Tag: albany ny dj

They say it can’t be done. Flowers are often a very important and very expensive part of a wedding ceremony/reception decor. There are ways, however, to save in this department.

If you are low on funds after paying the DJ and the hall, before you even talk with your florist, pick a color scheme rather than a particular flower. Then you can ask your florist to choose whatever is available in your palette at the best prices out there. If roses are a must have, you can always have more roses on the head table, than on the guest tables, for example, and supplement another red flower there instead. You should be keeping in mind what is in season.

While you probably won’t be able to save money by creating your own arrangements because of time, if a friend is willing, you can save a bundle by ordering in bulk from a wholesale or farmer’s market. Also, some Votec classes may be willing to make a classroom assignment out of it!

(PHOTO CREDIT: http://www.weddingflowersbymelissa.com )

This past weekend, I did the DJ work for a great little wedding at The Bucksteed Manor in Washington, MA.

The Bucksteed was like a cross between a bed-n-breakfast and a mini-resort. It had a main eating hall, little cabins, a tent perfect for the reception, a barn gutted and turned into a full bar, and a nice gazebo for the ceremony.

The entire backdrop is wooded area surrounding a nice open field.

The massive tent had a line drawn up high in the center with large white circular paper lanterns, each with a soft glowing single watch battery-operated LED light. These lanterns provided a nice glow to light everything up with a ton of class.

Paper lanterns are now very popular for decorating all kinds of modern weddings. They do particularly well in providing the soft light needed for great wedding shots at indoor, outdoor, and event tent wedding receptions. There is a wide selection of our colors and styles of paper lanterns out there and the range from only $2.00 to $5.00 a piece.

There are many ways to save for your wedding. One of the keys to our success is keeping prices affordable and ala carte so customers can customize and pay for only and exactly what you want. This has made us VERY busy this summer in the Albany – Troy – Schenectady area.

Here is a top 10 list of ways to really save money on your wedding:

1. FRUGAL FLOWERS – Some vocational schools have Floral Classes. Sometimes you can work with your local votec to turn your wedding decoration into a classroom assignment and only pay cost of the flowers. Also, check with the hall to see who else is having a wedding there that weekend. You may also be able to save on flowers by sharing.

2. THE WEDDING SET UP PARTY –  Turn on the tunes and have your wedding party come over a few days before to put together favors, set up decorations and centerpieces, create flower arrangements and anything else that you would have to pay more for when it comes completely assembled.

3.  AFFORDABLE DRESS – Buying your wedding dress online and  even in thrift stores, can be a great resourse to save literally hundresds of dollars on the wedding dress.

4. DAY SELECTION – Booking outside your hall’s primetime definitions will really help you save. Typically, prime time is Fridays & Saturdays (sometimes Sundays) April thru October. 10. Ask for Help – Who do you know? Why spend a bundle on the officiant, musicians, photographers and even DJs, if one of your guests can make this happen for nothing.

5. CAREFUL OF WHO YOU INVITE – Don’t invite anyone you haven’t seen or even talked to in five years. Don’t encourage singles to bring a date. Avoid inviting work colleagues. And let your friends bring their children.

6. SAVE ON INVITATIONS – Online is totally acceptable now, so you can save a bundle on postage right there. If you do not want to go the e-invite route, at least shop your invitations online. Competition is fierce and you are bound to find a deal if you look enough.

7. CATERING OPTIONS – Always provide your own caterer when you can. If your hall does not allow this, ask where money can be saved. See if they’ll let you provide your own liquor, or if serving only wine and beer will be cheaper than a full bar. Also consider only having open bar open during your cocktail hour, then serving an inexpensive wine with dinner.

8. EBAY YOUR SPECIAL DAY – Anything you buy and whenever you can, please always check the eBay and Amazon first! You will find awesome deals, for sure!

9. DECOR FOR LESS, NOT MORE – You do not need expensive flower arrangements everywhere. There are countless ways to save on decorations. Sometimes, candlelight can be the most romantic and beautiful alternative to fancy centerpieces and decorations.

With all the weddings that we do, I come across some pretty inventive ideas. I love to share what I see. Here are three fun and yummy new trends in modern weddings, that will help get your taste buds going.

COCKTAIL HOUR GRAND ENTRANCE OF BRIDE & GROOM
An interesting new trend for wedding receptions and cocktail hours is for the bride and groom to actually be announced fifteen minutes or so into the cocktail hour, so that they can enjoy the spirits, as well. As everyone knows, a tasty drink or two can really make the party fun. If the bride and groom get done with their pictures quickly enough, why not?

THE CANDY CART
A sweet new treat in weddings is the Candy Cart. A scrum-dilly-icious candy buffet adds fun and color to any wedding. This new trend has a table on wheels that looks like it was heisted straight out of Wonka’s Chocolate factory. The cart is covered with large glass bowls and vases over-flowing with goodness. Little baggies allow for all of your guests to pick what kind of candy they want and take it home. Kids and adults love taking home little bags of loot so that the sweetness of the reception continues long after the DJ has packed up.

HONEYMOON GIFT REGISTRY
Enough said. Just like any other type of gift registry at a store like Bed & Bath, Macy’s or even on Amazon, friends and family members purchase parts of the bride and groom’s honeymoon, to say, an all-inclusive resort with all the food and drink that one can handle! If it is not the obvious plane tickets or hotel room credits, it could be a show, an expensive dinner or a tour bus ride at the point of destination.

(PHOTO CREDIT – plansandpresents.blogspot.com )

Over the years, I have seen a lot of trepidation from customers who want to hire a DJ for their wedding. They have already decided that hiring a band is limiting, but they don’t know really what extra stuff a DJ will bring to the table. It is true. There are a ton of people out there who consider themselves “Disc Jockeys,” but they all offer many different things. There are a number of things to look for, to make sure you pick the right DJ for your wedding ceremony and/or wedding reception.

If you are in The Capital District, you are already going to hire me of course!  So the rest of this article is for the rest of the world. (Just kidding!) …There are a number of questions and things to think about when hiring a DJ. Here is my Top 10 list of topics:

1. DO THEY KNOW MUSIC? Make sure they know about the music you like, and also the music your guests like. This is very important. If they are not very familiar with songs or artists across many genres, the music you get may not be what you are looking for.

2. PERSONALITY. Are they fun? Are they professional? Are they willing to meet you face to face if possible before hiring them? Will they share stories of experience, or pictures of them DJ’ing in action?

3. REQUESTS Do they have a huge library? If so and they are able to provide your party with pretty much any song ever, how good is their ability to screen requests? Make sure they are willing to take requests and customize the night for you and your guests. However, make sure they have a plan on eliminating song that people may ask for that you do not want at your reception.

4. CUSTOMIZABILITY. Can they cater to your specific needs, or do they force you into buying everything by saying everything is included? Individual packages are the key to finding an affordable DJ. If you don’t care about karaoke and lights and a smoke machine, but it is all including, you are probably being charged for it. Ala carte when the prices are reasonable could save you good money and get you exactly what you want without paying more.

5. EXPERIENCE ACROSS THE BOARD. Weddings have a little bit of every demographic. Try to find someone who has been doing it at least 3-5 years, and not only at a bar scene. Bars these days hire ANYONE, and the demographic is not exactly what you will find at your wedding.

Your DJ should have experience across the board and be able to tell you stories about all kinds of different parties that they have worked for. Sweet sixteen’s and school dances mean they can handle your young guests without a problem. Holiday Parties and other events may prove young to middle age is no problem. Anniversary and retirement parties mean they have experience in catering to older clientele. Make sure they have good experience in all categories and all your guests will be satisfied!

6. FAIR PRICE. Look around and see what other experienced DJ’s are charging. Find the DJ who seems right for you and in the ballpark.

• Cheap DJ – Very cheap quotes may spell inexperience or desperation and could destroy your party. Make sure you know exactly what kind of gear the DJ uses, and also what kind of experience they have. Do they have different packages available? What do they do at weddings that make them worth looking at?
• Expensive DJ – Overpriced DJ’s, on the other hand, may warn you not to go with any DJ who charges under, say $700, or whatever the overpriced DJ wants to charge you. They may say that under a certain price means a DJ is “not a professional” or “will do a lousy job.” This is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE. This only said to command more money and scare you into hiring them. Using fear tactics and negativity to try and secure your business is NOT GOOD BUSINESS. Trash talking other DJ’s openly is also a bad sign.

7. PROFESSIONALISM. Can they actually blend the music together? Some DJ’s have moved over to laptop set ups which can be great, but if they do not have professional DJ programs, then there could be gaps of “dead air” between songs. Ask about this first, as dead air in any dose can kill your party.
Do they offer something in writing? Do they have professional gear? Do they have a web site or something you can look at? Do they have a business card? Do they have back up DJ’s and or equipment available? Or is it only them with one set up? Can you see them publicly in action somewhere?

8. FLEXIBILTY. The DJ cannot be “stubborn” or “set in his own way.” They are there to serve you and do what you want. If you do not want The Dreaded Chicken Dance, then don’t let him tell you that is going to happen!
Are they okay with playing music that they do not like? Some DJ’s refuse to play certain songs, because they feel it may not get them gigs by potential customers at your party. However, if this is the case, then they are more worried about their image than they are doing a good job for you. They are there to work for you, not be a commercial for themselves. Make sure they will do what you ask them to, within reason. At the same time, make sure they do also know what is appropriate to play and professional.  As Ali G says, “Respect!”

9. REFERENCES – Ask for references! Duh!

10. FUN AND CLASSY? – Can they do both? It takes a great DJ to be good in both departments. If it is your special day, you will probably want some seriousness, as well as craziness to remember.

WHEN SHOULD YOU BOOK YOUR DJ

Book your DJ early! Our weekends are getting booked really solid well into the fall already. Once you get your deposit in, the date is secure. If you hesitate too long, we might book the date up! Drop us a line at 518-506-3305, if you are thinking about planning a party.

What was special about this past Tuesday, though, really? We booked 8 gigs in one day! I guess it was party planning day or something. It seemed that most of the day, all I did was write up contracts. Maybe shock set in and people saw that January was gone and it was time to start thinking about stuff AFTER THE WINTER. I don’t know. It was awesome, but now my head is spinning trying to keep them all straight. LOL! We are really lucky to be this busy though, and thankful for the work, in a time when the economy is down and people aren’t doing so well, across the board. Thank God for all he has done for us!

Maybe, times are picking up. That would be great! It does seem like there is more spending going on. Hopefully that means there is more money to spend, rather than less debt being created.

We are going to be very busy this summer. In one day, we booked four wedding receptions, a grad party, a banquet, a middle school dance, and a photography gig. With an average of one party on a Friday, and one party on a Saturday, on top of our already full plate of late night Friday gigs at Villa Valenti Pub in Troy, NY – Tuesday was a whole month of gigs.

(Not like I am complaining! Wish more days were like Tuesday!)

187 south pine ave – albany, ny 12208