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The Five Most Awkward Weddings We’ve Ever DJ’d | Surprise Toast And…

We’re continuing our series of posts of the top 5 most awkward weddings we’ve ever DJ’d (as told by our entertainers themselves).

After almost 20 years in the wedding DJ business, we can tell you that weddings, in and of themselves, make for great stories. With the exception of a few minor glitches, most turn out as planned, but in some rare cases, the “glitches” can be a bit more…well…interesting. As a matter of fact, some can be downright awkward. Obviously, the awkward ones make the most interesting stories.

NOTE: To protect the innocent, we’ve purposefully left out names but beyond that, I assure you that none of this has been embellished.  If you’re in the industry, I’m sure you will sympathize with us.  If you’re a soon to be bride or groom or a general reader, this may have you shaking your head.

most awkward weddings we've ever DJ'd

A good toast takes you through a color wheel of emotions. It can bring laughter, tears, and even create a sense of togetherness.  To RUIN a wedding with a toast, however, takes skill beyond measure. We were fortunate to have learned these particular skills from a master who was an active Duty General AND father of the Groom. Based on his example, we were able to compile a list of steps that will allow you to offer the worst of Toasts:

1) Talk as long as possible! A wedding is supposed to be a once in a lifetime event, so this is your chance to shine! Every little girl dreams of having a full hour and a half toast at their wedding reception, don’t they?  You don’t want to disappoint that bride on her special day, so be sure to fulfill your diplomatic duty and filibuster until the cake starts to mold. Just ignore Aunt Irma’s shushing and stay strong. Do so and you will ALWAYS be remembered as the person that everyone wants to forget.

2) Lose the filter. This point is heavily debated and can be somewhat controversial. Some people think that unfiltered stories are shameful, but we know that it helps loosen up a crowd like nothing else. Rest assured, a good cringe worthy story will make some prudish folks a little squirmy, but they’ll get used to it.

If you have a story, like General Toaster did, about catching your son on the couch with a lady of the night…YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY SHARE IT! The bride will eventually calm down and come back to the reception (we think). She may be crossing her arms and tapping her foot, but she’ll come back. And, that toe tapping is a sure sign that you have made a huge impact on her special evening.

3) BONUS! Not part of the toast, but still a great way to ruin a beautiful evening. Plan a surprise horse and carriage to pick-up the bride and groom about halfway through the reception. DON’T TELL ANYBODY that you have planned it… especially the couple, the DJ and the wedding coordinator. When the Bride and groom get back from their little horsy trip around the block and get back to their grand exit that THEY actually planned, everyone will be so confused that dancing will be out of the question. WIN/WIN.

Be mindful: All of this takes serious dedication, and you have to suspend any and all self-awareness…but if you follow these 3 simple steps, you can offer a toast that will let others know that, no matter how bad they screw up in life, it can always be a lot worse.

See more awkward wedding stories stories here!

The Most Awkward Weddings We’ve Ever DJ’d | Wish Lantern Gone Wrong

After almost 20 years in the wedding DJ business, we can tell you that weddings, in and of themselves, make for great stories. With the exception of a few minor glitches, most turn out as planned, but in some rare cases, the “glitches” can be a bit more….well…interesting. As a matter of fact, some can be downright awkward.

Obviously, the awkward ones make the most interesting stories. We have whittled it down to the top 5 most awkward weddings we have ever DJ’d (as told by our entertainers themselves) and will be posting them over the next week.

NOTE: To protect the innocent, we’ve purposefully left out names but beyond that, I assure you that none of this has been embellished.  If you’re in the industry, I’m sure you will sympathize with us.  If you’re a soon to be bride or groom or a general reader, this may have you shaking your head.

Awkward weddings

A while back, we had a groom who wanted to use wish lanterns for their grand exit.  Mind you, this was before they became the rage so we had no clue what he was talking about.  The grand exit on the client sheet just simply read – “Wish Lanterns”.   No bold letters, no all caps, no special attention, and no instructions. As a result, we had no mental preparation for the eminent disaster that lay before us.

For those of you who don’t know, a Wish Lantern is an eco-friendly lantern that you write a wish on then set on fire and it flies away in the sky.  It symbolizes good luck for the couple.  Admittedly, it’s pretty cool to see, but you should only use them in the right conditions…conditions which were not present at the venue in this story.

The groom had paid a pretty penny for his lanterns and by golly, there was no way that heavy winds, low hanging trees and a nearby building was going to keep him from lighting them.

The first spark of the lighter gave off a familiar glow, but quickly sputtered and died in the gale force winds: another attempt, and another fail. Those fails might have shut the lantern party down, but in the wake of vows and romantic first dances, the promise and hope of eternal bliss still filled the air.

Finally, one of the lanterns accepted its flame (barely), took shape and rose gently into the sky. If you had been there, you would thought it postcard worthy, but that was short-lived. An event that had started out as a dreamy and romantic celebration was now turning into a terrifying and hellish nightmare.

The flaming ball of death slowly hurdled towards the wedding party, ricocheted off of an unsuspecting girl’s head, and finally found rest in a few dry tree branches. Did I mention that they were dry branches? A second flaming sphere soon followed and found refuge on the roof of the clubhouse (which allowed me to segue appropriately to the song “The Roof Is On Fire”). Cheers of jubilee soon turned to blood curdling screams and as you could imagine, panic ensued.

Every couple wants their reception to be memorable… and though blood soaked arson wasn’t the original plan… that day will surely go down as “memorable”.

Have a story of your own?  We’d love to hear it. Please comment below.

See more awkward wedding stories stories here!

DJ Josh W and DJ Irving G Entertain for Sandestin Hilton Wedding | Levi & Andi

The location was the Sandestin Hilton Beach Golf Resort & Spa. We had a full B-Boy team in effect with a ceremony violinist, photographer and 2 person DJ/MC Package. We also got a chance to work with the amazing vendor team of Kiss The Bride Wedding & Event Planning and It’s A Perfect Day Wedding Florist.  What started out as a calm, warm day turned into a very windy affair for Levi Croy and Andi Seward’s wedding.  This, however, did not dampen the joyful atmosphere and despite uncooperative weather conditions, the feeling was warm and loving.

Destin Wedding

This particular Sandestin Hilton Wedding ceremony took place on the beach.  Our violinist set the mood with some beautiful classical selections picked by Levi and Andi.  They wrote their own vows which  were extremely touching and heartfelt.

Destination Wedding

In what was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen, they incorporated a “dove release” just before they were pronounced husband and wife.

Dove Release

We transitioned into the reception on the Sunrise deck and the table décor and florals absolutely captured the Spring destination feel they were going for with teal and pink colors.

Hilton Sandestin Weddings

With memorable toasts and a real sense of togetherness, you could not tell which of the guests were from the bride’s side and which of the guests were from the groom’s side. My partner for the evening, DJ Irving G, orchestrated a fitting soundtrack as guests danced the night away.  We wish you the best Levi and Andi!

DJ Josh Weck

Emerald Coast Wedding

DJ Irving G

 

Formality Song Selections
Grand Entrance (Bridal Party): “I Gotta Feelin'” by Black Eyed Peas
Grand Entrance (Bride & Groom): “OMG” by Usher feat. Will.I.Am
First Dance: “It’s Your Love” by Tim McGraw
Father/Daughter Dance: “Daddy (Dance With Me)” by Krystal Keith
Mother/Son Dance: “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong

Destin Wedding Private Showcase Proves To Be A Success

Towards the end of last year, we began working on a new line of thinking for the Florida panhandle and Destin wedding market as it applies to our marketing approach. The standard way to market your company outside of traditional advertising mediums was via bridal shows. We used to do them and saw some success but over the last few years, the attendance had dwindled and even more than that, the bookings nose-dived. It became more of a social event that lent itself to competing via price. Because we are more concerned with value than price, it was a battle we decided not to engage in and have pulled out of them all-together.

Destin Wedding Djs

So outside of doing a sneak-peak at a wedding we are performing at, how can a client see us LIVE? After all, that’s where you can see if a company can deliver the goods rather than some photo shopped image or well-edited video. In the Northeast, private showcases have caught traction and are starting to become THE thing to provide that outlet. We were an ideal candidate for this as we’re an all-inclusive event company. We offer DJs, Emcees, Live Musicians, Officiants, Photo Booths, PA Rentals, Ceremony Rentals, Dance Floor Rentals, Production Lighting, Day of Coordination, and most recently photography and videography. The only things we don’t do are florals, catering and reception rentals. So even if they had their entertainment handled, they could get the other services they needed and vice versa in a one-stop shop approach.

Destin Bridal Show

We spent November and December rehearsing and refining the presentation part of our showcase. We came up with a way to highlight all of our services but also give potential clients a 20 minute reception feel with each of our 10 local headlining MCs getting an opportunity to get on the microphone and entertain.

DJ Irving G

DJ Heidi

DJ Josh B

In getting the word out, we brought in 20 potential clients on a Saturday morning. With a strong venue partner in the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, who not only allowed us to use their space, but handled the phenomenal food and mimosas, the stage was set for something new and fresh to be unveiled at no cost to these wedding clients. The “proof is in the pudding” as they say. 14 clients were able to book at least one service they needed and were home by the early afternoon.

DJ Che

B-Boy Photo Booths- Destin Wedding

It went so well that we have decided to do it again this summer. Our videography team captured some of the highlights in this promo reel below to give you an idea of what took place. If you’re interested in attending our next private showcase, contact us and we’ll get you all the info once the details are solidified. We hope to see you there!

B-Boy Productions Private Wedding Showcase in Sandestin, January 24th

Nowadays, anyone or any company can tout and market themselves as the best.  Especially in the wedding industry.

You can create a website in a matter of minutes with “borrowed” Google images and SEO-friendly keywords.  Social Media can make you look amazing by buying “likes” or “friends”.  The simplicity of consumer video editing programs allows you to make a highlight reel and give the perception you were the entertainer of the year at every show.  Even industry websites like WeddingWire and The Knot hand out annual  awards like they are candy (yes, we, along with almost every wedding company in our area, won the Couple’s Choice Awards).   But as the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding.  As consumers, we all want to see and judge for ourselves whether a company can back up their claim.

Well, here’s your chance to see B-Boy Productions in all its glory. We’re putting it all out there at on our first ever Private Wedding Showcase in Sandestin Saturday, January 24th at Sandestin Beach & Golf Resort’s Bayview Room & Terrace from 10:30AM – 12:30PM.  How does our private showcase differ from your traditional bridal show you ask?  Great question.

We won’t just have pamphlets or marketing materials on display; we take you through an actual wedding – from the beginning of the ceremony all the way to the grand exit.  As an all-inclusive wedding brand, we will have not only all of our famous beat-mixing DJs and wedding Emcees showcasing their skills, but our live musicians, officiants, photo booths, photographers, videographers, day of planners, and rental items will be available for you to see in action as if you were guests that day at a wedding.  Throughout the showcase, bottomless mimosas and hors d’oeuvres will be served on us.

Afterwards, you can talk to our entertainers and staff about your wedding specifically; ask questions, share your vision for your day, etc.  We’ll be glad to give you all the ideas we have to make your wedding stand out.  By the time you leave, you can have your wedding services all booked and head to the beach for some R&R.  So what’s the catch you ask?  Only that you RSVP so we can reserve a spot for you as seating is limited.   That’s it.  So whether you need one service, some services, or ALL services, come hang and party with us for two hours.  You’ll get some tremendous show specials just for showing up and treated like the VIPs you are.

Wedding Bridal Show Destin

 

 

 

DJ Josh B and Hilton Sandestin Wedding DJs | Dominique and Rumiko

With the mild autumn temperatures setting in on Florida’s Emerald Coast, the white beaches of the Hilton Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort are all the more inviting for happy couples seeking the perfect setting for their wedding day. For Dominique Kuykendall and Rumiko Murrell, “perfect” turned out to be a very fitting description! The calm waters turned turquoise as the setting sun painted the sky a fade of orange and purple—offering a splendid color palette as a backdrop for their ceremony and their first photos as newlyweds.

On the Hilton’s Sunset Deck, the reception layout presented an intimate setting for the event’s quaint number of guests. The dining tables all connected in a “U” pattern, so every loved one was never far from the gathering as a whole.

Sandestin Wedding DJs

The wedding party entered to Drake’s “Started From the Bottom,” soon followed by Rumiko and Dominique’s very spirited first dance to “You & I” by Avant & Keke Wyatt. As dinner was being enjoyed, I treated the guests to a short round of Bride & Groom Trivia—with prizes! The lucky winners went home with a thousand “doll hairs” (still attached to the doll), a brand new “toy Yoda,” and two “100 Grand” candy bars.

The champagne toasts after dinner brought many a heartfelt moment, but plenty of laughs as well. The bride took a moment to voice her sincere appreciation of all the friends and family who were present, just before the ceremonial cutting of the cake … And then it was time to party! Kicking off with a throwback to Montell Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It” filled the dance floor instantly, and it never emptied until “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith signed off the night in true romantic fashion. Memorable highlights included some impressive moves on display during “2 Step” by Unk, and everyone joining in to dance the Electric Slide to “Candy” by Cameo.

Hilton Sandestin Wedding DJ

It was a joy to celebrate with Dominique and Rumiko and their guests, and I consider it an honor and privilege to have been a part of their wedding day. It was a day I am certain they will hold in fond memory for their many happy years to come.

 

Holiday Music | Thanksgiving Song Titles with DJs Brian B & Josh B

As DJs, we get asked all the time for holiday music and other music ideas for parties and special occasions (even ones we’re not entertaining at).  The holidays are no exception.  In fact, it doesn’t fail that our inbox is filled this time of year with requests from people looking for playlist ideas for their holiday get-togethers.  Well, we at B-Boy Productions have got you covered for Thanksgiving…sort of.  You see, Thanksgiving is one of those holidays where finding a playlist to fit the theme is a little tough. Beyond the obvious gratititude tracks of “Kind and Generous” by Natalie Merchant, “Thank You” by Dido, the rest are pretty slim pickings.

To provide a little levity to our VLog series, we offer you the top 10 Thanksgiving Song Parody Titles.  We hope you enjoy these.  If you have any others you’d add (we came up with “I Came In Like A Butterball” by Miley Cyrus, “U Can’t Stuff This” by MC Hammer,  and “All About That Baste” by Meghan Trainor after we had already taped this episode), feel free to comment below and or tweet us with the hashtag #thanksgivingparodysongs.  Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

Seacrest Beach Wedding Celebration with DJ Dan | Matt & Hannah

The weather in Northwest Florida is quite fickle. Indeed, it can change by the minute. Fortunately, for Matt and Hannah Radicz’s wedding, it didn’t stop us from partying the night away!

Seacrest Beach Wedding

Matt and Hannah’s reception was held poolside at The Villas condominiums in luxurious Seacrest Beach, FL. Some severe thunderstorms moved into the area and poured down rain, but they didn’t stay long. Everything had dried off by the time the reception was to be held.

For this event, there was no planner; Matt and Hannah were working with a very tight budget. Situations like these are where I shine, as I truly believe in rolling up my sleeves and getting my hands dirty. While I took the pressure off of the Bride and Groom and let them go enjoy their special day, I made sure to check on the catering food, make sure the cake cutting utensils were all in place, and much more. I love to multitask!

The highlight of the evening for me was the Groom and his brother/Best Man performing John Legend’s “All of Me” for his Bride. Matt had contacted me a few weeks prior and told me he wanted to surprise Hannah with a performance. I was nothing but delighted to help facilitate it! She was very touched by his gesture, and cried tears of joy all throughout.

It takes more than a little black rain cloud to stop B-Boy from keeping the party rolling, and party we did that day! Congratulations, Matt & Hannah!

 

**EDITOR’S NOTE****

We recently received a wedding wire review on this event from the bride.  Here’s what she had to say:

“DJ Dan Davis made our reception so much fun! He was very responsive from day one, met with us at a coffee shop with last minute notice because we were only in town for a day. We planned our wedding from a distance and he was very efficient with communicating via text & calls. It was the least amount of stress compared to planning with other vendors! He played all of the requests that we specified including 2 songs for the father/daughter dance. He was very in touch with us throughout the reception checking with the groom & I to make sure everything was OK and to assure we were happy with his services. He got everyone up & dancing easily. All of our guests, including us, were dancing all night and having a blast! The value was also essential for us being on a tight budget.  Thank you so much Dan Davis for making our reception a success!!!” – Hannah Lee, Panama City Beach, FL (event date: 9/13/14)

DJ Charles in the mix for a Hilton Sandestin Weddings | Keith & Erica

I had the pleasure of DJ’ing Keith Holtel and Erica Kleinholz’s wedding this past Summer. They were from Cincinnati, Ohio and picked the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, FL as their wedding venue. Their 62 guests came from all over the country.

Hilton Sandestin Wedding DJ Charles

When the reception started, I could just tell that they were going to be a great crowd.  Everything went smoothly and the event had an elegant vibe to it on the Sunset Deck.  However, not even 15 minutes after the Grand Entrance, the Florida summer rain decided to make an appearance.  We made the decision after dinner to move the reception inside to one of the ballrooms since it continued to sprinkle intermitently.  As you can imagine, the delay in having to reset caused the mood to shift a bit.  I knew I had to do my best to entertain these people and swing the momentum!  I mean, this is one of the biggest days of their lives and there’s no way I was going to let a little rain ruin this beautiful ocassion.

As soon as I got re-set, I instantly threw on some upbeat dance music hits!  This proved to be the remedy.  From that moment on, they went into full party mode and we kept it slammin’ all night! It was definitely one of the best crowds I’ve ever DJ’d for. Thank you Erica and Keith for letting me be a part of your big day!  Best of luck to you both!

Hilton Sandestin Wedding

 

**EDITOR’S NOTE****

We recently received a wedding wire review on this event from the bride.  Here’s what she had to say:

“We had a destination wedding in Sandestin so we didn’t really know what to expect. The wedding was beautiful and DJ Charles was right there on the deck for the Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dance. It was great. THEN it started to rain so they moved us inside to another room and everyone’s mood wasn’t the greatest. DJ Charles’ flexibility and professionalism to pack all of his equipment up and move inside was awesome. Once he got set up, DJ Charles got the party started again and the reception turned out to be just as great as the ceremony. Thanks DJ Charles for rocking the house and making it a perfect night.” – Erica Kleinholz, Destin, FL (event date: 6/17/14)

WaterColor Wedding DJs | DJ Duane Entertains for Ashley & Tyler

As a full time wedding and event DJ entertainer, I have had the opportunity to witness countless wedding celebrations and been privileged to meet some really amazing people. One of my most recent clients were the Heckman’s. Their wedding took place at the beautiful Western Lake Park, a part of Watercolor Inn in beautiful WaterColor, Florida, and their reception took place on the property at The Lakehouse. Talk about a beautiful setup! As you can see in the pictures below, this was a gorgeous setting!

WaterColor Wedding DJs

WaterColor Lake House

WaterColor Lake House Wedding B-Boy Productions

I could tell from the very beginning that Ashley and Tyler were going to be a blast! From their #tyandashgettingweird wedding hashtag to the conversation during our planning meeting together, I knew that I had to pull out all the stops for their reception. They definitely wanted a fun, energetic, party-like atmosphere to share with all of their guests and that is exactly what we did. Playing classics like “Twist & Shout” to modern hits like “Feel So Close”, we rocked all ages all night long! It was definitely a terrific highlight from my 2014 wedding catalog!

WaterColor Wedding DJs

 

 **EDITOR’S NOTE****
We recently received a wedding wire review on this event from the bride.  Here’s what she had to say:

“Our DJ (Duane) was great.  He knew the right music to play and got people on the dance floor even before the cake cutting! He was super accommodating as well, regarding our song selection and if we wanted to change up songs halfway through playing another. Duane can get the party started for sure!”
– Ashley Martin, WaterColor, FL (event date: 9/20/14)