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Angela and Ray – Happy Rhode Island Wedding
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Peris and Joshua Wedding – Beautiful Wedding!
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Matt & Pam Wedding
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Karley & Dan Wedding
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All weddings are awesome — not just mine | Offbeat Bride
As I have mentioned before, I love Offbeat Bride! I think they are amazing and do a great job of offering Brides diverse and creative ideas, concepts and perspectives on Weddings and everything that goes into your Wedding. The Wedding industry can sometimes be embarrassment to be a participant in the process. There are many vendors, venues and Wedding DJs that lie, cheat and manipulate Brides and Grooms. They play on their insecurities and fears to buy buy buy. I realize it is corny, but I love Weddings. The whole process is fun and inspiring to me. Like the article below states; all Weddings are awesome. It does not matter how much you spend or don’t, they are great experiences and celebrate marriage. I am equally thrilled when a Bride tells me she hired another Wedding DJ thats is perfect for her. I am not worried about getting booked, many Brides and many Weddings. The fact that I am a small business that survives off of Weddings does not matter to me. I will get work. I want you to be happy and have a great Wedding that you, your friends and family will always remember. I am not the only excellent Wedding DJ and I am not the right Wedding DJ for every Bride and Groom. Let me know what you think about this piece on Brides and Weddings from Offbeat Bride.
All weddings are awesome — not just mine | Offbeat Bride
“I am confused.
I am confused by the attitude that surrounds weddings and costs and ideas and things. Maybe that’s what makes me offbeat — I have this habit of loving everyone and being insanely optimisic even when it’s probably not warranted. I give second chances. I love and trust until given reason not to. Every new person I meet, and can carry at least a five minute conversation, I say is my new best friend. I write a daily blog about something happy that happened to me that day.
My problem lies in all the intense bitchiness that lives in the wedding world. “My wedding is better than yours because of such-and-such” and all of the things that go into such a feeling.
I was reading a blog where a woman commented that she had a courtroom wedding and blames opulent weddings for the high divorce rate.
Then there are the haters on both sides of the world. My wedding (and marriage) are better than yours because I chose to have a BBQ instead of a five course sit down meal. [At Offbeat Bride, we call this “one-lowsmanship” -Eds] My wedding (and marriage) are better than yours because I paid for three party rooms and the ghost of Louis Armstrong to sing our first song.
Can we all just chill the fuck out and be nice to each other for like… five and a half seconds?
If I was rich, I can’t say that I wouldn’t spend $50,000 on a wedding. I’d like to say I wouldn’t, but ideas change when disposable income does. My beautiful made of honor will be in our less-than-$10,000 celebration and was recently the maid of honor at a $50,000 celebration. They did the whole spiel: Catholic mass ceremony in a church with friends, family, family friends, parent’s business friends, people they’ve never known, country club, five course sit-down meal, uplighting, etc., etc. And you know what?
That wedding? … Absolutely beautiful.
The couple has been together for nearly ten years, and they earned every second of that celebration. Just because they did things differently than me doesn’t make them any better or worse. It’s just different.
We’re all awesome, beautiful, wonderful brides planning celebrations. We’re not all that different — we’re just throwing different parties.
The wedding industrial complex that tells us we need to lose weight, invite people we hate, and buybuybuybuybuy is slightly evil, yes. But it’s not all evil, and the women who don’t read Offbeat Bride are brides too. We all are. We’re all awesome, beautiful, wonderful brides planning celebrations. There are bad apples in every bunch but mostly, we’re not all that different — we’re just throwing different parties.
So I guess my issue is that everyone on every spectrum needs to realize that we can all get along. I promise. We really can. I love your wedding. Whoever you are. I love it. Whether it had all the bells and whistles or was private vows at the top of a mountain. Whether it had a DJ or an iPod. Whether it cost $200 or $200,000. It’s one of most beautiful days in the history of ever. We don’t need to be subtracting from other people’s celebrations to help make ourselves feel better. We can appreciate everything even if it’s nothing we would ever do in a million years.
The girl with the big poofy dress, the fancy dinner, the expensive wine, the 14 bridesmaids? That’s not me. But you know what? Her wedding is going to kick just as much ass as mine will because that’s her celebration. If you can stand in that ceremony and say that the person across from you is the person that you’re supposed to be across from on your wedding day — then nothing else matters.”
via All weddings are awesome — not just mine | Offbeat Bride.
What do you think about appreciating all Brides and all Weddings?
DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & Boston DJ
Ask about my Rhode Island Wedding DJ & Rhode Island Party DJ Guarantee!
Save on Wedding Music – Cut Wedding Music Costs | Wedding Planning, Ideas & Etiquette | Bridal Guide Magazine
How to Save on Wedding Music
It is always fun to see yourself quoted in articles for a magazine like Bridal Guide. This is a great blog on saving money on Wedding Music. Let me know what you think of the various ideas for Wedding Music!
How To Save on Wedding Music By: Sharon Naylor
From first dance to last call — budget-friendly ways to entertain your guests in high style.
Great entertainment can really make your wedding unforgettable. A fabulous DJ or a live band keeps your dance floor packed and the energy up. Those ultra-special moments like your first dances and your cake-cutting become even more special with a stellar introduction. And surprise live performances are sure to wow your crowd.
Entertainment can be one of the most expensive parts of the wedding budget, however, and it’s not always the easiest place to cut corners. But fear not, there’s definitely wiggle room when it comes to number crunching — and we’re here to give you the scoop. Plus, get wedding song recommendations here!
Photo Credit: Kathryn Krueger Photography
The Number-One Question: DJ Vs. Band
You’ve always heard that DJs are less expensive than live bands. After all, there’s only one person to hire and feed, so that has to be less, right? Not always. According to the American Disc Jockey Association, rates can soar to $5,000 and beyond for top-tier master-blasters. But yes, in most cases, DJs can be less expensive than bands since there are fewer people to book and feed.
And yet: “Think about the experience you want to have at your wedding,” says planner Courtney Hammons of A Magical Affair in Brentwood, Tennessee. You may be aiming for the energy that fills the room when a live band plays hit songs. Or it may be that you really prefer the original artists’ renditions of songs, as played by a DJ. You may want the festive look of a nine-piece orchestra, versus the tech-heavy presence of a deejay.
And of course, you might be among the many couples that choose both. They’ll have a band play for the dinner hour and the start of the reception, then have a DJ step in and rev up the energy with club music. And—surprise—this can save money. Read on to see how.
Typical Costs
- DJ: $525 to $1,400
- Live band: $1,200 to $3,000-plus
- Specialty musicians, soloists and ensembles: $400 to $1,000-plus
These are national averages. Depending on your reception entertainment choices, such as a 12-piece orchestra, you could be looking at prices double these, if not more.
*Source: industry survey site costofwedding.com.
Budget Basics
Professional entertainment will cost less during the off-peak months of October through March, and at non-peak times such as a Sunday wedding, a Saturday afternoon wedding or on a Friday, with prices dipping 20 to 40 percent or more for these less in-demand times.
Avoid booking for too few hours. Andy Kushner of Andy Kushner Entertainment in Rockville, Maryland says, “Four hours is the standard length, and anything else will go too quickly.” Overtime fees can be very expensive, often hundreds of dollars.
Booking a DJ and band to split the time can add up to less. Michael Swerdloff, AKA DJ Mystical Michael of the New York tri-state area says, “I have performed in between the band’s sets and then did the last hours of the reception, which can save 25 to 75 percent over hiring a band for the whole event.”
Ask your wedding planner and additional wedding vendors for recommendations. Katherine Stimson, entertainment specialist with Suman Entertainment Group in Miami says that some vendors offer package deals among “friends” in their vendor circle, saving you 10 to 20 percent.
Ask your entertainer if you can get a discount for paying your entire fee in advance. Some experts will give you 5 to 10 percent off a package price if you pay everything up front.
Ask about specialty discounts. DJ Mystical Michael granted a 50 percent discount to a military couple, and reports that he often gives a discount for last-minute planners just to book the date.
Check entertainers’ social media sites for discounts, says Gregg Hollman of Ambient DJ Service in Princeton, New Jersey. These special online offers will typically save you 10 to 15 percent.
Get more out of your dj by having him take a break during the dinner hour, says Kushner. “Then negotiate for him to play non-stop during the dancing hours.”
Choose a one-man dj operation, rather than paying for a two- or three-member team. This can save you 15 to 25 percent depending on the agency, says Swerdloff.
Look for multi-tasking band members who play more than one instrument to get even more bang for your buck. See if one of your reception band’s musicians will also play at your ceremony, and negotiate a percentage off what it would cost to book a separate musical act.
Don’t be afraid to go big: “It’s always best to negotiate with an established entertainment company rather than go to a lesser-known agency,” Kushner says. Larger agencies often have a greater ability to meet your budget needs.
Save By Going Off The Beaten Track
“Check with local colleges’ music departments to find student musicians who need the credits and additional live experience, and may not charge anything,” says Hammons. (Do give them a nice gratuity after the show.) Some students do charge, but far less. Mark Kingsdorf, director of The Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants in Philadelphia agrees, saying that music school student entertainment can cost one-third less than pro musicians.
Hammons also suggests checking with your church’s musical director, who can suggest excellent pianists and other musicians they use during services, who you can hire for 30 to 40 percent less than the prevailing professional rates.
Professional entertainment companies keep a roster of specialty musicians and dancers, who you may be able to add onto your music package for a 10 percent discount.
Look to venues like Irish pubs or Indian restaurants for specialty entertainment options such as fiddlers, step- or belly dancers. Hammons says she has found stellar entertainers through local restaurant owners, saving her clients 40 to 60 percent.
Contact local cultural associations to book singers, musicians and dance troupes for 25 to 50 percent less than the going professional rates. This is a great way to add global flair to your reception. If you hear a great musician at a local club or coffee shop, always ask if he or she does weddings. These artists often charge a low per-hour rate that can save you hundreds of dollars. Bonus: you already know their sound, which may be perfect for your cocktail-hour music, if not your ceremony.
Hot Tip: Many DJs and bands offer specialty lighting effects as part of their package; often their basic lighting accents are gratis, with customized lighting for an added fee. Ask if you can use non-custom effects such as light projected in a snowflake pattern on your dance floor at no charge—rather than commission lighting effects with your names.
via Save on Wedding Music – Cut Wedding Music Costs | Wedding Planning, Ideas & Etiquette | Bridal Guide Magazine. by Sharon Naylor
What do you think of the mopey-saving ideas for Wedding Music?
Was this article helpful for Wedding Music planning?
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Louchie Lou and Michie One Rich Girl
Louchie Lou and Michie One Rich Girl is a song by the female English duo Louchie Lou & Michie One, released as a single in 1993 from their 1995 album I’ll Be Free. It was inspired by the song “If I Were a Rich Man” from the musical Fiddler on the Roof. In 2004, for the tenth anniversary of the famous reggae song, it was remade into a new song by Gwen Stefani featuring Eve on her debut solo album, Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (2004).
Louchie Lou and Michie One Rich Girl Music Video
Louchie Lou and Michie One Rich Girl History
Louchie Lou & Michie One (Louise Gold and Michelle Charles) were a female ragga/soul duo from London, who met in 1991 at aRebel MC gig.[2] They found the backing of the independent record label, Fashion Records, for their debut single, Louchie Lou and Michie One Rich Girl. Switching to London Records in 1993, they made their musical debut in the UK Singles Chart that year with their number 7 hit, “Shout“. It was a mash-up of the 1964 Lulu hit, originally recorded by The Isley Brothers, with the Henry Mancini composition, the “Peter Gunn theme” as performed by The Art of Noise and Duane Eddy from 1986.
Gwen Stefani Rich Girl (Cover)
Gwen Renée Stefani; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, fashion designer and occasional actress. Stefani is the co-founder and lead vocalist for the rock and ska band No Doubt. Stefani recorded Love. Angel. Music. Baby., her first solo album, in 2004. Inspired by music of the 1980s, the album was a success with sales of over seven million copies. The album’s third single, “Hollaback Girl“, was the first US digital download to sell one million copies. Stefani’s second and final solo studio album, The Sweet Escape (2006), yielded “Wind It Up“, “4 in the Morning“, and the highest-selling single “The Sweet Escape“. Including her work with No Doubt, Stefani has sold more than forty million albums worldwide. She won the World’s Best-Selling New Female Artist at the World Music Awards 2005. Billboard magazine ranked Stefani the fifty-fourth most successful artist and thirty-seventh most successful Hot 100 artist of the 2000–09 decade.
The Original Fiddler On The Roof (Film Version)
For those whom are not familiar with the theatrical production of Fiddler On The Roof, here is the film description from IMDB.
“At the beginning of the twentieth century, Jews and Orthodox Christians live in the little village of Anatevka in the pre-revolutionary Russia of the Czars. Among the traditions of the Jewish community, the matchmaker arranges the match and the father approves it. The milkman Reb Tevye is a poor man that has been married for twenty-five years with Golde and they have five daughters. When the local matchmaker Yente arranges the match between his older daughter Tzeitel and the old widow butcher Lazar Wolf, Tevye agrees with the wedding. However Tzeitel is in love with the poor tailor Motel Kamzoil and they ask permission to Tevye to get married that he accepts to please his daughter. Then his second daughter Hodel (Michele Marsh) and the revolutionary student Perchik decide to marry each other and Tevye is forced to accept. When Perchik is arrested by the Czar troops and sent to Siberia, Hodel decides to leave her family and homeland and travel to Siberia to be with her beloved Perchik….“
Which version do you like best and why?
Top Wedding DJ Mistakes of Brides Infographic – Rhode Island Wedding DJ
free infographic of Top Wedding DJ Mistakes of Brides when hiring a Wedding DJ
I created this Infographic on easel.ly today and wanted to share it with you. Let me know what you think. It is my first attempt at an Infographic; not my best work but not awful either. This continues the conversation from yesterday visually about common Bride mistakes when hiring your Wedding DJ. I invite you to avoid all these Wedding DJ mistakes, so you have the Wedding you imagine in your head, or even better!
Top Ten Wedding DJ Mistakes Brides and Grooms Make
Top Ten Wedding DJ Mistakes | Local Motion CT DJ.
The Top Ten Mistakes Brides & Grooms Make When Choosing a Wedding DJ |
I read this excellent blog post by a group of Connecticut DJs and wanted to share it with you. The author makes several excellent points and clearly has the same concept of what makes an exceptional Wedding DJ as I share. It is always a treat when I see other Wedding DJs that carry strong professional values and integrity in their work. The real wedding DJ images are mine and wanted to identify to clear any copyright concerns.I look forward to reading your comments and ideas!
Top Ten Wedding DJ Mistakes |
Searching for the perfect DJ for your wedding can be a daunting process. We’re providing you with a list of common mistakes made by Brides & Grooms when choosing wedding entertainment:
10) Not Taking First Impressions into consideration.
The first interaction with your potential DJ is usually made over the phone when arranging a consultation. How well do they speak? How is their enunciation? Do they have a pleasing voice? This person will be the MC of your reception, announcing your introductions and entertaining your guests for the entire evening, so ensure they come across professionally.
9) Hiring A DJ That Gives The Same Performance At Every Party.
Does your DJ give the same performance at every function for every couple that hires him or does he reflect each couples’ personality and desires? Be sure your DJ can play to your unique set of guests.
8) Basing Your Decision On Equipment.
Anyone can go out and purchase top of the line equipment. It is very important that your DJ does carry the best of equipment but if that is the focal point of their marketing, find out why it isn’t their reputation or skill set.
7) Not Going Over Their Back-up Plan
Is his back-up plan organized and does it supply an equally qualified professional? What about his equipment? A catastrophic equipment failure the day of your wedding will not only affect the DJ but your entire reception as well.
6) Not Guaranteeing Who Your Actual DJ Will Be
Ensure the DJ you want to work with and are meeting is the actual one that shows up to do your wedding. Some companies book your business then send a “fill in” DJ to perform at your wedding that may or may not be qualified to do so.
5) Choosing A DJ With A Lack Of Versatility
Does your DJ only do weddings? Ask if they have performed at corporate events, school functions, or other cultural parties such as Quinceaneras and Bar Mitzvahs. Versatility is only acquired through experience and this will reflect the depth of your DJ.
4) Hiring A DJ That Doesn’t Interact With Your Guests
Does your DJ have the experience and ability to interact with your guests and ensure they keep the energy going throughout the entire reception. Your DJ should have an arsenal of tricks up his sleeve to keep the party going even when there is a lull in the party.
3) Waiting Too Long To Hire The Professional Entertainer You Want
It’s difficult enough finding a DJ you like. Don’t go through all the trouble of finding the right person and procrastinate on booking them for your wedding. Most good DJs with a great reputation are booked at least a year in advance. As soon as you make that connection act on it and secure your date.
2) Not Checking Your DJ’s References
Are they recommended by facilities in your surrounding area? If not, ask why.
1) Hiring An Amateur Or Part Time DJ
Don’t put the most important day of your life in the hands of an amateur offering “amazing deals”, or worse, your “friend that has been DJing as a hobby for 10 years”. Don’t have your reception ruined by someone that is not qualified or equipped to entertain your guests or provide a variety of great music. Leave this to a reputable professional that can back up their work with solid recommendations.
Which statements do think are true and which do not share your experience with exceptional Wedding DJs?
DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & Boston DJ
DJMysticalMichael@gmail.com
973.908.8147
Macklemore Thrift Shop
From the first time I heard Macklemore Thrift Shop, I knew this was a song I would play again and again, and it would be a hit. I did not know how much of a hit Macklemore Thrift Shop would be though. As someone who enjoys shopping at thrift shops and vintage clothing stores, I am so happy there is a Pop Culture song that honors this fun, creative and well, thrifty way to shop.
Macklemore Thrift Shop Music Video (Has curses)
I typically try my best to not review songs that have graphic language but in this case I made an exception because the video is hysterical and the curses actually add the song, not just make it ‘cool’.
Macklemore Thrift Shop Story
“Macklemore Thrift Shop illustrates the speaker’s interest in buying cheap clothing from thrift shops, disdaining designer labels and trends. He claims to enjoy donning “your grandad’s clothes” and impulsively buying something just because “it was 99 cents”. Macklemore spoke to MTV News about the meaning of the song: “Rappers talk about, oh I buy this and I buy that, and I spend this much money and I make it rain, and this type of champagne and painting the club, and this is the kind of record that’s the exact opposite,” he explained. “It’s the polar opposite of it. It’s kind of standing for like let’s save some money, let’s keep some money away, let’s spend as little as possible and look as fresh as possible at the same time.” Upon asked why he thought the track was so successful, Macklemore replied: “I think hip-hop goes in waves, and it’s something that’s different. It’s a concept. It’s obviously against the status quo of what people normally rap about. This is a song that goes against all of that. How much can you save? How fresh can you look by not looking like anybody else? And on top of that, you have an infectious beat and a hook that gets stuck in people’s heads.” The song has been called a critique of the product placement common in modern hip hop.”
Macklemore Thrift Shop is a song by Seattle-based American rapper Macklemore and his producer Ryan Lewis. It was released as the fifth and final single from their collaborative debut studio album The Heist (2012) on October 8, 2012 and features vocals from Wanz. Despite being released on Macklemore’s independent label, with distribution by ADA, the single was met with unexpected commercial success, also a sleeper hit, peaking on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 1 while selling over 3 million copies in total, also reaching number 1 in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, France, Denmark, Australia and New Zealand. The song is the first independently-distributed title to top the Billboard Digital Songs since “We Are the World 25 for Haiti” in February 2010. It is also the second independent song in history to achieve the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, nearly 20 years after Lisa Loeb‘s “Stay (I Missed You)” in 1994. A music video was released to accompany the song’s release.
What could make me happier as a DJ than a song that reaches Billboard #1 about a thrift shop, being unique on an independent label! Thank you Macklemore Thrift Shop for providing some hope to the American record industry.