Erin and Michael

I have had many types of clients over the years. Some are extremely detail-oriented. They like to give me excel spreadsheets and graphs and charts of their wedding day. Some even give me enough music requests for 3 or 4 wedding receptions. (That always makes me laugh!) Erin and Michael were just the opposite. Don't get me wrong...they were organized. They even requested some fun songs. But they were just so easy-going about everything which I thought was cool. They skipped the big formal Bridal Party Introduction and the Bouquet and Garter toss as well. Basically, they wanted to hear some great music, dance, and enjoy the time with their friends and family. And they did! Here is a pic of me taking some notes. I didn't even know the photographer took this picture until he sent it to me! Photos from Dai P. LuongErin and Michael chose Villa Ragusa in downtown Campbell to celebrate their wedding. I've been there many times and it is a great place for events! It was an intimate gathering for 60 of their friends and family. They danced to a variety of music from Michael Jackson to the Beatles and Justin Timberlake. Here are some of their special dances:

First Dance: "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds Five
Father-Daughter Dance: "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong
Farewell Dance: "Breathless" by Better Than Ezra
Here is a fun pic of the Groom, Michael, having fun on the dance floor with his friends and new wife Erin! Nice moves...and looking sharp!

You're The One That I Want

Margarita and Patrick had a very unique wedding day. For starters, it was on a Thursday!! Obviously, weddings during the middle of the week are very rare but Margarita and Patrick are not your average couple. They wanted to do something completely different to make it more memorable and they succeeded! They celebrated with their friends at The Brazilian Room at Tilden Park in Berkeley. What an incredible night! Here is a great "before" photo of them. Photos by Lucie XYZ. Many of my clients love the movie Grease. (and the music from the movie!) I love it too. However, this was the first time that one of my clients had an actual "Grease Theme". That's right, they all dressed the part and even performed a few songs! The guests were quite surprised and very entertained. Here is a picture of Sandy (oops, I mean Margarita!) performing with The Pink Ladies. That was cool!Margarita has an incredible spirit about her and you can't help but feel happy and positive in here presence. We had a lot of fun planning all of the details of the wedding day. We even got together for lunch one day for some killer Indian food as we brainstormed the big day. I just received a sweet e-mail from her thanking me. I am the one who is so thankful and honored that I got to be a part of their very special day.

Advice: Dimming The Lights

Many venues think it is very romantic to dim the lights once the dancing starts. Others think that people won't dance if the lights are too bright. (Wrong!) Don't get me wrong, dimming the lights a little is okay. Some people take it to the extreme though. I was at a venue just a few weeks ago where the person in charge dimmed them so low that we could barely see each other. It felt like a cheesy dive-lounge. I was waiting for some Frank Sinatra impersonator to pop out and start singing.

Personally, when I dance with my girlfriend, I want to be able to see her face! The sad part is, the video and photographer's work usually suffers because they have to use those bright flashes and lights that blind and annoy everyone. And who pays the ultimate price? You do! You will see shadows and more in your photos and video. I usually have to go and tell someone to turn the lights back up. Make sure you tell the person in charge of your reception at the facility ahead of time not to dim the lights too low at your reception. You will be glad you did. (And so will your photographer and videographer)

Penn State vs. Cornell

Was that a Wedding Reception or College Night at the Crowne Plaza Cabaña Hotel in Palo Alto last night? Okay, it was a Wedding Reception. (Although the collegiate spirit was definitely in the air!) Leah went to Penn State. Alex went to Cornell. 2 great Universities. Fortunately, Leah and Alex agreed to put their scholastic differences aside to get married. lol. What a fun crowd....all 270 of them!

Here is a pic of Leah and Alex dancing with their guests. The woman to the right of them in the picture in the beautiful coral and white dress is Leah's cousin Cindy with her husband Eric. They had an awesome Rock & Roll Wedding that I got to DJ a few months ago. Neither of them knew that the other hired me as their DJ so it was a great surprise for all. They had two completely different weddings but both were very fun.I knew this was going to be one of those super-fun, crazy nights just by the energy and enthusiasm of the guests as I was introducing everyone. They were very lively and everyone clapped along to "I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas as I introduced the parents and Bridal Party. As Leah and Alex entered the room, they asked me to play a different song... "Don't Stop til ya Get Enough" by Michael Jackson. It was fun to watch them dance their way into the room. I took a lot of requests last night and they danced to a variety of music including Italian and Salsa.

Here were their special dance songs:

First Dance: "Broken" by Jack Johnson
Father-Daughter: "Surfer Girl" by the Beach Boys
Groom-Mother: "You are The Sunshine of My Life" by Stevie Wonder

Janice and David

Janice and David hired me to be the DJ and MC for their Wedding Reception at The Adobe Lodge on the campus of Santa Clara University. They didn't have to interview any other DJ's because I was the DJ at her sister Eunice's Wedding Reception in 2008 and they knew exactly what they were getting and that there would be no surprises. (Of course, I was the one who was completely surprised when her sister showed up to the wedding pregnant!) Oh my God! What happened? lol.

After the ceremony at The Mission, the 125 guests enjoyed cocktails and dinner outside on the lawn. They later came inside for the dancing and cake. Here is a great shot of them entering the dinner area as I introduced them to the guests for the first time as husband and wife.
Their Special Dances:

First Dance: "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" - Izzy (Israel K)
Father-Daughter: "Isn't She Lovely" - Stevie Wonder
Groom-Mother: "Have I told You Lately" - Rod Stewart
Farewell Dance" "Let's Get it On" - Marvin Gaye

Th night was planned out perfectly. It was amazing how things just flowed. The guests were fun. The dinner was perfect. They had a great variety of music for everyone. The toasts were absolutely incredible. (Especially when David toasted his new wife Janice after they cut the cake) It was one of the most beautiful, heart-felt, and romantic toasts I have ever witnessed. I wish I had a copy of it to share with you. Obviously, this man is head-over-heels in love with this woman and he has no problem communicating it. Good job David!

A Date With Destiny

This is a love story that will put a warm feeling in your heart and a smile on your face. And if you are like me, you will probably get a whole bunch of goosebumps as well. Mike and Katie's story didn't start out so pretty. In fact, it was quite scary. But I am sure you will agree that the end result is wonderful, magical, and definitely inspirational.

When Mike was 17, he had a near-fatal ski accident in Ontario, Canada. He had 7 jaw fractures, a broken nose, a broken cheek bone, and worst of all, a hematoma in his left frontal lobe that required immediate brain surgery. After the surgery, he fell into a coma for almost a week. Doctors told him he would never be the same again. They were wrong.

When Katie was 18, she was involved in terrible high-speed auto accident with 5 of her friends, the morning after her High School Prom. That accident left her with a traumatic brain injury, fractured skull, punctured/collapsed lungs, and severe neck and spinal cord damage. She was in a coma for 3 months. When she came out of her coma, she was paralyzed for over a year. She had to learn to walk again. Now, she walks 18 miles every Saturday with her mom, just because she can!

2 accidents. 2 comas. 2 hospitals. 2 completely separate lives.

Fast forward to 2008...Mike and Katie meet through online dating site e-harmony.com and noticed that they had amazingly similar characters, personalities, spirits, passions, and energies. Neither of them knew about each other's accident and coma, since they were not mentioned in their profiles. They met, had an amazing connection almost instantly, and fell in love. One year later, they got married! And something even more crazy? The husband of their Pastor who married them was in a motorcycle accident and was also in a coma. What are the odds? How many people do you know who have been in a coma? Was this the aligning of the planets? Fate? Destiny? A miracle? Yes!

They shared this with me: "Throughout each of our recoveries, the love and support of family and friends were paramount to helping us each come through to live complete, enriching, and wonderfully blessed lives again."

You can't help but have such happiness for them and cheer them on! Here is a fun photo of them both having a great time dancing.Obviously, this day was not only about celebrating their love...it was also about celebrating life. Mike and Katie had a beautiful wedding and celebration for 70 of their closest friends at the Stanford Park Hotel. It was an extraordinary day. They picked out most of the fun music for the evening, and both of their brother's Dave and Andrew were guest MC's. They even played a fun game where the guests got to step up to the Microphone to tell a joke. If it was a funny joke, they kissed! Fortunately, most of the jokes were funny so there was a lot of kissing.
Here is a great shot of Mike letting loose and having some fun on the dance floor. My kind of guy! Special songs they picked out for their reception:

First Dance: "At Last" - Etta James
Father-Daughter Dance: "My Girl" - The Temptations
Farewell Dance: "You're The Inspiration" - Chicago

Overall, it was an awesome night and a very special treat for me to be there. I still get goosebumps when I think about them.