 We’ve seen it happen far too often…the Bride or Groom don’t make it to the end of the night. Then somebody is left with helping said drunk person hold onto their dignity for a few more hours. Right after they got married…
So how did we get here? It all starts with one little innocent drink, then two, then three…then what in the world happened to me… Let’s set the scene for the Groom & Groomsmen. 99% of the time somebody brings a fifth of liquor…or two…or three. In their room is most likely a pool table or card games, which as history has shown, provide ample opportunity for drinking. It only takes one person to open the bottle and offer shots for things to go downhill. Here’s how you avoid ALL that! Hire a professional bartending service and allow them to serve you…after the ceremony. Maybe even pay them extra to set up early so the Groom and his men can have one signature cocktail prior to him tying the knot. Also, inform your Groomsmen that you’re paying a bartending service so there’s no need for them to bring anything. What does the Bride & Bridesmaid’s situation look like? Most likely Mimosas or Margaritas with some fruit/cheese!!! It’s one of the biggest trends these days to have pics of the Bride with her ladies in their comfy clothes prior to getting dressed, popping the bubbly to start the celebration. The pics are awesome! But what’s not, is the headache from the champagne, since most Bride’s don’t drink enough water on their wedding day. How do you get the pics without the headache? Substitute the alcohol for sparkling grape juice or sparkling apple cider. The bottles are nearly identical and the beverage is actually somewhat healthy. Then allow the professional bartenders to serve you appropriately throughout the night. The secret really isn’t a secret, it’s just following a few principals to ensure that you’re standing on your own at the end of your wedding reception, without the help from you Bridal Party!
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You asked your friends for recommendations on "Great" DJs because you need one for a party. Now you have multiple DJs to talk with & pick from. So...what makes a great DJ?
Experience - There is absolutely no replacement for years of experience being a DJ. If you are having any kind of important event, hire a DJ with experience! Does experience make them the best? Maybe or maybe not, but if they're a professional, you're getting priceless value included. Has anyone been able to put a price tag on "priceless"? Skill Set - Are you looking for a DJ that will keep your guests head's spinning? You will want to hire a DJ with not only Club experience, but turntable tricks in their bag as well. This will maintain excitement throughout your event. Do you need a DJ that can communicate to your guests professionally? Ensure that you hire a DJ with MC talent and don't be afraid to ask about that upfront! Equipment - Everybody knows a friend or cousin who's a DJ, but that doesn't always mean they have professional equipment for your event. Nothing crashes a party faster than a bad sound system, profanity with kids present or feed backing microphones. When you hire a professional DJ, they come with professional equipment...along with event appropriate music! Communication - If you're having trouble getting a DJ to return your calls or emails, chances are, they're not the DJ you need to hire. DJs are essentially in the business of communication, through music. However, communication with our clients is of upmost importance. If any part of that fails, the event will be impacted too. We see this with other vendors all too often. Network - You've decided on a DJ for your event, then you find out they're already booked. What next? Professional DJs either work on a team with other professional DJs or they know professional DJs to refer you to. If this isn't the case, you weren't talking to a professional DJ. DJs can't survive on an island by themselves and much like experience, a network to a DJ is priceless too! Experience, Skill Set, Equipment, Communication & Network all make up a great DJ. The next time you're hiring a DJ, make sure they have these! Your event will thank you for it!!!  So you’re planning a party for someone special & you want everything to be amazing. How does all that work itself out? By keeping the focus on the reason for the party - your VIP! And yes, that’s easier said than done.
Here are a few things we’ve learned over the years: If you’re throwing a surprise party for someone, make sure they like surprises. Nothing sours the mood at a party like the VIP arriving & being upset. When booking the entertainment, don’t hire a band if your VIP prefers DJs and vice versa. Keep your personal playlist strictly for that & allow the artists to please your VIP with music they love. Only spend money on items or services that focus on the VIP. No need for a Luau if your VIP never goes to the beach. Also, the other guests can have their own party some other time. If the demographic of the guests are from another generation or country, align yourself with someone from that one. This will save you lots of guessing & assuming! Let go of your own desires & keep the VIP first in every decision you make. The venue, decorations, entertainment, catering, etc. should all be focused your VIP. To plan any event is a challenge, but with the right preparation, anything can be awesome! Most people have never hired a Professional DJ prior to needing one for a private event. Knowing the right questions to ask & things to provide can be tricky, just like rocking a rhyme on time. Here’s 5 things DJs need to make your party AWESOME!!!
1 - Protection From Weather - Nothing stops a party faster than the DJ equipment or sound system getting wet. We love to party outside too! Do everyone a favor...provide a tent for your entertainment & guests. 2 - Reliable Power - A must have for any DJ is Reliable Power. Check with your venue to see if they have 220 power feeds in their Ballrooms or Event Halls. This ensures no breakers trip & the music stops momentarily. Most modern venues have proper 110 power feeds if 220 isn’t installed. Make sure your DJ is set up near working outlets. 3 - Solid Ground - Nothing the DJ brings to your party is cheap. Most of it requires solid, stable ground. Provide your DJ with a smooth wood or concrete floor so the music will sound the best, also the appearance of the area will look level & professional. Avoid surfaces like grass, dirt, gravel, mulch or sloped areas. 4 - Access To DJ Area - DJ equipment is big & heavy! The easiest way to make your DJs day is to make it convenient to move their equipment from vehicle to performance area. Ramps & elevators are our friends, stairs & hills are not. 5 - Dance Floor - If you want to dance, provide a Dance Floor in front of the DJ area. This will show people upon arrival that dancing will happen during the night & no tables/chairs will have to be moved in order to do so. Position your DJ close to the Dance Floor so your guests don’t have to go far to make their requests. None of these items will break your budget, but they will ensure your party goes off much smoother for your guests & DJ!  he absolute hottest trend we’ve seen over the last few years that we love...Private Last Dances.
A wedding day, while meticulously planned, can be a whirlwind for the Bride & Groom from start to finish. No matter who they’ve hired! So, when do they get to enjoy a moment together during their wedding day before the honeymoon? That’s very often, the billion dollar question. There’s a number of things the couple can do to create moments, a first look before the ceremony, taking the “long” way in the limo from the ceremony to reception or eating at a sweetheart table. None compare to a Private Last Dance! After the last song is played, the DJ gives instructions to the guests about where to line up for the exit outside the venue, then the Newlyweds enjoy a few minutes dancing together in love to their favorite song while their photography team goes to work. The pictures that the couple get from those moments are some of the best we’ve ever seen!!! The feedback from our clients has been so over the top positive that we had to write a blog about it! Say yes to a Private Last Dance & thank us later! It was the fall of 2008 or 2009 & we were in Clemson, SC across Lake Hartwell from their football stadium for a sorority party. They set up a tent for 500 people & told us to bring the party. It was ALL the way live!
At this time in lighting technology, LED fixtures weren’t around yet. Most dance floor lights were those theater stage can lights that get extremely hot & only show up well with “fog or haze” effects added. Not only are those lights great for dance floors, they also provide light for other dark areas in a venue. In 2021, wireless battery operated fixtures have taken the place of can lights. Back to the party. We were using a fog machine to enhance our show lighting that night, as we did with most every other event at this time. I had thought to myself a couple times that with each cycle of the fog machine, the fog seemed to grow instead of dissipate. We checked the settings on the fog machine & everything was correct. So, operation continued as normal. It was just after the headlining DJ Chill Will took the stage that an older woman came to the booth shouting, “Don’t blow no more smoke!” Little did we know, this was the “Mom” of the sorority...and little did she know that our fog machine was on a timer... Before we could shut it down, the Chauvet Hurricane erupted with it’s signature haze & she lost her mind!!! Rarely, if ever, can a human voice be heard over an amplified sound system...it was that night in Clemson, SC! Later that night while loading out, we found out from our security team that the guests were smoking weed every time our fog machine cycled...so that’s why it took so long to dissipate... There are thousands of names, maybe even millions. Names give people an introduction to you before a formal one has happened. Without names, getting to know each other would be much different and probably a lot more difficult.
So, why are names important and what’s in a name? 1-Names create identity, clarity & purpose. Names are important so people that haven’t formally met you can get an idea of who you are. This is talking to strangers without saying a word. Be what your name conveys to the public. 2-A name is your identity and how everyone remembers you. You name will be repeated thousands of times during your life and possibly after. Search for the meaning of your name. You can be surprised at how close the definition fits your personality. 3-Names are also important because they create clarity of identity for separation from others. It’s no secret that there are millions of people in this country and having clarity in your name will benefit you for years to come. 4-Names give purpose to those associated with it. Even in times of doubt, a great name will guide those supporting it. When a name transcends itself into those it’s intended for, the possibilities are endless. 5-What should be in a name? Everything you are and nothing you aren’t. We are professional DJs from the Greenville, SC area. Greenvillian DJs tells the public both of those things. We aren’t producers or photographers and it’s clearly stated. There’s no need to confuse future customers. Your name is unique, so let it shine! Love it, embrace it and be the name people will remember! We realized that being Professional DJs was a blessing & privilege that comes with a number of responsibilities. One of those is giving back to the community that supports us.
During the many charity events that we’ve worked over the years, one thing remains a constant. Being around kids helps us “stay young”. When you stop laughing, keep reading for our reasons why... 1-Few things match the innocence of youth. Wether it’s making their first three point shot or learning a new skill, the excitement of discovery & accomplishment while young has to put a smile on your face. 2-Kids tell you like it is. Want to know if what you’re up to is cool? Go hang out with some kids. They’ve got no reason to lie because they’re too busy being kids. Receiving honesty makes us happy. 3-Youthful energy will rub off on you...once you get close enough to catch it. Simply being around kids will raise your energy levels(we know some teachers may disagree). Most kids just want to have fun doing something. What about that isn’t exciting? 4-After you’ve used up all that energy, you can look forward to a great nights sleep! We’re parents too...and we know all about those attempts to fully recharge that most of the time don’t work out due to one thing or another. We call it Youth Induced Sleep. It does wonders! 5-The spirit of youths constantly reminds us to keep getting better one day at a time. Kids face adult size problems & maintain a positive attitude through it all. We must take notes! We love what we do & we love when it involves kids. We’re very thankful music, fun & kids have helped us stay forever young. Over the last 15 years, we’ve fielded hundreds of inquiries from people caught between a rock & a very hard place.
They “booked” a DJ for their event, paid said DJ in full & now it’s hours before the party...with no DJ to be found. Inevitably, they’re looking for a last minute hero at a discount. When hiring a professional DJ(or contractor of any type), it’s in the best interest of both parties to sign a contract containing the terms of the agreement, payment amount & expected execution date of services. But WHY? 1. The easiest way to find out if you’re dealing with a professional is to ask them to sign a contract. If their response is anything but yes, go in the other direction. 2. If a dispute occurs, everything is in writing, so there’s no possibility of misinterpretation. When both parties have the same “notes,” things usually work out well. 3. A court of law highly favors written & endorsed documentation over verbal testimony. Memories fade over time; words on paper usually don’t. 4. The cost of services is clearly stated, along with the payment responsibilities of the purchaser. The contractor can’t ask for extra money after the contract is signed. 5. Months after the contract has been signed & it’s time for the execution of services, the purchaser knows what to expect & the contractor knows what to provide. And neither party has to rely on a foggy memory from weeks before. Contracts aren’t just something lawyers created to make more money. They were created to protect the customer. Greenvillian DJs provide quotes, contracts & invoices to all our clients. It’s part of Professional DJ Entertainment. This happens more than we mention, but it seems to be a growing error during wedding ceremonies.
The officiant fails to tell people they can sit down after the bride arrives at the alter or after the opening prayer. Then everyone stands up for the next 20 minutes while the photographers and videographers scramble to get some kind of decent shot for the soon to be newlyweds. This is horribly problematic in more ways than you think: 1-Your guests at the back who are short for their height won’t be able to see. 2-Your DJ won’t be able to see when the music should start/stop for a guest vocalist or Unity Candle moment. 3-You pay for really nice chairs that your guests barely use. 4-Your photographer will have to stand halfway up the center aisle to get any decent shots of your vows unless they have a really expensive zoom lens. 5-Your videographer’s footage will have the photographer mostly between their camera and the alter. 6-You won’t get any wide angle pics of your bridal party flanking you at the alter. What really takes the cake(pun intended), is that the majority of officiants have a manuscript they read from. So, is the solution as simple as asking them to have “You may be seated” in the manuscript? Let’s hope so. |
Greenvillian djsOne day we'll write a book about all our fun providing entertainment over the last 25 years. For now, we blog. Archives
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