Guest Post by Rick Haggard

This year I celebrate 20 years of entertaining at weddings and private events! As a DJ, I know that a great musical presentation personalized to the taste of my clients will help create a great celebration. As a Master Of Ceremonies, I know that a warm, friendly, and personalized presentation of the wedding “events” (toasts, speeches, cake cutting, bridal party introductions, etc.) will not only involve the guests, but also serves to fuel the party later. One of my main goals as an MC is to establish rapport and trust with the audience.
One of my favorite ways to do that is to share the couple’s Love Story with their guests. Just before the end of the meal, the Love Story chairs pictured here are placed on the dance floor just in front of the DJ booth. Guests are instructed to freshen their drinks and take their seats so that we may share with them how it is that they all came to be here on this one day! The bride and groom take their seats and their Love Story unfolds.

The guests hear about the couple’s first meeting, first date, first kiss and all the significant other first that mark the path to a marriage. The bride and groom react along with the guests as this is also the first time they have each heard the other’s version of the story. There are many moments of both sweetness and humor between them as the story is told. The unique personalities of both come shining through and the guests also get a glimpse into the dynamics that make them a “couple”.
Guests are also part of the Love Story, whether it’s the girlfriend of the bride who introduced them, the fraternity brothers of the groom, parents, grandparents, even the “friend” of the groom who lets the cat out of the bag about the proposal (true story!). Everyone present who has a place in the story is also asked to stand and be recognized, bringing even more life to the Love Story.

Occasional music and sound bites punctuate what is basically a low tech, but very “human” storytelling. Not a lot of flash, but an overabundance of warm and emotion that really serves to make each and every guest feel like they are indeed part of this unique Love Story.

Finally, the details of the proposal are revealed. As the Love Story ends, the bride and groom each share their feelings about the other and why this is the “perfect partner” for them. The guests, who have spent the last ten minutes running the gamut from tears to laughs, now share in the first dance as husband and wife as the chairs are pulled away and they step onto the dance floor. It is only natural that they then want to share in the ensuing party! The Love Story is the ultimate kick off to the celebration!
The Love Story is not a shtick, but a gift to my clients. Their sharing of the story is, in turn, a gift to their friends and family, many of whom have traveled far to be there for this one very special day. The celebration that follows completes the circle by returning that gift my clients in the form of a warm and supportive acknowledgment of their love as well as a great party!

We thank our good friends Mark and Rebecca Ferrell, originators of the Love Story, for sharing it with us. Thanks to them, we are part of a small group of Love Story DJs . I say “we” because the Love Story also involves my wife, Mary Liz, who helps me with the editing and blending of the story as well as serving as my feminine conscience. As you brides may imagine, the best ideas usually come from her.

Feel free to contact me at any time to inquire about the Love Story and the other unique services that we offer to enhance our client’s day!

Contact information for Rick Haggard Entertainment:
e-mail: rictrax@hotmail.com
website: www.DJRickHaggard.com
phone: 434-960-2705

Last month I had the pleasure of performing Adrienne & Jason’s ceremony at beautiful King Family Vineyard. It was a spectacular fall day and I was so pleased when I arrived at the Vineyard and discovered that Linda and Ran Henry of Blue Mountain Weddings would be photographing the event. As you can see from this small selection of photos, Ran and Linda did a wonderful job of capturing Adrienne & Jason’s beautiful autumn wedding. One of the unique features of this dynamic husband and wife team is that not only did they supply excellent photography services but Ran also provided his first-rate DJ services as well! Enjoy these fabulous pics:

Contact Information for Ran & Linda Henry of Blue Mountain Weddings:
~ website: www.bluemountainweddings.com
~ phone: 434-227-1253
~ e-mail: RanandLinda@bluemountainweddings.com

P.S. Blue Mountain Weddings also offers professional videography services and they can webcast your ceremony over the internet for friends and family who can’t be with you.

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

Part 1 of my interview with DJ Derek Tobler

Having an experienced, professional DJ will have a huge impact on the overall success of your wedding day. Derek offers wonderful, practical advice and useful tips on how to go about hiring a DJ who will be sure everything runs smoothly and effortlessly on your big day.

Claire: What advice do you have for couples who are shopping for a DJ for their wedding?

Derek: An incredible amount of planning will go into this one day. And your DJ will have much more control over the outcome of the reception than you may realize right now. Find someone you feel will be there for you and that you trust to handle this incredible responsibility. Interview at least 3 and hire the DJ that understands the vision you have for your wedding. You are inviting this person to your wedding so make sure you would feel comfortable with them talking to your family and friends. I think you should try to hire your DJ as soon as possible, and as early as 12 to 18 months out (if time permits). When planning your reception some wedding sources recommend starting to look for a DJ 3 to 6 months prior to your wedding date. That time frame is generally okay to follow in large cities. However, in smaller towns like Charlottesville you could easily have a dozen weddings happening at the same time and only a handful of local DJs to choose from.

Claire: What questions should a couple ask a DJ that they’re considering hiring for their wedding?

Derek: It is important to be prepared and have a list ready when sitting down for an interview with a potential DJ. I’ll give a few that I feel are appropriate to ask and I would be happy to answer any of these in a meeting:

• Why are you in this profession and what do you like about being a DJ?
• How many weddings do you typically do in a year?
• How do you keep things unique from wedding to wedding?
• Do you provide the music and handle the announcements for the reception?
• How do we decide on a time line for the reception and what recommendations do you have to help things flow smoothly?
• Can we provide you with a list of music we do and do not want to hear?
• Do you have backup equipment?
• What happens if something happens and you are unable to be at our wedding?
• When will you arrive to set up for our wedding, what does your set up look like, and what do you wear while setting up, and at the reception?
• Can you provide music and microphones for our ceremony, music for our cocktail hour, and handle the reception even if they are all in different locations?
• Will you need to take breaks, require a meal, drink alcohol or smoke at our wedding?
• Can you tell us about one of your best or most memorable moments and one of your most difficult or challenging moments as a DJ?
• Can you provide a list of references from past weddings for us to check before booking?

Claire: How do you help couples decide on their music?

Derek: I really enjoy sitting down with couples to discuss their favorite music. It allows me to get to know them a little better and, if they want, make suggestions for key moments in the reception. This process is one of my favorite parts of the planning stage because here is where we get to make the wedding fun and unique. I make the music reflect their individual personalities and include their guests by playing a wide variety that appeals to everyone at the reception. Some couples want to provide me with every song for the night and I stick to their requests. On the other hand, many couples don’t want to have to choose every song and prefer to just provide me with a list of must plays and certain songs or types of music to stay away from. I find a way to fit every one of their favorite songs into the night and then read the crowd and take requests for the rest of the time. And I just want to reiterate that I always respect the do-not-play list we come up with together at our meeting.

NOTE: Be sure to check back next Friday for Part 2 of this interview. Meanwhile, feel free to contact Derek right away 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

Looking for a great DJ for your wedding? Well, let me introduce you to John Garland, one of the best! I took this photo of John last weekend in the beautiful ballroom at Veritas Vineyard where he was set up for an evening of great music and fun.

If you’d like to find out more about John’s DJ services you can visit his website or give him a call at 434-293-3332.

Well, of course I’ve written a fair number of posts highlighting the University of Virginia Chapel but it never fails to be a wonderful venue… especially full of meaning for the couples who choose to marry there often because the University was where they first met.

Last weekend this beautiful couple, Lauren and Aprotim, were married at the Chapel. Their ceremony included 2 simple rituals to honor their cultural and religious backgrounds. To honor Aprotim’s family’s tradition the couple exchanged beautiful flower garlands which, in India, signify not only a formal greeting but also respect and acceptance.

Later in the ceremony, to honor Lauren’s background, a Unity Candle ceremony was performed symbolizing these two unique individuals now joining to create a marriage partnership… the entire ceremony was very special and lovely. Lauren’s bridesmaids wore red dresses which with bright bouquets which complemented the garlands and really lit up the Chapel.

I was happy to find that DJ Derek Tobler was present to handle the music and microphone, Jason and Tammy Keefer took pictures (can’t wait to see them!) and Karen, from Hedge was the creator of the beautiful bouquets and garlands. Thanks to everyone for their great work and best of luck to you Lauren and Aprotim!

Derek Tobler is a great DJ… there is no doubt! I’ve done many weddings with Derek, including just this past Sunday at Veritas where I got to try out his brand new wireless lavalier microphone during the ceremony… it was great. Derek has been DJing for more than 10 years and it is obvious that he loves his work. He has great audio equipment, is dependable and just an all-round great person to work with! Derek helps his couples plan just the right music for their big day and set up a timeline for their event. He is professional and easy (and fun) to work with… what could be better? Music is the backdrop to your wedding day, so having someone who can help you create the experience of a lifetime is very important. Check out Derek’s website and give him a call (434-296-6689) to see if he’s available for your date!