Help I'm Getting Married!

OK, you found that perfect someone to share love and life with. they proposed, you accepted, and up until now everything has been pretty much stress free. In fact the idea of planning for the big day sounds like fun, as it should be. Now comes the time to choose the who, what, where, and when. Shall I have a sophisticated soirée or opt for a much simpler affair? Sounds easy so far, I'll just Google my way to wedding day bliss :)

Now, are you sitting down?  Good.  here is where it get's interesting.  Most of the decisions couples make will be of things that they can actually hold in their hands. They have a brand, size or color. But what about the entertainment?  Can't I just point and click my way to party hosting success? The answer is yes and unfortunately no.  What the web can do is make you aware of local choices.  What often happens is we ask for more information in email.  And why not, it seems less intrusive. However websites and email are a cold media. No personality, no charisma... you know the warm and fuzzy. To add to the confusion DJ's all start sounding alike. It's just not enough to make an informed decision as important as the heartbeat of reception. The music and entertainment.

Here is how we start on the right path to wedding reception happiness. When we meet with you to see what your reception vision is there is something very important in it for you.  Let me explain. Have you ever met someone you just clicked with? You should know within the first few minutes if this is gonna work or not. It's a very good indicator of how good they are at first impressions, which is what the situation is going to be with the DJ and your guests at the wedding reception. After exchanging ideas during this informal chat you'll walk away knowing if you have found a match! And if not, nothing is really lost except for a whole lot of wedding day stress.

We not only love music and parties,  we love to talk about them too! I'll follow up soon with more tips on successful reception planning. If you have any immediate questions about finding what's right for you, we are here to help, call us anytime... Let us entertain you!

Photo by Linczak Photography

Cleveland Wedding DJ "Keeping it Fresh"!

Let's talk about our favorite subject "Wedding Entertainment". In the beginning Troy Entertainment looked at the Cleveland wedding DJ entertainment market and seen what was being addressed and assessed what needed to change. For example the market had very few interactive or entertaining DJ entertainment options and those that were focused on themselves and not the guests of honor (bride and groom) and their guests. To this day when asked "what is most important to you about your wedding" the prevailing response is "I want my guests to have fun".  This is why we became the first and continue to utilize the idea of using the audience as the "stars of the show".  Rather than having everyone focus on us, we cast the focus to an active dance floor.

The thing that we enjoy most about weddings is that the guest list is usually comprised of a diverse mix of people.  Everyone from the bride and grooms friends and family to neighbors and co-workers. There is commonly a wide range on ages present and people from near and far attend this once in a lifetime event. The premise that is usually implied is that a DJ will "read the crowd" when in actuality that is not very likely since nobody can read minds. For sensible results we make ourselves more approachable. What appears to be as subtle as a natural friendly presence is highly effective in connecting with the audience.  It's that charismatic way of presenting yourself to the guests that conveys comradery. Enthusiasm is contagious.

The other thing that is so grand about providing wedding DJ entertainment is that it is in a continues state of change that is in sync with trends in music and fashion. Let's discuss trends.  We have seen so many fads come and go. Group participation dance fads like the Electric Slide, Macarena, , Soulja Boy, the Doggie, Cha-Cha Slide, and the Cupid Shuffle. The latest being the Harlem Shake . The ability for a wedding DJ company to spot new trends and keep the package fresh is highly important. This doesn't mean that keeping it fresh would exclude music that stands "the test of time". Even music of the older generation has seen a rebirth in popularity. Wedding DJ's have seen the rebirth of the "Big 80's", or what about a few years ago when "Swing" was in again. Specific songs become replays like "Don't Stop Believing"  and "Living on a Prayer". A good DJ with talent will also know when a music trend or popularity has fallen which usually occurs if and when it is overplayed or it has simply run it's course. Yet some music becomes what we refer to as "musical staples" and has achieved longevity.

This brings us to today's bride and what her wants and needs are. If you are Cleveland area bride planning for that big day the key to a successful wedding reception is to select entertainment that is fresh with what the current trends and even traditions are, a company that is right for your event and your diverse guest list. Cleveland Wedding DJ's can only be judged by what they have done.  A proven track record and what their recent clients say about their experiences with that DJ company. We'd like you to consider us for your reception as we would be honored to combine our talents, experience and "fresh" approach with your preferences to reach our common goal of "everyone having fun".

To see and hear our recent weddings events you can follow this link: Weddings and Client Interviews. If you would like us to personally reach out and connect with you we'd love to do so. Tell us about your event here: Let's Chat!

Below is a picture from way back in time to our exciting beginnings.  Boy have things changed! but it sure was fun :)

The Anatomy of a Wedding Reception: “Making it Flo”.

The Troy Entertainment DJ’s philosophy on wedding flow and getting the party started!

It’s been said many times “ I want my wedding to have good flow”. This article will provide you with insight on some of the ideas and techniques we utilize to create not only good transitions between formalities but also how we achieve the wanted response from your guests, whether we are trying to move them into a mood, a seat, or onto the dance floor.

Each wedding reception we do can have several components or formalities. Most weddings will start with a bed of music during cocktail hour. For a moment think about the time your guests arrive. They enter the room slightly self-conscious and may go straight to the bar or they may try to locate a friend or group familiar to them. The DJ’s music should be uplifting but at a comfortable level. Music sometimes termed as “elevator music” may be too mundane and not inspiring enough to create what we call a “party mood” in the room. During cocktail hour sound level is extremely important, if kept just right guests will not have to strain to talk to one another.

Now it comes to the time to get your wedding guests into a seat.  For the DJ this is a process. Think about what people are doing at this point in the evening. They are in the middle of conversations and they have had a few cocktails.  You can hear that “buzz in the room”.  For this reason our DJ’s use what we call the “3 times a charm” method of DJ announcements. We repeat the information 3 times in the body of the same announcement. For example, if the DJ just opened up the microphone and said “We would like to have everyone find the seats” Most guests would probably miss the announcement entirely. Using the 3 times method and saying something like “Ladies and gentlemen, please find you tables and your seats, the introductions of the evening are next as soon as we get everyone comfortably seated, so once again let’s find our tables and our seats, thank you”. The first time they notice something is said, the second time they listen, and the third imbeds the information.

During dinner is a good time to play those smooth selections and keep it mellow to provide a comfortable backdrop so your guests can enjoy their meals and converse some more.

Let the dancing begin!  A novice DJ would think all you have to do is play the current hottest song and guests will come running to the floor. How often have you seen that a good song is played by the DJ yet nobody wants to “break the ice” and be first on the floor? This is common but there is an easy fix. First, let’s think about what we do know about the guests at wedding. In general  you have couples in attendance and we know men don’t dance much. They can however be made to feel obligated to dance. Our DJ’s can use several methods or tactics to start the night. We may use “peer pressure” to get them to commit to at least one dance and that’s how we will get are best chance to kick start the party.  Our DJ may say something like “Gentlemen, we want you to take your significant other, be it your wife, girlfriend, or date by the hand and look her in the eyes and ask her for this first slow dance of the evening”.  The minute some other guy does this you can bet most men will circum to the social pressure. Once the dance floor ice is broken you can bet all couples will follow.

Now Our DJ has a good opportunity to launch the party. He has all the couples on the floor. They are within crowd so they don’t feel like everyone is looking at them.  So what will we do next?  We then can pull out that popular song that has mass appeal and get the crowd moving.  We sometimes pass out “party enhancers” right before the transition from the slow song to the first dance hit just to keep the non-dancers engaged. Not everyone can bust a move, but they will waive a wand or shake a LED baton in the air with their friends!

We love talking to people about how we do what we do. If you have and comments or questions please feel free to ask. You are always welcome to see what our clients are saying at their event on our Youtube channel.