I was so thrilled to perform Sharon and Joe’s wedding ceremony at the Lanam Club in Andover, MA.  The evening sky cleared and the rain held off so we could hold the ceremony outside.  What a beautiful venue the Lanam is, the waitstaff are extremely accomodating and attentive and the food is phenomenal. 

The Happy Couple - all smiles at the end of a fantastic evening!

 The crowd danced non-stop from beginning to end.  DJ Bob had a blast beat mixing an enormous range of music – everything from urban, country, hip hop and oldies.  The guests ages ranged from 14 to over 70.  What a fun night, it’s always a great feeling when the guests aren’t ready to stop partying even though the event is scheduled to end.  When you choose Music Fantasy as your wedding DJ, you’re sure to have the reception of your dreams.

Joe & Sharon enjoying the great music with their friends and family.

"Country Girls Shake That For Me" - that they did !

9 10 11 – we just knew this was going to be one of the biggest wedding dates of 2011!  Kristen and Kevin booked our services well ahead of time – for their wedding at Zorvino Vineyards, they knew it would be a popular date, as well. 

I was thrilled they chose me to officiate their ceremony too.  Music Fantasy also provided an outside sound system with microphone, so we could play beautiful prelude music, their personal chocies for the processional and recessional songs and to ensure everyone was able to hear the customized wedding ceremony.   

The reception was a blast from start to finish.   DJ Bob worked his magic with the crowd and their reactions to his amazing mixes and interaction were amazing.

From start to finish, you’re in good hands with Music Fantasy.  Our goal is always to provide service beyond expectation to ensure our couples have the wedding of their dreams.  Wedding DJs with over 20 years of wedding experience.

I love reading anything & everything that has to do with weddings, I find it entertaining. I wanted to share some info from a great article I read the other day, hope you find it helpful.

The five keys to juggling wedding planning with your career are to: Organize, Compartmentalize, Multi-task, Delegate and Rejuvenate.

Once you’re engaged, your To Do list grows drastically. Planning your wedding can seem like another full time job, it can be a challenge to balance your job, your personal life and your wedding planning.

First of all, get organized and find the best planning device for you – whether it’s an “old fashioned” appointment book, or an electronic planner. If you prefer the electronic methods, there are lots of software programs to help sync all your calendars. It’s even helpful to color code your entries, so you can keep track of all your appointments (wedding, work and personal)

Staying organized is key – checklists are really helpful. If you like to use computers, tablets or smart phones you may like Google Docs. Some brides still prefer hard copy lists and spreadsheets so they can file them in a binder.

Dedicate specific time to wedding tasks, so you’re sure to schedule your time appropriately.

Multi-task… it’s imperative – you can even do fun wedding things while still enjoying your favorite TV show.

Accept help from those who offer and you should also involve your fiance’, you can even give small tasks to bridesmaids or your immediate family.

Don’t forget that you still need some down time for yourself, it will help you stay focused and keep you from getting too stressed or burned out.

Try to have fun and enjoy the process. Do your research and hire true, full time wedding professionals, it will make your journey so much more enjoyable.

From start to finish, you’re in good hands with Music Fantasy – highly experienced entertainment specialists.

Architectural lighting for a dramatic effect

Brides Beware… not all architectural lighting is created equal!     Have you been wondering what architectural lighting is?

It is one of the newest wedding enhancements & is becoming extremely popular.  You may have seen it at a recent event, on a TV wedding show, heard about it on the internet, or from a friend.  These days there are many lighting options:  dance floor lighting, ceiling lighting, architectural lighting and monogram lighting.

Let’s talk about architectural lighting today.  The authentic, state-of-the art lighting, is not just uplighting.  It is considered architectural lighting.

Many DJ companies are using inexpensive Par Can or Spot Light fixtures, but still call it uplighting or ambient lighting.  These other fixtures are not wireless, not battery operated and not LED.  They get extremely hot and can be dangerous.  These are lights that use a colored gel to try and “closely” match the event colors.   They involve lots of wires and extension cords.  

You may find many function facilities are trying to entice you to book with them by offering “free uplighting”.  The fixtures they offer are simply left on, no one attends to them and they are set to one color and just randomly chase or flash – nothing fancy, nothing customized.

If you want the most dramatic look and feel, you want to hire a company that is using the best LED fixtures, and can create custom programs for the utmost impact.

Music Fantasy uses professional, fixtures that are battery operated & 100% wireless.  These are 3 watt, high output LED lights.   They are totally safe, emit no heat, and they are environmentally friendly.

We can match your exact wedding colors or create a custom color, just for you.   We design specific programs for each event and control the lights remotely; fading and transitions are amazing.  There are literally no cords, at all.  These tasteful fixtures can be placed just about anywhere and they take up very little space. 

Imagine beautiful light scapes… exquisite colors that soften the walls, illuminate pillars and the ceiling, enhance the sweetheart table, the cake table, plants, etc.….   the possibilities are endless.

We offer unique packages and have a large quantity of professional fixtures.

Let our custom event lighting designs create an amazing, magical ambience & transform an ordinary room into the spectacular room of your dreams.

Contact Music Fantasy to find out more about our authentic, high end architectural lighting.   Call 1.800.460.3548 (DJ4U)

Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011 was a picture perfect evening for Ryan & Jen at Brewster Academy.  Photographer, Robert Ortiz was very kind & recommended us to this great couple.    When we asked Jen & Ryan to describe their desired DJ style, they told us they loved a wide range of music, didn’t want too many formalities, no chicken dance, they didn’t want the music to be too loud, but not too soft, they wanted their DJ to keep the party alive and fun, play their requests, take requests from their guests and not do a lot of talking.  It was clear we were a great match.

 Lake Winnipesaukee is very significant to Ryan’s family – they have vacationed on an island at the lake since he was a boy.  His family still spends an enormous amount of time at their lake house.  Jen is originally from Texas and Ryan from Rhode Island.

It was so evident that an enormous amount of time went into planning this phenomenal day.  Every detail was perfect, the colors, the decore’, the food, the cakes – everything!   It all came together, a 6 PM ceremony by the water, cocktails in the Boat House and Reception outside under the tent, so everyone could enjoy the views of the lake.   We set up two sound systems, to accomodate their entertainment needs. 

The two wedding cakes had significant  meaning – Ryan’s was all about the Red Sox and Jen’s was all about the Wizard of Oz.  They were not only a beautiful display, they tasted fantastic. 

Wizard of Oz cake

Close to 150 family and friends enjoyed an evening of great food, fantastic music, fun & dancing.    Ryan & Jen, you are great together:  “To have, to hold, to love, to cherish”… Thank you for choosing Music Fantasy Weddings as your wedding entertainment!

Sept. 3rd was Brad & Victoria’s big day at Alpine Grove.  They hired us last minute, and we were thrilled we were available to be their entertainment specialists. Brad & Vicki’s original plans were to have an iPod wedding, but as time grew near, they began to panic and wonder if that was a wise decision. Questions began to fill their minds: who would handle their introductions, coordinate the timing of the toasts, first dance, parent dances, etc.? Who would tastefully interact with their guests, feel out the crowd, make sure the reception was FUN and play the perfect mix of music? They wanted it to be memorable.

Brad loves Star Trek (as do many of his friends) and both of them enjoy listening to a vast mix of bands like Guster, Keane, Snow Patrol, Maroon 5, Death Cab for Cutie, Smashing Pumpkins, The Flaming Lips along with The Beatles, Etta James, Tom Waits, 311, Rascal Flatts – just to name a few.

We’ve heard many horror stories when it comes to iPod weddings, we were so honored that Brad & Vicki trusted us with their event!

Brad & Victoria Stamp

It was great working with you. We hope you are living life by your favorite quote: “Together we can rule the galaxy as husband and wife”.

So you’re engaged… here’s the first few steps of planning your wedding

You’re so excited, your partner just popped the question… it’s perfectly normal to wonder what you do next.  You’ll find lots of wedding planning checklists, but they don’t really help you figure out where to begin.  Don’t let the stress and anxiety of planning, ruin your excitement and anticipation.

We’re excited to help you, so after you’ve announced your engagement to everyone and the reality finally hits… here are the first few items you should take care of.

1)       Time to determine your budget.  All your decisions will be based on your wedding budget.  If you know how much you can spend and who plans to contribute with the expenses, then you will be able to figure out the type of wedding you can have (including how many guests, when and where you’ll host your wedding, what professional DJ and photographer you can afford etc.  Most couples talk to their families about who will pay for what and then arrive at a total wedding budget.

2)      Putting together your Guest List.  This is a crucial step because capacity is very important information in finding a suitable venue.  You must secure your location before you can successfully plan anything else.  You don’t need to finalize the list, but you do need an estimate from both sides of the family (and yourselves) right away, to avoid lots of planning headaches during the process.  Think about it, you don’t want to try to fit 300 people into a facility that only seats 150 people.

3)      Decide on your venue and your date.  It’s best to have an estimated budget and a headcount of your guests before you begin looking for a place to hold your event.  Most reception venues book out over a year in advance, so you can’t decide on a date until after you have booked your facility and have given a deposit and received a signed contract.  You should research and find as many places as possible that are within your budget, can handle your guests, and meet your style and atmosphere desires.  You’ll want to schedule some appointments to view each venue and meet with the facility managers.  Once this is done, you’ll sit down and make a decision.

4)      The next two most important wedding professionals you’ll want to book are your DJ and your photographer.  DJs and photographers also often book sometimes a year in advance, so it’s best to research, meet and secure these next.

You’ll find if you secure as many services, as early as possible, you’ll really be able to enjoy the process and the journey.  You’ll truly be able to look forward to your wedding day, as the months go by, thus eliminating lots of anxiety and stress.

Music Fantasy Weddings is a full time professional wedding DJ service.

Jenny & Glenn were married on her parents’ farm in Eliot on Saturday, August 6^th. 

The first time as a married couple..

We’ve known the Goransson family for quite a few years and were honored to be part of this amazing day.    Nancy was hired as the week of and day of wedding coordinator, for this huge event and put her amazing organizational skills to work to deal with details & alleviate last minute stress for this special family. 

As with any outside event on private property, there are many important people to work with… rental company (for tent, tables, chairs, linens, plates, silverware, portable bars), caterer, baker, florist, VIP trailer/bathroom facilities, lighting, electricity, etc. etc. Reflections Salon in Somersworth and Face First/Lisa Lawrence, members of the Seacoast Wedding Group (a networking group we belong to), were also involved in this great day – doing  a beautiful job with everyone’s hair and makeup.   Ann Barbi, also of the Seacoast Wedding Group coordinated their honeymoon trip to Hawaii.

The wedding colors were navy blue & yellow (colors of the Swedish flag).  Jenny’s brother Peter was one of her attendants and Glenn’s best friend, Leslie was one of his attendants.    Jenny’s Aunt Leslie performed a beautiful, meaningful ceremony as the cows and bulls casually grazed in the back field.

Almost 200 of their closest friends and family joined them in the fabulous celebration.  A couple highlights of the evening were a surprise Flash Mob, Jenny’s mom, Helen, organized and a sing along to an old Swedish lullabye Jenny’s grandfather used to sing to her Dad, Paul; followed by a traditional Swedish dance.  Jenny’s request for her special Father/Daughter dance was “Lullabye” by Billy Joel which I blended into “El Africano” by Wilfrido Vargas.

Dancing the night away, oh what a night !

Once the dancing started, there was no stopping the FUN, the dance floor never seemed to be big enough.  The energy level was over the top, you could gauge how much people were dancing, by how soaked their clothes were.   There were some wild requests and crazy dance routines; it was a night filled with making great memories.  As we ended the evening, so many of the guests kept coming by to thank us for creating a wonderful, unique evening they would remember for years to come.   When we hear these comments, we are reminded of why we love to DJ & why we specialize in weddings!

We can’t wait to see the video that Sara McCormick of McCormick Media will be putting together.

Shonda ‘s most important request was to surprise her father after their traditional Father/Daughter dance (My Little Girl, by Tim McGraw)  – and break into a Polka.   Let’s just say – you should have seen his face when he heard the words “I Don’t Want her, she’s too fat for me”! 

Purple & Silver were the predominant colors for Michael & Shonda’s wedding  on June 25^th at Candia Woods– they felt very blessed that the weather cleared just in time for their 5 PM ceremony, especially after a full week of nothing but rain. 

Shonda & Michael were two very busy students away at school in the mid-west, we had dealt strictly with Shonda’s Dad, Jeff, throughout the planning process.   The first time we met our special bride & groom to be in person, was 2 weeks before their wedding, just to tweak all the final details.   

As we talked about how they envisioned their evening the words family, FUN and dancing kept coming up.  There would be no alcohol, but they did want a lot of fun music including the Cupid Shuffle, the Cha Cha slide and a few other  group dances.  They had relatives coming from Pennsylvania, New York and lots of other places – many hadn’t seen each other for a long time, this was sure to be a great party!

The dance floor was packed from beginning to end, and it was indeed a fantastic celebration.   We played everything from “New York, New York” to “Like a G6” – and it was awesome seeing guests of all ages on the dance floor – together.

Rick Boutheiett Phototgraphy -this couple was great to work with… a husband & wife team!   Kudos to Christina & her staff at Candia Woods  – they were right on top of things all day.

God Bless you Shonda & Michael, we wish you all the best, thanks for choosing us to be part of your wedding day.

A record number of DJs attended the DJ Times expo this year.  The Promo Only party Tuesday night was a huge hit.  The line up was amazing at the House of Blues in the Showboat Hotel:  50 Cent, Jeremih, Jason Derulo, Wynter Gordon, Pete Wentz & Black Cards, Crystal Waters, Rockell with Joe Zangie, Kreayshawn, Neon Hitch, Jessica Sutta (Pussycat Dolls), Blush, Kerli, Dev, Iyaz, Eva, DaCav 5  & Alyssa Reid.

The 3 days of seminars were full of valuable information and we were thrilled to see Randy Bartlett return this year.  He presented two seminars and, as usual, he gave some great tips.

It was awesome to see all the newest equipment and lighting, over 80  industry vendors had booths in the Exhibit hall.

We saw tons of our DJ friends from all over the US,  including Sid & Paige Vanderpool - who had a booth for their DJ Zone Network. 

We were excited to see our friends at Top Hits USA (our music & video supplier), – their booth was buzzing with DJs looking to know more about their service.  Ara, Lauren & Nicole all did a fantastic job sharing info on all the great music they offer.

Thanks to everyone at DJ Times for putting together another fantastic expo.