Question: Why Should I Hire Weddings of Distinction?
November 19th, 2009 | 
Author: Today’s bride and groom are more conscious and discerning than ever about whom they will choose to be a part of their wedding. This is likely due to a combination of economic challenges and the ability to learn and gather better information via the Internet.
One fine day a particularly discerning bride asked me a very simple and yet very intelligent question: “With so many DJs and entertainers available why should I choose Weddings of Distinction for my wedding?”
It seemed like a very simple and straightforward question. I thought about it for a moment desiring to give her a very straightforward and simple answer. After all, it was a very legitimate question and she certainly deserved an answer.
I thought about all of the things that make my particular service special and unique, and yet as I scrolled through a mental list of all those things with a full and clear understanding of how my service will benefit her wedding, I began to realize just how difficult it was going to be to share what I knew about creating fun and entertaining weddings, in a single concise statement.
Since I have entertained at literally hundreds of weddings since 1988 I could very simply say to the bride that I have experience. But then I thought… does my telling her that I have experience really convey a clear and concise understanding of how my experience will make her wedding experience better? Probably not!
So then the thought occurred to me that I need to share with her something tangible that she could see and hear. Typically, most DJs will show up at an event with low end gear that they can fit in the back of their car or minivan, whereas I have a huge box truck packed with the latest and greatest concert quality gear. Yes I thought, this was one really huge difference between myself and probably any other DJ.
So I asked her to follow me to my studio where I then gave her an audio and visual demonstration. She was very impressed and overwhelmed by what she saw and heard, but then she asked… “This is absolutely amazing, but is this high level of quality equipment and performance really necessary for my wedding to be a success?”
It is important to be honest, so I thought about it for a moment then said…” honestly, your wedding can still be a success without having this level of quality and performance, however, I feel your wedding deserves my very best, and this is just an indication of my level of commitment to the success of your event”.
Her response…”Thank you, that’s what I really needed to know, now tell me how you’re going to make my wedding FUN!”
Things you should know before hiring a DJ for your wedding (Part 4)
Creating a personalized wedding event timeline is the job of the Wedding Entertainment Director. Wheres the “typical” DJ is all about “typical”…the Wedding Entertainment Director is all about “personal”. Only by taking the time to get to know you on a personal level can an entertainer create an entertainment schedule or timeline that will truly fit your unique styles and personalities. A Wedding Entertainment Director will focus their attention well beyond the music program, but rather upon your reception as a whole…start to finish.
If your wedding reception was merely a “dance”, then choosing entertainment for your event would not be nearly so complicated. However, your wedding event is much more than a “dance”, but rather an entire sequence of individual events including “dinner”, the “cake cutting”, “bouquet & garter toss”, the “wedding toast” and many other events and activities that all need to flow seamlessly from one to another .
Who will run the show?…the answer…your Wedding Entertainment Director. I’m sure that you’ve all heard the term “too many chiefs and not enough Indians”. For an event to run smoothly there needs to be one individual that all of the other wedding vendors and helpers can look to…to keep everything together and on track. This individual should be the one with the most experience with keeping things running on an entertainment flow. Once again…your Wedding Entertainment Director.
A good Wedding Entertainment Director will work with you from the very beginning of the planning process to help and guide you in the creation of the ever important “Wedding Time line”. The “Wedding Time line” is much like “scenes” and “acts” in a stage performance and will be the “script” for your wedding event.
Okay…how about personalization? After your Wedding Entertainment Director has gathered all of the pertinent information about you, your visions and goals and specific reception details, he or she should begin to “paint a picture” for you of how your event will likely unfold. One you are comfortable with the direction and flow of your event, it is time to look at specific ways to make those events and activities your very own.
Your Wedding Entertainment Director might help you with such things as:
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Voice Over First Dance (Messages from the Bride & Groom to each other embedded in their first dance song)
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Custom Video Photo and Slide Presentation
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Large Screen Music Video Option (Nothing motivates a dance crowd in quite the same way)
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Audible Memories (Personal recorded messages from friends and family to be played at reception)
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Love Story or Fun Story (Personalized introductions of the wedding party – my clients frequently say that they loved this most of all)
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Games & Activities (These can help to build a connection with your guests)
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Much, Much More (Talk to your Wedding Entertainment Director for tips and ideas for keeping your even FUN and interesting)
Remember, whether you and your guests remember your event as a FUN and exciting experience will not be a matter of whether or not certain activities take place, but rather, how those activities make you feel.
Stay Tuned for: Part Five (How Much Should I Expect To Pay)
Posted in Reception Entertainment | 
Tags: disc jockey, dj, wedding, Wedding Entertainment | 
3 Comments »
Things you should know before hiring a DJ for your wedding (Part 3)
After reading Parts 1 & 2 you now have a basic understanding of the differences between a typical DJ and their higher end counterparts. Now let’s take a gander at what to look for when choosing entertainment for your wedding reception.
If you have stayed with me this far I am going to make the assumption that you are looking to create an exciting and unforgettable wedding reception that is FUN for all. With that in mind, let’s get down to the nitty gritty of entertainment shopping.
The first step to finding great entertainment is to ‘Take Your Time – Shop, Shop Shop”. Now what I mean by taking your time is not waiting to the last minute to book your entertainment, on the contrary, waiting to the last minute will only leave you with what is left, and not what is best. Word gets around, and the best entertainment will usually book first.
Taking your time means interviewing many DJ’s in person before making your decision. Even after meeting with me I ALWAYS encourage my potential clients to shop around before deciding to book me as their entertainment.
The first “MUST FOLLOW THIS TIP” is to NEVER, NEVER, EVER book an entertainer over the telephone. To do so is potentially the first step to wedding day disaster. DJ’s are good talkers, and they probably have their sales pitch down to a science. Only by meeting them in person can you truly get a feel for whether or not they have what it takes to make your wedding reception “the best reception ever”.
MOST IMPORTANT…make absolute certain that the person you are speaking with is the actual person who will be entertaining at your reception. It is common when setting up a meeting with a company who has several or more DJ’s working for them that the person you meet with is the owner or business manager of the company. You might absolutely love what they have to say, however, the young part-time DJ / full-time college student they send to perform at your wedding may not have the experience or commitment to backup their sales pitch…hence…BUYER BEWARE!
If you haven’t already…you will soon discover that planning a wedding & reception will require many hours of diligent planning. If you spend much time at all on my site, you will hear (or read) often that “great receptions don’t just happen…they’re planned!” This same philosophy also applies to your entertainment! It should stand to reason that if you book entertainment that merely shows up on your wedding day and plays music for your dancing pleasure, that he or she is going to provide the same generic service that they provided at every other wedding prior to yours. This one size fits all performance will create a “if you’ve seen one…you’ve seen them all” typical reception. The very same performance that those aforementioned 78% of unhappy brides and grooms saw at their wedding reception.
So how can you be sure that you’re event will not be a typical “if you’ve seen one…you’ve seen them all” wedding reception? Well…read on…
Stay Tuned for: Part Four
Posted in Reception Entertainment |
Tags: disc jockey, dj, wedding, Wedding Entertainment |
3 Comments »
Things you should know before hiring a DJ for your wedding (Part 2)
A colleague and Wedding Entertainment Director, Peter Merry of Merry Weddings, came up with the perfect analogy when he asks brides and grooms to think of their wedding as if they were creating a blockbuster movie. The bride & groom is the producer of their own wedding production. And as the producer it should be their goal to hire the very best director to bring all the elements together and turn them into something truly spectacular.
I’m sure that you realize that it takes more than a good soundtrack to make a great movie. And in the very same way, your wedding reception needs more than just music in order to make it a blockbuster wedding reception.
Typically, Hollywood producers will spend more time and scrutiny choosing their director then they will in choosing the actors, because they recognize that it’s the director and his creative talents that will truly set the pace for the movie.
If you think about it, you’re far more inclined to think that a movie you have not yet seen is going to be great because it was directed by Steven Spielberg than you are to think it is going to be a great movie just because it’s starring Harrison Ford or Tom Cruise.
Unless you’re looking to hire the Wedding Singer, there are three types of entertainment commonly available for weddings and receptions:
Today, probably the most common type of entertainment seen at wedding receptions is Disc Jockeys or DJ’s. Pretty much as their title implies, their role at a wedding is primarily to play recorded music and energize the dance floor. They will often make announcements when asked and lead typical events as requested, but somebody will still have to guide them as to the who, what, when where and why. Their role at a wedding is generally fairly limited. We typically refer to this style of DJ as a Gig DJ.
Next is the DJ/Master of Ceremonies. This is generally considered a step up from the typical disc jockey as far as the level of professionalism. Ordinarily a good MC/Master of Ceremonies has had additional training in public speaking and basic event direction. Whereas the typical DJ is ideally suited for Night Clubs, Radio, School Dances and Birthday Parties, the Master of Ceremonies is better adapted for formal events and will typically do a much better job of representing you.
Finally… the Wedding Entertainment Director. A Wedding Entertainment Director is a professional entertainer who has specialized in weddings and is well versed in the art of formal event entertainment. They are highly skilled in developing event plans and timelines that increase crowd participation and involvement. They provide all the services typically associated with both the Disc Jockey and Master of Ceremonies, but adhere to much higher standards and are dedicated to making that once in a lifetime event something truly fun and memorable.
Stay Tuned for: Part Three
Things you should know before hiring a DJ for your wedding (Part 1)
The results of an interesting survey published in the St. Louis Bride & Groom magazine showed that as many as 78% of all brides surveyed immediately following their wedding reception were unhappy with the entertainment provided at their reception.
The same survey also showed that when asked, 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.
* *Sources: Simmons 2001, USA Today 2002, National Bridal Service 2001, The Knot 2002, St. Louis Bride & Groom Magazine 2008
My intention here is in no way to make you leery of every DJ you speak to, but rather, help you to become an informed entertainment shopper. Remember, every DJ you speak to wants your business; you have the power… use it wisely!
The most common error made by brides and grooms when shopping for entertainment is in thinking of a DJ as if he or she is a product. This is what I like to refer to as the Wal-Mart mentality, and it’s perfectly understandable how we got that way.
When shopping for laundry detergent you can save a lot of money by choosing the generic or store brand laundry detergent. Many of us have even come to learn that many of these products are actually the same product made by the same manufacturer, only with different labels. And you’ve probably discovered your laundry comes out just as clean as when purchasing the name brand product.
However, unlike products, DJ’s are individuals with different levels of commitment and different levels of experience using equipment with different levels of quality. The variables within this range are seemingly infinite.
Your challenge here is twofold…
The first part of the challenge will be up to you to discern what level of importance you place upon the entertainment at your wedding reception. If you are planning a quick in and out wedding reception and involving your guests in an exciting and memorable afternoon or evening is not a part of your plan, then you might simply choose a DJ based upon the lowest price.
If however, a fun, exciting and memorable wedding reception is your plan… then there are a few things you should know.
When first meeting with a bride I typically discover that they are completely unaware of the types of options available to them. Most brides are usually surprised and excited to discover that the entertainment can go well beyond the music.
A DJ is a DJ…is much like saying a car is a car. Corvette, Mercedes and Porsche drivers might find that statement offensive as they know from experience that not all cars are created equal.
There are DJs, wedding specialists, and even the next level of wedding entertainment…the Wedding Entertainment Director. The difference between them is the level of experience and the level of commitment to a particular wedding event.
Stay Tuned for: Part Two
