Confessions Of A Wedding DJ

I recently did my first wedding at Olde Stone…it wasn’t my first event there, but the first wedding reception. I must say, it is a beautiful atmosphere for a reception, and the staff is very courteous and attentive to the guests. The bride and groom were guests at an event I had last September and I’m not sure if I commented on their reception, but if I did, I’m going to give you a little more along with this one. The Woods (September) and the Bryan’s (This recent reception) are both upstanding Christian couples. They both impressed me with their attitude of owning the Christian faith. From the toasts to the dancing, these young adults showed nothing but class. In both, the Best Man and Maid of Honor toasts were completed with scripture readings and their toasts were full of stories of Christian fellowship events in which they strengthened their friendships. I hope that my own children will grow up and be good Christian examples like these couples and their friends.

And, oh yeah, they really know how to have fun! They danced all night and enjoyed the time they had together. By the way, the Bryan’s used my service on the recommendation of the Wood’s (Heather was one of the bride’s maids). It figures that these types of upstanding young people know each other and are friends. What do you think?

Tonight, again, I had the pleasure of being in the company of strong Christians. From the welcome prayer by the father of the bride, to the toasts by the Best Man and Maid of Honor, this event was much like the ones I wrote of above. And, yes, they also knew how to have a great time! I congratulate all three of these couples on the way they present themselves and do not fear being Christians in a crazy world like this. Again, I say, I am very happy to be a small part of these wedding receptions. I love what I do and these are the types of people that make it so much worth being in business. Thank you, to all of you.

Mr. & Mrs. Ryan and Valerie Landrum

It’s been a long time since my last post…in fact, it’s been since August of 2008. My last post actually has attracted a lot of attention and I want to start by saying I have no problems with Lost River Cave. I actually love it there and was there just a week ago with my eight year old daughter on a field trip. I was just pointing out that it is a pretty difficult place to set up and break down DJ equipment. AND YES…I would love to do more events at Lost River Cave!

Well, tonight I had an event at the City Park in Franklin, Kentucky. The event was planned via the internet and the phone, since the mother of the bride was the person who booked me to be there and she lives in Kansas. I must say that the internet has been a tremendous source of attention for Lewis DJ Service. I would actually say that more than 75% of my business comes directly from the internet.

Anyway, the bride and groom were great people and the event went off without a hitch, although I announced the Matron of Honor by the wrong name (Sorry, SHARON). The crowd was about 80 people and they were a very mixed crowd, which sorted itself out halfway into the event. At around 7:50 p.m., after the cake and dances, half of the crowd left and I was just about to text my wife and tell her I would be home early. But, low and behold, the other half all got on the dancefloor to a particular song (I can’t remember which one it was), and they never left until we had to kick them off! They danced to disco, classic rock, modern hop-hop…everything. I love these kinds of crowds!!!

At the end of the evening, much to my surprise (A pleasant one), the bride, groom and the brides parents all came to me at separate times and thanked me for a great night. Believe it or not, this hardly ever happens (And it’s not because they didn’t have fun, sinics!). The bride, groom and families are just usually very busy and thinking about many more things than the DJ, but I have to say it is a great feeling when they take the time to talk to me at the end of the event. This time it was four different people and I was blown away (I told you they were nice.).

Well, I don’t have any rampages or anything this time. I guess in my old age (I just turned 40 two week s ago!), I’m getting much more relaxed. I don’t think my children would agree, but that’s their job…to think I’m not.

I still love doing this job and it is a great source of pride for me.

Jay and Tiffany

Since I have fallen behind, I am going to combine my reception from June 14 with my reception this evening (August 1). The common denominator you ask?…Lost River Cave.

Before I go into one of my famous tangents again, I want to say that I love Lost River Cave. It is one of the most beautiful places in Bowling Green, and probably Kentucky (I haven’t seen most of Kentucky, but I DO know Bowling Green). in fact, my wife and I decided to get a family pass to Lost River so we could visit with guests as often as we want.

With that said, Lost River Cave is the most difficult place I have ever had to DJ. Now, on a dry day, it is still wet in the cave, which is not a great place to be in with thousands of dollars of electronics. When it rains…watch out! I have been placed in several different places in the cave and they all DRIP. It makes it dangerous to walk, to work and especially to play music. Not to mention, there are a lot of stairs (wet stairs!) to walk up and down.

On to the DJ stuff…The Lyles-Roller Reception was a great time. Not much for dancing, but atmosphere. I was happy to have my wife with me (The kids were with family), and that made it especially fun for me. It reminded me of when we were dating and she would go to all of my events. The bride and groom were a happy couple (as you would expect), and the families and friends made it a special evening. Best of all was the brides dad, who she referred to as “Daddy.” I love when young adults still call their fathers “Daddy.” I hope my kids always do (And I am lucky that they still do to this day)! Anyway, Daddy was a fun-loving gentleman, ready to get the party over! He obviously loved his daughter and it was especially noticeable in his being the very last person there other than me. He joked and had a lot of fun and made his cleanup duties seem effortless (Although I not ignorant enough to really think it was). To top it off, he gave me an entire layer of cake to take home…how cool. My kids, my wife, my friends and my dogs enjoyed the cake for nearly a week!

Heather and Dave Roller

My event tonight was for a friend, although I did not know it was a friend until shortly before the reception (about a week). I had run into Justin working at a local restaurant (He’s the guy that blows up balloons for the kids!), and he told me he had just gotten engaged. He was elated and showed my wife and I pictures of his fiance, the ring and everything else he had on his cell phone. So, as an undying salesperson, I mentioned to him that I had a DJ business, gave him a card, and never heard from him again…until about two weeks ago, which I already mentioned.

I received an email from a seemingly stressed bride-to-be about three weeks ago. She was looking for a DJ, visited my website and sent me the email. Luckily, I was free for the event and told her I would be happy to do the event (Although it was at Lost River Cave, so I hesitated a little). About a week afterward, I received an email from Justin…he was getting married and I was his DJ!Somehow… through fate I suppose…his fiance happened upon my website and decided to go with Lewis DJ Service. It is quite a small world out there!

The evening was perfect. I already knew I was in for a treat because I knew Justin loved Ashley from our run in at the restaurant, but I did not expect such a great crowd. Without alcohol, dirty music or any of the things that tend to get people dancing, this crowd of young and old alike took to the floor as soon as started playing and never left until the event was over.

The best part was when I announced the bride and groom when they first arrived. It was like a movie! Justin and Ashley walked down the hill to the cave with their wedding party. Just as they came into the entrance of the cave, which is a bit above the dance floor and dinner tables, I announced their arrival. Like the movies, the crowd absolutely erupted (It gave me goose bumps)! Now that is how it should be at every wedding reception…like the movies.

So, I’ve had a great summer doing wedding and parties. I want to thank each and every one of the people I have come in contact with through this great job I have. Without them, my life would be different. I wouldn’t  have the opportunity to see love, friendships and families grow outside of my own home. If I have never mentioned this before…I am blessed to be a DJ. I have the opportunity to see things that many will never see, and I thank all of you.

You will hear from me again soon! Love and Peace!

Justin & Ashley Guest

Scott

BGHS Graduation PartyOn May 31, I was right in the middle of a high school graduation party! Now, if you want to see everything that is possible, then try a graduation party.

The party was in honor of three young men from the Bowling Green area, but there were most likely more than 60 other graduates in attendance, and they were ready to get the party on. The parents of the three graduates were gems. It almost felt like I was a guest at this graduation party (You know, the one tied to the DJ stand!). There was all the food and drink that one could handle, and when I say food, I mean serious food. This is probably a good time for me to make a confession…I love wedding food, and this was food from one (if not THE) of the best places in town…Cambridge Market and Cafe. For years, I have been going to Cambridge, where the owner, Mike Hughes, has put together one of the best places to eat in the history of Bowling Green. I mean this guy knows how to put out a spread, and lucky for all of us, his son was one of the three graduates I mentioned earlier. Though I realize this is not a food column, I strongly recommend you try Cambridge Market if you have not done so before. You are in for a treat.

So, getting through another of my many tangents…the dancing was was of the best times I have ever had at an event. For the first three hours, it was as I wasn’t even there (except for the great music in the background…okay, a blatant pat on the back!). Once it got a little dark (Nobody likes to dance in the light), everyone started dancing. The crazy thing was that all the graduates wanted to hear was old Motown and R&B music! Anything from Marvin Gaye to Wilson Pickett to the Disco sounds of KC & the Sunshine Band…these kids seemed to love everything I played. And they kept on asking for more and more. Now that’s what I call a great gig!

To sum it up…there was food and drink and music, and we all had a great time. Congratulations 2008 graduates!! Go on to college (or wherever you may go), and make us proud. We are so blessed to have such a great generation of kids these days and I look forward to growing older with these young people changing the world!!!

BGHS Graduation Party - Some of the graduates

I am quite a bit behind on my blog, so I am attempting to play catchup. On May 23, I had the pleasure of doing one of my favorite gigs of the year…an end-of-the-year blowout at Richpond Elementary.

Now, you’ve all had a chance to hear me rant and rave and carry on about how a lot of people don’t like to dance, but that will never be the case at Richpond. I did the event for the first time last year and really looked forward to doing it again. For awhile, I thought I wasn’t going to be asked back because I had not heard from anyone…but lo and behold, I got the call just about two weeks before the event. Hurray!!!

Some people don’t like to mess with younger children because they are pretty hard to please (I know you parents feel me on this one), but I love going to Richpond. The children are polite, accepting and fun…even when I can’t play some of their favorite songs due to language and inference.

Okay, if you’re a kid reading this, an inference is what something is trying to say without actually saying it (Like “Snap,” which happens to be my daughters favorite phrase these days. She uses it in place of the words she knows she’s not allowed to say. I love you, Nina!).

Anyway, these kids don’t really care. As long as there’s music, they are happy. They dance…They play…They have a great time. Not to mention the teachers, administrators and teachers! They love to dance with the kids, and it shows that they really care.

So, Here’s to the students, teachers, administrators and parents of Richpond Elementary. You Rock!!!

Recently, I had the opportunity to entertain a group at the L&N Train Depot in Bowling Green. This is a perfect opportunity to say that mother knows best.

You see, the bride a groom had been married about three months before the event ever took place. There’s a long story to the reasons, but they are not important to the lesson to be learned in this story. Remember, Mother knows best.

The groom’s mother, in this case, was a phenomenal, charasmatic person who wanted her baby boy to have only the best…and she gave it to him and his new bride. From the location of the event, the entertainment (me), the food and to the photographer, this mother wanted only the best (that was a shameful advertisement for myself, wasn’t it?).

Everything during this event was done just as if the couple had tied the knot that very day. The bride wore her wedding dress, we announced the couple’s arrival and even had a first dance. This is where I talk about the bride and groom. The couple was great to work with (If I had to count the number of times the groom and bride asked me if I needed everything, I would have lost count within the first hour!). They were attentive, fun-loving, but not much into dancing. Usually this bothers me, but I could tell by the mood of everyone present that they were having fun. They were laid back and easy to get along with, although this was part of the reason mom had to work so hard. The bride and groom were so laid-back that they really didn’t need (or want) much. I say this in a very positive way…they just wanted to have fun with their friends and family. This is where mom excelled, because she was determined to make sure everyone had a great time and that is sometimes hard to accomplish since not everyone is laid-back and easy going.

Back to the mom…this mom was on top of everything involved with the reception (not in a pushy way). From the moment I met her nearly a year earlier, she was all about the couple having a great reception, and she worked very hard to get it done. At the end of the night, it was mom that was cleaning up and making sure everything was in order. The bride and groom were long gone, the photographer too…It was just the mom, the DJ (It takes a while to break down), the Depot staff and the dad (I suspect he had a lot to do with getting everything accomplished as well, but he didn’t talk much…dad’s tend to be that way).

No compaints here about not having food and drink. As I already mentioned, everyone was asking me if I needed anything. There was even one time when the music was flowing and everything was in order that I walked outside just to see the weather. When I turned around to go back to my equipment, the groom was right there (Sort of like those movies when the main character turns around and there is someone just standing there.), asking if I needed anything. I was a bit afraid that they had read too much into my previous blogs and thought I would go crazy if I wasn’t offered food! )

To top it off…at the end of the night, I walked out with the whole bottom of the wedding cake! I had asked the mom if I could take a piece of cake for my wife (Something of a tradition of ours…my wife loves wedding cake, so I have always brought her a piece of cake after every event), and when I left I had plenty…enough to feed an army. We ate cake for a week! I also left with four boxes of candy. You see, I have seen just about everything over the last sixteen years, but this was the first time there has been a full-fledged candy bar (a bar with candy…not just a single candy bar!). There were all kinds of candy, from chocolates to licorice. I had asked to take each of my children a lollipop to mark the event, but I was given four boxes to fill as I wished…and I did. They were busting at the seems with candy (Which in turn made my children’s bellies burst with candy and extra energy!). If I had to do it all over again (With the same wife , of course), I would have a candy bar. It was a fantastic idea, especially once everyone started drinking…instead of craving cheetos and chips, these drinkers were craving candy. It was actually very funny to watch as the night progressed and the alcohol flowed. They were like little kids…a little bit tenative in the beginning and full force toward the end.

Anyway, back to mom…she was a gem. You could tell she was full of love and happiness to finally have this day for her son. She made sure the evening was special and offered her own labor (and probably mind) to make this happen. And in the end, it was obvious that mother knows best.

I really love when I receive new challenges, and this past weekend was one of those times. Although I have played the music for many wedding ceremonies, this one was definitely different.

The ceremony and reception were both at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Center. Although the ceremony was much like any ceremony, it was different in that the Holiday Inn courtyard was the location of the ceremony. It  is a beautiful setting with greenery and a waterfall to boot. The wedding party entered the ceremony from a room alongside the courtyard (Not much of a challenge), and the bride entered by coming down the glass elevator and walking to the platform (This was the challenge). The challenge was seeing when the bride was going to come down the elevator, but this was overcome by the professionalism of the Holiday Inn staff. With walky-talkies in hand, one staff member stayed with the bride and another stood with me. When everything was ready and the bride was set to come down the elevator, the staff let me know and everything went perfectly.

It was a beautiful ceremony, highlighted by the couple choosing contemporary songs that meant something to them instead of the traditional wedding songs. I really recommend this to the couples planning weddings somewhere other than a church (Churches don’t really get into the whole contemporary music thing). Each song was perfect for the situation and it really made it a memorable experience for me and everyone in atttendance.

Now for the soapbox speech…As I have stated before, it is important to feed the DJ! ) The bride and groom had arranged for me to be fed and given drinks during the reception. After reminding the staff at least three separate times (and being assured they understood), I was still without food and drink after everyone else was nearly finished. At this point, as I usually do, I once again approached the staff and asked (nicely) for some food and a drink. I got a salad! After finishing the salad (Not very filling to a growing boy), I once again had to approach the staff, and finally, I got some real food…and very good food at that. I figured out where the tea was being stored, and as long as I went and got it myself there were no more problems with drinks either.

Now, I understand the staff did not think I was important enough to feed, but the bride and groom not only requested food and drink for me…they had to pay for it. So, for all practicle purposes, I was a dinner guest. In their defense, the staff of the Holiday Inn was very courteous and hard-working, and the “real” guests were very well taken care of.

On with the reception…it was a very nice reception, very traditional in every way. The bride and groom were happy and the event was a success on all fronts. The couple was a delight to work for and I was very happy to see a couple that was obviously in love (This isn’t always the case, although it often is).

Well, I know this blog has been a bit boring, but trust me…my next one will be great. On April 26th I will be at the L&N Depot in Bowling Green and it has all the makings of being a great time.

Until then…

Kenny and Betsy Fyhr

Sometimes I get a little bored playing the same old stuff over and over. Well, that all changed on Thursday, December 20. I had a great experience playing music for an eighteenth birthday party.

Yes, they were eighteen-years-old. Yes, they were fun and outgoing. No, they did not listen to rap music!

You have to understand that I grew up to John Cougar (now Mellencamp), Van Halen and WHAM. The closest we had to rap until the end of my Senior year in high school was Rick James or (worse yet) Michael Jackson. Now, the airwaves are filled with T-Pain, Soulja Boy Tellem, Flo Rida and more. As long as they spell improperly, they are popular (I think I will go by “Scaw TT” for now on). The point is…I don’t get the new stuff very often…and why does everyone go around slapping themselves in the “booty” and refer to themselves in ways that must make the ACLU salivate? Okay…okay…enough with that.

Well, maybe just a little more. What is a shawty? According to the Urban Dictionary:

Shawty originated from Atlanta. It’s the south’s version of the word Shorty. It is used as a greeting, farewell, or in the place of peoples names or pronouns(he,she,his,her).

1. Wassup Shawty
2. Shawty trippin
3. Did you get shawty’s number
4. Aight then shawty

I’m not even going to get started with “wassup” and “aight”…

Anyway, this group’s musical tastes leaned more toward techno (club) music as well as alternative rock music. The thing about the club genre is you have to like to dance if you like that type of music. It is made for dancing and dancing hard…and for the most part, these kids filled the part.

These eighteen-year-old young people (I can call them that!) were happy being themselves. Their clothing was not wacky or anything crazy, but it wasn’t conforming like most kids. They looked nice, but you could tell they didn’t call and ask each other what they were going to wear to the party…in fact, I don’t think any of them cared what anyone else was wearing.

Probably most impressive for teenagers, they didn’t shy away when the food was served. There were no statements of  “Oh my goodness, I can’t eat that! Think of the calories!! I don’t want to be fat!!!” or “What is that anyway? I’m not eating that.” When the food was served, they ate and enjoyed each others company at the table.

When it was time to open presents, everyone became involved. You could tell that these were all good friends. Their gifts were thoughtful, funny and full of love. No one hung out in another room (You know…the ones sneaking the food they scoffed earlier) or talked incessantly so no one could enjoy themselves. They were friends…there was no doubt.

It was a unique evening. Luckily for me, I had my thirteen-year-old daughter with me. She was able to take in what real friends were like. No stress over clothes. No acting like you do not eat. Just friends getting together to celebrate.

I only hope my daughter (sort of a genius most of the time…but addicted to fashion and purses) was able to take something away from this event. Hopefully, she can create a loving, non-judgemental group of friends like she witnessed on this night.

Somehow I escaped having a DJ event this past Saturday. It was one of those days/nights from the Twilight Zone as far as I can tell, because I had absolutely nothing to do. There were no ball games, get-togethers…not a thing. In fact, it was so uneventful that I can’t even remember what I did (No, it’s not a flashback from the 60′s…I wasn’t even alive), but it was probably a mix of Xbox and lounging around. I love days like Saturday.

On Sunday, after a normal routine of church, lunch out on the town and shopping (Usually the grocery store…which I love…again, a whole other story), I had a Christmas event at a local restaurant called the Brickyard Cafe. Now the Brickyard is one of the more charming restaurants in Bowling Green. It was started by two Bosnian immigants a few years back in an old brickyard (duh). The location is beautiful and the food is a wonderful Mediterranean mix.

Since this is not a food review…on with the stuff that pertains to DJing (at least a little bit more). One thing that is almost always the case with old, charming buildings is the lack of convenient doorways, at least where a DJ (or large person) would be concerned. Not only are the doors to most of these places not as wide as most modern places, they always have sharp, steep steps leading up to them. In this case, brick steps (Duh, again…it was a brickyard). If you haven’t already figured it out, it is very hard for a DJ to work in buildings with this type of limited access. First off, our equipment is bulky, not to mention heavy. Secondly, we have arms that like to get between doorways and the equipment. Also, in order to unload at a reasonable (not too) distance you have to park on a thin sidewalk which cannot hold the width of a minivan. To top it off, it was raining! Needless to say, it wasn’t a pretty sight to behold.

On with the story…it was an event for the Bluegrass Cellular Bowling Green regional sales team. The manager, a bubbly woman to say the least, appeared to love this party. She had everything organized, door prizes available, music (that’s me) and great food. If I was a manager, this is how I would do it. The “team” seemed to have a great time, although there weren’t many dancers. The ones who did dance, though, really burned the floor up…a DJ’s dream come true.

Although I have my reasons to DJ that aren’t always related to DJing, this kind of event really makes it worth doing. Yes, it was hell trying to get setup and breaking down at the end of the night, but all in all it was a great time with a lot of Christmas cheer…and great food and drink for those in attendance. It wasn’t Saturday, though…not even close.

This past weekend was a busy one, with an unusual break in the middle. Each year, going on five now, on the first Friday of December, I have the pleasure of playing music for a group of realtors. It’s easy to see why realtors are realtors. They all smile incessantly, welcome each other and their guests with open arms, and even include the workers…DJs, caterers, etc. I have no idea if they act like this all of the time, but for at least one night a year they shine.

Actually, I have a few friends that are realtors, and for the most part they are always in a good mood. It’s in their blood…to be realtors. They may not have known it when they first started looking for careers, but they were made to be realtors. Thick skin…with a smile.

On the subject of DJing (Since that is why this blog is actually here), a pointer from my Friday event. DJs often work many hours on events. Not only do they sometimes have long days (11 hours for me on Friday), but they (the good ones) put a lot of work into creating music lists before the event, which includes downloading songs specifically for each event. With that said, if you are serving dinner, don’t forget the DJ (serving lines are easy)…and at the very least, don’t forget to offer them access to refreshments (Non-alcoholic for me, but some offer the other, which is a whole other tangent for me to pursue at another time.). As I said, I have been doing this event for years, and they always forget to feed me. In the coordinator’s defense, she always makes arrangements to have me fed and kept filled with a drink (I really am like a camel), but somehow the catering staff always forgets. That’s okay too, but I always get the server who is upset because she (They’re always “she’s” at this event) has to bring a plate to one more person. Thankfully, I’m resourceful enough to take care of this myself. I just figure out where the food is being prepared, talk to the chef (Almost always very pleasant people) and get myself taken care of. I then look for the drinks…which are usually large garbage cans (Clean, I hope) full of iced tea. Done…I get fed, get my fill of drink…and everyone is happy. Anyway, I can see other less-resourceful DJs starving to death at an eleven hour event.

Well, I’ll have to wait another year for that event to come around, but let me assure you of one thing…realtors know how to throw a party!