*Orange County Wedding DJ/ Los Angeles Wedding DJ*

The Wedding DJ

For Los Angeles, Orange County, Southern California
los angeles wedding dj

949.362.3535



..."A successful marriage requires falling in love many times... always with the same person!" - Germaine Greer



                          "Your Wedding Was Incredible!"

happy couple



S o u n d  a n d  L i g h t i n g  by  D J  C r a i g


Your Reception- Unlike Any Other.


Before you hire an Orange County/Los Angeles Wedding DJ, you should know:

* The secret to selecting and mixing crowd pleasing music that many Wedding DJs don't know about.

* The 9 important things many newlyweds overlook that can make a big difference on their wedding day.

* There is an easy way to tell how your Disc Jockey will perform BEFORE you hire them.

* The 5 big mistakes inexperienced Wedding DJs often make at receptions.

To find out more, schedule your personal consultation with DJ Craig today!


Los Angeles Wedding

Is DJ Craig Right For You?

DJ Craig is an Emcee, music programmer, remix artist, lighting designer and Party Enabler! He is the same DJ chosen for the weddings of Oympian Jennie Finch, musician Salvador Santana and rocker Tim Burgess of The Charlatans.

Companies like Microsoft, Toyota and The Marriott and have all chosen Craig to perform for their corporate events.

DJ Craig has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Weekly and has published articles for many wedding dj and party related web sites.

Now you can see and hear DJ Craig perform at a LIVE AUDITION. At this meeting you will also receive a lighting
demo, music ideas, references, planning tips, a price list and a quote. Plus, you get a copy of DJ Craig's "9 Easy Ways To Make Your Reception Unique" just for stopping by.

After the live sound check, you will have the opportunity to reserve your date on our calendar or take our packet of information and make a fair comparison to any other Wedding DJ.

To see if Craig is available on your date and to set up a time for your live audition, please call 949-362-3535.


What is a "Party Enabler"?

More than just a guy playing songs and making announcements, a Party Enabler is someone who is actively engaging his audience through both verbal and non-verbal expression. He is constantly reacting to his dance floor, reading the room and playing the right song at the right time.

He knows when to pump up the crowd with an energetic vocalization and when to shut up and let the party happen.

A good Party Enabler/Wedding DJ is also involved with the timing and flow of the entire event. He is keenly aware of the emotional pulse of your guests and avoids lulls or slowdowns. He senses when it's time for a particular formality such as the cake cutting or first dance and is always in close communication with his clients, staff and other wedding professionals.

As a Pro Party Enabler, DJ Craig has been known to do whatever it takes to keep the party and the dance floor moving!

Start With A Great Plan

An LA/Orange County Wedding DJ who has entertained and coordinated at hundreds of weddings, Craig has a proven plan for success. He believes, "Every couple's reception is unique", although they do share one thing in common- extreme care is given to the planning, timing and flow of each.

DJ Craig's wedding clients are provided his exclusive "Reception Planner". It makes reception planning easy, even for the inexperienced. Couples use The Planner to personally customize their reception plans and needs.

The page below also contains the wedding planning tips and ideas Pro Wedding DJ Craig has learned from planning and working at countless wedding receptions. Use it to help make yours unforgettable. With these simple but effective ideas and a clear game plan, the great memories of your reception will last a lifetime.




Major Focal Points

Wedding reception "formalities" are traditions such as your Entrance, First Dance and Cake Cutting . These "Major Focal Points" are the rare moments when all of your guests' attention is simultaneously focused on the same thing. It is more likely that your guests will remember these moments than any other. Make them your own and your reception will be an original!

Click on a subject or scroll down:


Major Focal Points Introductions Introduction Music Toasts

Greeting Guests First Dance The Party Announcements


Your Wedding DJ/Emcee should help you plan every step of your reception during your final consultation, prior to your day. Coordinating these Formalities is no easy task. A good wedding DJ is in contact with you, the staff at the reception and your other wedding professionals throughout the event. Prior to any announcements being made, he or she should make sure everyone is ready.

Once all the guests' eyes are focused on the announced Formality, it's too late to discover that things are not prepared or that a key person has just stepped out of the room. Communication and coordination will keep your reception flowing smoothly.


Formal Introduction

Your Introduction is usually the first Major Focal Point of the evening. To kick off the reception, your DJ will formally introduce you as a married couple. If you don't make Formal Entrances on a regular basis you may be unprepared to take full advantage of this moment. For many couples, their first inclination is to make a hurried beeline for their table. This is the exact opposite of what you should do.

Your guests have been waiting for this moment to express their love and excitement. Let them. After you enter, STOP, look, listen and SMILE! You may find that the applause you are receiving gets noticeably louder when you simply stop to present yourselves and acknowledge your guests. An alert Wedding DJ will point out the perfect spot for you to do this ahead of time. Pause here for a few seconds. Take in this moment... look around... smile... enjoy it. Give your guests what they want, an opportunity to see the emotion on your face!

By pausing to acknowledge your guests, you are reciprocating the love they are demonstrating with their presence and applause. After a few moments, make your way to your table. Simply presenting yourself to your guests this way is the small but important difference between just entering and actually Making An Entrance.



Introduction Music

Walking in to the right song can help energize a room. Pick an upbeat song that you like, perhaps one with a message or feeling that resonates with you. Choices for this are virtually unlimited. Past requests have included songs from U2, Barry White, Black Eyed Peas, Led Zeppelin, Elvis, and many others.

Recently, one client requested "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" by Jet for their entrance. This upbeat rocker added a lot of energy to their Introduction, culminating in a standing ovation from their guests.

Another couple chose the 80's New Wave classic, "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves. They walked in, paused and then planted a big kiss on each other, much to the delight of their adoring family and friends.

The trick here is to pick your song based on your own taste. An energetic and original entrance song, along with your presentation as a newly married couple, is a great way to start a reception that stands out and is remembered!



Toasts

A Wedding DJ should remind any and all Toast Givers about their duties and when they will happen. Usually the Toasts come at the beginning of the reception, just after your Formal Introduction, before the meal. Unless otherwise instructed, the wait staff is likely to have the champagne poured for all guests prior to your Intro. For some reason, Best Men often think their Toast will be later and may be unprepared unless reminded.

  • 1. Plan the end of your Toast first and then work backwards. How do you end your Toast? By raising your glass. That's it. Often, inexperienced Toast Givers get so wrapped up in the moment, they forget to raise their glasses. This leaves the guests confused and the photographer waiting for "The Shot".

    A Toast can be as easy as thanking the guests and asking them to congratulate the Bride and Groom by raising their glasses in unison. It doesn't have to be any more complicated than that. If you want to get into humorous or touching stories about the Groom's past or how wonderful the Bride is, feel free to do so. Just remember where your end point is. If you get hung up or lost, go to the "Toast". This will keep you from getting lost and will make you look like a Pro.

  • 2. Toast Givers should also keep in mind the comfort level of the guests and the reception timetable. Sometimes the ceremony and wedding party pictures take longer than expected. Or for some other reason there may be a large gap of time between the ceremony and reception. A long winded Toast while hungry guests are waiting to eat is inconsiderate. Unless you are the Best Man or father of one of the Newlyweds, keep it short or consider giving your Toast later, after guests have gotten their meals.

  • 3. Prepare notes if you like. Speaking in front of a large group of strangers can be intimidating. There's nothing wrong with preparing an outline and having it in front of you.

"A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person."

-Germaine Greer

It is not required for the Bride and Groom to speak but always adds a much appreciated touch of class when they do. It can be something as simple as thanking the guests
for their participation. They will appreciate that you took the time to publicly express your gratitude to them.

Often, Brides and Grooms will take this opportunity to express appreciation to parents, relatives, mentors, friends and others who have made an important difference in their lives.



Greeting Guests

The Wedding DJ knows your reception is a brief window of time when those closest to you are all in the same place. Chances are this moment will never be duplicated. So every minute counts. As a Bride or Groom, you are usually the first to get served your meal. This works to your advantage. You can then use the rest of the meal time to mingle with your guests. If you have a smaller number of guests it's a bit easier. However, the more guests you have, the more conscious you need to be about time.

Doing some simple arithmetic can help you realize how quickly time flies. If you have 15 guest tables and spend just 5 minutes at each one, that's well over an hour!

It's hard to pull yourself away from loved ones at one table and go to the next one. When the after-meal mingling starts, the Bride and Groom can work as a team to keep each from getting "stuck" too long in one place.



First Dance

Every First Dance is as unique as the couple performing it. We've seen waltzes, swing dances and even tangos. While performing a choreographed dance isn't a necessity, those who do always win the admiration of their guests. Some newlywed couples choose to add extra emphasis to their First Dance by performing it directly after their Introduction.

Listen To Unique First Dance Ideas Here!

Even More First Dance Ideas!


Whatever song you choose, your comfort is important. If one or both of you shy away from the spotlight, you may not wish to be the lone couple on the floor for the entire song. Your DJ should ask how long you want to be out there before others are invited to join in.

Prior to the wedding day, instruct your wedding DJ or Band Leader to have others join at the appropriate time. If you are planning a Father/Daughter Dance or other protocol dances, you can have the First Dance edited or faded out early if you like.


Listen To Father/Daughter Mother/Son Dance Song Ideas Here!



Get The Party Started!

Eventually all guests will be invited out to join you on the dance floor. A good slow dance is a great way to start off the Open Dance portion of the evening. It's the style of music most likely to get the best response, especially for those that have just finished their meals or are older. From there, the Wedding DJ can build momentum and your celebration can be in full effect in no time.


The Bride and Groom are a like a "Guest Magnet". Where you go your guests are likely to follow. If you stay out on the dance floor during the beginning of open dancing, your guests are more likely to participate as well.


DJ/Emcee Announcements

Whether trying to capture the attention of 50 people or 500, an Emcee's announcements should be concise, informative and short. The best way to show respect for your audience is to not waste their time with a message that is convoluted, unclear or unnecessarily long.

The old adage, "Tell them what you're going to say, say it, then tell them what you said!" applies here. That way, those who missed the beginning of the announcement still have a chance to get the message.



Personalize it!

"Ladies and gentlemen, Sally and Jim have invited all of you to gather around their cake table, for the traditional cutting of the cake." A personal invitation from the party hosts sounds a lot better than, "It's time for the cake cutting everybody."


What Not To Say

Anything that can be interpreted as being off color or inappropriate. Even if many of the guests thought it was humorous, there can be those who felt offended. A spokesperson, representing his or her clients, should leave all questionable humor behind. A spontaneous funny quip, in good taste, is fine. But the stand up routine is best reserved for The Improv.


Need A Crutch?

Another amateur mistake is using crutch phrases. A crutch phrase is anything one says to make themselves sound more authoritative or as filler to give themselves time to think. These phrases add nothing to the statement and actually work to emphasize that the speaker is inexperienced or unprepared. Here is an example, "Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, I would like to...".

The phrase, "at this time" is one of the most overused crutch phrases ever. It adds nothing and is a desperate attempt to sound thoughtful. Many inexperienced speakers use this and other crutch phrases without realizing it.


Promo, Promo, Promo

An Orange County/LA Wedding DJ should always let the guests know what they have to look forward to later. It encourages them to stay around and lets them know that there is a master plan.

"Coming up a little later is the Cutting Of The Cake but right now it's First Dance time..."

Whether it's a Top 40 DJ or The Academy Awards announcer, a pro knows this simple technique keeps people interested and involved.


A Los Angeles/ Orange County Wedding DJ who helps his clients plan their Major Focal Points is a Pro! He keeps his announcements concise, personal, uses tasteful humor and says "No" to crutch phrases. He is very likely to earn the respect of his audience and the appreciation of his clients.


Reception Bliss = Honeymoon Harmony

Use these to plan your Formalities -the Major Focal Points of the reception! Emphasize them and they will be remembered as the highlights of the party. Plan all details ahead of time with an experienced Los Angeles/ Orange County Wedding DJ/Emcee. And encourage your guests to dance by spending some time on the dance floor yourself.

You may find that a great honeymoon begins at the reception!

- DJ Craig





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Los Angeles wedding DJ / Orange County wedding DJ


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Orange County Wedding DJ Disc jockey for ceremonies and receptions.

Los Angeles Wedding DJ Disc jockey for ceremonies and receptions.

Orange County California Wedding Planner
Planning For Orange County Special Events.





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