I’m gonna be 33 years old next week. Really loud music annoys me and so do obnoxious drunk people. Jason and I both used to party quite a bit (I didn’t know him back then but supposedly he did..;-)) I would spend my weekends at Gogo’s and Rouge and just do the circuit. Those were the days before I started planning weddings. But now I’m tired. I still love to dance and have drinks but Jason and I prefer to stay home and have our own little ‘dance parties’ on Saturday nights. We literally drink wine, and he basically plays music from the 50s to today and we dance (or sometimes I just watch him dance because it’s super entertaining and very cute).
Music is so important to both of us. It is a major determining factor of the success of an event.
Traditionally, couples would select a large wedding band and have them play all night. There are some fabulous wedding bands in this city but when you are trying to please such a large group of people with different tastes, it’s hit or miss. Opting for the DJ-only route doesn’t mean your party will be less of a party but I always suggest trying to add in something ‘live’ to fulfill that visual element that people desire.
Jason and I am taking the route of blended entertainment for our wedding.
We are working with, in my opinion, two super talents.
Tony & Randi, from the THE DIRECTORS SHOWBAND, are some of the most passionate musicians I know. They care so much about how the music sounds, creating a repertoire to please specific tastes and that the right musicians come together for an event. Though we have not hired the entire band, Tony & Randi have created a smaller version of their band (a 5-piece) for us to play mainly during dinner and cover some of our favorites – Rolling Stones, Sinatra, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, etc.
We want upbeat sing-along tunes during dinner rather than boring elevator-cocktail music. And as much as people don’t like to put the emphasis on what plays during the meal, it is a precursor for what happens later.
Tony & Randi have also sourced amazing string musicians for our ceremony through their secondary company called Direct Entertainment. This company is basically a network of the best musicians in this city who come together to create any duo, trio or quartet you need to accomplish a certain musical style. Pick a song for your ceremony, they find the right musicians to play it, they learn it and it’s beautiful.
Tony & Randi are also beautiful people. Truly love them and sooo enjoy feeling their energy from the stage.
Quick shoutout to some of my other fav bands – anything PAUL CHACRA is 100% guaranteed, AD-LIB (because Jewelle is Ahh-mazing), SOULVATION & the FREDDIE JAMES PROJECT (for those who love to get down).
The second supertalent is YOSSI (DJ Yo-C). Though sometimes I want to bite him to death, he is by far the BEST DJ in the…..yes I am going to say it….World. Every single party that I am worked on with him has literally been the craziest party ever. I don’t know what it is….his song choices, his super laid-back attitude, his mixing…..he is just great. And his company INDUSTRY EVENTS is great too. They offer lighting & sound packages (and some furniture & bars) and also have a repertoire of other awesome DJs to select from (my 2nd favorite is Sacha).
With this kind of lineup planned, this Saturday night, I am going to put on my gorgeous (yet killer) shiny gold wedding 4-inch heels and practice my dance moves with my man.
TANIA
THE DIRECTORS: www.thedirectors.ca
DIRECT ENTERTAINMENT: www.directentertainment.ca
DJ YO-C/ INDUSTRY EVENTS: http://djyoc.blogspot.ca/ / https://www.facebook.com/pages/INDUSTRY-EVENTS/116829511680123