Andrea and Charlie Said ‘I Do’!
This past Saturday I had the honor of providing Sound, Entertainment and Master of Ceremony services for two very wonderful people. Both of them were from neighboring towns; Ninette and Dunrea Manitoba. The Wedding Celebrations was held at her parent’s farm just outside of town with 220 of their friends and family.
Her parents worked very hard in the weeks that preceded to make sure the yard stayed in pristine shape. The lawn was cut and trimmed and as green as I’ve ever seen. The farm itself was situated in a valley with rolling hillsides as the back drop. The accommodating space was enough for a great majority of people to bring their campers to stay the night.
The Ceremony
Their ceremony started at 3:30 where they exchanged vows and planted a tree to symbolize their union as they grow together. The weather was wet earlier in the week but there was not a cloud in the sky for them that day. They opened the bar for everyone to cool off where the iced water was plentiful. We played classical remixes of pop songs by the Vitamin String Quartet while the guests arrived. For the wedding party’s processional they chose the Beetle’s – Here Comes the Sun. Andrea and her father walked down aisle with Israel Kamakawio’ole – Over the Rainbow. For the book signing it was The Temptations’ – My Girl and for their recessional we played the Zach Brown Band’s – You Make Loving You Easy
The Entrances, The Speeches and Toasts
As we proceeded with the reception, it was clear that everyone was in great spirits. Being the Master of Ceremonies allowed me to keep the pace moving. We introduced the wedding party and of course, our newlyweds. Andrea and Charlie picked the theme songs for everyone to be introduced to. They chose ZZ Top’s – Sharp Dressed Man for the gents, and Justin Timberlake’s – Can’t Stop the Feeling for the ladies. For themselves they chose AC/DC’s – You Shook Me All Night Long.
Andrea’s cousin Scott said Grace for us before we invited everyone to partake in dinner. It was a buffet style meal with cranberry chicken, roast beef and all the fix-ins. Andrea and Charlie wanted to release the tables with song titles. There was 24 tables that had a song chosen for each of them. It worked out really well since the songs they chose were easily identifiable.
After the meal we began our speeches and toasts. I invited everyone that they had mentioned to the podium. It was heart felt, emotional and full of good laughs. I as well had to acknowledge that it is an emotional roller coaster. Afterwards, we cleared the tables on the dance floor.
The Magic
The cake cutting took place as we explained the importance of time honored tradition, and I went into detail of where it came from. We then went from one side of the tent, we all made our way to the dance floor. Here is where we made some magic happen.
When I first met with Andrea and Charlie I found out that they wanted to personalize their wedding. One of the ways we determined that brought the whole thing together was by presenting their Love Story. They decided to have this presented before their first dance. It worked out wonderfully. I took the time to ask them a few questions, and crafted a speech that highlighted their lives together, and how we got to the point we were all Celebrating. There was some great moments through out the presentation that had everyone laughing and cheering! We then had their first dance with Lee Brice’s – Woman Like You. Her father was then invited for a moment with his Daughter as we played Heartland’s – I Loved Her First.
The Celebration
We opened the rest of the night with Alabama’s – I’m In a Hurry with everyone joining in. The mood was set as everyone danced the whole night through. Andrea tossed her bouquet with Gwen Stefani’s – Hollaback Girl. We also stopped to surprise/honor Andrea’s parent’s 40th anniversary. We played all types of music that kept the pace very up beat where everyone young and old could share in a great experience. It meant a lot to Andrea and Charlie that everyone was included and they were. And of course had Nick Lowe’s – I Knew the Bride When She Used to Rock & Roll
From the beginning of the afternoon, til the last song; everyone knew it was a celebration they were happy to be apart of! I was happy to provide them with something more than expected from 80% of the services out there. We wouldn’t have been able to achieve this level without Andrea and Charlie’s trust in our services. They allowed me to work with them. They allowed us to create once in a lifetime moments in fun and creative ways. I am so pleased to have the honor of being apart of their Wedding Celebration, and this is my tribute to that wonderful day.
For more information on how to book your wedding with us: Click Here
-Steven
Redefining the Celebration Experience
www.DJYourLife.com
204-881-3548
204-204-995-6664
StevenP@DJYourLife.com
Elope The Formalities
I Was Referred
Once I started to talk with Nancy and Jeremy, I found out that this wasn’t going to be your Average Social. They didn’t know that my services provided them with an opportunity to share in some special moments. Even though my referral was coming from one of their friends (whom I had worked with for their own social 3 years prior) that’s where the process stopped. I then picked it up from there.
After a couple of emails, I knew that the referral wasn’t going to be enough. They had in mind, like most, that hiring a DJ was hiring someone to simply show up and play music. When we began to discuss pricing I knew I needed to talk to them one on on in order to properly show and explain to them what I truly had to offer.
They agreed to meet over a cup of coffee down at the Johnson Terminal. There we could finally get a proper feel for one and other. They told me their story on how they got together. I had a chance to listen.
What Made This Night Special
Something For Momma
It was an honor, and I am very proud to say I get to do this for a living. Not everything we get to do in life gets to make an impact the way we want it to. For that I am truly grateful!
Congratulations again Nancy and Jeremy!
-DJ Steven P
Redefining the Celebration Experience
2017 Winnipeg Manitoba DJ Pricing
A Couple’s Definitive Guide to DJ Pricing in Winnipeg, Brandon, Gimli, Steinbach or anywhere in Manitoba
It’s 2017 and you and your special someone have decided to take the plunge into marriage. What better of a way than to truly make it a Celebration to remember than with entertainment! Not only will this be all about the two of you, the people who you’ve chosen to be there will remember the night for years to come.
On average your Wedding day could cost $25000. An educated investment in the entertainment or in someone who will provide you with Wedding DJ Services will ultimately dictate how well your other investments can be truly enjoyed. Below is a breakdown price ranges and what you can (in general) expect to receive for your investment.
The Kijiji DJ Services for $700 and under, Expect
- An individual who likes to play music as a hobby.
- They typically are getting their feet wet with Wedding events
- They are the ones who will ‘just play music’ for you.
- Do not expect any planning from them
- They typically will not be confident on the Microphone
- Most likely no professional Public Speaking experience
- Their Attire: Probably a bit more casual than the rest of your guests
- (Don’t expect a properly pressed suit & tie)
- Their presentation will most likely be a little loose and messy
- Most likely, they will not bring any backup equipment
- They most likely will not have Liability Insurance
- Their Music most likely will not be licensed (so forget having them at any major venue)
- They will likely charge you by the hour
- Their music selections and experience will be lacking
- Most likely have a small amount of references of any type to show you
- Expect to do a little more planning with your music, and your reception as a whole.
- Probably will not have a contract or enough interest binding them to your event
The Multi DJ Services Company for $700-$1500; Expect
- They most likely won’t have a specific DJ to show up for your special day
- They make money by the quantity of bookings they make
- Their DJ s will have moderate success at their previous events thanks to standardized playlists
- They know how to play a bit of music, but won’t have any technical experience with the equipment they are using (if something goes wrong, they’ll be calling head office for help)
- They won’t help with any of the planning for your reception
- They will help with a bit of the announcements though they’re demeanor will not be polished
- Their attire will look presentable
- They will have a standardized setup and have backup equipment from the office
- They will make venue staff wait for equipment pickup however (be careful with that)
- They will have Liability Insurance & Licensed Music
- They will still charge by the hour and for other add-ons (lighting etc)
- They will offer you paperwork where you can fill out your music requests but don’t expect a lot of planning outside of their set playlists
- They will use Contracts and be committed to your event.
- Gets bookings 2-6 months ahead of time
The Wedding DJ who is charging $1500 – $2500
- They typically are single operators who have dedicated themselves to a professional process
- They likely will have 5-10 years experience with weddings
- They will meet with you to understand what it is that you’ll want and need to happen during your ceremony and reception
- You can expect that they have invested in training for public speaking, specifically for the role of Master of Ceremonies
- They will know their music inside and out
- They will make the effort to make any customized requests a reality
- They will help you plan/organize your reception for the best flow
- Their attire will be crisp and clean with pressed suits and ties
- They will mingle with your guests to ensure everyone can share in the experience
- They will be able to professionally and respectfully take care of all microphone duties necessary.
- At this point, they will generally include everything necessary to get the job done such as extra satellite speakers for larger rooms or ceremonies, wireless microphones and lavaliere microphones for the ceremony, backup equipment etc.
- They will be insured and have their music licensed
- Lighting will be included and any extras that may necessary
- Expect them to spend a significant time planning with you, and organize any requests you may have prior to the big day (20+ hours)
- They will have references and will share them without hesitation
- Gets bookings 9-12 months ahead of time
The premium Wedding DJ who is charging $2500-$4000+
- The utmost personalized service typically from a single individual who will perform at your Wedding Celebration
- They will have a large amount of experience with Weddings and will be able to offer solutions to your unique tastes
- They will meet with you several times to organize and plan out your reception
- They will typically be the Master of Ceremonies for your day and help keep the show on the road by previously organizing with you so that the timing stays on point
- Being organized and getting to know you will open the doors to other opportunities like sharing your unique Story
- The Love Story is something that only someone with a trained skill in writing and presenting can do
- They may have a second DJ/MC on hand to help with their duties so they can maximize their efforts for you
- They have taking training to polish their presentation skills in front of a microphone so they can command a room and properly entertain your closest friends and family members
- Their equipment looks sharp
- Their lighting is fully controlled and size is no limit
- At this price range most things are inclusive
- They have references and will take any time necessary to prepare for your big day
- Gets bookings 12-24 months ahead of time
Add-ons
Some companies can add other components upon your request. TVs, Video walls, Photobooths, singers, dancers and so much more. Depending on the level of experience, and your expectations, you can go from mild to wild for your wedding.
In Closing
I would like to thank Stefan Jez for the inspiration to do this blog.
For Manitoba, these are generalizations that I have made during my career. There are always exceptions to the rule. I personally encourage you to meet with your DJ. It will be one of the first tests to see if they are a good fit for you or not.
The categories I listed out should at minimum help you think about what is going to be important to you when you think about your Celebration in Winnipeg, Brandon, Steinbach or anywhere in Manitoba.
If you are looking for someone who Specializes in Weddings in Manitoba, that can make an Entertaining Impact for your Wedding Reception, you can contact DJ Steven P here to arrange a moment to meet with each other.
Cheers,
Steven Petznik
- Disc Jockey
- Master of Ceremonies
- Certified Project Manager
- DJ Your Life – 204-995-6664
- StevenP@DJYourLife.com