Kenny Casanova – The DJ Service

First off, let me say my sister is nuts! So when she recently called me and asked if I could draw an Oompa Loompa without a face on a foam board, it didn’t seem like an unusual request from her. I completed the task with ease (see picture below.)Little did I know that she was planning a ridiculously huge theme party for her two kids’ birthdays: WILLY WONKA STYLE!

Willy Wonka? You mean the creepy chocolate guy? That’s right and it was a huge success. Rather than to try and write up everything I saw, here is some of what my sister, Kathy Bechand, wrote up about it – with photos: How to Throw the Ultimate Willy Wonka Birthday Party.

Keeping prices cheap has made us VERY busy this summer in the Albany – Troy _Schenectady area. We had five gigs on Saturday and six gigs the Sat before.

Dear diary – it has been a week since I last wrote – and I promise I will write tomorrow…. I am just too tired to write tonight! lol

-Kenny

As a wedding DJ, I have seen many things go wrong. These were little tiny problems to start and could have been eliminated easily, just with a little planning ahead of time. Here is a top ten list of ten important things to think about in order to plan a fun and succesful wedding for all.

1. Think of EVERYBODY
I cannot say this enough. Even though it is your special day, you have to think about your guests and be a humble host, as anyone who throws a party should. After all, a good host puts others needs first. Do guests know what to expect? Are you planning your wedding for on a holiday that friends and family may have other obligations to? Are you a vegan and forcing your guests to eat food they are not comfortable eating to make a statement? Do you love hardcore music and do not care what the others think? Try your best to make everyone happy.

2. Be Yourself
If the couple is not all about classic music and being overly elegant, planning much of the reception as such may not be the right thing to do. You may want to go for more up beat fun stuff right from the get-go, during the cocktail hour. Also, some couples are now making the grand entrance into the cocktail hour to enjoy the festivities and then heading out for some pictures before they eat.

3. Waste Money
The wedding industry is a money making industry, with lots of avenues to indulge in. There is a lot of good advice out there, but remember, people will also profit from it. Shop around and do your homework! Budget means budget. If you have a number, stick to it!

4. Know who is running the show!
There are two people running the show. One is the officiate, the minister or justice of peace. His/her personality will come out in the ceremony. The other is your DJ/band, who plays a very important role in whether the guests will say your reception was fun, or not.

5. Be prepared for ANYTHING
Most people don’t want to believe that something could go wrong at their wedding, so they do not plan for it. If it is an outdoor wedding, make sure that you have an alternate location in case of rain. Keep phone contacts on hand for vendors and people with important roles.

6. Lose Perspective
Don’t get caught up in so many small details and traditions that you don’t spend enough time on what’s important. Keep the big picture in mind. If something doesn’t go exactly as planned, this is okay. Nothing ever does! Just remember, it is a celebration. Make it work.

7. Heavy Party the night before
It’s not always a good idea to plan crazy bachelor/bachelorette parties for the night before the wedding, if people with important roles tend to get carried away. The last thing you need is to wake up with a headache, or upset stomach. Too much drinking the night before is not always a good idea.

8. Bride & Groom planning
Wedding planning can and should fall on the bride and the groom together. If one becomes too overbearing or selfish, it can make for an awful night for the other. Ask yourself, did I listen?

9. Seat Guests Effectively
Your wedding is no place to try and mend broken bridges between guest. Forcing enemies to come together by seating them together is probably not going to work and not a risk you should try taking. Also, try and keep older people away from the DJ or band, as they often do not like louder volume levels. For more ideas on seating, see my other blog.

10. Don’t be afraid to be different
Traditional weddings are all the same. Don’t let your wedding reception fall into the regular pattern. If you do, your wedding will blur into the rest. Never be afraid to be different! A good idea is a good idea, even if it bucks tradition.

I tested out our new lazer show last night at a wedding at the Berkshire Country Club in Pittsfield, MA.

The research paid off.

The different laser projectors that I purchased were high-end Chauvet and, indeed, produced high-end effects.

Immediately on flipping the switch, hundreds of laser pin points flooded the massive room from wall to wall with an outerspace galaxy-effect, highlighted with a blue rolling LED. Then, trippy designs of laser blasts and shapes changed with the music over the backdrop.

This new package was totally it. After the first song, which incidentally I think was Just Dance by Lady Gaga, two people came up and asked for a business card!

COCKTAIL HOUR ENTRANCE
An interesting new trend for wedding receptions and cocktail hours is for the bride and groom to actually be announced fifteen minutes or so into the cocktail hour, so that they can enjoy the spirits, as well. As everyone knows, a tasty drink or two can really make the party fun. If the bride and groom get done with their pictures quickly enough, why not?

THE CANDY CART
A sweet new treat in weddings is the Candy Cart. A scrum-dilly-icious candy buffet adds fun and color to any wedding. This new trend has a table on wheels that looks like it was heisted straight out of Wonka’s Chocolate factory. The cart is covered with large glass bowls and vases over-flowing with goodness. Little baggies allow for all of your guests to pick what kind of candy they want and take it home. Kids and adults love taking home little bags of loot so that the sweetness of the reception continues long after the DJ has packed up.

HONEYMOON GIFT REGISTRY
Enough said. Just like any other type of gift registry at a store or on Amazon, friends and family members purchase parts of the bride and groom’s honeymoon. If it is not the obvious plane tickets or hotel room credits, it could be a show, an expensive dinner or a tour bus ride at the point of destination.

Here are some popular requests for first songs:

Top Bride / Groom First Dance Songs

“Grow Old With Me” by Mary Chapin Carpenter
“Embraceable You” by Nat King Cole
“Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole
“When I Fall In Love” by Nat King Cole
“Marry Me” by Neil Diamond & Buffy Lawson
“When A Man Loves A Woman” by Percy Sledge
“After All” by Peter Cetera & Cher
“Glory Of Love” by Peter Cetera
“Wedding Song by There is Love ” by Petula Clark
“Perhaps Love” by Placido Domingo & John Denver
“Forever and Ever, Amen” by Randy Travis
“You Are the Everything” by R.E.M.
“I Can’t Fight This Feeling Anymore” by R.E.O. Speedwagon
“Unchained Melody” by Righteous Brothers
“Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You” by Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson
“Truly, Madly, Deeply” by Savage Garden
“Kiss From A Rose” by Seal
“Dreaming Of You” by Selena
“From This Moment” by Shania Twain & Brian White
“You’re Still The One” by Shania Twain
“If I Never Knew You” by Shanice Wilson & John Secada
“True” by Spandau Ballet
“You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” by Stevie Wonder
“I Believe by When I Fall in Love ” by Stevie Wonder
“Ma Cherie Amour” by Stevie Wonder
“Give a Little Bit” by Supertramp
“Eternal Flame” by The Bangles
“I Will” by The Beatles
“In My Life” by The Beatles
“Something” by The Beatles
“We’ve Only Just Begun” by The Carpenters
“In The Still of the Night” by The Five Satins
“I Only Have Eyes For You” by The Flamingos
“A Groovy Kind Of Love” by The Mindbenders
“Oh, How The Years Go By” by Vanessa Williams
“Will You Marry Me?” by Vonda Shepard
“Hold Me” by Whitney Houston & Teddy Pendergrass
“One Moment In Time” by Whitney Houston
“You Are My First, My Last, My Everything” by Barry White
“Take My Breath Away” by Berlin
“The Rose” by Bette Midler
“Our Love Is Here To Stay” by Billie Holiday
“Just The Way You Are” by Billy Joel
“She’s Got A Way” by Billy Joel
“We’ve Got Tonight” by Bob Seger
“You Are My Special Angel” by Bobby Helms
“If” by Bread
“Everything I Own” by Bread
“Heaven” by Bryan Adams
“True Love Ways” by Buddy Holly
“Tonight And Forever” by Carly Simon
“You’re The Inspiration” by Chicago
“Lady In Red” by Chris DeBurgh
“Longer” by Dan Fogelberg
“Endless Love” by Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” by Elton John
“Friends” by Elton John
“The One” by Elton John
“Your Song” by Elton John
“Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley
“Always” by Erasure
“At Last” by Etta James
“Let It Be Me” by Everly Brothers
“Songbird” by Fleetwood Mac
“The Best Is Yet To Come” by Frank Sinatra
“The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra
“If I Loved You” by from Carousel
“As Time Goes By” by from Casablanca
“Some Enchanted Evening” by from South Pacific
“Somewhere” by from West Side Story
“Love Theme To Romeo & Juliet” by from Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet
“Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love For You” by Glenn Medeiros
“Here We Are” by Gloria Estefan
“Beautiful” by Gordon Lightfoot
“It Had To Be You” by Harry Connick, Jr.
“So This Is Love” by James Ingram
“Up Where We Belong” by Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warrens
“You Are So Beautiful” by Joe Cocker
“Woman” by John Lennon
“I Swear” by John Michael Montgomery
“Chances Are” by Johnny Mathis
“Beautiful In My Eyes” by Joshua Kadison
“So In Love” by k.d. lang
“Don’t Know Much” by Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville
“What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong
“Here And Now” by Luther Vandross
“Dream A Little Dream” by Mamas & the Papas
“Hero” by Mariah Carey

I was the disc jockey for some good people out of Schenectady, NY this past weekend, hosted at a nice little restaurant called The Cella Bistro. The bride and groom’s favorite thing about past wedding receptions that they had attended was always the appetizers. They liked mushrooms, and wonton shrimp and crab cakes and friend veggies and jumbo shrimp, you know, all the yummy stuff.

So what did they do? The made EVERYTHING APPETIZERS!

That is right. There was no real sit down, but there was soooo much good finger food and horderves around that you never even missed it.

In the end, they said it worked out to be FARRRRR cheaper than if you were to go with a sit down or buffet.

A great time was had by all!

I learned something over the weekend at a wedding reception that had an Irish-American bride marrying a French-Canadian groom. While weddings in Canada are very similar to those here in America, there are some very different French Canadian weddings customs that occur just north of us. I realized this when I looked out to the dance floor to see the groom’s older sister hiking up her dress and dancing with the ugliest socks on I ever did see! Looking at a pair of feather adorned rainbow socks with sparkles and fully-woven separated toes, this prompted me to do a little research on the nuptials of our northern neighbors.

I was able to dig up a video of a sock dance (note: I’m not the DJ):
Aaron’s Sock Dance (What A Man – Salt ‘n Pepper)

Canadian wedding customs are all about a warm and friendly get together with friends and family, despite sometimes cold northern temperatures. Because Canada is an immigrant country by nature, the mixing of English and French wedding customs with the traditions of many other cultures is common. For the most part, a great deal of French Canadian wedding celebrations is very similar to what you would see in the United States. There are, however, a few differences.

In parts of Quebec, where the main language spoken is French, for the ceremony, the groom isn’t kept away from seeing the bride until she walks down the aisle. It is customary, rather for the groom and his friends and family to meet the bride at her home on the big day. The new couple then drives to ceremony with the bride’s parents. A large procession of cars, much like you see in the states at a funeral, move together, decorated for the wedding celebration to come. The line of cars is not calm and reserved, however. In a parade-like tour through the entire town, the people in the cars honk their horns and yell good wishes out to town’s people. After the drive, the entire wedding assembly enters the church together.

At the reception, we see an introduction and a toast, before a nice dinner. After everyone eats, the dancing begins. There is one French-Canadian tradition, however, that I saw this weekend that was very new to me. It involved the unmarried brothers and sisters of the bride and groom.

Later on in the wedding reception, apparently, if the groom has older siblings who are still unmarried, they must down elaborately colorful ugly socks, and dance to a special tune. It seems that the the socks symbolize the siblings still having “cold feet” and this is why the younger brother is marrying before them. The sillier the sock dance is however, the better, as the guests respond more favorably to nonsense. Much like the American “Dollar Dance,” the guests throw money at the feet of the sock dancer(s) and the money is then given to the bride and groom, to offset costs and help them in their new home together.

Yet again, I saw a different thing this weekend that I thought I should share with you all. You know those little cards you see at the front of the hall at the beginning of the ceremony? Yeah you do. The place cards with the guests name, directing them to their assigned table.

The wedding I did had little tea lights with professionally printed names on each one and the table number.

It was really cool to see everyone surround the table and look for their candles! Then, on by one, each person carefully brought their little candle keepsake to their destination table.

As a mobile DJ, you see some really neat ideas from time to time, but none have struck me as much so as what I have been seeing more and more of this summer.

With printing capabilities increasing with technology and color printing cartridge advancements, a new trend is definitely hitting the professional wedding industry. This new wedding trend is quickly becoming a magnetic attraction to the guests, because this new trend is magnets.

One new magnet prop is showing up before the wedding. I have seen “Save The Date” magnets sent out to guests to announce their wedding right from the start. These are usually business card size with just the date and the bride and groom’s names on them. They can however be bigger and more elaborate.

Magnets can also be used for the invitations themselves. If you look up on google save the date wedding magnets you will see that many specialty printers are now offering some really cool magnetic stock for invitations. Companies like Magnetstreet.com, MagnetQueen.com, Wedding-Magnets.com and SaveTheDateMagnet.com are all just the tip of the iceberg for companies that are beginning to specialize off of this growing new idea. They have some great stock images to pick from, as well as cool ideas for customization.

At the reception itself, many people are now opting to make the magnet-making process itself as part of the fun and towards the provision of wedding favors. Photo Magnet creation actually becomes an activity. An additional photographer can be hired with on site capability and the proper equipment to provide refrigerator magnets as party favors to the bride and groom and/or all your guests with their images on the magnets.

At a recent Albany, NY wedding I played music at, the magnet photographer set up a photo shoot area in a corner complete with lighting and a backdrop. Couples and friends alike could then go over for the shoot and immediately, within seconds, have a decorative portrait of the participants in hand. The magnets can either then be set aside for the bride and groom, or kept as a favor!

The possibilities are endless!