Weddings
You’re engaged!
Congrats!
“After over three decades of experience, I’ve found that the most important details of your Wedding, and what most of your guests will remember the most about your Day? Will be the he food, and the entertainment. At a wedding, the DJ is “live to air”, so to speak. And when the Ceremony is ready to start, or when the Wedding party is about to be introduced into the Reception, and when the dancefloor needs to be filled? The DJ only gets ONE chance to do it right. And it’s my personal guarantee, to do just that. Get it right.
I have performed at thousands of weddings, invested numerous hours and days in private performance workshops, and over the years have attended annual DJ conferences from Vancouver to Atlantic City, to learn new ideas and traditions. This is what allows me to serve you even better. My numerous Five Star Reviews on Social Media and Google, are a testament of my commitment to those that I work tirelessly to serve as their Wedding Entertainer, and as a professional in the Wedding Industry.
I would love to bring that same passion and excitement to your big day! So, let’s talk about your party!”
Damian
GAMES – AND WHY I ENJOY HOSTING THEM
1. They loosen everyone up before speeches – or – bring the energy in the room up significantly before the dance floor opens!
2. They make for awesome photos (as you can see here!)
3. They’re good for business! For instance – every time I host “QUEST” at let’s say, a Wedding – at least one couple approaches me and says, “We’re getting married in two years – if we hire you, can you do that at OUR Wedding!?”
Most people have heard of “The Shoe Game“.
The two Newlyweds sit back to back and answer a series of questions asked by the MC/DJ by either holding up their own shoe or their partner’s shoe. It can be a lot of fun, and is one of the more popular games played at weddings.
But I’ve never liked asking couples to take off their shoes to be used as props for this game. It’s time consuming and can be quite tedious, especially for Brides who have “complicated” shoes! THEREFORE – I have officially reclaimed the original name for this game, which is “The Newlywed Game“. And instead of using shoes, I use props for this game; The Barbie and Ken Grooms and Brides. (Also available are Grooms and Brides with different skin tones, and of course duplicates for same-sex weddings )
Also – I don’t simply use the same old boring questions you can find onine. During dinner, I’ll go around to your friends and family and ask some personal questions about the two of you, (not too personal lol), and incorporate those answers into the questions. It personalizes the game, and makes it funnier.
“I’ve never once done a game, and had a bride or groom, (or anyone for that matter), approach me and say something along the lines of “Maybe we shouldn’t have done that – it didn’t go over very well….”. It’s always the opposite. Sometimes the couple is skeptical on whether or not it will work…. And literally 100% of the time, they love it and are thrilled.”
Ah yes….. the customary and obligatory and expected “clinking of the glasses” to request the couple to stand up and kiss during dinner.
We’ve all seen it. Unfortunately, a lot of venues don’t allow this anymore. As it can damage the glasses.
Therefore, a lot of couples ask myself and other vendors in town, for ideas on how guests can get them to kiss at the head table during dinner. There are a few different tricks and games you can do…… Including this 100% exclusive Wedding Wheel, only from TLE! ($150)
Guests come up and spin the wheel. 50% of the slots are white, meaning “the couple kiss“. The remaining colours coordinate with random “tasks“ that can be interchanged depending on the ages/demographics/etc. of your guests.
For instance;
RED – Bring back a round of drinks for your table!
BLUE – Kiss a stranger!
GREEN – Moonwalk back to your table!
YELLOW – Show off your best dance moves!
PURPLE – Wear this ridiculous hat until the next person spins!
ETC. ETC. ETC…….
Add a touch of magic to your Wedding Day, and make your First Dance unforgettable with this brand-new and exclusive dry ice effect! Imagine floating on a cloud as you share that special moment of unmatched elegance with your loved one, surrounded by a stunning visual effect that will leave your guests in awe and create breathtaking photographs/video.
This premium experience is a special add-on that brings unparalleled beauty to your Wedding. And the memories and visual splendour to your First Dance, are priceless.
****Only available at certain Venues
Contact me today to add this extraordinary touch to your special day!
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with many wonderful couples from the LGBTQ+ community. Unfortunately, despite being in 2024, a significant portion of the population still harbours systematic discrimination, prejudice, and intolerance. Some individuals continue to spread hate, judgment, and ignorance, often cloaked in a facade of “love and acceptance” while simultaneously criticizing another person’s lifestyle. This approach is simply a façade that invalidates a person’s humanity and true self, assuming to know what others need better than they do. Such behaviour is not acceptance or love; it is coercion masquerading as compassion.
Weddings are a celebration of love, and it is always an honour to be part of such an important and special day for couples of all backgrounds and orientations. In this post, I want to share my experiences working with LGBTQ+ couples and how I strive to make their Wedding Day as unique and memorable as possible.
First and foremost, creating an inclusive environment where all couples feel comfortable and welcome is paramount. This involves playing a diverse range of music that appeals to various tastes and backgrounds and ensuring that the playlist reflects the couple’s unique style and preferences.
In recent years, I’ve made a conscious effort to use gender-neutral language when addressing guests. I no longer use terms like “Ladies and Gentlemen” when emceeing or making announcements. Instead, I introduce myself to everybody, thank all guests for coming, and promise everyone a fantastic night filled with food, laughs and music.
Understanding the unique challenges and obstacles that LGBTQ+ couples may face during the wedding planning process is crucial. These challenges might include specific details of the day, dealing with family or societal pressures, or finding inclusive and understanding vendors. While many of these issues may not directly involve me, as a Wedding DJ, I strive to offer support and guidance throughout the planning process. I am also happy to advocate for my clients by recommending vendors who share my values and, most importantly, theirs.
Ultimately, my goal is to create an unforgettable experience that celebrates the love and commitment of all couples, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. By fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment and working closely with the couple to personalize their day, I hope to make a positive impact on everyone I work with.
To ANY couple planning a Wedding? I would be honoured to be a part of your special day. Maybe not this year or the next as I’m pretty much booked solid, lol, (still a few dates available), but maybe down the road!
Let’s work together to create a celebration that reflects your unique style, values and love.
Be kind to each other!
Damian
SO YOU DID IT!!!!!!
You got down on one knee and proposed, and they said YES! Or, you were proposed to, and YOU said yes! Either way, you are now engaged… so a huge congratulations to both of you!!! Now it’s time to start discussing wedding plans. Along the way, conversations will inevitably turn to entertainment. You might even consider a “do-it-yourself” Reception, using Spotify or Apple Music on an iPad or Smartphone instead of hiring a professional DJ. You’d save some money, which is great.
But do me a favor. Please let me offer you some advice… and potentially help save your Wedding Day…….
CAN you get away with simply using an iPad or Smartphone for your Wedding Reception and save some money? CAN you throw together a playlist and plug it into a venue’s house system or rented sound system and hope for the best? Of course you can!
I actually attended a wedding in Toronto a few years back where the bride and groom used an iPod Shuffle to play music during their Reception. Everyone had a great time! Mind you, there were only 40 people there, the Reception was in a backyard, and the only people who really “danced” were children running through the sprinkler and jumping on the trampoline. Announcements were made by the bride’s dad while he cooked burgers on the BBQ, and the night ended at 10 PM. So yes, it can be done.
Most of the time, though, a wedding reception doesn’t resemble a family picnic. I had a friend of a friend in Calgary married before Covid. I was a last minute guest (my friend took me), and just sat back and watched the tragedy unfold. They invited 150 or so guests and opted for the iPhone route after the bride was convinced by her brother. Unfortunately, she ended up spending half the night crying in the washroom. The situation was a nightmare.
The person designated to emcee for the night got so drunk that he messed up almost everything he was supposed to do. Nothing stayed on schedule, he mispronounced names, and half the time forgot to turn on the mic. The sound system malfunctioned during dinner, and it took her father and two groomsmen the rest of the meal trying to fix it as the sound kept cutting in and out. In the end, her brother had to run to Walmart 30 minutes away, to pick up another audio cable because the one he provided was faulty. So, dinner was ruined.
When they booked the venue, they were promised that the hall’s sound system would be adequate. However, during the speeches, they discovered it wasn’t. The volume was set to one level, so quiet speeches weren’t heard, and one of the speakers was blown, causing a constant ‘buzz’. So, the speeches were ruined.
For the First Dances, the songs weren’t in the correct order, leading the couple to dance the first minute of their First Dance to the song intended for the cake cutting. The father/daughter song was a poor-quality copy that sounded terrible, and the mother/son dance was halfway through before the mother made it to the dance floor from having a smoke outside. So, the specialty dances were ruined.
When the dancing portion of the night finally started, the venue had no dimmer switches, so lights were either ON or OFF. Without proper dance floor lighting from a professional DJ, the hall lights had to stay ON. The entire room, including the dance floor, was as bright as an airport. There was no flow to the dance floor; the music ranged from AC/DC into Ed Sheeran into Travis Trott into DMX into a slow song the ABBA then a Polka then Sandstorm, often interrupted by the bride or drunk guests telling whoever was on the iPad to play the next song. There were gaps of 5 to 30 seconds between tracks, and many songs included unedited “f-bombs,” which wasn’t ideal with kids present. Additionally, no one had access to the music volume as the amp was in the kitchen, so the manager had to constantly adjust the volume for different tracks. The bouquet and garter toss were canceled because the emcee was too drunk, and the music couldn’t be found on the constantly mishandled iPad. The rest of the night was ruined.
In the end, her brother forgot to bring his charger, so when the iPad battery died at 10:20pm, the celebration basically ended. But the GOOD news is, they saved a few hundred bucks. It’s not like it was the most important night of their lives or anything…….
There are only a few things that your guests will really remember about a wedding, and one of them is if they had a good time. Did they enjoy it and have FUN? This makes a strong case for spending a reasonable amount of money on professional entertainment.
My advice is to seek the services of an experienced professional who shares your views and will honor your vision. Your guests will thank you, and you’ll be able to enjoy your Wedding Reception instead of spending half the night in the washroom crying because no one talked you out of the potential nightmare of trying to entertain 100+ people on the most important day of your life with an iPhone 8.
Cheers, and use caution!
Damian
Inquire About Your Wedding!
