We’ve got a Miramar Beach Wedding Venue option for you – the Embassy Suites!
In our opinion, this is one of the area’s more underrated wedding properties. A few years ago, they did an amazing updated renovation to the property. However, because it’s a bit off (literally a block away) of highway 98, it’s easy to miss. Their event staff (Jillian and and Brandee) are easy going and committed to tailor your event to the vision you have in mind.
Here are some of the highlights
BEACH CEREMONIES…Interested in a beach ceremony? No problem! They have a gate entrance to the right of the property – easy to access and one of the best gulf views bar none. More importantly, it feels like a private beach just for you and your guests!
THE ATRIUM…We believe this is the crown jewel of the property. Not only can this location act as a rain back-up for your beach ceremony (or as a non-beach ceremony space), but it could be a perfect transition spot for a cocktail hour to give it a “3 location feel” all in one venue. The modern aesthetic is a refreshing take at a hotel property.
THE BALLROOM IS INTIMATE…One of the biggest errors couples can make is to pick a venue where the space is too large for the attendance number. This happens more than you know. The beauty of this property is that the ballroom can be adjusted with airwalls to fit your guest count in an intimate setting. Whether you guest count is 30 or 400, the Embassy Suites has you covered.
ON-SITE ROOMS TO GET READY…Need a spot to get ready or freshen up after the ceremony that is not your hotel room? The Embassy Suites has thought of that as well. They have 2 conference rooms that are outfitted with TVs (hello college football fans) so the wedding party can relax up to minutes before the formalities begin!
These are just some of the many features of the Embassy Suites Miramar Beach. Before deciding on your venue location, be sure to give this a look over. We know you will be pleasantly surprised! See our venue tour video below.
A throwback to this Henderson Wedding in Destin FL from this past Fall (the professional images recently came in). This was my (Brian B) 2nd wedding of 3 this particular weekend so I was definitely in my wedding groove. To be honest, when the bride-to-be called us inquiring on our services, she was wanting a band but felt for the space, a DJ was a better fit. I could hear the disappointment in her voice but I told her not to worry. I would make sure it was all good from the music side. The Henderson in Destin, FL provided the perfect backdrop for a fantastic celebration of love. It wasn’t quite October yet so the humidity was still pretty intense. But you know you have a great crowd when everything is done outside and they partied anyway. That was the case with Kindra and Jason’s Henderson Wedding in Destin FL.
The ceremony was held on the Western Lawn and it was a stunning setting with the backdrop of the Henderson Park Inn on one side and the gulf on the other.
They moved to the Eastern Lawn for cocktail hours where we brought out all of our Lawn Games. They were a total hit!
Guests were then transitioned to the Grand Lawn for the rest of the evening.
Reception Formality Music
First Dance: “Feet Don’t Touch The Ground” by Stony Larue
Father/Daughter Dance: “Forever Young” by Rod Stewart
Mother/Son Dance: “The Baby” by Blake Shelton
Kindra and Jason gave me total autonomy with the dinner music. When I get that type of leeway, it’s game on to see who how quickly I can get them on to the dance floor. Let’s just say it was hard to tell where dinner began and when we transitioned to open dancing. We had a pretty packed floor the entire night.
Thanks for allowing me to share such a special celebration with you Kindra and Jason!
Niki and Martin’s Destin wedding was by far my (DJ Josh Weck) favorite wedding to DJ this year! It didn’t hurt that it took place at my favorite beach house venue, the Palazzo Del Sol, located in Destin, FL. The wedding ceremony was held underneath a tent in the backyard, which was fortunate because it was a rather windy day. The musical accompaniment was a violin, played by a friend of the family, Carol.
Once the ceremony ended, the guests transitioned to the front of Palazzo del Sol for lawn games and drinks. The staff hastily flipped what was the ceremony space and turned it into where the reception was held.
My favorite part of a wedding reception is the toasts. This particular event, the groom bestowed the honor of best man on his father, which could leave him in a precarious position considering his father’s undoubted treasure trove of embarrassing stories. But, as most toasts end up, it was very heartfelt, very touching, and full of love: the recipe that makes up a great toast. Now that those formalities were taken care of, it was time to dance!
Reception Formality Music
Grand Entrance (Wedding Party): “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars
Grand Entrance (Bride/Groom): “Hooked On A Feeling” by Blue Suede
First Dance: “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole
Father/Daughter Dance: “I Loved Her First” by Heartland
Mother/Son Dance: “Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles
Cake Cut: “Can’t Help Myself” by The Four Tops
Bouquet Toss: “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” by Shania Twain
Garter Removal/Toss: “Hot in Herre” by Nelly
Last Dance: “The Time of My Life” (Dance Remix) by Bill Medley & Jen Warnes
Niki had very specific songs for both of the dance sets. Usually, I get a bit nervous when the night is overly formatted. But, the songs she picked were GREAT selections and the guests loved them as well. The night was truly Niki and Martin’s. The dance floor filled immediately for the Anniversary Countdown and stayed packed the entire time there was open dancing. Here’s to the Geil’s! May they enjoy many happy years together.
This year I (Brian B) have been booked more and more as a destination event DJ across the country and abroad while growing our New York City operations. When opportunities now come to perform on the Emerald Coast, I relish them. Saturday was no exception. I got back to our Florida regional office performing as a Wedding DJ at the Emerald Grande Destin in the Harborview Room. The Spring weather was exceptional (very little to no humidity). Paired with the amazing Chris Alvarado who handled the ceremony and cocktail hour music, the entertainment was on another level. For an intimate group of 50 guests, this was an extreme musical treat all night and they were blown away. It’s been a few years since I personally worked at the Emerald Grand. One of the things that impressed me the most about the venue is their “pro” client and vendor approach. Cindy and her team couldn’t have been more nice and accommodating to every request of the vendors and the client. In the event industry, this is something that isn’t as common as one would think. Kudos to the Emerald Grande and their team.
One of the things I now appreciate more than ever is that guests were asked to be “present” and not take any photos at the event. This allowed them to soak in every bit of the wedding experience. I honored their request as well and took my picture pre-event. I brought in our plush white facade which accents that room perfectly. With our clean Bose speaker set-up and production lighting, the event was every bit what the bride and groom, Jenny and Greg, had dreamed it would be and more.
Reception Formality Music
Grand Entrance (Wedding Party): “Happy” by Pharrell
Grand Entrance (Bride/Groom): “Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay
First Dance: “Every Night” by Tyrone Wells
Uncle/Bride & Groom/Mother-In-Law Dance: “Mama’s Song” by Carrie Underwood
Meet DJ Charles Egstad. This DJ has the potential to do some great things in this industry. One of the challenges for DJs (especially young DJs) is that they tend to get bored very easily with playing the hits. As DJs, we entertain at private parties just about every weekend in season. What we sometimes forget is that the crowd doesn’t go to these types of private events with the same frequency as we do. Think back to how many wedding or corporate events you’ve gone to in the last year as a guest. 1 maybe 2? Our DJs are doing between 60-80 private events a year per person. So the temptation for a DJ is to play a ton of remixes, B side tracks or try and force feed our guests the latest breaking music to mix it up and stay fresh. The problem is that the crowd generally just wants to hear the hits! It’s a delicate balance as there is a time and place for pushing new tracks or remixes of the hits (and to be fair, some actually work better than the original). The trick is figuring out when/where to infuse the events with them. One of the things that has impressed our management team about DJ Charles Egstad is his discipline in this regard. His programming has really gone to another level and his is reading the crowd as well as most seasoned veterans. At this point, he can rock just about any party with his skill set. Now he’s adding the “icing” to his skill set to put him on another level.
We use Charles for just about every event type and he’s paid his dues. He started assisting us as a technician in 2012 and has risen through the ranks and just this year was promoted to an Associate Level DJ. He can rock young crowds and older ones alike. He’s been our “go to” DJ for high school dances for the last few years, he become our weekly resident nightlife DJ at McGuire’s Irish Pub of Destin last year for the area’s largest ladies night and over the last 2 years or so, almost all of our young wedding couples are asking for Charles by name for their event. He’s been our most consistent DJ in terms of putting out live mixes for the public to hear and this year we hope to get him into the rotation of DJ’ing our Fashion Show events.
Bottom-line, if you want a DJ with style, the look, and mixing skills to match, Charles is your guy. He’ll have you and your crowd dancing all night.
To read more about Charles and see his reviews, click here.
Based in Destin, we book Charles there as well as in Miramar Beach and Sandestin for most of his events. We also send him out to Fort Walton Beach and 30A for events in WaterColor, Alys Beach, Rosemary Beach, Carrilon Beach, and Panama City Beach. To book him for your event, contact us today.
Fortunately for us, both DJ Josh Bausch and B-Boy Productions’ worlds collided and the match couldn’t have been better. The opportunity to find someone who not only has the ideal DNA of your company but also the skills to compliment it is a rarity, especially in the Wedding DJ industry. Let’s put aside his DJ skills for a moment. Josh is just a fantastic person. If you are lucky enough to have him as your DJ/MC, you’ve won the lottery. Josh has an innate caring nature that is evident from miles away. He doesn’t do things to stroke his own ego. There is no side agenda. Josh understands the gravity of the events he’s a part of and he approaches them as such. Nobody is more engaged and selfless in their preparation for each single event than Josh. Not only does that set up each event for success but it speaks volumes about his character in general.
As you will instantly tell when you watch and listen to his video bio, DJ Josh Bausch has the golden voice that every DJ/MC would die to have. It is just God-given. That was an added bonus for us when Josh interviewed with our company. Usually, we don’t hire DJs or MCs with previous experience as we like to train from the ground up. Even if DJs have had years of experience, we still put them through our training program. Josh was willing to go through it with us and our company couldn’t have been better served to add such a great individual to our team. If we could clone Josh, we’d definitely consider it.
In the 3rd installment of our “Meet Your DJ” series, we hope you enjoy getting to know Josh’s humble DJ beginnings and learning a few unique facts about him.
To read more about Josh and see his reviews, click here.
Being a Fort Walton Beach local, we book DJ Josh Bausch there as well as in Destin and Sandestin for most of his events. In 2017, we are aggressively booking him at new venues in Navarre, Pensacola Beach to the West and WaterColor, Alys Beach, Rosemary Beach, Carrilon Beach, and Panama City Beach to the East. To book Josh for your event, contact us today.
As part of B-Boy Productions’ #bboygivesback initiative, we are partnering with Shelter House, a domestic and sexual violence center, for many events in 2017. Our first Giving Back Initiative event of the year with them was their inaugural “Brunch and Bowl” event held this past January. This particular event raised more than $6,000. DJ Shawn Frady spun music for this event as those who attended enjoyed a fabulous brunch, unlimited bowling, a silent auction and of course, amazing music! It was held at Uncle Buck’s Fish Bowl and Grill located at the Destin Commons in Destin, FL.
The bowling was a fun-filled competition featuring some of law enforcement’s finest from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and the OCSO Sheriff’s office as well as Century 21 Blue Marlin, ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals, Paul Hughes Family Foundation, Wine and Wenches, Vieno Investments Agency (VI-A), Wesley McGrail & Wesley and RLI.
DJ for the event and General Manager of B-Boy Florida’s Division, Shawn Frady, commented, “A hearty brunch, bowling, music and raising money for a fantastic non-profit organization. I’d say that’s a great way to spend a Saturday morning.”
B-Boy Productions announces the promotion of new General Manager and Sales Associate
Destin, FL (January 24, 2017) – Local entertainment and event company, B-Boy Productions, announced the promotion of Shawn Frady to General Manager and Josh Woeckener to Sales Associate.
Shawn Frady, born and raised in Niceville, Florida, began his professional career in the music industry in 2004 and joined B-Boy Productions as a headlining DJ/MC in 2014. He was promoted to Director of Events in 2016 and was in charge of managing all client and vendor relations for the Florida division. As General Manager, Frady manages and directs all aspects of the Florida division of B-Boy Productions, which includes administering and adhering to the annual budget, hiring and overseeing personnel, achieving sales targets, ensuring client satisfaction, and marketing of the brand.
Josh Woeckener, a Florida Panhandle local raised on Eglin Air Force Base, has been musically inclined since he was a toddler. He joined B-Boy Productions in 2014 as a headlining DJ/MC, and his recent promotion to Sales Associate brings new responsibilities to include prospecting and developing new client relationships as well as maintaining regular contact with company house accounts.
“With our exponential growth over the last few years in our Florida division, it was imperative to have local management in place to care not only for our clients but our employees as well. Adding Shawn as our GM and Josh as our Sales Associate gives us a local management team that will have a tremendous impact on the overall growth and sustainability of our Florida division and the B-Boy company portfolio. I am extremely confident that these new leadership appointments will allow us to continue to deliver high quality event experiences and ultimately, put us in the best position to become the number one private event provider in every market we serve,” said Managing Partner, Brian Buonassissi.
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About B-Boy Productions, Inc: B-Boy Productions, Inc. is a full-service private event company, specializing in DJ and live musician entertainment as well as event rentals, photo booths and event management. Founded in 1996, B-Boy Productions, Inc. has been providing entertainment for weddings, corporate events, and various private parties nationwide. They have three regional offices located in the Florida Panhandle, Southern California, and New York City. B-Boy Productions’ mission is to perform memorable events with amazing service, unquestionable professionalism and unparalleled creativity. For more information, visit www.bboyproductions.com or find B-Boy Productions on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Here’s Part 2 of our 2015 picks for top destination wedding venues. In this post, we’re going to focus on the best wedding venues in Destin. This is the town everyone talks about for weddings in the panhandle of Florida and for good reason! The beaches are amazing and it’s quickly become of the most developed areas around with some of the hottest retail and restaurants having just come to town in the last year. Believe it or not, there’s still some gems of wedding venues that you may not be aware of. So let us tell you about them.
Resorts of Pelican Beach – Destin, FL
You have to be careful NOT to get this confused with the Pelican property by Wyndham. The Resorts of Pelican Beach can be easily missed as it is backed into the south side of highway 98 with a ton of foliage disguising it. But once in, you realize you have a fantastic all-in-one venue that has accommodations, private beach access and indoor venue spaces. This venue has been around for quite a while but we’re always surprised when people say they’ve never heard of it. As one of their preferred vendors, this is a spot we highly recommend. If there’s any negative to the venue, it would be that it is that the indoor venue space is a bit dated. However, it is very clean and the pricing is perfectly in line with the space.
The Venue at Surfside Resort – Destin, FL
This event space was re-launched in 2014 and Nicki (the venue manager) did a phenomenal make-over to the space. It sits off of Old Highway 98 with unobstructed floor to ceiling window beach views of the gulf. Although not directly on the beach, it’s literally a 5 minute walk away. It has both indoor and outdoor cocktail hour/reception space and can fit 60-75 very comfortably. We honestly believe this is one of the best kept secrets in Destin. They do offer accommodations. Parking is on-site. While they do push their all-inclusive services, they allow outside vendors and catering. With a very neutral color palette, this venue should definitely be considered for intimate and mid-size weddings.
The Henderson – Destin, FL
Just when you thought Destin was all built up, here comes the latest resort development which is opening in the Summer of 2016. It is called “The Henderson” and there won’t be anything close to it as far as luxury goes in the Destin area. The owners also have the Henderson Park Inn property, which is rated the #1 Hotel in Destin according to TripAdvisor. What does that mean? This sister property place is going to be even more spectacular! This will be the only “Diamond” rated resort in the area (next closest one is in Tampa). There will be multiple ballrooms and beach front options for your ceremony and reception. Sherri and her team are one of the most professional in the area so you will have nothing to worry about with your wedding if you choose this location.
Stay tuned for our 3rd installment (the Fort Walton Beach 2015 picks) coming out soon. In the meantime, want some other location ideas? Check out our 2013 picks and Part 1 and Part 2 of our 2014 picks as well as Part 1 of our 2015 picks.
As B-Boy Productions’ resident Hilton Sandestin DJ/Emcee, I had the privilege to perform for the wedding of Nikki Young to current University of Tennessee men’s basketball head coach, Donnie Tyndall. Their ceremony took place on the white sands of the beach. The weather was gorgeous, the attire was casual, and the smiles were abundant!
Nikki and Donnie said their I-do’s, the crowd of loved ones and onlookers alike erupted in a cheer as they kissed, and within minutes the wedding guests were making their way up to the deck to enjoy some refreshments and the Florida evening air as the sun began to set and the newlywed couple tended to having their photos taken.
I have discovered in my time as a destination wedding DJ that the term “cocktail hour” is often a misnomer, considering one hardly ever actually lasts a full hour. But on this particular occasion, the bride and groom were in no hurry to rob themselves of one moment in the gorgeous outdoor surroundings offered by the Hilton’s beachside verandas. They joined their guests on the Sunrise Deck as the cafe lighting took over for the retired sun, and the merry crowd mingled and consorted for the entirety of the hour. I was happy to lurk a bit in the shadows, manning my laptop as the music offered a subtle soundtrack to the merriment around me, because it gave me a chance to observe the attendees and get a bit of an idea what sort of celebration they would be up for as the night progressed.
As cocktail hour came to a close, we moved indoors to the Coral Ballroom, for the reception. Inside the long and majestically high-ceiled hall, a massive dance floor and plenty of spacious seating around ornately decorated tables awaited their guests. A long banquet table for the bride and groom to sit flanked by their bridesmaids and groomsmen ran along the main wall in plain view of every guest.
Nikki and Donnie, along with Donnie’s two young daughters, made their grand entrance into the ballroom to “Rocky Top,” the fight song of UT, as their friends and family cheered their arrival with as much gusto as any sports crowd. As I had instructed them, they made their way to the dance floor to share their first dance … but that’s when a surprise was sprung on the bride. Donnie appeared on the large screen in a prerecorded message, offering a poetic tribute of love — which he “rapped” — to his new bride. The mixture of humor and genuine emotion on display as the video version of Donnie cracked a bit in his delivery had Nikki, and plenty others, giggling through happy tears. At the video’s conclusion, I cued up “Whatever It Is” by the Zac Brown Band, and Donnie and Nikki were in each others’ arms sharing their first dance as husband and wife.
Nikki remained on the dance floor as I invited her father to join her. Dad and daughter shared a few short minutes of closeness to the tune of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” — which then suddenly transitioned into “Happy” by Pharrell. All sappiness abandoned, Nikki and her dad let loose and cut a rug, much to the delight of all in attendance. At Donnie’s turn to dance with his mother, the classic “Wind Beneathe My Wings” by Bette Midler proved a perfect choice.
Upon the conclusion of dinner, the Best Man offered a toast to the happy couple as did the Maid of Honor. Then I introduced another video presentation featuring a photo slide show of both Donnie and Nikki as they grew up. From baby pictures to present day, the memories played upon the screen and in the end there was hardly a dry eye in the room. I offered the microphone to the groom, who managed to say a brief but very heartfelt thank you to everyone before we moved ahead with the cake cutting and other festivities. The bouquet toss mustered a sizable crowd of fairly competitive single ladies, but the catch ended up going to one of the youngest (and most petite) girls in the group. Donnie removed Nikki’s garter to the sultry vibes of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On”. Once again, the catch — or more accurately, the scoop, was scored by a very young lad who clearly wasn’t quite sure what it was he had there (I’m sure it will occur to him sometime when he’s older).
The crowd proved eclectic in their musical tastes, shaking it down to everything from golden oldies and 70’s disco, to 90’s hip hop and today’s hottest country! One of Donnie’s young daughters entertained with an impromptu karaoke of “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea.
Being on vacation in Florida, everyone related well to “Toes” by Zac Brown Band. Figurative boots were scooted to “Wagon Wheel” by Darius Rucker. I took great pleasure in teaching the bride (and a few unwashed others) how to do the “Cupid Shuffle.” Great classic rock hits like “Shout” and “Do You Love Me?” rounded out the energy of the night, and the evening drew down with the dance floor covered in couples as Jason Mraz sang “I Won’t Give Up” and finally, the legendary Elton John mused “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues.”
For the multitude of memorable moments packed into this one single evening, I can’t help but consider Donnie and Nikki’s wedding to be one of the best I’ve had the pleasure to be a part of! When by the end of the night it genuinely feels like you’re not just DJ’ing another “gig,” but instead you’re celebrating with a room full of new friends — it makes it hard to stop. My hope for this happy couple is for all that same joy and exuberance to continue on beyond their wedding day and into the full length of their marriage. Because if so, their life together will be an absolute blast!
***UPDATE [This review just came in from Nikki on ourYelppage]***
“My husband and I just had the most amazing wedding on the beach in Sandestin, FL. Our DJ, Josh, was amazing! He was so professional and did a fantastic job. He called me a month before the wedding and went over the playlist with me. I felt assured he would do a great job and that is what ‘brides to be’ need! He did everything I asked and then some! The songs he picked were perfect for every occasion (grand entrance, dinner music, etc.). If you are a ‘bride to be’ looking for an experienced, friendly, professional DJ for your wedding…look no further than B-Boy and DJ Josh B.” – Nikki Tyndall, Sandestin, FL (event date 8/2/2014)