One of the things that leads a wedding to success is when the hosts, the bride and groom, think of every little detail and make their guest comfortable. Here is a nice little added touch that can actually increase the length of stay time attendance in your older demographic.
KAMALA SPEAKS – The Official Autobiography of WWE Wrestler Kamala by DJ Kenny Casanova
This blog is mostly “Wedding & Party Planning” advice, but I wanted to take a moment to mention other genre of entertainment I have experience in, publishing. Recently, I was the ghostwriter of an autobiography for a WWE professional wrestler named…
“THE UGANDAN GIANT” KAMALA
James Harris is a former WWE headliner & main eventer. Selling out arenas internationally, “The Ugandan Giant” Kamala, wrestled for 30 years everywhere against Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker and every major star of the 80s and 90s. He was one of the most terrifying and unforgettable villainous wrestlers of all times.
DJ Kenny Casanova’s first published work
At 6’7, 385 pounds, this big man was known for wearing tribal face paint, white stars on his chest and a yellow moon on his belly. As a credit to his portrayal of this character, he was truly believed by fans to be an uncontrollable, dangerous monster. In his scariest match ever, however, he recently lost both of his legs to diabetes. Now his story is available to all.
WHY ONE OF OUR DJS AS THE WRITER? I, DJ Kenny Casanova, played Kamala’s mysterious handler “Kim Chee” on a number of occasions and worked with many top wrestlers from the 1980s on. As well as being a pro-wrestling manager since 1994 with WWE ring announcer experience, I’m also a Fulbright Scholar, an English teacher/writer, and a wedding DJ & event organizer. After learning about Kamala’s battle with diabetes, I figured Kamala’s story alone in book form could be one answer to lost earnings. So, I picked up the phone and made the call. At first, Kamala wanted to make sure my offer was real. It’s not often someone wants to do something without much back in return. Therefore, I had to be grilled by his friend, “The Birdman” Koko B. Ware.
WRITING THE BOOK – After getting The Birman’s blessing and after six months of interviewing Kamala, many more names from the wrestling world stepped up to help. I worked with Jim Ross, Mick Foley, Jake The Snake Roberts, DDP, and even The Insane Clown Posse’s Violent Jay. To write this book from all the interviews has been quite an experience to say the least. After it was written, we had some help with the fans too, to help with the project. Click here to see our successful KAMALA SPEAKS – kickstarter campaign
HOW TO BUY KAMALA SPEAKS – If you have read this far, you must want to read it or be the proud owner of an autographed copy by Kamala and Kenny. Once again, to purchase the book, just go to KamalaSpeaks.com. For more information, email me at ken@theDJservice.com.
FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO IF A LOVED ONE CAN’T ATTEND YOUR WEDDING
The world is now flat. In today’s modern world, technology plays a massive part in how people share moments like weddings with their friends and family around the world. The internet brings us all closer, when we can’t be there physically.
Virtual Wedding Guests Ideas – Streaming your wedding to anyone, anywhere, on iPads, Laptops and even cell phones.
Many social media outlets are all making the world a smaller place. Weddings are starting to pop up among these resources to connect people who otherwise could not make it to the newlywed’s special day.
Think about it. With today’s technology, people can easily allow real-time streaming of any real life event – FOR FREE. If a loved one can’t be present, people can now just open their event to mobile devices to anyone, anywhere. This is a great idea for couples who want to include more and more people in the wedding and do not have the resources to pay for every guest to be present.
Whether your wedding is at The Crossgates Banquet House in Albany, NY or if you are planning a destination wedding at Humming Bird Hall at Montego Bay, Jamaica, a virtual wedding guest is an awesome option. Virtual wedding guests can save you and your guests money because it cuts down on travel. A virtual wedding makes it so no matter where in the world your guests sit, they can still watch your wedding ceremony unfold live on the World Wide Web.
FIVE TECHNOLOGY IDEAS TO BRING A GUEST CLOSER TO YOUR WEDDING:
There are many different ways to use mobile devices to create virtual wedding guests. Below is a very detailed DIY recipe link for beginners on how to stream your own Virtual Wedding for free:
The Sheldon iPad-Head idea could be perfect for your virtual wedding guest
1) The iPad-Head Virtual Wedding Guest
If you are a Big Bang Theory fan like I am, you may remember this. There was one episode where Sheldon didn’t want to leave the house, so he slapped an iPad-like tablet on top of a coat rack with a hanging shirt on it and created some kind of relay device on wheels to escort him around, without ever leaving the house. This is a very primitive form of The Bruce Willis film, Surrogates, however, the iPad-Head idea may be all you need to make your wedding stick out.
Apple has created the technology to allow for a very easy way for a virtual wedding guest to attend your wedding from afar. Try setting up iPad-heads on fake bodies and sit them right in chairs at the ceremony or reception. Then, have your guest run Facetime and it will be like they are actually there! They can talk and interect with other guests, as well as the bride & groom.
Virtual Wedding Guest Booth
2) Streaming Wedding Reception Booth
Here is an idea, in case you want more fun activities at your wedding reception. Set up an area in your reception hall and time set aside just for live interaction with virtual guests, online.
To create your own “Virtual Guest Booth Stream Station,” prop up either web cams, laptops or iPad/tablets so that virtual guests see the action from the virtual wedding guest booth, and also video chat with those who stop by.
SMART TVs – There are also Smart TVs now that makes creating a stream station even easier. Samsung has a TV that has a camera built into top frame, much like a laptop camera. They even have Skype built into the platform and a Skype button on the remote control. The age of the Jetson’s is upon us!
The more decorative and fun the booth display turns out, the more apt people will be to interact with your virtual wedding guest.
3) Video Toast with Virtual Guest – Digital Projection:
As a wedding activity, set up a special virtual toast maybe to take place before the best man’s speech. What you can do is get a PowerPoint / Digital projector and actually broadcast a Skype video call, or Google Hangout to the rest of your live guests. Then, have the virtual guest stream a toast to the whole room.
The Laptop Table of Virtual Wedding Guests via SKYPE
4) The Virtual Wedding Guest Laptop Table:
Whenever we had a big get-together at my grandmother’s house for a holiday, we always had “the kids table;” a place where only the kids sat. Borrowing from this idea and if your virtual wedding guests are game, you can set aside a whole table just for laptop virtual wedding guests. Put each laptop at each table setting and make it so each webcam allows each guest to see each other through a single-face platform, like Skype.
While a program like Zoom would work better than this because of its multi-user platform, this allows for walk-ups at the live event to interact with the people on on the laptops. It also makes for a great experience!
Because of technology, you can now stream your wedding live to anyone, anywhere for free!
5) FullWebcam Stream Virtual Wedding :
So you want to just stream your wedding for many guests to enjoy? Great idea! There really is something to be said for “keeping it simple.” Do some surfing and select a streaming video website. Several websites allow you to stream live from free web streaming sites.
You probably do not want to have the added stress of setting up and checking on the virtual wedding web cam throughout the night. Therefore, it is probably a good idea to ask a close friend or family member to fully accept the responsibility and go through a practice run with them.
Have fun with the creation of your virtual wedding guests! Whatever you choose to do, this idea will increase the chance that more of your loved ones will be present for your special day!
– DJ Kenny Casanova is an Albany, NY Wedding DJ. If you are interested in booking DJ Kenny Casanova, call or TEXT 518-506-3305.
Ed Sheerhan tops this 25 List of Modern Wedding Songs
WEDDING MUSIC LIST WITH VIDEO LINKS FOR 2015
There are so many LAME cheesy old wedding song lists on the internet, that from time to time, I wonder if people are actually writing new DJ lists or just passing along the same irrelevant out-dated crap. Can you say Delilah Show?
Here is 2015 list of songs that could work very well at your wedding for those of you looking for modern new songs that you can slow dance to.
TOP 25 WEDDING MUSIC LINK SONG LIST FOR 2015
Most of these songs are tracks released this year, or maybe a year or so old, but you certainly won’t find oldies here:
Wedding Flip Flops: Help Make Your Feet Say “I DO”
Fill The DJ’s Dance Floor With A Wedding Flip Flop Basket – Another Albany NY wedding DJ idea!
At a very recent wedding in the Albany, NY area, I was the DJ for great number of guests sporting their bare feet by the end of the night on the dance floor. Adding in the lack of comfort factor with an outdoor ceremony where high heels sink into the ground, has lead me to suggest that adding a basket of flip-flops is a courteous “must” for many settings.
Here is an idea some of you may not have seen yet. Rather than have your guests dance in uncomfortable shoes, why not be a stand-up host and provide a basket of cheat-but-nice wedding flip flops?
Have you ever got all dressed up to go to a wedding and know fully well that your feet are going to kill you with the first ten minutes on the dance floor? You are not alone.
Many women struggle with their feet and have a terrible time finding the right balance between wearing comfortable shoes that also go with their dresses. Most high heel shoes cannot hold any woman up comfortably for a full four hours or more.
If you see this at Walmart, then you are in luck!
You really cannot expect the majority of your guests to make the best decisions in their footwear choices. After all, they are really putting one foot forward to look their very best for you. And getting together the perfect ensemble almost never translates into comfortable footwear.
WEAR TO BUY CHEAP WEDDING FLIP FLOPS?
It is even easier than you think! When in doubt, I am sure you can find a discount somewhere online. However, there may be savings waiting for you in your own neck of the woods allowing you to save a bundle in shipping costs.
Old Navy currently has a variety of colors for only $1.65 a piece, which is pretty reasonable. Some dollar stores even stock them. However, your favorite Walmart probably stocks what I just saw; an ultra-sweet-for-your-feet “98 cent flip flop box.”
Wedding Sandals Shoe Basket at a barn wedding at Indian Ladder Farm – Altamont, NY
Wedding Flip Flop Basket Sign
Wedding Flip Flop Shoe Basket at a barn wedding at Indian Ladder Farm – Altamont, NY
Kick Off Your Shoes and Get Down!
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN ADDING THE FLIP FLOP BASKET TO YOUR WEDDING RECEPTION:
So, did we sell the idea to you? If you are reading this far down the page then it is possible you are thinking about using this tip! If this is the case, great. Here are a few points to think about:
– Try and make them available to your guests in your wedding colors.
– You can make them look pretty with vibrant ribbons holding pairs together.
Widely-known as being one of the most sought after wedding DJs in Albany NY, I also double as a photographer from time to time.
As some of you may know, I teach a digital media class so knowing my way around a camera comes in pretty handy.
Recently, I stopped down to The Empire State Plaza to shoot some new images. The lighting was pretty good so I was able to get a few good ones to use on our site. Here they are!
Affordable Albany NY Wedding DJ
albany ny skyline
Albany NY Skyline in yellow – DJ Kenny Casanova
DJ Kenny Casanova is Albany’s alternative to affordable wedding DJs
