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Wedding

Palazzo Del Sol Beach House | Destin Wedding

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.

Palazzo Del Sol Destin Wedding

 

Palazzo Del Sol Wedding

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.

Destin Wedding Lawn Games

Venue: Palazzo Del Sol, Destin, FL
Wedding Coordination: Christen Cowgill, B-Boy Productions
Wedding Design, Rentals & Floral: B-Boy Rentals & Event Design
Headliner DJ/MC: DJ Josh Weck, B-Boy Productions
Cake: Jennifer Murphy Cakes
Photography: Gwyne Gray Photography

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!

Palazzo Del Sol Wedding

Destin Wedding DJ

 

Palazzo Del Sol Destin

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.

Destin Beach House Wedding

Baker FL Wedding DJ Brian B | Chelsea and Jesse

When you think of a wedding on the Emerald Coast, a Baker FL wedding probably isn’t one of the first things that comes to mind. But it should. I was honored to be the Baker FL Wedding DJ of choice at Camp Retreat, an amazing venue that features a barn which can fit upwards of 200-300 people. This came in useful since we had over 250+ folks in attendance. Chelsea is the cousin of one of our sales associates and wedding directors, Christen Cowgill, which made the event all the more fun and personal.

Baker FL Wedding DJ

Venue: Camp Retreat, Baker, FL
Ceremony Music: B-Boy Productions
Ceremony Design & Floral: Sheer Elegance Beach Weddings and More
Officiant: Graeme Cowgill
Headliner DJ/MC: DJ Brian B, B-Boy Productions
Photography: Gwyne Gray Photography
Videography: Marion Meggers
Catering: Beth Brant
Cake: Publix Bakery

Florida Barn Wedding Ceremony

 

The ceremony location was a small walking jaunt from the barn and overlooked a lake that created a stunning look!  They handmade the arbor and brought in old school pews to complete the setting. The weather was perfect — not too hot, not too cold and more importantly VERY LOW humidity. Graeme officiated and knocked it out of the park. Musically, the ceremony choices were eclectic. We used some Bethel Instrumental selections from the album “Without Words” for prelude and family/wedding party entrances. The bride came down the aisle to “A Thousand Years” (Piano Guys version) and the wedding party exited to “Can’t Stop The Feeling” by Justin Timberlake. How about these doors?

Wedding Ceremony Barn Door Decor

Chelsea (the bride) and I had some great discussions about her and Jesse’s (the groom) vision for their reception. They literally gave me the reigns with one directive, “play amazing music”. That was it.  While I am honored with their trust, it always is a bit daunting at a wedding because of the diverse cultures and age ranges not to mention other “day of” factors – family dynamics, weather, etc. From the time the reception started, it was on! The crowd was seriously ready to throw down. I took one look at Chelsea jamming out during dinner and I knew I was on the right track.

Barn Wedding DJ

 

Once the dancing started, tit packed out pretty quickly!  I could’ve played the Hokey Pokey and it would’ve gone off (disclaimer: I would never play that song – ha). It was all over the map musically (in one stretch I went from Led Zeplin to Luke Bryan to Mo Money Mo Problems) and the crowd ate every song up.

Emerald Coast Wedding DJ

 

Barn Wedding DJ Brian B

Reception Formality Music

    • Grand Entrance (Wedding Party): “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars
    • Grand Entrance (Bride/Groom): “My Best Friend” by Tim McGraw
    • First Dance: “Heaven On Earth” by Lunchmoney Lewis
    • Father/Daughter Dance: “I Loved Her First” by Heartland
    • Mother/Son Dance: “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
    • Cake Cut: “Sugar” by Trick Daddy
    • Bouquet Toss: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
    • Garter Removal/Toss: “Some Kind of Wonderful” by Grandfunk Railroad
    • Last Dance: “Closing Time” by Semisonic

At the end of the night, we did a grand exit with sparklers. By far, one of my favorite weddings in 2017! Congrats Chelsea and Jesse.  Thanks for having me!

Sparkler Grand Exit

Top Wedding Sing-Along Songs

We love lists and anything music related that can help our clients. With that in mind, we present to you the Top Wedding Sing-along Songs. If you’re looking for song ideas to give your DJ or band to play, consider these on our list. From our personal experience, they go over really well. Your crowd will instantly engage and it will take your event energy to a higher level.

Top Wedding Sing-Along

In no particular order, here are some of our recommendations:

  • No Scrubs – TLC
  • Piano Man – Billy Joel
  • Closer – The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey
  • FourFiveSeconds – Rihanna, Kaye West and Paul McCartney
  • Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
  • Shout – Otis Day & The Knights
  • Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
  • It’s Wasn’t Me – Shaggy feat. Ricardo Ducent
  • Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
  • Get Low – Lil Jon & The Eastside Boys feat. Ying Yang Twins
  • This Is How We Do It – Montell Jordan
  • Shots – LMFAO feat. Lil Jon
  • Dynamite – Taio Cruz
  • I Love It – Icona Pop feat. Charli XCX
  • Old Time Rock And Roll – Bob Seger
  • Yeah – Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris
  • Baby Got Back – Sir Mix A Lot
  • Ride With Me – Nelly
  • Mo Money Mo Problems – Notorious B.I.G. feat. Mase and Puff Daddy
  • Work From Home – Fifth Harmony
  • Poison – Bel Biv Devoe
  • Don’t You Forget About Me – Simple Minds
  • I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
  • Girl Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
  • Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice
  • Super Freak – Rick James
  • Hot In Herre – Nelly
  • Blow – Ke$ha
  • Timber – Pitbull feat. Ke$ha
  • Give Me Everything Tonight – Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer
  • Danza Kuduro – Don Omar feat. Lucenzo
  • Return Of The Mack – Mark Morrison
  • Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
  • Hold On – Wilson Phillips
  • Friends In Low Places – Garth Brooks
  • Bust A Move – Young MC
  • Firework – Katy Perry
  • Tuesday – I Love Makonnen feat. Drake
  • I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston

What would you add to this list? Comment below. Need more event or song ideas? Contact us and we’ll be glad to help.

New B-Boy Entertainment Option: DJ Furniture

For years, it bothered us. Couples would be spend good money on flowers, linens and other decor items to have a certain aesthetic for the wedding of their dreams.  Then, here we come as the DJ and we’re presented with a 6′ banquet table to set our gear on.  We did our best to mask our cables and gear with a “facade” to present a polished and clean appearance and from the guest point of view, it looked pretty clean but there wasn’t a wow factor.

It also felt much like a kid who hides all their toys under their bed when they know their parents are coming in to do a room inspection or an adult who throws all their clutter in the closet when guests come over. It may appear you’ve pulled one over on them, but inside you know it’s not how you want it to be.  This was the picture (below) that sealed the deal for us that we needed to be better. Making a clean and professional work station is part of what we constantly strive for so now we’ve added it as a New B-Boy Entertainment Option.

New B-Boy Entertainment Option:

The photographer took a picture from our angle of our entertainers and while we love the excitement and look of both of them, we could NEVER use this picture in any of our marketing because it just didn’t sit well with us. It looked messy. Again, the client and guests couldn’t see it from their vantage point but we could. Bottom line, our clients deserved better.

We worked with some designers on some DJ specific furniture to really take our presentation to the next level.  We’ve put together a promo video to showcase it off to you.

Currently, these pieces are only available in our Florida and NYC locations (sorry CA clients). If you’re interesting in ordering a piece for your event, contact us today.  They are in limited supply and booked on a first come, first serve basis.  In our Florida market, we are the only company who offers this.  Have your event stand out from the rest!

How Long Should Your Reception last and What You Can do Without

With wedding season here, we thought we’d address 2 topics that have been huge conversation pieces with our brides and grooms during our sales consultations and creative planning meetings. The first is “How Long Should Your Reception last”. This is based on two things: your attendance count and the meal type (buffet or plated). With large guest counts, this typically means large families and wedding parties. Photos can take a bit longer, there are more toasts, and dinner will take longer regardless of meal type. The ideal wedding reception ends with a packed dance floor and the bride/groom having to decide whether or not to go a little longer. Some guidelines would be for 50-150 people, a 3-4 hour time frame is generally perfect. For every 50-100 people over, add an hour. So if you had between 200-250, you’re looking at a 4-5 hour time frame. If you have a plated dinner as opposed to a buffet, add 30 minutes for each additional course to the times listed above. The extra 30 minutes accounts for taking orders and the extra course delivery/clean-up. Anything less than a 3 hour event for 50+ attendees would feel rushed so give yourself at least that amount of time.

How Long Should Your Reception last

We also get couples asking us what they can take out of the formalities to have more time for dancing because they have a real party crowd. Let this be your rule of thumb: there are no rules. In this day and age, you can do whatever you want so don’t feel restricted by tradition or what everyone else is doing. That said, here’s a few suggestions:

*Grand Entrance: Just introduce the couple of honor. This can shave anywhere between 5-10 minutes from the beginning of the reception.

*Formality Dances: Combine 2 or all 3. Obviously, you want each person to feel special and get those important photos. We’ve had a dance start with just the bride/groom and then we ask the parents to join them about half way through. Going this route, you take 9 minutes worth of dances and get it down to 2-3 minutes. If you want to have the first dance with just your spouse, another way is to combine just the parents dances. Start with the father/daughter and then ask the groom and his mom to join halfway in.

*Move Toasts To The Rehearsal Dinner: Generally most rehearsal dinners don’t have time limits and everyone can be given a platform to speak. Toasts these days can go anywhere from 10-20 minutes so this is a great way to recoup some time.

*No Cake Cut: This has really started to trend with going away altogether in lieu of tiered cupcakes or donuts or a dessert station and just having the DJ/MC announce when it’s open. This is a 5-10 minute formality time saver.

*No Tosses: Another trend starting to develop is no garter removal/toss. We’re seeing this less and less. If you remove the bouquet toss as well, you’re looking at a pick-up of at least 10-15 minutes. If you want to give away the bouquet, think about having the DJ/MC honor the longest married couple and give it to them. It’s a cool moment that can be created during dinner with no time taken away from dancing.

If you incorporate these tips, you’re looking at giving you and your guests anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour of extra dance time. Want more ideas? Don’t hesitate in contacting us. We’d be glad to help.

Top 5 Wedding Toast Tips For Engaged Couples

One of the biggest wedding trends of 2016? Toasts! Lots of toasts!!! We’re seeing couples wanting anywhere from 6-10 toasts at their wedding, whereas in the last few years, we’d average between 2-3 toasters. With that in mind, we wanted to give our engaged couples our Top 5 Wedding Toast Tips to help them navigate the toasting process (remember this toasting story?).

Wedding Toast Tips

Wedding Toast Tips From the Pros

DJ Josh B and DJ Shawn, two of our associate DJs who have performed over a few hundred weddings between them and can offer tons of Wedding Toast Tips, delve into this topic on our latest video blog. Please know that we want to be sensitive to your vision for the big day, while at the same time, allowing you to leverage our years of experience. With that type of collaboration, you’ll be setting yourself up for a fantastic wedding reception. We had a recent wedding where the couple “knew their toasters” and estimated that the 10 they had on the schedule would only take about 5 minutes. We tried to encourage them with some of these tips, but at the end of the day, they wanted to proceed having all 10 in row. After 45 minutes from toaster #1, we had time for 1 dance song. The venue had a strict cut-off time which required us to turn off the amplified sound after that first dance tune. Instead of a nice landing into the Grand Exit, it was a harsh brake. We did our best to hype up the “after party” scheduled to take place at the local bar after the reception but you could see the disappointment on the guests’ faces not to mention the bridal party and our bride/groom. We have put together this video with the hope that no couple or a couples’ crowd has to go through something like that.

Hot New First Dance Wedding Reception Song for Fall 2016

Every year you’re almost guaranteed to have one new track that makes it as that year’s “Hot New First Dance Wedding Reception Song “. As Wedding DJs, we can spot them pretty quickly. I mean, that’s part of the job right?

Hot New First Dance Wedding Reception Song

Photo courtesy of GwyneMark Photography

Usually, it’s almost always after a Grammy performance, which takes place in February, just before the Spring wedding season begins. I can’t prove that theory scientifically but it sure feels like it’s been that way the past few years. In 2014, it was “All Of Me” by John Legend. Last year, it was, without a doubt, Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud”. Up until a few months ago, the top contender for 2016 had been “Die A Happy Man” by Thomas Rhett. This country tune had a lot of the same elements as Ed Sheeran’s track but turned out to have enough crossover appeal that it has been used by a ton of diverse brides and grooms and not relegated to just country music lovers. If you haven’t heard it, check it out below.

But then a song came along that has been slowly gaining momentum over the last month or so. I never saw it coming to be honest. It’s categorized as a “folk” genre track but definitely appeals to the masses. This artist has had a ton of tracks placed in television shows and films like The Loft, Revenge, The Originals, Sleepy Hollow, Reckless, and DaVinci’s Demons (just to name a few). This is her first single to have such mainstream success. Have we kept the suspense going long enough? Well, you’ll have to wait a while longer and get the title/artist through the video below. Let us know if you think this has what it takes to dethrone Thomas Rhett as 2016’s wedding song of the year. Enjoy!

Hilton Pensacola Beach Wedding | Venue Tour

We recently had a Hilton Pensacola Beach wedding where we provided ceremony music and DJ services for the reception.

HIlton Pensacola Beach Wedding

This venue has gone though a pretty extensive renovation since we were here a few years ago. They also brought in a new wedding staff which has provided an elevated experience for clients, guests and vendors alike. On this particular day, there was heavy wind and rain was threatening. Rather than risk a washout, the venue had a rain back-up plan that allowed the ceremony to take place inside which kept guests dry and the ceremony decor intact.

Since we have so many destination wedding clients looking for venue spaces in our area, we thought this venue tour may help give you an idea of what the venue can look like on your day. Although pictures are helpful, having someone walk you through the space when it is set-up for a wedding can really make the venue come to life. This wedding had 80 guests. The beauty of this space is that it is very modular. You could have as many as 150 in this room or as little as 50 guests and it would still work either way.

When it comes to entertainment for a Hilton Pensacola Beach wedding, we would recommend our 2 person DJ/MC package. This allows the MC to get out from behind the DJ table and be seen by everyone since there is a slight angle to the room. Decor and uplighting in this room should be considered. The neutral wall colors allow you to “colorize” them to your liking. Lastly, a photo booth would not only have plenty of space in this room but it would give your entertainment yet another layer for your guests to experience. All of these things are available through us and our sister companies. Check out the tour below of the Hilton Pensacola below.

For more information on the venue, contact us or peruse the venue’s website here.

Wedding First Dance Song Suggestions 2016

Looking for the perfect wedding first dance song for your reception? Having moved through the first quarter of 2016, our DJs are starting to dial in the songs that are working and what’s coming down the pike. When it comes to the soundtrack to possibly the most romantic portion of the reception, the first dance, we’ve got you covered!

First Dance Song Ideas

Dancing for the first time as husband and wife, it’s understood that picking the perfect song is of supreme importance. In the endless sea of song suggestions from websites and blogs, (like this one) paralysis from too many options is probably becoming more common than ever. One trend that seems to possibly remedy this malady is a moving away from traditional, mass produced songs. It seems that couples are moving towards the indie genre where they have a personal connection to these gems that are not your typical top 40. This trend makes predicting future trends even more difficult! Another trend as of late has been an influx of great country ballads. In an effort to ease the process, see below, a list of song suggestions that covers multiple styles with some of our thoughts listed under each one. Enjoy them!

Over and Over Again – Nathan Sykes feat. Ariana Grande
A beautiful ballad in the same vein as John Legend’s “All of Me” This song was made for a wedding!

You Are The Best Thing – Ray Lamontagne
This track sounds like a 60’s soul jam that keeps finding its way back to the reception; whether it be during dinner or in this case, the first dance. Don’t see this one going anywhere anytime soon.

Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes
Indie track that’s been around for a minute but still is a popular choice for the off-the-beaten-path couple.

Bright – Echosmith
From 2015 and still carrying its own. This feel good track is still a great first dance option.

Yours – Russell Dickerson
This straight forward country tune aims for the heart and is a perfect country option.

Die A Happy Man – Thomas Rhett
Another country song with a really chill feel that has been one of the most popular this year. Check it out here.

Always – Chuck Wicks
Romantic slow dance song that has the perfect lyrics for a first dance.

From The Ground Up – Dan + Shay
These guys have been tearing up the charts as of late. Another solid country option.

Destination Wedding Tips | Weather Contingency Plan

I’ve always loved the quote by Benjamin Franklin, “If you fail to plan, you plan to to fail.” There’s a ton of truth in that.  If you’re looking at having your wedding in the panhandle of Florida, this should be your battle cry.  Maybe you saw the beautiful beaches and are dreaming of having a picturesque ceremony take place on the white sand followed by an outdoor wedding reception on a lawn or deck.  Sounds amazing right?  I wish I could say that this perfect scenario plays out for all of our weddings but every now and then mother nature decides to throw some curve balls.  Although rain on your wedding day is a sign of good luck, this can wreak havoc on all the hard work you’ve put into your wedding plans and add some unnecessary stress.  With over 9 years in the Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, 30-A, and Fort Walton Beach area, let us give your some helpful destination wedding tips.

Wedding Rain Plan DJ

#1: Choose your wedding venue carefully.
You’d think this was a no-brainer but not all event venues (especially in the panhandle) are equipped with a back-up indoor space.  So ask these venues the right questions.  Here’s a few:

  • If my event is outside, do you have indoor space in case of rain?  If so, is it available to us and what is the cost?
  • If there are multiple weddings at your venue, how do you decide who gets what room?
  • When do you make a rain call to move things inside?
  • If there are no indoor options, will the venue allow us to rent a tent?


#2: Speaking of tents, put down a deposit upon booking your venue!
A lot of our destination clients can wait for the rain to pass to get in their 20 minute ceremony but if there are having their reception outdoors at say a beach house or a venue that has no indoor space, there is a chance the rain may come back again.  You then find yourself in a pickle because so many of your reception elements have to be preset (tables, centerpieces, cutlery, cake, etc.).  The best thing to do is reserve a tent as soon as you lock in your date and venue.  While the deposit is generally non-refundable, you can’t afford NOT to do this.  Like having an insurance policy, it’s not until you need it that you wish you had it.  With so many weddings happening in the area, the last thing you want to do is wait until the “day of” and play Russian roulette with the tent companies.  If you can find one that is available, chances are the rates are going to be high due to supply and demand.


#3: Find out your vendor’s policies are regarding rain.
If your vendor is contracted for a certain amount of hours and there is a weather delay, do they charge extra for any time overage?  Will they even work out in the rain?  

As an entertainment company, rain is an obvious concern for us.  We strive to do all we can to accommodate our client’s wishes, but we can’t put the couple’s event, their guests’ safety, our employees’ safety or the gear in jeopardy.  Chances are that same gear is booked out the very next day for another client’s wedding.  For our live musicians, unless they are under a covered area, they can’t play in the rain with their personal instruments.  For our DJs and Photo Booth personnel, we have a 3 strike policy when it comes to rain. Assuming it’s dry, we will set-up as planned outside until the first few drops of rain.  Once that occurs, we will pull all gear until the rain stops so we can minimize any damage and hopefully continue on without any hiccups due to water damage.  The client has the option at that point to move our team inside (we’ll reset at no cost to the client) or wait until it stops and we’ll re-set outside again as fast as we can to reduce the time delay. If it rains a second time outside on the gear, we have to strike the gear until an indoor solution can be figured out.

In the last two years, we’ve had a ton of rain during wedding season on the Emerald Coast.  These tips, if followed, will allow this rain to slide right off as you move on to an even more fabulous Plan B.  We know this area like the back of our hand so if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.