ll love every minute of it, because I know that while they’re always trying to “out-stuff” each other, and see who can throw in the most “guzoobles” and “whatzits” for the lowest price, none of them will be able to provide the things I do, the way I do them. 

http://newlyblissed.com/2012/03/09/here-comes-the-bride/

What I take from this, that means a lot to me, is actually something very subtle.  The focus of Briana’s thoughts at that moment – when she was getting ready to walk down the isle – was right where it should have been – on her wedding ceremony.  On standing in front of her dearest friends and family, saying her vows to her soon-to-be husband.

She didn’t feel the need to worry about whether or not the DJ she had hired was going to mess something up, play the wrong song, or have some other type of mishap.  I’d like to think that that lack of concern speaks of a certain level of trust and confidence that her & Justin had in their choice, and had developed in the planning process we worked on leading up to and into their big day.  Even if there was some degree of concern that she did not speak of, which would have been very natural, it must have been very fleeting in nature as her ceremony moved forward without a hitch and went just as we had planned.

Briana & Justin were very fun, and sweet, and their families were already joined together well before that awesome celebration.  I’m glad I was able to be a part of it!

When you work with Sounds To Go, we will always go over DJ setup and room layout considerations with you prior-to your event, but there are some easy-to-follow tips that you can use to help ensure that your DJ is able to provide you with the best performance possible, and that you and your guests have the best experience at your event:

DO consult with your DJ prior to your event to get their input on their placement and setup area. Just as your photographer is best-suited to judge the distance, angle & lighting for your pictures, your DJ is the best person to assess their position and setup in any given space depending on the layout, and the equipment needs of your celebration.

DO find out how much room your DJ will need, especially if providing extras like dance lighting, etc.

DO avoid the temptation to just ask your venue staff or coordinator “where the DJ usually goes” and take that recommendation without second thought. In a good number of cases, even in some of the nicer venues, the staff will suggest a layout that they are simply “used to” or that is actually the most convenient for them and their staff, and this is almost never ideal for your DJ, your event as a whole, or your guest’s overall experience.

DO be sure your venue is open to variations in layout and to work with you and your DJ. This is your event, and your celebration is unique to you. We go the extra mile to customize our performance and offerings to give you a custom-experience, and your venue should be able to do the same as long as it doesn’t make it difficult to do their job effectively.

ALWAYS place your DJ as close as possible to the dance floor/area, preferably right on one side of it. You want your DJ as close as possible to the dance floor so when it comes time to “turn it up” for the dancing the volume isn’t any higher than necessary.

NEVER place tables between your DJ and the dance floor/area. Doing this can cause your DJ to have to turn up louder than necessary for dancing and music, and this can be uncomfortable for anyone sitting at these tables, and who might not be dancing – even during regular announcements.

ALWAYS make sure your DJ can see everything in the room from their station/table, and that they have room to freely enter and exit their area from one or both sides without obstruction. Your DJ should be as unobtrusive as possible in the overall landscape, but he/she should have a complete view of all entrances and exists, tables, etc. Remember, your DJ is going to be helping to facilitate things like meal service, pouring for toasts, and your Grand Entrance as well as playing music. To do these things, and to be able to locate and call certain important people forward for special events throughout the night, they must have a clear view of the entire room at all times.

NEVER place your DJ in an area other than where the dancing and the majority of events and announcements will occur throughout the course of your event. This includes places like around corners, outside main doors, outside on a patio, in another room, etc. If your venue or event layout seems to necessitate these kinds of setup scenarios, be sure to start an open dialog with your venue, your DJ, and yourself to see if any alternatives or compromises are possible that would lead to a more optimal setup scenario and a better experience for you and your guests. If no alternatives are available, be sure to talk to your DJ and understand the possible impact of these types of setup scenarios on your event.

Also be aware that additional sound equipment, speakers, and reinforcement may be needed to account for these kinds of setup scenarios, and these may incur additional charges.

With just a little bit of communication and a proactive approach to planning, you can work with your DJ, and your venue staff to help ensure that your DJ is able to provide the best possible entertainment for every part of your event.

So you see, Brian’s family member *thought* he was getting a really “great deal” on the DJ, but instead, got a big disappointment!  Brian ends the video with a subtle, yet powerful reminder that we’d like to pass along as well – that VALUE is FAR more important than price when considering DJ entertainment for your big day.

We’d love to talk to you about this video and the missed opportunities, and how our proactive approach to event planning and coordination will help your event run smoothly and avoid the types of mistakes and missed opportunities that Brian witnessed at this wedding.  This wedding doesn’t have to be YOUR wedding!

Looking for wedding djs in Sacramento?  Give us a call at 916.223.4508, or contact us via our website.

Brian S. Redd is a very remarkable DJ, and is a very prominent and well known industry professional who is known very widely by those in the industry for his Vlogs on DJ’ing in general, DJ equipment and product reviews and more.  His YouTube channel can be found here:  http://www.youtube.com/user/briansredd

For that matter, what type of formula do you use to find ANYTHING locally?

Comment on this post and let us know!

I really like the emphasis placed on the timing of the music for the processional and recessional, because it is very common for me to spend a lot of time doing custom edits to music tracks so that they can fit in perfectly with each part of your celebration.

Having your DJ present at your rehearsal just adds further assurance that these special custom elements are timed just right when it counts the most.

As beneficial as it is for your ceremony, our rehearsal coordination package doesn’t stop there, but covers crucial elements of your reception as well.

Please let us know if you have any questions about our rehearsal coordination services, and how they can benefit your wedding!

Just a casual interview between two seasoned vendors who have worked together numerous times talking frankly and openly about what kinds of things matter when shopping for a DJ.

AWESOME info for anyone shopping for a Sacramento wedding DJ for their!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theweddingplanner/2010/04/21/learn-about-djs-for-your-wedding

The article is written to explain some of the benefits of these services to DJs, but we wanted to share it with you because we think it makes some great points about some of the differences between professional DJ providers who use these types of services and other, less professional providers who don’t.

Many (not all, but many) DJ services and DJs who don’t pay for music subscriptions download their songs illegally, or purchase them from illegal sources, or get files shared from friends and other shady DJs, etc.

We know this may not seem like a big deal on the surface.  You might think “its ‘just’ music right?  Sure, he may be stealing it, which I don’t support, but how does it really matter for MY party or wedding…?”  If you think about it though, there are lots of pitfalls here that could affect YOUR event when hiring these types of services.

Quality – Even across legal purchasing music sites and services, the quality of the music files themselves can vary and come in different formats, and sample (“bit”) rates.  And that’s LEGAL sources.  Now think about songs the DJ got off a file-sharing site on the web. How do they know that the files they have are 1st generation “copies” of the original lossless files and haven’t been degraded by multiple compression runs or encoding across different formats?  How do they know there weren’t any errors (pops, clicks, distortion, dead-air) etc. in some of the files they downloaded.  If they’re illegally downloading gigs of music at a time, or buying a hard drive full of tunes, should we really believe they are conscientious enough to LISTEN to EVERY track they downloaded to make sure they are okay?  Not likely.

DJs who use professional subscription services are able to deliver consistent quality in the highest-quality formats available for all of their current music.

YouTube is NOT a music store – ’nuff said.

How Current? – How current can these providers stay music each and every month?  Are they likely to have the songs you and your guests want at your event?  Will they have them BEFORE they have topped the charts?  Probably not since keeping up with the charts is how they are likely to do their updates.

How Clean? – A lot of music, especially hip-hop and urban tracks contain explicit content, “foul” language, etc.  How confident are you that all of the selections they have are CLEAN (radio-friendly) edits?  Not all legal online avenues carry clean versions of every song that they get before it has charted.

How many Genres? – How many genres can they stay relevant on?  Even a great DJ with an incredible passion for music can only keep their “ear to the ground” for everything happening across all the relevant musical genres that they might need for an event.  You may get a DJ who specializes in (or just likes) hip-hop and House music, but doesn’t have a lot of Country.  Or vice-versa!  A subscription service is invaluable for helping providers keep their libraries current and relevant across DOZENS of genres on a monthly, weekly, and even DAILY basis.

All of these sacrifices above may mean you get a “better price” on a DJ – Most often, the real “bargain basement” DJs, or the ones charging the “best price” are providers who do not have many of the real-world business expenses that go into running a legitimate business, and the cost of maintaining a professional subscription service for music is one of those expenses that these DJ’s most often “go without.”  So while you may be getting a “better price” on these DJs, is it REALLY a BETTER VALUE if you have to risk sacrificing in all of the areas above?  And if a DJ is cutting corners on the MOST IMPORTANT tool he has, his MUSIC, then what other corners could they be cutting, and how could those potentially affect your event as well?

Just some things to consider.

In the end, go with a service that invests time and money into their business, and who takes steps to offer you the highest-quality musical library they possibly can for the enjoyment of you and your guests.

Here’s the article:

Prime Cuts Music