Part 2 of my interview with DJ Derek Tobler
I hope that you will enjoy Part 2 of my interview with Derek. If you missed Part 1 you can read it anytime!
Claire: How long have you been a DJ?
Derek: I got my start as a DJ while I was working on my undergraduate degree and decided to make this my career after I graduated with a degree in music business. So that makes it about eleven years ago that I did my first event (which happened to be a wedding). I will always remember feeling excited at the opportunity and honored that I was invited to play a key role at this couple’s wedding. The night was amazing and I felt ten feet tall with pride at the end. That is a feeling that I still carry with me every weekend.
Claire: Do you offer any unique “extra” services?
Derek: In addition to playing music and acting as the Emcee for the day, I also have a few additional services available:
I have a background in ballroom, Latin, 
swing and country dance and, if a couple is interested, I will choreograph a first dance for them that is fun and easy to remember. Couples will take two to several private lessons with me and learn some steps that give their first dance a whole new look and meaning. It will also give them some time together and may provide some a stress release that allows them to get away from the planning process for a few moments. Friends and family are always impressed with this newly acquired skill and it adds an elegant touch to the reception.
At their ceremony I can provide any type of music they like as a low-cost option to having live musicians. And I have the ability to supply their wedding Officiant with a lapel microphone and set up another wireless microphone on a stand for any readings during the ceremony. As a general guide, I recommend having the ceremony amplified if they have around 75 guests or more attending. It may be hard to hear what is being said for a large group without microphones. Smaller weddings are more intimate and will feel that way without microphones.
A popular addition to many receptions now is showing a picture/video montage set to music of the couple and their family and friends through the years. It takes the families on a stroll down memory lane and provides a glimpse into their pasts that many of their guests may have never seen before. I don’t make this video, but I do have a video projector, portable screen, and dvd player that sets up in minutes and hooks into my sound system to handle the presentation. Usually this takes place toward the end of dinner before dancing, and always produces a few laughs and tears. You or a family member may choose to make this, but hiring a professional will make it shine and take the stress out of adding one more thing to get done before the wedding.
Claire: Do you have any other advice for couples planning a wedding?
Derek: Your guests will feed off of your energy on your wedding day. One of the longest receptions I ever was a part of went nine hours past the cocktail hour. The bride and groom barely left the dance floor after dinner and their family and friends were right there with them until the end. That doesn’t mean that if you don’t dance your guests won’t either. You can trust in your DJ to take care of that part. The point is that your guests are there for you and if it seems to them that you’re there to have fun then they will reciprocate. Put the right vendors in place to handle all the details for you. Then, after the vows, let loose and have fun!
I also recommend hiring an event coordinator or “wedding planner” to help throughout the planning process or a least for the day of the wedding. They provide an invaluable service that gives the couple and their families peace of mind that every little detail will be handled smoothly leading up to and the day of their wedding.
Once a couple called me for a single dance lesson the day before their wedding. The bride looked like she hadn’t slept well, and in fact had not slept at all. She had been up the night before trying to make 175 individual wedding favors for her guests that she had forgotten about. She expressed to me that she wished she had hired someone to keep track of all the little details.
And don’t forget to eat something at the reception! I’ve seen a bride or two lose some steam as they got into the late hours of the reception (never a groom, though – they always seem to find the energy). You’ll need your strength to be able to keep up with your guests who are there to have an amazing time celebrating with you. Enjoy!
NOTE: I hope that our interview has been interesting and helpful. Feel free to contact Derek anytime to see if he is available for your date:
Contact Info. for DJ Derek Tobler:
~ phone: 434-296-6689
~ website: www.djtobler.com
~ e-mail: djtobler@netzero.com
I’d love to hear from you…please let me know if you’ve found this interview helpful. ~ Claire
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