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DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

By Kenneth Hall, Special Sections correspondent

Whether a couple has planned a small, intimate wedding reception or a major soiree with hundreds of guests, every newlywed wants their event to be memorable and choosing the right entertainment is an essential part. “Entertainment is critical to the success or failure of a wedding reception,” says Jose Otero, a disc jockey and owner of Just Outstanding Entertainment in Spring Hill. “The right DJ can make the event and the wrong person can ruin it. “This is my profession and I have been doing it for 20 years. One thing I have learned is that while tradition says the focus of the reception should be on the bride and groom, actually the couple wants the focus to be on their guests. If the guests have a great time, the bride and groom have a great time.”

So, should couples hire a band or a DJ?

It’s actually just a matter of personal preference. “When couples hire a band, I think it is for the elegant tradition of having a live band. When they hire a DJ, they have the ability to provide a wide variety of different kinds of music, performed by the original artists,” Otero says. It’s not hard to imagine that a live band may have some difficulty in recreating the soaring harmonies of the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows,” the smooth croon of Frank Sinatra’s “My Funny Valentine” or the pristine delivery of the Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begun.” At the same time, a live band can make the affair seem more intimate and, for want of a more appropriate term, classy.



What’s a couple to do?

“What I’ve found is that when you have a younger bride who likes techno music and current top 40, she can find a band to play that type of music, but it is unlikely the band will be able to play a variety of music standards, jazz or dinner music as well,” says Cindy Dervech of Breezin’ Entertainment & Productions in Tampa. “Often, we do a lot of combinations with DJs and live bands, depending on the age of the bride,” Dervech says. “Some couples go with themes, with a harp or strings for the actual wedding ceremony, steel drums for the cocktail hour and a live band or DJ for the reception.”

Regardless of whether a couple chooses a live band, a DJ or both, it is important for the couple to know what they are getting. A band or DJ may come with wonderful recommendations and praise, but a couple cannot know for sure if their choice is appropriate without experiencing an actual performance. DJs can double as the master of ceremonies, and most bands that perform receptions have a member whofills that role. But that does not mean they are appropriate for the mood the couple wishes to create. There are other considerations as well.

“In my opinion, the first thing a couple needs to think about is using an entertainment company that has been in business for a long time, and that is licensed and bonded,” Dervech says. “That helps to guarantee that nine to 12 months later, the company will still be around, and the band or DJ will still be available.” Dervech says her company represents DJs who have been working professionally for at least 10 years and have worked at least 100 weddings, as well as professional bands with a variety of musical styles. Dervech says the DJs she represents can be hired for $600 to $800 and bands are $400 to $500 for solo performers and $4,000 to $5,000 for orchestras. “Most weddings go with a five-piece band, which ranges from $1,800 to $3,500,” she says.

“I think when it comes to hiring a band, most brides are looking for a variety of different kinds of music to appeal to everyone,” Dervech adds. “I think it is important for a couple to see a live performance by any DJ or band they are considering for their reception, so they know exactly what they are getting.” Many DJs and bands have performance videos online, so potential clients can get an idea of what sort of entertainment they provide.

Otero is no exception, but he takes it a step further for clients who show a serious interest. “I will give a comprehensive demonstration of my services in person with a private showcase and my clients really appreciate that,” Otero says. “I do comprehensive preplanning with the couple so that I know all of the music to play throughout the evening.” In Otero’s case, the couple gets a lot. “It’s a whole show from start to finish,” he says. “I incorporate an intelligent light show and can do unbelievable grand entrances, where the couple walks into the room with low-lying theatrical fog and lighting circling them, as well as a blast of confetti, depending on the venue. “I provide elegant ambient lighting, polished master of ceremonies services, interactive dance routines and the ability to read a crowd and cater to the needs of the audience, to take requests and get everyone on the dance floor.” Otero’s clients also can take advantage of his big-screen TV, with music videos, love story narration and live shots of the reception. “People enjoy seeing the music videos, and they love seeing themselves on the screen. The couple will give me photos of themselves, which I use to put together a little love story narration of their relationship. I take the event to another level.” Otero’s prices, from $1,500 to $5,000, are higher than average, he admits, but he promises a high-energy evening that a couple’s guests will remember. “My clients know the value of great entertainment,” he says.

Capturing every last detail

By Frank Wagner, Copley News service


If you want professional images of your vows, you need to focus on pictures well in advance say experienced wedding photographers. “The two things you need to book about a year in advance are the location and the photographer,” says Sherry Gillespie of Village Studio in La Mesa, Calif. The better photographers have bookings well into the future. A good fi rst step is to consult friends and family and look at their wedding albums. Take note of what you think worked (and what didn't); get referrals. You also can check wedding forums to see if any brides in your area have had bad experiences lately. “Know who you're working with and what you want,” says Gillespie. That means you need to review the photographer's work. Inspect the studio’s pictures of other weddings — do you like the look, the color, the poses, the detail? Most importantly, “ask questions. Girls come in here with a whole list of questions from a bridal magazine,” she says. “It's good to ask.” Among the specifi cs to check on:
  • Who will shoot the wedding? Will the photographer have an assistant? What attire is the photo crew expected to wear?
  • What locations will be used (the bride’s home, church, reception site, etc.)? Find out if the photographer is familiar with the location.
  • What are the exact times, dates and places he photographer will be working? What are the overtime fees?
  • Is there a guarantee?
  • What is included in the package? What are the prices for extra albums, prints, proofs?
  • What is the deposit and payment schedule?
  • Does the studio have any suggestions to help keep within your budget?

(One way to stretch your budget and get different perspectives on the day is to place disposable cameras at reception tables and have guests take pictures of the festivities.) An aspect many don't consider: “Know their cancellation policy,” warns Gillespie. Some studios require three or six months’ notice to qualify for a refund. Experience is a big plus according to Gillespie, who has been in the trade for about 10 years assisting her husband, David, who started working in the family business 35 years ago. According to her, a good wedding photographer should have at least two years’ experience as an assistant. Such experience and the needed equipment does not come cheap. Village Studio’s packages start at $2,695; in “high end” markets, packages can start at $5,000 and costs of $8,000 to $10,000 are not unheard of.

Given the investment, a signed contract is a must, “it protects both parties,” observes Gillespie. A contract covers how many hours you have the photographer for, how many proofs you get, the album and other details. A contract also should cover any guarantees, contingencies and specific products and services you can expect.

If a price seems to be too good to be true, it just might be. “If its $1,000 or less, ask a lot of questions,” cautions Gillespie. She concedes, “You can get someone to shoot the pictures and hand over a disk for $800,” but then you're on your own to sort through the images and get albums made. Sometimes the arrangement works, sometimes it doesn’t. Recently, a bride approached her studio seeking help to organize the overwhelming number of images on her disk. A typical package includes about eight hours of shooting, beginning two hours before the ceremony starts and lasting into the reception. “In seven to eight hours, we can shoot 2,000 images,” says Gillespie.

A good wedding photographer not only snaps pictures, but also edits and organizes them to tell the wedding’s story. Even with the technological advances in digital imaging, the process remains time-consuming. The studio culls the day’s shooting to a workable level, weeding out redundant and unflattering images. “We get it down to 500 or so in a couple of weeks,” says Gillespie. It takes about four weeks to get proofs, at which point a proof album and online images are available to family and friends. Once the selections are made, it still takes about six to eight weeks for Gillespie to deliver the final album. It’s a down side of the digital revolution. All the high-quality color labs in San Diego have been driven out of business by digital, she adds; they must ship their work 100 miles away to Los Angeles to get high-quality prints. It’s a situation that has affected a number of cities.


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