Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Matt & Stephanie's Wedding November 13, 2010

The venue was the gorgeous and spacious Tower Club in Springfield, Missouri. While playing upbeat and fun easy listening music from Jack Johnson to Frank Sinatra, the crowd continued to file in during the cocktail hour. I got to talk and mingle with Matt and Stephanie's immediate family on the 21st floor. It was an opportunity for find out more about the family in an attempt to personalize things even more.

I spoke with the photographers as they arrive. They were grateful for the work I did on the itinerary beforehand so they knew what to expect. I had called them prior to this date to make sure we worked everything within their time frame and to establish the necessary flow to the reception.

We were all ready to go for introductions when the wedding party arrived. The bridal came into the room from the 22nd floor where I was located in the balcony. We had great upbeat music for them and they partied all the way down the staircase and made their way down to the dance floor.

Stephanie and Matt came into the music they selected, "Sirius", which people know as the Chicago Bulls Theme. People gave a great ovation to the guests of honor. Everyone settled in for the Tower Club's exquisite dinner that was served by their staff at the guests' tables.

We moved onto great and moving speeches from Stephanie's father, the best man and maid of honor. Shortly afterwards we did the cake cutting, then the bouquet and garter tosses. Then it was straight into Stephanie and Matt's first dance. They had a very personal selection from Gavin Degraw. It was a song called "Follow Through". A song which has wonderful lyrics to it.

The dancing commenced after the father/daughter and mother/son dances. We started off with the Married Couples dance which packed the dance floor. I announced the couple who had been married the longest -- 47 years!! The crowd gave them a nice round of applause. Kicking off the dance with "Celebration" this crowd was ready to rock and roll. The night was filled with a mixture of a lot of 80s music with some new music and oldies sprinkled in.

The dance floor was full throughout the night for three hours. We finished it up with a special dance share the dance floor one more time with Stephanie and Matt.

It was a night filled with memories. Stephanie and Matt thanked me for the job I did. I wished them well on their honeymoon to Jamaica. A great time was had by all. They were a really great couple who had two wonderful families.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Travauna and Ryan's Wedding

May 22, 2010 started with some beautiful weather. The sun shone brightly upon Nevada, Missouri. A special day for Travauna and Ryan. This was their wedding day.

The reception was held at the 3M Clubhouse. About 250 friends and family had gathered on this day to celebrate the joining of this two wonderful people. The decorations were very pretty right now to the seat covers and the beautiful cake which were trimmed with black and white.

Travauna and I paused for a moment after the delicious dinner as we awaited her and Ryan cutting the cake. She couldn't get over how wonderful everything had turned out. Family had helped decorate the hall in smashing fashion and she was beaming.

The cake cutting went on without a hitch. I pulled together the videographers and photograph along with the bridal party and father of the groom out on the dance floor to smoothly transition to all the important events before the dance had even begun.

I felt like a fish out of water having to do this all at one time in one area but it worked wonderfully and then we moved right to the first dance since everyone was right there. The newlyweds looked so perfect for each other as they shared that first dance. Picture flashes popping all over the room as the gathered friends and family smiled and cheered for the young couple.

Travauna and Ryan each had special moments with each of their mothers as they danced. The first dance for their guests was The Married Couple dance. We brought each couple out to the dance floor depending on how long they were married until we got to the last couple who were married for 61 years!!  How awesome is that?

They were not able to make it to the dance floor. However, being the emcee of the festivities I spoke with a couple who was married for 52 years on the dance floor. I asked this groom what the secret to a long and successful marriage is. He quipped, "Do whatever makes her happy."

The dance floor was busy all night long. Dancing commenced about 7:30 and did not stop until 12:30. A great time was had by all. Even ending it after one final request for "just one more" the crowd still wanted more. The long day had culminated as the young couple wanted to turn the page on a fabulous day of memories and fun and retire for the night. Next up, for them, a honeymoon in Florida.

To Travauna and Ryan, may you have many years of wedded bliss!

Monday, May 3, 2010

FAQ: How Many Songs Do You Have?

My answer is less than you think. Some DJs brag about how large his/her catalog of songs is. Heck, I used to as well. That was until I went through and weeded out the duplicates. I had six copies each of "Walk Like An Egyptian" and "Rock Around The Clock"! Also, I deleted out songs that I would/have never play/ed.

Voila. I went from over 10,000 songs down to about 6,000 songs. So, a DJ might say they have 20,000 songs. Keep in mind that includes a lot of extraneous and duplicates (or more) songs.

If you really want to catch a DJ off guard when finding out about his or her service, ask him or her, "How many songs are you going to play at my wedding?" The answer should be roughly 60 to 70 songs based on a typical four hour dance.

How do I know this? Experience. Usually, there are about 15 songs played per hour, but sometimes a little more. Multiply that by four and you have at least 60 songs.

To further illustrate this, I've DJed for 12 hours at the Relay for Life and never had an issue of running out of upbeat and fun songs to play. Your guests will have fun even with my "small" database of music.

As a DJ I am concerned about having the right songs to play for your wedding, so I am not shortchanging you or your guests. I still have my Money Back Guarantee to back up my word. If you request a song with a minimum of two weeks before your special day, I will have it. That's part of the Guarantee.

You should have peace of mind when hiring a DJ and your songs will be there ready to play. So, let's have some fun!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Full-Time Service

Beginning on Monday, June 28th of this year, Chris Moe Entertainment will become one of the very few single operation DJ services in the Four States area that will service you full time.

What that means for you is a far more personal experience which the multi-operation units can't give you and the part-time DJ who can't work around your schedule because he or she has a day job.

It's more than just being available for you. Your wedding reception will have that touch that is uniquely yours. I will be spending more time making your music, introductions and party what you truly want.

Imagine having someone working for you whenever you need him. That's what you'll have when you invite me to DJ for your special event. No playing phone tag. No hoping the DJ will call you back. No hassles.

It's all about making your experience fun and easy. That's where I got the tagline: Having this much fun should always be this easy!

For your own fun and easy experience and to rely on the DJ service who will give you the attention you deserve, contact me now.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Money Back Guarantee

It's the ultimate peace of mind. I use the Money Back Guarantee as a way of assuring you that I am going to devote my time and effort to make sure you get the best possible service.

There's nothing more frustrating than planning for your special day and have everything be exquisite through the ceremony, photo shoot, and dinner, only to have it undone by one of the most crucial elements: the entertainment.

Sure you want a fun party and lots of DJs can do that. However, what happens when the DJ has tacky attire? Wires strewn about? Your guests can't understand what is being said by him or her? The music is so loud that relatives who haven't seen each other in years can't even talk and reminisce? Worse yet, you pay your hard earned money just to have the dance floor not full or no one wants to get out there because the DJ doesn't know how to get the people out there because he or she only knows how to push play on a CD player or computer.

The fine memories of that once-in-a-lifetime day will have been soured by what is supposed to be a fun and memorable time.

Which leads me to the Money Back Guarantee, paying for this is the ultimate benefit for you. You pay your hard-earned for my service and I will back up every cent you pay towards it with my word and, better yet, a contract that allows you to know that if you are not satisfied with my service and the things that are in my control you can have it all back.

It's the ultimate peace of mind. Well, worth the price. Why leave yourself unprotected? I will be glad to meet with you a no charge to discuss your plans. Go to my website and contact me now.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Getting To Know YOU

Welcome to my blog. The first thing I want to impress upon you is that I am here to be of service to you. I mean really servicing you. I don’t want this to be about me. It’s about you and the wedding vendors I encounter along the way.

Sure, I’ve been in the wedding entertainment business now for 23 years. Experience has taught me to be involved with my bride and grooms and wedding vendors alike to truly get to know them.

I used to be one of those DJs who showed up, pushed the buttons, and didn’t say anything much or, more importantly, the right things. There used to be something awkward to me about saying, “Now, here is their first dance.” Yes, I used to say that and play the song.

Hindsight being 20/20, that’s awful. No personalization at all. Even saying “Mike and Amy’s first dance together” would be better than “Here is their first dance”.

I’ve come to realize now that I must need to know the bride and groom to truly understand them and fit them perfectly. So, when you ask a DJ if they can DJ your special day, make sure they are truly there to service and get to know you.

Put them on the spot and ask them, “How are you going to introduce our first dance?” Have fun with it and don’t be shy. A DJ who truly cares about you will get to know you first and mold and shape the introduction to you. It could a short story about you two and how you met or playing a song that means a lot to you two and why it does.

Well, this is just a start, there will be more insight. If you have any requests for future blogs, message me or post a comment. I will be glad to be of assistance. I have a busy schedule over the next few months and can’t wait to share pictures and stories from the weddings coming up!

I hope you enjoy it!