A Sherwood Country Club Wedding; from the DJ’s perspective.
Posted by Jason | Filed under L.A. Wedding Reception Venues
I gotta tell ya, I honestly love my job, I love our company, and I love working with so many great people, clients and colleagues alike. On September 5th, I was the Wedding DJ at Sherwood Country Club for Toni and Maxx, and I absolutely love it there. It’s a gorgeous place that reminds me so much of many of the venues and country clubs in my home state of North Carolina, or even many parts of Virginia. The clubhouse has a Georgian or colonial style architecture, built with tens of thousands of bricks and adorned with gleaming white trim and moldings.
Sherwood CC is manicured so well, you’ll think Disney World moved to Westlake, California. One thing is certain, if you’re having a Wedding here, your photos will look amazing, because there isn’t an inch of this property that isn’t picture perfect. Although it seems annoying at first, all of the vendors like myself are required to wear dress slacks and a collared shirt to set up their gear. No shorts, t-shirts without collars or denim allowed. But, that’s fine with me, I always wear a nicely tailored suit while DJing a Wedding, so I change into that after the set-up is complete.
As pristine and ornate as Sherwood is, you still have permission to party and have lots of fun, and Maxx and Toni’s Wedding was no exception. They even had an early wedding, which ended well before evening, and it was still a blast. Unfortunately, many early weddings are not the most fun, but I honestly have to say, this one rocked! Of course, some of the credit goes to the DJ, right? But truthfully, this was a great group of guests, which always makes my job easier. The guest list included 2 other couples whose weddings I have DJ’d recently. I’m beginning to see the positive residual effects of Read the rest of this entry »
Bride and Groom’s First Dance Idea: A Candlelight Dance?
Posted by Chris | Filed under Wedding Planning
A few weeks ago I was the DJ for Tony and Niya’s wedding at Hartleys Botanica Gardens, one of our most frequented Wedding Reception sites in Ventura County. This couple had several unique ideas at their wedding, but most impressive was their very different approach to the Bride and Groom’s 1st dance. Everything was prearranged with me, the Master of Ceremonies, so I knew how to organize this special moment to make it easy for the guests and perfect for the Bride and Groom. We had all the guests, 150 in total, come up to the dance floor and make a big circle around the floor where the Bride and Groom would soon bask in this beautiful limelight. Then, the guests were given candles to light from the unity candle. The end result was truly moving. This was one of the prettiest 1st Dances I have ever seen in over 17 years of working as a Wedding DJ. If you’re having an outdoor wedding, you may want to consider this idea. You will need to check with your venue first, and most likely you’ll need some type of fire permit. I can’t offer much more advice on that but I can tell you that a Candlelight First Dance is stunning and truly unforgettable! Just take a look at that photo again.
Read the rest of this entry »
Wedding Ceremony Music: Does It Have to be so traditional???
Posted by Chris | Filed under Wedding DJ Advice
So being a DJ for 20 years now, I’ve done my fair share of wedding ceremonies and receptions. It’s got me thinking about ceremony music, when provided by the DJ. I always seem to get the same question time after time. “What type of music should we play for our ceremony?” “We have no idea what to choose for the ceremony, Help!” I can remember 5-10 years ago it was a no brain-er DJ’s would always suggest the following:
“Bridal party can walk into Canon in D by Pachelbel, the Bride must walk into some sort of Bridal March and the exit as Husband and Wife should by Wedding March by Mendelssohn or a second choice of Spring (From The Four Seasons) by Vivaldi.
Flash forward 10 years now, and that’s not the case anymore. Of course you’ve probably seen the video on you tube of The Best Wedding Entrance Dance Ever – Chris Brown – Forever when the bridal party is walking down the isle to Chris Brown’s pop song-Forever. AND WHY NOT??? Read the rest of this entry »
Los Robles Greens Wedding and Banquet Center
Posted by Jason | Filed under L.A. Wedding Reception Venues
A few weeks ago our company was hired and I was the DJ for Justin and Casey’s Wedding at Los Robles Country Club, also known as Los Robles Greens, in Thousand Oaks, CA. This is the second time Elegant Event Entertainment, Inc. has been there this year and each event was really great. The staff at Los Robles is extremely professional and helpful to their clients and other outside vendors like ourselves. We really enjoy working at this facility.
If you’re considering a wedding at Los Robles Greens, I can certainly attest to the fact that it’s a very nice place for a wedding in Thousand Oaks. The views of the golf course and mountains in the distance can be enjoyed by all during your Ceremony and throughout the reception. The Banquet hall has floor to ceiling windows which spotlight the views.
Read the rest of this entry »
LA Wedding DJs first Wedding at Shade Hotel
Posted by Chris | Filed under L.A. Wedding Reception Venues
This past weekend I had the privilege of DJing a wedding at a boutique hotel in Manhattan Beach. If you’re looking for a beach setting, have a smaller, more intimate guest list, then the Shade Hotel is right for you.
The Shade Hotel is beyond gorgeous and beautifully kept! This was Elegant Event Entertainment’s first time to work in this hotel and I speak on behalf of our company by saying, it’s a great spot. For anyone looking to get married somewhere unique and special…especially a Los Angeles Beach Wedding, THIS IS YOUR PLACE!!! They go out of their way to make your special day INCREDIBLE. Sitting on the roof of the Shade Hotel provides an exquisite 360 degree backdrop of Manhattan Beach and the Ocean. Though the deck only holds about 75-80 people, it makes for a very friendly & cozy environment.
The staff was extraordinarily helpful – they treated me like a guest rather than hired help and I appreciate it. From Jen Peterson (wedding Coordinator) to the gentlemen parking the cars, everyone was so accommodating and extremely friendly. They are a top-notch establishment that left me impressed.
Photography-Cheryl of Ogden Photography was extremely professional and a dream to work with.
I am really looking forward to seeing her photos and working with her again. She knows her stuff as a photographer and knows our industry really well.
I want to personally thank all of the Cast and Crew of this beautiful Wedding at the Shade Hotel, and offer a special Thanks and Congratulations to the Bride and Groom Cheryl & Cooper!
Macy’s Cosmetic Department Giveway at Westfield Topanga Mall
Posted by Jason | Filed under Announcement
On May 2, 2009 the cosmetic and fragrance department at Macy’s Department store in the Westfield Topanga Mall will be hosting an event for all customers, featuring new product lines for Spring and Summer as well as great raffle giveaways to shoppers. Elegant Event Entertainment will be there with DJ Lucid spinning tight grooves and Los Angeles DJ Jason Jones will be the MC for the event. You can find us on the main floor of Macy’s Topanga from 12-5pm. Brides and Grooms, this is a great opportunity to try new product lines and find great deals on cosmetics so you can look your best on your big day. You will also find some very nice gifts for your Wedding Party at this event. Enter to win prizes including a Cosmetic gift basket valued at over $500.00! Don’t forget Mother’s Day is right around the corner as well, and mom loves Cosmetics and Fragrances from Macy’s. Bring your fiance, bring your friends, bring your mom, and come by and say hi to DJ Jason Jones and DJ Lucid of Elegant Event Entertainment.
We look forward to seeing you there!
When: May 2, 2009
Where: Macy’s Department Store Westfield Topanga Mall in Woodland Hills/Canoga Park, California
Time: 12-5pm
Planning your First Dance; our recent songs list
Posted by Jason | Filed under wedding tips
The Bride and Groom First Dance is one of the happiest moments of the entire Wedding Reception. As you plan your wedding, it’s one of the many little decisions you’ll make along the way.
The placement of the First Dance in the schedule is a personal choice. In most cases the First Dance follows the Grand Entrance into the reception room pretty much immediately. When this is done, the meal usually follows and open dancing is scheduled later, this can allow the Bride and Groom to have their special moment as soon as they enter, with all eyes on them, and it also relieves the stress for the rest of the evening because the hard part is over, now it’s time to let loose and have fun. You can break that pattern if you need to and we’ve seen the first dance influenced by the logistics of the event location and the style of the event. Some Weddings are very non-traditional, or have longer receptions, and it’s often appropriate to hold the First Dance after the meal.
Even if you do not like to be in the spotlight, our suggestion is to keep in mind that this is one moment your guests will want to see and it is one of the most memorable moments of your wedding. We suggest taking a few dance lessons to ease the pressure and loosen up for the dance. If you aren’t the dancing type, don’t try to choreograph a complex Sir Mix-A-Lot surprise dance routine, it will seem too arranged. But dance lessons can definitely help you to look and feel as natural as possible for your First Dance.
But what song to use! Read the rest of this entry »
Cafe Mozart Wedding
Posted by Jason | Filed under Orange County Wedding Reception Venues
Ah, early April in Southern California. Gorgeous weather, blue skies, a light breeze. There is no better place in the country to have a wedding than in Socal, the weather is almost always cooperative. Recently, I was hired to DJ a wedding at Cafe Mozart, a restaurant and Event facility in San Juan Capistrano. Although the drive for me personally is a little far, I was so pleasantly surprised by this place that I wouldn’t mind working there every week, but since we have Orange County Wedding DJs who work for Elegant Event Entertainment and live further south, they too will love to DJ events at this location.
The owners chef Hans and his wife Carla are wonderful people and both are great chefs. Hans is a highly trained European chef and Carla is an incredible pastry chef, she makes the Wedding Cakes, so you can check that off your list right away. The cake at this wedding was gorgeous and tasted great! 
The food was wonderful, from the passed hors d’oeuvres to the salads and entree, I could tell everyone was enjoying the food immensely, which is not something you always expect at wedding facilities. Nevertheless, the ambiance of this quaint reception area is set in a courtyard with a beautiful fountain flowing gently throughout your reception, the architecture has that wonderful Spanish influence, and the lighting is very romantic when the sun goes down, reducing the need for any outside lighting to be rented and brought in, which can be a costly venture. This facility also holds events inside for up to 150 people and outside up to 250. Read the rest of this entry »
Planning a Los Angeles Wedding? Create a Timetable.
Posted by Chris | Filed under Wedding Planning
I was going through the web today looking for content and I came across this blog. Planning a wedding, the timetable I asked myself, “are brides creating a timetable these days?” Recently its seems that DJs are among the last vendors to be booked. We have received calls from clients asking us to DJ their Wedding with less than 4 weeks to spare before their event. In this time-table linked above, the author suggests booking your entertainment or DJ about 6-9 months prior to the event.
In an effort to help our clients, I would like to suggest a few reasons why you might want to consider booking a DJ (especially some of the more competitive Los Angeles DJs) well in advance of your event. Although I have done it numerous times in my career, as a DJ, I don’t like to just show up and play music the day of your Wedding. The DJ likes to get a feel for your vision for your Wedding, and it takes time and communication to carry that out. We will often speak with the venue or your other vendors to arrange and organize the timeline and flow of events, we spend time collecting and arranging music, we set and take meetings or phone consultations with bride and grooms, etc… If you wait until the last minute to book your DJ, it leaves us little time to prepare your entertainment and to make sure that everything runs smoothly. I’m confident that all of us at Elegant Event Entertainment can easily pull off a great Wedding even if we have very little time to prepare for it, but it is so much nicer to have that time to bond with my clients and help them realize their dreams for the perfect wedding.
Furthermore, my services as a DJ are based upon my availability. Many Brides and Grooms do book their DJ well in advance, and they often have the pick of the cream of the crop for DJs and Entertainment Companies that best suit their needs and budgets. Our company only hires very talented and experienced Wedding DJs, but each of their personalities are different. If a client waits too long, they may not find that match with the DJ they’re looking for, simply because the DJ has already been booked. Read the rest of this entry »
A Tasty Way To Make Every Penny Work Double-Time
Posted by Chris | Filed under wedding tips
This blog caught my attention. A clever idea!!!! Photo by: Forever Photography by Kylene
If you are an experienced wedding DJ who loves working to serve the needs of your clients,