Moving…

I am moving this blog from the server here at wordpress.com to our DJ company’s site.  The future existence of this blog will be located at: http://www.e3music.com/wordpress

See ya there!

Sir Francis Drake – Megan & Andrew

6/26/11 –

Megan and Andrew are an amazing couple.  Both are very busy scientists, with extensive educations.  Just being around them made me feel smarter.  But when it came to the science of love, they definitely found the right mix of elements between the two of them.  Happiness and sincere appreciation for their friends in family are the only ways I can describe how the two of them enjoyed their big day.  With a relatively small group of friends who traveled very great distances to be part of the celebration, the couple wanted everyone to enjoy a magical evening they soon wouldn’t forget.

They started the day with the Gay Pride Parade in downtown San Francisco.  Okay, they didn’t really intend to have their wedding on Gay Pride day, but it definitely will be part of their memory from their wedding.  After a morning of fun (and a little chaos, I’m sure), they had their wedding ceremony in the Franciscan Room of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel.  This ornate room played host to two major parts of their celebration (ceremony and dinner/dancing).  After a brief ceremony, everyone was ushered up to the 21st Floor, also known as the Starlight Room, where the guests enjoyed panoramic views of San Francisco.  Then after an hour or so of cocktails, it was back down to the Franciscan Room for their Grand Entrance, First Dance, and Toasts.  The toast givers were very nervous, but extremely well composed.  They gave great words of congratulations and shared some wonderful stories of how they knew the bride and groom.  Then a wonderful meal of 3 courses was laid before their guests, and it was quite spectacular.  I was even honored with a wonderful steak filet, which really wet my appetite.  The Bride and Groom really wanted to let everyone know how much their appreciated their attendance at their wedding, so they spent a significant portion of the evening catching up and greeting everyone.

Then, after a few more words from the happy couple, it was off to the dancing, and this group knew how to party.  I think Megan said it best when she thanked everyone for coming, she said “we may be a small group, but we know how to party hard.”  And did they ever.  After the Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dances, everyone was on the dance floor for the rest of the night.  It was actually had to get them to stop dancing for a few minutes when they wanted to cut the cake.  But after that brief interlude, they were back to the dance floor immediate.  Groups like this always make me happy because it isn’t about showing off or having the best moves, it’s truly about family and enjoying each others company.  Being happy and showing that you are happy, and allowing me to make those people happy makes me happy.  Even after all the extra labor that went into this event (like every event) it was worth it, especially at the end of the night when all the guests gave me a nice round of applause.  Truly, this is why I do what I do.

Facility Coordinator/Catering – Robyn of the Sir Francis Drake

San Jose Hilton – Gina & Jon

6/25/11 –

It doesn’t matter how much you spend or how many people come to your wedding, as long as you have a great time.  For Gina and Jon, their celebration of love was also about having a memorable night.  They wanted to have a party.  Yes, they had to get married to do so, but that was besides the point (I’m completely kidding here).  This couple knew how to rock hard and who to do it with.  So they invited their closest friends and family for a night of wining and dining.

Their ceremony was simply but elegant, as all ceremonies should be.  Their reception began with a simple entrance of the Bride and Groom, followed by their first dance, and a welcome speech by the MOB (Mother of the Bride).  The newlyweds then treated their guests to a delicious 3 course meal with several more speeches that ranged from tear jerking to light and funny.  Although scary and emotional for the toast givers, these were beautiful displays of love and appreciation.  Following the entree course, we danced.  And with a group of just under 50 people, I know at some point everyone was on the dance floor.  They simply cut it up to everything from the classics to the newest hits.  Gina and Jon were such a fun couple to work with because you could really tell this event meant a lot to them personally and because it was a long road to complete the planning.  It was so gratifying to see the joy in their eyes at the end of the night, and once Gina finally realized she was married she was literally brought to tears.  I’m so happy for the two of them and their son, and I’m so happy that I could be a part of their union.

As a vendor for weddings and other events, I usually don’t comment on the meals that I’m served, but I believe this one deserves a special mention.  From filet minion to sushi to dry chicken to tuna sandwich in a bag, I’ve attended many weddings where I’ve eaten as extravagantly as the Bride and Groom, and some where I felt I was treated more as an annoyance than anything (as portrayed by the vendor meal I received).  But today was different, and at this fine establishment I was treated to a simple burger and fries.  A good, wholesome and very filling meal that was not trying to be fancy, nor was it trying to say “you aren’t worthy of the chef’s time.”  It was easy to consume (anything handheld is a plus in my book), tasty, served freshly cooked and was easily inhaled which allowed me to quickly get back to focusing on the guests of honor.  A big thanks for this go out to the catering staff, the wedding coordinator and the bride and groom.  Whoever thought of this option for the vendors was brilliant and I will remember this meal for a very long time. 🙂

Planning and Day-of Wedding Coordinator – Anthony White of Extreme Elegance
Facility Coordinator/Catering – Gus of the San Jose Hilton

Cordevalle – Lauren & Chris

6/18/11 –

The word that Chris and Lauren stressed for me while planning their wedding was “party.”  This sweet couple wanted nothing more than a night they would never forget, and after being to so many of their friends’ weddings, they were dead set on raising the bar.  In case you’ve never been to San Martin, it is located south of San Jose by about 25 miles, and is a wonderful spa and golf getaway that can subdue the most stressed corporate executive.  This was to be the setting for our couple’s ceremony and reception.  With a beautiful ceremony on the lawn, just off the patio from the reception area, they were granted one of the first beautiful days of this year.  Loving words were spoken, heartfelt readings were read, and then two became one.  The happy newlyweds dashed off to photos on the property, while their guests enjoyed cocktails for an hour or so.  Then, with escort cards in hand, everyone filled in for the start of the night.

A grand entrance started the reception festivities (as usual), followed very closely with toasts by both of the families, the Maid of Honor and Best Man.  Dinner was the next item of business, and wonderful treat it was.  I personally saw the guests have a few more options than the photographers and I, but the chicken dish the we were served was spectacular: moist with loads of natural flavor (not spoiled by any sort of thick sauce).  The Bride and Groom, but very social people enjoyed their time visiting their loved ones following dinner, but the best was yet to come.

Following a small “Thank you” speech by the couple, it was time for some dancing.  Chris and Lauren enjoyed their first dance.  They didn’t do any over the top moves or lifts, they just spent their song holding each other in their arms.  It was very sweet.  But then after a very brief Father/Daughter dance, it was time to get the “party” started.  With a little help from some whistles( and a *few* drinks from the bar), the bridal party was rounding everyone up to come to the dance floor.  From that point on, the dance floor was packed.  Whether it was Too Short, Black Eyed Peas, Michael Jackson, LMFAO, Katy Perry, Akon, Elvis or Bruno Mars, this night was all about the dancing.  They had their cake cutting, bouquet and garter toss, but they really wanted to do all night was dance.  And in what seemed like a blink of a eye (two and a half hours later), the night was over.  The last song was play, the lights came up, and bar was closed.  But without much hesitation, a mission to move the party to the nearest club was conjured and off they went.  It was great fun to be part of this celebration, and to really see the love and appreciation in Lauren and Chris’ eyes just made me feel like I was part of something special.

Location – Cordevalle – San Martin, CA

Pacific Athletic Club – Ellin & Michael

6/11/11 –

Every wedding has a theme, whether it is intentional or not, but the one for this wedding was entertainment.  Michael and Ellin really wanted to show their guests a good time, so they arranged for a beautiful buffet meal (including sushi, chicken, shrimp, and MANY other choices), a chocolate fountain, petit fours (little desserts), Macaroons as favors, a slide show, a shoe game (hosted by a few guests) and some great dancing.  They started out the reception with some traditional mingling time with cocktails, and then guided the guests to the ballroom.  Following this, they were introduced to the Bridal Party who was very excited to strut their stuff for their friends and family, and arranged a high-five tunnel for the Bride and Groom to enter into.  Then the proceeded to start the night with their first dance as husband and wife, for which they had taken lessons and it really showed.  When you start an event with that much energy, it is going to carry itself through to the end of the night.  Mike and Ellin are very courteous, wonderful people who are a lot of fun and they made a wonderful night for their guests.  I was happy to be part of such a special night at the beginning of their new life together and wish them the best in their many years to come.

Location – Pacific Athletic Club – Redwood Shores, CA

Garden Court Hotel – Kristina & Henry

5/28/11 –

Some couples are just perfect together.  Kristina and Henry are just that.  After their busy schedules and many months of planning, they put together an elegant event that was quite a lot of fun.  They realized that even though their wedding was about them, the reception was for their guests.  They focused on creating a space during the cocktail and dinner portions where everyone could relax, mingle and have a wonderful time.  They held their ceremony in the Grove Ballroom at the Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto, cocktails on the garden patio, and reception in the lower ballroom.  With about 140 guests, they were able to have an intimate celebration while still sharing the experience with many of their friends and family.

This couple decided to upgrade my DJ services and add a Ceremony sound station, Cocktail sound station, 8 LED up-lights and a Custom GOBO that was projected on the dance floor.  The up-lights and GOBO really helped to set-off the centerpieces and cupcakes, and still allow enough lighting during the dancing that they didn’t need the overhead lights.  And did this group ever dance! Whether it was to classics from the 60s and 70s, or the newest thing you’d here on the radio today, there were many guests on the dance floor all night long.  And for those who didn’t wish to participate in dancing, they had a photobooth located on the patio for guests to get a little crazy.  I highly recommend it!  All-in-all, it was a true delight to be a part of this wedding celebration, not only because everything ran smoothly and their guests had a great time, but because this couple really showed what it means to be in love and to love their guests.

Location – Garden Court Hotel

La Rinconada Country Club – Lauren & Josh

Josh and Lauren Tyler were married today.  They are a lovely couple that loves to be with their friends and family.  This easy going couple requested that I keep them as close to on-time with their timeline as possible, which is something I pride myself on.  There day flowed well with toasts at the end of the meal instead of at the beginning or during the middle, and then they followed that with their cake cutting, then first dance.  The though was “let’s get the ceremonial stuff out of the way at the beginning of the party time, and then they can really focus on having a good time.”  Dancing was a mix of some popular wedding dance songs with a lot of Top40 and college favorites that got everyone on the dance floor.  I can truly say it was a pleasure to be part of this wedding celebration and I wish the newlyweds all the best in their new life together.

Facebook linking

As social media expands, it’s important to keep connected, otherwise things can rapidly get out of control.  I’ve linked this blog with my company’s facebook fan page so these blog posts will be streamed to one central location.  Hopefully this works…. 🙂

Mountain Winery – Wedding Ceremony & Reception

For Jacqueline and Michael, this day was a moment in their lives they wanted to remember always.  With their lives centered around their careers in the military, it was nice to have a night of fun celebration and enjoy the spectacular views at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA.  For the new Mr and Mrs Zarker and 44 of their closest friends and family, the day was highlighted with a beautiful outdoor ceremony on the Vista Deck overlooking the Silicon Valley.  There was a delicious meal, some wonderful speeches, and then dancing.  Great dancing actually.  Everyone danced, and that’s not a usual occurrence.  I can say with complete certainty that everyone was on the dance floor at one point or another during the evening.  It was a real treat to be involved on this couple’s wedding day and hope they have a wonderful life together.

The Ranch Golf Club – Wedding Reception

Sometimes things just run like clockwork.  I was fortunate enough to meet Lauren and Michael at a Starbucks in Dublin, CA.  From our first meeting, I could really tell that this couple was fun, outgoing, enthusiastic, a little wacky (who isn’t?) and above all else: caring.  They spent months planning their wedding long distance from Los Angeles to have their ceremony and reception in San Jose, and I’m sure it was not easy for them.

Once the planning was complete and we had finalized the plans of their wedding day, I could hear the excitement in their voices as we discussed the minute details involved with making their wedding successful.  Dancing is a huge part of both the Bride and Groom’s lives.  Usually it’s just one or the other, but these two wouldn’t leave the dance floor all night.  Their guests were the same way, as many of them worked up a solid sweat before heading to the balcony to cool off and enjoy the view of the San Jose skyline.  It was nice to be part of a celebration that was very much focused on having fun.  I miss this couple already. =)

Wedding Planning and Day-of Coordination provided by Amy (and her mom) from Twitterpated Weddings