Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Weddings at the LA Music Center
Posted by Jason | Filed under L.A. Wedding Reception Venues
Our DJs have an opportunity to work at different Wedding Venues in Los Angeles nearly every weekend, and occasionally we like to write about some of the more interesting venues in LA. Recently, I had the opportunity to DJ a Wedding at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the LA Music Center in downtown Los Angeles and was pleasantly surprised by many aspects of this venue. As a Wedding Vendor, I have to admit, I often worry about the logistics of working events in urban areas and tend to prefer some of the Garden Wedding Venues out in the more rural parts of LA and Ventura counties. Obviously, the more commercial the venue, the more problems vendors tend to have with parking, traffic, load in, etc… However, the parking for the LA Music Center is quite easy. The Bride and Groom will need to reserve parking for their vendors and guests, but the parking attendants were very accomodating to my needs as a DJ with all my equipment to have to load in and take up to the 5th floor Ballroom where the wedding was held. The staff were all very nice and accommodating as well and I found the service, food, and atmosphere to all be really great.
And speaking of atmosphere, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is adjacent to the amazing architectural gem, the Walt Disney Concert Hall designed by Frank Gehry. The concert hall and the entire campus of the LA Music Center create endless backdrops for brilliant Wedding Photography, like these by our friend Heidi Ryder Photography. The interior of the ballroom is spacious and can be divided by air walls. You can host your both Ceremony and Reception here, and the floor to ceiling windows offer ther city scape in the background to accent the event throughout the night.
I’ve included a highlight video at the bottom of this post, that I put together for Bride and Groom Alexis and Mitch whose wedding was held at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion back in March. Take a look at some of the interior footage of the ballroom to see what your wedding might look like in the space. Add Wireless LED Uplights which we are now proud to offer to help accent the room with splashes of colored lighting.
Our thanks again to the staff of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the LA Music Center, please contact them for more information about their facility and if you need DJ services, we’d love to help! Happy Planning.
Maravilla Gardens Wedding Showcase and Open House
Posted by Jason | Filed under Announcement
On Friday, April 30th, 2010 from 6-9pm, Elegant Event Entertainment will exhibit our Ventura County Wedding DJ Services at the Maravilla Gardens Wedding Showcase. This will be an Open House event, allowing Brides and Grooms to view the beautiful property in an evening setting, to see precisely what their wedding day will look like. Attendees will also have an opportunity to taste the marvelous creations of the exclusive catering company Command Performance Catering. In addition, there will be numerous preferred vendors on hand to answer questions about the services they provide. These Services include Photographers, Cake Bakeries, Florists, and DJ Services provided by Elegant Event Entertainment. 
The venue will be staged with numerous event rentals to give Brides and Grooms great ideas to enhance their guests experience for the wedding. Attendees will have a chance to view table settings and linens, tents and canopies, upgraded lighting, lounge style seating, and much more.
The lush gardens and intimate setting of this gorgeous Ventura County Wedding Venue is located in Camarillo on Santa Rosa Road. The property, which once belonged to the Camarillo Family, later purchased by the Maravilla Family who have owned it since the early 1970′s. Their expertise in Gardening and Landscape design led them to begin hosting weddings at the property in 2003, and now, they accommodate up to 60 Weddings per year.
Maravilla Gardens is yours and yours alone for the day of your wedding, only 1 wedding is allowed per day on the property, which makes this facility unique and sought after in Ventura County. The venue is located just 50 miles from downtown Los Angeles, and you’ll never feel further away from the hustle and bustle of city life. For more information about this facility or if you would like to attend the Open House please contact Command Performance Catering or Maravilla Gardens for an invitation.
If you need DJ Services for your special day at Maravilla or any other wedding venue in Southern California, please feel free to fill out our no obligation contact form. On behalf of all the vendors involved in this showcase, we hope to see you this Friday and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to work with you for your very special day. Best Wishes!
Vendors Attending the Showcase:
Elegant Event Entertainment
A Beautiful Day Productions
Yamaguchi Flowers
Skiff’s Cakes
Pastries by Vreeke
Courtyard by Marriott
Evening Entertainment
Mr. Loki Productions
Rev. Barbara Laughray
Kimberlee Miller Photography
Alex Newman Photography
Photography by Charise
A Rental Connection
Belle of the Ball Designs
LA Photobooth
The Importance of Loving the Wedding Vendors you hire
Posted by Jason | Filed under Event Planning Tips
Our Event Planning Intern, Leslie has been very eager and excited to learn all about Weddings. Recently I assigned her the task of researching other Wedding related Blogs and telling me about some of her favorites so I could re-post those articles on our site, for our clients to read and enjoy. Here’s one article she found and what she said about the article:
From Leslie, Elegant Event Entertainment Event Planning Division–
“I found a great Blog on Planning that caught my attention…’Planning…Forever Events Blog‘, . The blog is titled, “love your wedding florist“, and it’s from the site’s special series, “loving your wedding vendors.” I am quite knowledgeable on how a wedding DJ gets their “amazing” title due to working with Elegant Event Entertainment’s DJ division, and reading all of the blogs on the EEE site; however, I didn’t know many of the details about other wedding vendors. Reading this blog gave me a better understanding that the wedding florist is just as important as any other planned detail of the wedding. I now know that one should trust their wedding florist, due to the simplest fact that being a florist is their chosen profession and it’s what they do week in and week out, they are a Professional in their field, they make it their business to know a zillion kinds of flowers.
This article’s “behind the scenes” was a great story.You see that a well trained florist can work under any amount of pressure. When problems occur at the last minute, they get worked through and fixed versus simply saying, “too bad, the bride is going to have to deal with these arrangements, and like it.” The florists in this article showed how important it is to put the bride’s needs first by giving everything they had to the event and rearranging the flowers to the bride’s highest expectations. This also showed dedication and professionalism, which is a necessity in the wedding industry.
Read the rest of this entry »
Moorpark Country Club, a great location for a Wedding.
Posted by Jason | Filed under L.A. Wedding Reception Venues
I hope my reviews of Wedding locations in Southern California aren’t all beginning to sound repetitious, but I must say, this summer our company has been working at so many great wedding and banquet facilities that I felt the need to write about each of them. I honestly can’t think of any bad things to say about these venues and while I know they are all distinctly different, I want to share with you why I like each one of them individually.
Moorpark Country Club is no exception, I really like it there. Located on a beautifully manicured golf course in the hills of Moorpark, California, this facility is a great venue for your wedding or any event. The scenery is great, the hills are beautiful, the banquet room is large but very nice. The Ceremony location is on the property and features a gorgeous and intimate gazebo with lots of mature vegetation and landscaping. The grounds and facilities are above par, no pun intended!
I was honored to be the DJ at Pamela and Eran’s wedding on August 23, 2009 and it was a perfect day for this bride and groom. I must admit, the service at the country club is stellar, the banquet manager Jarvis is one of the kindest and most accommodating people in this industry, every Bride and Groom will love him. Director of Catering Anna Padilla is also great, she has had many years of experience in the Wedding industry, having a great career at a few of the premier properties here in Ventura County, she has exhibited vast knowledge and great professionalism in her field. Anna is passionate about what she does, and so is her staff at Moorpark Country Club , which is why our company loves to work there!
This wedding was a perfect example of cohesion between great wedding vendors in Ventura county, we had Suzie of Your Neighborhood Florist working her magic with the flowers, our great friend Josh Beller of Mi Belle Photography who also provided the photos for this article, Moonlight Video Productions shot the live action, the beautiful cake was provided by For Heavens Cakes, and of course, providing the entertainment was me, DJ Jason Jones of Elegant Event Entertainment! Read the rest of this entry »
A Wonderful Wedding at The Westlake Hyatt
Posted by Chris | Filed under Ventura County Wedding Venues
Well, it was another perfect day for a Wedding DJ in Thousand Oaks, California. I was the DJ for Antoine and Yolanda’s wedding atWestlake Hyatt Even though other talent at Elegant Event Entertainment have done weddings and events there in the past, this was the 1st time I have actually DJ’d a wedding there. I’ve been to the hotel numerous times, our company has exhibited for the bridal shows held there 2 times each year, and I have attended a few weddings there as well. Being on the other side I must say I was quite impressed with the hotel and staff, which was led by Jessica Haik, a true professional in the hospitality and event industry. Along with the help of Rose Ortega of Rose Petal Events,Antoine and Yolanda’s wedding planner , together Jessica and Rose turned one of the restaurants at Westlake Hyatt into a very elegant room fit for a perfect wedding. One of my favorite touches was rose petals placed throughout the room. Paco Arias ofPaco Arias Photography provided the photography services, and I am sure he captured the event with style and professionalism. I look forward to seeing the photos.
I was raised in a family that was very close and it was nice to see the closeness of the family and friends of Antoine and Yolanda, who came together to celebrate this great occasion. Even though I was hired to be the Wedding DJ, both families and their friends made me feel like family.
Starting out the afternoon reception, family members toasted with loving thoughts for the Bride and Groom. To cap off the toasts, Antoine’s Mother sang to both of them. I know they’ll remember that moment forever.
The Hotel did an excellent job in making sure you felt like they were at home and helped capture the essence of family and tradition for this beautiful couple. I hope to provide Wedding DJ Services in Westlake Village many more times in 2010 and beyond, and the Westlake Hyatt will be on my list of places to recommend to Brides and Grooms.
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!
Wedding Toasts: 10 Helpful tips; 10 Worst Toasts
Posted by Chris | Filed under Event Planning Tips
I’ve been a Los Angeles DJ for 20 years and I have seen thousands of Wedding Toasts. Many have been really good, some bad, a few immensely entertaining, and several downright bore fests. I have also had the honor of being Best Man on two occasions, and I quickly realized I’m no expert in giving toasts. However, I know that a wedding toast is an opportunity for the best man, maid of honor, family members or friends to share in their joy for the newlywed couple. When I was asked to be a best man at my Brother’s and Best Friend’s Wedding, I thought about and planned what I would say for months. Even though I am a professional DJ, I still found that I was nervous about giving a toast at a Wedding. A toast is an intimate moment, all eyes and ears are on you, and this moment will be remembered by most in attendance, especially if it goes poorly.
But, don’t worry if you’re not a professional speaker, you don’t need to be. Just keep these few points in mind:
1. Don’t get long winded, keep it under 3-4 minutes. Rehearse the basic points of what you want to say, do not just grab the microphone and start talking.
2. Don’t give the audience an entire history of how you know the Bride or Groom. Give some basic points about the nature of your relationship to them and talk about how happy you are for this couple.
Read the rest of this entry »
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 »
If you are an experienced wedding DJ who loves working to serve the needs of your clients, 