Tara and Jeff (at the Brentwood Country Club)

Every year, I end up doing more and more ceremonies.  This year is no exception.  Tara and Jeff tied the knot this past weekend at the Brentwood Country Club in White Lake, MI.  The ceremony location was beautifully decorated and the weather was picture perfect.

I usually review the food and venue for other clients that like to hear my opinion.  In this case I really didn't review the food with pictures and full details, but it was a little better than average.  Not great, but not bad either.  There was a significant delay between the salad and rolls they brought to the table and the time when the buffet opened (about 40 minutes).  The other thing I absolutely HATED about this location was the layout.  It was possibly the worst venue layout I've every worked with (and this was my second time here).  The room was an "L" shape with the super small dance floor located at one far end where I was set up.  This made it impossible to get sound to the far end of the room without either blasting the people sitting at the table in front of me.  The venue was not large enough to accommodate 180 people in my opinion.  If there had been 150, the DJ table could have been relocated off the dance floor and possibly allowed for better speaker placement.  Regardless, people packed the tiny dance floor and had a blast!

Congratulations Tara and Jeff!  I wish you a lifetime of happiness together.

It seems like a lot of money for a DJ...

While there may be a few amateurs willing to take your money (for a lower price), I guarantee that none of them have the experience, or the awards to merit even the smaller amount they are charging.  Very few have the ability to speak in a public forum and make announcements clearly.  Imagine if your introduction was mumbled and you didn't even know when to walk in because you couldn't hear your names being announced!  I've seen it happen!

Playing music is only a small portion of what a DJ does.  Keeping the reception moving a good pace (while not being pushy towards the bride and groom about when to do them), is a very delicate process and takes great skill, something amateurs just don't have.

If none of this makes sense to you or you just don't care about entertainment, consider this:


“Although linens, lighting and florals are the areas of a budget that can really visually make a room, entertainment and catering are the two elements that are most important to the comfort of guests,” David Tutera wrote in his book, The Big White Book of Weddings: A How-to Guide for the Savvy, Stylish Bride

David Tutera is one of the top wedding professionals in the country and just about every bride knows his show; My Fair Wedding.  David isn't the only one to point out the importance of entertainment.  Take a look at these online articles for more about the importance of entertainment at your reception.


Tips-on-How-to-Tie-the-Knot-in-Style

A DJ, Band, or an iPod? (note the going national rate for DJs in the first paragraph and then decide whether its too much for a DJ)

Importance According to Brides (look at this chart to see how most brides view their wedding)

5 Tips for a Fun Reception

What kind of wedding DJ do you get for $150? (The story says check with the BBB, but references are even better.  A good DJ will provide you with at least two names and numbers for reference.)

According to The Knot, "72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment. This happens because they make a quick decision, and look for the cheapest DJ."

And finally, here's a short video about picking the right entertainment for your reception:

Regardless of what list you look at, entertainment is ALWAYS in the top three (if not the number one) things that a guest will remember about your wedding day, so why is it that most people spend thousands of dollars on their wedding day and the least amount on their entertainment?


Make your day, one that guests will remember and look back on with a smile.  Call The DJ Guy!

Cinco de Mayo in Canton, MI

Looking for a way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this weekend?  Come out to Los Tres Amigos in Canton, MI.  The DJ Guy will be providing entertainment on the patio from 6-11 PM, Saturday, May 5th.

Google Map Address

The 2012 Wedding Season Begins!

Last Saturday was the start of the 2012 wedding season for me.  Lenny and Beth Cusenza had their reception at Kellogg Center in Lansing, MI.  Their colors were green and white (MSU colors) and I lit the walls of the room with up lighting and projected an image of a bride and groom on the dance floor.

Lenny is the owner of How Sweet It Is, a chocolate company (http://www.sweetfudge.com/).  Needless to say, there were plenty of delicious candies and chocolates the entire night.

The food was great (as it always is at Kellogg Center), the guests had a blast and it was a great way to start of the wedding season.

An Event Open to the Public...

It seems like every year around this time, I get quite a few future brides asking if they can come and see me somewhere.  Usually this is not possible because I would never invite a bride out to another client's event.  I'm there to entertain my client and their guests, not sell to another client.  Any DJ that's willing to do that is NOT the one you should be hiring.  They're desperate for work so they'll resort to things like that.  Once in a while, we all get an event that is an exception to that rule.  A public event (charities and such) is perfect for that sort of thing.

In this case, Friday, March 16th and Saturday, March 17th, I will be at Bennigan's in Howell.  While it's not a wedding atmosphere, you'll be able to see my (advanced*) sound setup, lighting setup and also my new up lighting and monogram projection!  Here's the details:

(* sub woofer setup is a premium and is only available upon request)

Sorority Winter Formal

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Location:Rice Ave,Ypsilanti Township,United States

Testing out the new up lighting

Maybe not the fanciest hall, but here's a quick shot of my new up lighting. This was taken at the Shipmasters Annual Banquet and there were flags from all the ships covering all the walls so I opted to put the lights next to my table and illuminate the ceiling.