Brendan’s Blog

I’ve been looking forward to this weekend for the longest time, because of Diana & Micah’s wedding Saturday night at the Publick House in Sturbridge MA.  They hired me almost a year ago based on a recommendation from one of Diana’s friends who saw me at a wedding I did last September, and our meeting last month to go over the details for their wedding was so much fun that I absolutely knew that their wedding was going to be outstanding!  The festivities started at 6:30, with an outdoor ceremony at the venue’s gazebo - I provided the ceremony music as well as the microphone for the officiant and readers.  Afterwards, the guests moved into the Publick House’s function room, which has an old colonial feel and was decorated nicely for the fall season. 

 Once the dancing got started, the floor was packed right up until midnight, with guests of all ages enjoying a great mix of music selected by the bride and groom - everything from “Hey Ya” to “Down Under” to “Burnin’ Love”. 

Diana & Micah’s First Dance: “High And Dry” - Radiohead
Bride/Father Dance: “Unforgettable” - Nat King Cole
Groom/Mother Dance: “Life Without You” - Stevie Ray Vaughn
Last Dance: “Home” - Michael Buble

One additional highlight of the night for me was meeting Melissa and Stephen, friends of the bride and groom.  They’ve hired me for their wedding coming up in June 2008, and I’m sure it will be a great time!

Congratulations, Diana & Micah! 

Most of my events this month have been wedding receptions, with two exceptions: a monthly church dance that I DJ at St. Bernard’s Church in Assonet MA, and Friday night’s retirement party for New Bedford Police Captain Spirlet at Rachel’s Lakeside in Dartmouth.  What an outstanding tribute!  150 guests attended, including a number of city councilors and neighborhood advocates.  Among those speaking at the event were New Bedford Mayor Scott Lang and Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter - it was a pleasure to meet them both just prior to introducing them. 

An ABC6 camera crew was at the event too, so some footage of the event might turn up on the local news this week.  Stay tuned!

When I meet with prospective clients, many of them want to know what makes my services different compared to what they’ve seen from other DJs.  And until now, I’ve always said that I’m fanatical about having a backup plan for everything, I genuinely care about the success of every event, and that I always make sure that my clients’ wishes come first.  However, I received a thank-you email over the weekend from the father of a recent bride, and one sentence in it really got my attention:

You did so much more than play music,  you created memories.

Honestly, I never really considered how my work affects others and I rarely get the chance to compare what I do to what other DJs are doing, but when the father of a recent bride takes the time to write to me, I must be doing something right.  I’ve known for a long time that the music plays just a small part in what I do, but the rest isn’t always easy to explain to others.

 That one sentence said it quite nicely.     

Adam & Mollie’s wedding reception on Saturday night was great, and it took place at an unbeatable location- the 6th floor Skyline room at the Boston Museum of Science.   In addition to some great views of the city (including the Charles River Esplanade, the famous neon Citgo sign and Fenway Park), their 100 guests were treated to a trolley ride from the church to the museum and a buffet dinner from Wolfgang Puck catering.  The bride and groom met while both were students at M.I.T. and have very different musical tastes - she likes pop music along the lines of Corinne Bailey Rae and Christina Aguilera, he likes 80s hair bands.  I’m happy to report that I was able to find the perfect mix of songs to suit them and their guests, from Twisted Sister to Timbaland. 

Adam & Mollie’s First Dance:
“Everything I Do (I Do It For You)” - Bryan Adams

Bride/Father and Groom/Mother Dance (shared):
“What A Wonderful World” - Louis Armstrong

Last Dance: “Long Time” - Boston

Consider taking a lesson to make sure you look your best.  I recommend the Wedding Crash Course, offered by Best Foot Forward Dance Studio in Newton MA.  Julie and I took the three-hour class just before our wedding last year, and it was one of the best decisions we could have made.  We spent a late Sunday afternoon with our instructor Kevin and two other soon-to-be-married couples, learning the basic dance positions and how to move across the dance floor without stepping on each other’s toes.  We also learned a few moves that we never would have figured out on our own (a couple of twirls, and a nice finish).    Here’s the best part: it’s fun, and they use your music throughout the lesson - just bring your CD!

 Best Foot Forward’s class sizes are extremely limited and prepaid reservations are required; many of their classes sell out.  To find out more, call 617-916-5757, and be sure to tell them you got their info here!

When I first started my career as a professional mobile DJ, many of my clients would ask me for help with finding a song for their first dance.  It wasn’t always easy, as we didn’t have the benefits of the internet in the early 1990s and unique songs weren’t as easy to track down.  As a result, many couples ended up choosing the same handful of familiar songs.  Fortunately, times have changed.

The good news is that fewer clients ask for help with finding a first dance song, because they already have a song that’s meaningful to them.  However, when couples have more than one song and need help narrowing down their possibilities, I’m happy to assist.  This is what I suggest:

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September is absolutely THE busiest month for me ever, and last night it was a privilege for me to be the DJ at Nikki & Tim’s wedding reception.  The celebration took place at the Coonamessett Inn in Falmouth, with the bride and groom arriving at 6:00 to “Shipping Up To Boston” by the Dropkick Murphys.  Nikki & Tim were a great couple to work with, providing me with just enough info about their own musical tastes, but leaving enough flexibility for me to accommodate guest requests and my own song choices.  I love having a little bit of creative freedom - it makes for a much better party and keeps my song selections less rigid.   Needless to say, it was an outstanding evening. 

First Dance: “That’s All” - Michael Buble
Bride/Father Dance: “Beautiful In My Eyes” - Joshua Kadison
Groom/Mother Dance: “In My Life” - The Beatles
Bride & Groom’s Last Dance: “Feels Like Home” - Chantal Kreviazuk

One of the best requests of the night came from the bride’s father - Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me”.  Not only did the people on the dance floor enjoy it, but it got the venue’s waitstaff dancing, too.

Congratulations to the newlyweds! 

Rebecca & Matthew’s wedding took place Sunday night at Bittersweet Farm in Westport, MA.  I absolutely LOVE working at Bittersweet Farm, because the grounds and venue are so unique and the managers and waitstaff are so friendly.  The festivities began at 5:00 pm, with Rebecca & Matt’s ceremony at the venue’s gazebo, followed by a cocktail hour, dinner and dancing on the venue’s main level, and an amazing dessert buffet in the venue’s loft.  In short, this was an absolutely perfect evening - the dancefloor was filled from start to finish!

Rebecca & Matt’s First Dance:  “Everything” - Michael Buble
Bride/Father Dance:  “The Way You Look Tonight” - Tony Bennett
Groom/Mother Dance: “Child Of Mine” - Carole King

Special thanks to Dawn, Eric, Greg, Tanya, Nicole and the rest of the Bittersweet Farm staff.  In addition to being super-attentive to the needs of their customers, they always go above and beyond to make sure that vendors (including me) are well taken-care of.

Sandra & Tom’s wedding took place Saturday night at the Holiday Inn in Taunton MA.  The setting was gorgeous - instead of reserving one of the hotel’s ballrooms, the bride and groom opted to have their ceremony and reception in the hotel’s atrium restaurant.  What a great party!  Almost all of the couple’s 60 guests stayed to the very end, dancing to all of their favorites.  One highlight of the evening was a request for Tony Bennett’s “Because Of You” - it was Sandra’s parents’ wedding song in the 1950s.

 First Dance: “Nine Million Bicycles” - Katie Melua