Cards and letters from our past few weddings

Todd,

Thank you for everything.  It has been so much fun working with you!  I am going to let everyone I know about you.  You have made this day a special time in our lives.  Laura and Don

 

Todd you were by far the best DJ EVER! We can’t thank you enough for sharing our day with us!  We will definitely using you again for our future events.  Thank You again, Brenda and Bryan Wilson

 

Todd Thank you so much for doing such a spectacular job  DJing our wedding!!  We are so impressed and pleased with your work.  You are pleasant to work with and we will be referring others your way!  We wish you much success and happiness and look forward to future events in which we can work together again soon.  Much Love and Thanks  Vanessa and David Gibson

The OC Wedding Pros Adds Creative Cuisine Catering

Joe and I are pleased to add this top shelf catering company to our list of vendors.  

Creative Cuisine Catering has served, the Southern California wedding and catering market, with distinction, for over twenty years. They count among their clients the leaders of the regions corporate and social scene. Creative Cuisine has served two United States Presidents, Governors, Corporate Giants and Film Stars Full Service Creative Cuisine provides a full range of Special Event Production, Coordination, and Management Services for you to choose from and offer the finest in the new California Cuisine and Fusion food, along with Continental Cooking, American Regional and most  Ethnic Disciplines. Catering Locations In addition to catering in your home or business, they offer a host of unique private, up scale, catering sites, yachts and banquet conference rooms as venue for your special events.  Commitment What ever kind of event is proposed, their Creative Team will pull it off in style. They work with you every step of the way, from arranging the perfect location, to creating the appropriate theme, ambiance, and menu, adding just the right touches start to finish.   website www.creative-cuisine.com

 

The Olmstead Wedding

 just wanted to thank you for the great job that you did at our wedding (3/7/09).  We really appreciate your help with everything.  We finally got some pictures from our families...so I thought you would like this one.  Eventually when we get more pictures and our photographers...I will send you some more (that might be up to 3 more weeks).

Our photographer, Jeff Fassett, said you did a really good job.

 Stacie Olmstead (Miyakawa)

New Video Demo March 09

Our clients set the level of DJ interaction.  You tell us what you want and we execute your wishes.  The following video has singing at the tables,  Advice, A quick Grand Entrance, Bridal Party Dance, Bride and Groom  Dancing, Video Montage in background and a tribute to a brides dad.

The Ritz Carlton Dana Point

The Ritz Carlton is one of the most beautiful venues in Orange County.   Here is a video of the Ritz Carlton Dana Point.

7 Degrees

Check out 7 Degrees in Laguna Beach.   This is an awesome place to get married.  7 Degrees offers 3 video screens for your video montages, a beautiful ceremony area upstairs and the best lighting in Orange County.  The video starts with a church ceremony.  Video Provided by AMotion Video.  

 

Video of The Pacific Edge

Here is a video featuring a beach wedding.  We gave the minister a microphone and put a powered speaker at the edge of the deck.  This video was provided by  AMotion Video.

 

Don and Laura The Mission Inn

I love this venue== check out the scenery.  The crowd was awesome, they danced all afternoon.  Don and Laura came into Signed Sealed Delivered and danced 2 first dance songs==Better together and It feels like home.  I enjoyed this couple and the guests were awesome.

Priscilla's Tennis Party/Karaoke

Our good friend Priscilla Granger had a Karaoke party at her house.  Her Tennis team won a major event, so Priscilla had a party to celebrate.  She had Signature party rentals setup a tent, awesome catered Mexican food==home made tortillas and Guacamole.  Our other good friend Theresa Barillas donated flowers from her floral business Blooms and Kisses.  Dawn and I brought the karaoke and the ladies jammed out a few songs.  Here are some pics.

New Wedding Site/ Great Song Search

My new favorite wedding site is www.weddingwire.com.  This site is great for music suggestions and you can listen to ceremony and reception event songs.

Unlike the Knot, this site is not cluttered and it is easy to navigate.  

A Motion Video (Videographer)

EMM highly recommends Tina at A Motion Video.  Contact us for video clips.

For more than fifteen years A Motion Video has been setting the standard in creativity and technical excellence. Owner, Tina Murphy and daughter, Stephanie Murphy, comprise a unique team that brings experience and freshness to all events.  Tina insists on a back up plan for everything, and shares how important it is to be unobtrusive.  They both love their work and their enthusiasm shows.  During these trying financial times, they have lowered their prices and are willing to work out special packages to make sure clients are able to afford professional video services.   Tina and Stephanie have a motto, “JUST REMEMBER ONE THING, VIDEO IS THE ONLY THING THAT HELPS YOU REMEMBER EVERYTHING.  We believe sound and movement are essential in bringing back the moment.”  Tina also teaches Digital Filmmaking part time during the week which helps her stay on the cutting edge of creativity and technology.

www.amotionvideo.com

tmteachtv@aol.com

Laguna Beach Luau's

lagunabeachluaus.com

Priscilla Granger has enjoyed working at the Pacific Edge Hotel in Laguna Beach for the past 3 yrs. It has been Priscilla Grangers pleasure to cater weddings and special events at the Pacific Edge Villa at the Pacific Edge Hotel. Priscilla Granger of Atyourservicecaters.com decided she wanted to share this beautiful location and her delicious food & services with the community at large, not just brides and grooms. Hence Laguna Beach Luaus was brought to life!!  Priscilla Granger  now welcomes you to Laguna Beach Luaus. Enjoy and we hope to see you soon.

Laguna Beach Luau’s  is a full-service Luau & Catering company based in Orange County. That offers you a very personalized approach to the important details that will make your authentic Luau  a pleasure to plan and a perfect "Dream Come True" for you!

Priscilla Granger of Laguna Beach Luau’s  has been coordinating Catering & Receptions events since 1990. Her love of God and people has afforded her over 17 years of valuable experience. Her passion for working with brides, grooms, and all of her other many clients truly comes through in every way. Our many clients tell Priscilla Granger often "we feel so comfortable with you and we are really happy we found Priscilla Granger and her wonderful  Luau Coordinating Catering & Receptions company". Priscilla Granger will take the best care to make your special day exceed your Luau expectations in every way!

Contact Priscilla atppriscillagranger@yahoo.com

The Female DJ by DJ Dawn

Being a female mobile DJ is a unique experience. It is definitely a job that you must love, because next to raising children, it is one of the most physically and mentally taxing jobs that, at the same time, can be extremely satisfying.   The hours are long, and lifting and installing speakers and monitors that are nearly ¾ of your weight is challenging.  However, an impeccable performance coupled with excellent equipment equals happy clients.

 In a business primarily dominated by men, female DJs have to achieve over and above just to prove themselves an equal contender.  It is fact that the majority of men are more digitally inclined than women, and the percentage of male musical performers and MCs far exceed the percentage of women.  So, when a client is looking for a DJ, naturally they picture a man.

Yet, consider this—women as a whole have a physiological make-up more conducive to DJing than men by a mile.  Studies show that the female brain is more attune to musical pitch, beat and tone, and retains much more musical memory then their male counterparts.  Using this logic, it would mean that female DJs could have better transitions in song changes and better choices of songs to carry your dance floor.  Also, women are natural party planners, with the ability to spin many plates at once, making a female DJ/MC the perfect choice to be the host of your next party, wedding or corporate event.  And then, there is the most obvious thing, as quoted by an 80 year old man at my last corporate event, “ You girl DJs are sure nicer to look at then some of the guy DJs I’ve seen.”  

Music Programing by DJ Danny D

Dancing Starts at Dinner

 

         One of the most often overlooked aspects of a successful event is the music programming. Is it really that important? Look at it from a radio standpoint; good programming means good advertising revenue which means everyone has a job. The right music at the right time is what programming boils down to; do it wrong and your station goes the way of AM radio.

 

         Take an exciting wedding reception for example: proper programming begins during the cocktail hour, not minutes before the dance floor opens. Todd Hustrulid of EMM recommends light instrumental or jazz at this point. “The cocktail music should be nothing more than background… subliminally setting the mood for great things to come”.

         As the guests transition into the dinner / dancing area, the music should be brought up a notch. This is where to introduce light music with vocals, once again, altering the “tone” of the event. Keep the volume low, so guests can speak to each other.

         The Grand Entrance often times will be lively and energetic, so now your guests are “awake” and ready to have a good time. The beginning of the meal is one of the most crucial points in any wedding reception, and often time overlooked by our clients.

         The meal should start with some lower tempo selections and gradually build throughout the meal. Take note here: BUILD DOES NOT MEAN TURN UP THE VOLUME so your guests become “turned off”. For example, start the meal with Jack Johnson, and near the end of the last course, ND’s “Sweet Caroline”. Music that is not exactly “danceable”, but upbeat and fun.

         With this formula, your guests will not be moaning when the dancing begins, but asking the DJ…”WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?!

         The rest of the event should programmed ahead of time as well, working in the clients requests and desires for their special day. So give your EMM DJ all the requests you like, and let us handle the programming. Your guests will be glad you did.

Shopping for your DJ =BE CAREFUL

Wow--2 times in a week I have had brides call me panicked.  The DJ company they had hired basically flaked out on them.  They hired there DJ's for budget purposes.  After payment they never heard back from the company.

When shopping for a DJ company look for the following.

1. Do they have references

2. Have they worked at the venue

3. Do they have MC training

4. Do they offer online planning and coordination

5. Do they have a professional appearance 

6. What kind of equipment and how it will be used at your event

7. Do they carry liability insurance

8. When will they arrive for setup at your event

9. Do they carry backup equipment (onsite)

10. Do they belong to the American Disc Jockeys association or any professional organization

11. How many years of experience does the DJ have

12. Does the DJ allow requests 

13. Does the DJ company use radio edits and DJ subscription services for there music and video

These are just a few of the things to look for when hiring a professional DJ company.  For most brides this is the 1st time they have encountered hiring a DJ.  Naturally the first question will be "what is your Price? "  As a professional DJ it is hard to convey our services to the digital bride.  I can not tell you how many times I have heard about a brides brother or friend that has an ipod and can DJ the most important day of there life.  

A professional DJ will coordinate your event, show up at least 2 hours early, let you choose your music, give your bridal party direction, give microphone training for important toasts, meet with the venue captain or coordinator prior to your event, type out your itinerary, use current professional equipment, offer you many options, (video montages, lighting, Love Story) and most important they will give you awesome customer service.  

A good judge of a company is there website, blog and references.  If you have any questions or need assistance we are here to help.

Contact: DJTodd@emobilemusic.com