Baltimore Maryland based DeSantis Entertainment is pleased to present below some ideas to help allow you to make your event the best it can be, whether your celebration is in Southern Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington D.C., or Northern Virginia.
Your Wedding Ceremony: Due to smartphones guests can record your ceremony and have it posted online the second the Officiant says, “You may kiss the bride.” DeSantis Entertainment has discovered that many couples do not wish to have their ceremony online right away or have guests interrupting with their phones detracting from the moment – which can get in the way of the professional photographer. Many couples elect to have their Ceremony “Unplugged” meaning no cell phone coverage. DeSantis Entertainment Wedding Ceremony DJs is always happy to make an announcement before the start of your ceremony asking guests not to record.
Another potential problem that we like to “nip in the bud” are guests that forget to turn their cellphones off. Can you imagine a cellphone ringing in the middle of your vows?
Wedding Ceremony Audio: Some couples wish to have the officiant be equipped with a lapel mic and sometimes a handheld wireless mic for readers. DeSantis entertainment can provide this service at no extra charge. Also, we recommend not to use a mic stand as it will be in all your photographs.
Your wedding ceremony music: Modern brides & grooms wish for more flexibility in their music programming for seating, (music played for guests as they are arriving for the ceremony, DeSantis DJ starts one half hour prior to the start of ceremony and uses that time to inform guests about smartphone etiquette and where to proceed after the ceremony.) Your seating music can be selected by you and can be whatever reflects your musical palate. Contemporary couples also wish to avoid the traditional “here comes the bride and there goes the bride” musical selections so they prefer maybe a Bruno Mars, Jason Mraz, or a Beatle tune. We can play any song(s) you like; it is totally up to you! DeSantis Entertainment is more than happy to help you develop a musical playlist that will make your ceremony memorable for years to come. DeSantis Entertainment cannot provide ceremony services if the location is at a different address than your reception.
Wedding Ceremony Inclement weather: Yes, sometimes it happens at outdoor events. Rain, or brutally hot and humid weather can put a damper on the ceremony. DeSantis Entertainment really understands the bride & grooms’ disappointment if it starts raining before or during the ceremony. Nobody wants to get caught in the rain, especially the DJ, Photographer and Videographer as it could damage thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment and in the DJs case, possible electrocution. DeSantis Entertainment strongly urges that couples plan on providing a 10×10 tent or other structure that can shelter the DJ from rain and extreme sun while at the same time provide quick, immediate shelter for you, the bride and groom and for the photographer and videographer.
If it is in your budget, a DJ music cocktail hour is a nice addition to the transition from the ceremony to the reception. It is here that people can mingle and reconnect and make new friends in a relaxed atmosphere. During this period, you may wish to mingle as well or perhaps do photographs with friends and family. DeSantis Entertainment at this time would be playing your request list at a low volume so as not to override guests’ conversations. In addition, we would be coordinating with other vendors to make sure we are all on the same page.
Wedding Party Introductions: One of the many highlights of your special day is the formal introduction of your wedding party. DeSantis Entertainment always suggests having upbeat songs for your wedding party entrance, with a special entrance song for you, the bride and groom. If you wish to announce people that are physically unable to walk comfortably, we are happy to recognize them at their tables. We also suggest that the reception DJ is the person who lines up your wedding party, not a third party whose list may differ from the DJs list. We get asked all the time by couples when to do the first dance. Traditionally it has been after dinner, but modern trends lead towards the first dance right after introductions. Welcomes, usually by the Father of the bride happen after introductions or after the first dance and are usually followed by blessings and toasts and sometimes a welcome by the bride and groom.
Wedding Reception Dinner ideas: If you are having a cake, you might want to consider not ordering desert from the caterer, it will save you money and calories. If you are having a Buffett, ask your caterer if they would be ok with serving you at your table rather than go up to the buffet line. We think it is a nice touch. Although DeSantis DJs thinks it is classy for someone to come around to each table and invite your guests up to the food, we would be happy to announce tables up for you. Another neat idea is to announce tables this way… Table one, then table 10, table 2, then table 9 and so forth.
The moment everybody has been waiting for, the DJ has finally opened the dance floor and the party is on. DeSantis DJs prides itself on having music going back over nine decades so we can accommodate a wide selection of musical tastes. We offer you dance music which includes Top 40, EDM, Hip Hop/Rap, Classic Rock, Standards, Oldies, Disco, House, Modern Country and much more, all of which is popular in Gettysburg, Hanover, Lancaster, York, Hersey, Harrisburg, including Bethany Beach, Rehoboth Beach, Selbyville, Lewes, as well as Baltimore, Annapolis, Westminster, Frederick, Salisbury, and Ocean City areas. To help make your dance floor more exciting to you, the bride & groom, DeSantis DJs always suggest you put together a comprehensive list of songs you want to dance to. There is nothing more exciting then hearing the reception DJ play the songs you really wanted to hear. DeSantis Entertainment also suggests that any guests that might be sensitive to loud music not have their tables near the DJ table where loudspeakers might be. Another suggestion is to have the DJ next to the dancefloor as it makes your reception flow more easily when the DJ is making announcements or is conducting special events such as introductions, Anniversary Dance and perhaps the Bouquet and Garter events.
Warning about “Do It Yourself” I-Pod Weddings: With current technology and easy access to music and equipment many people get fooled into thinking anyone or any device can host a wedding. I have never seen a device such as a computer, phone, I-Pod, or I-Pad be able to coordinate with the caterer or photographer, manage introductions, activities, formalities or create the flow and energy of the party. If you decide on the device wedding, you will have to program the device and hope you have picked the right songs to get people to dance. What if the music is not getting people on the floor? Who will oversee the device to hunt and guess for the right songs? What about all the dead silence while somebody is trying to find the next song? If you have rented sound equipment and it goes down, who do you have to trouble shoot it or replace it? Who is going to make announcements when needed and switch up the music to a different tempo or style when the dance floor changes, the device?
Although I can appreciate a couple’s desire to planning their wedding and watching their costs there comes a time when it becomes NOT cost effective to cut out the DJ entertainment but spend lavishly on flowers and decorations instead. Remember, long after the flowers have wilted and the decorations are in the trash, you and your guests are going to continue to recall the fun you had dancing because you had a seasoned DJ mixing the music, taking requests, and keeping the energy up! Google I-Pod weddings and watch the many failed events. Device events are best suited for low expectation affairs where no formalities, announcements, or dancing is wanted or needed.
DeSantis Entertainment sincerely hopes these wedding tips will help make your Wedding Ceremony and Reception all that it can be.
