AJ and Sherron – Private Residence San Diego

The Happy Newly Weds

A Happy Couple

Aj and Sherron had a San Diego vacation rental wedding. It was at a big house on the west side of Banker’s Hill facing the San Diego Airport. The house looked like a 3-4 story Spanish villa. A beautifully landscaped back yard with a refreshing looking blue tiled pool set the scene.

Aj and Sherron were a super sweet couple to work with. Their youthful energy was contagious and their love for each other was admirable. I am not sure how we met, but I am glad we did because this wedding was a blast! I was honored to have been chosen as their wedding DJ.

Lights and Music

Up Lighting

There were several 10 foot tall white pillars that lined the large patio on the 2nd floor which over looked the pool and the back yard. These pillars were perfect for my up lights to accent their pink wedding color.

The Ceremony was in a small gazebo that was close to the pool and the dinner reception was in a big lawn right next to the ceremony. I was set up next to the pool over looking the gazebo and the open grassy area.

The music was primarily reggae and acoustic beach music throughout the entire reception until open dancing. I opened the dance floor with Michael Jackson – Don’t Stop Until You Get Enough. From then on people danced all over the property and never stopped.

There was a HUGE Lemon tree that had the most green leaves and most yellow and ripe lemon’s I had ever seen. The property manager welcomed anyone to pick Lemons and take them home, which of course I obliged. Congrats AJ and Sherron!

Get a Quote

Continue Reading

Ian and Lauren – La Valencia

A Ceremony at La Valancia Hotel

A Wedding for My Friends

Ian and Lauren had me as their wedding DJ at La Valencia Hotel. Lauren is close friends with my cousin’s wife, who was a bride’s maid. I love doing weddings for friends and family.

What really got me pumped to do this wedding was that they were huge fans of 80’s music. All the wedding music was to be 80’s themed, so I was game. I have done many 80’s private parties and also had hosted 80’s nights at bars and clubs. They gave me a hand full of songs they liked and had me run the music from there.

80’s Love Ballads

Seating music sets the tone for the ceremony so it is very important to be aware of the flow of songs. I like to make sure that each track is the same energy level through out the seating music playlist to create a steady vibe. With the emphasis being on 80’s music, I hand picked some of my favorite 80’s love ballads, here are a couple tracks I chose:

Chicago – You’re the Inspiration
Paul Young – Over Time You Go Away
Air Supply – Lost In Love
Berlin – Take My Breath Away

I always recommend that the Cocktail Reception be fun and upbeat, therefore I chose a variety of happy 80’s songs like these:

Rupert Holmes – Escape (The Pina Colada Song)
Kenny Loggins – I’m Alright
Daryl Hall & John Oates – You Make My Dreams
Blue Swede – Hooked on a Feeling

Dinner Yacht Rock

With dinner music, the volume of the music needs to be low so people can talk but you don’t want to put people to sleep. I usually start off with a mellow vibe for the first 30 minutes and then slowly start moving the energy level up with each track to lead into the toasts or open dancing. Here are a few tracks that show the progression of the energy:

Ambrosia – How Much I Feel
Robbie Dupree – Steal Away
Fleetwood Mac – Everywhere
Orleans – Still The One

80’s soft rock is also referred to as “Yacht Rock.” I loved this dinner playlist and anytime I get a chance, I play it. John Hughes movie soundtracks are at the core of my passion for music. 80’s pop mega stars like Madonna, MJ and Prince light up a dance floor.

At the end of the night, everyone hugged it out. Several high fives were handed out as everyone walked up to the bar at the La Valencia Hotel. I quickly packed up my things and loaded it all up. I valeted my van and headed to the bar with my friends and family.

Continue Reading

Chris and Brittany – Martin Johnson House

Ceremony at Martin Johnson House

La Jolla Wedding

This was another wedding where my knowledge and expertise of weddings was on display for a close friend of mine. My business partner at Sleeping Giant Music, Freddie Harb, had me as his sister’s wedding DJ at the Martin Johnson House.

The Martin Johnson House is the sister property of Scripps Seaside Forum therefore both are under the umbrella of UCSD. The MJH sits on top of the cliff above Black’s Beach in La Jolla. Much like The Forum, the MJH has a 180 degree view of the ocean. You can see south to La Jolla Cove and North to Black’s Beach. The reception is usually on the two decks in the back. The ceremony is typically right in front of the decks over looking the ocean. The entire property is eclipsed by the gigantic cypress trees that provide a sort of folky meets beach vibe to the weddings there. Catching a sunset from this venue is truly breathtaking as you get to watch the sun dip into the ocean.

Chris and Brittany had eclectic tastes in music so I was sure to bring a variety of musical flavors for their aural pleasure. It was an honor for me to perform for my partner Freddie’s family and everyone thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. A highlight for me was Freddie’s grandma asking him when he was going to get married. His sister, the Bride, kept trying to hook him up with her single friends.

Get a Quote

Continue Reading

Dominic and Emily – Private Residence in Glendale

A Ceremony Recession

My Friends Got Married

Oh these two, I love them! I have known Dominic for years first meeting him at a long gone night club in San Diego called Aubergine. Dom was a bartender and I was a DJ. Our friendship expanded beyond the club and into each others personal lives. I can’t type how many times we hung out at each other’s house, bars, clubs, Las Vegas and on the golf course laughing and playing practical jokes on each other and others as well. As time went on, he met his wife to be Emily and there couldn’t be a better match for my good friend. Emily is a strong willed and beautiful woman with a great sense of humor. She lights up the room when she walks into it and brings a smile to Dom’s face whenever she is near.

Glendale Wedding

Emily grew up in Glendale on a big piece of property that had been in their family for generations. This is where they had their wedding and many family members had gotten married there before them. I was a guest at this wedding but played a big part in organizing the DJ, music and announcements. It’s a pleasure and an honor to be able to provide my friends with my knowledge and expertise of weddings. The drinks were flowing and the smiles were worn with warmth. This was my favorite wedding of this season, no doubt.

I knew most of the guests there so I knew what music to play. The night went on for hours with high energy music and free flowing booze. The last song of the evening was Garth Brooke’s “Friend’s in Low Places.”

Get a Quote

Continue Reading

Adam and Tiffany – Bahia Resort Hotel

Ceremony at Bahia Resort Hotel

Mission Bay Wedding

Weddings at Bahia Resort Hotel are perfect for those with a lot of guests coming in from out of town. The resort’s location is central to so many San Diego landmarks and outdoor activities. Bahia Resort Hotel is located in Mission Beach San Diego and sits on the sand of Mission Bay. The locally famous Mission Beach roller coaster called The Big Dipper in Belmont Park is over 100 years old. It is a block away from Bahia and a steps away from the beach.

Adam and Tiffany wanted to get married with their toes in the sand. They wanted their family and friends to experience a true San Diego Wedding. I was the right wedding DJ to give them what they needed.

Small Wedding

Their was a nice breeze during the ceremony with a few clouds in the sky with no sign of rain. The guests being able to walk around the ceremony site bare foot put them in the vacation mode.

The small size of the wedding, roughly 65 people attending, allowed them to use one of the smaller rooms at the Bahia, The Del Mar room. In this intimate setting, the dance floor is set in the middle of the room with the tables surrounding it and usually just a sweet heart table at one end of the dance floor. The small number of people did not deter anyone from getting on the dance floor because it was packed all night long. At the end of the night, high fives and hugs were handed out and thumbs up given to me for keeping everyone on the same page.

Get a Quote

Continue Reading

Tyler and Jessica – Scripps Seaside Forum

Ceremony at Scripps Seaside Forum

La Jolla Wedding

I could be a wedding DJ at Scripps Seaside Forum every weekend and would never get sick of it. To me, it’s the perfect venue with a beautiful view of the beach and ocean. They have a very talented preferred vendors list that I am honored to be a part of. When I received the list of vendors on this wedding I saw that the veteran Pastor Mike was giving the vows. I knew this couple had done their home work.

Tyler and Jessica where looking for a good time and expressed to me how much their family liked to dance. I had met Tyler many years before when he was a manger at The Wave House in Mission Beach San Diego where I would frequently DJ summer sets. Since he was familiar with my DJing experience, he just handed me list of 45 songs and told me to keep him on the dance floor all night.

Excellent Toasts

The toasts stick out to me the most from this wedding as every toaster seemed to have public speaking experience and so much love for the bride, groom and all their family. The sister of the bride spoke of how well the groom fit in with their family as if he has always been there. She also mentioned that his video game dance skills were of a very high caliber. The best man, a close friend of the groom, complimented how the bride fit into their group of friends perfectly and complimented the groom’s strengths and weaknesses. Kind words of love from close friends and family are as warm as hugs.

Get a Quote

Continue Reading

Angela and Kyle – Scripps Seaside Forum

Sunset Kiss at Scripps Seaside Forum

This Was My Wedding Venue

Every time I am the wedding DJ at Scripps Seaside Forum, I remember my own wedding day. The memories come rushing back and I relive all the precious moments I shared with my wife, family and close friends. This place is located on the cliffs of La Jolla Shores with a 180 degree view of the ocean. You can see South to La Jolla Cove and North to Scripps Pier.

Kyle and Angela were looking to start off very traditionally with the ceremony and end with jackets, ties and shoes all off. As guests arrived I kept an elegant vibe with songs by the Piano Guys and Vitamin String Quartet. Once all the formalities of the ceremony were done and the bride and groom were married, I played the requested song of  “Ordinary Girl” by Rebelution for their recession. The party started promptly after with jock jams and reggae for the cocktail hour.

I know the Venue Well

The wireless signals here get very tricky because of the ocean, the boats and Scripps Pier. There are so many disruptive signals that interference is quit common for wireless devises. Having done The Forum so many times, I figured out the best frequencies and techniques to delivery quality wireless signals.

A super cute moment that was pretty unique happened during the mother son dance. The mother of the groom insisted that I not tell the groom what the song they would dance to would be. It was the classic “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” that you hear during the 7th inning stretch at a baseball game. While the Mother and Son danced, the guests all sang along as loud as they could. It’s moments like these that bring joy to my business.

Continue Reading

Kyle and Julie – Bali Hai

Bali Hai Ceremony

Island Vibe Wedding

Bali Hai is located in San Diego on Shelter Island and is surrounded by the scenic views of downtown, Coronado and the harbor. It is a tropical themed restaurant and bar with two reception spaces and a ceremony area. Many of the people that work there have done so for many years which shows in their professionalism and personalities. I average 6-10 weddings a year there and love to work there because it feels like I am on vacation.

Kyle and Julie wanted their wedding to feel like it was a destination wedding and they picked the perfect venue. They also picked the perfect wedding DJ to provide the perfect island vibe soundtrack.

Island Music

The guests arrived to a playlist of island music complete with Ukulele and slide guitars to give that Aloha vibe. Cocktail music was a mix of reggae and acoustic music which I like to call “Beach Style.” As guests entered the reception room, I switched the music up to a jazzy vibe with artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Bobby Darin, Nat King Cole and Sam Cooke. Once it was time for open dancing, I took a generational approach which is to play older music first and get more contemporary as the night went on.

The night ended on a high note with a sing along of Bohemian Rhapsody. Everyone got in a big circle on the dance floor with Kyle and Julie in the middle. Once the song ended, there was a group huge initiated by high emotion and love.

Get a Quote

Continue Reading

Amy and Michelle – Andaz San Diego

Andaz San Diego

Downtown San Diego Wedding

I’ve played at the Andaz San Diego for almost a decade now and I started back when it was called the Ivy Hotel. Many late nights were spent there playing in the downstairs club that has since been transformed into an event place.

Amy and Michelle reached out to me to be their wedding DJ. A past wedding client as well as an old bar industry buddy of mine referred them to me. They were looking to have a short reception on the roof with nothing formal. All they wanted was a night of cocktails and high energy dancing.

Ready to Party at Andaz San Diego!

I kicked off the celebration with some light cocktail music. When it became time to introduce the brides Amy and Michelle, every one was ready get down on the dance floor. The dance floor was packed the entire evening. A special request was “Sandstorm” by Darude. As soon as I played that track, everyone went crazy. Good times!

Get a Quote

Continue Reading

Genzyme Corporate Party – Parq Nightclub

Coproate Event Parq nightclub

Corporate Event DJ

Genzyme, a Bio-Tech company from Canada, reached out to one of my clients to organize some entertainment for an after party at Parq Nightclub. The representative from Genzyme was very concerned about ending up with a crappy corporate event DJ. My client assured them that they had one of the best corporate event DJ options available in town, me!

The night started with an awards presentation. I have done many of these types of awards presentations where I play walk up music and filler songs. Dinner started after the awards where I played Frank Sinatra, Elle Fitzgerald and some Sam Cooke. Once they were ready to party, I opened up the dance floor with Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough.” The night continued with high energy dance music until last call. Both my clients were very pleased and high fives were passed out on the way out.

Continue Reading
1 8 9 10 11 12 17